That green expanse of felt is, apparently, fertile ground for romance. Nowhere is this love more prevalent than at the World Series of Poker, where players' toughest competition could be their spouses.

Poker has produced some remarkable duos - Schoenberg and Benyamine, Tilly and Laak, Hawbaker and Newhouse, Hawbaker and Franklin, Hawbaker and Sklansky - and opportunities for pro-couple rivalry are rife at the 2007 WSOP.

But new poker paramours have a long way to go before they catch up to some the of the WSOP's top-cashing husband-and-wife teams.

You won't find the tournament's top pro-couple eliciting any gossip on the Neverwin Poker forums, but Harry and woman poker player Jeri Thomas lead the pack for combined marital cashes at the series.

Harry has seen 31 paydays at the World Series while Jeri has 10; what makes the Thomases all the more impressive, though, is the fact that they hold his-and-hers gold bracelets - one of just two couples who can claim the honor. Download poker wallpapers.

Hot on the rhyming couple's heels, however, is top cash-game player Jennifer Harman, with 20 in-the-money results, and Marco Traniello, her husband and an up-and-coming poker star with 13 cashes.

Bill and woman poker pro Kristy Gazes might have the number three spot among the married set but it is a record that is bound to be broken seeing as, well, they aren't married anymore. The divorced duo has a combined 31 Series cashes, 27 of which belong to Bill and four of which are Kristy's.

The only other couple to each possess a gold bracelet comes in at number four. Max and Maria Stern both earned their hardware at the 1997 poker tournament: He won in No-Limit Hold'em while she took down a Seven-Card Stud event. Together they have 30 cashes - five for Maria and 25 for Max.

But with for spaces to make up, Bob and Maureen Feduniak are looking to unseat the Sterns with his 16 WSOP paychecks and her 10. Play route 66 poker.

Though they don't place on the list, it's worth noting that 2002 championship Robert Varkonyi and his wife, Olga, also count - but just barely. While his only cash was the most important one of all, her solo payday was $28,375 for finishing 238th in the 2007 Main Event.

From Ron and Teresa McMillian - the first couple to play together in a Main Event during the 1980s - to forum-fodder play online poker couples such as Jennicide and Neverwin, love, it seems, is always in the cards at the World Series of Poker.

Poker News Source: Poker Listings

As Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa approaches the first anniversary of the opening of its 85-table Poker Room -- the largest poker room in Atlantic City --- the Summer Poker Open continues to sizzle with action. With over 350 entries in Saturday's $1,000 + $80 No Limit Hold 'Em Event, topping off the weekend entries for the Summer Poker Open to 2,000, one would never know the World Series of Poker (WSOP) was underway in Las Vegas. In the first four days of Borgata's Summer Poker Open, over one million dollars in prize money was awarded, solidifying Borgata's position as the East Coast's premier poker tournament destination.

Ray Stefanelli, Director of Poker Marketing for Borgata, commented, "This weekend has been an overwhelming success, culminating in great endings to the main events. Our room was filled with poker pros & women poker pros, local players, and people checking out what Borgata poker is all about."

Saturday's $1000 + 80 buy-in event saw fierce competition with 352 players & women poker players vying for their share of the $352,000 prize pool. The richest event to date at the 2007 Summer Open featured great players from all over. Seen amongst the field, was former WSOP Main Event Champion, Robert Varkonyi, who took down $2 million in 2002. Robert was not the only famous face in the field; making the final table in this event was Joe Simmons, former manager of the groundbreaking hip-hop group, The Roots. In the poker world, Joe is best known for making the final table of Borgata's Winter Poker Open Main Event, taking home nearly half a million dollars for his fourth place finish in January. Download poker wallpapers.

Simmons controlled the chip lead for much of the final table, but Daniel Apicella slowly gained control of the poker tournament. Simmons then went all in against the short stack, John "JJ" Hurley, and lost. Simmons took home $28,688 in third place prize money. Hurley was at a significant disadvantage in head's up play online poker, but kept chipping away at Apicella's stack. Just as Hurley seemed poised to make a move, he went all-in and lost. Hurley took home $59,136 for second place. The champion, Apicella won $107,350 for first place. "It is a great feeling to win in my home poker room. We are heading out to celebrate at B Bar and will be back for next week's Main Event." Play route 66 poker.

On Thursday nearly 400 players & women poker pros took to the tables for the $500 buy-in event #2. Joe Cutler, an amateur player from Long Island, NY, captured the championship and $58,713 in first place prize money. Mike Matrone of Marlboro, NJ, finished second with $32,340 in second place prize money. The third place finisher was Robert Zarzycki, who took home $15,689. A vocal Matrone was disappointed with losing, but ready for more poker action during the Borgata Summer Poker Open. Play $500 match poker bonus.

"I will be back for more at the Summer Open," said Matrone. "I already have Bobby Flay (Steak) reservations for this weekend!"

The Main Event on Friday (Event #3) was the $750 + 60 No Limit Hold 'Em Event. There were 309 entries, creating a $231,750 prize pool. Marc Lunenfield of Virginia Beach, VA, finished first, taking home $70,683 in prize money. Ronnie Kevin of Richland, NJ, finished in second place, taking home $38,934. Mark Tomasko finished third with $8,887 in prize money. Online poker.

Sunday's action featured the fan favorite, Ladies Event- $260 + $40 No Limit Hold 'Em at 11:00 AM. The 7-Card Stud Main Event begins at noon. The 2007 Borgata Summer Open offers players a chance to participate in some of Atlantic City's richest tournaments including Texas Hold 'Em No Limit, Texas Hold 'Em Limit, 7-Card Stud, and the Ladies-Only Tournament. Play online poker.

In addition, each day of the tournament features, super satellites, second chance cash, and sit-and-go tournaments. The Championship Event is a four-day event, starting on Saturday, June 23rd, concluding on Tuesday, June 26th. Players will start with $50,000 in tournament chips and play in one of the best-structured tournaments around. Stay tuned to our poker blog for more updates.

Poker News Source: Casino City Times

The Borgata's poker room in Atlantic City is about to celebrate its first anniversary, and players are marking the occasion by packing the joint for its Summer Poker Open tournament.

The weekend entries soared to 2,000, after 250 players & women poker players bought in to Saturday's $1,000+$80 No-Limit Hold'em event. The bustle of activity in Atlantic City's largest poker room swelled the collective prize pools to more than $1 million. Download poker wallpapers.

Among the faces at the Borgata felt were 2002 World Series of Poker Main Event champion Robert Varkonyi and music manage Joe Simmons, who made it to the final table of the weekend poker tournament.

Despite maintaining a chip lead throughout the final table, Simmons's stack began to dwindle at the hand of Daniel Apicella. Crippled after losing an all-in push against the table's short stack, Simmons was eliminated in third place and Apicella went on to win the poker tournament.

Other tournaments at the Borgata's Summer Poker Open included $500 No-Limit Hold'em, a Friday Main Event for $750+$60, a ladies event Sunday, and a Seven-Card Stud championship that played out yesterday. Play online poker.

Players & women poker pros interested in following the action can check out the Borgata blog for commentary on notable hands and bust outs. Stay tuned to our poker blog for more updates.

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Poker News Source: Poker Listings

To broaden the coverage of Celebpoker in Europe, a new EU Gaming Licence has been acquired. This new licence will allow Swedish poker players & women poker players to play at Celebpoker for the first time.

Dave Donovan, CEO of CelebPoker, said that the Swedish addition is a very welcome and necessary one. Download poker wallpapers.

"CelebPoker is continually looking to provide poker players & women poker pros from around the world with the chance to enjoy the best possible poker experience. We are very happy that we can now offer this to the Swedish market, and I would like to personally welcome all Swedish players to CelebPoker."

Swedish poker players will now be able to take advantage of CelebPoker's wide range of online poker games, such as Texas Hold'em, Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo, 7 Card Stud and 5 Card Draw poker tournaments. They will also have the unique opportunity to become part of the exciting Team CelebPoker, CelebPoker's worldwide search for poker players to represent CelebPoker at major European poker events.

Team CelebPoker provides all CelebPoker players with an opportunity to represent CelebPoker at major European Poker Tournaments. They are looking for the new faces of poker to form part of two teams. These poker players will represent Team CelebPoker at different events across Europe. Play online poker.

"This is a great opportunity for our Swedish poker players," Donovan added. "Sweden has had a long history of producing some of the best poker players in the world, and I am very excited that some of these elite players will have the chance to qualify and represent Team CelebPoker." Play route 66 poker.

The addition of the new gaming licence is a further example of CelebPoker's commitment to constantly improving its software and playability, to give poker players & women poker pros from around the world the best possible online poker experience. Stay tuned to our poker blog for more updates. Play $500 match poker bonus.

Poker News Source: PR Web

Absolute Poker grants online poker players exclusive access to private celebrity photo shoot in Aruba featuring poker bombshell Serinda Swan.

News surrounding the 2007 Aruba Poker Classic just got significantly hotter. Absolute Poker today announced that Serinda Swan, the exotic new face of the popular online poker site, is slated to be a part of the 5-star island tournament this fall.

"We're taking an already hot poker tournament and spicing it up to the extreme by adding one unbelievable poker temptress to the mix," stated David Clainer, senior vice president for Absolute Poker. "This will be one poker tournament that our players will never forget."

Players who win their way to the weeklong tournament through Absolute Poker will receive exclusive access to Serinda's private bikini photo shoot, set on the backdrop of Aruba's gorgeous beaches.

Clainer notes that the down-to-earth Texas Hold'em bombshell is no stranger to the poker world. Most players already know Swan from the popular online poker site's web pages, print ads, television spots and other marketing pieces. Serinda also has her own feature table every Sunday where online poker players are invited to play with what is arguably the industry's most attractive poker player.

The 2007 Aruba Poker Classic takes place from September 29th through October 6th, 2007 at the Radisson Aruba Resort & Casino. The estimated prize pool of the land-based poker tournament is $2.5 million. The time spent with Serinda, however, is priceless.

Absolute Poker players can win an $8,500 Aruba prize package from as little as $1. The package includes the $5,500 main event seat and $3,000 for travel and accommodations.

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News Source: PR Web