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SOCIAL MEDIA SEAT GIVE AWAY:

In partnership with Harrahs New Orleans we will be drawing multiple $365 WSOP Circuit seats for those who that follow us on Twitter AND Facebook and share our tweet and/or post (coming next week).  You must be 21, have a valid Total Rewards Card and follow us on twitter (here), AND like our page on facebook (here).
LINKS TO CLICK:

JUANDA WHEN HE KNEW IT WAS A SCAM?

Erik Seidel and fellow poker Hall of Famer John Juanda got taken in a sports ticket ponzi scheme by fradulent high roller Seyed Fazeli.  Go here for more.

WESTGATE SCAM:

The HPT at the Westgate in Las Vegas shared a little controversy last week, when it looked like the tournament was going to fall short of its guarantee half price Main Event seats were offered by the property to ge them over the hump.  We'd just let you google it if not for the fact a search of "westgate scam" just gives you pages of timeshare lawsuits.  So go here for an overview.

HAND OF THE WEEK:

Would you ever fold pocket Aces? Preflop? Not in a satellite?  Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?  Scroll down for the video.
PEARL RIVER MAIN EVENT RESULTS:

1st Jacob Seale (pictured) Lumberton, TX $31,944
2nd Kenneth Parker Adamsville, AL $17,249
3rd Will Bean Louin, MS $11,499
4th Cody Stanford Mooreville, MS $10,221
5th Ladarren Banks Tuscaloosa, AL $8,944
6th Christopher Lane Brandon, MS $7,666
7th David Montgomery Tuscaloosa, AL $6,388
8th Leo Boothe Ferriday, LA $5,111
9th Adam Cotant Birmingham, AL $3,833
10th Carl Masters Clarksville, TN $3,066
11th Jamie Kizer Collierville, TN $3,066
12th Michael Monaghan Jackson, MS $3,066
13th Yousef Saleh Meridian, MS $2,683
14th David Nicholson Biloxi, MS $2,683
15th Billy McBrayer Tuscaloosa, AL $2,683
16th Darius Moorer Tuscaloosa, AL $2,555
17th David Bradshaw Atlanta, GA $2,555
18th Theodore Toney Fairfield, AL $2,555


WIN A FREE SEAT! OR SATTY TO A SEAT! WSOP CIRCUIT SEATS!!!

Starting April 8th, Harrahs NOLA will be running a MTT Satellite to the May WSOP Circuit Events every Sunday at noon. More details to come on that. Sounds like first will be Main Event seat, second a $580 seat and third through fifth$365 seats all for $80 buyins (w/ reentries).  After the guarantee is met all additional money will go to more $365 seats.

Keep your eyes peeled on our social media and stick with us as we have a lot planned in partnership with Harrahs NOLA for this years WSOP-C next month.  Speaking of which if you want to win a Free seat to the May Event! We are going to have a drawing at Harrahs to kick off the event for multiple seats.

To get a head start, follow us on twitter (here), AND on facebook (here). Later on you will also need to like and share a post on both platforms as well as follow the Harrahs accounts.  

More details to come, but again absolutely free to enter.

*Must have a Harrahs Totals Reward card to be eligible. So if you don't have one... go get one. 
HAND OF THE WEEK: ART OF THE BLUFF:

Art Papazyan puts Garrett Adelstein to the test in a high stakes bluff.



Would you make this play?  Would it work at your home casino?

Go here to discuss...
PEARL RIVER RESULTS:

EVENT #8 - No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack
Buy-in: $200

1. Jerry Girior (pictured high) Lafayette, LA $1,800
2. Charles Stalfort (pictured low) Atlanta, GA $1,030
3. Wild Bill Phillips New Orleans, LA $1,030
4. Rene McDaniel Gordo, AL $1,030
5. Corey Harrison Birmingham, AL $1,030

EVENT #6 - No-Limit Hold'em Double Deep Monster Stack
Buy-in: $350

Prize pool: $20,300
1. Grover Faulkner Tuscaloosa, AL $2,374
2. William Fitzgerald Germantown, TN $2,374
3. Carl Masters Clarksville, TN $2,374
4. Dante Prado N/A $2,374
5. Christopher Winguard Collierville, TN $2,373
6. Chase Turner Birmingham, AL $2,373
7. Santiago Mauricio Kenner, LA $2,373
8. John Gilbert Huntsville, AL $2,373
9. Byron Lowe Byram, MS $812
10. Wayne Neyland Denham Springs, LA $500

EVENT #5 - Seniors No-Limit Hold'em
Buy-in: $300

Prize pool: $9,287
1. Lee Breeland Canton, MS $1,600
2. Ernest Williams Steens, MS $1,600
3. Stephen Hastings Houma, LA $1,218
4. Patrick McNamarra Jefferson, LA $1,218
5. Don Black Moundville, AL $1,217
6. Curtis Barnette Tuscaloosa, AL $1,217
7. Joseph Vilhaurer Crossville, TN $1,217

EVENT #4 - No-Limit Hold'em Bounty
Buy-in: $250

Prize pool: $3,611
1. Timothy Maxwell Naples, FL $903
2. Mary Roy New Orleans, LA $903
3. Freddie Gladney Oneida, AR $903
4. John Littich Brandon, MS $902
TAX 'EM, BUST 'EM, SPLIT 'EM AND RAKE 'EM:

PAY YOUR TAXES... ON YOUR LOSSES?

In Spain it used to be your poker winnings were taxable but you couldn't deduct your losses. Imagine if you binked a big event only to plough those winnings into more buy-ins than you won. What would happen? Well, you don't have to imagine here's a tale of how the taxman wrecked one Chess/Poker player's life.

Btw, it's April. Pay your taxes!

VEGAS OR BUST:

Tuscaloosa Johnny Kampis' book about a family man taking on the poker pros will be soon coming out. If you'd like a taste of his writing; try his take on how the business concept the Peter Principle applies to poker. Go here to read.

SPLIT HOLDEM:

Are you bored of just seeing one board? ? You want the action of running it twice... every single time? Would you like to chop a lot of pots and just pay an online poker site rake and never win much of anything?

Then, split hold'em is for you.  A rake sucker like no other. Here's an interesting video on the new product PokerStars is offering. 



We'd actually want to play if they tweaked the format just a bit---how about no rake on chops or just rake on the profit not the total pot?
JONATHAN POCHE SNAPS OFF TULSA WSOP CIRCUIT MAIN EVENT AND BRINGS THE CHEESE BACK TO THE "DA BOOT'/strong>

There are a few  players that have two circuit rings.  It's almost fairly common since the circuit first launched in 2005 or so...but not many can say that the ONLY 2 rings they possess are both Main Event rings for over $120k. Poche's latter, coming just a few days ago, almost cracked the quarter million mark at $216k. You can call him the "Ragin Cajun"..."Louisiana Lightning"...or the "Cajun Cannon"...doesn't matter...the kid can play and if it wasn't devoting time to his family we at GCP are sure that there would be more rings in his possession.

Mike Horchoff and Mike Colvin both of Louisiana also final table the event. The Choff won over 30k for 7th and Covin earned over 25k for eighth.

 Lafayette, LA is where he calls home, but maybe it's time for him might to hit the road and add to that ring count with the nice boost in the bankroll.  Them cajuns from Louisiana hit em hard in Tulsa...as this segways us to another Cajun beast...the man ...the myth...the legend...the one known as the "sick one"...he has a disease...a disease that is making him lots of money..."1sickdisease"

KEVIN "1SICKDISEASE" EYSTER BAGS SOME FINGER WEAR:

Kevin Eyster was also rolling around Tulsa "Getting in the Grease" and trying to make some money. Also from Lafayette, La ; Eyster added to his #1 ranking in Louisiana (money won in live poker) and he currently ranks 134th in the world... This doesn't even take into account his online tournament success... the kid rules.  He scooped a ring in the 6 handed event in Tulsa for a little over $22k.   Want to hear a sick stat?  The difference in money won lifetime live for Kevin and Louisiana' second place earner Keith Leher is about 1.5 million.  That total alone won rank 3rd in Louisiana. 

The recent results moved Poche up to  14th, Horchoff to 18th and Colvin to 21st all time in earnings for Louisiana.

I am sure we will see all of them this summer in Vegas at the WSOP. Keep up the good work guys!!!! 
PEARL RIVER RESULTS:


FEAR THE 1BB-IERMAN!

Steve Bierman accomplished a once in a poker career feat, and something we've never heard of on his way to winning over 18k in Event 1. Twice during the Pearl River Spring Poker Classic 100k Re-entry event his chip stack fell to 1 big blind.  And we aren't talking twice within an orbit or within an hour but two separate times; once on day one and once early in the money on day two.

The first time he rallied to a top ten stack that he put in his bag. He had the patience (he credited to a discussion with a certain online poker player from Louisiana we recently profiled) to fold a three big blind stack in the big blind. Then fold his small, then pay a couple of antes and get it in.

In the money, he took a hit and almost had to be called back to the table to survey his crumbs. Again, he won the next hand he played and again didn't look back. Nearing the final table, fortune favored the brave again, or as Bierman stated "Guts and Luck. The secret to my success." His Q10 won a flip v. BJ McBrayer's pocket 7s. He got there versus David Nicholson with KQ all in pre v. AK. What a run, Steve. Proud of your success and we'll add another element to your secret: "stellar play."

Chase Turner of Birmingham, AL walked away with over 14k for second. Michael Sullivan of Fulton, MS won over 11k for third. David Nicholson finished 4th for over 7k. Mac Trelles, with mixed allegiances to 'Bama and to Baton Rouge won over 6k for 6th. Local Tommy Bishop won over 5k for 7th. Robert Henderson won over 4k for 8th. Chris Davis, almost won this event of the second time but got clipped in 8th. Adam Cotant of Birmingham finished 9th.

BJ McBrayer, Shane Lewis of Baton Rouge, William Kent of Greenwood, MS finished 10-12th earning over $1600. Robert Donald of Brandon, MS, Robert Harper of Pell City, AL, and Jonathan Pansano of New Orleans filled out the next pay jump over $1400. Mike Monaghan (AKA the King of Pearl River Poker), Chris Lane of Madison, MS and Kevin Jenkins of Pelham, AL all won over 11k finishing 16th - 18th. Also cashing: Jordan Phillips, Jeter Brock, David Lee, Wild Bill Phillips, Tomas Pullens and Robert Parnell.

CODY WINS AND A SNOW DAY:

Cody Stanford won Event #2 at Pearl River and Tara Snow Event #3. Cody had to topple a loaded final table to win over 7k.  It included Mary Roy and Hiep Doan of New Orleans, Dustin Stewart of Biloxi, and second place finisher David McClore of Huntsville ($4500).
COUSHATTA SPRING POKER CLASSIC:

Maybe we should call it Chop-shatta as many of these events got divvied up before the final table completed.

We see Alvin Grospiron cashed 3 or 4 tournaments, Ben Mintz continued his comeback finishing one short of the 5 way chop in the Main, Captain Ron Hope and Nelson Solar enjoyed the spoils in the Seniors, and the shootout just called it a day and ended in seven way tie.

$550 NLH Main Event,
168 entries, Prize Pool $80,304, 20 paid.
1st-5th, $10,359 each:
Shawn Calvit
Todd Owens
Thomas O'neal
Clayton Bates
Ketan Kollipara
6th: Ben Mintz, $4818
7th: Jeff Galloway, $4015
8th: Derek Normand, $3212
9th: Stephen Hart, $2409
10th: Lori Gourley, $2008
11th: Mike Kim, $1606
12th: Alvin Grospiron, $1606
13th: John Barnes, $1205
14th: Kinney Fitzgerald, $1205
15th: Jacob Seale, $1205
16th: Mitchell Bono, $1044
17th: David Ellender Jr., $1044
18th: Lester Jarreau, $1044
19th: Michael Holland, $1044
20th: James Arnaud, $1044

$300 Seniors NLH,
124 entries, Prize Pool $31,620, 12 paid.
1st: $5000.
Roland Rojas
2nd-11th, $2420 each:
Glenn Decuir
Daniel Broadway
Homer Bourque
Gregory Rabalais
Paul Seeser
Capt. Ronnie Hope
Nelson Solar
Edward Green
Karl Guidry
Carl Wilson
Alvin Grospiron

$150 NLH Shootout,
89 entries, Prize Pool $10,502, 7 paid.
1st-7th, $1500 each.
Richard Golmon
Roland Rojas
Gary Booth
Scott Sanford
Douglas Justus
Adam Delcambre
Homer Bourque

 $250 NLH (one day event),
109 entries, Prize Pool $22,672, 12 paid.
Tied 1st-2nd, $4100 each.
Alvin Grospiron
David Osina
Tied 3rd-4th, $3042 each.
Rickie Johnson
Danny Lair
5th: Joseph Golias, $1814
6th: Brian Hines, $1587
7th: Christopher McFaul, $1360
8th: James Thomas, $1134
9th: William Pogue, $907
10th: John Martin, $680
11th: Carl Wilson, $453
12th: Janice Reynaud, $453
A MARCH MADNESS POKER MARRIAGE MADE IN PEARL RIVER:

What's better than playing hookey and watching March Madness?  Playing poker while playing hooky while watching March Madness?  Yeah.  We think so too. 

Our poker playing NCAA watch party will be at Pearl River Resort.  Both events start Thursday. Satty into the 100k Re-Entry with the first flight that night. If you miss wake up and repeat on Friday--with more games to watch.

Then two more flights Saturday and more games.  Then Sunday tournaments and even more games to watch. 
Go to schedule here.
Go to bracket here.
See you there sports fans/poker players.
LEGAL POKER NEWS:

LOUISIANA ONLINE POKER?

Whah-huh? Out of nowhere apparently there are bills in place to advance legal online poker. Even better the idea of allowing every parish to decide.
Thanks to state senator Danny Martiny who filed a bill with a goal of a public referendum (YES, PLEASE!). Apathetic and indifferent to politics? Maybe it's time to register to vote or to drop your state representatives a barage of emails, letters, texts, phone calls, and snap chats to let them know this is indeed a good idea.

Go here  to read more.  To read the Bill, SLS 18RS-421, go here .

21 IS A WINNING POKER HAND?

So apparently a popular con in Bali involves getting rich or retired Australians to play a poker game where they convince them they have an unbeatable hand only for them to fly home (yes, to Australia) to get more money to put on the hand (table stakes do not apply when you are trying to empty somebody's bank account). Possibly he made multiple flights. And then the retiree loses it all.

Sounds too farfetched to be true? It's actually worse, and yes, the retiree had "21" but little did he know that loses to... everything (?) in Bali poker. Go here to see how a man lost 200k in poker with "21"  to figure this out for yourself.

PPA CONSIDERS ADDING SPORTS BETTING ADVOCACY:

The great news in Louisiana this week withstanding, it's interesting that the PPA is now ready to put their considerable legislative influence behind sports betting too. Not content with just adding online poker in New Jersey, Nevada, Delaware and soon to be Pennsylvania after a decade's worth of effort
the PPA would now like to expand Sports Betting into at least, what one other state, maybe two?

Clearly tackling sporst betting legalization is an interesting pivot, and while this might expand their donation pool, what if anything does this help with the mandate of the Poker Players Alliance? Despite the sarcasm above, (sorry) we remain advocates of the purpose of the organization. And while we think they need to tweak (or completely restructure) their efforts not sure this is the best line.  Considering the PPA needs money yesterday, and is in a bad way, it is what it is, a possible last ditch effort to stay solvent. More details here.
HAND OF THE WEEK:

"YOU ARE GOING TO REGRET THAT FOR A LONG TIME:"
 

That's what Joe McKeehan said after the hand completed.  Can you make that play?
SONI TRAN:

Thanks to Ben Saxton for these words:

Soni Tran, 29, passed away late last Friday night in a car accident. He had two children, Sophie and Aaden, with his wife Vanessa.

Originally from Denver, Soni moved to Thibodaux in his teens. When he turned eighteen, he enrolled at the Universal Technical Institute in Houston. He spent most of his twenties as a mechanic in Dallas and Thibodaux.

Ever since his time in Houston, poker had been a part of Soni"s life. In 2016, he started playing for a living. He loved the game and appreciated that, with it, he could support his family. “He was a good poker player,”Sonis friend Kwong Ip said.  "But he was, by far, a better father and husband.”

Soni always took Sophie and Aaden wherever they wanted to go. He drove them to the park, to Chuck E. Cheeses, to dance recital, to martial arts practice. More than anything else, he loved spending time with his family.

Vanessa has set up a Venmo account to help with funeral expenses and with Sophie and Aaden's future. If you'd like to donate, please send contributions through Venmo to For-Soni-Tran.
LINKS AND MORE:

PEARL RIVER'S STRUCTURES:

Some of you are quite astute at breaking down a tournament structure and even base your strategy on the ratio of blinds to antes or other important inflection points so prepare to have at it.  Pearl River's Spring Poker Classic starts March 15th. Go here for the schedule. Go here for the structures. Enjoy, bring a calculator, get your geek on...

EXXON MOBIL SHELL CHOP AND WSOP SATTY RESULTS:

We understand "Angry" John Durio, Chris "Loose" Canan (pictured), John Cressend, and Dave Gordon chopped up the good money in a monthly tournament.

Meanwhile, Andy Simpson of Baton Rouge beat Randy Gordon heads up to win a WSOP seat. Bill Merrit, Lance Campione and Jeff Densen all in the mix at the end and took home a little something something.

VIRGE ON THE VERGE:

Steve Lawrence aka Virge a long time friend of GCP and a one time much traveled poker grinder has found a new vocation. Now he stands up to a corporate bully.  It seems some of the guardrails that line our interstates may hurt you more than they protect you.  Lives have been lost and nobody has stood up for the little guy until Virge did.  Here's a great profile of what Virge has been up to since he quit taking your stacks in the cash games of the coast.

SHAQ'S TREE SHACK:

Shaquille O'Neal wanted a tree house because why not? Where else would a 7 footer want to go but in the trees. And, what would he want to do there? Obviously... play poker.

Let's ignore for a second that it looks like it's a tiny table with tiny chairs in a tiny space (could be off on the scale) of it)... it's kind of cool that a giant kid wants a giant kid house to do giant kid things.  Also, has a dart board,
got to figure he's pretty decent at darts as he can just lean over and touch the board.  Anyway, here are pics.
SONI TRAN PASSED:

Harrahs NOLA Poker Reg Soni Tran died this week in a car accident. We will have some words from Ben Saxton  in the coming days and a way you can donate to his family, too.

We've had to deal with a number of deaths and close scares this year. Wish we didn't have to make posts like this especially in the wake of tragedy. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends.  He definitely will be missed. 
WSOP-C RIO, LAS VEGAS

FEAR THE BIER:

Steve Bierman finishes fourth in $2200 WSOP-C High Roller to all but lock up his seat in the Global Championship. Playing a loaded field and stellar final table Bierman almost prevailed.  Course we told you a few days ago he'd cash again.

Lonnie Harwood (72k) of New York beat former November Niner Joe Cheong (45k) heads up after Georgia Ankush Mandavia (32k) went out third.  We told you it was loaded.  Two other gulf coasters also made the final table.  Phue Nguyen of Atlanta finished 5th for 17k. Pearland, TX's Viet Vo earned 6k for ninth.

KASABOV THIRD:

In the Main Event Boris Kasabov of Houston, TX finished third for 118k. Mike Horchoff of River Ridge, LA and Brennan Benglis of Lake Charles also cashed the Main Event.