It was built on a moment of great fortune — but then again, what poker victories aren’t?

When one of the more active players in the tournament shoved and Adrian Garcia looked down at pocket aces, he must have thought that it was his day. And so it was. Garcia topped a 514-entry field to win the 2023 888poker LIVE Madrid Main Event for €92,000

He defeated Oleg Bystrenin heads-up at the Casino Gran Via. Meanwhile, it was also a case of so close and yet so far for 888poker Stream Team member Ricardo Mateus and 888poker Ambassador Lucia Navarro, who finished in third and fourth place, respectively.

888poker LIVE Madrid Main Event Final Table Results

Day 3 Recap

The day began with 39 players and four 888poker team members, one of which — Alexandre Mantovani — would double on the very first hand. Another int he shape of Josh Manley would run tens into jacks and pocket a €2,000 cash for his 35th place finish.

Start-of-day chip leader Nicolae Suciu still held onto the lead with three tables remaining. However, the chip lead was wrenched from his hands by Tom Orpaz, who flopped Suciu dead to soar into the lead.

Mantovani would subsequently be eliminated (20th place – €2,800) along with Suciu (19th – €2,800), with Orpaz holding more than double the next player with 18 players left.

However, the chip lead would once again change hands in spectacular fashion as Oleg Bystrenin (pictured) picked up aces to beat the kings of Orpaz, and the ace-king of Victor Caballero and replace Orpaz atop the chip counts.

And by the time the final table was reached, Bystrenin was in command with close to triple the chips of his nearest rival and almost a third of the chips in play. He used this stack to good effect in the early stages, with Orpaz also using aggression to close the gap to the Russian.

There would be two doubles from Jonas Ten Cate through Bystrenin that would clip his wings somewhat, and when Orpaz shoved from under the gun with pocket sixes, Garcia couldn’t believe his luck when he looked down at pocket aces. They, of course, held, and we had yet another monster chip lead deep in the Main Event.

This time there would be no throwing it away. Garcia would eliminate three of the remaining four players — including both 888poker team members (pictured) — and close it out shortly before midnight local time.

The 2023 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) Main Event kicked off on January 23 at the picturesque Baha Mar Resort in The Bahamas, with the first of two starting flights attracting 166 players. Only 80 of those who sat down with high hopes of becoming the 2023 PCA Main Event champion had chips in front of them after the completion of the eighth 60-minute levels, and nobody had more precious betting tokens than Portugal’s Andre Marques.

Marques turned his 30,000 starting stack into a tournament-leading 197,500 on Day 1A. Known as “PTFisherman23” online at PokerStars, Marques went about his business in an understated yet efficient way. The 2020 World Championship Of Online Poker (WCOOP) Main Event champion has done his chances of glory in The Bahamas no harm at all.

Plenty of big names litter the PCA Main Event Day 1A top ten chip counts. Team PokerStars’ Andre Akkari is fourth in chips with a 136,900 stack. Akkari received a welcome boost to his stack late into proceedings when his aces prevailed against the pocket queens of Kitty Kuo, sending Kuo to the rail with only 15 minutes of the flight remaining.

Akkari’s fellow Brazilian Yuri Dzivielevski (130,900), Chance Kornuth (127,000), Steve O’Dwyer (104,800, Diego Ventura (103,300), and Thomas Muehloecker (103,000) find themselves in the top ten.

Also safely through to Day 2 are such superstars as nine-time WSOP bracelet winner Erik Seidel (88,200), Sam Greenwood (80,000), Joao Simao (62,200), Team PokerStars’s Sam Grafton (53,400), the legendary Fedor Holz (52,600), and Belgium’s Michael Gathy (45,700).

Day 1B shuffles up and deals at noon local time on January 24, and PokerNews‘ live reporting team is on the floor throughout, bringing you live and exclusive coverage of the 2023 PCA Main Event.

2023 PCA Main Event Day 1a Top 10 Counts

Mike Watson Leads the $100,000 Super High Roller Final Table

Canada’s Mike Watson finished Day 1 of the $100,000 Super High Roller as the chip leader, and built on his blistering start by finishing Day 2 with the same title. Watson is now only five eliminations away from capturing the $1,545,080 top prize and adding a PCA Super High Roller victory to his PCA Main Event he enjoyed in 2016.

Five poker Goliaths stand between Watson and that $1.5 million prize; any of them would make a worthy champion. Watson returns with 3,015,000 chips, with Juan Pardo (2,200,000) his nearest rival in the counts. Pardo’s fellow Spaniard, Adrian Mateos (2,035,000), sits down at the six-handed final table third in chips, with Seth Davies (1,870,000) and Isaac Haxton (1,645,000) below them. Daniel Dvoress (590,000) is the final table’s shortest stack,; he has the equivalent of 12 big blinds at his disposal.

Play resumes at 12:30 p.m. local time; join the PokerNews live reporting team then.

$100K Super High Roller Day 3 Seating Assignments and Chip Counts

BSOP Bahamas Main Event Crowns Its Champion Today

The $1,100 buy-in BSOP Bahamas Main Event started with 460 players fighting it out for a slice of the $446,200 prize pool, but only 37 of those grinders remain in contention for the $86,650 top prize and the all-important trophy.

India’s Sriharsha Doddapaneni (1,087,000) goes into the third and final day’s action with the chip lead, and is the only player to have more than 100 big blinds in his arsenal. Doddapaneni will be pushed all the way by the likes of Christian Rudolph (974,000), Maria Konnikova (773,000), Brunno Botteon (590,000), Ludovic Geilich (576,000), Katie Lindsay (410,000), Women in Poker Hall of Famer Maria Ho (366,000), and regular PokerNews strategy contributer Jonathan Little (325,000).

The cards are back in the air from 1:00 p.m. local time; follow the action here on PokerNews from then.

2023 BSOP Bahamas Main Event Top Ten Day 2 Chip Counts

Via a press release from Global Poker Index and The Hendon Mob, the categories have been revealed for the 2022 Global Poker Awards show, which takes place March 3 at the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas.

There will be 29 shiny GPI trophies handed out, and the event will be live-streamed on PokerGO starting at 8:30 p.m. ET. Various poker players, content creators, and industry personnel will have opportunities to grab one or more of those trophies.

We don’t know who will win 26 of the awards, but we do know three of the winners — Stephen Song and Cherish Andrews. That wasn’t a miscount as Song has already been declared the winner of both the 2022 GPI Player of the Year and GPI Mid-Major Player of the Year awards, while Andrews is the GPI Female Player of the Year recipient.

Tough to Project Winners

Last year’s Global Poker Awards was focused heavily on Ali Imsirovic, who stole the show with three trophies including GPI Player of the Year. This year, however, it’s unlikely he’ll get any recognition given that he was accused of cheating in 2022 and was temporarily banned from competing in PokerGO events.

Imsirovic, who won 14 high rollers in 2021, was a lock to win multiple categories last year. But there was more parity in tournament poker last year, which makes categories such as Players’ Choice for Toughest Opponent tough to predict. The race for GPI Player of the Year went down to the wire with Song, who won the WPT Prime Championship in December, pulling it out in the end.

Other top categories include Rising Star in Content Creation, Best Final Table Performance, GPI Breakout Player, Comeback Player, and Best Twitter Personality.

Voting panel members were expected to receive their ballots on Monday for the first round of voting. The final round of voting for the fourth edition of the Global Poker Awards will take place Feb. 2. Poker fans will also have some say in the voting process with a fan vote on four GPI Fans Choice awards.

Check out 2021 GPA Winners here!

Full List of 2022 Global Poker Awards Categories

• GPI Poker Player of the Year
• GPI Female Player of the Year
• GPI Mid-Major Player of the Year
• PGT Player of the Year
• GPI Breakout Player
• Best Final Table Performance
• Poker ICON
• Players’ Choice for Toughest Opponent
• Comeback Player
• GPI Award of Merit
• The Hendon Mob Award
• Best Twitter Personality
• Charitable Initiative
• Best Streamer
• Best Vlogger
• Rising Star in Content Creation
• Best Industry Person
• Best Tournament Director
• Best Event
• Best Mid-Major Tour/Festival
• Best Broadcaster
• Best Podcast
• Best Media Content: Written
• Best Media Content: Video
• Best Media Content: Photo
• Fans Choice: Poker Personality
• Fans Choice: Best Hand
• Fans Choice: Best Trophy
• Fans Choice: Fave Live Stream

The PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) is just getting underway, and later this month from the PokerStars Players NLH Hold’em Championship (PSPC) will take place January 30-February 3. One man who will be heading to the Bahamas is 41-year-old Jared “BeamDoctorPoker” Halter, who won a Platinum Pass on PokerStars Michigan.

“I won a PSPC Platinum Pass on Wednesday, November 9,” Halter told PokerNews. “I had just returned from Vegas that morning on a red eye flight and slept for four hours on a friend’s couch before I drove home for two hours. To be honest, I was very fortunate to win because I had a very rough 72 hours. Some things happened in Vegas that caused me to have anxiety attacks for the first time in my life and I ended up only sleeping about five hours total in the previous 48.”

He continued: “I was exhausted and when the MTT started, I said to myself, it will take a miracle for me to win. Funny enough, I mis-clicked two different times early in the tourney and called three-bets with hands like 85o (I did not win those hands). I streamed the tourney, and only single tabled it, because of how tired and ungrounded I felt from the previous time. During the stream, I talked about how exhausted I was and how there was almost zero chance I win. Of course, as we know, the universe had a different plan.”

Follow 2023 PCA live updates here!

Halter’s Poker Origin Story

Halter grew up in York, Pennsylvania and was a multisport athlete who played soccer in college. He has a PhD in education and sociology from Clemson University where he studied social inequality and wrote his dissertation on the American Dream. He also had a Masters in Higher Education Administration and Student Affairs from Syracuse University. Bachelors in Sport Management from Slippery Rock University (located in PA).

In addition to playing poker, Halter is a faculty member in the Intergroup Relations and Justice program at Central Michigan University. It’s there that he eteacsh intergroup dialogue classes on race, class, and gender.

“Before I became a faculty member I worked in student activities and leadership development. I have lived and worked in PA, MD, NJ, NY, SC, NE, and now MI,” he explained. As for poker, he learned to play the game while in undergrad, thought it wasn’t your typical no-limit holld’em.

“We played a lot of variations like acey-duecy and baseball. It wasn’t until I had to put my dog of 15 years, Zephyr, down that I started to play a lot of poker. Legal poker had just opened in Michigan, and I began to play micro cash games. I then started to study on sites like RedChip Poker and Learn Pro Poker and watched twitch streamers like Kevin Martin, DavidKayePoker, Naigo, and AccidentalGrenade. These streamers inspired me to want to stream on Twitch and I switched tournaments in June 2021. Six months later at the end of 2021, I began to work with SchwibbsPoker as my poker coach for MTTs and study using GTO Wizard and BBZ Poker.”

Nowadays, Halter plays primarily MTTs but occasionally mixes in some cash games 30nl, 50nl, and 100nl.

“When I began streaming, I decided to do a bankroll challenge – $100 to 10k. I successfully completed that in August of 2022 and now direct buy-in to MTTs as large as $100. I do buy-in to special tournaments like Main Events that are above $100. Primarily, I play tournaments between $10-$100.”

Learn more about poker in Michigan here!

Headed to the Caribbean

In the final hand of the tournament on PokerStars MI, Halter was heads-up with the chip lead when he opponent jammed holding pocket jacks. Halter called with ace-queen and spiked an ace on the turn to win the flip and the coveted Platinum Pass.

“It was surreal. It still doesn’t feel super real, and probably will not until I arrive in the Bahamas and the PSPC Main Event begins,” said Halter. “I have never been to the Bahamas or played in a major tournament like this one. Not many people get to fire $25ks.”

He added: “I feel extremely fortunate that I was able to use the work I put in with Schwibbs and studying to maximize the positive variance during the Platinum Pass Invitational I won. It is hard to win poker tournaments, so I am very humbled and grateful for winning a platinum pass and the opportunity to play a tournament I could only dream of entering.”

Aside from the chance at big money, Halter is most looking forward to battling against some of the best poker players in the world.

“The competition and intensity of competing against some of the world’s best,” he said when asked what he’s most excited about. “High-pressure situations are so much fun, I look forward to the challenge of channeling focus and calm to make the best decisions possible. The other thing I look forward to is getting to spend the week with my sister, Sarah, and best friend Rhi at a resort we would not be able to afford to stay at without the Platinum Pass. It will be a great week no matter what happens with the PSPC.”

For more on Halter, follow him on Twitter @jmhalter316.

_{*Images courtesy of Jared Halter.}

Three years after the last edition, World Series of Poker Circuit returned to Casino de Marrakech, inside beautiful Es Saadi Resort, and after three days of competition, the 15,000 MAD Main Event crowned Portuguese player Silvio Domingues Costa as the champion after he defeated Antony Lellouche after a three-hour heads-up battle.

Costa took home the WSOPC Gold Ring, a huge prize of 2,000,000 MAD (around €180,423), and a WSOP Global Casino Championship package to play the Tournament of Champions in Las Vegas in June 2023. A total of 1,041 entrants registered for the tournament, and the field generated a prizepool of 13,585,000 MAD.

2023 WSOPC Marrakech Final Table Results

Final Day Action

A total of 24 players came back at 1:00 p.m. for the final day, all of them guaranteed 60,000 MAD (€5,439). German player Waldemar Kopyl was leading the field at the start of the day, and he managed to reach the final table. Meanwhile, notable players Mohamed Mamouni, Michel Leibgorin, Rony Halimi and Antonin Teisseire all made it do the final day but fell early.

The final table started at 6.30 p.m., and Thierry Oldak was the first out in ninth when he couldn’t improve with tens against queens. Former chipleader Waldemar Kopyl was the next to bust in eighth place after losing with jacks against queens and ace-nine against ace-jack. Seven players went on dinner break, and local Moroccan player Ali Habbab (seventh, 370,000 MAD) hit the rail soon after they returned.

Still in contention, Hicham Mahmouki wasa favorite of the rail, and a massive crowd gathered to see him in action. The French player eliminated Maher Achour in sixth before Corsican player Paul-François Tedeschi busted in fifth place.

Russian player Andrey Cherkashin was soon out in fourth and the final three players battled for the win. In front of a cheering rail, Hicham Mahmouki finishedthird for his best live score. Around 3.30 a.m., Costa and Lellouche started heads-up play, and after a three-hour battle, the Portuguese player triumphed when his ace-seven outdrew the pocket sixes of Lellouche.

That wraps up coverage of the WSOPC Main Event in Marrakech. Be sure to keep it with the PokerNews team for live updates from all of your favorite tournaments from around the world.

The 2023 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) may have kicked off in The Bahamas this weekend but not every poker superstars jetted off for the opening events; some stayed at home and put in at least one more Sunday session. Benjamin “bencb789” Rolle was one such player, and his decision to fire up PokerStars on January 22 proved a popular one.

Rolle was one of 47 entrants in the $5,200 Titans Event, a tournament that regularly attracts some of the biggest names in the online poker world. Even with the PCA taking place, this week’s Titans event drew in some stellar name, although only six of them made it into the money place and shared the $250,000 prize pool.

$5,200 Titans Event Final Table Results

The final table was set following Christian “WATnlos” Rudolph falling in seventh place and bursting the money bubble. Rudolph’s demise locked in at least $13,223 for the six surviving players. Canada’s “aminoloast” collected that particular sum when their deep run ended in sixth place.

Swedish superstar Niklas “Lena900” Astedt reached the star-studded final table but couldn’t go deeper than fifth, a finish worth $19,313. Anatoly “NL_Profit” Filatov was the next player to bust; he scooped $28,207. Heads-up was set when Alex “FutureofMe” Kulev crashed out and received the $41,198 third-place prize.

The final battle pitted Rolle against Dimitar “KuuL” Danchev, who you may recall won the 2013 PCA Main Event for more than $1.85 million. Bulgaria’s Danchev fell at the final hurdle and had to make do with a $60,172 consolation prize, leaving Rolle to clinch the Titans Event title in addition to an $87,884 Sunday payday.

Follow the action from the 2023 PCA right here

“flerrehuve” Denies Rolle a Double Victory

Rolle almost came out on top of the $1,050 Sunday Warm-Up, but Sweden’s “flerrehuve” Denied him a second victory in the space of a few hours. A compact field of 41 entrants meant only the top six finishers won a slice of the $41,000 prize pool. Spare a thought for the online grinder “hello_totti” who popped the all-important money bubble with their seventh-place finish.

Thailand’s “bLuFFoRBeaT” fell in sixth for $2,168, with Elio “smokrokflock” Fox seeing his tournament end in a fifth-place finish worth $3,167.

“aminolast,” fresh from a sixth-place finish in the Titans Event, busted in fourth for $4,626 before Lithuania’s Kristijonas “greezhol” Andrulis bowed out in third for $6,756, leaving Rolle heads-up with Sweden’s flerrehuve.

When the dust settled, it was the Swede that emerged from the battle victoriously and with the $14,413 top prize held aloft. Rolle headed off with another $9,868 to show for his efforts.

$1,050 Sunday Warm-Up Final Table Results

Save the date: the 17th Anniversary Sunday Million is coming!

Other PokerStars Results From January 22

Check out some of the other highlights from PokerStars tournaments held on January 22, including a $34,345 score for “T0X16-“, who took down the $530 Bounty Builder.

*includes bounty payments

Over the past century, poker has permeated pop culture, especially when it comes to motion pictures. Long before the “Poker Boom”, and even before the World Series of Poker (WSOP) was a thing, poker had already made its big screen debut.

Over the decades, poker fans have been treated to a plethora of poker movies, some good and others not so much. Some well-received poker films include the western comedy Maverick (1994), Survivor host Jeff Probst’s debut film Finder’s Fee (2001), the improv-inspired The Grand (2007), indie comedy darling Hitting the Nuts (2010), and the high-profile Hollywood flick Molly’s Game (2017).

‘Molly’s Game’ Review: The Poker-Themed Film Does Not Disappoint

Top 5 Poker Movies

All of those are among the best poker movies of all-time, and if this article was “Top 10” instead of “Top 5 Poker Movies,” chances are they’d make the final list. However, the PokerNews crew got together, along with input from social media, to determine the top five must-watch poker movies of all-time.

Note: We deliberately left off any poker documentaries, of which there are plenty of good ones including Bet Raise Fold: The Story of Online Poker (2013), All In: The Poker Movie (2009), Kid Poker (2015), and No Limit: A Search for the American Dream on the Poker Tournament Trail (2006).

Here are our top five best poker movies of all-time you must watch.

#5 – A Big Hand for the Little Lady (1966)

Four years before the WSOP was even a thing, Warner Brothers released A Big Hand for the Little Lady, also known as Big Deal at Dodge City. It may be a little old for today’s poker audience, but those who don’t mind watching a classic are sure to have fun.

The film has a 7.3 out of 10 rating on IMDB, as well as an 86% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

The film, written by Sidney Carroll and directed by Fielder Cook, is a comedy western in which a man named Meredith, played by Henry Fonda, is traveling with his wife, played by Joanne Woodward, and children when he finds himself in a high-stakes poker game. He finds himself in over his head and his wife has to step in, though all may not be as it seems.

Is A Big Hand for the Little Lady realistic?

Billed as “the wildest poker game in the west,” the poker featured in A Big Hand for the Little Lady is realistic in that it portrays several common poker motifs such as degeneracy, high stakes, and the con. The “big hand” that results in a massive pot of $20,500 – remember it takes place in 1880, so that’d be equivalent to about $550,000 in today’s dollars – is a lot of fun, though today’s poker audience might take issue with the betting.

While players today are used to table stakes, there was no such thing in the old west. It was played no limit, and that’s what they meant. If you couldn’t afford to call a raise, then you were out. Simple as that. We mention that fact as it’s a bit plot point in the movie.

How can I watch A Big Hand for the Little Lady?

There are so many options to watch movies these days, so you may be wondering how to watch A Big Hand for the Little Lady. You can always try to find a copy on DVD, but in the day and age of streaming services here’s what you need to know.

Is A Big Hand for the Little Lady on Netflix?

No, A Big Hand for the Little Lady is currently not on Netflix. There are currently no plans to have the movie on Netflix.

Is A Big Hand for the Little Lady on Amazon Prime?

Yes, A Big Hand for the Little Lady is available on Amazon Prime to either rent of buy. Similarly, you can rent/buy it on both Vudu and AppleTV.

Is A Big Hand for the Little Lady on Disney+?

No, A Big Hand for the Little Lady is currently not on Disney+ and likely will never be given it’s a Warner Brothers film.

Poker Movie Review: ‘Poker Face’ Screenplay is an Incoherent Mess

#4 – Mississippi Grind (2015)

After the “Poker Boom,” a lot of lackluster poker movies were released. Players and fans were never really impressed, instead waiting for a movie that did the game justice. For many, that came in 2015 with the release of Mississippi Grind, a drama written and directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck and starring Ben Mendelsohn and Ryan Reynolds.

The film has a 6.4 out of 10 rating on IMDB, and while its audience score on Rotten Tomatoes is 55%, it is certified fresh with a 91% on the Tomatometer.

Mississippi Grind centers on a pair of poker players, one a true degenerate and the other a bit more put together. The two wind up taking a road trip through the South seeking to win a poker fortune. It’s a drama with comedy elements, and as Rotten Tomatoes says, it’s “a road movie and addiction drama that transcends each of its well-worn genres.”

Is Mississippi Grind realistic?

Yes, Mississippi Grind is one of the more realistic poker movies out there. In fact, that’s one of its strengths. Anyone who’s played poker can seemingly relate to the characters and situations in which they find themselves. There aren’t a lot of Hollywood liberties taken, and that tends to be something the poker audience appreciates.

How can I watch Mississippi Grind?

If you’re wondering how to watch Mississippi Grind, it’s available on DVD, Blu-Ray, and several streaming options exist including it being available with an HBO Max subscription.

Is Mississippi Grind on Netflix?

No, Mississippi Grind is currently not available on Netflix, though given it’s a relatively new movie, it’s possible it could circulate into their library in the future.

Is Mississippi Grind on Amazon Prime?

Yes, Mississippi Grind is available on Amazon Prime to either rent or buy. Similarly, you can rent/buy it on both Vudu and AppleTV.

Is Mississippi Grind on Disney+?

No, Mississippi Grind is not a Disney movie, and given its more adult themes and “R” rating, it’s unlikely it’ll ever be on the streaming service.

Mississippi Grind debuts at Sundance Film Festival.

#3 – Cincinnati Kid (1965)

Not a lot of poker films are iconic, but The Cincinnati Kid certainly is. Released in 1965, the movie stars legends such as Steve McQueen, Ann-Margret, and Edward G. Robinson. The film has a lot of great moments, including one of the game’s all-time greatest lines: “You’re good, kid, but as long as I’m around, you’re only second best.”

The film has a 7.2 out of 10 rating on IMDB, and on Rotten Tomatoes it has a 78% audience score and 86% on the Tomatometer.

The Cincinnati Kid tells the classic tale of an up-and-coming young gun poker player working his way up to take on the best player in the game. There’s plenty of high-stakes drama in the movie, which is only bolstered by strong characters.

Is The Cincinnati Kid realistic?

Yes, The Cincinnati Kid is realistic for its time period. This is another classic film, so applying today’s poker standards to it might not hold water. However, if you’re willing to go with it, the movie is a helluva ride. One thing to remember is that back then no-limit hold’em wasn’t really played, while the popular game at the time was Stud. In the case of The Cincinnati Kid, it was five-card stud, which means one card down and four cards placed face up one at a time with a round of betting between each street.

How can I watch The Cincinnati Kid?

The Cincinnati Kid is available on DVD, Blu-Ray, and on several streaming services. You can watch The Cincinnati Kid with an HBO Max subscription, otherwise, you’ll need to either rent or buy.

Is The Cincinnati Kid on Netflix?

No, The Cincinnati Kid is currently not available on Netflix.

Is The Cincinnati Kid on Amazon Prime?

Yes, The Cincinnati Kid is available on Amazon Prime to either rent or buy. Similarly, you can rent/buy it on both Vudu and AppleTV.

Is The Cincinnati Kid on Disney+?

No, The Cincinnati Kid is an MGM film and unlikely to appear on Disney’s streaming service.

Stranger Things & Black Widow Star David Harbour Talks Poker & Rounders Movie

#2 – California Split (1974)

Before there was Rounders, there was California Split. The film was released the same year Johnny Moss won his last WSOP Main Event (1974), It’s a comedy-drama directed by Robert Altman, and while on its face it may seem lighthearted, California Split cuts much deeper.

Roger Ebert’s Chicago Sun-Times review explained it best: “At the end of California Split we realize that Altman has made a lot more than a comedy about gambling; he’s taken us into an American nightmare, and all the people we met along the way felt genuine and looked real.”

The film has a 7.2 out of 10 rating on IMDB, and on Rotten Tomatoes it has an 83% audience score and 87% on the Tomatometer.

California Split, which stars George Segal and Elliott Gould, features a cameo appearance by Poker Hall of Famer Amarillo Slim Preston, offers an intimate look at how things can quickly devolve when chasing that “big score.” Anyone who’s ever sat down in a poker game can relate, which is why California Split hits so close to home. Trust us, if you haven’t seen this poker movie do yourself a favor and watch it!

Is California Split realistic?

Yes, California Split offers an acutely accurate look inside the world of gambling, which of course includes various poker games. Not only that, it does an excellent job of taking you on a wild ride alongside the two main characters, Bill Denny (played by George Segal) and Charlie Waters (Elliott Gould). As a viewer, you’ll try to hold on as you experience the same ups and downs while the stakes keep getting higher!

How can I watch California Split?

California Split is available on DVD, though it is hard to find. However, you can watch California Split on several streaming services.

Is California Split on Netflix?

No, California Split is currently not available on Netflix.

Is California Split on Amazon Prime?

Yes, California Split is available on Amazon Prime and is free to watch for those with an account. California Split is also available to rent/buy on both Vudu and AppleTV.

Is California Split on Disney+?

No, California Split is from Columbia Pictures and is unlikely to appear on Disney’s streaming service.

#1 – Rounders (1998)

The best poker movie of all time is pretty clear-cut to most. Rounders was released in 1998, and while it didn’t hit big at the box office, it became a sort of cult classic five years later during the height of the “Poker Boom.” Screenwriters David Levien and Brian Koppelman were fans of poker and went to great lengths to accurately portray both the game and lifestyle. It resonates with poker players around the world to this day.

The film has a 7.3 out of 10 rating on IMDB, and on Rotten Tomatoes it has an 87% audience score and 64% on the Tomatometer.

The movie tells the story of Mike McDermott, played by Matt Damon, a reformed gambler who gets pulled back into the game due in no small part to his friend Worm, played by Edward Norton. John Malkovich, Grethchen Mol, John Turturro, and Martin Landau all played supporting roles in a well-conceived New York underground poker world.

Is Rounders realistic?

Yes, one of the primary reasons poker players love Rounders is that it’s an accurate portrayal of the game. From the characters to the action, everything in Rounders rings true.

How can I watch Rounders?

Rounders is available on DVD, Blu-Ray, and on several streaming services to either rent or buy.

Is Rounders on Netflix?

No, Rounders is currently not available on Netflix.

Is Rounders on Amazon Prime?

Yes, Rounders is available on Amazon Prime to either rent or buy. Similarly, you can rent/buy it on both Vudu and AppleTV.

Is Rounders on Disney+?

No, Rounders is a Miramax film and unlikely to appear on Disney’s streaming service. Additionally, the subject matter isn’t really something Disney would air.

Check out Rounders fun facts here!

Other Poker Movies

When PokerNews took to social media, a lot of other poker movies were mentioned by fans.

As such, we thought it’d be worthwhile to share a list of poker films you may want to check out.

Poker Face (2022)	Smart Money (1931)	Poker King (2009)	Luna’s Game (2001)
The Card Counter (2021)	Casino Royale (2006)	Lucky You (2007)	Runner Runner (2013)
Poker Night (2014)	Shade (2003)	Gutshot Straight (2014)	Cold Deck (2015)
Five Card Stud (1968)	No Limit: A Search for the American Dream on the Poker Tournament Trail (2006)	Win It All (2017)	High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story (2003)

The PokerStars Pennsylvania PSPC Online festival with more than $1.5 million in guaranteed prize money has awarded dozens of winners since the festival got underway on Jan. 13 and has seen plenty of massive fields and guarantee-smashing prize pools.

The PSPC Online festival, taking place alongside the combined PokerStars Michigan and PokerStars New Jersey festival with $2.5 million up for grabs, consists of 72 events and will wrap up on Jan. 30.

Some of the winners so far include Event #5: $100 NLH [Big Kickoff] champ “TallTalent1” ($8,521) and “MarcZumoff,” who took down Event #21: $250 NLH [Storm, Players Championship Edition] for $7,730, as well as Event #10: $500 NLH [High Roller Players Special] winner Zachary “KennytheRipper” Gruneberg ($11,513).

Gruneberg is looking for another strong year of online poker after finishing thid in the first-ever WSOP PA Player of the Year race.

Read how David “DrKool” Kuder won the WSOP PA POY race

“Thicc Rick” and “superdonkeydave” Running Hot

Nearly halfway through the series, which takes inspiration from the upcoming $25,000 PokerStars Players Championship (PSPC), there have already been some big guarantees passed.

The $40,000 guaranteed Event #5 drew 525 runners for a prize pool of $48,195, while Event #8: $100 NLH [Players Championship Sunday Special] surpassed the $75,000 guarantee with $80,509. The winner of that event was “Thicc Rick,” who took home the top prize of $10,905.

The High Roller Players Special squeaked past the $50,000 guarantee with a $51,700 prize pool as Gruneberg defeated heads-up opponent “DickyJohnson31,” who in turn took home $9,303.

There have been plenty of low-stakes winners as well. “greg717pa” got through a field of 591 runners in Event #14: $10 NLH [Turbo Battle] to turn a $10 investment into $848 with all the bounties they picked up along he way. Later, “Dyska21” took down Event #18: $10 NLH [Turbo, Zoom] for $922.

Other highlights of the PokerStars PA PSPC Online festival so far include “superdonkeydave” winning Event #17: $200 NLHE [Freezeout] for $4,974 and “TJ112298” winning Event #19: $100 NLH [Super Tuesday] for $6,604.

Learn more about online poker in Pennsylvania

Plenty of Action to Come

There’s still plenty of action to come with dozens of events remaining in the PokerStars PA PSPC Online festival.

Some events to look out for are the $40,000 guaranteed Event #46: $250 NLHE [Super Tuesday, Players Championship] on Jan. 24 and the $100,000 guaranteed Event #67: $2,500 NLHE [Super High Roller Main Event] on Jan. 29.

The same day as the Super High Roller, the two-day Event #65: $250 NLHE [Main Event] will get underway with a $250,000 guaranteed prize pool up for grabs. Day 2 of the Main Event will play to a winner on Jan. 30.

A full list of winners so far in the PokerStars PA PSPC Online festival is available in the table below.

2023 PokerStars PA PSPC Online Winners So Far

Date	Tournament	GTD	Entries	Prize Pool	Winner	Prize
Jan. 13	Event #1: $50 NLHE Turbo [Series Warm Up]	$15,000	452	$20,566	“Horsedick187”	$3,693
Jan. 13	Event #2: $10 NLH Turbo [Mini Warm Up]	$5,000	802	$7,298	“Hunt Son 1”	$906
Jan. 13	Event #3: $30 HORSE [Mixed Game Warm Up]	$2,500	145	$3,959	“BadMove69”	$570
Jan. 14	Event #4: $20 NLH [Afternoon Warm Up]	$5,000	388	$7,061	“St4v”	$1,286
Jan. 14	Event #5: $100 NLH [Big Kickoff]	$40,000	525	$48,195	“TallTalent1”	$8,521
Jan. 14	Event #6: $20 NLH [Mini Kickoff]	$10,000	757	$13,777	“zj1393”	$2,102
Jan. 15	Event # 7: $50 NLH [Marathon]	$15,000	445	$20,248	“wcg1016”	$3,636
Jan. 15	Event #8: $100 NLH [Players Championship Sunday Special]	$75,000	877	$80,509	“Thicc Rick”	$10,905
Jan. 15	Event #9: $10 NLH [Players Championship Sunday Special]	$10,000	1279	$11,639	“$urplusV4lue”	$1,643
Jan. 15	Event #10: $500 NLH [High Roller Players Special]	$50,000	110	$51,700	Zach “KennytheRipper” Gruneberg	$11,513
Jan. 15	Event #11: $50 NLH [Sunday Second Chance, Progressive KO]	$12,500	322	$14,651	“Schwibbs1”	$2,782
Jan. 15	Event #12: $30 NLH [Bounty Builder Adrenaine]	$7,500	256	$7,500	Jeff “TheSwagWagoon” Stellwagon	$1,046
Jan. 16	Event #13: $250 NLH [Battle Royale, Players Championship Edition]	$35,000	200	$46,600	“deadtosolve”	$8,668
Jan. 16	Event #14: $10 NLH [Turbo Battle]	$4,000	591	$5,378	“greg717pa”	$848
Jan. 16	Event #15: #50 PLO8 [PLO8]	$7,500	166	$7,553	“garbanzoprince”	$1,528
Jan. 16	Event #16: $30 NLH [Heads-Up Zoom, Progressive Total KO]	$7,500	322	$8,791	“tonecapone3434”	$1,757
Jan. 17	Event #17: $200 NLHE [Freezeout]	$20,000	122	$22,692	“superdonkeydave”	$4,974
Jan. 17	Event #18: $10 NLH [Turbo, Zoom]	$4,000	574	$5,223	“Dyska21”	$922
Jan. 17	Event #19: $100 NLH [Super Tuesday]	$30,000	395	$36,261	“TJ112298”	$6,604
Jan. 17	Event #20: $30 NL 5-Card Draw	$2,000	92	$2,512	“hsbbpo”	$613
Jan. 18	Event #21: $250 NLH [Storm, Players Championship Edition]	$30,000	164	$38,212	“MarcZumoff”	$7,730
Jan. 18	Event #22: $10 NLH [$10 Storm Turbo]	$4,000	577	$5,251	“TheBigSlick74”	$927
Jan. 18	Event #23: $100 NLH [9-Max]	$20,000	304	$27,907	“mlf5135”	$4,467
Jan. 18	Event #24: $30 PLO [Progressive KO, PLO]	$5,000	285	$7,781	“TegridyFarm$”	$1,682
Jan. 19	Event #25: $10 NLH [Turbo Stacks, Progressive KO]	$4,000	604	5496	“Mufftetus”	$1,023
Jan. 19	Event #26: $50 NLH [4-Max Stacks]	$10,000	307	$13,969	“HodorHodorHodor”	$2,144*
Jan. 19	Event #27: $100 NLH [Thursday Thrill]	$30,000	411	$37,730	“MDD-POW”	$7,433
Jan. 19	Event #28: $30 Razz [Razz]	$2,500	107	$2,921	“UcheckEYEbet”	$620*

_{*Denotes final table deal}

The Merit Poker Western Series celebrates an age of cowboys, gunfights, and highway robbers, so it’s only fitting that the masked man was the last one standing in the $2,200 Warm Up.

The mysterious “John Doe,” who requested anonymity and played the final table covering his face with a hoodie, sunglasses, and a mask, prevailed after a marathon final table and defeated Turkey’s Recep Aydemir heads-up to win $181,200 and the title at the Merit Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino in North Cyprus

Doe employed his own unique style to match his persona. He made large pre-flop raises. He pulled off audacious bluffs. And he wasn’t afraid to get his chips in the middle. It all worked out as Doe, who first became chip leader early on Day 3, stayed near the top of the leaderboard for nearly two full days before he earned every chip in the tournament.

2023 Merit Poker Western Series $2,200 Warm Up Final Table Results

Final Table action

Day 4 began with 19 players remaining out of a starting field of 523 entries. Nikolay Fal, Arie Kliper, and Maxime Chilaud would all fall short of the final table as Doe began nine-handed play right where he started the day: with the chip lead at 12,180,000.

He earned the first elimination of the final table, flopping a set of fours to beat Evgenii Katymaev’s top pair of tens and eliminate the Russian in ninth place. Michele Guerrini, the short-stack of the final table, was eliminated in eighth after moving all in for 1,510,000 with ace-ten but running into the aces of David Hu.

Doe scored another knockout when he busted Eli Saad in seventh place with deuces against ace-six. Ryan Mandara, one of two British pros at the final table, doubled up six-handed with jacks against Hu’s flush and straight draws, but he then lost a race to his countryman Paul Browne, king-queen coming up short against tens as Mandara finished in fifth.

Browne, the Day 1a chip leader who started the day in 17th place with less than 10 big blinds, took the chip lead five-handed before Helmut Phung caught a running straight to double up. Five-handed play would go on for more than two hours. Aydemir doubled up three times, rising from an extreme short stack to taking the chip lead after making a heroic river call on Hu. His climb was halted by Browne, who rivered a straight to double up after Aydemir flopped a set.

Phung finally moved all in for 4,900,000 with king-queen but Doe woke up with queens on the button and sent the German out in fifth place. The four remaining players took a short break, and when play resumed action became fast and furious. Hu was eliminated in fourth on the first hand back, missing both straight and flush draws as Doe won with a pair of sixes.

Browne then called all in for 16,500,000 with king-nine but couldn’t improve against Doe’s tens as Doe took a 9-1 chip lead over Aydemir into heads-up play. The action lasted just three more hands. Aydemir got his last 4,000,000 in with ace-seven against the ace-five of Doe, but Doe spiked a five on the flop to win the hand and the title.

Doe was so committed to protecting his identity that he wouldn’t take a winner’s photo after securing the trophy, instead letting Aydemir take a picture with it. His identity will remain a secret, but Doe still left an unforgettable mark on the tournament. Like one of the robbers of the old wild, wild, west, he made off with all the money.

That concludes covered of the $2,200 Wrap Up from Merit Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino in North Cyprus. Be sure to join the PokerNews team for more action from $3,300 Main Event at the Merit Poker Western Series.

From January 6-14, Golden Nugget Las Vegas played host to the Grand Poker Series Winter Classic. The festival kicked off with events linked to the Free Poker Network (FPN), which were live reported by PokerNews. From there, an 18-event series catered to a combined 4,133 entrants and awarded $581,713 in prize money.

It was a good series for Lee Kathol of Crofton, Nebraska, who first won Event #2: $125 Cheap & Deep NLH for $1,323 and a couple of days later took down Event #9: $125 Nightly NLH for $2,900. By doing so, he became the only two-time champ of the series.

Others to capture titles were Susan England (Event #5: $125 Green Chip Bounty NLH), Terry Keller (Event #7: $200 NLH), Kevin Wang (Event #14L $200 NLH), Arturo Segura (Event #18: $250 HORSE), and Richard Munro (Event #19: $250 NLH).

Here’s a look at some other notable winners from the series.

Check out the Golden Nugget Hub on PokerNews here!

MOOSE Main Event Ends in Five-Way Deal

Moose International is a charitable organization all across the United States that makes a difference in the lives of children, seniors, and communities. Each year, the nationwide organization, with membership lodges all over the country, sees its “Moose” members travel to Las Vegas to compete in an annual poker event, always held at Golden Nugget.

This year, 900 runners competed for a $118,000 prize pool, which was paid out to the top 128 finishers. Among those to make deep runs but fall short of the final table was Marianne Shawley (11th – $1,800), Rick Quimby (15th – $1,800), Mary McCune (21st – $920), Corey Gutilla (28th – $920), and Karen Read (42nd – $465).

The final table, which was live-streamed and commentated upon by Mark Hoke, was an action-packed affair. After Pam Hargraves bowed out in sixth place for $3,445, the final five players worked an even chop that saw them all walk away with $9,738 apiece, which was essentially second-place money.

Because he was the chip leader at the time, Jim D’Angelo of St. Charles, Missouri was deemed the official champion, meaning he got the championship bracelet and custom chipset.

MOOSE Final Table Results

_{*Denotes five-way deal.}

North Dakota’s David Ouellette Wins $100K GTD

Another big tournament was Event #17: $200 NLH $100K GTD, which saw 847 runners compete. That surpassed the guarantee by creating a $127,050 prize pool that was paid out to the top 71 finishers.

Among those to cash were Orlando Barrera (2nd – $10,656), Mario Gorgiev (6th – $7,024), WSOP bracelet winner James Van Alstyne (10th – $1,855), Chad Kubica (17th – $1,240), Richard Boomsma (24th – $675), Shane Butts (27th – $600), Anthony Fox (35th – $600), and Giovanni Ciraso (45th – $500).

In the end, it was David Ouellette of Dickinson, North Dakota taking down the title and $12,885 in prize money.

Event #17 Final Table Results

Gary Gelman Conquers Record-Breaking 2022 PokerNews Cup at Golden Nugget ($202,725)

2023 Grand Poker Series Winter Classic Winners