Tag: tournament

Introducing Juicy Stakes Poker

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Here’s a new US poker site for you to take a look at. It’s called Juicy Stakes Poker and it’s a member of the Cake Network, which boasts as its flagship online poker room Cake Poker, a favorite U.S. facing poker room on our site.

Players can count on Juicy Stakes Poker to offer at least most of the same promotions and rewards programs as its sister (or should we say: mother?) site, including the popular Gold Cards and Gold Chips systems, featuring this September 2012, another spate of rewarding Gold Fest Tournaments (aka Gold Card Satellites with no cash buy-ins: only Gold Cards).

Juicy Stakes Poker currently offers a 200% deposit bonus for new players up to a maximum of an impressive $2,000. All new players to the site also get free entry into a $500 New Depositor Freeroll.

From there, some of the more exciting ongoing offerings at Juicy Stakes Poker include a weekly $110,000 Guaranteed, a $1,000 Bankroll Freeroll and $7 million in monthly guarantees.

And if you’ve already been to Juicy Stakes Poker before, it’s well worth checking it out again, because the site just came out with a whole brand new look. And for a little diversion from your poker action, you can even access Juicy Stakes Casino and Juicy Games (Russian Roulette, Tournament Blackjack and WAR) directly from the same software you downloaded and installed to play Juicy Stakes Poker.

All poker sites in the Cake Poker Network are still accepting US players.

Cake Poker Holds $100K Gold Fest Tournament Series

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Cake Poker will soon be holding a Gold Fest Tournament Series with a $100K guaranteed prize pool.

The Cake Poker Gold Fest Tournament Series gives players the chance to turn their Gold Cards into cold hard cash. The series is comprised of 5 events in all, all of which have no cash buy-ins but rather Gold Card buy-ins instead.

Event 1: Sunday, October 7 at 7 pm GMT, 2 pm EST, 11 am PST for a $20,000 prize pool

Event 2: Sunday, October 14 at 7 pm GMT, 2 pm EST, 11 am PST for a $20,000 prize pool

Event 3: Sunday, October 21 at 7 pm GMT, 2 pm EST, 11 am PST for a $20,000 prize pool

Event 4: Sunday, October 28 at 7 pm GMT, 2 pm EST, 11 am PST for a $20,000 prize pool

Event 5: Sunday, November 4 at 7 pm GMT, 2 pm EST, 11 am PST for a $20,000 prize pool

Satellites into these tournaments begin on Friday, September 28 with over 100 seats awarded each day across 16 daily satellite events: two each at 1 am, 3 am, 5 am, 1 pm, 4 pm, 7 pm, 9 pm, and 11 pm GMT, with 7 tournament tickets to be won at each such satellite. One of each of the two satellites running concurrently will have a buy-in of a Gold Card from any series while the other will have the same Gold Card as its buy-in, except only from series’ 6 through 11.

Americas Cardroom adds $50k Guaranteed this Sunday

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Just when it looked like the poker world was winding down for the holidays, Americas Cardroom is kicking things into overdrive. The US-friendly online poker room is hosting a $50,000 Guaranteed online poker tournament this Sunday, December 18th at 6pm ET and packing its schedule with low buy-in satellites to help players get into it.

The $50,000 Guaranteed No Limit Hold’em tourney includes the option of one re-buy and one add-on, and costs $75+7.50 to register. On Friday, Americas Cardroom will host 13 satellites per day to help players win a seat. On Saturday December 17th and Sunday, December 18th, the day of the tournament, Americas Cardroom is packing the satellite schedule with even more qualifiers.

Over the last few months, Americas Cardroom has continuously increased the guarantees of its big weekly tournaments and added even larger monthly tournaments like Sunday’s big event to the mix.

The online poker site attributes being able to offer more attractive guarantees to the healthy growth of their community, a sign that online poker in the United States is thriving.

“This weekend’s $50,000 tournament represents a big part of our growth in 2011,” stated Americas Cardroom spokesman Julius Maxwell. “We’re closing out the year with some big promotions including a $65,000 Points Race and special holiday freerolls. But it’s what’s in store for 2012 that’s really going to get players excited. Stay tuned.”

2011 WSOP Event 23 Recap

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WSOPOur second mixed game event took place in Event 23: $2,500 Eight Game Mix. This tournament features the most different games to be played in a mixed game event in this year’s World Series of Poker, including Triple-Draw 2-7, Limit Hold’em, Omaha 8/b, Razz, Stud, Stud 8/b, No-Limit Holdem, and Pot Limit Omaha. If you’re able to keep all of these games straight, you have your shot at a bracelet!

489 players were confident in their abilities in this plethora of games, hoping to get their share of the $1.1 million prize pool. 48 players cashed this event, and, after their cooler in event 22, the pros were back in charge. After the money bubble broke, everywhere you looked, a familiar face lurked. Shaun Deeb, Jimmy Fricke, Andy Black, Eugene Katchalov, Eric Baldwin, Dan Kelly, and Eric Froelich were all sprinkled among the money finishers.

John Juanda joined former November Niners John Racener and Eric Buchman at the final table, ensuring that it would be a hard fight for the bracelet. Juanda was looking to earn his 6th bracelet in this event, having just won his 5th in event 15. It was not to be, and he exited in 6th place.

Buchman, who has plenty of final table experience, would fight until he was heads-up with John Monnette. While Monnette may not have had the final table experience of Buchman, he has cashed at the WSOP in almost every variation of poker in play in this event. Monnette also had the advantage of a huge chip lead, which he did not waste. He dispatched Buchman without too much excitement, sending the New Yorker back East with $170k in his pocket. Monnette, meanwhile, would pocket $278,144 and the ever-important WSOP Gold Bracelet.

 

2011 WSOP Event 22 Recap

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WSOPThe largest PLO field ever assembled at the World Series of Poker gathered for Event 22: $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha. 1,071 players came out to play one of the highest variance games in poker, creating a prize pool that almost reached $1.5 million.

The top 117 players would all profit at least $1,200 for their efforts, and the amateurs showed the pros that they know how to play this game. Tommy Vedes, David Chiu, Tom Franklin, and Michael Binger were among the few pros to make money in this tournament.

All together, the 9 men who made the final table combined for exactly one final table at the WSOP. Four of those were experiencing their first cash. There would also be a first time bracelet winner crowned, no matter who won.

When the players go to three handed, only one had cashed before, and he was the one with the final table. However, experience was unable to prevail for David Sands, and he was dispatched in 3rd place.

Elie Payan and Rafael Kibrit would play heads-up for the bracelet. Neither had been here before. Neither had even cashed the WSOP before. Payan entered heads-up play as a 2-1 chip leader, but gave it away at one point in the match, and Kibrit also claimed that same lead margin. However, he would not be able to hold on, as Payan regained the chip lead and never looked back. Kibrit was sent home in 2nd place, taking home $180k for his efforts.

Payan was the 2nd Frenchmen to win at this year’s WSOP, just a few hours after countryman Bertrand ‘Elky’ Grospellier took one home. He also took with him $292,825. Between Elky and Payan, the French are trying to beat out the British as the foreign country to take home the most bracelets. With so many events still to go, it will be a fun race to watch.

 

2011 WSOP Event 21 Recap

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WSOPEvent 21: $10,000 Seven Card Stud is the fifth championship of this year’s World Series of Poker. 126 players paid the $10k entry fee for their shot at being called the Seven Card Stud World Champion. That, and their share of the $1.2 million prize pool.

Only 16 players made the money in this tournament, and those that did could make a “Who’s Who” list in the poker world. Matt Hawrilenko, Jason Mercier, Sorel Mizzi, Men ‘The Master’ Nguyen, and Nick Schulman all finished in the money without making the final table, at least doubling their initial buy-in.

With those players being sent to the rail before the final table was formed, some great tournaments had to put themselves into position to win. These included Chad Brown, Alexander Kostritsyn, and John ‘World’ Hennigan all played to win the title. However, they would come up short; a Frenchman would eventually take it home.

A heads-up battle would take place between Steve Landfish and Bertrand ‘Elky’ Grospellier that showed the prowess of each individual. The swings back and forth were dramatic, with each player holding most of the chips in play at one point or another. At the end of the crazy contest, though, Landfish was sent home with $200k in his pocket, his prize for finishing second.

The man known as Elky would claim his first WSOP bracelet, creating yet another Triple Crown winner this year (also, Jake Cody). The Frenchman took the bracelet and $331,639 back to Team PokerStars. Is Team France making a run at Team UK?

 

2011 World Series of Poker Sees Bigger Fields and Increased Prize Pools

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WSOPWhen Black Friday occured back on Friday April 15th, 2011, it put left the future entrants to the World Series of Poker up in the air.  It was possible that players wouldn’t be able to maintain the bankrolls to play in the 2011 World Series, and also that we would lose players from the online tournaments that give tickets to World Series of Poker events.  Some poker pro’s have their money still frozen online, while others have gone overseas to play online to make money.  While it was obvious it would take some time into the World Series to see how this affected the field sizes, the first 23 events have given a strong indication that Black Friday hasn’t hit the 2011 WSOP quite as hard as expected.

Only six of the first 23 events have seen a decrease in participation, and some events have even grown by as much as 25 percent from last year.  Events 18 and 20 at the 2011 WSOP broke records as a matter of fact.  The records for largest single-day $1,500 event and largest single-day $1,000 event were broken, both in the same weekend.  The $10,000 2-7 Lowball event was the event that grew by the most at a 25% increase from last year.  While these events have done well overall, it’s the Main Event that most fans and players are interested in seeing the outcome of.

It’s tough to tell what’s caused the jump in numbers at the 2011 World Series of Poker, it could be that a lot of online players are needing to play these tournaments in order to continue to build their bankroll, or even just more people are interested in playing poker.  If the first two weeks of play were any indication though, the World Series of Poker will be just fine, and the future could still be bright for poker in the United States.

 

2011 WSOP Event 20 Recap

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WSOPYet another Stimulus Special event was played for Event 20: $1,000 No Limit Hold’em. 3,175 people showed up at the Rio, all on June 12th, to begin their march for the bracelet. 324 of these players cashed this event, almost as many as played Event 19 altogether!

A min-cash was just shy of $2,000, effectively doubling your entry fee. Gavin Smith, Hoyt Corkins, John Phan, and Lex Veldhuis represented the pros in this event, toeing their way through this massive field to make some money.

Frequently, these $1,000 buyins become the story of the amateurs. Almost everyone at the final table experienced their first WSOP cash at this event. There was a total of one bracelet between the nine of them (which went with 9th place finisher James Schaaf).

One player at the final table, though, has had his share of World Series success. Jason Somerville was at his fifth WSOP final table. His previous 4 finishes were each 2nd – 5th. Before this event, his winnings at the WSOP were just over $1 million.

It came as no surprise that Somerville got heads-up against Yashar Darian. Darian had a few previous cashes, all last year, and all at $1,000 or $1,500 events. However, before this event, he had failed to crack the top 200. The heads-up play did not last long, however. They got it all-in on the very first hand of heads-up, putting almost all of the chips in play into the pot. The chips were counted down, and Somerville had Darian outchipped. When the cards were turned over, Darian knew he was doomed: Somerville had the aces. Somerville was able to fade the board and dispatch the New Jersey native, sending him home with $300k.

Somerville, however, rounded out his final table experience with his win, beating the largest single day starting field in WSOP history. He collected his first bracelet and $493,091. He had a very supportive rail, including good friend Daniel Negreanu, and parlayed that into an astounding victory.

 

2011 WSOP Event 19 Recap

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WSOPEvent 19: $2,500 Limit Hold’em  Six Handed of this year’s World Series of Poker brought out 354 entrants to try their hand at winning a WSOP bracelet. These entrants all paid their $2,500, creating a $800k prize pool for the players to compete for. Unlike most tournaments where tables seat 9 players, only 6 players are seated at each table.

354 entrants meant that only the top 36 finishers were paid, and a few top pros were able to sneak into cashing. Justin Bonomo, David Chiu (who has cashed in every WSOP since 1998), Sam Grizzle, and Matt Matros all finished in the money. Barely missing the final table was Richard ‘nutsinho’ Lyndaker, an online nosebleed regular who finished in 7th place.

The final table was made up of players mostly unknown on the tournament circuit. For two of them, Samuel Golbluff and Kim Nguyen, this would be their first cash at the WSOP. Not bad for your first cash to be a final table.

The other players have had their share of success at the WSOP. While none had any titles, each had over $100k in earnings prior to this event. Darren Woods, who’s cashes at the WSOP had all come in $10k championships, would battle Nguyen heads-up for the title.

Nguyen, who was looking to become the first woman to win an open event at the WSOP since Vanessa Selbst in 2008, found herself right where Maria Ho was earlier this year. Sadly, her finish mirrored that of Ho. Woods took the chip lead early and ran with it, slowly chipping away at Nguyen’s stack until he eliminated her in 2nd place, sending her home with just shy of $132k in her first WSOP cash. Meanwhile, Woods collected his first WSOP bracelet and the $213,431.

 

2011 WSOP Event 17 Recap

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WSOPThe first mixed games tournament was played in Event 17: $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. This tournament features 5 games: Hold’em, Omaha Hi-lo 8/b, Razz, 7 Card Stud, and 7 Card Stud Hi-Lo 8/b, all of which are played with a fixed limit.

963 players came out to play, a stunning number for a mixed games event. Very rarely does a non-hold’em event of the same buyin bring more entrants than hold’em one, but it did this year, with this event bringing significantly more than Event 17: $1,500 Pot Limit Hold’em.

Considering the number of entrants in this event, the pros did not comprise a high percentage of those in the money. However, they were still out in force, with their skill taking over in a mixed game format. David Chiu, Cyndy Violette, and Eli Elezra were among those who cashed, at least doubling their entry.

While these players did not make the final table, two players who are having a phenomenal World Series did. Victor Ramdin and David ‘Bakes’ Baker both have 3 cashes this WSOP, with Baker getting back-to-back final tables this event. While they are both doing very well so far, neither were able to turn that into a win this event, bowing out in 9th and 7th respectively.

Michael Chow, Aaron Steury, and Adam Friedman entered the final 9 as the three chip leaders, with significant distance between them and the rest of the field. They cruised until just those three remained. Friedman busted in third to Chow. However, Steury still had a massive 4-1 chip lead. This proved too much for Chow, who took home $178k for his 2nd place finish.

For his win, Steury, a Ft. Wayne, Indiana native, pocketed $289,283 for his victory. He also walked out of the Rio with a shiny bracelet on his wrist, signifying him as a World Series of Poker Champion.