Casino Buzz

February Event at Commerce Casino Attracts Hollywood Elite, Vying for a $200,000 Prize Pool, $25,000 Seat in the WPT World Championship(TM) and $10,000 for Charity

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- What kind of event could attract such diverse celebrities as Burt Reynolds, James Woods, Ray Romano, Jason Alexander, Mimi Rogers, Stephen Collins, Jennifer Tilly, Sara Rue, James Garner, Kevin Weisman, David Sutcliffe, Lou Diamond Phillips, John Schneider, Anne Heche, Ron Livingston, Adrian Young, Gavin Maloof, Jeremy Sisto, Marissa Jaret Winokur, Joshua Morrow, Rick Fox, Christopher Rich, and Cindy Margolis, the most downloaded woman on the internet? The World Poker Tour Invitational(TM), of course! The most sought after ticket in poker.

The event at Commerce Casino, televised annually on the Travel Channel, draws more than 75 celebrities, competing against 200 of the leading players in the game -- including many of the poker millionaires created by the WORLD POKER TOUR'S® $150-million in prize pools over the past four years. This is where you'll see T.J. Cloutier, Phil Hellmuth, Doyle Brunson, Gus Hansen, Jennifer Harman, Daniel Negreanu, Erick Lindgren and Phil "The Unabomber" Laak go head-to-head with the biggest names in television and film for a piece of a $200,000 prize pool and a $25,000 seat in the WPT World Championship(TM) at Bellagio in April. The last celebrity to exit the tourney will also earn $10,000 for his or her favorite charity.

This year's WPT Invitational is slated for Feb. 22-23, with the Final Table on Feb. 24. Last year, stage and screen actor Tom Everett Scott became the first celebrity to make the final six, finishing third in the event and pocketing $25,000. The winner was Costa Rican poker star Alex Brenes. In 2003, Laak, "The Unabomber," took home the title after an animated performance that included pushups and shadow boxing with his tablemates.

Celebrity players in previous years have also included Ben Affleck, Tobey Maguire, Don Cheadle, Ed Asner, Jon Favreau, Sharon Lawrence, Norm MacDonald, Dean Cain, Camryn Manheim, Hill Harper, Richard Karn, Krista Allen, Macaulay Culkin, Laura Prepon, Sarah Gilbert, Willie Garson and Lolita Davidovich. Many more are expected to join the rush to the green felt as the days get closer to the start of the event. This year's celebrities have an additional year's worth of practice under their belts and new tips gleaned from the WORLD POKER TOUR shows.

"The WORLD POKER TOUR is all about letting people live their dreams and celebrities are no different. They all want to be the one counting the money at the Final Table," said Steve Lipscomb, CEO and Founder of WPT Enterprises, Inc. (Nasdaq: WPTE - News). "We've made the WPT Invitational, already the most prestigious poker tournament in Hollywood, even better this year by adding an extra day and starting it at night, enabling more celebrities to come after they have completed their filming schedules for the day. We anticipate a blockbuster event!"

Fans may view the Final Table on Feb. 24, with seating available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The tournament will begin at 5 p.m. but it is suggested that that fans arrive by 3 p.m. to ensure a spot. The Commerce Casino, the country's largest poker room, is located at 6131 East Telegraph Road in Commerce, just five minutes from downtown Los Angeles off the Washington exit of the 5 Freeway.

The WORLD POKER TOUR is the global leader in poker. The WPT introduced poker to a worldwide audience through its innovative and riveting brand of televised poker, now seen in more than 130 countries and territories. Capturing all the excitement and sizzling action at its 17 Tour stops around the globe, the shows sets the gold standard in poker programming. The WPT inspired a global poker phenomenon that has attracted millions of men and women to the game and legions of devoted followers to the poker lifestyle. It has transformed poker into the sport of choice for vast numbers of viewers and players, and the hundreds of millions of dollars of prize money on the WPT has rekindled the promise of "The New American Dream." The WORLD POKER TOUR airs on the Travel Channel, every Wednesday night at 9 p.m. ET/PT in the U.S. For more information, go to www.worldpokertour.com.

Dear Mark,
Who sets the payout percentages for large progressives like Megabucks? Do they change those percentages on the weekends when it is busier? Douglas D.

To eat up your latter question first, “do casinos take a screwdriver to their slots on the weekends to tighten them up?”, the answer is no. It is not cost-effective for the casino to continually alter the payouts on their machines. To alter the percentage return in their favor, the casino must, by law, make a hardware change. They do this by swapping out an internal component, the ROM portion of the microprocessor chip. ROM, or read only memory, is a chip the slot manufacturer provides the casino that tells the slot machine to pay back so many coins every time BAR BAR BAR appears. Some state gaming commissions won’t even allow casinos to switch chips in-house. Besides exchanging chips, Doug, they would also have to physically change the glass payout schedule for each machine.

As to who sets the payout percentages for Megabucks, since the progressive jackpot is paid out by IGT, those payout percentages are set at the factory. Don’t ask, Doug. It’s a trade secret what those exact percentages are. You won’t get any hush-hush tittle-tattle from IGT.

Casinos also have their own proprietary progressive machines, typically with their name and logo on the facing. On their own machines, the casino sets the percentage they want returned to them when placing an order with a slot manufacturer. Once they decide on the payout percentage needed based on the payout range received from the buyer, the makers of the machine program each slot based upon the leasing and/or purchasing agreement. When a casino wants to make a change to those percentages, they usually have to notify the gaming commission and the manufacturer to have those changes made.

Dear Mark,
What is the casino advantage in Multiple Action Blackjack versus regular blackjack? Greg N.

The casino advantage in blackjack is determined by both the playing rules and the number of decks used. So, Greg, house rules being equal, there isn’t any difference in the house edge between Multiple Action Blackjack and traditional blackjack.

Dear Mark,
I just want to say “THANKS” for the brilliant response to the question about wearing Reynolds Wrap to block a pacemaker signal from interfering with an electronic slot machine.

I haven’t had such a good laugh in a long time. It was a nice break to my day! The sad thing is the guy (Gurth) who wrote the question was probably being sincere, if that’s possible from a total weirdo. I’ll keep an eye out at the slots section of the local casino to see if someone is wearing their beanie. Katie O.

Being a certified screwball myself, it does give me the inside track into the psychology of whack jobs, so answering Gurth’s silvery ductile metallic element question was a no-brainer. Gurth over the years has sent me a whole slew of dillies, some kooky, some pretty spooky. Look for those in future columns.

Gambling Wisdom of the Week: Having an ATM in a casino is like having a lap-dancer at a Hell's Angels Convention. -- Mark Twain impersonator McAvoy Layne
By Mark Pilarski

People often ask me: "How do you play king-jack, off suit?" My answer is always the same: "It depends."

The most important consideration when deciding how to play any poker hand, aside from the strength of the hand, is your position at the table.

Position can be broken down into three categories: early, middle and late. At a nine-hand table, the first three seats to the left of the button would be considered early position. The next three are middle position and the last two seats, as well as the player on the dealer button, would be considered late position.

The absolute best position to enter a pot from is that final dealer spot. When you play a hand from the button, you have the advantage of seeing all of your opponents' actions before deciding what you want to do, and you get to keep that deadly weapon throughout the entire hand.

How cool is that?

Now, just for a second, let's pretend that you aren't playing poker. Instead, you're seated at a blackjack table. In blackjack, the dealer immediately has a huge advantage because you have to act — hit or stand — before he does. Let's say you're dealt 7-6 for a 13 and the dealer is showing an 8. Well, any book will tell you that you need to hit on a 13 against an 8. So you tap the table and ask for a card and it's a big fat King. Busted!

The dealer then turns over his concealed card and reveals a 5, meaning that he started with that same 13 that you did. One big difference: The dealer didn't have to run the gauntlet and risk busting, like you just did. Add to that the fact that if your 13 improved to a 17, the dealer would still have an opportunity to beat you if he drew a 5, 6, 7 or an 8.

So why am I discussing blackjack in a poker column? It's because similar principles hold true when factoring in your position at the poker table. In Texas Hold 'em, the most popular form of poker in the world, you must remember that your two-card starting hand will miss the flop more often than it will hit. That being true, there are going to be many situations where the pot is up for grabs, and that the first person to bet at it will likely pick it up.

Having position in these types of situations is a great benefit.

Let's say you have one other player in the pot with you, and you have that precious dealer button. The flop comes Ac-Js-4d and your hand is 10h 8h. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that this flop completely missed your hand. Since we know that more often than not the flop will miss your opponent's hand, too, you may still be able to pick up this pot because you are in the power position.

If your opponent checks on the flop, you can simply bet right there as a bluff. If he doesn't have the ace, and has any poker sense at all, he'll fold his hand, making you the winner.

Now, if your opponent bets right out on the flop, you can safely fold your hand and save the bluff bet you were planning.

The only real equalizer to someone having position on you is the deadly check-raise, whereby an opponent checks to you with a strong hand, trying to conceal it, and then pounces on your bet with a big raise. It's never a good feeling when that situation occurs, but it happens to everyone sooner or later.

While the check-raise play definitely offsets some of the button's edge, it's also very risky and can be expensive. For a check-raise to work, you have to know, or have a very strong suspicion, that your opponent will in fact bet if you check. If he doesn't bet, then you've just given him a free card that might just cost you the pot.

So knowing how important position is to your overall success, it makes sense to play more conservatively when seated in an early position and more aggressively when in a late position.

And if you decide to play a hand from an early position, it had better be a premium hand.

On the button? That's where you can really be creative, stretch your starting hand requirements and play with power.
By Daniel Negreanu

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ--(MARKET WIRE)--Jan 25, 2006 -- Limit poker may not be today's most popular form of poker but the game is still alive in Atlantic City thanks to the strong die-hard player base that is willing to come out and support this kind of event. Many of Borgata's limit cash game players and several more well known pros took to the felt for two days, Monday and Tuesday, in the only non-No Limit Hold'em event of the Borgata Winter Poker Open.

Event Four drew 343 competitors to Borgata's beautiful event center, all hoping to secure a big payday. Unfortunately for 342 of these competitors, lady luck quashed their dreams of a champion's bracelet. For some, the day's event ended quickly. For others, playing their way to the final table would mean dodging a few bullets and hitting the right cards at the right time.

Once again, what started out as a sea of players on the first day was narrowed to 36 eager competitors by the end of play at 2:00 AM. Play continued at 2:00 PM Tuesday afternoon and continued until the final hand, which was logged at 11:37 PM.

The long walk to the winner's circle was finally taken by Stephen Benton of Leesburg, Va., when he defeated Tim Dalessandro of West Chester, Pa., for the title of Borgata Winter Poker Open Limit champion and a first-place cash of $52,301. For finishing second, Dalessandro earned $28,812 and a round of applause from the crowd and players who stuck around to see the conclusion of this limit final table.

The Limit event also saw the highest finish of a woman player at this year's Borgata Winter Poker Open. Svetlana Gromenkova of Brooklyn, NY, finished the tournament in third place, proving she had the goods to challenge her predominantly male competition. She raised the bar for female players at this year's event and reminded the field that a good player is a good player regardless of gender, race, or nationality.

In addition to the finals of the Limit event, Tuesday also saw the start of the Event Five, the second $1,000 buy-in event. 362 players stepped up to the plate for the event and were greeted by a sizeable prize pool of $362,000, with $110,410 going to first place.

A feeling of electricity is running throughout the tournament floor as more and more top players continue to arrive, ready to take their shot at possibly winning two Cadillac Escalades, a World Poker Tour title, a $25,000 seat into the World Poker Tour championships in April, and possibly a payday worth $1 million.

Robert "Action Bob" Hwang, one of the September's Borgata Poker Open $10,000 main event finalists, said he's glad to be back at Borgata and hopes to take down the first-place prize and a 2006 Cadillac Escalade this time around. "I'm really excited to be here. To me, the tournaments were run so well the last time and the structure they're giving us for the main event looks incredible. I'm really looking forward to playing in the $10,000."

Borgata is a joint venture of Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE:BYD - News) and MGM MIRAGE (NYSE:MGM - News). Located at Renaissance Pointe in Atlantic City, it features 2,000 guest rooms and suites, 125,000 square feet of gaming, 163 gaming tables, 3,600 slot machines, 11 destination restaurants, 11 retail boutiques, a 54,000 square foot spa, 70,000 square feet of event space, and parking for 7,100 cars.

For more information on Borgata, and/or to obtain a copy of this press release visit www.theborgata.com or use AOL keyword: borgata. Additional news and information on Boyd Gaming can be found at www.boydgaming.com, additional information on MGM MIRAGE can be found at www.mgmmirage.com.

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- The WORLD POKER TOUR(R) announced today that Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas has joined its roster of host casinos for a new event that will be staged as the second stop of the Season V calendar. The Mandalay Bay Poker Championship, to be held June 4 - 8, will become the next big event on the WPT's storied 17-stop tour which features exciting poker action at some of the most beautiful, elegant and highly regarded resorts and card rooms around the globe. In Season V, the WPT is expected to surpass its Quarter Billion Dollar mark in prize money!

Steve Lipscomb, CEO and founder of WPT Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ: WPTE) said, "This continues to build our solid relationship with the MGM MIRAGE family of destination resort casinos." We have scored a trifecta with Mandalay Bay, The Mirage and Bellagio, the best Las Vegas has to offer."

Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino is a luscious tropical-themed resort. The site's 3,644 rooms and suites include 424 accommodations managed by Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. The property also has a House of Blues restaurant, concert hall and more than 100 House of Blues-themed rooms, decorated in the unique style for which House of Blues has become famous. Mandalay Bay earned the prestigious AAA Four Diamond Award, and offers two AAA Four Diamond restaurants, Aureole and 3950. The Mandalay Bay Convention Center brings the total meeting space to nearly 1.5 million square feet and is the largest convention center on the Las Vegas Strip. Mandalay Bay's brands include: THEhotel, an all-suite hotel featuring 1,117 luxurious one-bedroom suites and Mandalay Place, a collection of 41 unique boutiques and restaurants. Mandalay Bay is a wholly owned subsidiary of MGM MIRAGE, which also owns and operates The Mirage and Bellagio, two additional Las Vegas WPT casino partners.

In other new developments, Foxwoods Resort Casino, after staging some of the largest events in WPT history, will extend its involvement with the tour by hosting a new spring event, to complement its fall World Poker Finals. The Foxwoods' Poker Classic will be filmed as part of Season IV April 6-9.

The Foxwoods' Poker Classic will replace the PartyPoker Million on the WPT calendar. After several great seasons together in which the WPT helped build international awareness for these now prominent online sites, the WPT will bid adieu to both PartyPoker and Ultimate Bet.

Explained Lipscomb: "We've had a great run with both companies, but the circumstances have changed since we elected to launch WPTonline.com, our own international gaming website. Although they will no longer be on the tour, we continue to explore future opportunities with both of these organizations."

In announcing the WPT's full Season V calendar, poker players may now begin planning their tournament schedules and their shot at the $100 million prize money up for grabs on the WORLD POKER TOUR -- a tour with the slogan "Anyone can play; Anyone can win." In just four years, the WPT has transformed poker into a career destination for touring pros, just like players on the PGA, while also enabling newcomers to get a piece of the estimated $200 million prize money offered over the WPT's four seasons of riveting play. With the announcement of the tour dates, the satellite contact information will also be accessible on the newly re-launched website: http://www.worldpokertour.com/.

WORLD POKER TOUR will once again feature events in Paris and a stellar lineup of U.S. destinations. Season V begins and ends in Las Vegas, initially with The Mirage Poker Showdown May 14, 2006 at The Mirage and concludes April 27, 2007 at Bellagio for the exciting and much heralded WPT World Championship.

The WPT launched the poker phenomenon when it first aired on the Travel Channel on March 30, 2003, and it continues to lead the way in developing poker as a major international sport. Viewers and aspiring tour players can log on to http://www.worldpokertour.com/ for ways to improve their game and to get the latest WPT schedules, information and merchandise. The highest rated show ever on The Travel Channel, the WPT is now seen in more than 130 countries and territories worldwide. WORLD POKER TOUR(R) airs every Wednesday at 9 p.m. EST/PST on the Travel Channel in the U.S.

World Poker Tour Season V Tournament Schedule

Tournament Name Hosting Casino/Location Date

The Mirage Poker The Mirage, Las Vegas May 14 - 17, 2006
Showdown

Mandalay Bay Poker Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas June 4 - 8, 2006
Championship

Grand Prix de Paris Aviation Club de June 12 - 16, 2006
France, Paris

Legends of Poker The Bicycle Casino, August 26 - 30, 2006
Los Angeles

Borgata Poker Open The Borgata, September 15 - 19, 2006
Atlantic City, NJ

North American TBA October 23 - 27, 2006
Poker Championship

World Poker Finals Foxwoods Resort Casino November 11 - 14, 2006
Mashantucket, CT Final Table November 16,
2006

Bellagio Five Bellagio, Las Vegas December 15 - 19, 2006
Diamond World Poker
Classic

PokerStars.com PokerStars.com, January 6 - 13, 2007
Caribbean Adventure Atlantis, Paradise (tentative dates)
Island, Bahamas

World Poker Open Gold Strike Casino, January 21 - 25, 2007
Tunica, MS

L.A. Poker Classic Commerce Casino, February 15 - 20, 2007
Los Angeles

WPT Invitational Commerce Casino, February 21 - 23, 2007
Commerce, CA

Bay 101 Shooting Bay 101, San Jose, CA February 27 -
Star March 3, 2007

World Poker Reno Hilton, Reno, NV March 26 - 29, 2007
Challenge

WPT World Bellagio, Las Vegas April 21 - 27, 2007
Championship

Two additional tournaments to be confirmed at a later date.

Dear Mark,
How did Blackjack come into being and arrive at the number 21? Why not 18 or 33? Also, where did the 3 to 2 payoff come from? Nick B.

Just about every card game has a unique history, but unfortunately historians cannot always uncover the full trace of a game. Blackjack is one such shadowy customer. It confounds some researchers even today.

Many scholars believe that blackjack was derived from French games such as "French Ferme." and "Chemin de fer." When a game resembling blackjack first appeared in French casinos around the early 1700's, it was called "vingt-et-un," meaning twenty-and-one, and most likely, Nick, the genesis of the number 21.

The word Blackjack got its name from one of its winning hands, a Jack an Ace, both of Spades. If a player was dealt these two cards, they not only won the hand, but also got an additional bonus.

When Blackjack was first introduced in America, it wasn’t very popular, so in order to attract players, gambling houses of ill repute tried gimmick bonuses and payouts. One such reward was a 10-to-1 payoff if the player held the Ace of spades and any black Jack, hence the name Blackjack, American style. The name "Blackjack" stuck, even though the bonus payoffs were eventually eliminated.

Yet Blackjack was still not as popular as either Craps or Roulette, so to stimulate interest, casino operators offered a 3 to 2 payoff for any two-card count of 21, and a 10-to-1 payout if the 21 consisted of the ace of spades and either the Jack of spades or Jack of clubs. Eventually the 10-to-1 payout was once again eliminated but the 3 to 2 payoff and the term" 21" remained as an alternative name for the game.

In 1919, tables manufactured in Chicago with the "Blackjack Pays Odds of 3 to 2" motto began appearing in illegal gambling joints throughout America. Then once gambling was legalized in Nevada in 1931, the popularity of Blackjack grew to its number one table-game-status that it still holds today.

Dear Mark,
For a home game of poker, should "cards speak" or should the player call his or her hand? We’ve always played that a player must call his hand, but in casinos "cards speak" seems to rule. Please comment. David T.

Played almost exclusively at home, in gamblese you’re playing what’s called a "declare game", where a player calls the value of his or her hand to claim the pot. In most poker rooms, "cards speak," meaning, that the value of your hand is determined solely by your cards. You do not have to declare your hand to claim the part of the pot you win.

Personally, I believe "cards speak" is a fairer rule, even at a kitchen table setting, because the player with the best hand should win the pot. It’s easy enough, David, to pilfer the billfolds of newbie players, so I’m for cutting novices some slack when they overlook a potentially better winning hand. Even on my last outing, a 20-year battle-scarred veteran caught and declared a losing straight on the river that he completely overlooked his more powerful winning Jack-high straight flush. The gentlemanly thing to do was to give him the pot anyway.

Gambling Wisdom of the Week: "Some players prefer to rely on hunches and superstition. That's okay, but it's expensive. -- Basil Nestor, "Casino Player"
By Mark Pilarski

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 01/20/2006 -- The first day of competition at the Borgata Winter Poker Open is underway and similar to the unseasonably warm temperatures outside, a full house of over 1,300 players are feeling the heat at Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa for the first event of this inaugural tournament series.

Due to the large number of players expected at the Borgata Winter Poker Open events, it is highly recommended that players register ahead of time online at www.theborgata.com to avoid being locked out and facing long lines.

There is a buzz filling the casino thanks to the fully loaded 2006 Cadillac Escalade that will become the property of one random player who participates in one of the first eight events of the Borgata Winter Poker Open. To give players an even better chance to win the Cadillac Escalade, Borgata will give one entry to each player for every tournament they enter.

In addition to the first Cadillac Escalade being given as a random prize, Borgata has upped the stakes for the $10,000 World Poker Tour main event by throwing a surprise second Cadillac Escalade in the pot. With first-place payout estimated to be over $1 million, Borgata's Winter Poker Open main event champion will drive away with the cash, the car, and a $25,000 seat at the World Poker Tour's World Championship.

While much of the talk may be about the money and cars, Borgata has spent time focusing on the need to give back to the community and has done so by donating a $10,000 seat into the World Poker Tour main event to the winner of a charity tournament put on by Boston Red Sox outfielder, Gabe Kapler. The baseball star runs The Gabe Kapler Foundation, a non-profit foundation dedicated to stopping domestic violence.

According to Kapler, an entry into Borgata's Winter Poker Open main event was the perfect choice for his charity. "When it comes to poker on the East Coast, Borgata is the name that comes to mind. They are the premier gaming venue in Atlantic City and they were kind enough to support our foundation." More information on the charity can be found at www.Kaplerfoundation.org.

With the cards hitting the tables today, things are only bound to intensify as the buy-ins escalate and more players take their shots at hundreds of thousands of dollars in prize money and two sleek yet powerful Cadillac Escalades.

In a first for Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa, poker fans will be able to keep up with tournament updates from renowned poker blogger and journalist, Paul "Dr. Pauly" McGuire, at TaoPoker.com. Having covered poker for Fox Sports and Poker Player Newspaper, McGuire will provide expert coverage of daily tournament action throughout the duration of the Winter Poker Open.

Borgata is a joint venture of Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE: BYD) and MGM MIRAGE (NYSE: MGM). Located at Renaissance Pointe in Atlantic City, it features 2,000 guest rooms and suites, 125,000 square feet of gaming, 163 gaming tables, 3,600 slot machines, 11 destination restaurants, 11 retail boutiques, a 54,000 square foot spa, 70,000 square feet of event space, and parking for 7,100 cars.

For more information on Borgata, and/or to obtain a copy of this press release visit www.theborgata.com or use AOL keyword: borgata. Additional news and information on Boyd Gaming can be found at www.boydgaming.com, additional information on MGM MIRAGE can be found at www.mgmmirage.com.

WELCOME TO our New Year's no-limit Hold 'em poker tournament on my friends Carl and Jimmy Lou Westcott's Challenger 604 jet. The buy-in is as high as the 45,000-foot altitude we hit as we head from Vail, Colo., to Los Angeles for the Rose Bowl. (Nah, it was $20.)

Although the buy-in is modest, the company is another matter. Jimmy Lou, Chart and Court Westcott, Pam and David Norrie and I begin our no-limit Hold 'em tournament with $500 apiece in chips.

Norrie, the ESPN college football announcer and the former UCLA quarterback, takes an

early chip lead in the six-player affair. David knows a little

something about Texas Hold 'em, having played a lot of poker at the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles in the 1990s. Of course, David knows a little something about Rose Bowls as well, because he played in the 1983, '84 and '86 Rose Bowls.

With the blinds at $5-$10, Chart Westcott bets $30 into the $30 pot from the big blind, with the board showing Jd-10d-4s. Norrie folds on the button, and I check-raise Chart to $150 to go with J-10 from the small blind. Chart moves all-in with Jh-7d, and I quickly call. (It's over for Chart, don't you suppose? I'm more than a 90 percent favorite to win this pot.) Chart needs runner-runner (two perfect cards) or any diamond-diamond, seven-seven, or nine-eight to beat me. The Qd on the turn gives him some outs (nine diamonds win for him), and the Qh on the river gives him one-half of the pot (we both now have queens and jacks with a 10 kicker), sigh.

When we hit three-handed - Jimmy Lou, David, and me - with the blinds at $25-$50, I make a miniraise of $50, making it $100 to go with J-8 off suit. I'm just trying to steal Jimmy Lou and David's blinds, having noticed they're both folding every time I raise it. As expected, Jimmy Lou folds in the small blind, but now David says, "Make it $200" and throws out $250 in chips. I tell him the official rule in poker, "Verbal declarations stand, the bet is $200," and I call.

The flop was 10d-9s-7d and I flopped a straight! David then moved all-in for his last $750, and I quickly called. As I flipped up my J-8, David showed his pocket aces with a look of disgust! I don't blame him; getting A-A beat by J-8 is pretty ugly. What a swing in the match this "verbal declaration" turned out to be! I don't believe I would have called the $250 bet ($150 more) because David seemed strong to me, and I had told myself in advance that I wasn't calling a reraise. But for $100 more, I'm priced in. Basically, David's verbal declaration had cost him the pot - and all of his chips.

After a brief battle with Jimmy Lou, I won my first poker tournament of the year, but it was $1 million less than I was hoping to win when I won a tournament (first was $120). Still, maybe it's a good omen for 2006.

An important rule in poker is:

a) only one player per hand;

b) verbal declarations stand;

c) once you move chips into the pot, you cannot change the amount;

d) all of the above.

Answer: b.
By Phil Hellmuth

Kansas City’s Isle of Capri Casino is poised for an $85 million expansion and facelift. The package will give it more parking, more restaurants, more slot machines, a special events arena and a new grand entrance off Front Street.

“This has been a long time coming — too long,” Tim Hinkley, president and chief operating officer of Isle of Capri Casinos Inc., said Tuesday in an interview.

Kansas City’s smallest casino has lost ground to rivals in recent years in the battle for market share. The Isle fell nearly two percentage points in 2005 to a 13.7 percent share, despite operating more than 18 percent of the area market’s gambling capacity.

The expansion plan announced Tuesday would add nongambling amenities and an estimated 400 slots on a remodeled second-floor deck, pushing Isle past Argosy Riverside as the market’s third-largest casino.

The expanded Isle would have about 2,150 seats for gamblers at table games and slots, compared with 2,037 spots at Argosy and 2,203 at Harrah’s North Kansas City Casino & Hotel. Ameristar Kansas City Casino and Hotel is the market’s dominant property with more than 3,000 slots and 3,647 total gaming positions.

“We’re going to give the casino a grander presence, a grander feel,” Gregory D. Guida, senior vice president for development and legal affairs for Mississippi-based Isle of Capri Casinos Inc., told members of the Kansas City Port Authority at a meeting Tuesday afternoon. “We think the changes we’ve got planned will really help reposition this property in the market.”

Guida projected a spring groundbreaking and 12 to 15 months of construction if the package is approved by the Missouri Gaming Commission and the City Council.

Port Authority members appeared enthusiastic about the proposal.

Isle officials approved the broad strokes of the plan at corporate meetings last week in Florida.

One thing the package does not have is a hotel, leaving Kansas City the only location in the growing Isle chain without a hotel or one under construction.

To fill that lodging void, the Kansas City Isle since 2004 has offered package deals through several area hotels that include a room, buffet meals and free shuttle service.

Hinkley said Tuesday that a hotel remains in the long-range plans but not for this round of expansion.

“It’s a step-by-step process,” he said. “This is the first phase. There’s no talk of hotel right now, but we’re bulllish on the marketplace.”

The company has never promised that a hotel would be added to the property, but expansion plans for up to 200 rooms figured prominently in presentations in 2000 that led to licensing approvals from the Gaming Commission and the Port Authority.

Isle just completed a modest addition to its gambling floor, including an elevated stage for live entertainment that would be torn out and moved.

The redesign scheme presented to the Port Authority calls for:

■■A Caribbean village facade and new porte-cochere entrance on the building’s south side off Front Street, which will flow into the casino’s ground-floor level.

■ A 1,000-car garage addition that would stretch the current 650-car structure south toward Front Street and offer new indoor entrances to the casino complex.

■ The current casino buffet and VIP lounge would be moved to the new main entrance structure.

■ That new structure would also include a new buffet and two new restaurants, plus a 1,000-seat, 12,000-square-foot concert and event arena that could be partitioned into smaller meeting and party spaces.

■ The current buffet area would be remodeled as an expanded gambling floor, with new escalators linking the split-level casino.

“We have been considering an expansion project in Kansas City to improve the overall guest experience since we purchased the property, and we are excited to see our plans become a reality,” Hinkley said.

When it bought the property in mid-2000 for $33.5 million, Isle paid less than one-third of the $116 million it cost the Hilton Hotels Corp. to build the floating casino, restaurants and garage that opened in 1996.

Hilton was forced by the Gaming Commission to sell the property after licensing and legal issues arose over questionable payments by Hilton to business associates of a former Port Authority chairman.

Earlier deals to sell the Flamingo to Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts and then Station Casinos Inc. fell through.

The 2000 sale set in motion a $15 million makeover to convert the property to “Isle Style,” the company’s standardized decor and operations system used at each of its 15 U.S. casinos. The casino also expanded its gambling floor area in November 2003.

Guida said the latest changes planned for Kansas City represent state-of-the-art Isle Style, including a new Italian-themed restaurant it hopes to mimic at other properties.
By RICK ALM

Thirty-six of the world's top poker players will try to conceal their nervous tension as the countdown to the final of the Aussie Millions poker championship begins.

Day four of the tournament at Melbourne's Crown Casino sees more than $660,000 separating the lowest trailing contestant from US chip leader Kenna James, who resumed play with $700,500.

The players are competing for a share of more than $US4 million ($A5.32 million) in the main event prize pool and the $US1 million ($A1.33 million) championship title.

All but 36 of the 418 international players have been eliminated from the five-day championship, which finishes on Thursday.

More than half of the remaining field are Australians, minus reigning homegrown poker champion Joe Hachem, who bowed out on Tuesday, despite winning the $US10 million ($A13.31 million) top prize at the world series of poker championships in Las Vegas last year.

Crown spokeswoman Kathryn Farrell said the Aussie Millions championship had boomed in popularity since it began in 2003 with 122 entrants and a prize pool of $US1.22 million ($A1.62 million).

She said televised poker games and celebrity participation from the likes of movie star Ben Affleck had helped raise the game's profile.

"The exposure the game has received is enormous and it's created interest in it," Ms Farrell said.

"Also the fact that a number of Hollywood celebrities have taken to the game and it's now a fashionable thing to do.

"Ours (tournament) would be a top-10 all-time poker purse and it's definitely the largest poker tournament in the Southern Hemisphere. It would be in the top three-to-five outside the US."

Ms Farrell said tensions would rise as the remaining players - who have each paid $US10,000 ($A13,310) to enter - vie for a spot in Thursday's final six showdown.

"It's actually really exciting down there, they're all sort of nervous and there's tension. They know they're now in the money and they want to stay there as long as possible to make it to the final table tomorrow, which is being filmed."

The competition is being beamed to 100 million households around the world under a deal with the Fox Sports Network.

JOE Hachem is a marked man.

Since the 39-year-old former chiropractor won the main event at the World Series of Poker last July, everyone wants to take him down. "It's like having a bullseye on your back," Hachem said when he arrived in his home town of Melbourne yesterday to play in Crown casino's Aussie Millions No Limit Hold'em Championship, starting tomorrow.

"Anonymity is gone and you're recognised everywhere. Everybody wants to take you on. Everybody wants to say they beat the World Series champion."

Though he has won poker's biggest prize, Hachem would now like nothing more than to showcase his skills at home.

"To win the Aussie Millions would cap off a great 12 months for me," Hachem said.

"I would love to win my home tournament but it won't be easy against a strong field of high-profile players."

Hachem, from Preston in Melbourne's north, has been in the Bahamas playing PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, one of several televised events on the World Poker Tour.

He was bumped out early in the contest but, on the whole, Hachem has maintained his championship style through a string of tournaments over the past five months.

"I think I've spent two months at home since August," he said. "I've been living out of a suitcase. Still, there are worse things you could be doing than something you love."

Though he cracked the big time when he won the $10million first prize in Las Vegas, he has tried to maintain some normality in a now hectic life.

"The travelling has been incredible but I'm so glad to be home. Australia's the best," he said. "I've been travelling with my wife and four children but I've missed my mother, my brother and my cousins."

Hachem spent yesterday afternoon catching up with family at a barbecue and was all smiles, but tomorrow he will have his game face on.

After the Aussie Millions, Hachem returns to the jetsetting lifestyle. He will play in Scandinavia, the US, Monaco, Spain and Belgium over the next eight weeks.

He will attempt to defend his world title against 5600 people in July against an even bigger contingent of players as the poker phenomenon continues to grow.
By Brendan Cormick

Dear Mark,
When playing blackjack on a shoe game, what are the most cards that a dealer can draw without busting? Though it’s probably not a record, last night the dealer drew nine cards before he got a 17. She even called over the pit boss who said that was the most he’d ever seen. Matt T.

Even if you are not a card counter, Matt, I’ll assume that once you observed all those aces on the felt, you held up betting until the dealer shuffled up.

Anyhow, I’ve come up with the maximum of a 12 cards, and it would have to play out like this: A, A, A, A, A, A, 6, A, A, A, A for the dealer to get to a hard 16, then, another Ace, 2, 3, 4, or 5 to make their hand. Although I can’t remember my personal best when pitching cards or observing dealers in table games management, it wasn’t a dozen cards, or anything close to it.

Incidentally, rules that dictate a dealer standing or hitting a soft 17 wouldn’t matter.

Dear Mark,
When playing blackjack, is it better to play single deck or multiple decks? I like two decks myself. Rita K.

Given the choice, Rita, I always recommend playing on a game where they use the fewest decks. With perfect basic strategy on a single deck game, you can thump the casino advantage down to 0.15% over the long run.

Compared to single deck odds, your favorite, the two-decker, shrivels your odds by 0.35%, (with four decks 0.48%, six decks 0.54%, and eight decks 0.58%.).

Dear Mark,
My uncle has a pacemaker, and he thinks it interferes with the electronics of the slots he likes to play. He's never won nothin’ since they put the thing in him. Should he wear some Reynolds Wrap or something like that under his shirt since aluminum shields you from radio signals? Gurth T.

Your query, Gurth, at first seemed a bit on the fringe, but since I’ve been know to answer all questions gambling related, I went to my ace-in-the-hole resource, Area 51’s living legend, Blackjack Jack for help with the answer.

Blackjack tells me that the government has been using satellites to read and control the minds of certain citizens for decades. He figures your uncle might be one of them since the radio signal from his new pace-maker is doing something wacky to the slot machines. His first question to me was; did he get it put in by the “they” at a Veterans Hospital?

Blackjack thought you might be on to something when you suggested Reynolds Wrap, since the use of aluminum helmets (beanies) has become a common guerrilla tactic against the government's invasive snoopery. Arrayed against satellites hovering overhead, and presumably against the White House’s recently revealed spying tactics, the Aluminum Foil Deflector Beanie (AFD is a type of headgear that shields your brain from most electromagnetic psychotronic mind control carriers. These beanies are supposed to protect you against all incoming radio signals, and also block most forms of brain scanning and mind reading. Mild disadvantage: they also block the mental exits, threatening thought-back-up and possible head swelling so the beanies don’t fit right anymore. Beanie labels caution against careless over-thinking.

Blackjack tells me that earlier AFDBs, with caramel chips in the stator, didn’t always work properly, because sugar crystals corrupted the spy function and actually caused thinking in some brains. To safeguard against that awkward development, advise Uncle Twirch to wear only the AFBDs manufactured after Jan 3, 2005, whose serial number begins with XXXT, and always to approach slot machines walking backward with short steps. He should also avoid the Chinese knock-offs with the little propeller on top. Those can bring on paranoia when tuned into the frequency ranges reserved specifically for governmental use.

So, Gurth, for a sane, sensible solution, Blackjack adds the following: Have Uncle pull the slot handle with his left hand while, with his right hand, tapping his beanie with a lead salad fork. That should do the trick.

Gambling Wisdom of the Week: "The one golden nugget of strategy that works for all games for just about all players is this: SLOW DOWN! What's your rush! Take it easy. Chill out!" --Frank Scoblete, "109 Way To Beat The Casinos"
By Mark Pilarski

While at the Borgata Hotel in Atlantic City recently, my opponent moved all-in for $5,500 on a board of K-Q-8-2-2. I had Q-Q, and $40,000 in chips in front of me, which made for an easy call -- but still, I looked into my opponents menacing clear blue eyes and asked, ``Bluffing, Coach?''

Now ''Coach'' peered down at his hole cards, exposing them to the four beautiful cheerleaders in full uniform standing behind him.

Suddenly, the cheerleaders stepped into formation, and began the following cheer, ''Pocket kings, pocket kings, go kings!'' On cue, I looked toward the dealer, said ''I fold'' and threw my queens face up on the table. Then I quickly turned back to the cheerleaders and said, ``Thanks, ladies.''

''Coach,'' NFL legend Mike Ditka, then said -- perfectly on cue, and dripping with anger -- ``Don't you girls have a game to go to?''

I laughed as I watched Ditka drop his pocket kings face up on the table.

''That's a wrap, put it in the can,'' said the director. Ditka, Ron ''Jaws'' Jaworski, a bunch of AFL (Arena Football League) mascots, and I, all relaxed and waited for the crew to set up the second commercial shoot.

Could I have really folded pocket queens under the conditions above (minus the cheerleaders help)?

Heck no, I would have called the $5,500 so fast it would have made your head spin!

Ditka was there as part owner of the AFL team, the Chicago Rush, who were one field goal away from playing in the Arena Bowl -- the AFL's Super Bowl, held in Vegas each May -- and this one was the historic 20th.

Ditka does play Hold 'Em in his restaurant in Chicago (appropriately called Ditka's), usually in an eight- or nine-player tournament format, where first and second place get paid.

I found Ditka to be a good guy, and extremely funny. He doesn't like to wait around, and on several occasions shouted to the director, ''C'mon, let's go!'' (I could just imagine him shouting at his football players!)

Ditka told me he has a five-handicap in golf, and that he does not give or take strokes from anyone. He said, ''Poker Brat, you can play me straight up!'' Uh, no thanks Ditka, these days I cannot break 90! So I cannot beat Ditka at golf, and he cannot beat me at poker, but we did agree to play one game when next we meet: gin.

Jaws was there as president of the AFL team, the Philadelphia Soul (which Jon Bon Jovi just bought the majority interest in). He also works for ESPN five days a week for five months, and travels every weekend during those five months. Of course, Jaws is a hero in Atlantic City and Philadelphia as he was the long time quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Jaws is another humble, and good guy.

The ads, which partner the images of cities known for gambling with AFL excitement, will be broadcast in 2006. I wound up shooting three commercials for the American Football League, the Arena Bowl and NBC -- one of them involving the mascots knocking over my chip stack with a football.
By Phil Hellmuth

COMMERCE, California -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Commerce Casino is poker-central in January and February. Whether you are a veteran poker player, a newcomer wanting to test your wings or a woman who'd like to experience poker in the company of other women players-Commerce Casino, the world's largest poker room, is the place to be as the L.A. Poker Classic unfolds, January 19-24.

Three new elements have been added to the mix this year. Commerce Casino will guarantee $2 million to the first place winner of the L.A. Poker Classic Championship event and $1 million to the runner-up. The month's tourneys will also include for the first time a Ladies' event and a Tag-Team Valentine's Day tourney, Feb. 14. Bring your best friend, your girlfriend, your husband or wife. Two people trade off each time the blinds go up and the winning team splits the prize money!

-LA POKER CLASSIC NO LIMIT HOLD'EM CHAMPIONSHIP

Most anticipated is the L.A. Poker Classic No Limit Hold 'Em Championship event, Feb. 16-21, which will draw a stellar line-up of the game's icons and young stars, competing for millions of dollars of prize money. Last year's champion, 24-year-old Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi claimed $1.859,909, and 2004's victor, another 24-year-old, Antonio Esfandiari took home $1,399,135. The event, which drew 535 players last year, is one of the largest on the World Poker Tour®. The winner also garners a $25,000 seat in the WPT World Championship in April at Bellagio in Las Vegas.

This showcase event will be televised on the World Poker Tour (Travel Channel, Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. PT/ET). It has a $10,000 buy-in and is expected to draw more than 600 players. The anticipated prize pool will exceed $6 million, and the first place winner will be guaranteed a $2 million payday. Buy-ins for these events can be as low as $40. Feb. 15 is One Table Satellite Day - an entire day of satellites dedicated to winning entry into the $10,000 Championship event.

At the L.A. Poker Classic Championship event, you just might end up sitting across from such poker luminaries as T.J. Cloutier, Phil Hellmuth, Gus Hansen, Howard Lederer, Jennifer Harman, Daniel Negreanu, Annie Duke, Erick Lindgren or Phil "The Unabomber" Laak.

-COMPLETE TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

In its totality, the L.A. Poker Classic Tournament encompasses a series of poker events leading up the $10,000 Championship, beginning Jan. 19. Any poker player can still either buy-in or win their way into individual events by entering satellite tournaments. Scheduled now are Limit Hold 'Em, Stud Hi/Low Split, Pot Limit Omaha High, 7-Card Stud, Omaha Hi/Low Split and Stud Hi/Low Split tournaments. There's a $50,000 bonus for the best all-around player. A complete schedule can be viewed on the Commerce Casino website.

This year, the tournament will also feature Commerce Casino's first L.A. Poker Classic Ladies No Limit Hold'em Event on Jan. 28. Registration for all events including the inaugural Ladies and Tag Team events, satellites and the $10,000 Championship is at the tournament registration desk in the Casino.

-WPT INVITATIONAL

Hollywood's hordes of poker passionate actors and actresses will be on hand for the WPT Invitational, February 22-24, the invitation-only event on the World Poker Tour which pits celebrities against 200 of the world's top professional poker players. Players in previous years have included James Woods, Ben Affleck, Tobey Maguire, Ray Romano, Don Cheadle, Ron Livingston, Mimi Rogers, Stephen Collins, Ed Asner, Jennifer Tilly, Jon Favreau, Sharon Lawrence, David Sutcliff, Lou Diamond Phillips, Norm McDonald, Dean Cain, Camryn Manheim, Jennifer Tilly, Sara Rue, Richard Karn, Willie Garson, Krista Allen and Lolita Davidovich.

Extended to three days this year, 50 film, television and sports celebrities are invited and will compete against poker players who have already entered the World Poker Tour Championship in April. The $200,000 prize pool is compliments of Commerce Casino. The celebrities will also be playing for a $25,000 seat in the WPT World Championship and $10,000 for a charity selected by the celebrity to finish highest in the tournament.

-VIEWING WPT EVENTS

If you'd like to watch either of the WPT Final Tables (Feb. 21 and Feb. 24 respectively), it's first come, first serve in the viewing stands. The World Poker Tour reserves a limited number of seats for spectators during the filming of the shows. You'll want to be at Commerce Casino by 4:30 p.m. on the 21st for the LA Poker Classic or 2 p.m. on the 24th for the WPT Invitational in order to secure a seat.

The L.A. Poker Classic and WPT Invitational will air on The Travel Channel during the WPT's much-anticipated Season IV, which begins airing March 1. The World Poker Tour inspired the worldwide poker phenomenon, with its revolutionary WPT hole card cams and thrilling brand of winner-take-all poker. It is now seen in 129 countries and territories around the world.

"Commerce Casino really has something for everyone at this year's LA Poker Classic," said Casino Manager Tim Gustin. "You'll see the world's top pros in action; you can try to beat them yourself to win the million prize; you can come play with your wife or girlfriend on Valentine's Day; you can test your skills at an array of different kinds of poker, and you can watch celebrities and poker superstars go 'All-In.' It's a great way to kick off the 2006 poker calendar in Los Angeles."

-COMMERCE CASINO

Commerce Casino is the largest poker casino in the world. There are more than 200 poker tables featuring just about every form of poker: Texas Hold 'Em, 7-Card Stud, Omaha, Lowball, Pot Limit, Mexican Poker, Pineapple, Draw, Low-Ball and many others. Also offered are Pan and California games.

Commerce Casino is also recognized for its innovative "Bring Your Home Game to Commerce" program which enables poker fans to invite their friends and family for a casual home game, bachelor party or birthday celebration with a professional dealer in the casino setting.

Commerce Casino is located at 6131 East Telegraph Rd., Commerce, CA 90040, just off the Santa Ana (5) Freeway at the Washington Blvd. exit. The phone is (323) 721-2100.

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Harrah's Operating Company, Inc., a subsidiary of Harrah's Entertainment, (Nachrichten/Aktienkurs) Inc. said today that six top poker professionals have agreed to join a new Players Advisory Council that will consult with company executives on ways to enhance the experience at the World Series of Poker(R).

Among the players who have accepted inaugural one-year terms on the committee are former World Series of Poker Main Event champions Chris "Jesus" Ferguson and Scotty Nguyen. They will be joined by top professionals Jennifer Harman, Howard Lederer, Daniel Negreanu and Robert Williamson III.

"Harrah's is recognized worldwide for outstanding customer service and we're going to bring even more of that spirit to the World Series of Poker," said Jeffrey Pollack, commissioner of the World Series of Poker and vice president of sports and entertainment marketing for Harrah's. "Working with the Players Advisory Council and the outstanding operations team at the Rio, we are going to make a great tournament even better and send a clear 'player first' message."

Pollack said the council will soon be expanded to include a non- professional player. The panel will meet regularly with Pollack and other Harrah's executives to provide input on a wide range of issues related to the World Series of Poker.

"No topic will be off-limits and, while we may not agree on every issue, our goal is to have a clear communications process and give everyone new perspectives to consider," Pollack said.

"Now that players have a voice, I believe we'll see changes that will be in their best interests as a whole," Negreanu said. "Harrah's determination to listen to players who love this game will help protect the tournament's integrity while continuing to increase the popularity of the World Series of Poker."

"By giving the players a voice, Harrah's is making a sound investment in the future of the World Series of Poker," said Lederer. "I am excited to be a part of a dialog whose ultimate beneficiary will be the game of poker itself."

"I am proud to be a member of Harrah's new Player Advisory Council," said Williamson. "The professional players who have been chosen share a common love and passion -- poker. By forming this advisory board, Harrah's has shown a commitment to preserving and protecting the World Series of Poker, while constantly striving to improve every facet."

Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. is the world's largest provider of branded casino entertainment through operating subsidiaries. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada 68 years ago, Harrah's has grown through development of new properties, expansions and acquisitions. Harrah's Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its customers through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership.

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LAS VEGAS: The 1,500-room Stardust hotel-casino in Las Vegas is to be replaced by a $4-billion hotel-casino-shopping complex to be called Echelon Place.

The new complex announced by Stardust owner Boyd Gaming Corp. is set to open in 2010 and will compete against the other mega-projects that have come up in the city, reports The Los Angeles Times.

Echelon Place would consist of four hotels with a total of 5,300 rooms, plus shops, restaurants and a convention center. The Stardust would keep operating through this year and would be demolished in early 2007.

Las Vegas has experienced an "upscaling" of its properties and the Stardust intends to be a participant in that, Bob Boughner, who would be Echelon's president, told the Times.

The current dominant players on the Las Vegas Strip include the MGM Mirage, which owns the MGM Grand, the Bellagio and the Mirage, and Harrah's Entertainment Inc., whose resorts include Paris Las Vegas and Caesars Palace. MGM Mirage is planning a $5 billion complex called CityCenter that would include hotels, a casino, stores and condominiums, the report said.

POINT EDWARD, Ontario – (PRESS RELEASE) -- Registration begins today for players to fill more than 400 seats at the Point Edward Charity Casino's Blue Water Classic Poker Event, a six day event that includes three classic poker tournaments. From Tuesday February 21 to Sunday, February 26, poker players can place their bets in three exciting no-limit poker tournaments to cash in on an estimated $144,000 prize pool.

The top 10 finishers from each Tuesday and Wednesday session, February 21-22, win cash prizes. First place winners in the Tuesday February 21 tournaments will also win a seat at the tables the following day and a chance to advance to the Thursday qualifying session. The top 10 finishers in each of the Thursday, Friday and Saturday February 23 - 25 qualifying sessions will advance to the finals. The Blue Water Classic Poker tournament ends on Sunday, February 26 when 30 finalists will compete for the big pot at the final tables.

Beginning today, Monday, January 9, 2006 at 9:00 a.m, participants may register by calling toll-free at 1-888-394-6244 or in person at the Treasure Island Gift Shop at Point Edward Charity Casino. A maximum of 80 seats are available for each tournament day.

The following entry fees and administration fees apply to all qualifying tournaments.

- Tuesday, February 21 - $100 entry fee plus $10 administration fee

- Wednesday, February 22 - $200 entry plus $ 20 administration fee

- Thursday - Saturday, February 23-25 - $500 entry fee plus $40 administration fee (Administration fees reduced for Winner's Circle Members)

The Winner's Circle Associates at the Point Edward Charity Casino can provide further details on applicable entry and administration fees.

This is the casino's third Blue Water Classic Poker Tournament and follows the highly successful Ultimate Poker Challenge held last September which attracted players from across North America. The top three prizes in that event were won by players from Belleville, London and Corunna Ontario.

Players must be 19 years of age or older. Point Edward Charity Casino is owned, operated and managed by OLGC.

It's been a dizzying 12 months of fame and luxury for Australia's poker world champion, Joe Hachem, but family comes first, Mark Russell reports.

LIFE could not get much better for former West Preston chiropractor Joe Hachem.

Hachem, 39, who won $10 million when he became the world's no-limit hold 'em poker champion in July, spent New Year's Eve with his wife, Jeannie, and the couple's four children at the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island in the Bahamas.

The family had earlier celebrated Christmas at the five-star Bellagio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

The festive season for the Hachem clan in the past had normally been spent quietly celebrating with family and friends in Melbourne.

"It's a tough life," Hachem laughed, speaking from his luxury suite in the Bahamas.

"I'm basically treated like a rock star. The celebrity status that you reach is crazy, especially in the States, where my tournament victory is just replayed over and over again.

"The focus for me was so much on winning and being the world champion that you don't think about the consequences and how much it's going to affect your life."

Hachem said he was now recognised everywhere he went and constantly asked to sign autographs and have his photograph taken.

"It's nice. How can you complain when people come up to you and say it's an honour to meet you. They appreciate and respect my achievement.

"I was the underdog and I got up and won it."

Hachem beat 5619 poker players from around the world in a nine-day Las Vegas poker marathon.

"I'm almost overwhelmed by it but I try to keep a level head. I earned it, don't get me wrong, but I still felt somebody had to be smiling down on me for it to happen."

Hachem, who had a third of his winnings taken by US tax authorities, said he had watched replays of his surprise win and vividly remembers every hand he played. The Australian Tax Office last month decided he did not have to pay tax on his win, finding he was still working as a mortgage broker at the time.

In the Bahamas for a world tour event, Hachem will stay in the Caribbean until Wednesday before flying home to Melbourne to take part in the Crown Australian Poker Championship.

The championship includes more than 15 tournaments culminating in the $10,000 buy-in Aussie Millions main event, which begins on Sunday.

The Aussie Millions is expected to reach a prize pool of $5 million with a first prize of $1.2 million, depending on the number of entrants.

Hachem is looking forward to the tournament, which he hopes to win to cap off an amazing 12 months. He then plans to travel for the next three months with his family to Denmark, Sweden, the US, Monaco, Spain and Belgium, playing poker and making guest appearances, before returning to Australia.

But despite the newfound wealth and fame, flying business class for free and staying in some of the world's best hotels, including the Four Seasons in Beverley Hills and the Fontainbleau in Miami, Hachem said it would all mean nothing to him without his family.

"My family's my life. Everything I do revolves around what's best for my wife and kids.

"It's not about buying Ferraris and bulls--t like that, that's not what I'm about."

He said he was well aware of the need to raise his children ­ Anthony, 14, Justine, 13, Daniel, 11, and James, 10 ­ well and not to spoil them too much.

"Money is not the answer to happiness, we all know that, and even though I've paid off the mortgage and am debt-free, there's still a responsibility on my shoulders to make sure we use the money wisely so my kids have a good future."

Hachem, who arrived in Australia from Lebanon in 1972 and took up poker after a blood disorder forced him to give up his job as a chiropractor three years ago and become a mortgage broker, has applied for an American visa and hopes to divide his time between the US and Australia.

He is looking at buying property in either Los Angeles or Las Vegas.

"What's happened to me is unfathomable. I think, 'Geez, look where I am, look what I'm doing'. It's just more than I ever could have dreamed of."

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — With a tournament that attracted the likes of Ben Affleck last year, Tunica's Gold Strike Casino is going head- to-head with neighboring Grand Casino as the hot venue for high dollar poker.

"In the month of January 2006, Tunica will be the center of the poker universe," said Webster Franklin, president and CEO of the Tunica Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Players only buffets, plasma screen televisions and prize money, which this past year topped $5 million, have contributed to Gold Strike's tournament being featured on the popular Travel Channel program World Poker Tour alongside tournaments hosted by sister casino properties Bellagio and MGM Mirage in Las Vegas.

The show has featured celebrities turned poker players, such as Jennifer Tilly, as well as players who have joined the celebrity ranks like Vietnam-born Scotty Nguyen.

In its seventh year, the World Poker Open at Gold Strike opens Monday with preliminary rounds in the 1,200 room hotel/casino's ballroom. The final tables are set to begin on Jan. 19.

Ken Lambert Jr., who oversees poker operations for Gold Strike, created the event in 1989 while working at rival Tunica casino. With the increase of international competitors participating in the tournament, Lambert said the event outgrew its old venue, leading him to a partnership with Gold Strike.

Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, who has accumulated more than $4 million in poker earnings, is expected to be among the big name players attending this year's tournament, Lambert said. In all, 150 players from around the world, including Ireland, Amsterdam and Africa, are expected.

"This event last year was probably the second largest attraction for ... foreign players of any tournament in the country," Lambert said.

He also pointed to the popularity of the World Series of Poker circuit events held in the area.

Grand Casino Tunica's World Series of Poker Circuit event got underway last week with the finale scheduled for Jan. 27. The Caesars Entertainment-owned casino has previously played host to the circuit events, including one in August.

The World Series of Poker has become one of the most visible tournaments in the county due to extensive coverage on ESPN.

The 2005 World Series of Poker boasted more than $106 million in prize money. The 2005 main event champion Joseph Hachem won $7.5 million.

Poker has been increasing in popularity in recent years through televised professional and celebrity themed games. Mary Cracchiolo, assistant director of public affairs for Gold Strike, credits television exposure for helping the game achieve international appeal.

"The trend in poker has taken flight and a lot of that can be attributed to the World Poker Tour and televised poker, which has been able to bring poker to the masses," Cracchiolo said. "Because you can watch it every week, many more people are exposed to it than ever before."

Cracchiolo feels the event is unique because it offers an opportunity for an amateur online player to eventually match wits with veterans.

"Where else can you have an amateur sitting next to a living legend?" Cracchiolo said.

Amateur or professional, Franklin said the exposure generated from the tournaments is good for the local economy.

"It brings great exposure to Tunica not only as a destination for poker players from across the country and across the globe, it can also introduce people all over the country to what we have to offer here," Franklin said.

Tunica's gaming industry generates an estimated $1.2 billion a year.

Dear Mark, I have a question concerning a dead hand in poker. Here’s the scenario: I'm playing Texas Hold'em heads up till the river card. First position bets, I call and turn over my cards. First position is excited he won, slams his cards on the table face up, but one card falls on the floor. What is the correct ruling? Isn't it a dead hand when the card leaves the table? Larry R.

There is nothing better, Larry, than when you’ve dead meat holding a crappy hand, and an opponent hits a straight flush on the river and slams the hand down in excitement yelling, "Beat that, Sucker!" only to have one of the cards bounce off the table and onto the floor. Too bad, so sad, you’re now glad. He just lost all interest in the pot. The hand, Larry, is forfeited once that card falls off the table.

According to the rules of just about every poker room you’ll ever play in, any card not in play, or one that cannot be played for some technical reason, like a card being dropped on the floor, by either the dealer or an overly excited player, creates a dead hand. The player must "have it and show it", meaning to complete the hand, the player must present two cards, and it wouldn't have mattered if the card that flew off was or was not needed to complete the straight flush. Once any card leaves the sight of fellow players, there is no way to verify that the card that comes off the floor was the same card that left the table. Calling it dead, Larry, protects the integrity of the game.

There is one exception. Say for instance that nobody called first position’s hand and everybody folded, and first position in his exuberance slams his cards on the table. Even if one card flies off the game, the winning pot would still be his.

Dear Mark,
Last week you stated that there was no difference between playing one coin and five coins in regards to what hand that appears on the screen. But wouldn't playing one coin affect the possible future value of the hand? Gayle F.

You are correct, Gayle, in that if you don’t play the maximum coin amount on most video poker machines, the royal flush’s return would be affected since, on a Jacks-or-Better machine, that would be an example of a hand whose per-coin payoff is different with five coins played. Playing short can reduce the long-term payback by up to 1.5%.

Another example would be in some double-pay Deuces Wild games where you receive double pay on four deuces, but only if you play five coins. If you play less than the maximum coin amount, your long-term payback can be reduced by over five percent.
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Dear Mark,
Do the casinos really allow you to look at a blackjack strategy card while playing? David S.

As you already know, David, playing your hand correctly will bring the casino advantage down to less than one percent. Since you cannot control how the cards fall, you must focus on what you can control -- how to play the hand you were dealt. Using a blackjack strategy card allows you to go nearly even up against the house.

Luckily, almost every casino in the country doesn't give one iota about a player using a strategy card on a blackjack game, just so long as you don't grind the game to a squalling halt. Why, many even sell them in their gift shops.

Even with the mucho many strategy cards I've strewn across the planet over the years, I've only had feedback once that a casino in a Midwestern state considered such a card to be an illegal gambling device. All trades have their occasional pucker-butts, David. Don't sweat it.

Gambling Wisdom of the Week: "The ATM is like the coach's pep talk. "Here's another hundred! Now get out there and fight! It ain't over till it's over!" --Frank Legato, "Strictly Slots"
By Mark Pilarski

If someone describes your playing style as weak, you're in lots of trouble. You'd better make changes to your game quickly to shed that reputation.

If you want to win at the poker table, focus on the weak players. Rather than duke it out with strong, aggressive players, you'll risk less and win more, in the long run, playing against timid, passive players.

In order to pound on the shaky players properly, the first thing you'll need to do is identify them. There are generally a few clues that you can look for, that, while not always accurate, could be signs nonetheless.

•1) How he or she dresses. A player who dresses extremely conservatively will generally play poker that way. If they dress loudly, they'll more than likely play aggressively or flamboyantly.

• 2) How they talk. This is in line with the previous clue. If a player is quiet or timid in the way they speak, chances are that's how they'll play poker. Conversely, if you're dealing with a boisterous or overexcited talker, he'll probably be an aggressive player.

• 3) Does he raise before the flop or just call? If he likes to limp in on a regular basis, you might be dealing with a weak player.

• 4) Do they like to bet, or check and call? An aggressive player is a bettor, while a weaker player tends to check or just call others' bets.

Once you've identified the weak players at your table, it's time to strategize against them. Playing against a weak player is without a doubt, the easiest type of opponent to face. In fact, your cards often don't even matter since your inferior foe plays so predictably.

The key principle to think about is to basically pound him like an anvil! Do it repeatedly ­ like the school bully who steals his target's lunch money ­ until he starts to stick up for himself. If he keeps giving it up, you keep taking it. Hey, no one said poker was supposed to be fair.

When you have position on an ineffective player, it makes it that much easier. What you really want to look for are opportunities to get the weak opponent heads up. How do you do that? Well, when the helpless one limps into a pot you try to isolate him with a decent-sized raise. That will often knock everyone out but the timid player. Now you've got him where you want him. If the player is extremely weak, it doesn't even matter if you have a 2-7 in your hand.

You really aren't playing your hand anyway, you're playing the player.

If you are able to get the weak player heads up, with position, you'll let his actions, or lack of them, dictate what you should do. If he bets the flop, you can be pretty sure he has a good hand. If you don't flop a very good hand, now would be an excellent time to fold. You might be playing the player, but you can't ignore his bet entirely.

If he checks the flop, then you should bet, regardless of what you have. If, however, your inept opponent check-raises you, run and hide! Unless, of course, you flop a strong hand yourself. The only time you may want to check is if you flop the nuts and want to give him a free card. Otherwise, you should always bet the flop and look to win the pot right there.

The tricky decision comes when the weak player decides to just call, which he will often do. At that point you have to make a game-time decision as to whether your opponent flopped a drawing hand or a made hand.

Since your opponent is weak, he won't give you much information about his hand by the way he plays it. Generally, an inadequate player will check and call with either a made hand (like top pair) or a flush draw.

As a rule, proceed cautiously if a weak player calls you on the flop. If you have a good hand, by all means, bet. But if you are bluffing, lean toward checking on the turn card since the weak player has shown some interest.

There is an old adage in poker that I think sums up that last point: "If you bluff a bad player you then become one."

Stay aggressive against weak players, but don't get caught running without the ball when they show interest in the flop.
By Daniel Negreanu

On the way home from Monte Carlo I decided to give up my airline ticket and pay for a one-way seat on Larry Flynt's private jet. With one quick stop scheduled in Bangor, Maine, for fuel and pizza, it was to be pretty much a 12-hour straight shot to Vegas.
Phil Ivey, Gus Hansen, Mike ''The Mouth'' Matusow and I were scheduled to play $400-$800 limit poker all the way home!
So what's not to like?
We were flying high on Larry's Gulfstream IV, playing high-stakes poker (so the time would pass more quickly), and perhaps I could win $50,000 on the flight home.
We hired a dealer to deal to us all the way home, and even before we were off the ground, the cards were in the air. Because Ivey had won both tournaments in Monte Carlo over the previous two nights (for $1.6 million), and because he wasn't used to playing poker at such modest stakes (he's used to limits of at least $2,000-$4,000), I thought he might be off his game a bit.
He wasn't.
Gus wasn't used to playing this limit either, so he figured to be playing way too loose, which he did do, but he barbecued Matusow and me anyway.
In fact, Gus made the game much bigger than $400-$800 with his super-loose and super-aggressive style, and after seven hours, Mike and I were losing more than $75,000 each. To have two players losing more than $75,000 apiece at any point during a $400-$800 game would normally be unthinkable. But then you have to factor in the ``Gus effect.''
When I hit a roughly $80,000 loser, my original first-class ticket home, with a bed, was looking pretty attractive. By the way, Matusow was playing tough almost the whole way home. He had only a couple of five-minute lapses the entire way home. I felt I was playing well also, but you'll have to ask Ivey and Hansen.
Matusow would tell you I played badly (he always says people played poorly in retrospect).
Nonetheless, Mike wound up losing $96,000, and I was lucky enough to cut my own loss to $18,000 or so.
We were playing a four-game ''mixed-game'' rotation, including Omaha eight or better, Hold 'em, deuce-to-seven triple draw, and Chinese poker. During the course of play, Ivey played one Hold 'Em hand particularly well. He raised it up with A-10, and I called in the big blind with K-10. The flop was 10-6-5, and I bet out for $400. Ivey raised to $800, I reraised to $1,200, and Ivey called. I then bet $800 ''in the dark'' -- before seeing what the next card was. When a seven hit on fourth street, Ivey called me.
Now I waited to see the last card -- I didn't want to bet out in the dark into a potential four-card straight board like 10-6-5-7-8. But it was a jack. I bet out $800, and Ivey raised it to $1,600.
I called, and Ivey took down a nice pot.
The hand was played about the way it should have been. I was unlucky to have the K-10 side of the hand, of course, but Ivey's raise on the end was a superstar raise, especially if he was willing to fold his hand for a reraise from me. In fact, the jack on the end froze me from reraising if I happened to have a different two pair, since it would have been easy for me to put him on J-10.
So he cannot get reraised unless I was super-powerful, in which case he would presumably have folded his hand. And I can call him if I have a 10 with any kicker, which was likely in a four-handed game, especially with me in the big blind.
Next time I will ride the whole way in the jet, but I won't underestimate Mr. Ivey.
BY PHIL HELLMUTH

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Be amongst the first to guarantee your seat in Vegas by playing. Satellite tournaments start from as little as $1 buy-in. Poker.com is running a tiered satellite structure where you can buy in at any level or progress through qualifiers, quarter finals & semi finals, onto the grand final tournaments where WSOP trips are won.

Poker.com is also the home of online poker's newest and most feature packed poker software. You can rabbit hunt, expose one card, tag players, set up private games and enjoy 21st century graphics and table design whilst playing against other poker enthusiasts from the world over. There is no other website that offers such a realistic poker experience.

Dear Mark,
If a video poker machine shows a good hand with only one coin bet, would the same hand have appeared if I had played the maximum amount of coins? Sue L.

In practically every gaming jurisdiction, Sue, the answer would be yes. Using Nevada as an example, their regulations mandate that the number of coins played cannot influence the outcome. Once that first coin is played, or the Bet button is pushed, the shuffling of cards is halted. Consequently, it wouldn’t make any difference had one coin been bet, or five. You would have gotten that same hand you see dealt on the screen.

Dear Mark,
My favorite poker player is Doyle Brunson. His book, Super/System, is great bedside reading. My question though is how do I go about getting his World Poker Tour win last year on DVD? I don't get the Travel Channel with my cable subscription, so I was wondering if it existed on DVD? Ira G.

First, Ira, you're right, Doyle's Super/System is not only the bible for aspiring pros and amateurs alike, it is also considered by many pros as one of the best books on poker ever written. By the way, Ira, Brunson has recently released Super/System 2, which expands on Doyle's original book with new strategies and new expert collaborators, including Lyle Berman, Crandell Addington, Jennifer Harman, Johnny Chan, Todd Brunson and Daniel Negreanu. You might want to add Super/System 2 to your nightstand since it's a brand new book and NOT just an update to Super/System.

Brunson, even though he's in his 70s, is still a feared competitor who last year schooled the final table contestants at the World Poker Tour's Legends of Poker Tournament at the Bicycle Club in Los Angeles.

You can watch the Godfather of poker give a master class in winning on the World Poker Tour Best of Season 3, 4 DVD set. Both retail it for $39.95

Dear Mark,
Once a hand has been dealt, can a player reach in their pocket for additional money during the hand if they want to bet or raise additional money? For example, at our most recent Thursday night game, Player A bet $10, then player B, with only $10 remaining in front of him, called, and then went to his pocket for more money to raise $20. Half of our group believes it is appropriate, the other half doesn't. Doug D.

You didn't mention, Doug, if your bisected clutch of buddies is allowing me to make the final call here, but I will give you a poker room, not a kitchen table, decision.

Player B is NOT allowed to reach into his pocket in the middle of the hand to take out more money. Player B can do this BETWEEN hands, but never while a hand is in play.

In that Player B is playing light on funds (short stack), and he or she just happened to pick up a whopper of a hand, Player B just ends up winning much, much less with it; but the unfortunate Player B can't be forced out of the pot with a larger bet, either.

In most poker situations, it is a distinct advantage to be the one starting with more money. You can bully many a player with the size of your stack, but you can never push the short stacks completely out of the hand.

Gambling Wisdom of the Week: "The action is everything. More consuming than sex, more immediate than politics; more important always than the acquisition of money, which is never for the gambler, the true point of the exercise." -Joan Didion, "The White Album"

A high stakes game of Texas Hold'em ends not with a jackpot, but with 18 players and the owner hauled off in handcuffs.

In the middle of the night Thursday Texas Rangers, DPS, a swat team, San Benito police and the district attorney's office swarmed a popular night spot in San Benito called Diamond "C".

One by one men and women were hauled off in handcuffs.

"We closed down a gambling establishment a Texas hold ' em card shop .. a place they would come in and gamble," said Cameron County District Attorney Armando Villalobos.

One of those arrested had his nine-year old son with him when the bust took place. Villalobos went along on the raid and says you had to be a member of this "private" social club" to play.

The raid happened after officials noticed an advertisement for the club claiming the poker games were legal.

"Well I was working at what I was guaranteed was a legal gambling facility and that's the god's honest truth," said an employee named Chris.

But the Diamond "C" turned out to much more then players bargained for. Villalobos says the owner became bold and advertised the illegal poker den in public.

"They were as out in the open as advertising in the local football program. That's how we became aware of them. So we decided to look into it and we sent in some undercover officers," said the DA.

Undercover officers say they gained sufficient evidence to prove the business was making money off of the games and charging players to enter, which is illegal in Texas Thursday night's game ended not with a jackpot but with 18 people arrested.

Four of those arrested allegedly worked as dealers at the Diamond "C".

Police Chief Orlando Garcia says this is the first poker ring bust in San Benito. He wants to send out a message to people playing illegal games of poker and eight-liner establishments who are beginning to cross the line.

"We want to set the tone that this is something we are not going to tolerate. This is something we are going to go after it very proactively," said Garcia. "And we if anybody is doing anything illegally we are going to go after it and make sure they don't continue operating."

The players and employees were in custody for about thirty minutes. Each were arrested and charged with participating in illegal gambling activity. That carried a $300 fine.

The majority of the then paid up. Those who didn't have ten days or a warrant will be issued for their arrest.

The owner didn't get off so easy .. he faces jail time.
By Martha Benavides