But a hint of poker's future may now be sitting at the Four Winds Casino Resort in New Buffalo, Michigan, with the opening of the world's largest automated poker room last week.
"Four Winds is committed to delivering the best gaming and entertainment experience possible and PokerPro is part of that commitment," said Matt Harkness, Four Winds Casino Resort General Manager. "We are proud to open this state-of-the-art, all-PokerPro poker room."
"We're going to offer the best action in the region," Harkness added. "And playing on PokerPro gives players & women poker players more action with fewer hassles and distractions."
The room features fifteen PokerPro 10-seat tables and four heads-up tables, with all exclusively provided by North Carolina-based software provider PokerTek.
Game-wise, Harkness says, the automated room will offer Limit and No-Limit Texas Hold'em cash games, Limit and Pot-Limit Omaha Hi and Hi-Lo cash games, and single and multi-table poker tournaments with a variety of buy-ins.
Players will also be able to win seats into major events and compete in heads-up tournaments on one of the four PokerPro heads-up tables.
Ultimately the advantages of a fully-automated poker room, PokerTek says, are two-fold:
For one, dealer error is pretty much eliminated and total accuracy is ensured. PokerPro tables let players use individual touch-screens to view their cards, call, raise or fold, while seeing the pot, community cards and players chip stacks on a large center display. Download poker wallpapers.
The other notable advantage is speed, with a supposed 50% increase in hands dealt every hour compared to a manual poker table. Online poker. "The Pokagon Band (owner of the Four Winds) has been an ideal partner for PokerTek's largest installation to date," said Lou White, PokerTek's Chief Executive Officer. "Their commitment to electronic poker is phenomenal, as evidenced by the size and quality of their new poker room."
The Heads-Up Challenge table made its debut at this year's WSOP, as notable poker pros Phil Laak and Antonio Esfandiari tested the electronic table in a lounge at the Rio during the Main Event. Stay tuned to our poker blog for latest updates.
Before there was a Barney Frank immersing himself in the world of online poker and prior to Alfonse D'Amato being named Chairman of the now powerful Poker Players Alliance, there was Jim Kasper (R-Fargo, ND). Kasper was one of the first politicians to push for regulation of online poker, and was nearly successful in doing so.
His plan called for online poker websites to move to North Dakota where - aside from freezing during the harsh winters - would be able to legally operate on US soil, not to mention Chicago is only an hour away from Fargo, North Dakota by plane and Minneapolis is within a 3 hour driving distance.
Sportingbet, which at the time owned the number three online poker room, Paradise Poker (remember them?), went on record as saying they would move much of their North American facing operation to North Dakota in a heartbeat.
And while much has been made of the new Democratic government in office, it is never fair to suggest that all Republicans are against the online gambling. This is most certainly a bi-partisan issue. In fact, one of the Republican Presidential candidates, Ron Paul, has already gone on record as saying that the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act passed in October is essentially a "ridiculous law".
Gambling911.com's own Kira Wissman had an opportunity this week to catch up with the North Dakota representative. Women poker players.
Representative Jim Kasper (R-Fargo, ND) had stepped out of the limelight for a period of time, after creating a whirlwind of excitement about his 2005 legislation seeking to legalize online poker rooms in his home state of North Dakota. Gambling911.com decided to check in with Rep. Kasper to see if there had been any developments since we had last spoken to him.
To bring those not familiar with Rep. Kasper and his beliefs about the online poker industry up to speed, Rep. Kasper was the father and prime sponsor of bills HB 1509 and HCR 3035. these bills were introduced during the 2005 North Dakota legislation session and sought to license and regulat online poker companies who would agree to re-locate to North Dakota. HB 1509 set forth the rules to regulate, license and tax the online poker rooms, and HCR 3035 was the amendment to North Dakota's constitution that would legalize online poker. Download poker wallpapers.
The bill was welcomed warmly at first. The House of Representatives voted unanimously to pass both bills and the legislation moved to the Senate. Unfortunately, a letter from the Department of Justice sent to North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem caused the bill to fail miserably in the Senate. The letter stated that these bills may be in violation of federal laws. The Senate was not convinced even after legal opinions had been from several renowned and respected attorneys.
After speaking with Rep. Kasper this week, we learned that nothing had been done with respect to the legalization of online poker during North Dakota's 2007 legislative session. North Dakota only holds session every 2 years, so the next session will not be held until 2009. When asked, Rep. Kasper declined to divulge what plans, if any, he had for the 2009 legislative season. He prefers to keep the opposition guessing. Play $500 match poker bonus.
Rep. Kasper mentioned that the federal legislation passed earlier in the year seemingly banning online gambling really put the brakes on any of his legislative plans. While he firmly believes that legislation had more bark than bite, he realized that he would fight a nearly impossible battle by trying to push any state legislation through in 2007.
He also expressed dismay at the online poker's industry's lack of cohesiveness and organization. He has reached out numerous times with suggestions on what these online poker rooms can do to help legitimize themselves, and has received little, if any, response. This is shocking given the growing popularity of the online poker industry.
Because of the recent influx of political candidates supporting (either directly or indirectly) online gaming, this is good time to bring some of Rep. Kasper's views on how to structure any future online poker legislation. He feels that this issue is strictly a states' rights issue. This type of decision should be left up to the individual states to decide, and in no way falls under the jurisdiction of the federal government. Play route 66 poker.
Rep. Kasper expressed great pleasure that there were a number of political candidates with favorable views on the legalization of online poker. He would love to get involved and assist in any way that he can. He welcomes contact from any poker organization or political candidate who would like to discuss the issues. He firmly believes that it will take a unified, cohesive effort to get any sort of legislation passed.
No matter what the federal government attempts to do, the facts remain: Poker is a $300 billion a year business in the United States alone. Federal legislation will do little to stop it. State regulation would increase the states' coffers, allow control of underage and compulsive gambling, and create a signfiant source of employment for the U.S. economy.
Rep. Kasper called for the online poker industry to get actively involved in contacting him, and the other political candidates with favorable view on online gambling. These include presidential candidate Ron Paul (R-TX), former Senator Alphonse D'Amato, Chairman of the Poker Player's Alliance, and Florida Congressman Robert Wexler. Poker organizations and enthusiasts need to get in touch with these individuals and show their support!
The public is overwhelmingly in favor of legalized, regulated online gaming. Do NOT let the federal government's intimidation tactics stop you from voicing your opinions. Fight to retain the personal privacy and freedom this country was founded upon! Stay tuned to our poker blog for more updates.
Rep. Kasper welcomes comments and discussion any time. He can be reached at
I'm addicted to World Series of Poker video blogs.
There, I've said it. If you want to make fun of me, go ahead – take your best shot and e-mail me at vin@casinocity.com. But before you do, try watching some. They're absolutely fascinating. And they're way better than chip counts and bust-out hands (sorry PokerNews).
It's not that chip counts and bust-out hands are inherently boring. It's just that most of the WSOP events have been won by people I've never heard of. When the likes of Phil Hellmuth, Freddy Deeb and Eli Elezra win poker tournaments, I'm interested. And when someone like Saro Getzoyan wins, the only thing that runs through my mind is Norm Chad saying "I know squadoosh" about this guy.
Squadoosh isn't entertaining. But Hellmuth, Daniel Negreanu and Tong G are. Their video blogs provide a fairly candid peek into the lifestyles of top poker players & women poker pros. And I can't stop watching.
Learning to like Hellmuth I was never a big Hellmuth fan. In my eyes, he was poker's version of John McEnroe – a brat with amazing talent.
But, as I learned in watching him on rawvegas.tv, there is much more to the self-proclaimed "Poker Brat" than just annoying table manners.
Hellmuth really cares about the WSOP. In fact he's obsessed with it. He wants to be known as the best poker player in WSOP history. He desperately wants to be the "record man" and own all the major WSOP marks. It drives his career. But as compelling as the naked ambition and desire is, the true revelation has been Phil's (I feel I can call him that now) softer side. Play online poker.
Hellmuth is a family man who picks his kids up from school (granted, it's after he's played several hours of Chinese Poker, but still, he picks them up), skips events to attend graduation ceremonies, and wants to play his best when they're in attendance. In one entry, Phil explained he was happy that one of his kids was away at camp, and out of contact, and the other was about to start camp so he didn't "have to feel guilty about not spending enough time" with his children.
And in his most recent video blog, Phil bemoaned the fact he was playing so poorly while his parents were there watching. Play $500 match poker bonus.
Phil the family man – who knew?
Wii Negreanu Negreanu (I'm not ready to call him Daniel yet) cracks me up. If his cell phone rings or vibrates during the taping of video blog, he always stops to check and see who it is.
The running theme is Negreanu's video poker blogs is the Nintendo Wii. He's either just played, is talking about playing, or has been stymied in an attempt to play it by lack of batteries.
Also, it looks like the WSOP has installed the Wii the player's lounge. And considering so many players seem to be addicted to it, that's probably a good thing.
Like Phil, Negreanu is serious about winning a bracelet. Of course, the fact that Negreanu has bet on himself to win a bracelet this year probably has something to do with it. Download poker wallpapers.
He's also very bitter about losing the H.O.R.S.E. tournament. In fact, that video is the angriest I've seen any poker player – including Mike Matusow. Words won't do it justice. You'll just have to head over to rawvegas.tv and check it out.
Tony G.: All business Of the three, Tony G. spends the most time talking about poker. And he spends most of that time complaining about the structure of the limit tournaments.
Tony G. (I can't call him Tony yet and G. just seems wrong) says the way WSOP limit tournaments are structured this year is all wrong. That it takes too long to build any sort of stack and the first few levels are utterly meaningless – making the entire tournament a grind.
Apparently the grind got to Tony G. recently. A dealer made a mistake that killed one of his hands, and apparently he let the dealer have it. But as he sheepishly admitted in his video blog at Pokerworks.com, he overreacted. So he tipped the dealer $1,000. And he wants everyone to know that know chips were not thrown at the dealer's head. "There may have been chips in the air," Tony G. said. "But none toward the dealer."
The program, called Polaris, will play four games of ‘Texas Hold Em’ Poker Tournament. Its opponents are Phil Laak and Ali Eslami, gamblers from Los Angeles who are among the top players in the global high- stakes cash poker circuit.
The competition will begin with humans receiving $5,000 for each match they win against Polaris. Play $500 match poker bonus.
But the cash is modest, noted Eslami, who said he agreed to come to this western Canadian city to compete because he’s interested in artificial intelligence. Online poker.
The man-machine poker game is billed as one highlight at the annual global conference of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence. More than 1,000 scientists from universities and corporations pre-registered for the event in this western Canadian city, said an organizer. Play route 66 poker.
Scientists have now developed computers that can beat humans at chess, checkers and backgammon. But if Polaris wins the essentially psychological game of poker — with its inherent bluffing, emotions, deliberate deception and elements of chance as well as mathematics — Bowling said it will be a major milestone for the progress of Artificial Intelligence.
The 2007 World Series of Poker took its first steps on shaky legs in June as complaints of winding registration lines, indecipherable playing cards and shrouded final tables surfaced almost immediately.
But as the Series draws to a close with the final table of the Main Event today, tournament director Jack Effel and commissioner Jeffrey Pollack passed some of the problems off as suggested areas for improvement for 2008.
The pair spoke to media at a press conference at the Rio Tuesday morning before introducing the final nine players of the WSOP championship table. Download poker wallpapers.
Among the issues discussed at today's conference was the debate about the final tables to which Harrah's blocked media and fan access by having the events played in a black tent. The idea was to allow WSOP fans to buy live coverage - which included a peek at players' hole cards - of the poker tournaments from the organization's Web site.
The move was unpopular with media organizations and irked players who wanted their family members close at hand during their final table appearances.
Nonetheless, Pollack deemed the test a success in terms of live streaming of bracelet events and viewing hole cards. He did note, however, that the WSOP has to figure out a better way to make the tournaments accessible to fans and players' supporters.
"We appreciate everyone's patience this year as we went through that test but I think it was a worthwhile effort," he said. "I think that the World Series of Poker, from a broadcasting and new media standpoint, the foundations of the business are set in terms of the next wave of global growth for us."
Another question fielded by the duo concerned the choice of chip colors for the events, specifically why the WSOP opted to have orange $5,000, $10,000 and $50,000 chips.
Tournament organizers met with WSOP chip-manufacturer GPI and went through the colors, contrasting them side by side, said Effel.
"You're having to pick a different color for each denomination and you don't want to have a repeat color, especially one that's in at the same time as one of the others," he said. "And when it got to the $5,000 and $25,000s, they looked good in a room with dim light but they didn't look good in a room with a lot of light out there on the tables with the green felt.
"In a darker landscape they look much better," he said. "So I definitely think the $25,000s need reevaluating for next year and I think that if you take out that color, it will show a better contrast with the rest of the colors and the chips will blend much better," he said.
A nuts and bolts issue opened for discussion at the media conference included changes to tournament structures. The 2007 WSOP saw organizers do some tweaking to create more play for competitors in the early levels. Play $500 match poker bonus.
But the Series is still weighing further changes to improve player experience for 2008, said Effel.
"I definitely think a couple intermediate levels and bringing back 90-minutes levels at the final table for preliminary events would also be a good move for next year," he said.
Another area of concern that players can expect to be addressed by the WSOP officials next year was brought to attention by Pollack. The commissioner said he'd like to put an end to the aggressive agenting taking place within feet of the tournament tables at the 2007 Series.
"I personally see that as disruptive to the game and that is something that, in the off-season, we're going to take a very, very hard look at," said Pollack.
The World Series of Poker will always be supportive of players & women poker pros trying to maximize their revenue using their success in its tournaments, he said, but added that the organization will not allow agents working for companies to infringe on players' rights to compete without distractions.
"While we're not looking and will not regulate agents - I have no interest in doing that - I think we're going to have to define some sort of geographical boundary because what I've seen the last couple weeks was not right in terms of the integrity of the event and how we're trying to position ourselves," said Pollack.
Possible penalties issued for breaking any guidelines set out for the 2008 World Series of Poker would be against the companies, not the agents themselves, he added.
"This is me putting some folks on notice," he said. The last couple weeks I saw some things that I really didn't like seeing."
Hand in hand with this issue are the rules for player apparel at the tournament table - something Pollack said the WSOP will likely tighten up for next year to maintain respectability at the Series. He cited pro player Robert Williamson III as a player who has a lot of sponsorship but looks good on the felt, thanks to a signature sport coat he had embroidered with the logos of his sponsors. Play route 66 poker.
"He's a great example of how poker players can end up looking like NASCAR drivers in the best way," he said.
Structures: did some tweaking - more play in the early levels for players "I definitely think there could be some intermediate levels put in later in the tournament so when you're in that second day, third day, final table where your chips are very very equal
"I definitely think a couple intermediate levels and bringing back 90-minutes levels at the final table for preliminary events would also be a good move for next year," he said.
It is down to 27 from the initial 6331 who entered this year's WSOP (World Series of Poker) as we head into mid afternoon Las Vegas time. Through Tuesday's finale, all WSOP updates can be found here and of course by visiting the front page of Gambling911.com.
As a testament to this year's WSOP, a virtual unknown - Lee Childs - leads in chip count. He's already guaranteed winnings that are enough to sustain most households for an entire year (three months after taxes are taken out). Download poker wallpapers.
David Tran was the most successful tournament poker player to date ahead of other significant circuit players.
David Tran has been playing poker for about 10 years, just about all his adult life, according to PokerPages.com, one of many significant website enterprises covering this year's World Series of Poker.
He is mostly a cash-game player, preferring $100-$200 limit hold’em. While he hasn’t played that many poker tournaments, he still has had numerous cashes, including a win at Heavenly Hold’em, a second in the Holiday Bonus tournament, and another second at the WSOP Circuit tour at the Rio last year.
He describes his style of play as careful. “Make that scared,” PokerPages amends.
Tran is the Man: But Which One?
It is another Tran that has the poker world's attention Sunday afternoon, however.
Kenny Tran has won nearly 600,000 lifetime in tournament play and that was more than any other player among the top 10 chip leaders. Play route 66 poker.
PokerListings.com asked Kenny why his game has gotten so good this summer.
"Well I don't play a lot of tournaments and I'm mostly a No-Limit cash game player. This is only my fifth tournament this summer but when there is big money involved I give 110%."
Tran, like many professional players & women poker players, suggests that too many "bad players" really has its effect early on in the WSOP.
"I think the reason there is a lot of dead money is because the blinds go up so fast. I don't think they are constructive for good players. Even at this (early) point in the tournament you can see the blinds moving up fast."
Kenny Tran survived that "bad play" however and has managed to make the top 25 with a legitimate shot at winning the 2007 title.
Kenny was actually a relative unknown until this summer where he won $400,000 in the World Championship H.O.R.S.E. (Event 39). Kassam (Freddy) Deeb took home the $2.3 mil prize. Stay tuned to our poker blog for more updates.
These were your chip leaders heading into the 4 pm PST hour Sunday:
The 2007 World Series of Poker attracted 54,000 registering players and some, which is more than any previous year in WSOP history.
Despite stricter U.S. legislation for online poker and a generally unclear legal situation for poker in many European countries, this year's World Series of Poker is the biggest in WSOP history.
The 55 events played out in various poker variations and with a range of buy-ins attracted a total of 54,288 players & women poker players, averaging close to 1,000 entrants per tournament.
The Main Event didn't quite reach the score of 2006 - a Golden year in the Main Event history - but with 6,358 players spread out over four Day 1, it's still the second-largest poker competition ever. Play route 66 poker.
WSOP 2007 generated a total prize pool of almost $160 million! The prize pool of the Main Event amounts to almost $60 million, and one winner will take home $8.25 million. As many as 621 players in the Main Event will finish in the money and receive at least $20,320 - double the buy-in. Download poker wallpapers.
"Poker is alive and well, and the 2007 World Series of Poker has been a tremendous success," said World Series of Poker Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack. Play $500 match poker bonus.
Earlier during WSOP 2007, Pollack had promised to carry out a number of improvements for WSOP 2008, at the request of player representatives.
It's only 19 tables.
