This summer, PokerStars broke the Guinness World Record  for most players in one tournament by hosting a tournament with 65,000 runners. On December 27, PokerStars will attempt to shatter the Guinness World Record for most entrants in one tournament once again. Entry to the tournaments is just $1, and the prizepool is guaranteed to be at least $300,000. $1 buys you a piece of history and a shot at hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Ring in the New Year by ringing the bells of select PokerStars Pros in a $100,000 guaranteed Head Hunt tournament. On January 4, 2010 you will have an opportunity to collect cash bounties on the amateur stars of the PokerStars Million Dollar Challenge TV show and the legend Daniel Negreanu.  The inaugural season of The Million Dollar Challenge aired on Fox and had tremendous success. Millions of viewers watched amateur players battle Friends of PokerStars and PokerStars Pros for a shot at a cool million. In fact, it was the most popular poker TV show in the United States ever!

Want to be part of the next PokerStars Million Dollar Challenge? It’s easy, simply enter one of the four daily PS Million Dollar Challenge (North America) freerolls and place in the top ten. Next, you will need to submit a short video that reveals why you should be selected to star in the second season of the Million Dollar Challenge. Make sure your video really stands out! If you are selected, you are heading to the recording studios in Los Angeles for world class coaching by Team PokerStars Pro, Daniel Negreanu! You may play him in a later round so don’t forget to keep a few tricks up your PokerStars hoodies’ sleeves.

Only two more Tuesdays are left in December, so that means you only have two days left to chat up Team PokerStars Pros on Team Pro Tuesdays! Each Tuesday, Team PokerStars Pros, like Joe Cada and Joe Hachem, will fill up PokerStars’ cash and tournament tables. Have you ever wanted to ask Chris Moneymaker for his luckbox? Perhaps you wanted to ask Daniel Negreanu if his mom will make YOU lunch. You have the chance with Team Pro Tuesdays!

The 2010 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure is fast approaching. We all know you want to win a $15,000 PCA  package that includes a seat to the PCA Main Event, 8 night stay at the world renowned Atlantis Resort, food credit, and travel expenses! What PCA Satellites do I play? Steps, rebuys, freezeouts? Since you have been good this year, I will write a comprehensive article explaining which PCA Satellites give YOU the most value! Be on the lookout for your ticket to the 2010 PCA, January 4-14, 2010, later this week!

Santa Clause has nothing on us when it comes to giving this holiday season. Sign up at PokerStars using PokerStars Marketing code flopturnriver and deposit as little as $10 using the PokerStars Bonus Code STARS600 for a 100% bonus up to $600. Using PokerStars Marketing Code flopturnriver in conjunction with PokerStars Bonus Code STARS600 unlocks a gift that keeps on giving. Each month you will have exclusive access to $1000 in monthly private, password-protected tournaments. Build your bankroll in the FTR300, a $3 tournament with $300 added. Tired of battling thousands in the Hubble’s Freeroll? Using PokerStars Marketing Code flopturnriver and depositing with PokerStars Bonus Code STARS600 grants you entry to our private $200 freerolls every month. Come be apart of the select few and team up with FTR and PokerStars this holiday season!

Officials from eCOGRA, a nonprofit organization founded in 2003, conducted a thorough review at CEREUS headquarters. eCOGRA’s auditing and technical staff analyzed CEREUS’ software, management personnel, and its RNG (Random Number Generator). After their findings, CEREUS was awarded with the eCOGRA seal which certifies CEREUS software “is implemented, maintained and continuously operated in a safe, secure and reliable manner.”

Sean Roberts, Compliance Manager for eCOGRA, applauded CEREUS’ dedication to its players, “CEREUS management’s commitment to compliance, specifically player safety, facilitated an efficient review and certification process.”

After CEREUS was presented with the eCOGRA seal, Paul Leggett, CEO of CEREUS’ parent company Tokwiro Enterprises, also conveyed CEREUS’ commitment to players by highlighting the importance of developing  a poker client that cannot be manipulated again.  He stated, “Doing everything possible to reassure the poker community that our operation and software are completely safe and secure is a priority for us.”

The CEREUS Poker Network joins the likes of PartyPoker and Pacific Poker in meeting rigorous standards established by the London based eCOGRA. Internet poker operators and software providers must meet Generally Accepted Practices (eGAP) in elements of player protection, fair gaming, and responsible conduct to obtain an eCOGRA seal. For example, rooms seeking an eCOGRA seal must provide eCOGRA with their anti-money laundering provisions and their plan of action if a software malfunction arises.

PokerStars is proud to announce Season 2 of its Million Dollar Challenge. This exclusive promotion gives PokerStars players the chance to play for a million dollars on the FOX television network. To qualify, enter one of the four daily FOX – PS Million Dollar Challenge (North America) freerolls and place in the top ten. Next, qualifiers will have to be creative and send PokerStars a short video that conveys why PokerStars should pick them to star in the second season of Million Dollar Challenge. Winners will be coached by renowned Team PokerStars Pro, Daniel Negreanu. With Negreanu at their side, Million Dollar Challenge contestants will duke it out in heads-up poker matches on TV against Team PokerStars Pros and Poker Celebrities. After that, master becomes foe as the Million Dollar Challenge contestants will have the opportunity to play Daniel Negreanu heads-up!

Don’t forget PokerStars is the place to be on Tuesdays in December! Each Tuesday, Team PokerStars Pros, including WSOP Champions Joe Cada and Peter Eastgate ,will fill up PokerStars’ cash and tournament tables. Feel free to ask them questions or rail them. Participate in Outlast the Pro tournaments, which split $1000 among the players remaining after the last Team PokerStars Pro player is eliminated. My grandma can outlast Chris Moneymaker, so players partaking in Outlast the Pro tournaments should have no problem outstaying Team Pro.

The PokerStars Passport in December is another reason to stay inside and grind during the holidays. Finish in the top 2000 of the PokerStars December Tournament Leaderboard (TLB) to become eligible for a PokerStars Passport freeroll. These Passport freerolls aim to send players to live events across the globe, but players should bundle up if they don’t qualify for a live event. Why? PokerStars is also awarding mountains of cold hard cash! Be sure to check out their promotions page for more details.

Team PokerStars Pro is set to announce the members of its Team Online branch on December 23. It will be interesting to see which players PokerStars has selected to represent the Online Poker community. Check back here on December 23 to see who made the cut for Team Online!

Looking for some easy cash for that last-minute holiday shopping? Sign up at PokerStars using the PokerStars Marketing Code flopturnriver. When you are ready to make a deposit, for as little as $10, use the PokerStars Bonus Code STARS600 for a 100% bonus up to $600. Are you a tournament specialist? When you register with PokerStars Marketing Code flopturnriver and deposit using PokerStars Bonus Code STARS600 you are invited to join FlopTurnRiver.com exclusive tournaments. FTR adds $1000 to its private tournaments each month. You can only gain access to tournaments such as the FTR 300, a $3 tournament with $300 added to the prizepool, by using PokerStars Marketing Code flopturnriver in conjunction with PokerStars Bonus Code STARS600! Come make some money and celebrate the holidays with FTR and PokerStars!

PokerStars has not made an official statement yet, but it seems likely that PokerStars is developing mobile software that will allow its players to play at PokerStars on their smart phones. Smaller rooms, like Cake Poker, already have mobile poker clients available for Windows Mobile devices.

PokerStars has already translated its successful online brand into an extraordinary live brand with the creation of tournament circuits like the LAPT and the ANZPT. It will be interesting to see if that success carries over to form a superior PokerStars brand mobile client. A successful  foray into mobile gaming would only serve to increase PokerStars’ stranglehold on the online poker market.

If you don’t have an account at PokerStars, put your iPhone down and sign up using the PokerStars Marketing Code flopturnriver. When you are ready to deposit, enter the PokerStars Bonus Code STARS600 to receive a 100% bonus on your deposit up to $600. When you use the PokerStars Marketing Code flopturnriver and deposit with the PokerStars Bonus Code STARS600 you gain exclusive access to $1000 of free money each month. First, you gain access to a $200 freeroll and a $300 freeroll that are ticketed events, so only players who signed up with PokerStars Marketing Code flopturnriver can play! You also gain access to exclusive money added events at PokerStars, such as the $200 added $2 tournament and the $3 tournament with $300 added to juice up the prizepool! Think of how many smart phones you will be able to buy with all the money we are giving away!

Players begin at level 0 and must earn 1 Gold Chip to complete their first Gold Stack. If a player completes their level 0 Gold Stack within 3 days (Super Turbo) they earn 3 Gold Chips. A player will be rewarded with 2 Gold Chips if they earn their level 0 Gold Stack in 3-6 days (Turbo), and will receive 1 Gold Chip for completing level 0 outside of 6 days. Based on the chart, a player will then move to level 1 where he will need to accumulate 2 Gold Chips to form his level 1 Gold Stack. The player can earn 6 Gold Chips, 4 Gold Chips, or 2 Gold Chips based on how fast they earn their level 1 Gold Stack. Players will never drop back a level if they are in the process of completing levels 0-9.

What can I do with my Cake Poker Gold Chips? Good question, considering for the first few Gold Stacks levels you will be buried in a pile of Gold Chips. Take look at the Cake Poker Shop! You can order DVDs, Poker Books, Tournament Tickets, an Aussie Millions Main Event Seat, Xbox 360s, PSPs, video games, dell phones, and even a chocolate cake! Put your hard earned Gold Chips to use and get ready to earn some serious cash from here on out.

From levels 10 to 19 a player will be awarded with bonuses for accumulating Gold Stacks. According to the chart, a player needs to earn 2 Gold Stacks consisting of 14 Gold Chips each to go from level 13 to level 14. After the completion of EACH stack a player will be awarded a bonus up to $14. While you’re completing your second Gold Stack to move to level 14, you are earning cash by clearing your bonus!

Ready for some free cash? Levels 20 to 50 reward you with instant cash for completing Gold Stacks. For example, a player at level 23 will be rewarded with up to $24 for each Gold Stack he accumulates. Take a look at the chart to see how much free money you could earn!

Cake Poker understands you may have a hectic schedule, and their Gold Stack rewards program is built with that mind. Once you reach Level 11 you will need to accumulate a paltry 3 Gold Chips over 2 consecutive months to maintain your Gold Stacks level.

If you don’t have an account at Cake Poker, use the Cake Poker Signup Code FTR when you register your new account. When you use the Cake Poker Signup Code FTR you become eligible for a 100% bonus up to $500! In addition to a $500 bonus, you will be invited to a private $1 tourney with $100 added to the prizepool by FlopTurnRiver.com. Be prepared to earn serious cash with Gold Stacks Loyalty Program and Cake Poker Signup Code FTR.

This Gold Stacks chart is based on a Cake Poker Account with rakeback. Your Gold Stacks rewards may vary slightly. Thanks to Lee Jones at Cake Poker for creating this Gold Stacks chart!

Want to earn entry to a PokerStars $20,000 added $5 tournament? Simply answer the PokerStars quiz containing 12 questions that cover 2009 PokerStars Promotions: http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB229YATQYWA8. FlopTurnRiver.com has already has gathered the PokerStars quiz answers for you! This is one of the  instances where you will be rewarded for copying. The PokerStars quiz answers are below:

1.) Yevgeniy Timoshenko

2.) 35,000

3.) Victor Ramdin

4.) $3,656,600

5.) February

6.) Bertrand Grospellier

7.) Germany

8.) Unassigned

9.) $51,652,800

10.) 100,000

11.) ch0ppy

12.) Dutch

Second, PokerStars is teaming up with nonprofit organization, amfAR (The Foundation for AIDS Research) , in organizing a charity poker tournament to take place during the 2010 PCA in early January. On December 13, you will have an opportunity to win your amfAR charity package for just $5.50!  Your all inclusive package will contain a $5250 entry fee to the PCA amfAR Charity Event, airfare to the Bahamas, and 3 nights accommodation at  the world renowned Atlantis. There, you will have the opportunity to rub elbows with NHL legend Mats Sundin, Wimbledon Champion Boris Becker, and WSOP Main Event winner Joe Cada! PokerStars will donate half the prizepool to amfAR. Come join PokerStars and amfAR in the Bahamas for some celebrity fun, and in championing their noble goal of eliminating the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Next, PokerStars has lined up Team Pro Tuesdays for the month of December. On each Tuesday PokerStars pros will fill cash and tournament tables waiting for YOU to ask them questions. Team Pro Tuesdays will also feature Outlast the Pro tournaments in which players will split cash prizes if all the pros are eliminated before them. PokerStars is the place to be on Tuesdays in December!

Finally, there are rumors on Johnny Lodden’s PokerStars blog that the Team SportStars branch of PokerStars TeamPRO is about to sign a huge name. Be on the lookout and lets us know who you think it might be!

If you’re looking for more presents during the holidays, sign up at PokerStars using the PokerStars Marketing Code flopturnriver. This marketing code will gain you exclusive access to FTR freerolls at PokerStars. Use the flopturnriver PokerStars Marketing Code in conjunction with PokerStars Bonus Code STARS600 to receive a 100% up to $600 bonus in addition to $1000 of exclusive tournaments every month. Happy holidays from FTR!

First, Stars has introduced the 500,000$ depositor freerolls. If you are a first time depositor you use the PokerStars bonus code FIRST500K to receive a ticket, if you are already a customer use the deposit code 500k to receive your ticket. One ticket will qualify you for ALL the preliminary freerolls. There are 8 $2500 prizepool prelim freerolls a day for 15 days (Nov 28 – Dec 13). Cash in one of those and you are eligible for the 8 finals freerolls on Dec. 13 with prizepools of $25,000 each.

Next, finish in the top 2000 of the December Tournament Leaderboard and you will be eligible for a freeroll that could send you to up to five live events of your choice thanks to the PokerStars Passport in December! The top 200 TLB players from Dec. 1 – Dec. 31 will duke it out in the PokerStars Passport 2009 Main Event where players will compete for a 5-stamp, 3-stamp, and 1-stamp PokerStars Passport. Each stamp represents the number of live events spread across the EPT, LAPT, RPT, APPT, and ANZPT that a player can choose to play in on PokerStars’ dime.  The remaining 1800 TLB qualifiers will play in consolation tournaments with One-stamp Passports and cash prizes up for grabs. Who would want to miss out on a FREE vacation to anywhere in the world and the chance to bring home hundreds of thousands of dollars?

Finally, the PCA Freeroll Fantasy Main Event qualifiers are going on from now until December 5th. If you finish in the top 9 of the qualifiers you can play in one of the three main events on Dec 6. The top 9 players in the Main Events will win a 15k package and be on their way to the Bahamas!

If you don’t have an account at PokerStars, sign up using the the PokerStars Marketing Code flopturnriver, and use the PokerStars Bonus Code STARS600 when you make your first deposit. The PokerStars Bonus Code and Marketing Code allow you access to a 100% bonus up to $600 and exclusive invitations to $1000 in monthly tournaments! Check out the FTR Calendar for events such as a $200 password-protected freeroll and money added freezeouts. Take advantage  of our holiday spirit and sign up today!

First, in celebration of awarding $5million since the inception of the Battle of the Planet leaderboards began, they are doubling the prize pool for each division from Nov 8 – Nov 21. If you are not familiar, Battle of the Planets is a sit n go leaderboard. It is divided into different “planets” for the different SNG stakes.

In news, PokerStars nabbed the newest (and youngest) WSOP Main Event Champion, 21 year old Joe Cada. PokerStars is huge $$$$ and I am sure their sponsorship deal is so lucrative the champion can’t say no. They are also running a 100k Congrats Joe Cada tournament on November 22.

The PokerStars Sunday Million had its largest prize pool ever. With over 18,000 entrants the prizepool was about $3.65 million. First place was just over $280,000.

The Turbo Takedown, a massive tourney where the buy-in is 3000 FPPs (player points), is set to take place at the end of the month on the 29th. In addition to the $1 million prize pool, there are pro bounties, bonuses for repeat cashes, and the winner receives an Audi TT.

PokerStars currently has tons of PCA satellites going on. They picked up this popular tournament from the WPT and put it on their own LAPT early next year in January. The PCA satellites are sure rival the WSOP satellites in volume. In addition to real money satellites, freerolls to the PCA start every hour at twenty past the hour. You have no excuse not to qualify!

Finally, PokerStars has lowered its minimum electronic check (E-check) deposit to just $10! Turn a little into a lot!

PokerStars continues to kill the market, they have about twice as many players online at any given time compared to Full Tilt. They have the best customer support. Their VIP program is insane when you reach the higher levels. If you are playing higher stakes (especially SNGs), you are burning money by not playing at Stars. The money they make and therefore are able to give away in promotions is unrivaled.

Go check out PokerStars today!

Here is how the chip counts stacked up:

Darvin Moon – 58,930,000
Eric Buchman – 34,800,000
Steven Begleiter – 29,885,000
Jeff Shulman – 19,580,000
Joseph Cada – 13,215,000
Kevin Schaffel – 12,390,000
Phil Ivey – 9,765,000
Antoine Saout – 9,500,000
James Akenhead – 6,800,000

Out in ninth place was Englishman James Akenhead who finished runner up in a 2008 WSOP preliminary event. Akenhead got coolered early on, running K-K into A-A, and pushed his shortstack holding 3-3 into the 9-9 of 51 year old Kevin Schaffel. The board was no help to Akenhead, but the $1.2 million for ninth place had to of helped.

About twenty minutes after Akenhead’s exit, Schaffel was fortunate enough to get all-in preflop again with A-A. Eric Buchman showed K-K as the two players wait for the community cards to fall. The K-Q-J flop put 28 year old tournament grinder Buchman in the driver’s seat after being a 4-1 underdog preflop. Akenhead needed a T or an A on the turn or river, but no help came, sending Schaffel home to Florida with $1.3 million.

Darvin Moon – $58,000,000
Eric Buchman – 453,000,000
Steve Begleiter – $25,000,000
Antoine Saout – $22,000,000
Jeff Shulman – $16,000,000
Phil Ivey – $9,000,000
Joe Cada – $8,000,000

The players played two more hours until the dinner break at 10 PM.

Eric Buchman – $54,000,000
Darvin Moon – $41,000,000
Steve Begleiter – $38,000,000
Antoine Saout – $27,000,000
Phil Ivey – $16,000,000
Joe Cada – $10,000,000
Jeff Shulman – $7,000,000

Shortly after the break, Phil Ivey moved all-in with A-K and was called, but dominated the A-Q of 45 year old lumberman Darvin Moon. The Q-6-6 flop brought a stunned look to Ivey’s face and silenced the crowd. The turn and river were bricks which shattered Ivey’s chance of winning the 2009 WSOP Main Event. Ivey would certainly trade the $1.4 million seventh place for another shot at the Main Event bracelet.

Eric Buchman – $53,000,000
Antoine Saout – $52,000,000
Darvin Moon – $40,000,000
Steve Begleiter – $22,000,000
Jeff Shulman – $16,000,000
Joe Cada – $10,000,000

Next to go was Steve Begleiter, who managed to qualify for the Main Event through his local poker league. Begleiter managed to get Q-Q all-in preflop versus the Moon’s A-Q of spades. The flop of 7-4-8 two spades turned the rest of the hand into a million dollar coin flip. The turn was a brick, and the river brought a spade sending Begleiter to the rail in sixth with over $1.5 million.

Next, 21 year old Joe Cada began to chip up. Cada three bet all-in with 3-3 and Jeff Shulman snapped with J-J. Cada flopped a set, and doubled up to 22,000,000 while Shulman was left with just 8,000,000 in chips. Next, Darvin Moon lost his mind and four bet Joe Cada all-in holding K-9 versus the A-A of Cada. Cada held and doubled up again.

Antoine Saout – $54,000,000
Eric Buchman – $49,000,000
Joe Cada – $45,000,000
Darvin Moon – $39,000,000
Jeff Shulman – $6,000,000

Card player editor Jeff Shulman shipped his short stack all-in with 7-7 and was called by Frenchman Antoine Saout. Saout hit a nine on the flop of 10-9-6 and Shulman failed to hit his outs on the turn or river. Shulman earned nearly $2 million for his fifth place finish.

Antoine Saout – $62,000,000
Eric Buchman – $55,000,000
Joe Cada – $45,000,000
Darvin Moon – $31,000,000

Countless all-in three bets propelled Moon into second place while Saout’s stack dwindled.

Buchman – $56,000,000
Moon – $53,000,000
Cada – $46,000,000
Saout – $39,000,000

Moon’s luck continued  when his A-K bested Buchman’s A-Q in a button versus blind battle. Moon was in control with nearly 90,000,000 in chips while Buchman plummeted to the bottom with about 10,000,000 in chips.

The players continued three handed until Antoine Saout reraised all in with 8-8 and was at risk with Cada showing A-K. The flop was a harmless 5-4-5. The turn bricked a 10, but the river was a heartbreaking King. Saout was eliminated in third, earning nearly $3.5 million. It was grueling 17 hours, but Cada and Moon would get be able to get some rest before going headsup for the most coveted WSOP bracelet.

Cada – $135,000,000
Moon – $58,000,000

Play resumed just past 1AM the next day.Within an hour young gun Joe Cada had blown his sizable chip lead and was out chipped by 100 million. Cada battled back and made an excellent call holding J-9, facing an all-in-checkraise, on a board of T-5-9-T. Darvin Moon showed 7-8 for a straight draw. The river was a 3 which allowed Cada to regain a slight chip lead.

About 15 minutes later it was over. Darvin Moon got himself in another marginal spot, getting his J-Q all in versus Joe Cada’s 9-9. The board ran out 8-7-2-K-7 sending Moon home as runner up with over $5 million. Joe Cada became the youngest Main Event champion ever at 21 years of age and earned over $8.5 million and the Main Event bracelet.

When he accepted his bracelet, Cada wanted to first congratulate the rest of the final table, including Moon. Cada also thanked his supporters. The 2009 Main Event has brought us a great champion and, more importantly, a young man on his way to becoming a great ambassador of poker

The first stop was Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut. Ivey ignored the lavish villa prepared for him and proceeded to bet up to $50,000 on craps before leaving on his private plane. Rhyeem McCutchen, Ivey’s childhood friend, knows firsthand Ivey did not start out living the high life. Both grew up in Roselle, New Jersey where Ivey worked at a McDonald’s restaurant and shot dice in the bathroom to earn money.

After graduating from high school Ivey took a job as a telemarketer, but soon began to play poker in Atlantic City for days at a time. Phil Ivey developed a love for poker at the age of 8. To escape the heat of his parents home, which wasn’t air conditioned, Ivey would sneak downstairs where his grandpa lived. His grandpa taught him the game and Phil took an immediate liking to it. Eight year old Ivey loved poker, despite the fact he was playing for mere pennies and his grandpa was cheating him. Ivey’s grandpa cheated in an attempt discourage Phil from gambling.

Unfortunately, love for something doesn’t translate to immediate success. Ivey admits when he was 18 he sometimes lost all his money during the night at the casinos and was forced to sleep under Atlantic City’s Boardwalk. Ivey described waking up to the sun as a “disgusting feeling.” Despite the setbacks, Ivey was determined to make a living at poker and expressed his desire to be unlike his parents, working 9-5 jobs.

The crews next stop was the Casino de Montreal in Canada. Ivey nonchalantly wrote a check for one million dollars in chips so he could play on another private high stakes craps table. Ivey started out down $365,000 but soon was up to $1.500,000. Ivey allowed a member of the E 60 crew toss the dice for him, but he lost, costing Ivey $240,000. Despite the loss, Ivey finished up $750,000 in about half an hour of play.

At the age of 21 Ivey moved to Las Vegas to become a professional poker player. In just three years Phil Ivey amassed $550,000 by winning 4 WSOP bracelets. Not feeling satisfied, Ivey decided to play in a high stakes cash game at the Hustler Casino near Los Angeles. The pots in these high stakes games could be massive, reaching hundreds of thousands of dollars. Phil was soon down to the last $50,000 and called his friend McCutchen to sit behind him for his last stand. McCutchen conveyed to E 60 that Ivey was going to quit poker if he lost that last $50,000 to his name. That day Ivey destroyed the opposition, like he did in the WSOP tournaments, and finished with about two million dollars.

Amsterdam was the E 60 crews third stop. Phil expressed to the crew that today was a day off, which meant no gambling of any kind. The crew simply wandered around, taking in the sights and sounds of the beautiful city in the Netherlands.

Ivey continued to destroy Las Vegas cash games and tournaments. In 2006, Ivey and a group of players, deemed the Corporation, pooled their money together to each play billionaire Andy Beal heads up. In three days Ivey earned the group $16,600,000. The magnanimous Ivey bought his mother a condo, and provided his sister enough money to go to college and law school. Phil got a little something for himself too, a half-million Mercedes-McClaren SLR sports car.

The final stop for the E60 crew was an arena in Salzurg, Austria where Ivey was promoting Full Tilt poker. Thousands of fans cheered when he was introduced. He signed autographs and took pictures which could become more valuable if Ivey takes down the Main Event back in Las Vegas.

Phil Ivey has gone from sitting under the dark and cold boardwalk to sitting under the warm bright lights of the Main Event Final Table. His Main Event victory would be incredible, never has such a big name navigated its way to victory in a nearly 6500 player field. With all the obstacles Phil Ivey has overcome, it may be unwise to bet against him, it may be destiny.