The Muck


Monday, December 3 2012
2012 12 03 - 2012 12 09
  • DEC 01

    PokerStars Caribbean Adventure Infographic

    PokerNews Staff

    Atlantis

    In January, the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure will be celebrating its 10th year in existence. Deemed "The Best 10 Days of Poker On the Planet," no one doubts that the 2013 PCA will be another extraordinary series. The live festival takes place the Bahamas and is held at the Atlantis Resort and Casino January 5-14, 2013.

    Below you will find a giant PCA infographic that outlines the entire history behind the event. From the beginnings and various celebrities that have taken part, to field sizes and former champions, this graphic has it all. Check it out, and enjoy.

  • NOV 28

    Michael Phelps Surprise Rail in Montreal

    Donnie Peters

    Esfandiari and Phelps on Gross' rail

    On Monday night, Jeff Gross made the official World Poker Tour Montreal final table. Tuesday morning, Gross woke up to a very welcome surprise.

    Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time and an avid poker player, surprised his best friend by making his way up to Montreal to sweat the final table. Gross has made a few big final tables in his poker career, but none of those provided the bright lights and cameras that this official WPT final table brings, and when you're on the biggest stage, you always want your friends by your side.

    It turns out, Phelps was able to find a way up to Montreal even despite the short notice. And why wouldn't he be able to? He's Michael Phelps.

    Phelps surprises Gross and friends on the morning of the final table
    Phelps surprises Gross and friends on the morning of the final table

    If you can't tell from the lead picture above, Phelps is on the far right. The man with his shirt off? Well, that's two-time WPT champion and three-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Antonio Esfandiari. Esfandiari was in Montreal for several days, both to play on the felt and on the "ice". He's also been sweating his buddy Gross as he made his deep run. On the morning of the final table, Esfandiari tweeted the following:

    Gross making sure he looks good for the TV final table
    Gross making sure he looks good for the TV final table

    There's nothing wrong with wanting to look your best for a big TV poker experience. When PokerNews asked Gross how it felt to have all the support and to wake up to Phelps coming in to rail, he said, "[It feels] pretty nice. I feel very confident today."

    Unfortunately for Gross, his fresh new haircut and confidence only allowed him to get as far as third place. The payday, which became the largest of his career, wasn't too shabby at $317,450. After his best friend's finish, Phelps proclaimed on Twitter how happy he was for Gross with the following Tweet:

  • NOV 27

    Esfandiari Takes on Laak in the WPT Montreal Playground Poker Hockey Challenge

    Chad Holloway

    Bruce Buffer announces the challenge.

    The World Poker Tour Montreal, the first-ever $3,300 buy-in WPT Main Event at the Playground Poker Club, has already been deemed a rousing success after drawing a field of 1,173 entries — a record in Canada for a tournament with a buy-in of $1,000 or more. While that event is still going on, the WPT Montreal Playground Poker Hockey Challenge has come to an end.

    According to the WPT Live Blog, which was on hand to capture the spectacle, the challenge was actually a prop bet between Antonio Esfandiari and Phil Laak to see who was the better ice hockey goalie.

    The duo, who are notorious for their outlandish prop bets such as the highly-publicized dunk-tank wager at the Playground Poker Club earlier this year, even invited a number of notables to take part in the affair including Daniel Negreanu, Marvin Rettenmaier and pro hockey players Guy Carbonneau and Phil Kessel, the former retired captain of the Montreal Canadiens and a forward for the Toronto Maple Leafs, respectively.

    A special iceless rink was built for the shootout, UFC announcer Bruce Buffer (who finished 19th in the Main Event for $17,615) was brought in to give the introductions, and then the aforementioned guests took turns shooting pucks at Laak and Esfandiari, who were dressed in full goalie gear.

    Negreanu, who is an experienced hockey player, scored five out of five against the “Unabomber”, but that didn't stop Laak from actually defending more shots than Esfandiari. So, while statistics and specifics aren’t available, Laak has once again defeated his friend in a prop bet at the Playground Poker Hockey Challenge.

    What's more, Royal Flush Girls Angelique Velez and Ivy Teves, who were both wearing high heels, spent some time testing their hockey skills after the match, and we don't know about you, but anything the RFGs do in short skirts is worth watching.

    Here are some photos from the WPT Montreal Playground Poker Hockey Challenge courtesy of the WPT Live Blog:

    Guy Carbonneau and Phil Laak
    Guy Carbonneau and Phil Laak

    Phil Laak gets ready to defend with a special helmet cam
    Phil Laak gets ready to defend with a special helmet cam

    Negreanu celebrates after owning Laak
    Negreanu celebrates after owning Laak

    Guy Carbonneau takes a shot while the crowd looks on
    Guy Carbonneau takes a shot while the crowd looks on

    Esfandiair and Laak give an interview after the event
    Esfandiair and Laak give an interview after the event

    To see Esfandiari and Laak in action, check out the following video:

    Get all the latest PokerNews updates on your social media outlets. Follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook now!

  • NOV 21

    Daniel Negreanu's Rant: Integrity

    Rich Ryan , 9

    In Daniel Negreanu's latest edition of "The Rant," he talks about a baseball bet gone wrong, integrity, honesty, and a possible shot clock in poker.

    Follow PokerNews on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news.

  • NOV 14

    An Inside Look at Tony Resort

    Rich Ryan

    For those of you who don't believe that Tony Resort is a real place, Tony G is here to debunk the myth. According to The G, Nordas, his German Shepherd, guards the place and only eats steak. Also, Ralph Perry is banned from the property.

    On your bike.

    Take a look at the video. After watching it, we can confirm that Lithuania has never looked so good.

    Follow PokerNews on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news.

  • NOV 13

    TLC's Teaser Trailer of Jennifer Harman's New Show Sin City Rules

    Chad Holloway

    Jen Harman

    We’ve known for awhile now that Jennifer Harman was involved in a new television show called Sin City Rules, but now things have really heated up with TLC's recently released description of the show along with a teaser trailer.

    Sin City Rules will also feature designer Lana Fuchs, Rain Cosmetics owner Lori Montoya, entertainment reporter Alicia Jacobs, Kimberly Friedmutter (who is married to an architect responsible for much of the Las Vegas skyline), and businesswoman Amy Hanley.

    Here’s the description according to TLC:

    “You might think that high stakes gambling is a man's world, but there are plenty of women who are also clawing their way to the top. TLC's new series Sin City Rules follows the lives of five high-powered women in Las Vegas, including an entrepreneur daughter of an infamous mob boss, a cosmetics mogul, a champion poker player, a gun-loving fashion designer and a pageant queen-turned-entertainment reporter. Follow these women as they do whatever it takes to make it in one of the most vibrant, compelling and notorious cities in the world.”

    The show, which is comprised of eight one-hour episodes, is set to premiere on Sunday, Dec. 9 at 22:00 EST.

    Don't forget to follow PokerNews on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

  • NOV 02

    Off The Felt with Mike Leah: Fantasy Sports, Music and Prop Betting

    Pamela Maldonado

    Mike Leah

    Off the Felt is interviewing your favorite people in the poker industry to find out more about their lives — you've got it — off the felt. We recently sat down with recent WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Hammond Player of the Series Mike Leah to talk a little sports, prop bets, and music.

    What is your favorite tournament spot?

    Not sure if I have a favorite “spot." I look forward to WSOP all year but that is all about the event itself not the location. I really enjoyed playing San Remo last year and look forward to going back.

    Where is your favorite vacation destination?

    I love going on beach holidays, so Mexico, or Jamaica — really anywhere hot with a nice beach and I’m happy.

    What are some of your hobbies away from the table?

    Playing and watching just about any sport. Oh, and my fantasy sports leagues take up a lot of my time.

    Can you tell us the most ridiculous prop bet you’ve participated in?

    Well, my poker friends and I bet on just about everything. One of my favorites is throwing random objects in garbage cans (laughs) – but we have made bets where the loser had to wear the other guy’s favorite hockey team jersey, last-longer bets where the first out had to pick up breakfast and deliver to all the other guys; nothing overly ridiculous but still fun.

    Do you have any hidden talents?

    I must not have found them yet, but maybe counting chip stacks. I’m pretty good at that.

    As a self-proclaimed fantasy sports expert, what is your favorite sport to bet on?

    I actually don’t bet on sports at all. My fantasy leagues are for money, but they last for months and it’s more about the competition with friends. Fantasy Football would probably be my favorite.

    As a sports buff, would you rather spend a day with the Toronto Blue Jays, the New York Yankees, or the Dallas Cowboys?

    The Blue Jays for sure as I detest both the Yankees and the Cowboys (laughs).

    So you’re big on music. Who is your favorite band/artist?

    With iTunes I have a lot more favorite songs than artists nowadays but a few of my current favorites are The Black Keys, City & Colour, Muse, Linkin Park, Metric, and Ray LaMontagne.

    What is your favorite concert ever attended?

    Most of my favorite concert experiences have been music festivals like Lollapalooza, Edgefest, etcetera. Nothing beats a summer music festival. An intimate theater performance can be pretty cool, too; the Counting Crows, BB King, Jonny Lang are a few that stand out.

    What is one thing you want people to know about you?

    Please don’t smoke around me, and chew gum before you sit next to me after smoking. Thank you.

    If you could pick anyone to star you in a movie about your life, who would it be?

    Well, first I need to win a few WSOP bracelets. And then I don’t know, maybe Mark Wahlberg (laughs).

    What is your greatest poker achievement?

    I have yet to achieve it, that’s for sure. I am proud of my WCOOP, FTOPS wins, leaderboard finishes, and just last week I won the WSOPC Circuit Horseshoe Hammond Player of the Series. Right now my main focus is on winning the Player of the Year at WSOP and winning my first of many bracelets.

    Do you have any superstitions before you begin a tournament?

    Nope, just waking up on time to play is my main focus!

    What’s the most interesting story you've ever heard at the table?

    There are lots of interesting stories and many not interesting ones. I love the ones about bad beats that they took ... not!

    What would you being doing if you weren't playing poker?

    I had a nice cushy management job before I left to play poker full time, so I would still be working there if I hadn’t discovered poker. The rest of my hobbies would be the same but I would have to wake up earlier during the week.

    What’s next on your poker calendar?

    I will likely be going to go to the new WPT event in Montreal in November. I’m hoping there will be a FTOPS series before the end of the year. Then in January I’m looking forward to PCA and TCOOP.

    Follow PokerNews on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news.

  • OCT 26

    Adam "Roothlus" Levy Launches a Logo Contest

    Rich Ryan

    Adam "Roothlus" Levy

    Adam "Roothlus" Levy, who has over $1.9 million in career live tournament earnings, has launched a contest with 99designs, for a new personal logo. Levy will create a poll for fans to vote on the designs this weekend, and the winning logo will be displayed on his personal website. The winning designer will earn $200.

    On Thursday, Levy retweeted the following from Lauren Gard of 99designs:

    On average, 110 designs are submitted per contest on 99designs, and there is a design uploaded every five seconds. Since the inception of the company, $42.3 million has been paid to designers who have submitted logos to the site.

    If you want to submit, view, or rate the logos, you can check out 99designs.com.

    Follow PokerNews on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news.

  • OCT 23

    Johnny Chan Hosting New Poker Reality Show in Las Vegas

    Pamela Maldonado , 4

    Johnny Chan is hosting a new reality TV show called “Full House with Johnny Chan.” With 10 WSOP bracelets and years of experience under his belt, Chan will act as a mentor and backer, taking the reigns to help Las Vegas grinders succeed.

    The concept is simple: Chan will house five local cash-game grinders in his personal abode and stake each of the players for $200,000 so they can compete in weekly cash-game sessions. An interesting concept, indeed, but what is really intriguing is how the players were appointed to their positions on the show.

    “Everyone knows that playing poker in Las Vegas is not a guaranteed success. You see players appear and disappear throughout the year. Everyone on the show has survived playing in Vegas for years; they have fought the variance, and have jumped past the tough economic times and are still in Vegas playing today. They have become priority and Johnny Chan and myself are here to help them succeed further,” producer Jay Ishimaru told PokerNews.

    The video posted on the show can be found on YouTube and the TwoPlusTwo forums with less than complimentary feedback. “Viewers need to know that it is not a trailer but a physio reel (demo) where the players were forced to over act because the purpose is to sell the concept to the networks," said Ishimaru.

    Jay Ishimaru and Johnny Chan are working together pitching their series to various networks in New York and Los Angeles. Offers have been made, but nothing has been finalized as of yet. “We are planning to start shooting within 60 to 90 days and most likely you can see the show air by early February.”

    Although the reel may have been scripted for selling purposes, the actual show will not be intended as such, but actually show the "reality" of the game as the players study and are coached by Chan, to then play one another each week. From the video you can also see that Doyle Brunson will have some involvement. It’s hard to determine what his role will be but one can only assume that he might serve as a poker coach, as well.

    With so much conversation on Twitter about the show, Matt Glantz asked Brunson about the show, to which Brunson responded:

    Once shooting begins, the games will be played at a set table in the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino and not on a dining room table as portrayed. As each show is filmed, viewers in the area will have a chance to see the games played live so watch out for that when the time comes. You can find updates on TwoPlusTwo, or second producer, Javier Prato’s personal page.

    Follow PokerNews on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news.

  • OCT 19

    Liv Boeree and Kevin MacPhee Star in Travel Channel's I Bet My Life

    PokerNews Staff , 2

    On Friday, Team PokerStars Pro Liv Boeree announced via Twitter, the release date of a reality television show she was working on. The show, called I Bet My Life, follows Boeree and Kevin MacPhee during their travels on the road as professional poker players. I Bet My Life will debut on the Travel Channel on Nov. 4 at at 11 p.m. EST.

    Follow PokerNews on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news.

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