‘The Professor’ takes home a record winner’s purse
January 14, 2008
The 2008 Aussie Millions continues to produce exciting poker and big prizes at the Crown Casino in Melbourne, Australia, this week producing the second highest ever winner’s prize. The star-studded turnout and major money has heightened anticipation that this year’s Main Event will be one to remember.
Howard “The Professor” Lederer pocketed a cheque for $1.25 million after beating Mark Teltscher in an exciting heads up to Event 9 - a $100,000 No Limit Hold ‘Em contest - that left the latter with the runner-up prize of $650 000.
25 top players entered the competition, taking up three tables that included names like Erick Lindgren, 2007 Aussie Millions Main Event winner Gus Hansen, multiple WSOP bracelet holders Phil Ivey and Erik Seidel, flamboyant poker pro Tony G, Howard Lederer, 2000 World Champion Chris ‘Jesus’ Ferguson and Masaaki Kagawa.
Among online qualified stars were Michael ‘Timex’ McDonald, Tom ‘durrr’ Dwan and Jeff ‘ActionJeff’ Garza, altogether creating a $2.5 million prize-pool that made available a first prize that was the second highest in Aussie Millions history.
Disappointingly, Gus Hansen was among the early eliminations in an initially cautious contest as the high stakes players felt their opponents out. Hansen fell to some smart play by Erick Lundgren, who went on to remove TonyG from contention, too.
The final table trimmed down to Erick Lundgren as chip leader on 574 000 Jeff Garza (496 000) Nikolaus Jedlicka (446 000) Tom Dwan (299 000) Howard Lederer (202 000) Jeff Lisandro (192 000) Mark Teltscher (171 000) and Michael Sampoerna (125 000)
The Internet players were the first two eliminations, with Dwan falling to fellow online player Garza, who was in turn bundled out by Teltscher. After starting strongly, Lindgren fell to Sampoerna, leaving the remaining five players in the money bubble, with the number five slot paying out $100 000 and that tantalising $1.25 winner’s prize up for grabs.
Jedlicka went out at number 5, collecting the $100 000 after being sent to the exit by Sampoerna. Teltscher took out the next two players to go - Lisandro on $150 000 for a fourth placing and Sampoerna at third with $350 000, thus setting the scene for a heads up between Lederer and Teltscher, the latter with the chip lead.
In under an hour it was all over, with Teltscher headed to the rail and a second place win of $650 000 and “The Professor” earning $1.25 million for his master class in tournament poker.
Poker player from Finland has a $225 000 start to 2008
January 14, 2008
Online poker player ‘Saage’ from Finland has had a happy start to the New Year, and is over $225 000 richer following significant consecutive day wins in tournament play at Mansion Poker.com.
Saage secured a first place finish in the December 30 Grand Tournament to pocket $203 040 at the online poker website, having won the Euro Grand Prix $70 000 guaranteed tournament the previous day, earning an additional $22 875 in prize money.
Saage had to survive a large 847 player entry field - all looking for the lion’s share of the $847 000 prize-pool - to finally claim victory in the Texas Hold ‘em Grand Tournament - his first major tournament win at the site.
The final hand saw Saage dealt pocket rockets on the big blind Heads Up against his opponent’s A-3 off suit. All the money went in pre flop and the board showed 7H-2S-QD-TC-6H, with Saage’s pair of Aces holding up to take the pot and first prize.
January’s Grand Tournament will probably be attracting similar interest, offering as it does a $500 000 guaranteed prize-pool. Players can buy-in directly for $1000+$40 or participate in one of several online qualifiers throughout the month from as little as $1.
The Grand Tournament format is a No Limit Hold’em Freezeout ‘flights’ event with a 10 000 chip starting stack, a 30 minute blind structure, and an option of two starting days. Surviving players from both heats automatically earn a ticket to the Final with their ‘flight’ chip stacks carried over.
Irish player takes Party Poker’s first Irish Poker Championship
January 9, 2008
A 28 year old Irishman studying for his doctorate in biochemistry didn’t have far to travel to compete for the Party Poker Irish Poker Championship in Galway this week - he lives in Claregalway only 10 miles from the venue.
For Irishman Jude Ainsworth it was well worth the trip, for he won the championship against some of the best players around to reel in a Euro 180 000 winner’s purse.
Having survived an entry field of 298 players including the likes of Mike Sexton, Marcel Luske, Ciaran O’Leary and Robert Williamson III, Ainsworth continued his victorious march to end in a heads up against aptly named Michael McCool at the final table. In the end Ainsworth was all-in with 10-8 against McCool’s pocket fives. The flop went A-J-9 and Ainsworth picked up a straight draw. The Q fell on the turn and it was Ainsworth’s day…and tournament.
“It doesn’t get much better than this,” said a delighted Ainsworth in celebratory mood. “To say that we are going to sink a few pints is an understatement! I couldn’t ask for much more than this, I’ve had great support all the way through. I was planning taking a break after my PhD at GNUIG in Galway. This makes everything a lot easier!”
Movies just get in Jennifer’s way
January 9, 2008
SHE might have a coveted Academy Award nomination to her name, but these days movies just get in the way of poker for Jennifer Tilly.
The Hollywood actor landed in Melbourne from Los Angeles yesterday to compete at the Aussie Millions Poker Championship.
Although she managed to do five movies last year - recently completing Art in Las Vegas with Andie MacDowell - she would rather spend her time at the poker table.
“I like having to use your mind, not your looks,” she said.
“Acting can be very political. You have to be the flavour of the month and work with good people.”
Tilly has only been playing poker for a few years but she has already achieved success at the tables, including winning the Ladies No Limit Texas Hold’em event at the 2005 World Series of Poker.
She attributes her achievements to the coaching of partner, professional player Phil Laak, who is also in town for the tournament.
J.C. Tran Finishes Year Atop PokerPages ProRank 1
January 8, 2008
After an impressive showing at the tournament tables in 2007, J.C. Tran has been crowned the Poker Pages ProRank 1 Champion. Raymond Voskanian of Glendale, Calif. was named the Champion of ProRank 2.
The ProRank system uses a complex algorithm, awarding players points based on the percentage of the prize pool won, the length of the tournament and the strength of field. Field strength is based on the rankings of money finishers, with players being rated with results from the past 24 months. Tournaments with a buy-in of $1,000 or more qualify for ProRank 1 points, while players buying into $1,000 or less tournaments earn points towards the ProRank 2 race.
J.C. Tran took home more than $1.1 million for his runner-up finish at the WPT L.A. Poker Classic on March 1st. Tran immediately followed that up with a win at the WPT World Poker Challenge Championship in Reno on March 28th, good for another $680K. If that wasn’t enough, Tran added two WPT Bellagio event wins to his resume, on his way to $3 million earned on the year and the title of PokerPages.com ProRank 1 Champion.
David “The Dragon” Pham finished the ProRank 1 race in second place. Pham was victorious in four ProRank eligible events and was present during 11 final tables. Pham’s biggest payday of 2007 was $800K as the runner-up in the WPT Legends of Poker Championship. Bill Edler picked up his first WSOP bracelet this year, besting the field of 728 players in the $5,000 Short Handed No Limit event. Edler followed that up with a deep run in the Main Event, taking home over $1.2 million during the WSOP alone. Throw on a win at the WPT Gulf Coast Poker Championship in September and Edler’s $2.5 million year is good enough for 3rd in the Poker Pages ProRank 1 race. Jonathan Little seemed to be at every WPT final table this year. The WPT Mirage Poker Showdown win in May helped Little into 4th place and allowed him to crack the $2 million mark for the year. Jared Hamby rode three WPT event wins and a runner-up finish at the WPT Mandalay Bay Poker Championships to a 5th place finish in ProRank 1.
FTOPS VII on its way
January 7, 2008
Full Tilt Poker is going FTOPS crazy.
The online poker room just announced they will be hosting Full Tilt Online Poker Series VII (FTOPS) starting Feb. 6. This marks the first FTOPS of the New Year although FTOPS VI was held barely one month ago in November, 2007.
FTOPS VII will run from Feb. 6 to Feb. 17 and will offer a record 20 events with a variety of poker variants including Omaha, Razz, Stud and many more. FTOPS seems to be growing rapidly as the last edition had 16 events and the very first FTOPS had just eight events.
The upcoming version of the series will offer a $500+$35 main event on Feb. 17 with a guaranteed prize pool of $2 million. Back in November online player fkscreennames outlasted 4,371 players to win $385,937 for coming in first in the FTOPS VI main event so the next edition is sure to be just as popular. Almost as lucrative (and potentially more interesting) is the $2,500+$120 two-day event.
WSOP Makes Chip Reese Award
January 3, 2008
When poker pro David “Chip” Reese passed away recently it was a blow felt by the entire poker industry, and one that the World Series of Poker will make sure not soon forget. The first ever $50k H.O.R.S.E. event was won by Chip Reese, one of his greatest in a lifetime of great accomplishments, and future winners of the event will be awarded with a reminder of Chip’s victory. The winners of the $50,000 buy in event will win the cash prize and also a trophy named after Chip, the David “Chip” Reese Award. Reese passed away on December 4th from complications arising from pneumonia, at the age of 56.
David Benyamine Returns to Full Tilt Poker
December 27, 2007
Railbirds everywhere tonight rejoiced at the sight of David Benyamine making his return to Full Tilt Poker.
Benyamine announced that he was quitting Full Tilt Poker over a month ago after a particularly bad No Limit Hold’em session. Benyamine more or less stayed true to his word (he played a bit the following day) until tonight, when he made his triumphant return.
http://www.poker-king.com/poker-king-articles.php?article=335
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