Atom-RSSBad Beats in Poker: We all get them handed to us, and not only do we lose the money, but everyone goes on tilt for at least a hand or two so we can lose more of our poker bankroll!
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September 16, 2005
By: JESSICA MUSICAR - For the North County Times
OCEANSIDE ---- Their poker faces firmly in place, 57 women bet and bluffed their way through the last day of the ninth annual, three-day California Ladies State Poker Championship at Ocean's Eleven Casino in Oceanside on Thursday.
The name of the game: No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em.
Peeking at their hands and throwing green, yellow, grey and black chips into the pot, the players tried to make winning hands out of seven cards ---- their two face-down cards and five face-up community cards the dealer placed in the middle of the table.
As the day wore on, some women left the tables disappointed and out of chips while others watched their stacks of colorful chips get bigger.
The championship, which was created and hosted by the casino, began Tuesday with the first of two qualifying tournaments and 280 women. That number was whittled down as the top poker players proved their skills at the table. The top nine players from each of the qualifying tournaments went on to play in the finals.
Coming from all over California and across the country, the women played for shares of two $29,000 pots from each of the qualifying tournaments and part of $10,000 for the final event. Each bought in to the championship for $200 plus a $25 entry fee.
In the end, Las Vegas resident Linda Johnson walked away with the title and $3,650, the championship trophy, a watch, a commemorative denim jacket and, perhaps most important of all, free entry into both the World Series of Poker-Ladies Event and the Ladies International Poker Series Grand Championship later this year.
Earlier in the day, Johnson said she has been playing various poker and card games for 30 years, and is a "gold bracelet winner" in the World Series of Poker. She has played in every one of the Ocean's Eleven ladies tournaments.
"I love the camaraderie and Ocean's Eleven throws a good party," Johnson said.
Star McCormick, the marketing and tournament director for Ocean's Eleven, said the casino created the championship nine years ago to encourage women to get into the game.
"Ocean's Eleven tries to honor women by holding this event," McCormick said.
"Poker used to be just a man's sport (and) we saw a need to bring women in to co-exist with the men who are playing poker. It's a very prestigious event. Being Ladies State Champion is a big deal."
In addition to the recent popularity of the game on TV, McCormick said card playing has become increasingly popular for women, simply because they have realized that they are good at it.
"It's a game of skill ---- women use their intuition to read other players," McCormick said, adding that winning money is not the primary reason for playing. It's that women want to play to get a seat at the World Series of Poker.
After less than an hour of play in the finals, player Debbie Knight of Downey lost all of her chips trying to draw a diamond flush.
Although she was disappointed that she didn't last longer, Downey said she had fun at the tournament and won $1,500 and fifth place during the qualifying tournament on Wednesday.
"I did great overall but lousy today," Downey said. "I think I could have waited for a better hand or played it wiser.
"(I'm) disgusted, but ya know, it happens. There will be other tournaments."
Downey said she has never played in the championship but has some experience from other card tournaments.
During an early afternoon break, Nicole Hadji-Agha of Benicia, said the championship is the sixth card tournament she has competed in since she took up the game six months ago. A criminal defense attorney by trade, Hadji-Agha said she took time off from work to play in the tournament. She did not place in the final event.
"It's a fun fantasy alternative to working and it's a lot easier that doing a trial ---- trials are rigorous," said Hadji-Agha, who placed seventh and won $1,500 in Wednesday's qualifier. "Women play differently than men. They are a little harder to read."
September 13, 2005
Skill-Gaming's Killer Application for Sportsbook, Casino & Poker Operators
LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--GameAccount, the #1 online P2P and skill gaming provider (www.gameaccount.com), this week officially launched "Tournament Blackjack", a unique person-to-person (P2P) skill-based adaptation of the ever popular casino game. The game, which signals a growing maturity within the Skill Gaming sector, will be officially unveiled today at the Las Vegas Global Gaming Expo (G2E), the leading trade event for the worldwide casino and gaming entertainment community attended by over 25,000 industry professionals from around the world.
In this exciting skill-based version of Blackjack, players engage in 'Heads-Up!' play against online opponents, never directly against the 'House'. Starting with an imaginary chip stack of $10,000, your objective is to build a larger chip stack than your opponent with the exact same sequence of cards dealt to both players and the automated in-game dealer. This represents a compelling opportunity for new and veteran players of Blackjack to demonstrate their own 'edge' instead of competing directly against the traditional 'House' edge.
Tournament Blackjack launched with a wide variety of instant-action cash tournaments catering to both the casual gamer and the veteran Blackjack player. Participating players can double their money instantly by entering cash tournaments with entry fees as low as US$2.00 or as high as US$900.00.
Andy Bell, Casino & Gaming Manager for GameAccount licensee BetCORP Plc (operators of BetWWTS.com and CyberSportsbook.com), "Tournament Blackjack represents a compelling opportunity for sportsbook, casino and poker operators to generate incremental revenues from existing customers and re-activate lapsed customers with an exciting and instantly recognisable skill-based gaming opportunity. We're very excited about GameAccount's Tournament Blackjack and its potential to be skill-gaming's killer application for eGaming operators generating serious money, very quickly"
"Adding GameAccount's unique blend of Skill Games is a superb opportunity for eGaming operators not only from a revenue perspective but also due to the fact that advertising Skill Games is legal in most of the United States and the rest of the world," says Meir Moses, Marketing Manager at GameAccount. "GameAccount's proven P2P & Skill Gaming solutions allow eGaming operators to build their brand and reputation within key jurisdictions unencumbered by the legal or regulatory considerations applicable to traditional gaming products."
GameAccount will be exhibiting at the Global Gaming Expo at the Las Vegas Convention Center, September 13-15, 2005 in Las Vegas, NV, USA.
If you would like to meet with GameAccount, please contact Matt Welch or Dermot Smurfit at Booth 5122 in the iGaming Business Pavilion.
About GameAccount
GameAccount is the #1 skill gaming provider for sportsbook, casino and poker operators seeking a single-wallet Skill Gaming solution. The company's proven portfolio of dynamic games attracts recreational gamers and is the perfect vehicle to build and sustain a broad user audience. GameAccount powers leading online partners such as Sportingbet, BetCORP, Fortune Lounge, Paddypower.com, Sky Bet (BSkyB), FHM.com, Maxim, Wanadoo and The Sun.
GameAccount's Financial Services Platform supports full multilingual white-label solutions with seamless login and real-time exchange rates. Multiplayer games include Gin Rummy, Pool and Backgammon. Competitions include the world's largest knockout tournament and progressive jackpots.
For more information please visit: www.gameaccount.com.
Contact:
Lyceum Media for GameAccount and Skill Gaming
Melissa Ross, +44 (0) 207 828 6988
Melissa@LyceumMedia.com
or
GameAccount
Meir Moses, +44 (0) 207 659 2519
MMoses@GameAccount.com
Source: GameAccount
September 12, 2005
Canada and the Philippines Are First Regions to Introduce Localized Versions of the Smash Hit Tour That Spawned the Worldwide Poker Phenomenon
LOS ANGELES, -- WPT Enterprises, Inc. (Nasdaq: WPTE - News) has announced the global expansion of its hugely popular WORLD POKER TOUR® (WPT) with the signing of two licensing agreements to stage regional versions in Canada and the Philippines.
Steve Lipscomb, CEO and founder of WPT Enterprises, Inc. revealed that the company has concluded agreements with ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp., the largest integrated media and entertainment company in the Philippines, and Aidan Tracey, a respected Canadian marketing/ sponsorship/promotion expert, to offer multi-tournament WPT Tours in card rooms and casinos in their respective countries beginning in early 2006. The events will feature WPT-style Texas Hold'em tournaments expected to draw hundreds of players for increasingly growing prize pools at each stop. The WPT has been airing on television networks in Canada and The Philippines for the past two years, drawing a large following and hugely impacting the popularity of poker in those countries.
"We are very pleased to be able to bring the WPT to the fans in other countries who have been itching to try their hand at making a WPT Final Table," said Lipscomb. "Through these regional WPT Tours with ABS-CBN and Aidan Tracey, we have begun to create a global network of WPT Tours that will inspire the players in those countries and grow our brand internationally. It will be fun to see local players evolve into regional poker stars, just as our primary WPT Tour players over the past few years have garnered international recognition, and are now recognizable everywhere they go."
Lipscomb anticipates additional regional WPT Tours to be licensed in the future, as the skyrocketing popularity of the show continues to create worldwide fans. The WORLD POKER TOUR show, which has achieved worldwide viewership, is currently licensed for broadcast in 116 countries and territories around the world.
ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp., is involved in television and radio broadcasting, as well as the production of television programming for Filipino domestic and international audiences. The company's largest business, its VHF television network, consists of its flagship channel in Manila -- Channel 2 -- together with 23 other owned and operated television stations and ten affiliated stations, forming the leading television network in the Philippines. The company also operates Studio 23, the leading UHF television network in the Philippines with 35 televisions stations. The two networks reach an estimated 97% and 50% of all television-owning households in the Philippines, respectively. The estimated market population for the region is 76 million people.
"We wish to introduce poker among the Filipinos served by ABS-CBN, locally and globally, and to the skills, art & excitement that it generates both as a program and as a game," said Peter A. Musngi, Vice President for ABS-CBN Sports. "As a television show, we are hopeful that we can duplicate the success of WPT USA in the Philippines and the region given the reach and equity of ABS-CBN. We are confident that this is not a far-fetched reality."
ABS-CBN is being granted the right to create four episodes in the first year, five in the second and six in the third -- and to air them exclusively for four years total. The show will air in both English and Tagalish (a mix of Tagolog and English). The winner of the Filipino WPT Tour will also have a seat in the WPT Championship(TM) at Bellagio each April.
In Canada, Aidan Tracey, who has previously assisted the WPT to secure sponsorship tie-ins north of the border, will develop, stage and market a regional tour. Tracey is currently President of Mosaic Sales Solutions Field Marketing, the leading experiential event marketing company in Canada. Mosaic Field Marketing handles consumer promotion events at malls, community events and large festivals for many blue-chip Fortune 100 clients. The company does product sampling, creates brand experiences, and runs large mobile 18 wheel rigs that go to major events to bring brands to life. Tracey has also produced the World Beer Games, which aired on TV in 2002 and 2003 in many markets outside the USA, including Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia.
"Aidan's deep knowledge in helping to build global brands, along with his own experience as a founder and executive producer of a successful international TV event special made him a natural choice," noted Lipscomb.
Tracey will work closely with WPTE to build out events across the country to establish and grow the WPT Canada sub-brand and at the same time educate players through the WPT educational website www.wptonline.net.
"It is going to be a ton of fun helping the WPT to build the leading poker brand in Canada," said Tracey. "By utilizing a network of host casinos, TV partners, Mosaic field marketing, and client sponsorships we should be able to get the WPT Canadian Tour off to a great start in 2006."