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The World Poker Tour’s Premier Meet-Up Game (MUG) will once again kick off the WPT World Championship festival in December and will be hosted by World Poker Tour Ambassadors Andrew Neeme and Brad Owen. The Premier MUG will take place on Friday, December 1st at the Wynn Las Vegas and Poker Hall of Famer and fellow WPT Ambassador Phil Ivey will be making a special appearance along with a cadre of other big name poker personalities.
“We’re pumped to bring the Premier MUG back to the World Championship stage with players from all different countries present,” said Neeme. “I think the fun and relaxed vibe of the event sets a great tone for the rest of the festival.”
READ MORE: Neeme, Owen Discuss the Anatomy of a Poker Meet-Up Game
The Wynn Las Vegas has earmarked all 28 tables in their poker room to host a variety of cash games, including $1-$3 and $2-$5 No Limit Hold’em, as well as Pot Limit Omaha (PLO). The Premier MUG is scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. and end at 1:00 p.m. Seating will be on a first-come, first-serve basis on the day of the event before the start time of 9 a.m. That is to say that anyone wishing to participate in the Premier MUG will have to sign up in person on the day of. It’s thus recommended that interested players arrive ahead of the start time to lock in their seat.
Last year’s Premier MUG attendees included DJ Steve Aoki, WPT on-air talents Lynn Gilmartin, Tony Dunst and Vince Van Patten, Executive Tour Director Matt Savage, and other notable players such as Patrik Antonius and Joey Ingram.
The recently departed Doyle Brunson, a.k.a., “Texas Dolly”, memorably participated in last year’s first ever Premier MUG. This year, to honor his legacy after his passing, a promotion will be offered that features his most memorable hand, Ten-Deuce and his son Poker Hall of Famer Todd Brunson will be in attendance.
— Andrew Neeme (@andrewneeme) December 2, 2022
“I know my dad had a wonderful time at the WPT World Championship last year, playing in the Premier MUG among friends and fans alike,” said Brunson. “That is why I pledged to attend this year. It is an honor that WPT will be commemorating his legacy as an ambassador of the game during this celebratory event.”
READ MORE: What it’s like to play poker with Doyle Brunson, Phil Ivey, and the WPT Crew
Multiple seats to WPT World Championship festival tournaments will be awarded during the Premier MUG via a drawing at the culmination of the event. Seated players will have the opportunity to win multiple drawing entries through live-action promotions. These promotions will be highlighted on WPT’s social media channels in the coming weeks.
The WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas will run from December 12-21, with a buy-in of $10,400 and the largest ever guaranteed prize pool in history of $40 million. Last year’s World Championship nearly doubled the prize pool guarantee, ballooning from $15 million to just over $29 million dollars.
READ MORE: 7 Reasons Why the WPT World Championship will Beat their $40 Million Guarantee
Cardplayer Lifestyle founder Robbie Strazynski will be in attendance at the upcoming WPT Premier MUG to cover the festivities in person, as well as to kick off this site’s coverage of the World Poker Tour’s year-end event series, which will be continued in person by longtime contributing writer Jennifer Newell.
“The Premier MUG is the pinnacle of meet-up games, and highlights to the world what Andrew and I set out to accomplish from the beginning, which is to provide players with a fun, non-intimidating atmosphere and experience,” said Owen.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re a cash game player or a tournament player. As with any hobby, you can become a little jaded with your poker game. Sometimes, all you need is a fresh perspective to recharge those batteries and go again.
You might not even need to give up your passion for card games to do so. There are so many card game alternatives out there that can freshen up your mind and clear your head for that next important poker session.
With that in mind, we’re going to discuss four alternative card games poker players could try when enjoying some downtime away from the poker felt.
This is considered by many seasoned card players as the premier trick-taking card game. If you’re looking for a card game that’s equally as competitive as poker, then bridge should be at the top of your list. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) even acknowledge bridge as a genuine sport.
Bridge is a four-player game with two in-game partnerships played heads-up. North plays South and East plays West. The object of the game is to make ‘tricks’. Each player plays a card and the highest-value card wins the trick.
Rummy is another 52-card game that’s a hit with card players. Like bridge, you’ll need to arrange your cards into a hand to try and build two sequences – one three-card sequence and one four-card sequence. Each player takes it in turn to draw and discard cards to improve their hand and be the first to build those sequences.
It’s a fast-paced alternative to poker. If you come up against experienced rummy players, the game can be over in a matter of minutes. There are many types of rummy, consisting of different pacing and rules. The most popular is gin rummy, known for its relative simplicity. Other popular versions include Indian, Canasta, and Kalooki rummy.
Although there isn’t as much skill involved in blackjack as poker, it’s still a fun card game to play heads-up against the dealer. The fact that fate plays a greater part in the dynamic of blackjack is quite refreshing for poker players who work hard to get that bluffing edge over their opponents at the poker tables.
What’s also great about blackjack is that it can be enjoyed online on any device, with a growing number of variants adding extra dimensions to classic blackjack gameplay. Leading online blackjack UK-licensed sites are regularly supplying games with intriguing side bets like ‘Perfect Pairs’ and ‘Suit ‘Em Up’. There are also live dealer blackjack games which offer real-time interaction with dealers as if you were sitting playing on a casino floor.
If you’re looking for a historic card game to sample, look no further than cribbage. Dating back to 17th century England, cribbage still has a vibrant community of players worldwide. The goal of this game is to reach 121 points before any other player. Points are accrued during the ‘play’ scoring stage, making several combinations of cards and hands.
Understanding the cribbage scoring board is probably the biggest challenge you’ll have – it’s an absolute masterpiece!
Hopefully, this quartet of classic card games can provide you with exactly what you’re looking for during your downtime from the poker tables, whichever ones you choose.
Playing poker with crypto is seamless. You transfer your funds from your wallet to the poker site, and they move any winnings right back, no questions asked.
But how does it differ from playing in person or online with fiat currencies, and what should you know before playing?
There won’t be any fun if scammers cart away your financial information or your funds themselves. So, the first tip for a fantastic experience when playing poker with crypto is to select a secure and trusted site that guarantees your security and anonymity. Opt for crypto casinos like this one that provide beefed-up security measures like multiple-factor authentication, SSL encryption systems, and a decentralized platform.
Now that you’re playing on a secure site, your coins might be safe from online scammers and thieves, but not from the house or your opponent if you are terrible at the game.
You must still know how to play poker, whether with crypto or fiat. And practicing regularly is one sure way to get your game up.
Sure, you know the rules and basic moves, but you need to get better at reading your opponents to defeat them. Logging your activities and strategies can help you compare and contrast your past gaming approaches for optimization.
Furthermore, most crypto poker rooms have personalized strategies and rules that may impact your gameplay. Understanding these can also help boost your winning chances by making you a good poker player.
Crypto is a way that many people stash away their savings. And, now, crypto poker is making it easier than ever to access that stash for playing your favorite game.
So, you need to be wise and careful.
An effective bankroll management strategy starts with knowing your budget and how much money you can make realistically. With that understanding, you must identify the suitable games and stakes for those parameters.
Whatever you do, spending more than 5 – 10% of your bankroll at a time is not advisable.
Now, to more poker-specific tips.
You need to play the strongest hands to boost your winning chances.
Who wouldn’t if they had them all the time, right?
Everyone would. However, placing an extra emphasis on playing only the strongest hands is critical to more wins.
What if you don’t have one? Then, fold. This will reduce the total number of hands you play and, as a result, reduce your losses. Don’t worry. Even the best poker players try to play cards with a higher statistical chance of winning.
Sometimes, you bluff your opponent despite having a mediocre hand. However, bluffing isn’t advisable when you have nothing, as the losses can be devastating if your opponent calls your bluff.
Other times, it’s better to skip bluffing altogether and focus on the odds. Poker, though a gambling activity, is a game that can be won with pure skill. So, you need to look at the statistical likelihood of specific gaming outcomes —- the game is essentially a prediction game. And remember, reading bluffs online isn’t as easy since you can’t see your opponents’ faces.
Playing poker with crypto is still the same game at the end of the day. However, the means of depositing and withdrawing funds differ. While crypto poker allows players to deposit and withdraw winnings in their specified crypto coin, using fiat money means players can only deposit in supported currencies like the US dollar, the British pound, etc. However, aside from this significant distinction, these two poker games still express sharp contrasts in terms of the advantages they confer on both the players and the house:
Playing poker with crypto has the following benefits:
Despite the upward trend observed with playing poker with crypto coins, the traditional route of playing with fiat has the following pros:
Online casino businesses strive to create attractive promotions for customers, as they are always in competition with one another to make better profits. Nowadays, the loyalty programs and promotions provided by online casinos offer players different attractive incentives, which are highly appealing even for die-hard fans of land-based casinos. We’ll discover the best ones below.
Online casinos like the ones provided by Casino Rewards are appealing to players as they focus on minimum deposits, as low as $5 or even $1 deposits. These small deposits make their game selection very accessible, and these casinos also frequently offer free spins on various jackpot slots. The free rounds give players a chance to win big prizes without any risks. Thus, the combination of low deposits and free spin offers create a welcoming environment for new and loyal players.
A large wager isn’t always necessary to experience the excitement of the slot machine – a casino bonus might also improve the way you play games. The jackpot slots at many online operators often come with free spins.
Players have the potential to win substantial cash prizes during the bonus rounds at no cost to themselves. These exclusive bonuses give existing players the motivation to keep playing
Many casino players in 2023 get deposit bonuses as part of their welcome package when they make deposits. High rollers and casual gamers alike have a chance to win real money thanks to this perk and free spins on well-known slots.
However, before delving into any promotion or playing at any new casino, examining the wagering requirements and terms and conditions is crucial. Make sure you also know the different casino terms and their specific quirks, such as how a reload bonus and a deposit bonus are often used interchangeably.
Furthermore, while it’s uncommon, some venues will even tailor a promo exclusively for table games, providing poker players something extra for their wager, but the T&Cs are also different for table games than slot games.
The best loyalty programs often use a tier system, which can go up to hundreds of levels in total, enabling players to earn points each time they make a deposit or wager. In this sort of points system, players gain loyalty points as they wager and play casino games, starting with the welcome bonus.
Exclusive rewards are part of having VIP status, which is more than simply a title. Once players reach the top levels of the best online casino loyalty programs, they may be assigned a personal account manager who will tailor their gaming experience to their specific preferences. A VIP account manager is an individual who can determine if a player is eligible for a bespeak VIP bonus or real-money rewards.
Regarding loyalty bonuses, casinos know that cashback on losses is always welcomed, and that’s why it’s part of the regular collection of online casino loyalty bonuses. Most casinos will provide cashback bonuses or exclusive prize giveaways to ensure that returning players get the most out of their cash bets. On special events such as player birthdays, a casino’s account management team is known to personalise a few birthday bonuses for its players.
Suppose you’re one of the top players at an online establishment. In that case, the casino has the best interest in getting your hands on their cash prizes more quickly by allowing you to take advantage of the best loyalty rewards it offers, which may include invite-only poker rooms or larger withdrawal limits.
Loyal players and VIP players will always have access to the best online casino rewards. If you’re willing to stick it out with a fair establishment for the long run, you can generally expect that your bonuses are tailored. You’ll get special prizes more often than other players.
Reviews of online casino platforms are becoming a standard resource. The best casino offers, the casinos with the most generous loyalty rewards, and even information regarding invite-only VIP clubs may all be swiftly identified by reading casino reviews.
2023 is a great year for gambling establishments. There is something for everyone in the online casino world in 2023, with promotions varying from free spins to VIP opportunities. Whether you’re a high roller or simply an occasional player, it pays to keep an eye on the promos and your loyalty points.
If you’re looking for a perfectly secure South African online casino where you can play poker for real money and are 18 years old or above, you’re in luck.
Here is a closer look at the official 10bet website, which has a wide range of casino poker games from several multi-award-winning online casino software providers. Here are the top ten poker games we recommend checking out before trying others.
The official 10bet website is an iGaming site that’s licensed and regulated by the Mpumalanga Economic Regulator (MER) to legally offer real money gambling services to people living in South Africa.
It has several gambling products all under one roof, including a sports betting product, regular online casino games, and live dealer casino games. When you sign up to the official 10bet website, you will have access to all three of these products.
10bet is regarded by many as South Africa’s number-one iGaming site, which is why the Lamontville Golden Arrows and Bafana Bafana (the South African national football team) chose this brand as their official sponsor.
When you sign up here, for free, the personal details you provide during the registration process (e.g., your account details, like your name, address, telephone number, and email address) are protected by Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption.
This same ‘stuff’ also protects any transactions (deposits and withdrawals) you make in the 10bet banking/cashier section and keeps private any chats you have with the 10bet live chat support regarding your account or any other query/issue. In other words, it’s a perfectly safe and legitimate site that you can trust.
If you want to play online poker in South Africa, then yes, especially if you’re looking to play CASINO poker and NOT tournament poker. For example, dedicated poker sites run local and network-wide ‘Sit ‘n Go and Multi-Table Tournaments (MTTs), where you can often sit for hours playing poker against other players.
With land-based and online casino poker, it’s different. Instead of playing for hours and battling it out against tens or sometimes hundreds of players, the dealer is the only person you have to beat in casino poker.
The aim is to try to get the best possible winning hand based on the standard poker winning hands. The better your hand, the higher your payout. For example, Evolution Gaming’s popular Live Casino Hold’em game has the following payout structure:
All you have to do is select how much you wish to bet (the starting ante) before the countdown timer reaches zero, and then, based on what comes out next, will determine your next move. You can either call (add the same amount to the pot as your initial ante) or fold (end the current round).
The best poker games to play on the official 10bet website today can all be found in the live dealer casino section, which has games from Evolution Gaming and Ezugi.
They are playable in the real money mode only from as little as R10.00 up to R30,000 or more, depending on the game, and the top 10 poker games include the following hit titles:
These games only take a few seconds to launch in most web browsers, and they work well on any modern tablet, desktop computer, laptop, or smartphone.
Along with managing the Casino Gran Via poker room, David Camara Luzago also hosts a weekly Spanish poker radio show and is an avid player himself. In his second stint with the casino, and currently with the property since 2018, Luzago is deeply entrenched in the Spanish poker scene. He and his team have built Casino Gran Via’s poker room into the premier poker destination in Madrid and one of the most popular and successful rooms in Western Europe.
With the 2023 WPT Prime being the latest major poker festival at Casino Gran Via, Cardplayer Lifestyle received an exclusive interview with Luzago who told us about the extensive history of the casino and its poker room, the unique challenges and benefits of being centrally located in the heart of Madrid, and how one of America’s most polarizing figures in the casino industry inadvertently brought a new level of prosperity to Casino Gran Via while trying to expand his own empire.
One of five major casinos in the region, though the rest are further from Casino Gran Via’s incredible location in the heart of the city, Luzago immediately sang the praises of the historic building that his poker room is housed inside.
“This is an astonishing palace. It’s 100 years old. It has a lot of history in the middle of right now one of the safest, most modern capitals in Europe. This is where everybody wants to come. You see it in the streets, so full of tourism, and the best thing is it’s in the middle of the city, the absolute middle. We have so many nationalities here, and that makes it wonderful to be here and to play here because there are so many cultures from around the world.”
As Luzago mentioned, Casino Gran Via’s home inside one of the many historic buildings of Old Madrid will turn 100 years old in 2024. A walk through the Gran Via area shows incredible classic Spanish architecture everywhere you look, with centuries-old buildings home to modern restaurants and fashion franchises. Luzago said the casino, and his poker room, along with all these buildings in the area are restricted by some unique rules.
“The other casinos in Madrid, some of them are outside the city, so they’re more for locals, they’re not that well positioned, and of course, they don’t have the beauty of the architecture of this historic casino, which is protected by the cultural laws. You can not touch a thing because you have to ask for permission every single time you change something because it’s protected. It’s a huge advantage. It’s something different.”
“If it’s a minor change like we’re going to change the carpet, we do all the time, because it gets old. You can do that, you don’t have to ask for anything. But if you want to modify one door or try to throw away a little wall because you want to open space, or change a window somehow, it’s impossible. You can not modify the actual look of the building because this is part of Old Madrid, and the buildings have to look like they were looking 100 years ago.”
A casino’s ability to promote and market itself is a key element to success. Fortunately for Luzago and the casino, its location is its biggest selling point and it has to be because, outside of social media, Casino Gran Via and the poker room are limited in how they can promote themselves.
“With publicity, you can not have casino letters extremely huge because you will damage the image of the building. It has to be little; it has to be nice, and it has to be harmonic with the image of the casino. We can not advertise poker outside. We can do it on social media of course, but not in the casino itself. Outside we can not put big screens with World Poker Tour promotion. We are not allowed to show or advertise to people walking in the street, it’s not possible… because gaming is regulated in Spain and publicity is regulated.”
On the largest Spanish radio station @RadioMARCA with @DavidLuzago and translation by @PinkyMejias. @WPT @WPTPrime pic.twitter.com/VEMGg1ol3t
— Matt Savage (@SavagePoker) October 1, 2023
The Gran Via poker room has grown significantly over the years, and its existence in its current location wasn’t even possible until the early 2010s when something that could have potentially killed the existing local poker scene instead turned into a huge blessing, especially for Luzago’s room.
“There was a law that you needed to be at least 30 kilometers away from the center of the city because of gaming regulations… It was probably 2010 or 2011 around then when Sheldon Adelson… tried to build ‘EuroVegas’ here. He tried hard and he got an agreement with a state committee of Madrid about building many casinos, many hotels, many convention centers, golf courses, and stuff in a huge place in Madrid.”
With Adelson’s massive project looming, threatening their profitability and potentially even their existence, a pair of local casinos made their plea to expand into the center of the capital to ensure their survival.
“Everything changed because (two of the casinos) outside the city said ‘Well what about me? You’re going to build in Madrid a huge extension, you’re going to build like eight or ten casinos. What about us? We’re going to die because we are 30 kilometers away, so we need a solution.’ The state said don’t worry, you can build one, you can make one in the center of Madrid if you want… so you can open a secondary place, with limited tables (and) very strict publicity, but you can do it.”
READ MORE: Gran Via – A Prime Location for WPT Prime Madrid
But later on, Adelson eventually changed his mind and instead focused on expanding his corporate footprint in Macau and Asia. While Adelson and his Las Vegas Sands corporation claimed the project failed because of the Spanish government’s refusal to lower the tax rate on gambling, in actuality the government refused multiple Adelson demands for his project. Indeed, Adelson’s vision of a 750-hectare mega complex in the southwestern Madrid region of Alcorcon to be known as ‘EuroVegas’ failed because of the tycoon’s demands which included changes in legislation, privileges for promoters, exceeding the maximum legal height for the project’s promised skyscrapers, permission to smoke in closed public spaces, and more.
“The committee said we cannot accept this, it’s impossible. So, they broke their relationship and he didn’t build EuroVegas. But, by that point, the two casinos were already running inside Madrid, so we benefitted from Sheldon’s idea and we are now running this amazing casino in this amazing building because of him. That let us be inside of Madrid, otherwise, we’d have still been 30 km away.” Casino Gran Via was now firmly entrenched in the heart of Madrid, and Luzago and the property have expanded their poker footprint in the city center ever since.
“We are very proud of our poker room because we know where we come from. We started here with two cash tables in a small room years ago and now we have one big floor just for poker in this building that has only three gaming floors. We have one full floor just for poker in the middle of Madrid! This a dream we have achieved, and we are very proud of this.”
Luzago knows that despite his room’s success, there is always room for more, but he has the perfect situation and team to do it with.
“I think the best point is, we know our limitations, space limitations, and we know we have a long way to go. I would never say this is the best place in the world for playing poker; I know what we need and I know our limitations. However, here you are playing poker in the middle of a great city with a very high level of professionality. Our waiters, our dealers, our floors, they treat you very nice. We are very gentle, we are very dedicated; we are very close with the local player community, and this closeness is very Spanish also.”
“I think we make a good atmosphere for the players. I’m a poker player myself so I always try to listen to what players want. I prefer that the player is happy, more than even my company because I know if the player is happy, even if the company is not in that moment, they will be in the future, and that’s what happens. We are the only casino offering poker in Madrid. We’ve got the full market because we deserve it. We’ve worked so hard for that, and we offer what players want and we are very proud of that.”
For a first-hand understanding of what it’s like to play cash games and tournaments in Madrid’s Casino Gran Via poker room, check out “A Day of Play at WPT Prime Madrid: Driving Down the Opposite Side of the Road.”
*All images in the article are used courtesy of the World Poker Tour
The action heats up on PokerGO in October with the world’s biggest buy-in PLO tournament, a first-ever broadcast of the PokerGO Tour’s PLO Series, and the return of the ever popular High Stakes Poker and No Gamble, No Future ongoing series to our screens, which continue full steam ahead with new lineups for fans to enjoy.
The biggest buy-in Pot-Limit Omaha tournament in the world will take center stage at the PokerGO Studio from October 15-17, 2023, with the $100,000 buy-in Super High Roller Bowl: Pot-Limit Omaha.
Driven by the demand from PGT players, the first-ever Super High Roller Bowl: Pot-Limit Omaha will also feature a single reentry option on Day 1. The three-day event will also be captured on PokerGO.com from Day 2 onwards as some of the best Omaha players in the world are expected to partake in this inaugural event.
Watch Day 2 and Final Table action from October 16 – 17, at 4 p.m. ET.
The second installment of the PGT PLO Series returns to the PokerGO Studio from October 19-30, 2023, with a 10-event schedule many of which are set to be broadcast for the first time. The marquee event on the schedule is the $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship that was won by Lautaro Guerra in March. Guerra won three events in total and was crowned the PGT PLO Series Champion and was awarded the $25,000 championship bonus.
The stakes remain high for PGT PLO Series with the $25,000 championship bonus returning. The schedule however will feature a few new events including the $15,000 PLO Progressive Bounty and the $10,00 PLO Dealer’s Choice.
The PGT PLO Series will also see the debut of the PokerGO Studio Triangle Room. A single-table streaming room that will be used for PGT tournaments such as this so that the PokerGO Studio floor can be maximized with poker tables. For the PGT PLO Series, there will 15 poker tables in play along with the livestreamed final table.
Watch PGT PLO Series final tables from October 20-30, at 4 p.m. ET.
Following a short break due to Poker Masters and Super High Roller Bowl VIII, season 11 of High Stakes Poker picks back up in October with a new lineup of players. Jean-Robert Bellande, Rick Salomon, Jennifer Tilly, Rob Yong, and Andrew Robl return to the felt, and they are joined by Bob Bright, William Tjokro, and DoorDash co-founder Stanley Tang to play $200/$400 No-Limit Hold’em.
Following two episodes of this lineup, a new set of players will join Tilly, Tang, and Yong. They include Farah Galfond, Matt Berkey, Jason Koon, and Ferdinand Putra to play $200/$400 No-Limit Hold’em.
To close out the month, the penultimate lineup of the season will see Brandon Steven, Bobo Chann, and Justin Gavri join Salomon, Bellande, Tilly, and Yong to play $200/$400 No-Limit Hold’em.
Watch Season 11 episodes of High Stakes Poker every Monday at 8 p.m. ET.
The final episode of Cash of the Titans will kickoff the month with Andrew Robl looking to fend off a late surge from Patrik Antonius, Matthew Gonzales, Rob Yong, or Markus Gonsalves. Once the dust settles on the $600,000 side bet, a new wave of players will take center stage on the No Gamble, No Future set.
Phil Hellmuth headlines a $50/$100 No-Limit Hold’em game that also features Arden Cho, Lawford Edwards, Lynne Ji, Matt Steinberg, Shawn Madden, and Justin Young. The final lineup of the season will see a $100/$200 No-Limit Hold’em game featuring Eric Hicks, Kevin Martin, Matt Berkey, Matt Steinberg, Lynne Ji, Eli Elezra, Daniel Negreanu, and Hellmuth.
Watch Season 3 episodes of No Gamble, No Future every Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET.
The month of September would see tournament action return to PokerGO with the Poker Masters and Super High Roller Bowl VIII.
Winners throughout the Poker Masters included Vladas Tamasauskas, Darren Elias, Chino Rheem, Andrew Lichtenberger, Orpen Kisacikoglu, Nick Schulman, Stephen Chidwick, Justin Bonomo, and Jonathan Jaffe. Chidwick’s win, combined with three additional cashes, would se him awarded with the Poker Masters Purple Jacket and $50,000 championship bonus.
The 20-entrant Super High Roller Bowl VIII created a prize pool of $6,000,000 that paid the final four spots. Following the elimination of Chris Brewer on the money bubble, Jason Koon was eliminated in fourth-place, and Stephen Chidwick went home in third-place.
Previous champion Isaac Haxton was looking to join Justin Bonomo and Timothy Adams as multi-time winners of a Super High Roller Bowl as he faced off with Andrew Lichtenberger heads-up. Following a long and intense heads-up match, Haxton emerged victorious and took home the $2,760,000 first-place prize, and his second Super High Roller Bowl title.
Connect with PokerGO on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. Watch daily poker clips on the PokerGO YouTube channel. Join the conversation on the PokerGO Discord server.
It has been almost 10 years since I first wrote about taking a poker bad beat in Atlantic City. At the time, I bemoaned how a $500 high hand jackpot slipped away from my grasp, with my qualifying hand (four jacks) having been BARELY beaten (four jacks… with a higher kicker, ARGH!) with minutes to spare on the hourly giveaway clock.
Well, it seems that the time has come to tell of another poker bad beat I took, also in Atlantic City, courtesy of none other than Kobe Bryant. The impetus? Well, frankly, I want to try and win a €2,000 package to the next Unibet Open. So, the story below will constitute my official entry into contest that they announced recently on Twitter/X.
Your BAD BEAT could be worth €2000!
Write up or record a video telling us a bad beat story. The more creative, the better!
The one that moves us or makes us laugh the most will win a @unibetopen Bucharest package.
To enter, RT & reply to this post. pic.twitter.com/BpubLBOyup
— 🎙 The Chip Race 🎙Sponsored By Unibet Poker (@thechiprace) September 28, 2023
Back in the day, Caesars Entertainment owned four properties in Atlantic City, all of which had poker rooms: Caesars, Harrah’s, Bally’s and Showboat. Nowadays, by contrast, there are only three active poker rooms in the city, but I digress. Anyhow, they had a pretty fantastic promotion running, too, which attracted plenty of recreational players, like me: the Total Bad Beat Jackpot. All four rooms were linked, and any qualifying bad beat that occurred (aces full of kings being beaten) would trigger that jackpot, of which any player actively competing in any of the four rooms would be eligible to receive a share.
I had decided to fly over from Israel to see my brothers in NY/NJ, and managed to squeeze a two-night mini trip to Atlantic City into the itinerary. I enjoy a good gamble, but rather than patronize the best online slots or poker rooms, I prefer playing live poker, and that aforementioned six-figure jackpot was alluring and had me dreaming of poker riches. So, instead of visiting the legendary Taj Mahal or the Vegas-esque Borgata, I decided to take a seat at Harrah’s poker room, where I was staying.
One thing I’ve always missed since moving to Israel from Los Angeles back in 1998 has been the ability to watch and follow Laker basketball games more closely. The time difference just makes “proper fandom” impossible, and I’m usually stuck just reading game recaps and watching highlight clips.
It just so happens that on the first of those two nights I was in Atlantic City, my Lakers were playing. These were the Lakers that had just won an NBA championship. Kobe Bryant was in his prime. I couldn’t not tune in to watch him play!
Seeing that the game had just tipped off at 10:30pm, I quickly decided to cash out my chips and head over to one of the bars on property to fully enjoy the Lake Show.
I remember that it was a hard-fought contest, and I’m pretty certain it was against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Lamar Odom, Derek Fisher, and Pau Gasol played well, but Kobe was, per usual, the star of the show. He managed to guide the team to victory, as they won by a few points, pulling away in the fourth quarter. I even made $10 off the guy seated to my left, who was a fan of the other team and dared to bet against my Lakers.
Elated and having had a wonderful time, I headed up to my room a happy guy.
The next morning, at around 10:30am, I headed back down to the poker room only to find that it was completely empty. Not “there’s one table of $1/2 still running from last night” kind of empty. I mean COMPLETELY empty! The only two people there were the floorperson and one dealer. I asked “Where is everybody? What’s going on?” And they looked at me like I was from Mars:
Floor: “You didn’t hear?”
Me: “Hear what? What happened?”
Dealer: “The Total Bad Beat Jackpot hit last night.”
I could barely pick my jaw up off the floor. All I could manage to ask was:
Me: “What time?”
Dealer: “Around 11:30pm or so, I think.”
Floor: “Yeah, there were like 75 players of so across all four rooms; it hit at Caesars. Took us a couple hours to get everyone paid out.”
Completely crestfallen, I had just one more question:
Me: “What was the player share?”
Floor: “$1,149”
And that, my friends, is how Kobe Bryant gave me one of the worst poker bad beats I’ve ever taken.
May 14, 2023, was a sad day in the poker world, as we lost “our Godfather”, Doyle Brunson. A larger-than-life figure, Doyle’s enduring longevity in the game was second to none. A giant even among his fellow Poker Hall of Famers, Doyle’s successes in and contributions to the game will never be forgotten. His longtime agent and friend, Brian Balsbaugh, CEO of Poker Royalty, has made the commemoration of Doyle’s legacy a Tier 1-level project. To that end, the agency has had some irons in the works that will serve to honor Doyle’s memory while further enshrining his presence in the community’s collective consciousness.
The agency was responsible for putting together the beautiful celebration of Doyle’s life ceremony, which took place at the Horseshoe Las Vegas in early July during the World Series of Poker. Beyond that, they will be looking to inaugurate an annual Doyle Brunson Day. Set to be held on October 2, to reflect Texas Dolly’s famous “winning hand”, several creative ideas and events will mark the occasion.
We reached out to Poker Royalty’s new Project Manager Jesse Fullen to get a deeper understanding of the company’s motives behind the Doyle Brunson Day initiative.
The poker community’s reverence for Doyle Brunson is unquestioned. What is Poker Royalty hoping to achieve on October 2 by having that day officially recognized in Doyle’s name?
It’s one thing for poker lovers to all remember Doyle Brunson fondly and another to take one day each year to celebrate the man. The same way the WSOP and Main Event Final Table feel special as an annual tradition for poker lovers, we wish to create a holiday for poker players to come together and remember Doyle and spend time at a poker table. If you can get to a table and play, consider seeing a flop when you get 10/2 as your starting hand.
Have any members of Doyle’s family or close friends been involved in brainstorming the ideas you’ve come up with?
The origin of this idea came at the end of Doyle’s memorial service during the 2023 WSOP. People from all over the poker industry and members of Doyle’s family agreed there that we should make 10/2 be remembered as “Doyle Brunson Day.” We hope to build upon this first effort in years to come.
Can you tell us what specific Doyle Brunson Day events will be happening and where?
We’ve got a total of five poker rooms across the country that are joining us during this first year.
My personal hope from all of these events is that people will come together and share their favorite Doyle Brunson moments. Maybe it’s a moment from a High Stakes Poker episode or his last WSOP Final Table in 2017. Doyle Brunson is essential to poker and remembering him is so important.
Doyle Brunson Day is quickly approaching! If you are looking to celebrate the life of @TexDolly on October 2nd, consider one of these #DoyleBrunsonDay locations!@LivePokerRoom @LivePoker_PHL@LivePokerWML @LodgePokerClub@PeppermillPoker pic.twitter.com/S4de1AcNRb
— Doyle Brunson Day (@DoyleBrunsonDay) September 26, 2023
That’s a handful of great poker rooms around the country. How did you come to approach those rooms specifically?
Our main goal was to have a poker room on each coast and one in Texas to celebrate Doyle’s birthplace. From there we approached poker rooms we had a connection with, hoping those friendships would help us to get this going on somewhat short notice.
We are so grateful for those staff members who were willing to put the work in to build these plans and put aside previously planned and scheduled promotions and events.
The documentary about Doyle’s life, which Doyle himself contributed to in the form of narration and voiceover while he was still with us, is something eagerly anticipated in the poker community. Can you share any additional details about when its release can be expected?
Poker Royalty does not have an active role in that project, but we have friends who are working on it and we can’t wait for more details as well.
One project we did have the ability to work on however was Doyle recording the audiobook of his autobiography in the months before he passed away. We are thrilled to say that the audiobook is now available on Audible.
So about those Doyle Brunson card protectors you’ll be distributing… how will that work?
My plan is to visit several poker rooms around Las Vegas on October 2 and hand a few out at each location. I only have so many to give, so I won’t have but a few for each room.
My plan is to post what room I’m headed to and when I arrive on the @DoyleBrunsonDay Twitter/X account. If I catch someone win a hand with 10/2, I’ll make sure they get one. But besides that, first come first served at each poker room.
How about poker players who can’t make it to any of the listed poker rooms on October 2? Is there a way they can partake in honoring Doyle’s legacy?
If you can’t be in a poker room on October 2 or even attend a local home game, you can still celebrate Doyle at home by watching some of his highlights. Plus, we’ll also be releasing a special new line of Doyle T-Shirts with Contenders Clothing, which fans are welcome to order.
Lastly, no guarantees yet but we do hope to share a special video via the Doyle’s Day account on 10/2 as part of our celebration.
Ed. note: We originally published this article about 10 years ago. Since that time, much has changed in the word; the poker world specifically. So much excellent poker media content is being published, but far more of it online nowadays than in print. In fact, upon reviewing the list of magazines we picked for this article, we realized that some are no longer even in print! With that said, if you can get your hands on an old copy of some of these great poker magazines, the articles still make for a great read.
There are some great poker magazines that have been produced over the years and although many poker players will turn to the Internet to get their fix of poker news on the daily, it’s well worth thinking about subscribing to one or two of the very best magazines out there. “Why?” I hear you ask, “I can get all that I need online!” Maybe you can get all you need online, and perhaps you prefer visiting sites like https://www.casimoose.ca/ for your gambling fix, but poker magazines offer something a little different, and it’s not just the info between the covers.
We all know that there are many great sites that deliver poker news as it happens. A magazine, however, is tangible and collectible and as I am sure you all know, reading online is not the same as reading off it – we just don’t absorb information online in the same way. To cut to the chase, below we list five great poker magazines that all poker players should at least consider getting a hold of, even if it’s just on a trial run. In no particular order, they are:
Card Player (no relation to this poker blog) has been around longer than many poker players themselves and is arguably the most respected offline source of poker news, views and reviews. With regular columns by some of the most battle-hardened players in the game and with 26 issues per year running off the press at $39.95 in the US, $59.95 in Canada and $75.95 internationally it’s a steal. Card Player is perhaps not for the beginner and does tend to assume the reader is up on their own game, however with such great contributors, to dumb things down would be nothing short of a crime. It’s also given away for free in many US card rooms.
At $30 for 12 issues and with single copies available to order online at just $5 each, Ante Up is great value. Ante Up offers a very different focus, and one that is vital to the game of poker in that it really does dig a lot deeper than the big well-known events. It goes into the foxholes to provide news and information on players at a regional level in the US. There’s plenty of detailed info on regional tourneys with a state-by-state rendering of all the local going-on. It doesn’t get more grassroots than Ante Up. It’s different and it’s a great read.
The UK-based Poker Player magazine is a little lighter in content than the aforementioned publications. Although it does feature many great strategy articles and interviews with the big-name players, it tries not to take itself too seriously. In fact, I’d assess that it’s the perfect mix between a ‘lad’s mag’ and a poker magazine. While not necessarily for the poker purist, Poker Player offers a good read and the fact that it’s only £9.99 for 6 issues means it is well worth taking a look at.
WPT Poker is huge and covers just about everything there is to cover in poker. With content supplied by many fine poker writers and players, at $29.95 in Canada and £27.99 in the UK for a year’s subscription it’s got bargain written all over it. You’ll find many in-depth features as well as detailed strategy articles. In my opinion, the stand-out thing regarding WPT Poker is that players at every level of the game can get something out of it.
Bluff used to be found free in many US card rooms, or you can subscribe and get it delivered in the US for $24.99, Canada $34.99 and Internationally for $44.99. Lance Bradley was the main man over at Bluff and he has a wealth of poker media experience. Moreover, the fact that he was also an online poker room manager at Bodog for a few years gives him a little bit of an inside edge. You’ll find great articles and features in these pages, and along with their sister publication Bluff Europe they have many bases covered.
Not everything related to poker news, reviews, strategy and general poker nonsense is to be found online. In these five poker magazines, we’ve just listed a few of the best; there are even more great ones out there. The fact that multiple publications have such a sustained, wide audience says something about poker’s worldwide popularity.
If you’re debating about pulling the trigger to subscribe to any of these fine publications, just visit their websites for a taste of the the print versions have to offer.
Although magazines may rely on on the online side of poker to a certain extent, their existence is proof that there is life beyond the modem….and it doesn’t look good carrying a laptop to the bathroom.
The fall often offers poker players a brief reprieve. The craziness of the WSOP is behind us and while there are other tournament series across the United States, there is a bit of break before the hallmark year-end events in Las Vegas, Prague, and the Bahamas. This is the perfect time to ensure your 2022 taxes are complete and look ahead to begin your 2023 year-end poker tax planning.
Image credit: Casino.org
Personal Tax Return
If you extended your 2022 personal tax return, you must have it filed on or before October 16th to ensure timely filing. You do not want to miss the deadline. If you do, you will be subject to late penalties and interest retroactive to April 18th. As a reminder, the extension only applies to your tax return, not any tax owed. If you owe tax with your 2022 filing, you will be subject to penalties and interest on any amount paid after the April deadline.
FBARs
If you are required to file a report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR), you must also have it filed on or before October 16th. This form, filed with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), could be required if you have an interest in a foreign bank account. Unregulated gambling and poker sites are sometimes considered foreign bank accounts. It is important to consider filing an FBAR if you meet the requirements.
Retirement Contributions
If you are a professional poker player, you may still be eligible to contribute to your retirement account for 2022. Certain plans, such as a Self-Employed Pension (SEP) plans allow for contributions up to the taxpayer’s tax filing deadline, including extensions. If you are interested in making such a contribution, you will need to act quickly to determine your eligible contribution, or establish a SEP, before the deadline.
Disaster Areas
The IRS granted an automatic extension of time to file a tax return AND pay any tax owed to those in Alabama, California, or Georgia affected by a natural disaster (click here for the complete list of affected areas). This differs from a traditional extension, since taxpayers also have an additional six months to pay any tax owed without penalty. An extension of time was also granted for IRA and Health Savings Account contributions.
Other Considerations
If you didn’t file for an extension, but still haven’t filed your 2022 tax return, you should file a return as soon as possible. While you may already be subject to penalties and interest, the accrual of such fees can be mitigated by filing your return. Even if you are unable to pay the tax due, it is critical to file. The IRS provides multiple options for taxpayers to pay any tax owed, including installment agreements.
Do not forget about your state tax return! Depending on where you reside, or earned income, you may have a filing requirement in multiple states.
Whether you have filed your 2022 tax return, or not, you can still look to do a bit of planning before the end of the year.
Estimated Tax Payments
Now that the 3rd quarter is coming to a close, a majority of the year’s variance has played out (statistically speaking). While there is still one quarter to go, many poker players will have a better projection of their net income for the year. This figure can be used to determine year-to-date tax owed in order to make federal and state estimated payments (if you haven’t done so already). This will prevent penalties and interest from accruing for underpayment of tax.
There is a “sweet spot” to ensure you are not overpaying your estimates (and unnecessarily depleting your bankroll). It is important to do some due diligence before making these payments.
Recordkeeping
Keeping accurate records is essential as a professional poker player. If your recordkeeping hasn’t been great throughout the year, this is the time to improve your process. I would also recommend reviewing your previous sessions to ensure accuracy. Complete records can be easily relied upon for tax reporting purposes and give you an exact profit and loss figure at any point throughout the year. This will make the planning process easier and more beneficial.
Retirement Contributions
If you are a professional gambler, your poker earnings are eligible for retirement contributions. Now is the time to consider the benefits or drawbacks of these contributions to see if it helps to achieve your short and long-term goals. The two most popular options, Solo 401(k)s and SEP plans, can be opened with any brokerage. There are certain restrictions on the type and amount of contribution, but both are a great option to defer your tax liability.
Tax planning isn’t always fun, but when used correctly, it can greatly reduce your tax burden. Most advantageous tax strategies can only be utilized before year-end. That’s why it’s important to meet with your tax professional, or do some self-planning, while you have the time. The end of the year will be here before you know it and you may have missed some critical planning opportunities!
Poker is one of the first games that come to mind when thinking about card games, a fascinating and strategic game that has managed to captivate players worldwide for generations.
You can find several variants of this game in online poker rooms, each with its own rules and challenges. So, you’re a casual player looking for fun and excitement. In that case, it’s essential to understand the different options available and develop strategies that suit your style of play to make the most out of each game.
Texas Hold’em, Omaha and Seven Card Stud are the three most popular variants.
Texas Hold’em is a variant where players receive two private (a.k.a., hole) cards and have access to five community cards placed in the center of the table. The idea is to form the best hand by combining private cards with community ones.
Omaha has a slight difference; in this case, four private cards are dealt instead of two. However, you must use exactly two private cards and three community cards to form your hand. You’ll need some statistical calculations and a strategic approach to make informed decisions.
Seven Card Stud is a classic variant where players are dealt seven cards (two face-down, four face-up, then a final one face-down), of which five must be used to form the final hand. In this case, observation, the ability to smoothly and swiftly calculate poker statistics and the ability to read opponents are crucial since many cards are visible to everyone.
It’s essential to adapt your playing style to the variant you choose and, of course, to your experience. Additionally, understanding the rules and probabilities while constantly working on the ability to read opponents will maximize your chances of success.
Each poker variant offers a unique experience in terms of excitement and strategy. For example:
To fully enjoy poker, it’s recommended to try different variants and develop your skills and strategies to understand which one suits your preferences and playing style best.
Choosing a particular poker style for casual players mainly depends on your personal preferences and level of experience. For example, Texas Hold’em is an ideal variant for those who enjoy fast-paced action and making strategic decisions based on community cards and opponent’s bets.
In the case of Omaha, it’s a suitable style for players who prefer a deeper strategy and enjoy the complexity of selecting the right cards from the four private ones.
Seven Card Stud is recommended for players who prefer a more conservative approach complemented by the ability to read opponents.
So, the secret for a casual player is to experiment with different variants and discover the most exciting and comfortable for you. As you gain experience, you can develop specific strategies to maximize your chances of winning. There are plenty of other poker variants, too, and you can learn more about them in our mixed games poker guide.
In poker, strategy plays a crucial role in long-term success. Some general strategies that can help improve your chances of winning include:
Poker is a game that combines luck and skill. Luck can significantly impact the outcomes since the cards are regularly dealt with randomly. However, this can vary over time, so developing skills and strategic decision-making is important to achieve long-term success.