WSOP Update:Bonomo at Final Table, WSOP Champions Invitational

Here are some quick updates from the 2009 WSOP as Day 673 wraps up … Wait, what? We're only been here for four days? Crap. Well, anyway, here you go:

Event No. 2 - $40,000 40th Anniversary Special: The final table of this event is still grinding away over in the televised featured table area. Two more players have been shown to the door, Lex 'RaSZi' Veldhuis (7th - $277,940) and Alec Torelli (6th - $329,730), leaving five left to fight it out for the $1.89 million first-place prize. Current chip leader is Vitaly Lunkin after Greg Raymer doubled up Dani Stern to keep him in the tournament. Bodog poker pro Justun Bonomo is now the short-stack at the table, but that doesn't really mean much as he quite capable of making a comeback.

Event No. 3 - $1,500 Omaha Hi/Lo 8-or-Better: The final table for this event has now been set and features poker pro Feddy Deeb and online poker pro Jordan "Octavian_C" Rich. There are seven other players at the table but only their mother's know who they are. Play gets underway tomorrow at 2pm and will award $263,135 as the top prize.

Event No. 4 - $1,000 No Limit Holdem: There are still A LOT of players left in this event. The official numbers were just released and the final tally for entrants stands at 6,012, making it officially the largest non-Main Event ever, officially. The top 621 places will get paid for their troubles with 621st receiving $1,893 all the way up to $771,338 for first-place.

Stay tuned for more 2009 WSOP updates, especially as the $40k event wraps up.

The Poker Vaults: Jimmy Chagra — The Second Biggest Fish of All Time, Part 1

The first time Jimmy Chagra entered a Las Vegas casino he brought with him several suitcases stuffed with cash and not the least bit of sense. The man gambled as if the money he wagered had simply fallen from the sky one day, and in a way it had — during the 1970s Jimmy Chagra was one of the most notorious drug dealers in the world, responsible for importing even more narcotics into the country than his rival Rex Cauble.



How does one rise to such a position? Growing up in El Paso, Texas, a rough-and-tumble border town where drug smugglers were practically considered heroes, certainly helped. Chagra’s inherent waywardness also contributed — he was the black sheep of his family. While his two brothers, Lee and Joe, chose to study law, Jimmy dropped out of high school and took to the streets. By the time he was 20, he’d become accomplished at smuggling contraband back and forth across the border. He favored marijuana because the penalties for smuggling it weren’t as stiff as those involving other drugs, but eventually he began importing large shipments of cocaine as well.

"Ramux" Wins Bodog Sunday $100k Guaranteed Online Poker Tourney

Smack in the middle of Memorial Day weekend in the US, 558 online poker players took a break from their grill outs and drinking games to pony up $100 + $9 to play in Bodog's Sunday $100k Guaranteed online poker tournament. Getting almost double the value for his buy-in due to Bodog's generous overlay, Bodog regular Bolivar "ramux" Palacios walked away with the $23,600 first-place prize.

A fixture at the top of leaderboards across the Bodog Poker room, Palacios has now racked up more than $250,000 in career tournament winnings on Bodog.com. As well as success in online tournaments, he has had success in live tournaments as well, like the LAPT Mexico and will most likely be roaming the halls of the Rio this Summer for the 2009 WSOP.

1. Ramux - $23,600
2. ionlyplayAA - $13,600
3. illcallyou - $9,100
4. soul ripper - $7,000
5. hotmax9 - $5,700
6. amaru34 - $4,500
7. chinaman9 - $3,300
8. bigbman29 - $2,200
9. jasdell - $1,300

Qualifiers for the Sunday $100k Guaranteed online poker tournament start for as little as $1, and there is an incredible selection of Online poker tournaments available for your daily fix of action and many different Poker Promotions to make your money work harder for you.

Will Florida be the First State to Legalize Online Poker?

While extensive focus was on the legislative ratification of the gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe and an omnibus gaming reform bill to help Florida's ailing pari-mutuel industry, Florida lawmakers quietly tucked a measure into an unrelated regulatory bill which could pave the way for Florida to become the first state to embrace internet poker for its citizens.


House bill 425, which passed the Florida Legislature by overwhelming margins, contains a provision which requires the legislature's policy research arm to complete a study into the effects of internet poker on Florida's bricks and mortar poker rooms. The measure pushed by lobbyists representing American Poker Ventures, LLC. requires the policy arm to report by December 1 "regarding the enactment of laws to provide for protection and remedies from existing and unregulated online poker activities."

How to get the best from online poker

Poker game is no longer limited to casino houses these days, because even if you are in your home, it is possible to play the game, too. With online poker, you do not only have the chance in playing the game but there is also an offer to take advantage of like the poker bonus. Poker is probably the most popular casino game that can be both played in an actual casino and with the help of the Internet.

Playing online poker is similar to playing it in an actual casino. There is still the usual betting and high hands but it is only the online poker rooms that offer poker bonus, a sign up giveaway usually offered by most poker websites to first time players. The poker bonus may be initially used by the players for betting but it is only given once for each player who visits the poker room for the first time.

Poker websites have assigned bonus codes in order to ensure that these bonuses are only given once and not fool them by using another name to sign up in the same chat room. Giving out bonuses like this is a way for the website to encourage players to visit their site and to try out playing with them.

The best way to get a full advantage of online poker rooms is to choose the best website before joining one and getting the first poker bonus. You do not want to lose the chance of getting free cash once you have made the first deposit.

Although there is still another poker bonus to expect from a website after getting the first one, it can only be used the moment you decide to be a member of the poker room. The free cash will be taken after the next real money deposit and after a required number of raked hands. But with the fun and entertainment you get from online poker, you would not even notice that you have reached the specified number of games to be played.

Taking the poker bonus is like taking in some free money. An online poker site wants the first time players or even the regular players to join the poker room and play with them for as long as they like. The different websites are continuously competing with one another so that the only way they can stay ahead is by offering tempting poker bonuses from time to time. And this is legitimate and acceptable, it is up to the players to grab and take advantage of them. Choosing a reputable website can be beneficial, especially when each one of them can have different bonuses to give and limits to consider. Take advantage of whatever these websites offer. As long as you are not in the losing end, then grab everything. These sites want poker players to enjoy playing with them to make them come back for more. On the other hand, these players would only want to have fun and be entertained.

Marc Naalden Wins PNC Alpine Main Event

After three days of poker and a grueling three-hour, heads-up match, Marc Naalden finally put away his last opponent to take down the Main Event of the PokerNews Cup Alpine at the Alpine Palace Hotel and Card Casino in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria. Naalden defeated Runnar Lindepuu heads-up for the trophy and the €46,474 top prize. While it was Naalden triumphant at the end of the day, it was Australian pro Mark Vos who went into the final table with the chip lead, as the seating assignments and chip stacks looked like this:

Seat 1: Marc Naalden (Belgium) -- 251,200
Seat 2: Fedor Los (Netherlands) -- 286,700
Seat 3: Simon Borg (Denmark) -- 75,800
Seat 4: Salvatore Cundari (Italy) -- 116,800

Seat 5: Mark Vos (Australia) -- 548,800

Seat 6: Runnar Lindepuu (Estonia) -- 391,300
Seat 7: Joseph Buhmann (USA) -- 126,300
Seat 8: Jan Hlobil (Netherlands) -- 84,400
Seat 9: Farhad Kia (UK) -- 74,100

Poker - Which are the Easiest to Play

Here is a guide to the best online games. Find yourself winning, or at least not necessary losing in the long run. The best casino games are games that have a low house edge or games where by practicing your skill you can have an advantage over the casino.
Those with the lowest house edge are blackjack and video poker. By improving the skill with which you play poker and blackjack, you gain an advantage over the other player or over the casino. This is an exceptional casino game. It is the only casino game where you play against the other players instead of competing against the casino. There is not a house edge in poker. Instead, most casinos ensure their profits by collecting a rake, which is a certain percentage of the pot used to cover expenses. Other casinos charge each player by the hour.

Choosing A Site To Play Poker With

These days most people know at least one person who likes to play poker online or offline. Texas Holdem Poker is just one variation of poker amongst several, for most people learning to play poker this is the first game they try.

Texas Holdem has never in the past had such a large following of players, this is thanks to extra publicity from late night poker shows. There are literally hundreds of online poker sites and choosing a site to play poker with may be overwhelming if you are a complete beginner.Firstly you should make sure the site is respected and trustworthy, picking a well known brand name is usually a good move.

There are some really big well known names out there to choose from such as party poker, titan poker, full tilt poker and poker stars just to mention a few. Pick a site that allows for free play, this way you can practice and tone your skills on other variations of poker, to master poker it is a good idea to play poker of all variations. It can also help alleviate boredom if they have other games to choose from and you fancy a change.

The Right Way to Play a Pair of Tens

A pair of tens is one of those hands that looks great at first glance, but in reality isn't that strong. A lot of hands can beat a lowly pair of tens and you should usually play your pair aggressively to chase out all the limpers and hopefully play the pot against only one or two opponents.

The first thing you want to consider when you are dealt a pair of tens is your position. Are you in early, middle or late position? Another important consideration is your opponents - are they aggressive or passive - are they weak or strong poker players? If you are playing against strong players and you are in early position, you may even consider throwing your tens away. The earlier your position, the more aggressively you want to play your tens. The later your position, the better your chance of trapping with them. If you manage to hit a flop of all low cards, you most likely have the best hand at the table and you shouldn't much around - start betting aggressively - about half to three quarters of the pot.

If you hit your set (three of a kind), you have the opportunity to slow play. Only slow play if there aren't any straight or flush draws on the board. You don't want to give your opponents a free card to beat you.

If the flop comes and there are cards higher than yours (J, Q, K or A) Don't panic - you're not beaten yet. Put out a feeler bet of about half the pot to gauge the other players reactions. They will hopefully fold straight away. If they call or re-raise you, be careful - you are most likely already beaten.

However you decide to play your pocket tens, make sure that you pay attention to the reactions of the other players at the table. Don't let them push you around and don't miss the opportunity to take down the pot when they show weakness.

Become a Good Poker Player

Your chip stack is dwindling - you just can't catch any cards or you've been mauled. The blinds are rising and eating your stack even further. You're dropping behind. You can't keep folding or if you do the blinds will take you out. What do you do?

Point number one is that being "short stacked" is going to happen to you a lot.You play poker, you do get short stacked. Period. And old cliché but a very valid one "you can't win 'em all."

But - with poker, the saying goes that you always have a chance as long as you have "a chip and a chair." One famous story to reinforce that goes back to the World Series of Poker in 1982. Jack Straus went all-in and lost the pot. He thought he was on his way home. But a dealer spotted a $500 chip under Straus' napkin. Remarkably, Straus came back to win the title from just that $500 chip.

So - never give up. You've always got a chance of making the money as long as you're in the game. But when you find yourself becoming short stacked and your chances getting slimmer, the best form of defense is attack! You must make a move - and do so while you still have enough chips to make a difference. It's no good waiting until you have a couple of hundred chips and everyone else has a couple of thousand. They can easily call you with anything and you will find yourself with multiple callers and little chance. The big stacks will take you out.

Online Poker Room – Learn Poker Odds When Playing Free Poker Online

If you like to play poker, you can do so easily enough when finding an online poker room. There are plenty of casinos online where you can play for money or even play free poker online. If you are looking for a way to relax and hone in your poker skills, you can do so when you play fee poker online.

Most poker players use the odds when they are playing poker. Odds are figured on mathematical equations and analyzing what has already been played. Players figure on outs, pot odds, bet odds and implied odds. While none of these are a sure fire way to win, they can prevent poker player from making moves that can cost them the game. For example, the outs are the cards that are still in the deck. If you have four hearts after the turn, you can figure that you only have 9 outs left to get the flush you are looking for - a game winner in Texas Holdem.

Before you join an online poker room, be sure that you can play for free. After this is established, you can then join in the fun. While you will not be winning money, this is the best way to get used to playing poker online. You can learn all about poker odds when you are playing for fun instead of playing for money.

Playing Pai Gow Poker Is Fun.

Poker is one of the most popular card games of today. But do you know that there are actually several types of poker games out there? Of course the most popular poker game is the Texas Hold’em Poker. But perhaps there is something else you haven’t heard about like the Pai Gow Poker. Well, let’s talk about this different kind of Poker and learn the basics. So when you get invited to play online or offline Pai Gow Poker, you already know how to play the game.

The Pai Gow Poker, as the name implies, seems to be a variation of poker. While there are similarities, the game of Pai Gow Poker actually came from the Chinese game of domino. Here is how it works. There can be up to six players where all of these players are up against the dealer. Usually, the house is the dealer, but in certain casinos, the banker role may be rotated among the players.

This kind of poker makes use of the usual 52-deck of cards plus one, the Joker. Yes, the Joker card is used in Pai Gow Poker. The Joker is used as how it is usually used, to be any number or suit you like. However, you can only use it to complete your flush, straight, or straight flush. It can also be used as the Ace.

Play Poker Online Against the Stars of the Silver Screen

There's no secret that poker is taking the world by storm. Businessmen, college students and even grandparents are taking up the game at astronomical rates. But what about the rich and famous? They too are catching the poker bug.

According to Vanity Fair magazine, Leonardo Di Caprio and Tobey Maguire spread a monthly $10,000 buy-in "Billionaire Boys Game." The game is held at professional poker player Reagan Silber's Bel Air, CA mansion and includes actors Ben Affleck, James Woods and Mimi Rogers in the group of regulars.

Rogers, the ex-wife of actor Tom Cruise, plays online poker for hours at a time, netting $4,000 since last March alone.

James Woods helped establish an internet poker site with the intentions of providing a place for fellow actors to play head-to-head online.

Maguire, star of the movie Spiderman, hosts a game at his Hollywood Hills estate requiring a minimum $2,000 buy-in. Recent celebrities to his home game include Brad Pitt, Ed Norton and Robert De Niro.

Affleck and singer Robbie Williams, amongst other celebrities, are taking part in the European Poker Tour in Monte Carlo this coming March.

As the world of poker continues to grow, it should be no surprise that even the rich and famous need their share of action at the tables.

Play To Win Online Poker

If you are going to play online poker you might as well “play to win” otherwise you might just as throw your bankroll down a sewer grate. The poker rooms (especially the really popular ones like Party Poker) are full of people who are just there to “see what is like” especially because people really like the idea of playing with animated avatars. However these are people that are usually losing an entire bankroll in just an hour a play! A savvy Texas Hold 'Em or Omaha player should be able to steadily accumulate between $8 and $10 an hour if they stick to using winning strategy.

Each poker game has its own strategy when it comes to how to win, but here are some general strategies for making money playing online poker.

KNOW what the hand rankings are. Hand rankings differ from game to game and more people have needlessly lost money because they didn't realize an Ace Low beats an Ace high.

Women in Poker

No longer is Poker a game played in a back room filled with cigar smoke, whiskey served by busty women in small costumes to rotund men. Even in the most fashionable manors, minus the busty waitresses, the smoke-filled rooms held only the men.

Today, poker is seen as a game of high fashion to which all the wild girls flock, including celebrities of all types and stars of stage and screen. And many of them are playing to win seats at high profile championships.

Take glamour model Abi Titmus for instance. She has signed on for this year's Ladbrokes Poker European Ladies Championship. She'll be in good company with 49 other women who will take part in the Championship in May. Titmus may be the most surprising addition to the lineup, but Ladbrokes Poker spokesperson Samantha Alleyne called the completion "the FA cup of the poker circuit...an unmissable tournament guaranteed to deliver a few shock results".

This tournament boasts many celebrity competitors. Many have proceeded to succeed at the highest levels of poker competition in the past, which speaks well of their abilities and the validity of this venue. Shannon Elizabeth, for example, went on to finish third at a National Heads-Up Poker Championship and Soccer AM's, Helen Chamberlain, came in an impressive second at the Ladbrokes Poker Million.

First Time Playing Poker

With the growth of the internet the growth of online poker players has also increased around the world. Online poker has provided people with a much easier and more convenient way to play poker games. Due to this convenience the majority of the games players prefer to play online poker rather than take the time and make the effort to visit a casino or other land based poker room. Playing poker games in real life or at one of the hundreds of online casino and poker sites for the first time can be overwhelming to a complete beginner. You may feel like a small fish amongst the sharks with no real idea what you are doing and losing chips fast. Before playing poker for the first time it is advisable to at least get a basic understanding of how the game is played.

You can do this several ways; the first is to read about the game. By searching online you can find hundreds of articles and pages explaining the rules of poker. The second way to learn about poker is by watching it on the television. There are several late night poker shows you can tune into, watching the pro's play can give you plenty of tips. The TV shows also like to explain why each hand wins with nice computer graphics.

The third method of learning about playing poker for the first time would be to actually play the game, you could play against your friends or even online. Online practice tables are not uncommon and good poker sites are happy to provide you with some dummy money or "fun money" chips. You can use these pretend chips to play for fun against others and practice your game. If you do decide to actually bet for real money make sure you have the money to spare, playing poker is easy but mastering the game is not. Practice is the only thing that can make you better at playing poker.