POKER NEWS UPDATE  (01/16/09)

SOUTHERN POKER CHAMPIONSHIP...

WE'RE IN THE MONEY!  A slew of locals including Tyler Smith, Jena Delk, Toby Tatum, Bobby Keller, and Dell Harville, have all survived long enough to make the top 27 and the money. 

DELK IN 6th  WITH 508k.  Earlier she sent Gavin Smith to the rail when her KQ bested his pocket AAs.  Yes, he setted up and she made broadway on the river.  Now she's in the thick of things.  Let's go Jena.

SMITH NOW SECOND IN CHIPS.  695k in front of him.  Pokerpages is listing him from Smithdale right now.  So maybe he really isn't from Smithsville, MS as we earlier asserted.  Still he's a guy  named Smith from a place named Smithsomething.  Yeah, we are making a lot out of a little, like a guy named Phil from Philadelphia or Jones from Jonestown.

SOUTHERN POKER CHAMPIONSHIP UPDATE  (01/15/09)

SOUTHERN POKER CHAMPIONSHIP...

SMITH FROM SMITHSVILLE IN FIRST.   Tyler Smith who really is from Smithsville, MS is the chip-leader at this very moment.   This probably will change, but for now he's sitting on a stack of about 375,000.  Smith is one of 65 players remaining. 

BEAU UPS THE BOUNTY.  Kudos to the Beau who kicked in about 24k to insure first place will win a cool million.  Actually, the prize for first also included a 25k entry to the WPT Championship that was not in the 976k total... so the winner was really already pocketing over a million.  Still, they wanted an even million to first which is a good thing.

BRANDON CANTU TILTS TIFFANY MICHELLE.  In one of the most discussed hands of the tournament, they got into a "I'm the Bigger Maniac" challenge raising and reraising with KdJd and 67 o/s.  Cantu made trips and Tiff flopped four to her flush.  All the money went to the middle.  "Hot Chips" got real hot, steaming over Cantu's holding.  (Thanks to Eric Sievers who saw it go down and gave us the heads up).

LADIES NIGHT?  Hot Chips isn't the only player left in the field without a Y chromosone.  Local Jena Delk is at 90k and one of the players we are rooting for, keep it up Jena.  Vanessa Ruosso just announced she'll be doing the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue and is sitting with 75k (while her future hubby Chad Brown is trying to drum up some high stakes cash action).  Cyclona Gowen is still in the mix.  Esther Taylor was the chip leader at one point and is still alive at 98k. 

COWBOY WITHOUT A HAT.  Alabama cowboy Hoyt Corkins was spotted without his trademark headgear.  Wonder if it too was stolen.  He's wearing a Doyle's Room baseball cap right now.

WORLD OF POKER UPDATE  (01/14/09)

SOUTHERN POKER CHAMPIONSHIP UPDATE.  Wanted to cover a little more indepth Brandon Jarret's week at the Beau.  After final tabling and chopping his first ever live PLO event, Jarret netted 40k.  This was his second final table on the week.  He also crushed the 10/25 NLH game winning another 55k there.  A 30k pot, which he scooped, made up the lion share of his profit. Good trip for a guy running really hot right now.  He left over 100k richer than he came.  Any other side game action or news tips?  Email: wildbill.

HOW ABOUT SOME MORE WINNERS? 

LADIES LEAVE YOUR MAN AT HOME, THE CLUB IS FULL OF BALLERS AND THEIR POCKETS FULL GROWN.  In event 11,  ladies no limit holdem Renee Willis of Philadelphia bested the estrogen rich field of locals.  Debbie LaVigne (Fairhope, AL), Hilry Shirey (Haines City, FL), Paula Halata Houston, TX), Donna Murray (Gautier, MS), Vicki Campbell (Pensacola, FL), and Phylis Blanton (Dallas, TX) finished, in order, 2nd through 7th.  There were exactly zero men in the money?  Wonder if there were any men in the field?

SAY HELLO TO MY LITTLE FRIEND.  Jordan Smith aka scarface 79, got the title in event 12 the 1k buy-in NLH tournament.  Three handed facing an all-in player holding A8, Smith showed an A and his little friend... a king for a dominating holding that held.  At heads up he and Otis Anderson chopped and Smith got the bracelet and the first place glory. 

NO WAY JOSE.   Jose Torres of Cooper City, FLA bested his neighbor of nearby Hollywood, FLA Jacobo Fernandez in the Pot Limit Omaha championship winning 95k.  Only 5 players cashed in event 13, with two of them living a couple of miles from one another.  Hollywood Florida, is the Tobacco Road of Pot Limit Omaha

GO big DADDY GO.  Bill Blanda added another notch to his impressive tournament resume with another first place finish, this one in the prestigious HORSE tournament event 14.  Blanda won 35k and beat name pro Michael Binger heads up for the title.

WORLD OF POKER UPDATE  (01/13/09)

ERIC LINDGREN APPEARS ON THE COAST AND CASHES IN POT LIMIT OMAHA AT THE BEAU.  It was Brent Carter that took down the event (#10) and won nearly 80k.  It was a rebuy event and 351 of them later it was one of the bigger paydays so far.  And only 18 people split the cash.  Steve Wagner of Dallas, Texas, Brandon Jarrett (see who's who), Jose Torres of Cooper City, FL, Tony Hatley of Mobile, and Todd LeBlanc of Beaumont, TX also made the top 10.

7 CARD STUD BILL BOSTICK WINS EVENT #5.  Former Bayou Classic winner Walter Chambers had a cash, so too Art Young of Biloxi, MS.  Bostick pocketed 12k after beating a field of 85. 

ALLEN GREEN GRABS 28k in CASH IN EVENT #6.  180 runners gave it their all but the Weston Florida native came out on top.  Bobby Toye of New Orleans added to his event 3 cash giving him 10k in winnings at the Beau.  For Toye third was an unfamiliar place as his first three cashes were all first place finishes.  Poker is easy right?

THOMAS PULLENS PUSHES HIS WAY TO A 33K SCORE. In Omaha HI/LO 8 or better that drew a crowd of 210, event 8 had a prize pool of over 100k. Pullens is from Picayune, MS and is a part time poker dealer.

SOUTHERN POKER CHAMPIONSHIP UPDATE  (01/09/08)

LONGHORN HOOKED ON POKER WINS EVENT 4.  Michael Benvenuti, originally of California, and now a Texas student beat Ron Feske of Folsom, LA to win 63k in the $1000 + $70 No Limit Hold'em event. 

 Fesk picked up around 35k for his second place finish.  Gabe Costner (pictured) finished in 6th place and got a good start to the new year with his first cash.

LONG RUMORED AND FINALLY REALIZED AN HONEST PLAYER COMES TO GCP.NET.    Blogger "The Honest Player" has joined the roster.  He's got a unique take.  Hopefully, the quick results of Matt Bryant will be duplicated by the Honest Player.

WORLD OF POKER NEWS UPDATE  (01/08/08)

TENTATIVE HARRAHS STRUCTURES UP ON TD JASON LIPSCOMBS BLOG.  Get your input now or forever hold your piece.  Please use the comments section of his blog.  Or email WildBill and we'll get them to Jason.

DURRR ISSUES CHALLENGE PUTTING UP HIS 1.5 MILLION TO ANYBODY'S 500k.  Well anybody except Phil Galfond.  Already the line starts with David Benyamine, followed by Patrick Antonius, and Phil Ivy.   Here are the terms:  4 tables, minimum of $200/$400 no limit/pot limit omaha, and the winner keeps the profit from the heads up marathon, 50,000 hands minimum, plus the 1.5 million or 500k.  Go to Bluff Magazine for more.  

SOUTH CAROLINA TO DECIDE IF POKER IS A GAME OF SKILL OR CHANCE.  Cardplayer's Bob Pajich has the details here.  Friday the 13th (of Febuary) 5 men in South Carolina will attempt to defend themselves, after their high stakes home game was raided by police, arguing that poker is a game of skill and should not be a part of an old state law condemning gambling games of chance that uses cards or dice. 

SOUTHERN POKER CHAMPIONSHIP UPDATE  (01/08/08)

MARK WILDS POCKETS 50K FOR FIRST IN THE THIRD EVENT.  It was an all star field as Jeff Tims, Brandon Jarrett, BJ McBrayer (pictured), and Joe Bueche (a noted cash game specialist) all cashed.  409 players started the tournament but it was the Biloxi man from practically next door to the Beau that won the top prize, a bracelet, and entry into the 10k Main Event.   Wilds now has won over 700k in lifetime earnings.

Bloggers Monkey and Matt Bryant went deep in the second chance tournament.  Read Monkey's recap of their run and his thoughts on McBrayer at THE POKER MONKEY.

GULF COAST UPDATE  (01/06/08)

SOUTHERN POKER CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS.  Congrats to Dan Clemente of Hernando, MS who won the $500 buy-in event number 2.  He got 65k and a bracelet and a seat in the Main Event.  Also, congrats to Ronnie George who also won about 65k, a bracelet and a seat in the main event.  George beat over 1000 players in the $300 event number one.

Interestingly enough Chuck "He doesn't do push-ups he pushes the Earth down" Norris and Eskimo Clark both had in the money finishes.  No it wasn't really Walker Texas Ranger but it was the Eskimo.

This was Clarke's biggest ITM finish in 2 years.  For a guy with 2.5 million in career earnings and three WSOP bracelets it's good to see him going deep again.

POKER BLOGGERS UPDATE  (01/04/08)

BEAU RIVAGE WELCOMED MONKEY BACK FOR THE SOUTHERN POKER CHAMPIONSHIP.  Read his thoughts at  THE POKER MONKEY  Also Congrats to him and Squirrel for their future little Squirrel-Monkey or is it Monkey-Squirrel?  Also, Virge has a great post on playing the deep stack at THE LONELY ROAD.  And folks please take advantage of Jason Lipscomb's request for input on the next Harrahs tournament structure on his blog:  JUICEY POKER.  We are bringing you a great opportunity to be heard.  Use the comments section on his blog.

TJ CLOUTIER GOT SOME AIR TIME IN ONE OF MONKEY'S PREVIOUS BLOGS AND NOW TJ'S BLOGGING ABOUT THE SAME EVENT.   Turns out not only did he get a bad case of Montezuma's Revenge he's getting a little klutzy these days.  Craps dealers beware.  Read TJ's take here.  Wonder if anyone will take TJ to task for name dropping?

SHANNON SHORR SHARES HIS THOUGHTS ABOUT HIS WEEKEND IN NEW ORLEANS.  Tough break for Shorr's Tide as "Two Utes" beat southern justice again.  Sadly no Herman Munster sighting.  (My cousin Vinny references for those that rode the short bus).  Anyway, Shannon's blog is here.

GULF COAST UPDATE  (01/02/08)

BEAU RIVAGE'S SOUTHERN POKER CHAMPIONSHIP STARTS TODAY.   15 Events including Seven Card Stud, Stud 8 or better, Omaha 8 or better, Pot Limit Omaha w/ rebuy, 5k Pot Limit Omaha w/out rebuy, HORSE, and of course No Limit Texas Holdem:  a lot of it.  There is a10k Main Event on Wednesday the 14th, several 500 +50,  and a 1k +70 event.  Complete schedule here. 

GULF COAST STATE POLITICIANS REPORT CARD IN POKER FRIENDLINESS.  Charlie Melancon gets an A, Donald Cazayoux gets an A (but not re-elected), everybody else in Louisiana not so much.  David Vitter, Rodney Alexander and Charles Boustany get Fs.  In Mississippi Travis Childers and Bennie Thompson get As, Gene Taylor a B.  Some good news... everybody in Florida that got an A got re-elected. 

Alabama unfortunately got no better than a D.  That's right not a single member of Congress from Alabama got better than a D.  Spencer Bachus got an F minus.  This site is run by the Poker Players Alliance,  and has links for you to write to your congressmen.  Check it out here.

HAPPY NEW YEARS GCP POKER BLOG UPDATE  (01/01/08)

WILD BILL CONTINUES HIS COMPARISON OF TODAY'S POKER STARS TO 80s WRESTLERS.   WWF is the WSOP?WPT is the WCW?  Chris Moneymaker is Goldberg?  It makes sense (kind of) read it here: DINE ON THE WHALES.

MATT BRYANT CRUISES TO FIRST PLACE IN FULL TILT TOURNAMENT FOR OVER 9K.  He was nice enough to blog about it.  Read his tourney recap here.  And also, give him a nice welcome as he's a new blogger.  We've promised we'd add him to the fold for some time but now we fully have, and now you can find POBODY'S NERFECT in our columns section every day.

WANNA WIN A TRIP TO THE ALPS?  bwin poker has a prize package worth 8k going on right now. It includes first class accommodations in a resort right in the mountains. Check out PokerBat's blog for more details or http://www.bwinpokerblog.com/.

WANT BETTER STRUCTURES AT HARRAHS MAY TOURNAMENT?  Juice is taking requests.  Let him know your thoughts and your preferences.  Click over to his blog JUICEY POKER and be heard.

ALSO, OUR THOUGHTS GO OUT TO THE TILTIN' TEXAN WHO IS RECOVERING FROM A SMALL OPERATION.  Tiltin' we look forward to seeing you up and around soon!

POKER-WRESTLING UPDATE  (12/31/08)

HAPPY NEW YEARS, WILD BILL COMPARES TODAY'S POKER STARS TO 80s WRESTLERS.   Ever imagined Greg Raymer in a wrestling bib?  We haven't either, but shave his head and King Kong Bundy might be a pretty good body double. 

You glad Eskimo Clark doesn't wear overalls?  Some of his former table mates probably are.  The same can't be said for Hill Billy Jim.  Read:  DINE ON THE WHALES for more.

POKER USA UPDATE  (12/30/08)

PHIL HELLMUTH SPEAKS OUT ON SECOND ULTIMATE FIASCO AND IS QUICKLY REBUTTED BY ONLINE COMMUNITY.  Gambling 911 has a good story on the ongoing saga.  Phil gives his perception of what happened and 2+2 forums remain up in arms about the hand.  For more info:  Gambling 911.

PENSACOLA REAL ESTATE BROKER GAMBLES ON POKER CRAZE.  If you live in the Panhandle's biggest city you now have a place to go for all your poker needs.  The Royal Flush which sells gaming supplies, tables and more.  It even offers Texas Hold'em classes.  Go here for more info:  Pensacola News Journal.  If you are interested in ordering poker tables by mail don't forget to check out our Sponsor Dingers Outdoors for your poker table, pool tables, and of course pools and spas.

POKER AFTER DARK LATEST SEASON DEBUTS WITH CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR PROS.  Mike Matusow, Allen Cunningham (or clever pig or smart breakfast meat or whatever his nickname is),  David Williams, Lee Watikinson, Andy Black and Dewey Tomko (two Main Event 2nd Place finishes) are the second fiddles playing for first.  More Nets vs. Vets episodes to come.  Set your DVRs people, 2nd best poker show on TV.

WORLD OF POKER UPDATE  (12/26/08)

BINIONS ON THE STRIP NO LONGER AN ONION WHEN IT COMES TO POKER ROOMS.  They've remodeled and come out of the stone age.  Don't know if their dealers have gotten any younger but 10 new tables, 11 plasma TVs and an atmosphere worthy of the birthplace of Poker is now what you'll find when you visit the original home of the World Series of Poker.  Check out PokerBat's blog for more.

ULTIMATE STORM CONTINUES, TOKWIRO MAKES A STATEMENT ABOUT ULTIMATE BET'S ULTIMATE USER.  In it Phil Hellmuth finally speaks out on the issue and says, "The only time in my life where I've had one pair beat three of a kind is when I made a big bluff in a poker tournament, and now because of a software malfunction in online poker....  Sometimes these things happen on the internet (WTF !!!!!).  The important thing here is that I continue to have a ton of trust in UB's software and new management team. (That's the important thing, that Phil trusts the people that made an error... in his favor)." 

-Phil also once said: "If there wasn't luck involved I'd win every hand (hmmm)."

POKER NEWS UPDATE  (12/24/08)

CRAZY COINCIDENCE/GLITCH JUST SO HAPPENS IT HAPPENED TO PHIL HELLMUTH, NOTHING TO SEE HERE, PLEASE IGNORE THE HOLE IN THE BOAT, PLEASE IGNORE THE WATER AROUND OUR ANKLES, NOTHING TO SEE HERE, DO NOT JUMP OUT OF THE BOAT, NOTHING TO GLUG, GLUG.  Paul Legget's blog explains it all for Ultimate Bet.  He also explains all the wonkiness that followed this up, when a series of other glitches randomly rewarded pots to other people.

Seemed like this idea for an explanation had already been floated on Two + Two a couple of days ago.  Almost like somebody was testing their story.  Random crazy glitch or not... this story is redonkulous.  Legget's blog here:   http://blog.ultimatebet.com/2008/12/update-on-recent-software-issues/

POKER NEWS UPDATE  (12/22/08)

ULTIMATE BRAT PHIL HELLMUTH AWARDED POT WHEN HE DIDN'T WIN HAND.  Crazines ensues.  Two + Two Forum is in a tizzy, with one poster suggesting that perhaps the cheating software for Absolute Poker interacted poorly with the cheating software for Ultimate Bet when the two merged into one platform.  Paul Legget of Ultimate Bet blogged about the freak event without mentioning the name of Phil Hellmuth being involved. 

Basically, DOUBLEBALLER was playing PHILHELLMUTH heads up.  On a board with JKK29 with no flush, Double Baller's KQ "lost" to Phil's mighty 102 holding.  Phil got the pot. More certainly to come.  Brings a different meaning to the quote, "If luck wasn't involved I'd win them all."

CHINO RHEEM WINS WPT BELLAGIO EVENT NAMED IN HONOR OF DOYLE BRUNSON ALSO CALLED 5 STAR CLASSIC OR SOMETHING, ANYWAY ITS ABSURDLY LONG NAME, BUT RHEEM WON IT.  Alabama Cowboy Hoyt Corkins came in 6th for over 200k.  Rheem won a million and a half.  Speculation is rampant that the win might have actually covered all his poker debts when combined with his WSOP Main Event final table winnings.

POKER NEWS UPDATE  (12/18/08)

FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS CHECK OUT THE BLOGS, POKER IS WAR OR DINE ON THE WHALES FOR ANY NEWS UPDATES.

CAPTAIN TOM CASHES IN THE WPT BELLAGIO EVENT BUT IS OUT.   Benjamin Straate is the chip leader but an all star cast of pros are in the hunt.  Mike Matusow, Robert Mizrachi, Chino Rheem, and poker woman of the year (sorry Hot Chips) Clonie Gowen.  Don't forget in Clonie's lawsuit against Full Tilt Matusow has been named as a defendant, that could make for some real interesting table talk as you know Matusow won't ignore the elephant sitting on the table.

HELL IS FREEZING OVER.  First in snowed in New Orleans and now it's snowing in Vegas.  Vegas is paradise right?  That's what we are told, though what happens in paradise stays in paradise.   Well, for a few tourists out there at the end of a 5 day bender bleeding cash at the tables, and nightspots it can be hell.  And, now, they are watching it freeze over.  Of course, for those having better weeks, they are humming along to Bing Crosby in their mind and enjoying the snow on all the neon.

POKER NEWS UPDATE  (12/17/08)

A DIKSHIT TO SETTLE WITH US GOVERNMENT OVER ONLINE POKER CHARGES.  Dikshit is not to be confused with the guys involved in running Ultimate Bet or Absolute Poker though they were called many things similar.   Indian businessman Anurag Dikshit, one of the youngest billionaires in the world, with one of the worst possible last names for his children at American schools and a co-founder of PartyGaming is going to pay a mere $300 million to the US Government. 

DEFEND YOUR BIG BLIND AT YOUR OWN PERIL.  Daniel Negreanu's blog gives some tips on defending your big blind and like most of his small ball strategy advises playing possum.  Great strategy until you get rivered time and time again (wild bill editorializing a bit, I discuss this further on my blog to your left).  Read Kid Poker's thoughts here at the Houston Chronicle.

CHINO RHEEM IN SECOND AT THE DOYLE BRUNSON WORLD POKER FIVE STAR CLASSIC AT THE BELLAGIO.  Fifty-Five players left for Chino to outlast as he seeks to legitimize his deep run at the main event.  For more info check out www.worldpokertour.com.

WHO'S WHO UPDATE  (12/16/08)

BRANDON JARRETT  OF CARTERSVILLE GEORGIA HAS BEEN TEARING IT UP THIS YEAR.  When we say year we mean since August.  With five cashes and two first place finishes he has exploded unto the tournament circuit.  Jarrett won the IP Classic main event and started off the year right (again, by year we mean since August) with a first place finish at the Gulf Coast Poker championship. His career earnings (all this year, and by year we mean the last four months) total over 100k.   Definitely a worthy addition to the Who's Who on the Gulf Coast.

SPEAKING OF BRANDON, ANOTHER LOCAL HAVING A GREAT YEAR IS BJ MCBRAYER OF TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA.  With eight cashes this year including a second place in an event won by Cycalona Gowen (below)  and final tabled by Brandon (above).  We'd like to add BJ to the Who's Who but need a picture.  BJ you out there?  Send a pic to Wild Bill if you want in.

WE ARE ALSO ADDING GCP BLOGGER REID GILBERT TO THE WHO'S WHO LIST.  He's got a great blog and tons of helpful advice for WIld Bill's pitiful game so we have to put him up there.  Reid strangely enough also shared a final table with Brandon this year at the IP Main Event.

GLOBAL POKER NEWS (12/15/08)

PLAINTIFF CYCALONA GOWEN A CHIP LEADER AT THE WPT.  Locked into a lawsuit with FullTilt, Clonie Gowen has also been busy playing poker this year.  No longer deemed worthy enough to be the female face of FT she's responded just like any other free agent in a contract year.  Yes, career numbers.  Likely another site would want to sign her...  except for the fact she's suing the old site. 

Seven cashes, two first place finishes, nearly 700k of her just short of a million dollar career earnings, all have come this year.  That doesn't count her succes on Poker After Dark where she holds the recrod fro most first place finishes.  Seems like this would be the right time to hire her, not fire her.

LOCAL CHIP COUNTS AT WPT.  Jonathan Little is below average with just over 100k in chips.  Captain Tom Franklin is well below average with just short of 50k in chips.

WORLD OF POKER NEWS (12/13/08)

GULF COASTERS MATT GRAHAM  AND SHANNON SHORR GO DEEP IN DOYLE BRUNSON FIVE DIAMOND WORLD POKER CLASSIC 5 K EVENT.   Actually Matt Graham did more than go deep he added to his win total with a first place finish for $320k.  Shorr finished 15th.

UP FOR SOME FUN DOWN UNDER?  BWIN POKER  is offering a 100k prize pool with the top two places winning Aussie Millions packages worth $18,000 in Melbourne Australia.   For more details on their Big Bounty promotion go here:  https://poker.bwin.com/public.aspx?aid=19788 

JUSTIN ALLEN WINS HARRAHS NEW ORLEANS "WINTER BAYOU POKER CHALLENGE" MAIN EVENT  (12/11/08)

THE 21 YEAR OLD DALLAS TEXAS NATIVE  BEAT LARRY PRICE OF TERRYTOWN LA, IN HEADS UP PLAY.  This is Allen's third cash since October.  His final hand was pocket 99s which best Allen's Q4 offsuit. 

Larry Price is a regular in the New Orleans casinos.  This is second cash this year and he'll be smiling as he deposits $83,053 for finishing second.  He started heads up play as the leader but on the first hand his A2 o/s ran into Justin's pokcet 8s when they both got it all in preflop.  From there he faced a tremendous challenge which he could not overcome.

Matt Culberson finished in 3rd place good for $48,855, while Jeremy Gaubert was sixth.  Another couple of names familiar to the site ;Jenna Delk, the last woman standing went out in 35th one spot before Clint Schafer.