World Series Of Poker

Once again, it’s the time of year when all serious poker players begin to turn their attention towards Las Vegas. We are of course talking about the Big Dance -the 2009 World Series Of Poker!

Continuing their proud tradition of qualifying more players to the Main Event than any other poker site, Poker Stars WSOP satellites will be available from April 13, starting from as little as $1 or 40 FPP, giving you the chance to win your seat in poker’s premiere event.  Watch your PokerStars.com lobby for updates on their availability.

European Poker Tour (EPT)

With just one stop remaining on the EPT schedule before the Season 5 Grand Final in Monte Carlo, there is still time for a highly anticipated return to Italy for EPT San Remo from April 18-23.

A hugely successful debut last year saw 701 players compete for a share of the €3.1 million prize pool, and this year you could join us by qualifying through our online satellites. Cash and FPP qualifiers are available from $2.22 or 111 FPP, find them under the Events > EPT tab.

Latin American Poker Tour (LAPT)

The Grand Final of the Latin American Poker Tour’s second season is quickly approaching, as the action prepares to head to Argentina for LAPT Mar del Plata.

The final event will run from April 16-19, and qualifiers giving you the chance to win a seat at the event are running now. Satellites are available from as little as $0.25 or 250 FPPs and are located under the Events > LAPT tab in your PokerStars.com lobby.

Posted by Diana Sterling in EPT, LAPT, Poker Articles, Poker News, Poker Tournaments, WSOP | No Comments » April 1st, 2009

After three grueling months the final table for the PokerStars.com Latin American Poker Tour Mexico finally concluded presenting Rory Cox with the title who outlasted Helen Pager in this game of skill and chance. When the idea for the Latin American Poker Tour had been Publicly announced a flurry of participants had flooded the registration panels whit head count reaching up to 242 players which were cut down to only 89 when the local officials brought the $2,500 Main event to a complete standstill. At that moment prizes were determined and awarded according to the players current stack but when the play was stopped PokerStars had to conduct an online freeroll to play down to nine players.

The original blue prints of the tournament suggested that the play was going to be conducted at the Latin American Poker Tour Chile stop in January. However the officials at the LAPT had to take certain things under consideration and the final table was then rescheduled to take place before this week’s Latin American Poker Tour Uruguay stop. Adding a generous incentive of $50,000 to the prize pool PokerStars found it necessary for binging up the hopes of their final nine contestants. When the final table initiated Tuesday afternoon Cox held the lead flaunting his 1,074,464 chips while the rest of the players had a little under 1.3 million combined.

All the nine players lasted in the tournament for less than an with Ramadin collecting only a $1000 in ninth, Alex Brenes of Costa Rica, Humberto’s brother was the next in line to be asked to leave. With the short stacks quickly eliminated Cox seen admiring his chip lead which had swiftly increased to 1.3 million dollars.

Before long Leonardo Emperador of Venezuela tried his luck shoving all of his 150,000 chips into the game holding a Ks and an 8c to which Cox quickly called holding pocket queens. The board turned out to be quite cruel to Leonardo showing no Kings and Emperador was out in fourth taking with him the consolation prize worth $5000.

When the heads-up play began Cox held a 5-1 chip advantage over Prager but Prager doubled up twice in short order giving Cox something to worry about. After the dinner break concluded Cox regained his chip lead from Prager and on the final hand Cox raised from the small blind to 72,000. Prager saw this move and moved all in with her stack of nearly a million, Cox called showing Ac, 10c ahead of Prager’s Kh,7d. The board came out in Cox’s favor showing Ac, Jh, 8c, 5s, Js. Cox gained the title and an extra prize worth $15,000. Prager picked up $11,000 for her second-place finish.

Posted by Diana Sterling in LAPT, Poker Articles, Poker News, Poker Pro Players, Poker Tournaments | No Comments » March 23rd, 2009

Cornel Andrew Cimpan played like a calculating mastermind and a patient predator waiting for the perfect time to pounce on his prey namely Binh Nguyen. Nguyen had entered heads-up play with a chip ratio of 8:5 more than his opponent. At one point during the game Nguyen held nearly $11 million of the almost $14 million chips in play.

Even though the odds were stacked up against him Cimpan slyly evaded his defeat with every single play that was sure to have sent him off. Cimpan executed his plays with perfection and put his chips behind and won with hands like Q-10 against A-Q, K-Q against A-9 and A-4 against 10-10. The battering took its toll on Nguyen and fortunes seemed to be changing for Cimpan. Among the other contenders who were eliminated at the hands of Cimpan was the renowned Karagulleyan, whose myriad of supporters encouraged him on as any group with a collective 80% stake but alas he had to leave at fourth place.

The tables were turned when Cimpan virtually wiped out Nguyen with AH, 4H and catching a flush on the river. Nguyen lost all but $1.1 million, which he used, coupled with his skill to stay alive.

Considered as one of the most exciting plays in the history of the Los Angeles Poker Classic Nguyen made a judgment call that took him all in against Cimpan with AH, 9D which turned out to be the last concluding hand for Nguyen. Cimpan held KC, 5C and a 5 dropped on the flop giving Cimpan the victory. Battling over an astounding amount worth $1,686,760 in prize money, a World Poker Tour bracelet, a $25k entry into the World Poker Tour’s World Championship this April, and the Commerce Casino’s trademark horse and rider trophy.

It was an amazing mental battle and a nerve wrecking spectacle for the audience at commerce. Nguyen entered with the chip lead and over the course of 117 hands Cimpan managed to edge his way back into the game and ultimately take victory over his rival.

Cimpan was thrice all in against Nguyen leaving himself open to being cut out but the cards always played out in Cimpan’s favor, good enough for him to win an Oscar for the story. For his efforts Nguyen earned a small but nonetheless generous amount of $935,424.

Posted by Diana Sterling in LAPT, Poker Articles, Poker News, Poker Pro Players, Poker Tournaments | 1 Comment » March 1st, 2009

The fourth day of the Main Event of the LA Poker Classic was a blast for the remaining 63 players that included chip leader, internet gamblers and world champions. As none of the former LAPC champions survived by the end of Day 3, the doors are open for anyone to claw their way to the top of the leader board. Chris Ferguson got into action and replaced Kofi Farkye as the chip leader and managed to land himself in one of the most optimum positions for the final table’s battle. Besides Ferguson and Farkye putting up a good show on Day 4, Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier, Jeff “ActionJeff” Garza, Erica Schoenberg, Hoyt Corkins and Paul Wasicka were also seen sashaying around.

As all of the 63 players who had managed to make it to Day 4 were promised cash, most of the short stacks found the exit early. After being dealt trips to octuple up on the last hand of Day 3, David Daneshgar was the earliest run-out on Day 4 earning himself the 63rd place with $23,052. Shortly afterwards Paul Darden, Dan Shak, David Pham and Nick Binger joined him in the pay-out line. The field was quickly thinned to the final four tables as the rest of the contestants were eliminated in the beginning of the day. Leaving with a sum of $38,085 for his 36th-place finish was Men “The Master” Nguyen while Shawn “sprstoner” Glines landed on the 34th.

Kofi Farkye who had the chip lead to himself for a much of the first three days was seen overwhelmed mostly due to his debut on the major stage. A very unfortunate hand with Chris Ferguson annihilated Kofi’s chips on Day 4 and collected a sun of $38,085 for his tournament. Among the last eliminates of Day 4 was Paul Wasicka who busted in the 28th place to set up the final table redraw of the night. The last exclusion of the fourth day was also the last female in the field. Nancy Todd Tyner was defeated by Mike Sowers in a big final hand and collected $44,433 for 21st place.

At the end of Day 4 of the LA Poker Classic Main Event and the final table looming near, the remaining players bagged their winnings with Chris Ferguson leading the 20 finalist.

Posted by Diana Sterling in LAPT, Poker Articles, Poker News, Poker Pro Players, Poker Tournaments | No Comments » February 28th, 2009

Returning to the Commerce Casino for Day 2 of the 2009 LA Poker Classic Main Event was an astonishing number of 400 players awaiting their destinies. Though big names were seen at this grand event Phill Hellmuth, Erik Seidel, Gavin Griffin and Mike Matusow the World Poker Tour front man Antonio Esfandiari forced them to pack their bags and go home as he built a massive stack of chips for himself. Followed by another interesting happening at the LA Poker Classic Main Event was the addition of a new comer Kofi Farkye, who spent Day 2 nipping at Esfandiari’s heels for the chip lead.
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Refusing to let the dazzle of his contenders intimidate him Farkye shared a table for quit a long period of the day with Phill Hellmuth and David Chiu. Immediately pouncing with a bet on a 9d, 3s, 5d and got one caller. Farkye called again when the 8c came and to answer this call his opponent decided to commit almost half of his stack to the pot but the game got really interesting when the Qs was displayed on the turn .Seeing this as a great opportunity Farkye stacked up even more chips which prompted his opponent to back out.

Completely engrossed in building his chip stack Farkye had no idea that he was going to face a grueling challenge from Antonio Esfandiari who was busy building his own Mount Everest of chips. After a few minutes of recklessly squirming for the reserves of a big pot against one of the players on the LA Poker Classic Main Event Antonio Esfandiari was paired up against fellow big stack K.J. Nam. Handling a flop carrying a 9d, Jh and a 3h Esfandiari played for a nearly pot-sized bet and Nam in response raised the stakes to slightly three times his bet. Sinking deep into the tank before making the call Esfandiari checked the 9h turn. Nam led out for less than half the pot which gave him away and sensing this moment of weakness Esfandiari provoked Nam to fold with a check raise thus adding another 100,000 to his stack.

At the conclusion of the day ,it was Esfandiari in the lead with Farkye close behind but still lurking in the field were some of the most dangerous and notorious pros.
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The top ten survivors:

Antonio Esfandiari — 405,000
Kofi Farkye — 391,000
Mike Sowers — 337,900
Anthony Venturini — 211,800
Haralabos Voulgaris — 210,400
KJ Nam — 200,500
Jason Dewitt — 191,800
Adam Geyer — 188,000
Cody Slaubaugh — 183,100
Bertrand Grospellier — 178,900

Posted by Diana Sterling in LAPT, Poker Articles, Poker News, Poker Pro Players, Poker Tournaments | No Comments » February 24th, 2009