Robbie - Cardplayer Lifestyle

David Costabile‘s face is one familiar to fans of Billions, Breaking Bad, Suits, and numerous other Hollywood TV series and feature films. While he’s used to being on camera, he experienced a different kind of being under the TV lights during the 2023 PokerStars Players Championship (PSPC). Sitting at the featured table of the one-of-a-kind $25,000 buy-in event in the sun-drenched Bahamas, Costabile put forth a valiant effort before his run came to an end in the final level of Day 1.

On the bright side, that meant he had time to do some interviews, and Cardplayer Lifestyle was fortunate enough to have a few minutes of his time. Long a fan specifically of David’s work in Suits, it was a special thrill to get to sit with him and discuss “the poker side of his life”. Below is the transcript of the conversation we had, edited for brevity and clarity.

Robbie Strazynski – Cardplayer Lifestyle: David, you’re no stranger to poker; you’ve got some chops, which we’ll discuss a little later on in this interview. To start out, please share with our audience how and when you first learned to play the game, and what it was about poker that piqued your interest.

David Costabile: I first started playing with my family. My dad was a really good card player. So we all used to play cards together, and it was really fun. So [my dad] would tell stories about when he was in college — he won a lot of money playing cards and I think he’s sort of, somewhat psychic. So he really had an ability to play. He had never taught me how to play. He was like, “I’m not going to teach you how to play.” And I was like, “Why can’t you teach me how to play?” And he was like, “I’m not going to… no.”

He just refused to ever tell me his secrets or what to do, or how to do it. So I had to just kind of watch him and learn.

So at big holidays, like at Christmas and Thanksgiving, everybody would come around — and he came from a big family. So we were like, Italian Irish Catholics. He was the youngest of nine kids so there were always constantly people to play. It was also just about the camaraderie and the chatter. Growing up, the dinner table was “the place.” We would sit around at dinner at talk and talk and talk.

So that was really about; I wanted to be like the grown-ups. I wanted to be able to play like them and I love games. So it was a super-fun way to be both social and be with your family and also feel like you’re included and really doing something.

David: I do. I play in a weekly game. We do it on Zoom because we can’t all be together, but I did that sort of all the way through COVID. I know one or two of the guys in the game. So I met a whole new group of friends and it’s interesting to talk to them. It’s interesting to talk about cards. They’re all going to give me great or terrible reviews when I get back because then they all get to watch me on the stream.

It isn’t as if you could go and tell them about the “glory hands” and then the “sh–ty hands,” but then they get to see all the hands. And they’re just like, “no, no, wrong wrong… again wrong.” And you’re like, does everybody get to see your cards too? Every hand?”

Robbie: Exactly. It’s easy to just watch from the side and not under the lights.

David: Three and a half hours on TV! Look, I work on TV all the time. I shoot television all the time. I know what it’s like to be on camera, but you do it in little chunks. You do it for two minutes, or a minute, and they say, “cut.” And then you go, “I’m not on camera.”

And then they say, “we’re rolling — action!” You do it for two minutes again. But here, it’s just a rolling three hours.

Robbie: But there is obviously a difference as a paid professional actor playing a role as opposed to sitting and playing in a poker tournament. Do you feel, when you’re under the lights, the pressure to be Hollywood actor David Costabile?

David: Yeah, sure. You also want — I mean, I know what those guys in the booth are looking for. I’ve watched their live stream. I spent the whole last week watching the live stream which those guys are killing themselves to do, and I think it’s incredible what they’re doing. It’s hard work. It’s mostly people who are being silent [at the featured table].

That’s a very difficult thing. To make jokes; to make it interesting. Something is happening. There are cards. You can talk about the cards, but for so much of poker, it’s ordinary. Right? It just goes, “raise-call-check-fold.” Once you get into this thing, it was very interesting for me to watch the pros, and to try to glean their strategy and what they were doing.

I’m obviously not going to learn fast enough as I am going down that road. But it was totally fascinating, and also — because you’re “the mark” — so you have to figure out what part of the mark you’re going to play. Are you doing to play-up the mark or play-down the mark? Are you going to pretend that the mark is the mark? Which part of the mark is it? Are you going to reveal the mark or not reveal the mark? So, there were many pieces at stake all at once.

Robbie: You’re of course not the only Hollywood celeb who enjoys some poker. Back in the old days it was folks like Johnny Carson, Frank Sinatra, Telly Savalas, and others of that generation gathering around a table. These days, the Hollywood home games can boast more actors than even Phil Hellmuth could name-drop. Who are some famous film and TV stars who you’ve competed against at the felt over the years, and which have been your favorite to face?

David: I work for Brian Koppelman. We play cards together on occasion, but he’s a high-flier. So I can’t fly as high as he does. Which is good. I don’t go near [those stakes].

Hank Azaria has a game in New York, and this is a dangerous game for anyone who is not at that particular [stake] level. So I can steer clear of that some days. I play in a game with Billy Crudup and Eric Bedoucha now. A bunch of New York actors, which is very fun.

You’re able to talk about work, and you’re able to talk about it in a way that is easy. We can talk about it openly and easily.

Robbie: Is Texas Hold’em the only poker you play, or do you by any chance also enjoy some other poker variants like stud and Omaha… or even perhaps home game favorites like deuces wild, follow the queen, pass the trash and that sort of stuff?

Robbie: Generally speaking, a big force bringing poker players to the table, both recreational and professional, is the desire to make money. Typically, Hollywood actors tend to do alright for themselves to the point that I imagine money isn’t the main carrot that brings you to the felt. What do you enjoy the most about competing in a cash game or poker tournament, and what sort of feeling/emotion are you chasing?

David: I like action for sure. You like to feel like you’re in the action. I’ve spent my life thinking about human behavior, psychology, and how one acts under duress. Or any number of aspects of the human spirit. So you’re putting the human experience under pressure which then is going to make it alter. Which is interesting to watch, and then for yourself, too. You’ll see like, “Oh, look how you’re shifting and moving” So I think that aspect is always interesting.

And then it’s sort of like “playing.” My job is to “play.” That’s what I do all day and what I think about all day. And to sort of enliven your spirit; to try to strengthen the spirit of your play inside of your being is essential for me. I want to “play” all the time. When I’m not playing, I feel like you’re missing the boat. You’ve missed it.

Robbie: So win or lose, you come away with a good feeling after a poker session?

David: [audibly screeches] If I had walked away from this and you’re like, “Dude, you got a terrible beat. You got it in great and got a terrible beat. I would be like, “That’s great. That’s as much as I could hope for.” And it seems like I held enough for the first two hours and felt, “Okay, you did it!” You got through the two hours and after the break they’re like, “You’re going to come back and do two more hours.” I’m just like, “Can’t I go to the other dark part where I can just shut my mouth?”

Because there’s no way to guard against it. There’s too many; it’s too much. I mostly wanted to get to the second day, but I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t find the bag.

Robbie: Our crack research team – of me – unearthed a nice little nugget… one of the films you starred in back in 2013 was one with some (online) poker in it, called Runner Runner, where you played Professor Hornstein. What do you remember about that particular role and what did you enjoy the most about that gig?

David Costabile: [Professor Hornstein] was a degenerate gambler and Brian [Koppelman] and David [Levien] were working on it. And Justin Timberlake. We were in Puerto Rico; we shot in Puerto Rico. It was fun. I got to work with JT. I mean, that was fantastic! Who wouldn’t want to do that?

Robbie: You’ve mentioned Brian Koppelman a couple of times. Would you want to play a role in a sequel to Rounders if such a movie were ever to be made; and if so, what kind of role?

David: Yes! Yes, of course! — The guy who wins the poker tournament [laughs]! Whatever they put me in, I’d do. They say, “Jump,” and I say, “How high?”

Robbie: Well, you’re here now at the PSPC, but it’s not your first collaboration with PokerStars. Back in mid-2020 you not only participated in the Stars Call for Action online celebrity tournament; you actually won it! Refresh our memories – what was that tournament about and why was it important to you to participate in it?

David: That’s true! You did the research. Did you do some of the research on the hand history? Did you look up who I beat?

Robbie: Yes, I did. We’ll get there, but first, what was it about that tournament that was important to you to participate in?

David: There were a couple of things. One was, we were all in lockdown and everybody in the world felt like, “We’re living in a hard time and we want to help people as much as we can. And the opportunity to… I knew I could do it. Just like coming here. I knew I was off work from shooting and I could come here which was great.

In that situation, we were home with our kids and my wife was like, “Okay, you should do that for sure.” It was a great opportunity, and I won. I got $100,000 for World Central Kitchen. I’m really proud of that. I believe so deeply in the work that they do around the world and we’re so happy to support them. I really felt like I did make a contribution, which was super-cool.

So to that end, when you ask, “Why do you do it? — You weren’t in it for the money.” It was better than if I had won $100,000 you’d be like, “Really [bored face]? That’s what you did? You spent a Saturday trying to win $100,000?” But if you won $100,000 that you were going to give to something that you deeply believed in, you’re like, “What a great gift! What a gift to me; that I got!” So, I really felt that way afterwards.

One of the things about it is that nobody knew who I was, because they tried to Zoom it and it was post-edited. They couldn’t figure out how to make all of it sort of coalesce, but it was great. It was a great feeling.

Robbie: Ahead of playing in the Stars Call to Action tournament, you posted on Instagram that you were “taking direct aim at fellow players Aaron Paul, Gabriel Macht, and Bryan Cranston.” Of course, you were their co-star in Breaking Bad and Suits, respectively. Among the characters they played in those TV series, namely Jesse Pinkman, Walter White, and Harvey Spector, which of those would be the best poker player and why?

David: Yeah, f— those guys [jokingly]. Walter White would be the best poker player.

Robbie: You’re here now at the 2023 Poker Players Championship but unfortunately you’re no longer playing in the event. You did last until the final level of play yesterday, Day 1, and you had been at the featured table on center stage for a good portion of the day. What were some of the highlights of your experience?

David: I got to meet a bunch of poker players. Dan Shak gave me absolution after I had f—ed up a hand. I asked him if I played it right and he was like, “That’s exactly how I would’ve played it.” And I felt so much f—ing better. It felt great to get that affirmation because it was right after the hand — and he was like, “Can I have a picture?” And I was like, “Yes! I love watching you play poker. You’re such a good poker player.”

And I was like, “Could you just tell me if I did this wrong or right?” Because even if he had said, “You f—ed it up.” I would’ve been like, “Alright. I did. Big deal.” But he was like, “That’s exactly how I would’ve played.” So it was great to have one of the ‘high priests’ be like, “You’re okay.” And it actually did sort of calm me down, which was nice.

Because it can go so fast, and for me it really wasn’t about the win, but I just wanted to keep playing. I wanted to go to somebody and ask, “Can I have more chips? — I need more chips. I don’t need lots more, but just enough to keep doing it.

Robbie: Well, unfortunately you won’t be making a deep PSPC run, BUT on the flip side, that means you’ve got a good bit of extra time on your hands. What activities are you hoping to enjoy during the rest of your stay here at Baha Mar in the Bahamas?

David: Flamingo Yoga maybe? There might be some Lazy River in my future. I saw the flamingos this morning. They’re very cute.

Robbie: The Lazy River; I would say, “Don’t go just once. Go again and again.” It’s very fun. David, thank you very much.

Gambling has been popular for centuries and remains so today. People like to gamble for many reasons, from the opportunity to win big prizes to the thrill of taking a chance.

For many people, casino gambling is an escape from everyday life and a form of relaxation and fun with friends. Whether it’s playing hot casino games or placing bets on sporting events, there are many ways to gamble and thousands of reasons why people really enjoy it.

But what about online gambling? Many online casino games are similar to the ones you can find at your local casino. Some are just as good or better. In this article, we’ll take a quick look at which online casino games are the most entertaining.

Roulette

This is one of the most famous and popular casino games, and it’s no wonder people love to play it online. One of the main reasons people like playing online roulette is because there’s a “play money” version of the game that offers a great way to practice and get used to making all types of bets without actually betting real money.

Online casinos offer free versions of roulette, allowing players to familiarize themselves with the rules, payouts, and ebbs and flows of the game before they start wagering any real money. This makes it easier for players to get used to how the game works and understand everything necessary before taking any risks with their gambling bankroll.

If you feel like playing roulette, it’s important to know that you can play two different versions of roulette: French roulette and American roulette. The differences between the two are relatively minor, but it’s important you’re aware of what they are. Either way, it’s a game you’ll be sure to enjoy when playing it online.

American Blackjack

Common in North America, this version of the game has two cards dealt by the dealer at the beginning of each game, the first one uncovered and the second one covered. This means that players will know if the dealer gets blackjack or not right at the beginning of the game. If the dealer sports an ace or a 10 as their face-up card, this means it’s possible they have a total of 21. Should that be the case, the dealer wins and collects the losing bets. This will end the hand without giving the players the option of playing their hands, and thus speeds up the game, for the next hand to be dealt right away. Barring that unfortunate circumstance, players can strategize as to how to have their cards best beat the dealer’s cards.

Poker

Online poker has become exceedingly popular. The classic casino game is one of the most sought after by online gamblers today. It doesn’t matter where users look for them. Arabian gaming sites, such as online casinos in Bahrain, offer online poker games in addition to the games mentioned above. Moreover, this strategic game is attracting more and more professional and recreational players. To get money on and off online poker and casino sites, a number of payment methods are available, with many outlets accepting cryptocurrencies. For online poker play and money transfers, players often use VPNs in order to keep their identity secure. The same happens in casinos in African countries or other places where the casino sector has not been so strong. It’s all about proper game security.

Moreover, playing poker online is a great way to practice your skills without leaving home. You can play against other players worldwide, so you will always find someone at your level. In addition, online poker sites often offer bonuses and promotions that make playing even more fun and rewarding.

It should be noted that online poker games are usually faster paced than live poker games (in person). Dealers don’t make mistakes online and since it’s just a matter of clicking buttons instead of physical actions of betting, shuffling, etc, you can usually get in multiple times as many hands per hour. If you’re skilled and fortunate, this makes it easier to accumulate bankrolls quickly.

Online poker rooms usually have lower stakes than casinos or live rooms, making it easier for beginners to get started without risking too much money, sometimes as low as 1 cent/2 cent, whereas in live poker rooms the lowest stakes you’ll usually find are $1//$2. These factors make online poker an attractive option for experienced players and newcomers.

Slots

Online slots are very popular among gamblers for several reasons. For example, they are easy to play and do not require any prior knowledge or skills.

In addition, online slots offer a wide range of themes and features that can make them even more exciting. From the classic fruit machines to video slots with bonus rounds, there is something for everyone.

There are also many slots with wonderful stories and beautiful artistic concepts. It is safe to say that online slots often come with generous jackpots.

This makes them very attractive to players looking for big wins without investing too much time or money in the game. Online slots can be played on any device with an internet connection whenever you want, making them very popular.

Most online casinos have generous welcome offers that will give you free bet credit or slot machine spins when you sign up, but how do you use them? Here is a quick guide to some basic betting strategies that will help you turn the free bets into real money.

Finding the Best Deal

If you want to make the most of an introductory offer at a casino, you need to look around to find the best one. Start off on the right foot at a new online casino with a generous offer that builds your bankroll for you. These new casino sites 2023 have some great deals for you to take advantage of. Make your plays on one of these sites, and whether you are playing Texas hold ‘em, slot machines, or live blackjack, you can begin with a great deal on free credit.

Spins for Wins

Slot machines are a great way to turn bonus credit and free spins into real money. They have a good payout percentage and are a lot of fun to play. There are lots of different themes and styles to choose from and most online slots let you vary your stake. Play with the minimum amount per spin at first to get as much as you can from free credit and spins. Make sure you take a look at all the information available on a game before you play so you know how to win and play any special features.

Betting with Free Credit

Playing traditional casino games like poker, blackjack, or roulette with free betting credits is the perfect way to get to know a casino and start building your bankroll there. Most free bet deals allow you to bet with the free credit, but when you win, the free stake is not returned to you. You should bear this in mind when you play. Roulette is a good choice for free betting, as the odds are a little higher so you will get a better return. Before you place any bets, you should read the terms of the free bet credit deal so you know how and when you can use it at the online casino.

Even Stevens

For a simple and low-risk strategy to turn free credits into real money, look for even odds or double money bets. Roulette gives you a simple-to-play route to these types of bets. By betting on red or black you have a nearly 50/50 chance of winning. Placing free bet credit on these bets means that if you win, you will receive real money that matches your free bet amount. This can be a quick way to turn free bets into money in your bankroll that you can use across all the games at the online casino.

Playing with free credits is a great way to get to know a casino and experience its games without risking your own money. It can also be a great way to build your bankroll if you follow one of these simple strategies for playing with free spins and bet bonuses.

Tradition dictates that prior to a major poker event where I’ll be in attendance to provide in-person coverage, that I pen and publish my “5 things” article. The 2023 PokerStars Players Championship (PSPC) is no different, and the first huge event of the year will be one for the ages. With 400+ Platinum Pass winners set to add over $10 million to the prize pool before the tournament clock even starts, a massive turnout is guaranteed, and I’ll have a front row seat to all the action at the felt.

Aside from witnessing the whittling down of the tournament to an eventual winner, however, there are a handful of specific things that I’m looking forward to — and no, there’s no overlap whatsoever from the 5 things I was looking forward to at the first PSPC back in 2019.

1. My First PokerStars Live Event in Almost Four Years

I’ve been fortunate to have been present at a number of PokerStars live events. In fact, the first live poker event I ever attended was the 2016 PCA (what a way to start!). Since then, I’ve had the privilege of covering PokerStars live events in Barcelona and Sochi, as well as the aforementioned 2019 PSPC. They’re always fantastic affairs, giving me memories that last a lifetime, and providing special opportunities to cover poker festivals for the Cardplayer Lifestyle audience that would otherwise, plainly speaking, be out of reach.

With that said, because of various scheduling conflicts and a global pandemic, it’s been quite a long time since I’ve been able to attend a PokerStars live event and I’m thrilled to “finally be back,” as this event in particular is set to be spectacular.

2. New Venue — The Fabulous Baha Mar Resort

Poker players have been flocking to the Bahamas every January since the mid-2000s, when the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) first debuted, and then subsequently became a staple of the yearly calendar. After 16 iterations from 2004-2019, the PCA — and now PSPC — has a new home, namely the Baha Mar Resort.

Just as it’s important to shake things up at the felt, it’s good for a marquee poker event to tweak things once in a while and PokerStars has clearly upgraded their longtime flagship with the move to the new location.

I’ve always maintained that it’s important for players to carve out some time for themselves away from the felt during a poker festival, and it would seem that with the menu of attractions and activities available at Baha Mar, it would be a genuine shame to be anchored exclusively in the tournament ballroom.

Over the last week, my social media streams have been packed with pictures from Baha Mar taken by poker players, and the venue looks absolutely incredible. I can’t wait to set foot on the property!

3. Rooting on MY Platinum Pass Winner, Greg Raymer

Organizers are hoping that the 2023 PokerStars Players Championship will eclipse 2019’s PSPC total field of 1,039 runners, and over 400 Platinum Pass winners will surely comprise a sizeable portion of the player pool.

Of those players, there’s one in particular who I’ll be rooting for, and that’s Greg Raymer.

Because he’s the 2004 WSOP Main Event Champion and it would be super cool to see him win this event, too? Because he’s an all-around nice guy, and it’s always great to see nice guys win?

Well, yes and yes, but that’s not the primary reason I’ll be rooting for Greg. See, he won his Platinum Pass at the first live poker event I ever hosted, our inaugural Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival, back in October 2021.

It would be absolutely surreal for Greg to have a deep run knowing that we “helped play a role” in the fact that he’s even competing in the 2023 PSPC to begin with. Good luck, Greg!

Also, just giving a special shout out to Cardplayer Lifestyle’s Social Media Director, Chad McVean, who’s another Platinum Pass holder with a chance to win life-changing money. You’ve trained really hard and we’ll be rooting for you, too, buddy!

4. Having My Wife, Miriam, with Me

As mentioned, I’ve had the good fortune to have visited the Bahamas twice in the past, in 2016 and 2019. While I enjoyed every moment of both trips — work hard, play hard! — I couldn’t help but simultaneously wish that my wife, Miriam, was there with me. Perhaps if we lived closer or had no dependents, we’d have been able to make arrangements for that at the time. But we live in Israel and we have three kids.

Well, those kids are a lot older and more independent now (ages 15, 13, and 10), and I just-so-happen to have accrued a lot of airline mileage over the last couple years. I’m supremely grateful to be putting them to good use, and that Miriam is joining me for what will surely be the work-ation of a lifetime!

5. Playing in My First PokerStars Live Tournament

This will be the first time that I’ve been in the Bahamas that media members will be allowed to actually play in the PokerStars live tournaments. After looking at the schedule of events, there’s just one that stood out, and the timing couldn’t possibly be more perfect.

In my first newsletter of the year, I made it clear that 2023 HAS to be the year in which I somehow finally find the time to play in more live poker tournaments (I’m 41 years old and have played in 0-2 per year at most, for a total of about a dozen since turning 21).

The (Poker)Stars have aligned perfectly, and I simply cannot wait to play in the $550 H.O.R.S.E. event. To me, just getting the chance to play quite genuinely gives me just as much joy as having a Platinum Pass of my own, and I promise you that’s no exaggeration. However I end up faring, I’m grateful to have the chance to sit at the felt, and for whatever stories I’ll get the chance to tell.

I have been playing online poker on the GGNetwork platform via the 7XL skin site for over two years now. I think it is a very exciting platform to play on and there’s always tons of action on the site. Those of you who have read my previous Cardplayer Lifestyle articles over the years may know that I have very strong opinions on cyber security in general and gaming security in particular. This article is a result of a thorough technical investigation I have conducted over approximately 30 hours (net) into the GGNetwork game protocol. My findings have since been corroborated by my fellow cyber security expert Hank Nussbacher, as seen at the conclusion of this article.

The question that popped into my mind prior to starting this investigation was mainly a “WHAT IF?”. I had completely trusted the GGNetwork to be secure by all standards, but I had reasons to suspect something was flawed in their security approach. Before I continue to describe the nature of my investigation, and my findings, I want to make something exceptionally clear:

I do not think I was cheated in a game or a tournament on the GGNetwork. This article is not meant to be a rant about online poker, but rather to demonstrate some security and privacy aspects that operators may not have thought about when designing their platforms. The main purpose of this article is to demonstrate what online gaming security should look like and why.

Network setup

Let’s begin with the network setup and some points about how online poker operators are most likely to construct their operation:

Server side – The server side is the side of the software that is in charge of the “Back Office” operation as well as the actual online poker game. The server side has to identify the players when they log in, allow them to pick up a table, sit in a tournament, deal them the cards and manage the game flow. It is most likely that an operator will split all the server-side tasks to several servers. For example: the lobby operations as well as login will be handled by one server, the money transactions by another server and the game operations by several other servers that will share the load of the games among them.

Client – The client side is the actual software we all run on our PC / Mac / mobile devices. This refers to the GGNetwork software or one of its skin sites (like 7XL).

Protocol – Any client server model has a protocol, which is a set of rules and messages (format) that the client and server must obey in order to “talk to and understand each other.” The protocol is set by the software designers/programmers. Thus, for example, if the server deals two cards to the player, it would send a message over the network that will tell the client that these are the cards the player is being dealt for that particular hand. Since the internet is a mash of many sub-networks and many other servers that communicate with each other at any given time, protocols are there to establish order in the communication chaos.

Tapping the Tables

The very first thing I discovered in my investigation was the names of the servers that the client is trying to talk to. On the internet each server has an “IP address”, but most people do not remember IP addresses so we give the servers names. Those names are called domain names (e.g., CNN.com), and the very first thing I did was map the domain names that the client is trying to find in order to talk to the servers.

To accomplish that I simply tapped the client communications. Once my tap started, I found several servers that the client is talking to and thus several domain names and their IP addresses. I will not specify all the names I discovered, but the specific server name I decided to investigate was: tables-ggn.live and for me it resolved to the following IP address: 172.65.231.214

After beginning to tap communication between my client and the server, I filtered the tap data to show me only communication coming from this address to my client and going from my client to this address.

I found that the client starts talking to this server when I click to open a game table and I immediately noticed that the communications between the client and the server is not fully encrypted, meaning I could read clear text messages containing my online poker screenname (“The Hacker”) as well as my real name (Ezra Eddie Harari) as registered on the 7XL platform.

I did not understand why my real name appeared there but the first problematic issue I discovered was that the server sends my client the registered screen name and real name of any player who utilizes the chat function on the table:

Image I: Screenshot from my Sniffer machine illustrating the information packet to the chat, where the message is “Hello World” and the message contains my screenname and real name.

This kind of message is sent to every player at the table or even observing the table once one of the players or observers is chatting.

I was quite surprised that the messages between the client and the table server were not encrypted and even more surprised to see my real name alongside my screen name inside the packet, as the client never shows the real name of the players who chat.

This initial discovery I made immediately raised multiple questions in my mind regarding the network’s game security. Specifically, the fact that the chat communications are not encrypted and that the “extra data” of my real name is sent to all the players and observers at the table suggested to me that there would be other unusual findings in my investigation.

Bear in mind that each packet sent or received by my client travels a long route through the internet and that any middleman anywhere in the world (e.g., internet service provider [ISP] or telephone company) that participates in routing the communications between my client and the table server is able to see this message. I thus decided to take the protocol and attempt to learn more about what is going on throughout the game; i.e., deeply examine the conversation between the server and the client.

Action is on you

Looking at the packets sent, I noticed a similarity of patterns within the packet, specifically:

From my previous experience in the cyber security field, I concluded that this was a “Message type:” code, which tells the client what kind of data is inside this packet. There was also another 4 bytes that kept increasing with each packet, and I thought it may be a message ID or some kind of a timestamp.

I took every type of message that I found and tried to decode the data inside of it. I found out that since the communications were not encrypted and there is no “trust” relationship between my client and the table game server, I could perform MiTM (Man in The Middle) attacks against the client that would allow me to see and change the communications between the server and the client without the client knowing that someone had been tampered with the information.

For example, I discovered that the following message type: 0XAF0F0000 (Hexadecimal value) means: player action and that the server uses this message to tell the client which player acted and what the action was. This would prompt the client to update the user interface, letting the players know which player acted and what action was taken.

Image 2: An example of an “action packet.” The action code is at offset 0x47 (marked in green).

Here’s a quick key to understanding the code: 0x1 = check, 0x2=call, 0x3=bet (first in), 0x4=raise, 0x5 = fold.

When the action contains data, additional data will be contained within the packet. For example, if the value is 0x3 (“bet”) then the amount of the bet will show a few bytes after the action code.

A Simple Exploitative Play

At this point I understood that not only was the chat not encrypted, but also the actions of the player were not encrypted – and thus theoretically open to manipulation. I asked myself “What if I would be a man in the middle and change the packet received from the server before it reaches my client? Would the client show the real action? Would it know the packet was tampered with? Or would it show the action I have maliciously decided to feed it with?

Since this is not a fully technical article and its goal is to share my experiments and thereby try to improve the security of the GGNetwork, I will jump to the conclusion without specifying how I carried out my MiTM attack: I was able to change the packet and (falsely) tell the client that a player had folded his hand when, in fact, his actual action was betting.

Bear in mind, I am not claiming that this can affect the outcome of the hand, as the server “knows” the real action and the server decides who the winner is. But I could theoretically manipulate a player to believe that the action on the table went differently than it actually went. Moreover, any attacker who has access to the client network (which is difficult, but imagine a dorm of college students all playing on GG via the common Wifi network) could accomplish this with near zero effort.

This indicated to me that not only is the game played on a non-encrypted (clear text) channel of communications, but that there is no validation done by the client to ensure that data received from the server is actually from the server and has not been tampered with. An attacker who targets a certain player could achieve MITM capabilities remotely as well. There are several types of attacks that can take place where an attacker gains this capability even if he is not on the same network as the client.

You can only play the cards you’re dealt

Playing games with the client visibility was fun, but not yet profitable. It would be stupid to change game flow, as after a few hands players would probably notice that there are several differences between what was going on in the hand and the outcome of the hand. For example, when I “forced” a player to fold in my test setup, and he would still win the pot, I would guess this would have raised some suspicious flags.

So the knowledge that the actions are not encrypted is eye-opening (mostly for building accurate poker bots without the need to do heavy image processing).

I wanted to see if I could look at the client-server communications and find out what cards are being dealt.

I found out that message type 0x45110000 is actually delivering the cards at the beginning of the hand to the player. It delivers only the cards of the particular player to the client (not all player cards); however, it delivers them in plain sight (clear text) where anyone on the local network can understand what they are and actually “SEE” the other players’ hole cards.

In other words, again, the ISP and any other service provider that processes the packets on their way to the final destination could easily filter those packets, see the players’ names and their cards in real time. Someone on the same network of the player could thus easily tap his cards with a simple MiTM technique and hackers could gain such capability remotely if they are targeting a specific player.

The cards are represented by a number between 0 – 51 (0x0 – 0x33 in hex) where the 0x0 = deuce of clubs, 0x1 – deuce of diamonds, etc.

Here are two screenshots of the hand along with the packet that delivered the data:

Image 3: Marked in purple: 0x45110000 (message type) and at the bottom in green 02=number of cards dealt 0x2b = Queen of spades and 0x21= Ten of diamonds

Image 4: Taken at an Omaha table. Again, in purple, the message code 0x4511000. The 0x04 (in green) is the number of cards dealt to the player, 0x0C is the 6 of spades 0x16 is the7 of hearts 0x05 is the 3 of diamonds and 0x13 is the 5 of clubs.

Conclusions

In this article I have demonstrated the fact that there are severe flaws in the game security within the GG Network infrastructure.

The fact that there is no encryption on the game channel allows anyone on a player’s network (Wifi / Wired) and any uplink provider to have the capability of viewing the player cards in real time or to manipulate the game flow for a specific player he is able to monitor.

By not encrypting the communications between the client and the game server, there are several different scenarios where the online poker game could be manipulated remotely.

Many different companies and personnel participate in the task of getting a data packet from point A to point B on the internet. Any of these companies is able to know which player is playing in real time and what the player’s cards are at any given time.

Finally, professional hackers who target a player can achieve this capability remotely in many different ways.

Corroboration from fellow cyber security expert Hank Nussbacher

Even though Eddie raises serious security issues with the GGNetwork, I will continue to play on the site since my fear is not via an ISP but rather someone on my Wifi network. Also, I only play for micro stakes.

My home network is closed and wired and my wife’s Wifi network is protected, yet I would not want to play via the GGNetwork platform when at a hotel or attending a university campus.

Implementing encryption end to end would be the best and cleanest solution to quickly put an end to this type of security flaw.

Hank Nussbacher has over 30 years of cyber security experience and is hard pressed to decide which he likes more – tournament poker or cyber hacking.

GGNetwork Cyber Security Team Responds

Editor’s Note: This article has been in the works for a number of weeks, and I’ve had multiple conversations with Eddie and Hank leading up to its publication, to ensure its accuracy. Eddie has demonstrated to me in person the specific flaws indicated in this article, and I have witnessed his ability to correctly identify the hole cards of other players when monitoring GGNetwork traffic.

Prior to this article’s publication, we approached representatives of the GGNetwork with our responsible disclosure, hoping to assist them in identifying and patching the flaw, in order to further secure their network and protect players. Eddie, Hank, and I were delighted that they fixed the issues within two weeks of our approaching them, and we would like to commend them — specifically their cyber security team — on a job well done.

Due to the global nature and reach of our service, we prioritized connectivity and speed above all. In order to achieve this goal, we have utilized various 3rd party services such as CloudFlare’s ARGO tunneling to find the best path from all endpoints and accelerate delivery of our packets.

While ARGO supports SSL, we have made a decision to not apply this to our protocols since it will require another handshake before the connection is established. This additional handshake would especially affect players with poor network connectivity. We also did not encrypt our packets since an end-to-end encryption would require the same kind of overhead that an SSL protocol would introduce. While this can cause potential issues like the one kindly pointed out in the article, we decided that this issue is of low priority because of the following reasons:

We have not detected such tampering until this point, but have issued a fix to apply SSL to all our communication protocols to ensure further security. We have also collaborated with CloudFlare to optimize this process in order to minimize the impact of the fix.

Further, we perform periodic checks with authorized and reputable 3rd party security companies such as Everspin.global or DQS to detect and fix potentially problematic security issues. The last of such checks were carried out 3 months ago, and have not found any server-side vulnerabilities.

Our security efforts were focused on avoiding service downtime. We have spent considerable development resources and funds to avoid service disruptions from DDoS attacks (which unfortunately brought down our competitor’s services multiple times last year) and brute force login/signup attacks. Moving forward, we will put further efforts to ensure all aspects of our services are secure so that our players can play with a peace of mind.

Important Final Note: Please also read this op-ed, which explains why Cardplayer Lifestyle decided to publish Eddie’s article.

Every poker player knows that the blender is not a fun place to be. Being put to poker’s ultimate test is a challenge we all face at some point during our sojourns at the felt. At the end of the day, we must do our utmost to make the best decisions possible and be prepared to live with the results.

In real life, there’s no such thing as turning to the solver to know what the “correct” decision is. Sometimes there’s more than one correct answer. After all, two players can play a hand differently and still be fully justified in the lines they take. But all players would agree that the worst spot to be in at the poker table is in the blender, not knowing what to do. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.

The Backstory of How Eddie’s Article Came to Be

The article I just published, written by my longtime friend Eddie Harari, is something he, I, and our mutual longtime friend Hank Nussbacher have been working on for the last month.

Eddie approached me with the information, demonstrated the GGNetwork security flaw to me, told me that Hank had corroborated his findings, and said he wanted to write an article about it for Cardplayer Lifestyle. Just as he and I have collaborated half a dozen times before over the last decade, I said I was happy to assist him with the process.

It was obvious to the three of us that we needed to make a responsible disclosure, notifying the GGNetwork of the software flaw so that they could fix it. I facilitated all such correspondence, keeping Eddie and Hank in the loop throughout. Obviously, we would be including GGNetwork’s official response in the article, which they ended up sending us two weeks after we sent them Eddie’s article for comment.

I take tremendous pride in the role I’ve played, and that Eddie, Hank, and I have conducted ourselves honorably and to the highest standard in communicating with the GGNetwork representative.

The flip side of that is that I take no pleasure whatsoever in the article’s publication.

An Unavoidable Stain

For my entire professional career in the poker industry, I’ve worked to shine a positive light on our game and the people in it. Everyone who knows me knows just how deeply and absolutely I abhor and detest scandal, which only serves to paint us all in a negative light.

But sometimes the distinction between darkness and light isn’t so clear cut. Sometimes you’re in the blender.

If I publish Eddie’s article, I “air poker’s dirty laundry” to the public for all to see and bear partial responsibility for the fallout. Then again, I also have a responsibility to that poker playing public to let them know what happened.

By contrast if I don’t publish Eddie’s article, I save a lot of people from public embarrassment. I prevent any sort of unfounded hysteria of the masses – that online poker is not safe – from ever happening because nobody would ever know. After all, GGNetwork DID fix the issue! It’s now a non-issue. Why make much ado about “a nothingburger”? But doesn’t not publishing then make me accountable, perhaps even an accomplice of sorts?

What happens if I don’t publish… and then, eventually, someday, people find out? They somehow discover there had been an issue, that GGNetwork knew about said issue, and that Robbie Strazynski knew about the issue… and did nothing?

What if I pull the plug at the last moment and tell Eddie I can’t agree to publish his article, and he then decides to go ahead and publish it on his own on a different platform? That would be his right. All of my handwringing and eventual “no” decision would have accomplished nothing, for the eventual result and fallout would be the same. Except for the fact that I’d have to live with the fact that I knew and did nothing.

Published is Binding

I’ve consulted on this dilemma privately and independently with my “inner circle”; the people with whom I am closest and know I can trust. Some have advised me to publish while others have advised against. I respect all these people deeply, and they are all individuals of the highest integrity, vast professional experience, and who command and have earned the utmost respect in their respective fields. And yet, to my dismay, there was no universal agreement among them.

I’m not oblivious to the fact that there will be consequences to publishing. After all, to every action there is a reaction. My family is justifiably worried about me in that regard, too. But I cannot allow those consequences to influence my decision-making process. That must be pure; right vs. wrong, regardless of how I might be affected.

When passing judgement on my action, I just feel it’s only right to first ask yourself what you would do if faced with a similar decision. Join me in the blender.

At this point, I’ve used all my time banks and I still don’t know for sure, with absolute 100% certainty that I’ve made the right decision. But I think I know with 99.9% certainty, and that’s going to have to be good enough.

As the saying goes: “To escape criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing.”

I’ve chosen to do something. My belief is that while the industry may unfortunately suffer in the short term, what’s best for the players and for the industry as a whole over the long term is knowing that they can trust independent poker media as good actors.

In just under two weeks, mixed games will take center stage in the poker world as the first ever PGT Mixed Games series will be held under the bright lights of the PokerGO Studio. A host of non-Texas Hold’em games will be the on the menu, with a total of eight tournaments to be staged from February 4-11 at buy-ins ranging from $5,300 all the way up to $25,500. In addition, a couple of $1,425 mixed game satellites (H.O.R.S.E. and 8-game mix) will be held on the two days prior, in which players can win seats into the higher-buy-in tournaments of their choice.

While obviously not as popular as the ubiquitous Texas Hold’em is in poker rooms around the world, mixed games are often considered to be the “true test” of a poker player’s all-around capabilities. Notably, the $50,000 Poker Players Championship contested at the World Series of Poker is a mixed game affair, awarding not just a bracelet but also the coveted Chip Reese Trophy. Typically, if mixed games are being spread in a poker room, it’s for high stakes, with mixes of $200/$400 all the way up to $4,000/$8,00 (and sometimes even higher) not uncommon on the Las Vegas Strip.

A mixed game tournament or two is often added to tournament series schedules at various events around the world, and of course the WSOP holds numerous mixed game bracelet events each year, but the PGT Mixed Games series represents the first time there’s a dedicated high buy-in series of poker tournaments devoted exclusively to mixed games.

Here at Cardplayer Lifestyle, we’ve always been big fans of and strong advocates for mixed games, and it’s wonderful to see the PGT spotlighting them. Ahead of the PGT Mixed Games series we spoke to its planner, PokerGO’s Senior Content & Live Reporting Manager Tim Duckworth, as well as three Poker Hall of Famers, Daniel Negreanu, Eli Elezra, and PokerGO President Mori Eskandani.

Let’s Give It a Shot

When I asked Duckworth what gave PGT the impetus to try and stage a series of mixed game tournaments for the first time, he replied that “the idea of running it began during the 2022 WSOP. Players expressed a desire for a dedicated series, and from there I began working on the idea. It started with a simple survey to mixed game players asking for their input on dates, different schedules, the ideal championship game, and how we should track hands and game changes.”

The players responded enthusiastically, with over 70 responses being submitted. From there, Duckworth drafted a tentative schedule which, after a few tweaks and iterations over the subsequent months, ended up constituting the official PGT Mixed Games series.

“The popularity and interest in mixed games have likely never been greater” said Eskandani, who himself is known to enjoy high stakes mixed cash games. “The mixed game tournaments that have been part of the PGT have produced great numbers and we received so much positive feedback that it became a no-brainer to offer a dedicated mixed-game series in the tour’s third season” he added.

Mori Eskandani | Image credit: PokerGO

If You Build It, Will They Come?

Quite literally without precedent in the poker world, PGT’s Mixed Games series is by definition experimental, and the company is hoping for a good turnout.

“I’m hopeful that the players who are regulars in the big buy-in mixed events are the WSOP will be in attendance for PGT Mixed Games. This series is designed to cater to high rollers who play mixed games and condensing all the events into one schedule makes it easier for players to come out and play,” said Duckworth.

His theory makes sense. Many players who’d otherwise be interested in mixed games might otherwise be hesitant to travel out for “just” one or two mixed game tournaments. A whole slate of them, on the other hand, could have a compounding effect to boost attendee numbers.

Asked to name names of which players he thinks will show up, Duckworth said that “the Vegas-based guys such as Daniel Negreanu, David “ODB” Baker, Eli Elezra, Jeremy Ausmus, John Monnette, Nick Schulman, and even our own PokerGO President, Mori Eskandani, are all expected to play. I really hope that we’ll be able to lure players based outside of Las Vegas to come as well, including Shaun Deeb, Yuval Bronshtein, Adam Friedman, Mike Wattel, Bryce Yockey, and 2022 WSOP Player of the Year Dan Zack.”

While he’s excited to take a seat at the felt himself, Eskandani treaded a bit more cautiously when it came to predicting the final turnout. “It’s always hard to know exactly who is going to show up to a tournament series. That said, there’s been enough positive reception regarding the first-ever PGT Mixed Games that we’re expecting a full house at the PokerGO Studio. Our team has been hard at work for several months of planning and player outreach in an effort to put together the best mixed-game series possible, and we anticipate we’ll see an excellent mix of big names, high-stakes tournament and cash players alike, shot takers, and plenty of PGT regulars.”

Eli Elezra | Image credit: PokerGO

Elezra is confident that “we’ll be able to get at least 40 for most of the events. I personally know at least 20 people who will come – not just from Vegas, also from Arizona, New York and San Diego.” Negreanu is slightly more bullish on projected attendance, saying that “I do think it will be a success. I’m hearing lots of buzz from within the mixed game community and even some side betting pools. I think if the events average 50 entrants across the board that would be a really solid showing.”

A Closer Look at the Schedule

As mentioned, a great deal of thought went into constructing the schedule. As per Eskandani, “the PGT focuses on high-stakes poker tournaments, and that’s what players will be getting for the first-ever PGT Mixed Games series with buy-ins from $5,300 to $25,500. Leveraging extensive player outreach, our team has crafted a very appealing schedule to include a variety of events. H.O.R.S.E., 8-Game, Triple Stud, Triple Draw Mix, Big Bet Mix, Dealer’s Choice, 10-Game, and No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw are all being offered, plus the great team at ARIA Resort & Casino are putting on two $1,425 satellites right before the series to give more players a shot at competing.”

With such a diverse menu of games, naturally each player will have their eye on a personal favorite, but feedback from the three Poker Hall of Famers we spoke to indicates that the crown jewel lies at the end of the schedule. “I really like the $25k 10-game event specifically because it has badugi in it” Elezra said. “Among the $10k events, I’m eager to play in the triple stud mix. I’m playing in every single one of these and I’m gunning to be the player of the series,” the 5-time WSOP bracelet winner added.

“Personally, I cannot wait to see the $25,500 10-Game Championship. That’s quite the premier event that should be a must-play for any serious high-stakes mixed-game player,” said Eskandani. Negreanu echoed those sentiments as well noting “I’d have to say the event that excites me most is the final event, the $25k 10-Game Championship, as it’s very likely to decide the overall series winner and I like all the games.”

PGT Mixed Games Success Metrics

The fact that the PGT Mixed Games series is even taking place is already a positive development for the poker world and an indicator of progress and overall growth.

“This is so good for the poker community,” said Elezra. Way back in the day, Barry Greenstein used to say ‘if you want to be a complete player, you should start playing mixed games with us.’ I think even among the big high rollers, everyone realizes this, too. Cary Katz and Steve Zolotow play in the mix events; you’d never think they would, but I like to see it. I’m excited to show the poker world that poker isn’t just about No Limit Hold’em,” he added.

For his part, Duckworth is excited that more players will get the opportunity to play in the PokerGO Studio for the first time, noting that “There is a vast majority of mixed game players who have never experienced the PokerGO Studio, and that is about to change. The privacy that the PokerGO Studio offers, combined with the excellent service from the ARIA Poker Room team will be a treat for these players.”

Eskandani concurred, stating that “On the PGT, we strive to celebrate the best-performing tournament players in the world, which we have successfully done through offerings such as the Poker Masters, U.S. Poker Open, PokerGO Cup, and more. It’s only right that we also provide a platform for high-stakes mixed-game players to showcase their talents.”

Of course one metric of success will be the number of people who show up to play. Beyond that, there are other metrics, too.

“It is hard to gauge exactly what a success will be for PGT Mixed Games since we have no floor or ceiling for this series. I would love to see every table in the PokerGO Studio filled with mixed game players, but that is unlikely. The real goal will be putting on a can’t-miss series where every player that steps in the PokerGO Studio for PGT Mixed Games is pleading with us to run it back in the Fall. To me, that will mean that PGT Mixed Games was a success,” said Duckworth.

Negreanu, a frequent player — and winner — in the PokerGO Studio was quick to point out how the PGT Mixes Games would be different that other series he’s played there. “It’s a totally different environment with a very different crew of people entering these events. Outside of me personally, there isn’t a ton of crossover between the two worlds. For limit events, the atmosphere is typically casual with lots of friendly, and not so friendly banter.”

Daniel Negreanu | Image credit: Cardschat

With $25,000 and a trophy added for the player who accumulates the most PGT points during the series, one thing is certain: mixed game poker is ready to shine bright!

PokerStars is one of the largest and most well-known poker providers. The online poker site is home to a wide selection of activities and non-stop action, offering great weekly events and real money payouts. It also holds the record for hosting the biggest-ever online poker tournament and the highest number of people playing at once. Experts from the NJCasimile.com website have prepared a review of the PokerStars NJ website, where they outlined the most interesting points. The most interesting aspect is considered to be the issues of registration and direct play. But no less important are aspects related to the security of personal data and player finances.

If you fancy online play, PokerStars tournaments are live in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Michigan, as well as numerous other jurisdictions around the world. If you want to play for real money in an online poker room in the New Jersey, let us tell you everything about their tournament offering and games available in PokerStars NJ.

Types of games

PokerStars New Jersey offers some of the most exciting pastimes beyond purely poker. They include live roulette, blackjack games, video poker, slots, table games, and more. Interestingly, a “Home Games” feature allows you to start and arrange a private real money online poker with friends. Besides casino games and poker, you can also bet on basketball, football, and ice hockey and other sports. Let us examine them below:

Video Poker

Before we get to the video poker offerings, it needs to be mentioned that you can play Texas Hold’em and Omaha, as well as numerous other poker variants, at PokerStars. Players can also participate in live events. They include the PokerStars No Limit Hold’em Players Championship, as well as other marquee series like the Brazilian Series of Poker, and the European Poker Tour.

Online poker play at PokerStars is regulated by a number of jurisdictions around the world, just like live poker play is. This provides players safety, reliability, and maximum peace of mind during a gambling holiday. Other entertaining poker variants spread on the site and in their live events include Omaha Hi/Lo, Seven Card Stud, Razz, H.O.R.S.E & 8-Game mix.Plus, of course there are numerous versions of video poker, which you play “against the house” and can win based on the paytables.

Live Roulette

Roulette is one of the most popular forms of casino entertainment. Participants play different stakes and styles of live American, Auto, and Auto-lightning roulette to land a big payout. American Roulette has a 94.74% RTP (return to player), while the Auto-Lightning and Auto Roulette have a 97.3% RTP.

Live Blackjack

Visit the online casino to enjoy the most widely played casino pastime in the world – blackjack. Experts in their reviews advise you to find regulated online poker and popular live dealer blackjack variants via NJCasimile to know where to invest your time. Whether you are a high-roller or a first-time player, PokerStars NJ offers various options. You can pull up to a table online from anywhere in the Garden State, taking on the dealer for a chance to win across different variants. Some of the live blackjack options offered in the casino include:

Online Slots

Play over 100 new, jackpot, and Megaways slots in the casino. The popular ones are:

Other Table Games

Apart from casino poker variants and slots, you can also find a vast collection of classic card and table games at the casino. They include craps, baccarat, deuces wild, dragon tiger, football studio, and many more. Likely though, you’re on the site for their poker offerings.

Types of tournaments

One of the best ways to earn huge returns at the online poker room is to participate in a tournament. All players start with the same number of chips, and the last player will win the biggest portion of the prize pool. Below are some popular types of available tournaments:

Online poker tournaments offer a lot of events. Apart from the ones mentioned above, you can join shootouts, Sit & Go, Spin & Go Time Tourneys, and Turbo.

Conclusion

PokerStars NJ is home to the best cash games and tournaments. You can practice your skills with free money or join daily or weekly tournaments with real money. The operator offers a 100% bonus of up to $600 for new customers. With this, you can play desired cash games. We recommend you open an account today and check the progressive and other tournament types to see how they work.

With PokerStars Players Championship II on the horizon, Cardplayer Lifestyle has been bringing you the stories of some Platinum Pass winners. In case you’ve missed them, we invite you to learn more about Amir Epstein, Karl Robinson, and Chad McVean. In this final of four installments in our miniseries, we take a closer look at someone whose name most poker fans already know, Greg Raymer.

Best known for his 2004 WSOP Main Event win, the “FossilMan” won his Platinum Pass at Cardplayer Lifestyle’s Inaugural Mixed Game Festival. He bested 123 other hopefuls in a $200 H.O.R.S.E. tournament in October 2021 and has been clinging to his Platinum Pass ever since. Even so, while Greg knows what it’s like to be in the winner’s circle, he’s nonetheless been the victim of a pretty awful tournament poker run over the last year. Will PSPC II be the turning point?

Let’s go back to when you won your Platinum Pass. What made you decide to hop into our H.O.R.S.E. tournament in the first place?

The day before I had planned to compete in the $1,500 Seven Stud event at the WSOP. As I was leaving my room, I looked on twitter, and saw that the computers were down at the Rio, and all events were indefinitely delayed. At that point I decided to just head down to your Mixed Game Festival and have some fun instead. It was only there that I learned about this tournament the next day. With the massive value of the added Platinum Pass, it was just too good to pass up, and I bought my entry for the next day.

There was initially no runaway chipleader at our 8-handed final table, but as an onlooker it seemed like you pretty much managed to steamroll your way to victory. When play got down to 4-handed, it appeared to me that you were brimming with confidence and that you had no interest in doing any sort of deal. What do you remember about your tournament experience, and final table play in particular?

While I appreciate your use of the term “steamroll”, it sure didn’t feel like that to me. I certainly wasn’t running over the other players, and stealing a lot of pots. Mostly, I was betting with a strong hand and getting paid off. Or, when I had a modest hand, I was calling the other player down, and picking off bluffs. Especially once heads-up, my opponent kept trying to bluff almost every time I had a marginal made hand. I am always happy to make a deal, but only if it is to my benefit.

Honestly, with the Platinum Pass that was worth more than the entire prize pool, it is rather hard to come up with a deal anyway. Even if my opponent had wanted to buy me out, what was the chance he had enough cash in his pocket to do so?

You took home nearly $5,000 for your win as well as the first Platinum Pass to have been awarded after a nearly 18-month pandemic hiatus. Can you describe how that felt at the time?

Any time you win a tournament, no matter how large or small, it feels amazing. It is the reason we all play tournament poker, that rare moment of victory, and how great it feels.

Nobody realized at the time that it would still be more than a year until you’d finally get to cash in that Platinum Pass to take your seat at PSPC II. In the interim, unfortunately you’ve run pretty poorly in poker tournaments. In 2022, you recorded a shade under $20,000 in tournament winnings, which unfortunately represents your lowest total since 2003, just before you won the WSOP Main Event. To what do you attribute this downturn?

I attribute it to variance. Of course, I made mistakes in my play, and could have performed better. I know I’m not even close to perfect, and still put in the time studying, trying to improve and get closer to that impossible goal of perfect play. However, I would guess that I realized something like 70% or less of my theoretical equity in all-in pots this year. It also seems like every time I raised all-in with AK, I ran into AA an amazingly high number of times.

To what degree has your Platinum Pass – and the potential for your momentum could turn right back around at PSPC II – helped you stay resilient in the face of this downswing?

It is nice to have that Platinum Pass in my back pocket, so to speak. However, I don’t think it has changed how I feel. I’ve been playing poker seriously for 30 years now, and as a full-time pro for 18 years. I’ve had plenty of bad runs, and many good runs as well. I am used to this sort of variance. Though it still sucks when you’re in one of the down periods.

On the plus side, at least according to what you shared in July, you’ve been running well in cash games. Had that continued In the latter half of 2022? What percentage of your poker playing time is cash games vs. tournaments?

How much time I spend playing cash varies quite a bit. I love cash games, but am not a big fan of no-limit hold’em as a cash game. It is a great tournament game, just not that appealing to me for cash. I prefer mix games for cash, and those are hard to find. I play in some home games when not on the road, and those are all PLO. I still prefer mix games, but PLO at least is better than NLH for cash. My run-good in cash games continues, though not as strongly as it had in the first half of the year.

You published Fossilman’s Winning Tournament Strategies back in 2019 and you’ve been a longtime contributing strategy writer for Card Player Magazine. Obviously, continuing to produce poker training content of this nature helps you stay sharp. In what way(s) do you feel you’ve gained the most from this as a player?

Teaching others always helps to improve your own knowledge and understanding, regardless of the subject matter. Even if you were teaching me a purely factual topic, doing so would help you understand it better. When teaching a game like poker, students also notice things that you miss. Sometimes their questions give you insight into how other people think about the game. Even if what they are doing is a mistake you are going to help them fix, it can also be something you now understand, and can see in some of your opponents. The better you know and understand how your opponent is thinking, the more perfectly you can exploit that mistake, and win more of their chips.

Besides playing and keeping your game sharp overall, have you engaged in any other specific preparation for the PSPC II?

I think the important thing when preparing for a big event like this is to just show up well rested, and ready to go. I will fly in the day before, arrive in the afternoon, and just relax all that day. I won’t find a one-day event, or even a cash game. I’ll just chill, and make sure I get a good night’s sleep. That will enable me to play my best on day 1, and hopefully carry me through to a deep finish.

Over 1,000 players competed at the original PSPC in 2019. A similarly large field is expected for the $25,000 buy-in PSPC II. Considering the unique, eclectic nature of the field (i.e., Platinum Pass-winning recreational players, high rollers, well-to-do businesspeople, and shot-takers), to what degree do you see yourself having a shot at a big score? What would cashing (min $30,000) – or, in a dream scenario, a deep run – mean to you?

Winning a tournament is the ultimate feeling. Winning a major event like the PSPC II would feel even better. I focus on equity while I play. I don’t play tight to reach the min-cash, nor do I play only to win, with no regard for ICM. Yet, in the end, it is only by winning that we can achieve that ultimate feeling you get from tournament poker. If I get deep, I will avoid risk and ladder up when it is smart to do so. But if I manage to go all the way, it will probably feel just as good, and mean just as much, as winning the World Series of Poker Main Event felt back in 2004.

A new year has begun, annual tournament earnings have reset, and it’s a breath of fresh air for high stakes poker tournament players across Las Vegas.

The 2023 PokerGO Tour (PGT) season kicked off with the PokerGO Cup, an eight-event series held inside the PokerGO Studio at Aria Resort & Casino between January 11-20. Each double re-entry event centered on no-limit hold ‘em, setting the stage for players to showcase their talent and compete for PGT Leaderboard points.

The 2023 season has upped the stakes following 2022, doubling the PGT Championship’s prize pool to $1 million for the league’s third season. In addition, the player topping the leaderboard will be awarded $50k, along with a $50k reward for each PGT series winner.

New and familiar faces find early success

With the stakes higher than ever, the PokerGO Cup brought out old faces and new. In the end, it was “El Jefe,” PokerGO founder Cary Katz, who claimed the PokerGO Cup after a series-best five cashes through eight events, with four final tables and his best coming in a series defining effort in the $50k Event #8. Katz finished runner up to Isaac Haxton, who entered the final table as chip leader and held for the victory. He finished the series cashing for $291,800, earning him $50,000 for leading the series in PGT points.

The series offered a great start to the year for many other high stakes regulars as well. Alex Foxen found two strong cashes for a first and second early in the series. Adrian Mateos caught fire, cashing three of the first four events. And Anthony Hu ensured he’s a name we stay familiar with, narrowly finishing second to Katz on the overall PokerGO Cup leaderboard. Hu found results in five figure events before, but after cashing for $413,700 across three final tables and a win in the $15k, he’s cementing his status among the $10k regulars.

While the PGT is home to the poker elite, it is no stranger to wealthy enthusiasts either. Retiree Ed Sebesta capitalized on his successful bluffs through Event #3’s final table, entering heads up play with a chip lead and maintaining it until the end against Nick Schulman. Sebesta earned $216,000 for the first-place effort, following up on his successful run in December’s Aria High Roller Series.

Players to watch in 2023

With the season opener in the books, we have our first look at the 2023 player pool. Super high rollers like Adrian Mateos, Seth Davies, and David Peters trekked to the PokerGO Studio to play in the $10k events. Normally, this group seems to reserve their studio trips for $25k+ events, so it’s notable to see them playing a full series and vying for leaderboard position. If the trend continues, we may see the toughest year of final tables on PokerGO yet.

These crushers did not sway relative newcomers from entering the mix, however. Ethan “Rampage” Yau continued his recent streak of mixing it up at the high stakes, cashing for $77,500 across two events. Following his $25k WPT win and becoming a mainstay on Hustler Casino Live last year, we can expect to see more Rampage as he continues to push the limits on his vlogging journey.

However, Rampage isn’t the only player reaching for the next level. Andrew Moreno had an impressive showing at the PokerGO Cup, finding his first two PGT cashes at final tables. After cashing for $128,800, let’s hope to see Moreno return for future series and develop into a promising regular.

Punnat Punsri made his presence known at the PokerGO Cup, too, cashing in Events #2 and #7 for a combined $459,000. However, he is no stranger to starting the year off hot. In January 2022, Punsri shipped the first two $10k PGT Venetian High Rollers for $251,000. After hitting the circuit hard last year through WSOP, Triton, and EPT stops, it seems that Punsri has fully committed to the multi-table tournament grind going forward.

A look ahead at PGT 2023

After narrowly edging Hu out by just 6 PGT points, Katz finished the first series of the year with a season lead. A PGT mainstay, he will most likely hover near the top throughout the year. But after watching Hu put his stamp on the series, immediately avenging a second place finish in Event #4 with a first in Event #5, he’ll surely be one to watch in upcoming tournaments.

Despite only two cashes apiece, Foxen and Sean Winter both find themselves in the leaderboard top five as well. Playing all the stakes and games available in the PokerGO Studio, it’s a good bet that they’ll likely be in the hunt for top spot on the leaderboard throughout the year as well.

With the NLH-centric PokerGO Cup behind us, the PGT now looks ahead to branching out for upcoming series. The tour will host its first exclusive Mixed Games and PLO series in February and March respectively. Unfortunately, neither series will be televised in their first iterations. But with good turnouts and audience demand, we can hope to find a variety of games in PGT action later this year.

For now, poker fans wait until April for the US Poker Open to see the next televised PGT action. The 10-event series will be a mix of no-limit hold ‘em and pot limit omaha tournaments. No-limit specialists will surely return to the studio, but it will be interesting to see what PLO regulars have cemented their place atop the PGT leaderboard by then. Expect to see Winter putting in the hours at the felt, with mixed game and PLO veterans like Dylan Linde and Dylan Weisman looking to put in strong results as well.

Poker has always been a subject that sparked interest in the entertainment industry. From stories of wild west gunslingers playing stud in saloons, to fan favorite movies like Rounders, poker is the perfect world for storytelling. The very nature of a poker game is packed with drama, and players are telling a story of weakness or strength every time they play a hand. While stories about poker are usually told on screen, Anish Patel set out to give poker its first graphic novel in Final Nine.

I will admit, I was a little skeptical going into reading this story. I have never read a graphic novel or comic book so I really didn’t know what to expect. I think my lack of knowledge regarding graphic novels was an advantage in reading this. When I first opened this novel I was struck by the illustrations. Each page felt perfectly crafted to draw me in with illustrations, and the flow of the writing was easy to follow. Once I got started with this graphic novel it was hard to put down.

Final Nine tells the story of the Poker World Championship Main Event final table. Throughout the story we learn more about each player and what brought them to the table as the poker action unfolds. I tore through this novel. The seamless weaving of the final table action with each players’ backstory was compelling from start to finish. When I finally put down this page-turner, I caught up with the author, Anish Patel, to learn more about the process of how he created Final Nine.

The Author and the Inspiration

Anish Patel has been writing his own scripts and stories since the early 2000s. As a child, he was a comic book fan, but while working in a TV studio in 2007 he discovered how vast the world of graphic novels is. Like myself, he assumed this form of media was only for superhero stories, but he was mistaken. After finding out some of his favorite non-superhero movies started as graphic novels, he dove into that world. It was only natural that he focused on poker, a game he started playing at a young age. Rounders introduced him to No-Limit Texas Hold’em, and as the game became the staple of card rooms, it became his favorite variant. White his love of poker and graphic novels grew, a particular final table sparked the idea for Final Nine.

After watching the 2008 WSOP Main Event coverage, Anish decided to write a story about a mainstage poker tournament final table. He had this to say about the inspiration:

Once the Final Nine players were decided, the tournament took a 4-month break and concluded in November calling it ‘The November Nine.’ It allowed the players to go home or continue playing poker in other tournaments and locations. During that time it also gave the players a chance to promote themselves (Interviews, TV spots, etc.) so when they do arrive back to play in the final they would have a following and supporters. For me this made it hard to decide whom I would root for. And after watching Peter Eastgate win the championship, I thought ‘how great would it be to write a story about poker in a similar format to WSOP ME in 2008.

While reading the novel, I noticed many players shared similarities to poker’s biggest names, and Anish confirmed:

All the characters are inspired by real players. There are players that people watch on tv as well as players that I have come across while playing the game myself. Legendary players like Doyle Brunson, Johnny Moss, Walter ‘Puggy’ Person and Johnny Chan have influenced the story, and the characters. These sorts of players have developed the game from six players on a table to thousands of players in a huge room. The comics include aspects like Phil Hellmuth’s collection of bracelets and his Vegas style entrances to the tournaments…

The inspiration for this story stretched further than the poker world. Anish also drew from his favorite graphic novels like the Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibons. Pulling from the poker world for story inspiration and graphic novels for structure and style led Anish on a 14-year journey from conceiving the idea to publishing the finished novel.

My Impressions

Despite my reservations about beginning my first graphic novel, I was hooked from the first page. Final Nine was a perfect introduction into the world of graphic novels. It was easy to get behind a poker story. I am obsessed with the game and consume all types of poker media. This read opened the door to a whole new way to be entertained by poker. It is easy to read, the illustrations are spectacular, and the story is thrilling.

I am somewhat of a poker snob when it comes to non-fiction. Whenever I watch movies or TV shows with poker scenes I am usually annoyed by the inaccuracies. Many people in show business don’t understand the game, so the hands don’t make sense. This was not an issue with Final Nine. I was thrilled to see poker hands that actually make sense. Reasonable run outs and betting patterns made it much easier to enjoy the story unfolding.

Aside from the poker, what really hooked me was the backstories for each player. The structure of this novel switches back and forth from the final table action to the lives of each player leading up to the tournament. Diving into the lives of the characters gave me everything I want out of a poker story: sympathetic characters, rich history, and the right amount of seedy underworld. Getting to know each character made the final table action all the more thrilling. It really felt like those big WSOP final tables where the countless interviews and color stories give the players more depth than their chip stack.

Conclusion

I highly recommend Final Nine to all poker fans. Whether you have never read a graphic novel or you have a massive collection, this story is a fantastic read. It opened my eyes to a new form of media, and in the hands of a graphic novel enthusiast, it will open their eyes to the great world of poker. I will certainly be on the lookout for more from Anish Patel, as he said himself:

Since launching [Final Nine] in mid-2022 my plan is to market to comic book readers and poker players. If the launch of the book becomes a success, then there would be further stories about poker. There is an idea to continue the story, or focus other types of poker games with further great characters’ back story.

For poker players, graphic novel readers, and myself, my fingers are crossed for more from the world of Final Nine.

Poker has been around for centuries, but the evolution of online poker has created an entirely new industry. From the way you play the game to where you can find it, online poker has seen radical changes over the last decade and will continue to change in the coming years.

Online Poker Becoming a Global Game

The rise of the internet has allowed poker to become a truly global game, with people from all around the world able to enjoy it. However, the game is only expanding further as some parts of America are introducing it as a legal activity for its residents. Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Massachusetts, and Michigan are the only states that have legalized it, with the latter having gone live on January 29, 2021. It is worth noting that it is not live as of January 2023 in West Virginia or Massachusetts.

MI is perhaps a great market in which to explore how online poker has continued to evolve, and how the game can continue to develop further over the next 12 months. With the Wolverine State becoming the latest a couple of years ago, there is plenty that can be learned from its decision to legalize the classic game in its digital form.

The Evolution of Online Poker

As we take a look at the Michigan market, there are a number of ways in which the game has been able to evolve over time. These include a rise in the number of poker platforms that are possible to use, the changes in technology being utilized by developers and players, as well as the changes in laws in some states across America that have already been touched upon.

The Rise of Online Poker Platforms

In the early 2000s, online poker was relatively unknown. But by 2006, dozens of sites had popped up offering real money games on a global scale. This led to an explosion of players as people could now play from anywhere with an internet connection. With more people playing, more money was wagered on these platforms, leading to larger prize pools and bigger tournaments. This attracted even more players and helped grow the industry exponentially in just a few short years.

Nonetheless, this is a trend that some parts of America including Michigan have only started to experience for itself recently. With just seven states in total to have legalized online poker in some form, those that reside in these locations are the only ones that have been able to experience just how much the industry has been able to evolve and enjoy this casino game in its digital form.

Changes in Technology

Technology has been a major factor in driving the growth of online poker platforms. Operators have been keen to be able to utilize the best forms of technology available to them. The online poker market has become an incredibly competitive market for the seven states in America that have legalized it thus far, with each of those providing the game looking to offer the best experiences.

in the Wolverine State have been able to do this in recent years by taking advantage of technological trends to have taken place. For instance, mobile gaming has become increasingly popular. This has led to many sites offering apps that allow players to play from their phones or tablets anytime, anywhere. This means players are being offered the convenience gamers continue to demand. Additionally, other platforms have developed artificial intelligence (AI) bots that can simulate real human opponents so that players can practice against them even when there are no human opponents available.

Changes in Legality

The legality of online poker has been a major issue for many years. As already highlighted, the United States has laws that vary from state to state. While we know Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Massachusetts have already made the game legal, there has also been movement from other states, too.

In Michigan, for instance, the Lawful Internet Gaming Act was passed in the State in late 2019 and by January 2021, Online poker, sports betting and MI online Casinos where legalized. PokerStars became the first operator to launch in the state with this kind of software.

New York, Connecticut, Virginia, and Kentucky are four locations in the US that are likely to be next to legalize the classic card game in its digital form. Each of these states has introduced a Bill to legalize the game. As more governments take steps to regulate the industry, we can expect to see more players from these jurisdictions joining the online poker scene. This should then lead to further evolution and help to define the sector within the next year and more.

What Does The Future Hold for the Online Poker Industry?

Online poker is still rapidly evolving and there are some exciting changes on the horizon for 2023 and beyond.

We can expect more AI-driven features such as automated analysis tools that help analyze user data or provide recommendations on bet sizes or card holdings during each hand. We can also expect virtual reality (VR) versions of popular poker games that will give users an immersive experience like never before as they compete against other virtual players from all over the world. Finally, we may see cryptocurrency options become available on many sites as virtual currency become more commonplace across all industries.

As mentioned, with operators in MI, as well as PA, NJ, and others already looking to utilize the available technology to their advantage, it is easy to expect to see many of these advancements be at the forefront of the online poker industry over the course of the next 12 months.

Final Words

Overall, online poker is a growing industry that is sure to see major changes over the next few years. As technology advances, so too will our ability to enjoy this classic game in new ways whether it be through AI-driven features or fully immersive VR experiences – making for a much more enjoyable experience than ever before! For any fan of poker – whether experienced or new – these developments should make for an exciting time ahead!