Eric Althaus Promoted to General Manager of Rivers Philadelphia

Eric Althaus Promoted to General Manager of Rivers Philadelphia



Last week, PokerNews’ own Jesse Fullen and Matt Hansen traveled from Las Vegas to the other side of the country for our weeklong “East Coast Road Trip.” While there, they visited Rivers Philadelphia, formerly known as Sugar House Casino.

Their 28-table enclosed poker room hosted the $1,100 buy-in, $200K GTD Ultra Rush Event this past weekend, a tournament that attracted 622 entrants and awarded $51,000 to the winner. The successful poker event came on the heels of an organizational change at the property.

Eric Althaus Promoted to General Manager of Rivers Philadelphia 101

Earlier this month, Rush Street Gaming announced today that casino industry veteran Eric Althaus was promoted from assistant general manager to general manager at Rivers Casino Philadelphia.

Prior to being named assistant general manager in 2022, Althaus served as vice president of gaming at Rivers Casino Philadelphia, overseeing all gaming operations, including the recent first-in-Philly launch of Pulse Arena.

Eric Althaus
Eric Althaus

“Eric’s leadership and familiarity with Rivers Casino Philadelphia will allow for a seamless transition and continuity with key initiatives,” said Tim Drehkoff, CEO of Rush Street Gaming. “Our entire Rivers Casino Philly team has been doing a terrific job. We’re looking forward to the upcoming unveiling of the much-anticipated Martorano’s Prime, along with other exciting projects in 2023.”

Before coming to Rivers Philly, Althaus was President and General Manager of Mardi Gras Casino & Resort in West Virginia; and earlier served as Vice President General Manager of Gun Lake Casino in Michigan. He began his casino career as a table games dealer and supervisor at several Midwestern casinos.

“We have amazing talent here in Philly, and we’re continuing the strong forward momentum we’ve gained over the past year,” said Althaus. “Our success is the direct result of the team’s hard work and dedication.”

Check out highlights from the East Coast Road Trip here!

About Rush Street Gaming

Rush Street Gaming and its affiliates have developed and operate Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Des Plaines, Illinois (Chicago area); Schenectady, New York; and Portsmouth, Virginia. By placing an emphasis on superior design and outstanding customer service, Rush Street Gaming has become one of the leading casino developers in the United States.

Rush Street’s casinos employ approximately 5,000 Team Members and generate more than $1.5 billion in annual gaming revenue. All Rush Street Gaming casinos have been voted a “Best Place to Work” or “Top Workplace” by their Team Members. For more information, visit RushStreetGaming.com.

Name Surname
Chad Holloway

Executive Editor U.S.

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





Source link

Ramin Hajiyev Conquers $200,000 Luxon Invitational in Cyprus For $4.1 Million

Ramin Hajiyev Conquers $200,000 Luxon Invitational in Cyprus For $4.1 Million



It was a good day for Ramin Hajiyev, who walked away from The $200,000 Luxon Invitational with the biggest live cash of his career. In fact, his first-place prize of $4,122,554 was more than every other live cash on his Hendon Mob put together.

Hajiyev’s victory came at the expense of Tobias Duthweiler, who took second place, and a specially selected field of 86 poker, business, and celebrity sharks. Hajiyev has had a rough run of it at Triton events, but this event should set that all to rights.

“There was, I would say, a quite not good run,” Hajiyev told Ali Nejad in his post-win interview. “And I was maybe running a bit worse in Triton events. When I came here last year, I just loved the event, the organization. I said, Wow if you’re gonna win something, that’s the one.”

The $200,000 Luxon Invitational Complete Event Results

Position Name Country Prize
1st Ramin Hajiyev Azerbaijan $4,122,554
2nd Tobias Duthweiler Germany $3,606,446
3rd Patrik Antonius Finland $2,100,000
4th Sean Winter United States $1,640,000
5th Punnat Punsri Thailand $1,325,000
6th Wai Kiat Lee Malaysia $1,030,000
7th Sosia Jiang New Zealand $820,000
8th Wai Yong Malaysia $636,000
9th Ben Heath England $481,000
10th Orpen Kisacikoglu Turkey $369,500
11th Philip Sternheimer England $369,500
12th Eng Ewe Malaysia $350,000
13th Linus Loeliger Switzerland $350,000

A Fearsome Final Nine

The Luxon Invitational was a special event in the Triton Poker Series Cyprus. Players were selected from a number of VIPs who, in turn, were allowed to invite a plus one. Some brought pros they wanted to mix it up with.

There were plenty of returning faces from last year’s event edition (sponsored by Coin Rivet). Linus Loeliger managed to cash this year after making the final table in 2022. That event was won by Sam Grafton.

The event’s unique makeup made for a star-studded final table.

Patrik Antonius and Sean Winter were on hand to represent the poker establishment. Not that they were likely to have an easy time of it. Every other player at the final table was either a recognizable pro like Sosia Jiang or Punnat Punsri or a VIP with a history of playing high rollers. All of them had seven-figure Hendon Mob pages.

Hajiyev was a VIP, not a pro. Plus, he had gone nought for nine so far at the Triton Series Cyprus. It may have been a sharks-only final table, but Hajiyev was among a school of megs.

Boredom And Terror At The Final Table

The final table had a very slow start, with no eliminations or even much in the way of big pots for the first three hours.

Then finally, Ben Heath ran his AJ into Punsri’s AK and hit the rail. Just a few hands later, the eventual runner-up, Duthweiler tripled up, taking a chunk out of Sean Winter’s stack and the entirety of Wai Yong’s.

Sean Winter

This set the pattern for the table with hours of slow play, followed by eliminations separated by minutes.

By the time Jiang and Wai Kiat Lee were eliminated in seventh and sixth place, respectively. Hajiyev now had the biggest stack at the table and was up against four top pros, including Winter and Antonius.

Hajiyev’s mojo had momentum now, and within forty-five minutes, there was just one pro left. Duthweiler was already at a chip disadvantage with 8.1 million in chips to Hajiyev’s 17.7 million.

Duthweiler’s stack had shrunk to 5.6 million when—with blinds at 200k/400k with a 400k big blind ante—he picked up two red eights. Duthweiler limped from the button, allowing Hajiyev to move in with AK. Duthweiler called, and the dealer did her thing.

A king on the flop for Hajiyev was good enough for the title, and Duthweiler took second place and $3.6 million.

Lead photo courtesy Triton Poker via Twitter





Source link

PokerStars Shares 2023 UKIPT Schedule; Five UK Stops Planned

PokerStars Shares 2023 UKIPT Schedule; Five UK Stops Planned



The folks at PokerStars have released the schedule for the 2023 UK and Ireland Poker Tour (UKIPT), which sees five series on UK soil as well as an upcoming jaunt to the Malta Summer Festival.

“We are delighted to bring back the full schedule of the UKIPT, including five stops across the UK, as well as the Irish Poker Open, which was a huge success earlier this year. I am also very pleased to announce that our UKIPT Tournament leaderboard has been introduced and will include the Summer Festival Malta”, said Cedric Billot, Associate Director for Live Events.

Each UK stop will feature a £1,100 UKIPT Main Event and a £2,200 UKIPT High Roller, where players can satellite into for a fraction of the buy-in on PokerStars. Furthermore, the UKIPT Grand Final is booked for Nottingham and features a £1 million guarantee, while the London leg will also include a Women’s event.

2023 UKIPT Schedule

Date Stop Venue
June 27-July 2 Malta Summer Festival Intercontinental Arena
July 11-16 Blackpool Grosvenor Casino Blackpool
Sept 5-10 Brighton Rendezvous Casino
Sept 19-24 London Hippodrome & The Dilly
Oct 24-29 Edinburgh Genting Fountain Park
Nov 4-14 Nottingham Dusk Till Dawn

Player of the Year Leaderboard Returns

Also returning to the UKIPT this year is the Player of the Year leaderboard, which promises some fantastic prizes for the winners. The leaderboard has been reintroduced to recognize and reward consistency throughout the entire season. The better your performance in an event, the more points you will accumulate on the leaderboard.

At the conclusion of the series by the end of 2023, the top three participants will be awarded the following prizes (and yes, results from The Irish Open will be added):

  • 1st prize: A £15,000 package for UKIPT 2024, which includes £11,000 worth of live event credits for 2024 and £4,000 in cash for expenses.
  • 2nd prize: £2,200 worth of live event credits for 2024.
  • 3rd prize: £1,100 worth of live event credits for 2024.

Players who successfully cash in an eligible event (Multi-Table Tournaments with a buy-in exceeding £220/€220, excluding satellites) will be rewarded with points. These points will be determined by their final ranking in the tournament and the total number of entries in the event.

Full terms and conditions about the UKIPT PoY leaderboard can be found on PokerStars Live.

Use the PokerStars Welcome Bonus to Start Your UKIPT Journey

New depositing PokerStars customers can claim a welcome bonus worth up to $400. Download PokerStars via PokerNews, create your free account and decide how much you want to deposit. Your deposit is matched 100% up to $400 as a bonus. In fact, your first three deposits in the first 60 days after making your first deposit are matched up to a combined total of $400.

The bonus releases into your playable balance in $10 increments each time you generate 180 redemption points, which in turn are earned at a rate of five per $1 contributed to the cash game rake or spent on tournament fees (6.5 points per £1, 5.5 points per €1, and four points per CAD$).

Name Surname
Calum Grant

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.





Source link

Tero Laurila Wins the €1,100 888poker LIVE Barcelona Main Event (€64,000)

Tero Laurila Wins the €1,100 888poker LIVE Barcelona Main Event (€64,000)



Tero Laurila capitalized on his start-of-day chip lead to win the €1,100 888poker LIVE Barcelona Main Event for €64,000. The Finn, who has over $70,000 in tournament cashes according to the Hendon Mob, defeated online qualifier Nils Lechner heads up to win the prestigious trophy at the beautiful Barcelona Casino.

Lechner qualified for this event from an $11 online step satellite on 888poker.com to win a package to the €1,100 buy-in Main Event. Lechner spoke to PokerNews yesterday on making the final table. “So it was like already, like, pretty big to come here. Just getting the accommodations paid and just enjoying. And I had no expectations going into this.” With no expectations, Lechner turned his $11 into a €46,000 payday. Lechner said he’d only played live once before, but at just 23 years old, it is unlikely this will be his last appearance on the live circuit.

€1,100 888poker LIVE Barcelona Main Event Final Table Results

Place Player Country Prize
1 Tero Laurila Finland €64,000*
2 Nils Lechner Germany €46,000*
3 Albert Grane Spain €33,000
4 Tullio Bertoli Venezuela €26,000
5 Pekka Ikonen Finland €20,000
6 Juri Mereu Italy €15,000
7 Lin Xia Italy €12,000
8 Nuno Duarte Portugal €9,300
9 Sergi Alonso Spain €7,120

*reflects a heads-up deal

Final Table Action

The final table started in electric fashion, and Nils Lechner was lucky to not be the first out when he four-bet his ace-king against Nuno Duarte. Duarte had pocket queens but decided Lechner was too strong, and made the hero fold.

However, Duarte wasn’t folding his pocket tens when he cold four-bet all in over Sergi Alonso‘s three-bet. Alonso had ace-king, but headed for an early exit when Duarte hit a set on the turn which left Alonso drawing dead.

Despite eliminating Alonso, Duarte himself was next to be eliminated when he moved all in with pocket kings over Laurila’s bet on the ace of spades turn. Chip leader Laurila had donked on the seven-high board with ace-jack but turned top pair. Duarte was a non-believer when he raised all in, which sent him home in eighth place for €9,300.

Nuno Duarte
Nuno Duarte

Lin Xia was gone soon after when he three-bet shoved ace-ten. Laurila looked Xia up with his pocket three, and Xia was eliminated (€12,000) when he couldn’t win the flip against the Finn. Six-handed play lasted a while before Juri Mereu ran cold against Catalan local Albert Grane. Grane, dressed as Rambo, had raised jacks from late position and called Mereu’s three-bet jam with queens. Luck would be on Grane’s side when a jack came on the turn to eliminate Mereu in sixth (€15,000).

Pekka Ikonen got his money in good when Tullio Bertoli shoved ace-six from the small blind into Ikonen’s ace-queen but the flop fell with two sixes which ensured Ikonen’s elimination for €20,000 in fifth. Four-handed play lasted a while before Bertoli himself was eliminated after the dinner break at the hands of Lechner. Lechner had already hero-folded ace-queen when Bertoli shoved on him with ace-jack but Lechner didn’t feel like folding twice when he called a three bet shove with pocket sevens against Bertoli’s ace-queen.The flip went Lechner’s way to move the contest into three-handed play.

Three-handed play was almost a heads-up match as Grane and Lechner went head to head in many pots while Laurila avoided confrontation with tight preflop play. Grane held the chip lead for several hours before Lechner took Grane for three streets with a better top pair. Grane eventually moved all in with jack-nine only to run into Laurila’s ace-king to bring the final table to heads-up play.

 Albert Grane
Albert Grane
Heads-Up
Heads-up play lasted almost three hours

Heads-up play was a gruelling battle between the two, with lots of small ball poker being played with stacks equal for much of the battle. The players agreed on a deal early in the match, but Laurila eventually took control, leaving Lechner short. Lechner eventually three-bet shoved all in with nine-eight only to run into Laurila’s kings. Lechner picked up a flush draw on the flopbut couldn’t hit which gave the trophy to Laurila.





Source link

Late Registration Closes in WPT Gardens Poker Championship; $1.7m Prize Pool

Late Registration Closes in WPT Gardens Poker Championship; $1.7m Prize Pool



Day 1b of the World Poker Tour (WPT) $5,250 buy-in Gardens Poker Championship is closing out with less than a hundred players remaining and the payout information is now available after the close of late registration. With 346 total entries across the two starting flights for a prize pool of $1,678,100, 44 places will be paid with the eventual champion getting $357,380.

In addition to the six-figure top prize, the next WPT champion will get their name etched on the Mike Sexton Championship Trophy and will also take home a unique sculpture trophy designed by American artist Daniel Arsham. Not only that, but they will earn a $10,400 seat into the WPT World Championship at the Wynn in Las Vegas.

There were plenty of notables in the Day 1b field, including two-time WPT champions Alex Foxen, Alan Goehring and Season XVI Player of the Year Art Papazyan, who was eliminated as the night wound down as his top pair couldn’t fair against an opponent’s overpair.

Art Papazyan
Art Papazyan

Read About the Day 1a Action in the Garden Poker Championship!

More Familiar Faces in Day 1b

Day 1b saw many of the players who couldn’t make it to bag time in the first starting flight give the tournament another shot, including two-time WPT runner-up Steven Buckner and six-time WPT final tablist Ray Qartomy, as well as ambassador Brad Owen.

There were also plenty of new but familiar faces, including the aforementioned Foxen, who is after a third WPT title after taking down the 2018 WPT Los Angeles Poker Classic Rockstar Energy High Roller for $424,625 and later the 2019 WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic for $1,694,995.

Alex Foxen
Alex Foxen

In true Foxen fashion, he built up an impressive chip tower throughout the day and, short of disaster, will enter Day 2 among the chip leaders.

Other players in the Day 1b field included WPT ambassador Andrew Neeme, Francis Anderson, Kenny Hallaert, Michael Wang, Daniel Rezaei, Utah all-time money leader Jared Griener and WPT Champions Club members Daniel Strelitz, Mohsin Charania and Ryan Tosoc.

Andrew Neeme
Andrew Neeme

Those who advance on Day 1b will join the 54 survivors from Day 1a for Day 2 on May 23, which will kick off at noon local time on Level 11 with blinds of 1,500/2,500/2,500.

The top 44 finishers are guaranteed a minimum cash of $10,160, but that pales in comparison to the $357,380 awaiting the eventual champion.

PokerNews will be back on-site tomorrow to continue bringing you stories from the WPT Gardens Poker Championship here in Southern California.

WPT Gardens Poker Championship Payout Information

  PLACE PRIZE (IN USD)
  1st $357,380
  2nd $230,000
  3rd $169,000
  4th $125,000
  5th $94,000
  6th $71,200
  7th $54,500
  8th $42,200
  9th-10th $32,900
  11-12th $26,580
  13-14th $21,820
  15-16th $18,220
  17-20th $15,500
  21-24th $13,420
  25-32nd $11,860
  33-38th $10,710
  39-44th $10,160

*Images courtesy of WPT.





Source link

Utah’s All-Time Money Leaders Find Refuge in Southern California

Utah's All-Time Money Leaders Find Refuge in Southern California



There is not much poker in Utah. In fact, as one of the most conservative states in the country, one that outlaws both live and online poker, the closest place anyone in Utah’s urban center can get a poker fix is Wendover, a border town straddling the Utah-Nevada state line that is currently home to two small poker rooms that may have a few low-stakes cash games running at any time.

I know this because I became a poker journalist despite growing up in one of the most unlikely places to cultivate such a career: Utah. And like other poker players who were unfortunate enough to be condemned to the Beehive State, I know how grueling it can be to make a two-hour drive across the barren Bonneville Salt Flats just to play some cards.

In spite of the obvious roadblocks impeding anyone from Utah hoping to make a career out of poker, several players with Utah roots have managed to rack up seven figures in live tournament earnings. The most accomplished of them, Jared Griener and Frank Stepuchin, who respectively make up the one and two slots atop the Utah all-time money list with $2.5 million and $1.3 million in live earnings, are both playing in the currently underway World Poker Tour (WPT) $5,250 buy-in Gardens Poker Championship in Los Angeles County.

Utah All-Time Money List Top 10

  RANK PLAYER EARNINGS
  1 Jared Griener $2,508,974
  2 Frank Stepuchin $1,344,201
  3 Dylan Hortin $1,095,564
  4 Jacob Powers $1,028,032
  5 Devin Porter $1,024,156
  6 Kenneth Lind $682,108
  7 Peter Lawson $666,135
  8 Joseph Sanders $493,248
  9 Andrew Crookston $460,310
  10 Jeremiah Degreef $429,430

It’s a venue, and a region, that both players are intimately familiar with. Stepuchin took down the 2019 $10,000 WPT Gardens Poker Championship for $548,825, while Griener has had multiple six-figure scores at The Gardens Casino, including a sixth-place finish in the 2018 $5,000 WPT Gardens Poker Festival Main Event for $115,885.

PokerNews spoke with both players during the WPT Gardens Poker Championship to learn more about their journeys from arguably poker’s most hostile state to the thriving live poker oasis that is Southern California.

Frank Stepuchin
Frank Stepuchin

The Best and Worst Places for Poker

With multiple casinos and card rooms equipped with a hundred-plus poker tables, Griener, who was born and raised in Provo before moving to Huntington Beach in his early 20s, describes Los Angeles County as “the best place in the world to play cash games.” That’s a far cry from his home state, which he noted is “the only state in the continental US that has no gambling whatsoever.”

“I had no idea about poker until I got out of Utah,” he told PokerNews during a break on Day 1b. “It’s kind of not the best environment to get into poker.”

After leaving Provo for Huntington Beach, Griener’s said he “sort of stumbled” into poker when he played with some of his sales job colleagues. “The first time I played, they taught me how to play, and I won. So that kind of got me hooked on it.”

Since stumbling into poker, Griener has become one of the biggest crushers in the area. He plays and commentates on the popular Live at the Bike stream, has made several deep WPT runs and won a World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) ring at The Gardens Casino in earlier this year.

Jared Griener’s Top 5 Cashes at The Gardens Casino

  DATE BUY-IN EVENT PLACE PRIZE (IN USD)
  July 2018 $5,000 WPT Gardens Poker Festival Main Event 6th $115,885
  August 2014 $130 Legends of Poker NLH 2nd $84,667
  August 2017 $4,000 WPT Legends of Poker Main Event 8th $57,190
  March 2023 $2,200 WSOPC Los Angeles High Roller 1st $42,555
  January 2020 $10,000 WPT Gardens Poker Championship 13th $35,720

Meanwhile, Stepuchin, who wasn’t born in Utah but lived in Park City for 13 years before moving west to Manhattan Beach, did get into poker in Utah and has his share of memories making the drives out to Wendover in search of a game.

“I guess when I was starting out (playing poker) I was still in Park City, so it (the all-time money list) shows Park City (as my hometown),” Stephuchin said.

No Place Like LA

It’s no secret that California is generally a poker hotbed. There’s poker in Silicon Valley, including at San Jose’s Casino M8trix, where I once as a graduate student played an end-of-quarter late-night Blackjack session despite not having an income and not yet ready for the No-Limit Hold’em games around the corner.

Closer to the state capital of Sacramento, there’s the popular Thunder Valley Casino Resort, where I made my live reporting debut in September 2021.

But talking to Griener and Stepuchin, it is clear that there is nowhere better than Los Angeles, where I distinctly remember my dad slipping away from our annual family vacations to play some cash, for someone from Utah to realize their poker dreams.

The Gardens Casino
The Gardens Casino

“I’ve won three tournaments: (at the) Gardens, Commerce (and) Hustler,” said Stepuchin. “And I’ve gotten kind of close at the Bike. I guess I can only win out here!”

“It has its ups and downs; there’s a lot of people with some attitude, but I kind of enjoy that,” said Griener. “And there’s no doubt that I’ve had way more success in LA and it’s just because I play here so much that I know all the players. And once you play someone over and over again, I feel like that’s kind of my strongest (skill) is just adjusting based on who you are and what I know about you.”

Jared Griener
Jared Griener

Griener is after his first WPT title after several close calls, including third-place finishes in the 2017 $10,000 WPT LA Poker Classic and 2019 WPT Legends of Poker Los Angeles for respective scores of $431,340 and $226,040. Stepuchin, meanwhile, is looking for a second title after winning his first in 2019.

Stepuchin bagged Day 1a among the chip leaders, while Griener is still grinding as Day 1b closes out and he looks to join his fellow Utahn crusher on Day 2.

*Images courtesy of WPT.





Source link

Poker Superstar Jason Koon Wins Triton Cyprus Main Event for a Nice Cool $2.4m

Poker Superstar Jason Koon Wins Triton Cyprus Main Event for a Nice Cool $2.4m



Jason Koon continued his brilliance on the high-stakes scene with a dominant victory in the $100,000 buy-in Triton Cyprus High Roller Series Main Event for $2,451,082.

The GGPoker ambassador beat out 65 of the top high rollers in the world, including his heads-up opponent, Sam Greenwood, who received $1,923,918 as a consolation prize.

Koon has been quite impressive during the series with four final table appearances, including two titles. He also won Event #2: $20,000 No-Limit Hold’em 7-Handed for $663,000. In total, the West Virginia native has for just under $3.6 million during the series in North Cyprus with just a couple events remaining.

Emotional Poker Pro Crushes Stacked Final Table

jason koon triton poker
An emotional Jason Koon following his Triton Cyprus Main Event title.

The Triton Cyprus Main Event final table was stacked with some high roller superstars, including Dan Smith, who finished in fifth place for $762,000. Earlier in the day, however, he engaged in a heated argument at the table with the eventual champion.

Smith, as seen in the video below from the Triton live-stream and posted by Rob Kuhn, had asked the others at the table to be quiet while he was in the middle of a hand. Koon didn’t take too kindly to his opponent’s comments.

“Buddy, I had two VIP’s, not one, but two come up to me and say how awful it was playing with you because you berated them for having a conversation at a live poker table,” Koon said to Smith.

Koon then criticized Smith for taking too long to act and told him it’s a repeated issue and referred to the tanking as “obnoxious.”

After Smith was eliminated, Henrik Hecklen took fourth place for $946,000, followed by the Steve O’Dwyer elimination in third place ($1,171,000). That set up a heads-up match between Koon and Greenwood. Both players agreed to a chop based on chip value and stack at the time. Koon was in the lead so he received the largest payout. They left behind an extra $84,000 following the chop to be awarded to the winner.

Koon’s lead was about 4-1, but he was all in and ahead on the first hand of heads-up play with Q10 on a flop of Q9J against the AK of Greenwood. The turn was J, no help to either player, and then Koon wrapped up the tournament title when the 7 appeared on the river.

Both players shook hands and Koon was brought to tears of joy. Koon, a Triton brand ambassador, will likely end up winning Triton’s Ivan Leow Player of the Year trophy, named in honor of the late Ivan Leow, the Triton co-founder who tragically passed away last year at age 39.

“I was here a little under a year ago when we lost Ivan,” Koon said, choking back tears after the tournament wrapped. “Ivan was a good friend of mine. And walking through these halls every day I feel a little bit emotional about that. Just the title of Player of the Year, it gets me emotional. I miss the guy.”

Koon’s victory brought his career live tournament cashes up to over $47.3 million, good for fifth all-time, according to Hendon Mob. He’s certainly at least in the conversation as the best player in the world right now.

Triton Cyprus Main Event Final Table Results

Place Player Stack
1 Jason Koon $2,451,082
2 Sam Greenwood $1,923,918
3 Steve O’Dwyer $1,171,000
4 Henrik Hecklen $946,000
5 Dan Smith $762,000
6 Sean Winter $595,000

*Images courtesy of Joe Giron/Triton Poker.





Source link

Birthday Delight for Spragg; Veldhuis Looking to Shake Off SCOOP Hoodoo

Birthday Delight for Spragg; Veldhuis Looking to Shake Off SCOOP Hoodoo



PokerStars ambassadors Lex Veldhuis and Benjamin Spragg are coming towards the end of their 2023 Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) grind, with the series concluding in just over a weeks time. And as SCOOP inches closer to the start of its Main Events, Veldhuis and Spragg put in the reps over the weekend in various SCOOP events.

It was another good weekend on the orange virtual felt for Veldhuis, who scored numerous cashes across various events. His latest SCOOP showing also resulted in him making the final table for SCOOP 75-H: $5,200 PKO Titans, where he sits in fifth place from the nine remaining players.

Veldhuis is gunning for his first-ever SCOOP title and has gone agonizingly close on several occasions over the last few weeks. You will be able to see if Veldhuis can shake off his SCOOP hoodoo on PokerStars’ Twitch channel, with cards up coverage beginning at 6 p.m. BST.

Spragg, on the other hand, had a relatively muted Saturday and Sunday, with just one SCOOP cash recorded. It was for a sizeable $8,393 after a 21st-place finish in SCOOP 62-M $1,050 PKO Thursday Thrill, which wrapped up on Saturday.

However, the Englishman celebrated his 33rd birthday on Friday in spectacular style as Spragg took down the $530 Bounty Builder for $33,600 and played “one of the most incredible hands” of his career against Parker Talbot, who was also denied a SCOOP title over the weekend.

Birthday Delight for Spragg

There’s only one thing better than having quads, and that’s getting paid off with them. And it was even sweeter for Spragg, as it was his colleague and friend Talbot that helped propel him to victory.

From there on, Spragg sealed out the victory to start off his birthday weekend in the best way possible. However, the birthday run good would be shortlived as Spragg fell short of cashing the $5,200 PKO Titans and also found himself on the wrong side of a preflop cooler in the $1,050 PKO Thursday Thrill for his only SCOOP result of the weekend.

Veldhuis’ Wild Ride to $5,200 PKO Titans Final Table

As mentioned, Veldhuis returns in the middle of the pack for $5,200 PKO Titans final table, with Jonathan “x_zola25” Skovsen sitting in pole position. The event saw 154 entries, creating a $770,000 prize pool which bested the $600,000 guarantee.

Also still in contention are Felipe “lipe piv” Boianovsky, Patrick “pads1161” Leonard and Pedro “PadiLhA SP” Padilha.

They’ve all locked up $11,363 for getting to this stage, but of course, they will all be gunning for $71,023 for the winner plus any additional bounties.

$5,200 PKO Titans Final Table Standings

Place Player Country Bounty Chip Count Big Blinds
1 Jonathan “x_zola25” Skovsen Denmark $15,457 6,012,917 43
2 “retro_cheetah01” Poland $10,313 5,952,304 43
3 Felipe “lipe piv” Boianovsky Brazil $18,125 5,222,432 37
4 Patrick “pads1161” Leonard United Kingdom $20,781 5,090,584 36
5 Lex “L.Veldhuis” Veldhuis Netherlands $9,375 4,770,482 34
6 Pedro “PadiLhA SP” Padilha Brazil $15,781 3,736,676 27
7 “PAX176” Poland $0 3,665,344 26
8 “milanov888” Bulgaria $2,500 2,767,158 20
9 “Haringbuis” Malta $9,844 1,282,103 9

As we await for the final table to get underway, why not check out how Veldhuis navigated his way to the final table?





Veldhuis’ Weekend SCOOP Results

Event Position Payout
68-M $530 PLO 20/273 $1,466
SCOOP Edition: Big $109 94/1104 $244
70-H $215 8-Game PKO 8/240 $1,514
71-M $109 NLHE PKO 5/1663 $3,224
72-L $55 NLHE Turbo 126/2968 $197
Name Surname
Calum Grant

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.





Source link

Talbot Falls Short as Dzivielvski Bags Second SCOOP Title of 2023

Talbot Falls Short as Dzivielvski Bags Second SCOOP Title of 2023


Date Start Time (BST) Event

22-May 17:30 SCOOP 79 L: $55 NLHE, $250K Gtd

22-May 17:30 SCOOP 79 M: $530 NLHE, $350K Gtd

22-May 17:30 SCOOP 79 H: $5,200 NLHE [High Roller], $400K Gtd

22-May 19:15 SCOOP 80 L: $11 Stud, $10K Gtd

22-May 19:15 SCOOP 80 M: $109 Stud, $20K Gtd

22-May 19:15 SCOOP 80 H: $1,050 Stud, $35K Gtd

22-May 20:05 SCOOP 81 L: $5.50 NLHE [5-Max, Progressive KO], $45K Gtd

22-May 20:05 SCOOP 81 M: $55 NLHE [5-Max, Progressive KO], $150K Gtd

22-May 20:05 SCOOP 81 H: $530 NLHE [5-Max, Progressive KO], $200K Gtd

22-May 21:30 SCOOP 82 L: $11 NLHE [Progressive KO, Freezeout], $40K Gtd

22-May 21:30 SCOOP 82 M: $109 NLHE [Progressive KO, Freezeout], $150K Gtd

22-May 21:30 SCOOP 82 H: $1,050 NLHE [Progressive KO, Freezeout], $200K Gtd

22-May 22:30 SCOOP 83 L: $22 PLO [6-Max, Progressive KO, Single Re-entry], $25K Gtd

22-May 22:30 SCOOP 83 M: $109 PLO [6-Max, Progressive KO, Single Re-entry], $20K Gtd

22-May 22:30 SCOOP 83 H: $530 PLO [6-Max, Progressive KO, Single Re-entry], $75K Gtd

23-May 11:05 SCOOP 84 L: $2.20 NLHE, $12.5K Gtd

23-May 11:05 SCOOP 84 M: $22 NLHE, $50K Gtd

23-May 11:05 SCOOP 84 H: $215 NLHE, $75K Gtd

23-May 16:30 SCOOP 85 L: $5.50 NL 2-7 Single Draw [7-Max, Progressive KO], $7.5K Gtd

23-May 16:30 SCOOP 85 M: $55 NL 2-7 Single Draw [7-Max, Progressive KO], $17.5K Gtd

23-May 16:30 SCOOP 85 H: $530 NL 2-7 Single Draw [7-Max, Progressive KO], $35K Gtd

23-May 17:30 SCOOP 86 L: $109 NLHE [Super Tuesday], $400K Gtd

23-May 17:30 SCOOP 86 M: $1,050 NLHE [Super Tuesday], $650K Gtd

23-May 17:30 SCOOP 86 H: $10,300 NLHE [Super Tuesday High Roller], $600K Gtd

23-May 19:15 SCOOP 87 L: $22 PLO8 [6-Max], $25K Gtd

23-May 19:15 SCOOP 87 M: $215 PLO8 [6-Max], $65K Gtd

23-May 19:15 SCOOP 87 H: $2,100 PLO8 [6-Max], $100K Gtd

23-May 20:05 SCOOP 88 L: $22 NLHE [7-Max, Frezeeout], $75K Gtd

23-May 20:05 SCOOP 88 M: $215 NLHE [7-Max, Frezeeout], $200K Gtd

23-May 20:05 SCOOP 88 H: $2,100 NLHE [7-Max, Frezeeout], $175K Gtd

23-May 21:30 SCOOP 89 L: $5.50 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO], $40K Gtd

23-May 21:30 SCOOP 89 M: $55 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO], $175K Gtd

23-May 21:30 SCOOP 89 H: $530 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO], $250K Gtd

24-May 16:30 SCOOP 90 L: $11 HORSE, $12.5K Gtd

24-May 16:30 SCOOP 90 M: $109 HORSE, $30K Gtd

24-May 16:30 SCOOP 90 H: $1,050 HORSE, $50K Gtd

24-May 17:30 SCOOP 91 L: $33 NLHE [Progressive KO], $175K Gtd

24-May 17:30 SCOOP 91 M: $320 NLHE [Progressive KO], $300K Gtd

24-May 17:30 SCOOP 91 H: $3,150 NLHE [Progressive KO], $350K Gtd

24-May 19:15 SCOOP 92 L: $11 FL Badugi [6-Max], $7.5K Gtd

24-May 19:15 SCOOP 92 M: $109 FL Badugi [6-Max], $15K Gtd

24-May 19:15 SCOOP 92 H: $1,050 FL Badugi [6-Max], $25K Gtd

24-May 20:05 SCOOP 93 L: $11 NLHE [Progressive KO, Frezeeout], $60K Gtd

24-May 20:05 SCOOP 93 M: $109 NLHE [Progressive KO, Frezeeout], $200K Gtd

24-May 20:05 SCOOP 93 H: $1,050 NLHE [Progressive KO, Frezeeout], $200K Gtd

24-May 21:30 SCOOP 94 L: $3.30 NLHE [Mini Fenomeno SE], $18K Gtd

24-May 21:30 SCOOP 94 M: $33 NLHE [Fenomeno SE], $80K Gtd

24-May 21:30 SCOOP 94 H: $320 NLHE [Fenomeno HR SE], $150K Gtd

25-May 15:05 SCOOP 95 L: $22 NLHE [9-Max, Early classic], $100K Gtd

25-May 15:05 SCOOP 95 M: $109 NLHE [9-Max, Early classic], $200K Gtd

25-May 15:05 SCOOP 95 H: $530 NLHE [9-Max, Early classic], $225K Gtd

25-May 16:30 SCOOP 96 L: $11 5-Card PLO [6-Max, Progressive KO], $15K Gtd

25-May 16:30 SCOOP 96 M: $109 5-Card PLO [6-Max, Progressive KO], $40K Gtd

25-May 16:30 SCOOP 96 H: $1,050 5-Card PLO [6-Max, Progressive KO], $85K Gtd

25-May 17:30 SCOOP 97 L: $55 NLHE [Progressive KO, Thursday Thrill], $400K Gtd

25-May 17:30 SCOOP 97 M: $530 NLHE [Progressive KO, Thursday Thrill], $650K Gtd

25-May 17:30 SCOOP 97 H: $5,200 NLHE [Progressive KO, Thursday Thrill High Roller], $600K Gtd

25-May 19:15 SCOOP 98 L: $22 8-Game [6-Max], $25K Gtd

25-May 19:15 SCOOP 98 M: $215 8-Game [6-Max], $45K Gtd

25-May 19:15 SCOOP 98 H: $2,100 8-Game [6-Max], $70K Gtd

25-May 20:05 SCOOP 99 L: $33 NLHE [6-Max, Frezeeout], $100K Gtd

25-May 20:05 SCOOP 99 M: $215 NLHE [6-Max, Frezeeout], $175K Gtd

25-May 20:05 SCOOP 99 H: $1,050 NLHE [6-Max, Frezeeout], $150K Gtd

25-May 21:30 SCOOP 100 L: $11 NLHE [7-Max, Progressive KO], $85K Gtd

25-May 21:30 SCOOP 100 M: $109 NLHE [7-Max, Progressive KO], $225K Gtd

25-May 21:30 SCOOP 100 H: $1,050 NLHE [7-Max, Progressive KO], $250K Gtd

27-May 15:05 SCOOP 101 L: $5.50 NLHE [Deep Stacks], $40K Gtd

27-May 15:05 SCOOP 101 M: $55 NLHE [Deep Stacks], $200K Gtd

27-May 15:05 SCOOP 101 H: $530 NLHE [Deep Stacks], $250K Gtd

27-May 17:30 SCOOP 102 L: $55 NLHE [Progressive KO], $325K Gtd

27-May 17:30 SCOOP 102 M: $320 NLHE [Progressive KO], $375K Gtd

27-May 17:30 SCOOP 102 H: $1,050 NLHE [Progressive KO], $500K Gtd

27-May 19:15 SCOOP 103 L: $11 NLO8 [6-Max], $15K Gtd

27-May 19:15 SCOOP 103 M: $109 NLO8 [6-Max], $35K Gtd

27-May 19:15 SCOOP 103 H: $1,050 NLO8 [6-Max], $80K Gtd

27-May 20:05 SCOOP 104 L: $11 NLHE [6-Max], $65K Gtd

27-May 20:05 SCOOP 104 M: $109 NLHE [6-Max], $150K Gtd

27-May 20:05 SCOOP 104 H: $1,050 NLHE [6-Max], $175K Gtd

27-May 21:30 SCOOP 105 L: $2.20 NLHE [7-Max, Progressive KO, Last Player Standing], $12.5K Gtd

27-May 21:30 SCOOP 105 M: $22 NLHE [7-Max, Progressive KO, Last Player Standing], $75K Gtd

27-May 21:30 SCOOP 105 H: $215 NLHE [7-Max, Progressive KO, Last Player Standing], $115K Gtd

28-May 13:05 SCOOP 106 L: $5.50 NLHE [Mini Sunday Kickoff], $45K Gtd

28-May 13:05 SCOOP 106 M: $55 NLHE [Sunday Kickoff], $225K Gtd

28-May 13:05 SCOOP 106 H: $530 NLHE [Sunday Kickoff], $350K Gtd

28-May 15:05 SCOOP 107 L: $5.50 NLHE [Progressive KO, Sunday Warm-Up, Freezeout], $40K Gtd

28-May 15:05 SCOOP 107 M: $55 NLHE [Progressive KO, Sunday Warm-Up, Freezeout], $250K Gtd

28-May 15:05 SCOOP 107 H: $530 NLHE [Progressive KO, Sunday Warm-Up, Freezeout], $450K Gtd

28-May 17:30 SCOOP 108 L: $109 NLHE [Main Event], $2M Gtd

28-May 17:30 SCOOP 108 M: $1,050 NLHE [Main Event], $4M Gtd

28-May 17:30 SCOOP 108 H: $10,300 NLHE [Main Event], $5M Gtd

28-May 18:30 SCOOP 109 L: $5.50 NLHE [Progressive KO, Women’s Event], $4K Gtd

28-May 18:30 SCOOP 109 M: $22 NLHE [Progressive KO, Women’s Event], $10K Gtd

28-May 18:30 SCOOP 109 H: $109 NLHE [Progressive KO, Women’s Event], $20K Gtd

28-May 20:05 SCOOP 110 L: $109 PLO [6-Max, PLO Main Event], $200K Gtd

28-May 20:05 SCOOP 110 M: $1,050 PLO [6-Max, PLO Main Event], $500K Gtd

28-May 20:05 SCOOP 110 H: $10,300 PLO [6-Max, PLO Main Event], $800K Gtd

28-May 21:30 SCOOP 111 L: $11 NLHE [Progressive KO, Mini Sunday Cooldown, Freezeout], $85K Gtd

28-May 21:30 SCOOP 111 M: $109 NLHE [Progressive KO, Sunday Cooldown, Freezeout], $300K Gtd

28-May 21:30 SCOOP 111 H: $1,050 NLHE [Progressive KO, Sunday Cooldown High Roller, Freezeout], $350K Gtd

29-May 17:30 SCOOP 112 L: $11 NLHE [Progressive KO, Series Saver], $150K Gtd

29-May 17:30 SCOOP 112 M: $109 NLHE [Progressive KO, Series Saver], $600K Gtd

29-May 17:30 SCOOP 112 H: $1,050 NLHE [Progressive KO, Series Saver], $1M Gtd

29-May 18:30 SCOOP 113 L: $215 NLHE, $350K Gtd

29-May 18:30 SCOOP 113 M: $2,100 NLHE, $350K Gtd

29-May 19:05 SCOOP 113 H: $25,000 NLHE [Super High Roller], $1M Gtd

29-May 19:15 SCOOP 01 L: $2.20 NLHE [Phase 2], $125K Gtd

29-May 19:15 SCOOP 01 M: $11 NLHE [Phase 2], $500K Gtd

29-May 19:15 SCOOP 01 H: $55 NLHE [Phase 2], $1M Gtd

29-May 20:05 SCOOP 114 L: $55 NLHE [Main Event 2nd Chance], $200K Gtd

29-May 20:05 SCOOP 114 M: $530 NLHE [Main Event 2nd Chance], $300K Gtd

29-May 20:05 SCOOP 114 H: $5,200 NLHE [Main Event 2nd Chance], $400K Gtd

29-May 21:05 SCOOP 115 L: $2.20 NLHE [6-Max], $15K Gtd

29-May 21:05 SCOOP 115 M: $22 NLHE [6-Max], $125K Gtd

29-May 21:05 SCOOP 115 H: $215 NLHE [6-Max], $225K Gtd

30-May 17:30 SCOOP 116 L: $11 NLHE [Super Tuesday], $100K Gtd

30-May 17:30 SCOOP 116 M: $109 NLHE [Super Tuesday], $300K Gtd

30-May 17:30 SCOOP 116 H: $1,050 NLHE [Super Tuesday], $350K Gtd

30-May 18:30 SCOOP 117 L: $33 NLHE [Progressive KO], $100K Gtd

30-May 18:30 SCOOP 117 M: $320 NLHE [Progressive KO], $135K Gtd

30-May 18:30 SCOOP 117 H: $3,150 NLHE [Progressive KO], $175K Gtd

30-May 19:15 SCOOP 118 L: $5.50 NLHE/PLO [6-Max, Progressive KO], $18K Gtd

30-May 19:15 SCOOP 118 M: $55 NLHE/PLO [6-Max, Progressive KO], $60K Gtd

30-May 19:15 SCOOP 118 H: $530 NLHE/PLO [6-Max, Progressive KO], $75K Gtd

30-May 20:05 SCOOP 119 L: $5.50 NLHE [Heads-Up TKO Zoom], $35K Gtd

30-May 20:05 SCOOP 119 M: $55 NLHE [Heads-Up TKO Zoom], $125K Gtd

30-May 20:05 SCOOP 119 H: $530 NLHE [Heads-Up TKO Zoom], $115K Gtd

31-May 17:30 SCOOP 120 L: $5.50 NLHE [Progressive KO, Final Freeze], $35K Gtd

31-May 17:30 SCOOP 120 M: $55 NLHE [Progressive KO, Final Freeze], $150K Gtd

31-May 17:30 SCOOP 120 H: $530 NLHE [Progressive KO, Final Freeze], $150K Gtd

31-May 20:05 SCOOP 121 L: $3.30 NLHE [7-Max, Progressive KO, Series Wrap-Up], $50K Gtd

31-May 20:05 SCOOP 121 M: $33 NLHE [7-Max, Progressive KO, Series Wrap-Up], $125K Gtd

31-May 20:05 SCOOP 121 H: $320 NLHE [7-Max, Progressive KO, Series Wrap-Up], $135K Gtd





Source link

We Say Farewell to Poker Legend Doyle Brunson

We Say Farewell to Poker Legend Doyle Brunson


Doyle Brunson was The Godfather of Poker who has done much for the poker world. Join us as we say farewell and remember his many accomplishments.

We say farewell to Doyle Brunson, The Godfather of Poker and an exceptional player. At age 89, this iconic figure sadly passed away on May 14. 

His family released a statement, reading: 

 

It is with a heavy heart we announce the passing of our father, Doyle Brunson. He was a beloved Christian man, husband, father and grandfather. We’ll have more to say over the coming days as we honor his legacy. Please keep Doyle and our family in your prayers. May he rest in peace.” 

Top Wins

Brunson was a regular at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) since 1970. Having played the game for years before starting his career in Las Vegas, it’s no surprise that this man became a legend all players strive to follow. He won 10 WSOP bracelets and more than $3 million over his career.

First WSOP Bracelet – 1976

While Brunson finished third in 1973’s Main Event, it wasn’t until 1976 that he won the Main Event and his first WSOP bracelet, bringing home $220,000 in prize money.

A Big Win in 1977

In 1977, Brunson won another World Championship title and bracelet, with prize money of $340,000. He won the title with a full house thanks to his starting hand of 10-2, which is now known as The Doyle Brunson.

No-Limit Hold’em in 1991

Doyle won his seventh bracelet in 1991, taking home a No-Limit Hold-em title with a prize pool of $208,000.

Beats Critics and Wins Almost $1.2 Million in 2004

Brunson won almost $1.2 million in 2004 at the Legends of Poker WPT event. While critics claimed he was too old, Doyle showed them that his title as The Godfather wasn’t for nothing.

Biggest WSOP Win in 2005

This legend’s largest WSOP win happened in 2005. He placed first in a short-handed No-Limit Hold’em Main Event, winning $367,800.

European Poker Tour 2011

Brunson’s only time scoring an EPT money finish was in 2011. He won £9,000 in this tournament and placed 77th in the £5,000 Main Event.

Top stories

Where did the nickname “Texas Dolly” come from?

It originated from a miscommunication. Jimmy Snyder, famously known for his show “The NFL Today,” used to write about gambling for the Las Vegas Sun. He was great friends with Doyle Brunson, who was from Texas, where gambling was frowned upon. Brunson asked Snyder not to use his real name in his articles, so Snyder referred to him as “Texas Doyle.” An Associated Press journalist overheard Snyder referencing him as “Texas Dolly” instead and misquoted the nickname in an article. It has stayed with him ever since.

T2 – the Doyle Brunson hand

Brunson dominated the ’76 WSOP Main Event with T2 cards. He held a commanding chip lead against his amateur opponent when the fateful flop came to A-J-T. Brunson bet all-in, and his rival called with two pairs. Disaster awaited, though, as a two arrived on the turn, giving Brunson two pairs. The ten on the river made him a full house for the win.

 

His luck with the same hand didn’t end there. A year later, he was again heads-up now with a professional player, Gary Berland. Brunson had T-2 and Berland 85. The flop was 8-5-T, Berland bet, Brunson called. The turn gave Brunson a two-pair, and he pushed all in. Berland called. A ten on the river sealed the deal for Brunson.

The $230 million mistake

Doyle Brunson missed out on a $230m offer for his online poker room and later lost it when the FBI raided it for violating US gambling laws. He had been warned of the risks of operating in a grey area but the offer was too good to refuse. He regretted his decision for years and ended his relationship with the Doyles Room after the incident.

Doyle Brunson and the Fort Worth times

Doyle Brunson often told tales from his early days as a poker player, recalling that the greatest challenge wasn’t in winning money, but in getting it out of town unscathed. 

 

Fort Worth, Texas was one of his haziest memories; an area well-known by locals for its dangerous illegal poker games. There were no guarantees that one would leave a table alive; a menacing threat of which Brunson could personally attest. 

 

“I had been a pro for a year when one night I was playing a game of pool in a hall, and the player next to me suddenly had his brains splattered all over the wall after someone walked in and shot him in the head,” Brunson recalled.

He beat cancer six times

Texas Dolly was diagnosed with cancer in 1962 when he was 29 years old. Doctors found a tumor in his neck and metastases. Five doctors declared the prognosis to be poor, and gave him only a few months to live. However, after surgery, there was no trace of cancer cells. Miraculously, Dolly has beaten various forms of cancer a total of six times since then, including squamous cell carcinoma in 2016. 

His Impact on Poker

Doyle Brunson isn’t just a poker legend; he also taught the industry much about the game. He wrote “Super System,” regarded as this game’s bible, along with a number of other books, and he made various television appearances over his career. 

 

Thanks to this revered figure, poker has continued to develop even further, and platforms like RakeRace.com can offer exclusive races and chases that players enjoy. We salute this legendary figure and thank him for all he’s done, knowing he’ll always be in our memories.





Source link

Tag

Random Posts