Friday, December 28, 2007

Guitar Hero rocks

Our newest addiction is Guitar Hero. I played it for the first time a couple of months ago at my friend Brian's house, and decided to ask for it as a Christmas present. At this point, I think Amy has played it more than me. She jammed for hours last night while I played in a poker tournament online. Check out this video below. This kid is sick. No way could I ever (or want to take the time) get this good.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUzNcheoY6U

Friday, December 21, 2007

Major search engines settle online gambling ad suit

The three largest Internet companies have agreed to pay a combined $31.5 million to settle federal civil allegations they took ads for illegal gambling, the U.S. Attorney for eastern Missouri said Wednesday.

Microsoft (MSFT, Fortune 500), Yahoo (YHOO, Fortune 500) and Google (GOOG, Fortune 500) also agreed to stop accepting ads for sports wagering and other online gambling, U.S. Attorney Catherine Hanaway said.

The investigation, conducted by Hanaway's office, along with the IRS and the FBI, dates to 2000, she said. Negotiations have been going on for 12 to 18 months, she said.

"This is a very profitable business that had a lot of money to spend on marketing," Hanaway said of the online gambling firms advertising on the Web.

All three companies said they stopped taking the ads years ago.

"I do think it will have a major impact, Hanaway said. Obviously these are three of the largest online organizations in the world."

Microsoft's $21 million portion of the settlement includes a $4.5 million forfeit, $7.5 million to be paid to the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children and $9 million in public service ads over a three-year period starting next year.


To read the rest, click the link above.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

John Harkness, RGP and BARGE regular, found dead yesterday

I met John at BARGE in 2005 and interacted with him on RGP, so I was very saddened to see this on RGP this morning. For those who didn't know him, John was a top film critic in Toronto and a helluva smart and nice guy. We'll miss you John.

Here is the article:

Toronto film critic found dead

SANDRA MARTIN

Globe and Mail Update

December 18, 2007 at 6:56 PM EST

John Harkness, the film critic for NOW Magazine since its beginning on Sept. 10, 1981, was found dead in his home in Toronto on Tuesday, according to Michael Hollet, the tabloid's editor and publisher. Mr. Harkness, who was 53 had been suffering from high cholesterol. "He had never missed a deadline in 26 years," Mr. Hollet said Tuesday fternoon, "so we sent somebody to his house when his copy didn't arrive." That is when they found his body and called the police.

Born in Montreal in 1954, Mr. Harkness grew up in Halifax and Sarnia. He earned a degree in English literature from Carleton University in Ottawa before doing graduate work in Cinema Studies at Columbia University in New York City, where he studied under critic Andrew Sarris.


"John Harkness was simply the best film critic in Canada over the last 26 years," said Mr. Hollet in a press release. "He has been an essential element of NOW magazine's success and his unique vision and bravery and art in expressing it inspired all of us at NOW to strive."


Mr. Harkness also wrote for Sight And Sound, Take One, and the Cinematheque Ontario program and spent several years as a trade reporter for Screen International and Cinema Canada. His book on the Oscars, The Academy Awards Handbook, is currently in its eighth edition.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

WSOP schedule announced

Interesting changes to the WSOP this year....many more big buy-in events ($10,000), two-day starts to some $1,500 events, and a mixed tournament featuring a rotation of eight, that's right EIGHT, poker games.

Here is the press release and schedule:


Harrah’s Entertainment Announces 2008 Schedule
For 39th World Series Of Poker® Presented by Milwaukee’s Best Light

Second Annual “Ante Up for Africa” Tournament Also Set


LAS VEGAS – December 11, 2007 – Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:HET) said today the 2008 World Series of Poker Presented by Milwaukee’s Best Light and televised exclusively on ESPN will – for the first time ever – begin and end with $10,000 buy-in World Championship events and feature a total of eight $10,000 championships.

In addition, the 55-event schedule for 2008 includes a total of eight $1,500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em tournaments, which traditionally draw the largest fields except for the Main Event. The WSOP has also added a second start day for the first of the $1,500 no-limit competitions to accommodate the expected number of entrants.

“This is our most exciting schedule yet,” said Jeffrey Pollack, commissioner of the WSOP. “Both amateur and professional poker players will have new opportunities to compete for a WSOP bracelet and can choose from the widest variety of games and buy-ins ever offered in one poker tournament and certainly at the WSOP.

“We’re holding steady at 55 events this year,” said Pollack. “But, we’ve mixed it up a bit to keep it interesting for our players and fans.”

The 2008 WSOP starts May 30 with the $10,000 buy-in World Championship of Pot-Limit Hold’Em and ends July 16 with the Final Table of the $10,000 buy-in World Championship of No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em – best known as the WSOP Main Event.

The six other $10,000 buy-in events – all World Championship competitions – include: Heads-Up No-Limit Hold’Em; Seven-Card Stud; Limit Hold’Em; Omaha Hi-Low Split Eight or Better; Pot-Limit Omaha; and a new Mixed Event. The Mixed Event will feature eight variations of poker: Limit and No-Limit Hold’Em; Omaha Hi-Low and Pot-Limit Omaha; Seven Card Stud; Razz; Seven Card Hi-Low Split; and 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball.

The second event of the 2008 WSOP is a $1,500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em tournament with two starting days – May 31 and June 1.

Pre-registration for the 2008 WSOP can be made beginning in February on-site at the Main Cage of the Rio® All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas or at
www.worldseriesofpoker.com.

In addition to the largest cash prizes in poker, winners of each of the 55 events will receive an exclusive World Series of Poker gold bracelet crafted by the luxury Swiss watchmaker CORUM. Last year, 54,288 entrants who ranged in age from 21 (bracelet winner Steve Billirakis) to 94 (Main Event contestant Jack Ury) competed for the poker world’s largest total prize pool of nearly $160 million.

The 2008 WSOP will be staged inside the Rio Convention Center from May 30 through July 16. WSOP officials plan a “soft opening” of the tournament room on May 28 and 29 for players to register early and play in satellite tournaments and cash games.

“The poker tent is gone,” said Pollack. “We heard folks loud and clear last year, and there will be no tents used for tournament play at the 2008 WSOP.”

On July 2, and in conjunction with the WSOP, Oscar nominee Don Cheadle and poker professional Annie Duke will host the second annual Ante Up For Africa charity tournament at the Rio.

Last year’s AUFA event featured dozens of Hollywood celebrities and poker professionals and raised more than $700,000 for charity. Ante Up For Africa is a non-profit organization founded in 2006 by Cheadle, Duke and Norman Epstein and is dedicated to raising money and awareness for Africans in need.

July 3 is the first of four start days for the 2008 Main Event. Last year, a total of 6,358 entrants competed for a Main Event prize pool of $59.8 million. Players may choose their Main Event start dates as long as seats are available on the selected dates.

More information about the World Series of Poker is available at the Web site
www.worldseriesofpoker.com.




5/28/2008
Wednesday
9:00 AM

Registration Opens, Live Action & Satellites Begin

5/29/2008
Thursday

Registration, Live Action & Satellites

5/30/2008
Friday
12 noon
1
World Championship Pot-Limit Hold'em (3 day event)
$10,000

5/31/2008
Saturday
12 noon
2A
No-Limit Hold'em (4 day event) Day 1A
$1,500

6/1/2008
Sunday
12 noon
2B
No-Limit Hold'em Day 1B

6/2/2008
Monday
12 noon
3
Pot-Limit Hold'em (3 day event)
$1,500

6/2/2008
Monday
5:00 PM
4
Mixed Hold'em (Limit/No-Limit) (3 Day event)
$5,000

6/3/2008
Tuesday
12 noon
5
No-Limit Hold'em w/Re-Buys (3 day event)
$1,000

6/3/2008
Tuesday
5:00 PM
6
Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better (3 day event)
$1,500

6/4/2008
Wednesday
12 noon
7
No-Limit Hold'em (3 day event)
$2,000

6/4/2008
Wednesday
5:00 PM
8
World Championship Mixed Event (3 day event)Limit Holdem, Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better, Seven Card Razz , Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better, No-Limit Holdem, Pot-Limit Omaha, 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball
$10,000

6/5/2008
Thursday
12 noon
9
No-Limit Hold'em / Six Handed (3 day event)
$1,500

6/5/2008
Thursday
5:00 PM
10
Omaha/Seven Card Stud Hi-Low-8 or Better (3 day event)
$2,500

6/6/2008
Friday
12 noon
11
No-Limit Hold'em Shootout (3 day event)
$5,000

6/6/2008
Friday
5:00 PM
12
Limit Hold'em (3 day event)
$1,500

6/7/2008
Saturday
12 noon
13
No-Limit Hold'em (3 day event)
$2,500

6/7/2008
Saturday
5:00 PM
14
World Championship Seven Card Stud (3 day event)
$10,000

6/8/2008
Sunday
12 noon
15
Ladies No-Limit Hold'em World Championship (3 day event)
$1,000

6/8/2008
Sunday
5:00 PM
16
Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better (3 day event)
$2,000

6/9/2008
Monday
12 noon
17
No-Limit Hold'em Shootout (3 day event)
$1,500

6/9/2008
Monday
5:00 PM
18
No-Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball w/Re-Buys (3 day event)
$5,000

6/10/2008
Tuesday
12 noon
19
Pot-Limit Omaha (3 day event)
$1,500

6/10/2008
Tuesday
5:00 PM
20
Limit Hold'em (3 day event)
$2,000

6/11/2008
Wednesday
12 noon
21
No-Limit Hold'em (3 day event)
$5,000

6/11/2008
Wednesday
5:00 PM
22
H.O.R.S.E. (3 day event)Limit Holdem, Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better, Seven Card Razz,Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better
$3,000

6/12/2008
Thursday
12 noon
23
No-Limit Hold'em (3 day event)
$2,000

6/12/2008
Thursday
5:00 PM
24
Pot-Limit Holdem/Omaha (3 day event)
$2,500

6/13/2008
Friday
12 noon
25
World Championship Heads Up No-Limit Hold'em (256 player max) (3 day event)
$10,000

6/13/2008
Friday
5:00 PM
26
Seven Card Razz (3 day event)
$1,500

6/14/2008
Saturday
12 noon
27
No-Limit Hold'em (3 day event)
$1,500

6/14/2008
Saturday
5PM
28
Pot-Limit Omaha W/Rebuys (3 day event)
$5,000

6/15/2008
Sunday
12 noon
29
No-Limit Hold'em (3 day event)
$3,000

6/15/2008
Sunday
5:00 PM
30
World Championship Limit Hold'em (3 day event)
$10,000

6/16/2008
Monday
12 noon
31
No-Limit Hold'em / Six Handed (3 day event)
$2,500

6/17/2008
Tuesday
12 noon
32
No-Limit Hold'em (3 day event)
$1,500

6/17/2008
Tuesday
5:00 PM
33
World Championship Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better (3 day event)
$5,000

6/18/2008
Wednesday
12 noon
34
Pot-Limit Omaha W/Re-Buys (3 day event)
$1,500

6/18/2008
Wednesday
5:00 PM
35
Seven Card Stud (3 day event)
$1,500

6/19/2008
Thursday
12 noon
36
No-Limit Hold'em (3 day event)
$1,500

6/19/2008
Thursday
5:00 PM
37
World Championship Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better (3 day event)
$10,000

6/20/2008
Friday
12 noon
38
Pot-Limit Hold'em (3 day event)
$2,000

6/21/2008
Saturday
12 noon
39
No-Limit Hold'em (3 day event)
$1,500

6/22/2008
Sunday
12 noon
40
World Championship H.O.R.S.E. (5 day event)Limit Holdem, Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better, Seven Card Razz,Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better
$50,000

6/22/2008
Sunday
5:00 PM
41
Mixed Hold'em (limit/no-limit) (3 Day event)
$1,500

6/23/2008
Monday
12 noon
42
Seniors No-Limit Hold'em World Championship (3 day event)
$1,000

6/24/2008
Tuesday
12 noon
43
Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-low Split-8 or Better (3 day event)
$1,500

6/25/2008
Wednesday
12 noon
44
No-Limit Hold'em w/Re-Buys (3 day event)
$1,000

6/25/2008
Wednesday
5:00 PM
45
2-7 Triple Draw Lowball (Limit) (3 day event)
$2,500

6/26/2008
Thursday
12 noon
46
No-Limit Hold'em / Six Handed (3 day event)
$5,000

6/26/2008
Thursday
5:00 PM
47
Seven Card Stud Hi-Low-8 or Better (3 day event)
$1,500

6/27/2008
Friday
12 noon
48
No-Limit Hold'em (3 day event)
$2,000

6/28/2008
Saturday
12 noon
49
No-Limit Hold'em (3 day event)
$1,500

6/29/2008
Sunday
12 noon
50
World Championship Pot Limit Omaha (3 day event)
$10,000

6/29/2008
Sunday
5:00 PM
51
H.O.R.S.E. (3 day event)Limit Holdem, Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better, Seven Card Razz,Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better
$1,500

6/30/2008
Monday
12 noon
52
No-Limit Hold'em (3 day event)
$1,500

7/1/2008
Tuesday
12 noon
53
Limit Hold'em Shootout (2 day event)
$1,500

7/2/2008
Wednesday
10:00 AM

Media Event

7/2/2008
Wednesday

Satellite Day

7/2/2008
Wednesday
2:00 PM

Ante Up For Africa Charity Event (1 day event)
$5,000

7/3/2008
Thursday
12 noon
54A
World Championship No-Limit Texas Hold'em Day 1A 2,500 Players
$10,000

7/4/2008
Friday
12 noon
54B
Day 1B 2,500 Players

7/5/2008
Saturday
12 noon
54C
Day 1C 2,500 Players

7/6/2008
Sunday
12 noon
54D
Day 1D 2,500 Players

7/7/2008
Monday

OFF

7/7/2008
Monday
12 noon
55
Casino Employees No-Limit Hold'em (2 day event)
$500

7/8/2008
Tuesday
12 noon

Day 2A

7/9/2008
Wednesday
12 noon

Day 2B

7/10/2008
Thursday
12 noon

Day 3

7/11/2008
Friday
12 noon

Day 4

7/12/2008
Saturday
12 noon

Day 5

7/13/2008
Sunday
12 noon

Day 6

7/14/2008
Monday
12 noon

Day 7

7/15/2008
Tuesday

OFF

7/16/2008
Wednesday
12 noon

Final Table

General Information: For events 2 & 54, you may request your first day of play based on seating availability.

Single Table Satellites, Mega Satellites and Live Action begin on May 28, 2008

Mega Satellite Schedule: $330 Mega Satellites Monday - Thursday at 3 PM. $550 Mega Satellites Friday - Sunday at 3 PM. $1060 Mega Satellites Daily at 9 PM.

Mega Satellite Days July 2 - 5: $330 Mega Satellites at 6 PM. $550 Buy-In Mega Satellites at 10 AM and 4 PM. $1060 Buy-In Mega Satellites at 1 PM and 9 PM.

Turbo Mega Satellite July 6: $1060 Turbo Mega Satellite at 8AM.

$50k H.O.R.S.E. Mega Satellite Days May 31, June 1, 16, 20, and 21 : $2250 Mega Satellites at 5 PM.

Nightly Tournaments From May 29 - July 15: $340 Buy-In No-Limit Hold'em tournaments nightly at 7 PM.

For Tournament Info:Visit our web site at www.worldseriesofpoker.com or call us at 1-877-FOR-WSOP (1-877-367-9767)

For Room Reservation Info:1-877-746-8342

The Following Take-Out Percentages Will Be Withheld From the Buy-In for House Fees and Dealer/Staff Tokes -- $500.00 - 10%, $1,000.00 - 9%, $1,500.00 - 9%, $2,000.00 - 9%$2,500.00 - 8%, $3,000.00 - 8%, $5,000.00 - 6%, $10,000.00 - 6%, $50,000.00 - 4%

All winners will be required to provide a valid picture ID. Tax forms will be completed for those with winnings in excess of $5,000 net of event buy-in. Players without a Tax Identification Number and Foreign Players from Non-Tax Treaty Countries are subject to up to 30% tax withholding. Harrah's reserves the right to cancel, change or modify the Tournament or any Tournament Event, in part or in whole, without notice.

Friday, December 07, 2007

I'm back...this time for real

Yes, I keep saying I'm going to start posting regularly and I keep disappearing for months at a time, but this time I truly mean it...really. To be honest, I was in that funk for a long time and only recently snapped out of it. I had lost work, income opportunities and was breaking even at poker, and was focusing on those things rather than the more important positives in my life -- new and very loving bride, good home and family, good life overall. Instead I wallowed in my misery and sat around playing Xbox 360 all day.

I write to you now from Kinder, a sleepy Louisiana town not far from the Texas border. I'm at the Coushatta resort, an Indian casino that is holding its annual 7 Clans Poker Cup Series and I'm here writing about it for Rounder magazine.

Things have improved for Rounder since last I wrote. The magazine has been sold to new owners and I think they really know what they're doing and I see the magazine succeeding. Under past ownership, I had to meet the editor at a Birmingham gas station to get my check, which was written out of the owner's insurance business account. That didn't exactly inspire confidence in the long-term stability of that employment situation, which proved to be accurate when the mag temporarily folded.

Now we're back and better than ever. Rounder has steadily improved and I'm trying to implement ideas to make it more interesting. For example, this month we did a cute thing with some poker pros about what they wanted for Christmas, with responses from Robert Williamson III about wanting "crazy socks" and constant TV time bubbler Joe Sebok wanting to make a WPT final table. We will also tackle headier stuff that other magazines won't touch, such as the recent Absolute Poker scandal (a major advertiser in all of the other major poker mags). I'm also working on future articles on topics like RFID technology in tournament chips, the life of an online poker pro, and others. I've also dug up my old story on the Andy Bloch Project and Tom Sims that Bluff rejected two years ago and we will probably run it as part of a WSOP preview.

Several years ago I had an email conversation with Jay Greenspan, then the owner of PokerSavvy.com, about turning his website into a magazine, but nothing came of it. This was in the days when Card Player and Poker Player were the only two poker publications in existence. So you can see how exciting it is for me to be part of building a new poker magazine.

Before coming to Kinder, I spent several days in New Orleans. Amy also got to come for the weekend and enjoyed the Crescent City in her first trip there. The WSOP Circuit event at Harrah's was an interesting one, with Josh Arieh, one of the few notable pros in attendance, running over the field until the end, when up and comer Andy Philachack took home the title.