Merit Poker continues to bring great poker action to Cyprus, and their latest Carmen Series is just right around the corner, playing out from March 22 to April 2.

The Carmen Series is headlined by a huge $1.5 million guaranteed Main Event and features an action-packed schedule that the players will surely enjoy.

Event Highlights

Of course, everyone will be watching the Main Event, but there are plenty of other tournaments for players to sink their teeth into.

The series is opened by the NL Warm Up which promises to pay out no less than $700,000. The Warm Up kicks off on March 22 at midday and comes with a $2,200 buy-in. Even better, there are plenty of opportunities to get in on the cheap as they can satellite their way in for a fraction of the price.

The Warm Up has three starting flights before the fields merge for Day 2 on March 24. The champion will then be crowned the following day.

Another one to look out for is the $1,100 Mystery Bounty. Mystery Bounty tournaments are all the rage at the moment, and this one is not to be missed with its $100,000 guarantee. While the top bounty prize is yet to be revealed, you can expect it to be a good one.

Orthodoxos “Cyprus Bear” Orthodoxou Wins the Merit Poker Western Series Main Event

Carmen Series Main Event

As mentioned, the Carmen Series Main Event has a guaranteed seven-figure prize pool, but there are high expectations that the figure will be obliterated.

The Main Event buy-in stands at $3,300, and like The Warm Up, there are plenty of satellites scheduled for players to participate in. Over 50 tickets to the Main Event will be awarded through this route.

The Main Event starts on March 28 and has four Day 1 flights, with Day 1d running as a turbo. The Day 1 survivors will then return for Day 2 on March 31 before Day 3 and Day 4 play out over April 1-2.

Follow the Action on PokerNews

The PokerNews live reporting team will also have boots on the ground bringing you updates from The Warm Up, The Main Event and $5,300 High Roller.

Make sure not to miss a hand by checking out our live reporting page when the events kick off.

Merit Poker Carmen Series Schedule

Editor & Live Reporter

Calum has been a part of the PokerNews team since September 2021 after working in the UK energy sector. He played his first hand of poker in 2017 and immediately fell in love with the game. Calum’s proudest poker achievement is winning the only tournament he has ever played in Las Vegas, the prestigious $60 Flamingo evening event.

Following two successful Checkpoint stops earlier this month in Tunica and the Bay Area, the RunGood Poker Series (RGPS) is headed to Florida for RGPS bestbet Jacksonville, which will take place March 23-April 2 and will culminate with the $1,200 buy-in Main Event with a $300,000 guarantee.

It’s been a busy month for the RGPS family, to say the least. The team walked away with the Best Mid-Major Tour/Circuit award at the Global Poker Awards for the third time and Hayley Hochstetler also received the award for Media Content: Best Photo for her work for PokerNews at the 2022 World Series of Poker (WSOP).

In addition to the two-day Main Event, which PokerNews will be on-site providing live updates for, RGPS bestbet Jacksonville will feature several No-Limit Hold’em and mixed game events that will leave the winners walking away from an RGPS Ring.

Check out the RGPS Hub on PokerNews here!

Bounty and Mixed Game Action

The RGPS bestbet Jacksonville stop will kick off with the $400 RunGood Series Opener, which offers a $100,000 guaranteed prize pool and offers six starting flights. Day 2 of the Series Opener will be live-streamed on bestbet LIVE on Twitch and YouTube.

After that, the $400 Black Chip Bounty will get underway, followed by a $300 One Day NLH Ring Event and a $200 Ambassador Bounty Ring Event, which will also be streamed on bestbet LIVE. Special guests will be holding bounty envelopes with prizes that range between $1,000 in cash and RunGood Apparel store credit.

There are also a few mixed game events on the schedule, including a $300 Big O Hi/Lo Ring Event and a $300 H.E.R.O.S Ring Event, which will feature Hold’em, Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better, Razz and regular Omaha.

The $300,000 guaranteed Main Event will get underway on March 30 with the first of three starting flights. Day 2 of the Main Event will take place on April 2 and the action will be streamed on bestbet Live.

There are several satellites into the Main Event allowing players to win a seat for as little as $300.

Who Will Be the Next RGPS Main Event Winner?

There have already been two RGPS Main Event winners this month and there will now be a third one headed into April.

At RGPS Graton, Pe Kyaw got through a field 1,043 runners in the $800 Main Event and took home the ring and $90,330 after a three-way chop with RunGood ambassador Daniel Lowery (2nd – $88,870) and Taylor Pollard (3rd – $84,835).

At RGPS Tunica, meanwhile, the $600 Main Event drew 601 players and saw Arkansas native Kevin Broadway winning his first ring and $50,804 after a heads-up deal with Ricky Loyd. Others who made deep runs in the event include Kelly Black (3rd – $28,846), James “Coach” Milligan (6th – $12,376) and Patrick Rogers (8th – $7,438).

After the bestbet Jacksonville stop, the RunGood team will head to Downstream Casino Joplin from April 11-16, followed by a Horseshoe Council Bluffs stop April 20-30.

The full schedule for RGPS bestbet Jacksonville is available in the table below.

RGPS bestbet Jacksonville Schedule

The Amateur Poker Association & Tour (APAT) has announced a bustling schedule of ten stops for 2023 coming off the back of a hugely successful APAT UK Team Championships event at Dusk Till Dawn, Nottingham. Not for the first time in APAT’s long and illustrious history, the amateur-focussed poker tour heads out of the United Kingdom during 2023, including trips to Ireland, Malta, and the Czech Republic.

APAT fans do not have long to wait to get their teeth into the next event because the APAT UK & Ireland Amateur Poker Championships takes place at Aspers Casino Stratford in London from March 24-26. Last year, 429 players turned out in force for the £120 buy-in Main Event, which ended in a three-way deal. When the dust had settled, Martin Kalinov was the last player standing, and he walked away with £5,000 of the £42,900 prize pool, plus a coveted APAT gold medal.

Irish Championships are Part of the 2023 Irish Open

A €250 buy-in APAT Irish National Championship event runs April 5-6, which should be massive, thanks to the tournament being slap-bang in the middle of the 2023 Irish Open festivities.

Players wanting a more international flavor should keep April 29-30 free because that is when the APAT Maltese Championship takes place. Again, all APAT events are popular, but this one is part of the 2023 Malta Poker Festival Spring Edition, meaning it is likely to draw in an even larger crowd than usual.

APAT returns to the Grand Casino Asch in the Czech Republic From September 27 to October 2 in what is likely to be the richest prize pool of the tour. The 2022 edition of the APAT German Amateur Poker Championship saw 624 players create a €65,520 prize pool, with €11,121 going to the eventual champion.

Scotsquad Claims APAT UK Team Championship Title

Dates are Set for the 2023 WCOAP

Every APAT player dreams of becoming a world champion in their field, and they have the chance to realize that dream in the 2023 World Championship Of Amateur Poker (WCOAP). Seen as the World Series of Poker (WSOP) for amateur players, the WCOAP is a must-play festival on the recreational player-friendly tour.

APAT is putting together the finishing touches to the 2023 WCOAP, which runs from August 23-28 at Dusk Till Dawn in Nottingham, but it will be phenomenal if past WCOAPs are anything to base judgment on. Dan Owston is the reigning champion, having topped a 423-strong field in 2022, an impressive result that came with £10,000 in prize money.

888poker Ambassador Kara Scott Breaks Down Tips For Your First Live Poker Tournament

2023 Amateur Poker Association & Tour (APAT) Live Schedule

Did You Know APAT Runs Daily Tournaments Online at PartyPoker?

APAT has one of the most friendly and vibrant poker communities anywhere. APAT members head online to PartyPoker throughout the week and battle it out across a variety of tournaments. Fire up PartyPoker, find the APAT filter under “Category” in the “Tournies” tab, and you are good to go!

PartyPoker Grand Prix Spring Features a $250K GTD Main Event for $55

$2,135 of Added Value in the PokerNews-Exclusive Tournaments

You can also play in some PokerNews-exclusive freerolls and tournaments at PartyPoker. There is a trio of PokerNews events taking place at 7:00 p.m. GMT on March 19, a freeroll with $100 added, a $5.50 buy-in with 17x $55 Grand Prix Spring Main Event tickets added, and an $11 buy-in with 20x $55 Grand Prix Spring Main Event tickets added to the prize pool. In all, that works out at more than $2,100 worth of added value.

All three tournaments are password-protected, with those all-important passwords released to members of our excellent Discord servers, your one-stop shop for all things PokerNews.

Click Here to Join the PokerNews Discord Server

Help Yourself to a PartyPoker Welcome Package

Download PartyPoker via PokerNews and deposit at least $10 to receive a 100% match up to $600 welcome bonus in addition to up to $30 worth of free play.

A $10 deposit yields $10 worth of tickets over the course of a week:

• Day 1: 2x $1 SPINS tickets + 1x $5.50 MTT ticket
• Day 2: 4x $0.25 SPINS tickets
• Day 4: 1x $3.30 MTT ticket
• Day 6: 4x $0.25 SPINS tickets

Increase your deposit to at least $20, and the following ticket package is yours:

• Day 1: 1x $5.30 MTT ticket
• Day 2: 2x $1 SPINS ticket
• Day 3: 1x $5.50 MTT ticket
• Day 4: 1x $5.50 MTT ticket
• Day 5: 3x $2.20 MTT tickets
• Day 6: 2x $3 SPINS tickets + 1x$3.30 MTT ticket

Residents of the United Kingdom enjoy a slightly different welcome from PartyPoker. Their deposit of at least £10 comes with a 100% match up to £400 first deposit bonus plus $10 worth of Party Dollars, which can be used in any of the site’s games every day for six days.

To release the total Deposit Bonus amount, you must accumulate four times the Deposit Bonus amount in loyalty points. Each time the player accumulates 10% of the Total Loyalty Points required, they will receive a 10% increment of the Deposit Bonus

It’s long been a myth that you need to be a math whizz to be a big winner at poker. You don’t need to have a poker odds calculator in your head, to have memorized an endless list of combinations, or exactly know what ‘ICM’ stands for.

While it’s true that most poker players will need to know a little math to help them succeed, you don’t necessarily need to be a math prodigy to win at the tables.

WPT Global even wrote a recent blog article which we’re summarised here.

Give it a read and apply some of the theories while you’re at the table, and you may see an upturn in results!

Math and Poker

It’s not just a 21st-century idea that succeeding at poker should involve math. Back in 1875 there were poker books being written, including ‘The Game of Draw Poker, Mathematically Illustrated’ by Henry T. Winterblossom.

Even classic strategy books from Doyle Brunson or Mike Caro have broken down the math in popular games such as 5-Card Draw, Seven Card Stud and of course Texas Hold’em.

When is it Best to Bluff in Poker? WPT Global Has the Answers!

Modern-day poker math has been increasingly applied to poker tournaments as well as cash games, with ‘Harrington on Hold’em’ by Dan Harrington popularizing the “M” concept to reflect how shallow or deep a poker player’s stack is.

Key Poker Calculations

There are several simple calculations that poker players should have at their disposal at the poker tables, and here we break down three key ones:

EV (Expected Value)

You may have heard the term “EV” while at the poker tables, but what does it mean? Basically, it is simply the amount of money you can expect to win or lose on average for each action you take.

The formula is: EV = (Win% * $Win) – (Lose% * $Lost)

WPT Global Gives Tips For Playing a Loose-Aggressive (LAG) Style

For example, when you bet $100 into a $100 pot as a bluff, and there’s a 75% chance your opponent will fold, you can use EV to see if there is a positive outcome in the long run. Learning equations like the above can help you quantify precisely how profitable or unprofitable a certain action will be.

Break-Even Calculation

This calculation is important because it can tell you how often a particular play needs to work for it to break even. This can then be used to give you a rough idea of whether or not it will be profitable.

Again, here is the formula: Break-even = Bet Size / (Bet Size + Current Pot)

Thinking of bluffing the river? Just input the bet size and the current pot to see whether it’s a good idea after all.

Minimum Defence Frequency (MDF)

Balance is the key in all forms of poker, whether with your overall bankroll or with value bets, bluffs, and ranges. The Minimum Defence Frequency (MDF) is the minimum percentage of your range that you need to call for your opponent’s bet not to be automatically profitable.

The formula: MDF = (pot size / (pot size + bet size)) * 100

We use this to determine how often we need to call to stop ourselves from being exploited, and we can also use it to determine if we can automatically profit from a bet.

Luck vs. Skill

There’s no question that poker is a game of skill, but there are elements of luck. However, by having a solid understanding of the math behind poker, you will be able to increase your skill level in the game and better understand the role that luck has on your play.

By having a foundational knowledge of poker math, you are better equipped to analyze your hands to see if you’re getting unlucky or if you have leaks in your game. If you don’t have that solid foundation, it’s like you’re building your strategy on quicksand – eventually, it will all come crumbling down.

Beth Hall is known for playing characters like Caroline on AMC’s Mad Men and Wendy Harris on CBS‘ Mom. But this week, the Los Angeles-based actress played a different role, that of a World Series of Poker Circuit ring winner.

Earlier this week, Hall topped a 166-player field in a $400 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em event at the WSOP Circuit The Bicycle Casino in Los Angeles to win $13,885 and her first Circuit ring, while Cory Ryan finished runner-up for $5,585.

While surely the most famous, Hall is just one of a handful of players who have picked up rings at the latest Circuit stop, which got underway on March 4 and is wrapping up this week.

Rhode Island’s Tae Gon Kim topped a field of 338 runners in the $1,700 buy-in Main Event to win his first ring and a career-best $111,075, while other players who picked up Circuit rings at The Bike including longtime LA grinder Shirley Rosario (Event #12: $400 Omaha 8 or Better – $9,775), Pedro Rincon (Event #2: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Monster Stack – $48,955) and Utah all-time money leader Jared Griener (Event #6: $2,200 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller – $42,555)

Check out this PokerNews review of The Bicycle Casino!

Put a Ring On It

Hall has IMDb credits dating back to 1997, but her first poker cash was a decade later when she finished eighth in a $50 Queen of Hearts event at the 2007 Sweetheart Weekend at Bell Gardens. Hall continued to rack up cashes around Los Angeles before picking up a career-best $24,000 from a 14th-place finish at the 2016 Socal Poker Championships at Bell Gardens.

The recent victory at The Bike gives Hall her second-biggest live cash and first live tournament win and brings her up to $94,454 in live earnings.

On Twitter, the actress and Circuit crusher thanked Faraz Jaka of Jaka Coaching for her recent success on the felt.

Hall is not the only Hollywood star to land a poker victory this year. Last month, acclaimed actor James Woods took down a Tag-Team mixed game event at the Los Angeles Poker Classic (LAPC) at The Commerce with the help of partner Lynda Tran.

Rosario Wins Second Circuit Ring

Later in the series, Shirley Rosario, an LA poker veteran with $720,324 in live earnings, picked up her second Circuit ring and $9,775 with a victory in $400 Omaha 8 or Better event. The event drew 103 and the mixed game specialist bested Pasadena’s Jesse David, who took home $6,040 for his runner-up finish.

Kim had just a single live cash heading into the event from a 214th place finish in the 2021 WSOP $1,500 Closer, but that didn’t stop him from taking down the event for six figures and a first Circuit ring.

WSOP Circuit The Bike Main Event Final Table Results

Other players who took home decent hauls at The Bike this Circuit stop include Pedro Rincon, who got through 559 players, the biggest field of the stop, to win the $400 Monster Stack for $48,955, as well as Jared Griener, who took down the $2,200 High Roller to add $42,555 to his $2.5 million in earnings.

Next up on the WSOP Circuit schedule is a stop at Turning Stone Resort Casino in New York, which will culminate with the $1,700 buy-in Main Event on March 23.

A full list of WSOP Circuit The Bike winners is available in the table below.

2023 WSOPC The Bike Ring Winners

_{Lead image courtesy of WSOP}

On the latest PokerNews Podcast episode, Chad Holloway, Jesse Fullen, and Connor Richards talk about Phil Hellmuth looking to sell his Las Vegas house, Daniel Negreanu calling out Ali Imsirovic, winners from the recently-completed Triton Super High Roller Series Vietnam, and offer a winner interview with Michael Rossitto, who took down the 2023 Wynn Millions for $604,637.

Tell us who you want to hear from. Let us know what you think of the show — tweet about the podcast using #PNPod, and be sure to follow Chad Holloway, Jesse Fullen, and Connor Richards on Twitter.

Subscribe to the PokerNews Podcast on Apple Podcasts here!

Check Out Past Episodes of the PN Podcast Here!

Executive Editor U.S.

Executive Editor US, PokerNews Podcast co-host & 2013 WSOP Bracelet Winner.

WPT Global is sponsoring the Action Poker Tour, the newest tour on the live poker calendar. The inaugural Action Poker Tour Main Event takes place at City North Hotel in Gormanston, County Meath, Ireland, between March 24-25, and you could be playing in the €300 Main Event for a fraction of its cost thanks to exclusive satellites held online at WPT Global.

Satellites for the Action Poker Tour Ireland Main Event are in the WPT Global tournament lobby now, waiting for you to play your way into the €300 Main Event in Ireland. Every day until March 19, there is a $22 Day 1 Qualifier running at 8:00 p.m. UTC where the top 15% of the field progresses to the no-direct buy-in finale on March 19. This finale has at least two €300 Action Poker Tour Ireland Main Event seats guaranteed. $4.40 buy-in feeders run at 6:00 p.m. UTC every day, awarding $22 Day 1 Qualifier tickets.

Those of you that do not have time to play in a multi-day satellite should check out the $33 buy-in direct qualifier at 8:10 p.m. UTC on March 17, as it guarantees at least one €300 seat. Feeders from $6.60 are available for this satellite.

What is the Action Poker Tour?

The Action Poker Tour is the brainchild of Irish poker grinder Jason Tompkins. Anyone that has hit the online poker tables over the past 15 years will no doubt have bumped into “blaaaaaah666,” Tompkins’ famous moniker, at some point. Tompkins has assembled a stellar team for the Action Poker Tour that includes Liam Delaney (tournament director), and Irish poker legend and author Dara O’Kearney (tour ambassador).

About the Action Poker Tour Ireland Main Event

Tompkins and his team have created a progressive clock for the blind structure, and it makes interesting reading. Everyone in the €300 buy-in Main Event (€267+€33) sits down with 50,000 chips. The first level has blinds of 100/200 with a 200 big blind ante. That opening level is one-hour long, with the next three levels each lasting 20 minutes. The rest of the 11 levels on Day 1 are 30 minutes in length. There is a turbo-structured Day 1C where 10-minute levels are in play.

Day 2 starts off with a half-hour clock for the first eight levels, before extending to a 40 minute clock until only six players remain. Levels then reduce to 30 minutes and then to 20 minutes once only a trio of players remain in contention for the title.

Action Poker Tour Ireland Main Event Day 1 Structure

Day 1A shuffles up and deals at 1:00 p.m. GMT on March 24, with Day 1B scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on the same day. There is a turbo Day 1C at 11:00 a.m. on March 25, which features a ten-minute clock. Day 2 commences at 2:00 p.m. on March 25, with play continuing until a champion is crowned.

Late registration remains open until the second break at the end of the eighth level. Buying in this late will see you enter the mix with a 25 big blind stack.

Side Events and Cash Games

The Action Poker Tour gives you the option to play in all of the starting flights, and uses a “best stack forward policy, meaning you can progress to Day 2 more than once and forfeit your smaller stacks. However, the organisers do not recommend forfeited any stack that is five big blinds or more.

Don’t worry if you don’t take down the Main Event because there is a €150 buy-in side event to get your teeth into at 5:00 p.m. GMT on March 25, in addition to various No-Limit Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha cash games that have 5% rake capped at €10.

Join WPT Global Today

The launch of WPT Global means that poker players around the world now have the chance to win their way to WPT events, win prizes and enjoy exciting games such as Poker Flips. As one of the world’s largest cash game poker networks, WPT Global is available in over 50 countries and territories around the world.

WPT Global offers a large deposit match bonus: 100% on deposits up to $1,200 (using any payment method). New players depositing a minimum of $20 automatically receive this match bonus which is unlocked in $5 increments (credited straight to the cashier) for every $20 of rake contribution.

Both tournaments and cash games count towards bonus unlocking; new players have 90 days from the date of first deposit to unlock and claim their full bonus amount.

Almost all bounty tournaments played in the online poker world these days are “progressive knockouts” in which the value of the bounty isn’t fixed but can increase and thus remain relevant throughout the tournament. They differ from the Mystery Bounty tournaments at 888poker in that those mystery bounties remain a secret until someone wins one.

Because of this factor, sometimes in these events, we might want to modify our play in multi-way pots to keep in a player that we cover instead of isolating a player who covers us. That means when we have a hand that can go either way, we almost certainly want to avoid driving a covered player out — a strategy that perhaps goes against what we might prefer to do in non-bounty tournaments or cash games.

Here’s an example of an actual hand played in a $55 buy-in PKO Rumble at 888poker that illustrates how the bounties can affect strategic decisions.

Choosing Not to Squeeze

We’ll play this hand from the perspective of the big blind who has a stack of 40 big blinds and has been dealt . It’s the middle stage of the tournament — before the money when the “regular” prize pool will start being divided, but when bounties are in play as they always are.

A player of average skill opens the pot for 2.5x BB from under the gun, gets called in middle position by the weakest player at the table who has 30 BBs, and the button calls as well. The small blind gets out of the way, and it comes to us in the big blind. The initial raiser and the button both cover our stack.

In this situation, the opener has the strongest range, the caller in middle position the second-strongest, and the button the weakest. If we elect to three-bet, we will be pushing out those weak ranges to play our hand against the strongest one. Worse, we will be potentially offering our bounty to the strongest range and driving out the player whom we cover.

Therefore, though squeezing might be tempting here in a freezeout, in a knockout tournament with significantly large bounties, it is inadvisable. We call.

Check out these excellent tips for 888poker Bounty tournaments

Recognizing Weak Ranges

The flop comes , giving us the nut-flush draw.

We have hit this board very hard, but we still need to decide what course of action will return us the most money. Leading out could elicit a raise from the initial raiser’s strongest hands, which would shut our target out of the pot. We would also be left playing against a strong range that covers us.

We have equity that cannot be dominated, but on the other hand, we best dominate weaker ranges that include dominated draws. Looking past the UTG player who opened preflop, our weak middle-position player (whom we cover and who has a weaker range) and the button (with the weakest range of the three) can each have some J-9, Q-J, and 9-7 combos and 6-5 straight draws that we dominate, as well as inferior flush draws. So we check.

The initial raiser continuation bets — one-quarter pot. The recreational player calls, and the button folds.

Sometimes calling with multiple players behind is strong. All other things equal, it should be. But this does not seem like such a situation. Our recreational target would probably have raised a set or two pair here. A big combination draw, , likely would also raise. Therefore his hand seems quite weak. He is drawing or has a made hand of poor strength, something like T-9 or 5-5 or A-8.

How To Deal With Aggressive Opponents – Ask the 888poker Pros

Meanwhile, the initial raiser did continuation bet into three people, but he also only bet one-quarter pot. A betting range that required protection would likely have bet larger, but nevertheless, our logic from preflop remains the same — if we raise now we unduly pressure the player we cover in order to play for only chips (and no bounty) against a stronger range.

When the middle position player stays in the pot, our efforts are overlayed by his bounty. When he folds, we are playing for chips with the risk of elimination, shutting us out of the prize pool. In other words, we have some small ICM pressure, whereas our covering opponent is getting a bonus to play for all our chips. The differences here are severe, not subtle.

Our Last Decision

While raising the flop is tempting, we once again call with our nut-flush draw. We expect to never be shut out of the pot on the turn. We can turn a pair, a straight draw, and of course, the nuts. And indeed, the turn card is the to give us our flush.

Once again, we check. The initial raiser now double-barrels for two-thirds pot, a very sizeable bet. The recreational player calls the bet for about 40 percent of his stack.

At this point, there is little left for us to decide but to move all in. Once we do, we actually get called in both spots. The initial raiser has for a set of fours. The recreational player has , having called off with a jack-high flush draw and an open-ended straight draw, both drawing dead. After the river, we earned both a bounty and a near triple-up.

Find out more about the many freeroll poker tournaments held on 888poker

The UTG Player’s Strategy

It is interesting to consider whether the early position player should bet the turn. At first glance it may seem ambitious. But on the other hand, were he ever somehow behind a better set, he probably would have been raised on the turn.

Thus if he bets his hand on the turn, he gets value from parts of his opponent’s ranges such as J-9. But remember, he also covers both players still in the pot. So he is always going to be priced in to call off and try to hit his 10-outer to fill up versus a straight or flush.

Since better sets are not in either opponent’s range, he can bet knowing he is always live if behind. It might not be the best spot — it certainly is not a great spot — but when you are drawing live to 20 percent equity at worst, and with a bounty or two in play, it is hard to go wrong.

In any case, it’s plain how the prospect of obtaining bounties — especially the bigger ones that occur during the middle and late stages of progressive KOs — should be taken into account, especially in multi-way hands like this one.

Put Your New PKO Knowledge to the Test at 888poker

Why not put what you have learned into practise by heading to 888poker and playing in their PKO and awesome Mystery Bounty tournaments? 888poker is the only online poker site that offers daily Mystery Bounty events, so you have plenty of choice if you want to try this exciting poker format.

Download 888poker via PokerNews, create your free account, and 888poker will give you a free $8 worth of tournament tickets – this is a free £20 for residents of the United Kingdom – just for reaching this stage.

Your first deposit is matched 100% up to $400 in the form of a releasable bonus. You have 90 days to release as much bonus as you can. Contact 888poker support for more details.

When you think about the world of poker, it’s easy to see the diversity of people who make up this dynamic community. From vloggers and podcasters to prominent pros and tournament directors, there are countless individuals who contribute to the game’s popularity and growth. But amidst this community, there are a select few who stand out as true visionaries. These individuals possess a passion for the game that extends far beyond their personal experience, and they are driven by a powerful idea for the future of poker.

In this article, I’ll explore the experiences I’ve had with such people, and gain a deeper understanding of the people who are shaping the future of poker.

Letting Lose on the Industry

A little over a year ago, I received an unexpected message on Twitter from a mutual friend in Cleveland. It turns out that the new poker room manager at JACK Casino was interested in having me host the grand opening of their brand-new poker room. I was booking a few grand opening gigs at the time so I was intrigued, but also a bit skeptical – what could this new poker room offer that others didn’t already have?

As it turned out, the new manager had an impressive background in the industry. He had spent time working at the renowned Aria casino in Las Vegas under the guidance of Sean McCormack, one of the most respected figures in the world of poker. With McCormack’s high standards for customer service and professionalism, it was clear that this new manager was bringing some serious talent to the table.

That manager was Chris Lose, a native of Cleveland who had decided to return home to take on the challenge of running the new poker room at JACK Casino. Despite the obstacles and uncertainties that come with launching a new poker room, Chris was confident in his ability to deliver an exceptional experience for players. And as I would soon discover, he also had a big vision for poker.

During our first conversation, he was brimming with enthusiasm about the brand-new poker room that had just been completed on the second floor. He had big plans for a grand opening that would not only showcase the room’s spacious capacity but also promote inclusivity in the Cleveland poker scene. Over the course of the next year, I had the pleasure of returning to the casino several times, and each time I found Chris hard at work on his mission to make the game more welcoming and diverse.

He was passionate about supporting women in poker, championing the LGBTQ+ community, and creating a fun and comfortable atmosphere for all players. It was clear that he had his finger on the pulse of what the community wanted, with a mix of low and medium-stakes games and plenty of PLO action to keep things interesting. As he continued to pursue his vision for the future of poker in Cleveland, it was impossible not to feel energized and inspired by his dedication and enthusiasm.

“He set his sights on attracting the biggest names in poker to the new room, with high-profile tours making it a regular stop on their schedules.”

With a bold vision for the future of poker in Cleveland, Chris was determined to make his mark on the industry. He set his sights on attracting the biggest names in poker to the new room, with high-profile tours making it a regular stop on their schedules. He was diligently working with the casino’s legal team to try to make the poker room a site for vlogging.

And he didn’t stop there – Chris knew that players were looking for more than just big guarantees. He wanted to create an unforgettable experience that included innovative game formats like double board bomb pots, ensuring that every player who walked through the door would leave with a sense of excitement and anticipation. With his sights set on becoming a competitive market for traveling poker grinders, Chris did everything in his power to make the JACK Casino poker room the go-to destination for players within traveling range of Ohio.

I sadly found out that Chris has recently resigned from his position at JACK Casino. As a poker player, I know firsthand the difference between playing in a room that is truly dedicated to providing the best possible experience for players, and one that is simply focused on hitting its financial targets. Chris was the driving force behind the poker room at JACK Casino, and his passion and dedication were evident in every aspect of its operation.

His departure is a blow to the Cleveland poker community, and to players like me who had come to appreciate his vision for the future of the game. While I am saddened by this news, I am hopeful that Chris will soon find a new home in the poker world – one that recognizes and appreciates his commitment to excellence and his unwavering focus on the needs of players.

Industry Insiders: Chris Lose Shares Legendary JRB Story

The One Who Bets the Most Wins

Women are significantly underrepresented in poker. This can be attributed to a variety of factors, including social norms and the belief that poker needs high-risk tolerance that is better suited for men. One woman has made it her job to change that terrain.

Jamie Kerstetter had already made a name for herself before I had ever met her. She was featured on Poker Night in America and hosted the Run it Once podcast. Jamie could have easily taken a sponsorship deal, pocketed a yearly poker Twitter personality GPI award, and promoted herself into vast monetary gains full of Instagram posts, Florida casino commercials, and poker tour stops. But instead, Jamie knew the game not only needed fresh faces, but also needed more representation by women.

The interesting thing about Jamie is that she truly understands that marketing products to men and women require a different approach. Harvard Business Review once wrote about a phenomenon called “Gender Contamination,” which occurs when men and women become uncomfortable when a product that symbolizes their gender is extended to appeal to another gender. Jamie recognized this issue and changed the way poker was marketed to women. She began hosting women-only meet-up games in a comfortable setting, where women could learn and play poker without feeling intimidated or out of place.

These women-only meet-up games provide a supportive and encouraging environment for women to learn and grow their poker skills. Jamie understands that if women sit at a table to learn to play HORSE for the first time at her meet-up game, they will be met with patience and acceptance. She has also been the driving force behind the WPT women’s $25/50 televised cash game, which has given women much-needed recognition in the game.

As someone who has played in the WPT at Wynn Las Vegas, I can attest to the importance of Jamie’s efforts. During our $25/50 televised game, I was outplayed and gladly gave my $5k to the crushers I was up against (or Jamie had pocket kings vs. my jacks when I was all in for my last $1,800). These types of games give us all more recognition in the game and it’s important that we are included.

Jamie’s commitment to creating a more inclusive and diverse poker community is making waves in the industry and inspiring us all. She has shown that with hard work, determination, and a willingness to think outside the box, we can break down barriers and create a more welcoming and supportive poker community.

Jamie Kerstetter’s WPT Ladies Meet Up Game at Wynn a Smashing Success

Make Poker Great Again

Poker has come a long way since its early days when gut feeling and a lot of gambling were the keys to success. With the advent of solvers and advanced strategies, the game has become more complex and competitive. However, this shift towards a more serious and professional approach has also made recreational poker less fun and enjoyable for many players. But one tour is changing that – the Run Good Poker Series (RGPS).

The RGPS is the brainchild of Tana Karn, a Buffalo slot professional and poker enthusiast who understands the foundation of the game and the regular guy who wants to play without breaking the bank. Tana has created a traveling community disguised as a poker tour, where players can come together and enjoy the game in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.

I had the pleasure of being an ambassador for Run Good last year at the Graton stop, and it was one of the best experiences I’ve had outside of Cleveland. The atmosphere was electric, with everyone getting t-shirts and trying to get the bounties placed on the ambassadors in the tournaments. There were tons of pictures, laughs, and good vibes all around.

What sets the RGPS apart is its focus on creating a fun and inclusive environment for all players. The tour caters to recreational players who want to play mid-level events and have a great time. The emphasis is on having fun, meeting new people, and building a community around the game we all love.

Tana Karn’s vision for the RGPS, which recently won the Global Poker Award for “Mid-Major Tour of the Year” for the third time, has breathed new life into the game. By focusing on creating a fun and inclusive environment for all players, the tour is attracting a new generation of players who value community and enjoyment. Congrats on the GPI award!

Visionaries like Chris Lose, Jamie Kerstetter, and Tana Karn are crucial to the evolution of poker. They work hard to create a more inclusive and fun atmosphere for all players and have breathed new life into the game and attracted a new generation of enthusiasts. These trailblazers have shown that with hard work, determination, and a willingness to think outside the box, we can break down barriers and create a more welcoming and supportive poker community.