Poker Forum

Not really going out on a limb, are we ha ha. Ok ... (1) Nope, the PCA High Roller will be won once again by a non-bracelet holder but "my limb" is that Blom w take it again. The kid plays w a war axe permanently attached to his hand (2) The final tables of both high roller events are pretty mutually exclusive so I would say no unless Blom plays in both, in which case he will final table both. (3) Seriously ... the GPI index player of the year is not necessarily an overlap to the group of players well-heeled enough to play in these events. Global yes but predicting final table status? Nope. (4) Howard Lederer w probably play but it is a real risk to the WSOP event. The more time passes without any U.S. payouts, the more likely that some poker-playing nut will show up. I would strongly urge the WSOP organization to have security nearby, if only to protect the WSOP from the avalanche of bad publicity. Howard Lederer would be better off spending 2013 playing internationally. After all, the U.S. is currently dying globally in the poker industry. (5) No FullTilt funds in 2013? Pretty safe bet and you might as well throw in 2014 while you are at it. The U.S. DOJ has an active Online Poker Prohibition for the entire U.S. so returning cash to online poker players has to be as urgent as dinner invitation to drug cartel kingpins. (6) Phil Ivey is a professional poker player and globally poker is exploding ... except in the U.S. so if Phil Ivey plays in the WSOP he is doing it for charity since the real poker action is Macau and Europe. If he plays in the WSOP I have to agree with you that he will bag two bracelets. That said he will certainly play in Paris and at the WSOPE he can pick up a few there ... so going out on my personal limb here Phil Ivey has a total of FIVE bracelets in 2013 if he plays in the WSOP and the WSOPE. (7) Greg Who? Wish him the best but Merson was not on the radar cash-wise in 2013 simply because he was not on the radar cash-wise before he bagged the Main Event. (8) Canada will continue to rock WSOP bracelets in 2013, if only because in Canada there is no weird government online poker prohibition like the U.S. so the poker talent just keeps on growing. (9) Paul Volpe ... sure, good egg with excellent chances but top-gun performances? No. There is a large group of pocketfive members/young guns out there (Chris Moorman, Calvin Anderson, Shannon Shorr, the list is really long ...) that are a solid presence on the live poker circuit and pretty determined to win. I would rather pick Matthew Waxman and Chris Moorman just to be difficult and probably right ha ha. (10) Online poker by state will happen because there is a ton of money in it and smart States will get the show on the road. I say this while also saying that the U.S. DOJ will continue to be idiots and enforce their weird Online Poker Prohibition.

One name is going to come up a lot in final tables in 2013: "Daniel Negreanu". Rationale? Great player, committed, timing is right for a great result run and truly in his prime.

Gov Christie will probably VETO the Online Gambling Bill for the reasons you mention.

If he has national political ambitions, then he will need national money to run for office. Allowing online gambling will hurt his chances to raise campaign dollars, even if it's New Jersey. Big Republican & Conservative donors are against online gambling because gambling is a sin.

Remember, politics has nothing to do with reality or common sense.

Top Ten Poker Predictions for 2013
10. another no-name will win a tournament that nobody really cares about, and POKERnews will be there to bring all the mundane coverage,
9. many high stakes players will get rich and go broke numerous times throughout the year, then do it again,
8. the PPA will officially become recognized as the Poker Players A-lie-ance,
7. more stories of cheating and corruption in Poker will become publicized, despite policy of poker media not to alert the public about them,
6. Poker After Dark re-runs will edit out Chris Ferguson - the most un-interesting person in the history of the Universe,
5. Mike Matasow and Jean Robert Belland will agree to mud wrestle in speedos, and chop a purse so as to reload their bankrolls,
4. Howard Lederer will speak into the microphone again, but this time from his knees, and for a fellow inmate,
3. the WSOP will permanently amend its rules, allowing TD's to apply the new, "Spirit of the Game" rule, whenever they see fit,
2. more consumers will put pressure on media to tell the whole poker story, and not just the romantic and hero stories,
and the number one poker prediction for 2013, ...
1.no surprise to anyone that POKERnews will continue producing the same kind of meaningless content that does little to advance the betterment of Poker.

PERCIVAL, IF YOU THINK POKERNEWS PRODUCES MEANINGLESS CONTENT. WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS ON HERE READING ARTICLES AND COMMENTING?

MY PREDICTION FOR 2013 IS THAT PERCIVAL WILL COMFORTABLY FIT INTO A C CUP.