Title: Winning Secrets of Poker Author: Peter Thomas Fornatale Publisher: Daily Racing Form Press Price: US $24.95 Pages: 235 Book Review by: Nick Christenson
REVIEW
One of the most reliable ways to learn how to do a task well is to learn from those who already know. Most of us won't get the opportunity to ask questions of the best poker players & women poker players in the world, so we'll have to settle for having someone else do that for us. In Winning Secrets of Poker, Peter Thomas Fornatale extensively interviews 18 people making at least a significant chunk of their livelihood by playing poker. We come to understand something of how they approach the game from these conversations.
Fornatale interviews an intriguing mix of players. He talks to true poker celebrities from the poker tournament circuit, such as Phil Hellmuth, Daniel Negreanu, Jennifer Harman, and Ted Forrest. He consults with poker book authors such as David Sklansky, Ed Miller, Matt Matros, and Matt Lessinger. He also talks to unknown professionals, including three who prefer to remain anonymous. I don't know if the wide variety of people to whom the author talked was due to choice or circumstance, but I greatly appreciated the diversity of voices presented in this book.
While players such as Hellmuth and Negreanu certainly deserve to be included in a book of this nature, one doesn't have to go to great lengths to hear what they have to say about poker from other sources. That doesn't mean that their perspectives aren't important, but I was pleased that among the high power professionals we got to hear from Harman and Forrest, two extremely well-credentialled players who haven't had the same level of saturation in the poker press. Download poker wallpapers.
Even more, though, I enjoyed hearing from players I knew much less about. The profiles of Danish professional Morten Erlandsen and the three anonymous professionals were particularly interesting to me because these were perspectives on poker that I hadn't heard before. Conversations with other pros that aren't likely to be household names include Alan Boston, Max Pescatori, and woman poker champ Liz Lieu.
Because Fornatale consulted with such a wide spectrum of professional players, we get some divergent views on how to become a successful poker player. More than a few of these notions are contradictory. At times the author probes a little deeper in an attempt to reconcile some of these discrepancies, but many remain unresolved or lurk under a surface barely scratched. This is entirely understandable, but I would have enjoyed a more vigorous debate on some of these topics. Play route 66 poker.
There are two ways an interview book can work. It can work as entertainment, and Winning Secrets of Poker succeeds in this regard. It can also work as an information source, and while we get some interesting perspectives on poker, there's not as much here as the aspiring poker student might hope. Fornatale asks some strategy-focused questions, but few of the subjects seem prepared to talk in those sorts of specifics in this format.
The bottom line is that I did enjoy this book. I thought the questions were well-considered and the selection of subjects was thoughtful. I found it very reminiscent of the book Gambling Wizards by Richard Munchkin in that it contained good interviews with intriguing people from the world of gambling. Those looking for deep strategic insight, or careful arguments for and against various approaches to the game may feel that the book comes short of what they would hope. However, that doesn't mean it's not worth reading, so I recommend it. Online poker.
Capsule:
Winning Secrets of Poker is a collection of 18 interviews of successful poker players, running the gamut from celebrities to the anonymous. Personally, I really enjoyed hearing from the wide variety of subjects that author Peter Thomas Fornatale has assembled. The book won't provide all that much for those looking for deep strategic insights, but many of the questions are intriguing which makes this book a worthwhile read for most fans of the game.
European online poker players are migrating to sites based in Costa Rica in order to go head-to-head with Americans who are regarded as the best players in the world, says William Hill.
The drift to the sites - regarded as illegal under US laws - has hit the bookmaker.
William Hill is also facing increased competition from legal sites in Europe as they scale up their marketing spend to attract new European customers. Play route 66 poker.
The company reported a 0.5pc increase in pre-tax profits to £134m in the first half, despite a difficult comparative period as the World Cup helped drive performance last year. Women poker players.
It said higher charges on in-store betting machines, which it forecasts will cost around £15m extra a year, were offset by a 16pc increase in gross win from the machines.
Overall group revenues improved 4pc to £477m.
Analysts said trading in the first four weeks of the second half was promising as the company's gross win - ignoring the impact of the World Cup - improved 4pc despite the number of racing fixtures cancelled due to the dreadful weather, and the introduction of the smoking ban on July 1. Download poker wallpapers.
William Hill said the second half should see the benefits of extended opening hours and the introduction of jackpot machines from September, but warned that there was some uncertainty around the full impact of the smoking ban.
It plans to resume its share buyback programme in the second half. Play online poker.
The programme was suspended earlier this year so the group could invest in its joint venture with Codere to establish businesses in Spain and Italy, which it says are progressing well.
The company will pay an interim dividend of 7.75p a share on December 5.
The shares inched up 1½ to 600p. Stay tuned to our poker blog for latest updates.
The World Series of Poker threw a wrench into Bodog Poker's regular scheduling. Not only were their pros busy, but so were many of their top players as they competed in several events in Las Vegas. Now that it's over, the poker site is catching up with all its heads-up matches between players and pros.
Beginning with head2782, otherwise known as Jose Severino in the real world, these players showed why they're continually atop the tournament leaderboard at Bodog Poker.
Severino took on Josh Arieh on Monday in two separate matches he was owed for being the weekly leaderboard winner twice recently. Download poker wallpapers.
He lost the first match to Arieh, losing out on an accumulated $3,000 prize. His loss meant another $1,000 was added before they played the second match - this time with Severino coming out the winner. That's $4,000 more he can add to the $39,445 he won after cashing in 345th place at the World Series of Poker Main Event this year.
Severino also still holds the top spot on Bodog Poker's Yearly Tournament Leaderboard, even after having to slow down his online poker activity a little bit while he played in Las Vegas.
Right under him in the leaderboard is nevertilt22, also known as Smith Collins, who went up against women poker champ Evelyn Ng heads-up on Tuesday.
First Ng had to take on Eddie "EddieOB" O'Brien. Because Severino won his second match, the prize pool was back down to $1,000. That was enough to keep O'Brien playing his best, though, as he took down the Bodog Poker pro.
Ng then took on Collins who also found a little success in Vegas this month after finishing fourth in a $1,000 Nightly No-Limit Hold'em tournament during the Bellagio Cup III. Ng had some success of her own, cashing in 25th in a WSOP event this year, but her luck wasn't any good against Collins. Play $500 match poker bonus.
He defeated her to take home his $1,000 prize.
For your chance to take on Ng, Arieh or David Williams at Bodog Poker, all you have to do is play in any of the weekly tournaments and accumulate more points than anyone else during any given week. Stay tuned to our poker blog for more updates.
Top prize is the $1,000 heads-up match that grows by $1,000 each week if the pro wins the match.
Other leaderboard prizes are:
Second and Third places: 270 tournament credits
Fourth and Fifth places: 110 tournament credits
Sixth to 10th places: 50 tournament credits
11th to 15th places: 25 tournament credits
Tournament credits can be used towards entry for all of Bodog Poker's scheduled tournaments.
The summer of 2007 was a lucrative one for Bodog Poker players who headed to Las Vegas to try their hand at some of the biggest poker tournaments in the world. With cashes at the World Series of Poker, the Venetian Deep Stack Extravaganza, Bellagio Cup III and even Binion's Poker Classic, they walked away with nearly $2 million in cash.
Michael Graves brought in the largest single chunk of that money with just one cash in the World Series of Poker. Of course, that one cash was a bracelet win in one of the many $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em events that helped the Series set attendance records this year.
For his win, he received $742,121 and the one gold bracelet win brought home by Bodog Poker team members this year.
Several players came close to gold, making final tables at the World Series of Poker events as well. Justin Bonomo, better known as ZeeJustin online, had a fourth-place finish in the $2,000 No-Limit Hold'em event as well as two other cashes at the WSOP. Play route 66 poker.
Also coming close to a bracelet was Yuval Bronshtein who made it as far as third place in the $2,000 Pot-Limit Hold'em event to take home $109,018. He added nearly $5,000 more to that with a cash in another event as well.There were a few ladies from Bodog Poker who helped add to the cash total from the World Series.
Maria Ho was the highest placing woman in the Main Event, coming in at 38th place for $237,865. She also had another cash in the $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em event and made the final table of one of the Bellagio Cup III's Nightly No-Limit Hold'em events.
Kelly Jo McGlothlin was also one of the highest placing women poker pro at the WSOP Main Event. She cashed for $67,535 with her 95th-place finish.
Team Bodog's pros pulled in their fair share of cash this year as well.
Josh Arieh, one of the more well-known members of the team mostly for his reputation, managed a final table appearance in an event. He went out in ninth place for $11,658.
Evelyn Ng didn't play in the first couple weeks of the World Series as she was busy getting moved and settled into a new house. The $14,608 she earned for 25th place in the $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em event should help pay for any updates she wants to do in the new digs. Play $500 match poker bonus.
David Williams was the most successful of the three pros. He managed four cashes at the WSOP for more than $70,000. His biggest success came at the Bellagio Cup III, though, where he won the $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em event for $129,120.
Proving that maybe poker is in the genes, Williams' mother also managed two cashes at the World Series this year.
Shirley Williams placed 81st in the $1,000 Seniors event for $2,155, and then was one of the women who made it into the money of the Main Event, taking home $29,883 for her 465th-place finish.
The WSOP wasn't the only cash generator for some of Bodog Poker's players. Johnathan "UFPokerStar" Westra, Smith "nevertilt22" Collins and Jose "papadelpoker" De La Guardia all had cashes in either the Bellagio Cup III or the Venetian Deep Stack Extravaganza.
Westra registered a win and a second-place finish in events at the Bellagio Cup, earning more than $100,000 in two $1,500 buy-in events. He also cashed in a $500 No-Limit Hold'em event at the Venetian for $932.
Collins managed a final-table appearance in one of the Bellagio Cup III's Nightly $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em events, tacking on $10,995 to his bankroll.
De La Guardia managed a final table both in a Bellagio and a Venetian event, though didn't quite make it for a win. His fifth-place finish in a $500 No-Limit Hold'em event at the Venetian netted him $8,757, while his sixth-place finish in a $500 N-Limit Hold'em event at the Bellagio Cup got him $5,025.
There are still plenty of events and plenty of months left in the year for players to rake in even more cash. Bodog Poker pros and online poker players will get a chance at more tournament money this September at the World Series of Poker Europe taking place in London.
Bloomfield Township resident Alan Keating (right) made it in the money at the World Series of Poker main event.
Keating finished 102nd out of 6,358 players & women poker players and took home $58,570. His buy-in was $10,000.
Keating, 21, was the best Michigan finisher. Only 36 players remained after Saturday's play, which is being taped in Las Vegas and will air on ESPN starting Aug. 21. Play $500 match poker bonus.
"I'm disappointed," Keating said. "I really thought I could win, but I feel good about how far I came."
The no-limit Texas hold 'em main event was Keating's first big splash on poker's biggest stage. The 21-year-old has been playing the game since high school. He's now a marketing major at Michigan State.
Keating said he raised half of the buy-in by beating his buddies in the dorms and others and has played online poker. A friend of his, who will receive half of the prize money, put up the rest.
Keating was eliminated by 24-year-old poker pro Maria Ho, the last woman remaining in the field.
"I play a tight-aggressive style," he said. "I pick a spot and when I go in, I go all-in. I never limp into a hand."
Keating had put all his chips in against Ho with an unsuited ace and queen.
He was ahead of Ho, who had called his bet with an unsuited king and jack.
But luck took over, and the flop was jack, king, five, giving Ho two pair and Keating a straight draw. The turn and river produced a jack and five of clubs, eliminating Keating. Download poker wallpapers.
Keating had hoped to take the $8.25-million grand prize so he could "finish school and pay for college for the entire next generation of my family."
Keating sat at the same table as some big names, including former champions Carlos Mortensen and Huck Seed. He said the coolest person he met was Godsmack lead singer Sully Erna, the last celebrity eliminated.
Most of the pros such as Phil Hellmuth and Doyle Brunson busted out early. Only a few big names, such as Gus Hansen and former winners Scotty Nguyen and Seed, remained Saturday. Stay tuned to our poker blog for more updates.
On Day 1 of the World Series of Poker Main Event in 2005, Lee Rousso was in the thick of the action, taking his seat at one of the tables and preparing for a shot at millions - the winner of an online poker qualifier that supplied his $10,000 buy-in.
On the first day of the 2007 WSOP Main Event, reports the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Rousso was in the thick of another action altogether - filing a lawsuit against the state of Washington, claiming the state's ban on Internet poker is a direct violation of the U.S. Constitution.
Passed just last year, Senate Bill 6613 essentially banned Internet-based sports gambling in Washington - including online poker - in what lawmakers said was an effort to comply with the Federal Wire Act of 1961, designed to curtail sports-betting over the phone.
He told the Post Intelligencer the bill not only fails in complying with the Wire Act, it's actually a thinly veiled attempt to protect the in-state gambling industry and puts Washington directly in violation of the Constitution's commerce clause, which "forbids individual states from passing protectionist laws against other states' business." Play route 66 poker.
Rousso, the Washington representative for the Poker Player's Alliance, is looking for a declaratory judgment against the bill, making it void, and feels optimistic about his chances. Play $500 match poker bonus.
"I think my chances are darn good," he told the paper. Stay tuned to our poker blog for more updates.
Josh Arieh looks to get back to the final table at the 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event, but this time win it all. Arieh admits he can be cocky but likes to show he is confident and he enjoys the art of bluffing, having written about it on several ocassions. Although Arieh has never won the main event at the WSOP, he has won 2 of the coveted World Series of Poker bracelets.
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He earned his first bracelet in 1999 along with more than $200,000 when he took the title in No Limit Hold'em. He won his second bracelet at the 2005 WSOP by defeating Chris Ferguson in a Pot Limit Omaha event, in which he won more than $381,000. Women poker.
Another win in 2005 netted Arieh $100,000 when he hit a royal flush playing video poker. Josh Arieh has been playing poker in the Atlanta area for more than a decade and competes in at least a dozen $10,000 and higher poker tournaments each year for team Bodog.com.
"Atlanta Josh" was born in Rochester, New York in 1974 and now lives in Atlanta, Georgia. A formidable opponent, he has been featured on ESPN, the Discovery Channel, the Travel Channel, and Fox Sports Network. He has also been the subject of several magazine articles and is the author of various poker articles as well. Play $500 match poker bonus.
His total live tournament winnings exceeded more than $4.2 million as of 2006. When he's not playing poker or talking or writing about it, Arieh enjoys playing golf and spending time at home in the Georgia sun. He is married and has 2 children. Download poker wallpapers.
Bodog.com has posted WSOP prop bets on which of the following former Main Event 2nd place finishers will last longer in the 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event? Play online poker.
Title: Winning Secrets of Poker 
