Seidel just won the National Heads-Up Poker Championship (NHPC), pulling in a hefty $750,000. This win puts him in first place on poker’s All Time Money List, with a whopping $14,697,297 in earnings. Last year, Seidel finished second to Annie Duke. 2011, however, brought him into a heads-up situation with Chris Moneymaker, where Seidel was in command for the entire session.

At NHPC, the winner is decided by a best-of-three heads-up match, and Seidel wiped out Moneymaker quickly for the first game. In the second match, Moneymaker found himself short-stacked and bluffed all-in with no pair, only to find out that Seidel had made three of a kind. Two matches, two losses, and Moneymaker found himself the second place winner, reaping no small reward of $300,000.

After the match, Moneymaker commented, “I tried everything. I tried to check-raise, I tried to bluff him, I tried to trap him. He’s just a true champion.”

Seidel, ever the class act, commented on his NHPC win and first place on the All Time Money Place, simply saying, “I think it’s nice. I kind of expect it will be a temporary thing, but I’m happy to be there now.”

Seidel was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame at the end of 2010. Since his induction, he has run blazing hot, with over $4 million in winnings in 2011. When asked about his run of success, Seidel simply said, “I’m loving it right now.”

The calender consists of six events spanning the proud nation, each boasting a minimum prize pool of €150,000 guaranteed. Starting on April 9 at Madrid’s Gran Casino Aranjuez, players from all across the globe can expect a wild ride all the way up until the November 23 Grand Finale at the Gran Casino Costa Brava where €300,000 will be at stake.

All told, more than €1,000,000 in guaranteed prizes will be doled out to the playing populace.

For their part, Everest Poker has guaranteed that at least 55 seats will be handed out for each €1,000+100 main event on the SPT Tour, courtesy of their online qualifiers. While the first opportunity has passed, there is still a a good deal of time left to prepare for the next event. Starting April 28, players will have the chance to earn a seat at the luxurious Casino de Ibiza for their May14-16 tournament.

Here’s the complete schedule:

Event	Location	Start Date	Online Qualifiers
SPT Madrid	Gran Casino Aranjuez	04/09/11	Starting February 21
SPT Ibiza	Casino de Ibiza	05/14/16	Starting April 28
SPT Castellon	Gran Casino de Castellon	08/20/22	Starting May 16
SPT Valencia	Casino de Valencia	10/01/03	Starting July 18
SPT Sevilla	Gran Casino Aljarafe	11/05/10	Starting September 5
SPT Grand Finale – Lloret	Gran Casino Costa Brava	11/23/10	TBD

Everest has set up numerous roads for ambitious players to follow. Each week, they are offering three Direct Entry events – One held on Sunday ($336+24 awarding 5 SPT seats and a $2,500 Prize Package), one on Wednesday ($100+0 awarding 3 SPT seats and a $2,500 prize package) and a final shot each Friday ($30+3 Rebuy boasting 3 $1,500 SPT seats). All tournaments kick off at 20:30 GMT.

Those looking to travel a more adventurous path can blaze their way through Everest’s SPT Super Turbo Satellites. These will be offered all day on Sundays ($30+3) and Wednesdays ($11+1) and will send qualifiers into that day’s SPT Direct Entry event.

Still too steep? Fear not! Everest is also offering shots for as little as $2 through their Poker Steps. Every day, players are given the chance to rise through multiple Sit & Go’s, with successful climbers making it all the way into one of the three weekly direct entry events.

Each and every SPT tournament can be found under the Live tab in Everest Poker’s Scheduled Tournaments section.

One thing is for sure – Thanks to their array of beautiful destinations and amazing prize packages, the 2010 Spanish Poker Tour will go down as one of the year’s most enthralling series. Log onto Everest Poker and earn your shot today!

]]> http://www.flopturnriver.com/blogs/everest-backs-2010-spanish-poker-tour-12287/feed 0 http://www.flopturnriver.com/blogs/a-perfect-pair-betfair-poker-teams-with-amateur-poker-association-and-tour-12257 http://www.flopturnriver.com/blogs/a-perfect-pair-betfair-poker-teams-with-amateur-poker-association-and-tour-12257#comments Wed, 24 Feb 2010 19:05:26 +0000 PokerJanitor http://www.flopturnriver.com/blogs/?p=12257

Betfair, one of the largest and most well respected gaming establishments in the world, has joined forces with the Amateur Poker Association and Tournament. Now, on the cusp of an APAT season which will feature 28 live events across Ireland, the UK and the European mainland, Betfair has become the exclusive host for the organization’s online qualifying tournaments.

This will be the fourth go-around for the APAT, who have grown exponentially over their first three seasons. The company’s Managing Director, Des Duffy, had this to say:

“APAT launched the UK’s first national poker tour in 2006 and it has become a proving ground for new and developing players, with members winning WSOP, EPT and GUKPT titles, amongst many others. This partnership with Betfair Poker brings a well-known and respected brand to APAT, as well as a tremendous amount of additional value and opportunity for our members”.

The pairing of these two great organizations has already born fruit, yielding a bounty of benefits for its members. In total, 23 APAT seats will be up for grabs through events at Betfair Poker. This comes in addition to the 33 GUKPT spots already announced. Betfair has also put up the cash for two ₤20,000 sponsorship packages for 2011. One will be given to the tour’s top pro at the close of the season, while the other will be bestowed on 2010′s top armature. For a full schedule of events, see the list at the end of this article.

On top of their new partnership, Betfair is offering a bevy of exciting new events. Foremost among these is their innovative 1-X-2 Footie Special, which bring together two of the most universal games on the planet: football and poker. On selected days, Betfair will pick a particular televised football match, and create a tournament named after each of the opposing teams. All players need to do is join the tournament named after the side who, in their mind, should win the football match. Then, when the game is complete, Betfair will add $1,000 to the prize pool of the appropriately named tournament.

Speaking of football, Betfair is also offering players a chance to win a weekend for two at April 4′s Barcelona vs. Athletico Bilbao showdown. The winning contestant will receive two VIP tickets to the game, along with a tour of the stadium and two nights at a Barcelona hotel. Travel costs are also included.

In order to compete for this fabulous prize, players need to log into the Betfair Poker Room before 7:45 PM GMT on March 11 and purchase their $10 ticket for the “Barcelona Experience” in the tournament lobby. The games begin at 8 PM GMT. As an added bonus, new players who register their account between February 22 and March 11 will receive a refund of their $10 tournament ticket.

Befair Live! is busy drumming up excitement for their upcoming live event in Tanlinn, which will take between April 8 and 11. According to a recent press release, “Players can qualify for their Tallinn package now via our “Betfair Poker LIVE! Tallinn 2010” Satellites! There are 10 x Tallinn LIVE! packages GTD in all, worth $1,500 each (inc. accommodation and flights).” Visit Betfair’s website for more details.

For full details of the APAT’S FOURTH SEASON, see the schedule below.

AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

2 day events – £75 buy in – unless stated

20/3 – Welsh Amateur Championship – Aspers, Swansea
17/4 – United Kingdom Amateur Championship – Grosvenor Victoria, London
15/5 – Central European Amateur Championship – Austria
19/6 – Scottish Amateur Championship – G, Aberdeen
31/7 – Northern European Amateur Championship – Estonia
27/8 – World Amateur Heads Up Championship – DTD, Nottingham – 1 day – £50
27/8 – World Amateur Team Championship – DTD, Nottingham – £100
28/8 – World Amateur Stud Championship – DTD, Nottingham – 1 day – £50
29/8 – World Amateur Omaha Championship – DTD, Nottingham – 1 day – £50
30/8 – World Amateur Six Max Championship – DTD, Nottingham – 1 day – £50
29/8 – World Amateur Poker Championship – DTD, Nottingham – 3 day – £100
31/8 – World Amateur HORSE Championship – DTD, Nottingham – 1 day – £50
25/9 – Irish Amateur Championship – Dublin
23/10 – English Amateur Championship – G, Luton
27/11 – European Amateur Championship – G, Coventry
8/1 – Southern European Amateur Championship – Spain
29/1 – United Kingdom Team Championship – G, Bolton

PROFESSIONAL LEAGUE

1 day event – Pot Limit Hold’em – £250 buy in – 10,000 chips – 40 minute clock

20/3 – Professional League Swansea – Grosvenor, Swansea
17/4 – Professional League London – Grosvenor Victoria, London
19/6 – Professional League Glasgow – G, Aberdeen
28/8 – Professional League Nottingham – DTD, Nottingham
25/9 – Professional League Dublin – Dublin
23/10 – Professional League Luton – G, Luton
27/11 – Professional League Coventry – G, Coventry

SPECIALIST SERIES

1 day event – £25 buy in – mixed structures to be advised a month prior to events.

21/3 – Specialist Series – Grosvenor, Swansea
18/4 – Specialist Series – Grosvenor Victoria, London
20/6 – Specialist Series – G, Aberdeen
26/9 – Specialist Series – Dublin
24/10 – Specialist Series – G, Luton
28/11 – Specialist Series – G, Coventry

Read full story here on Global Post

Level                        Old                   New
Silverstar                1500 VPP       1200 VPP
Goldstar                  4000 VPP      3000 VPP
Platinum Star        10,000 VPP    8,000 VPP
Supernova              100K VPP      100K VPP (yearly)
Supernova Elite     1M VPP          1M VPP (yearly)

Supernova and Supernova Elite players will retain their hard earned VIP level all the way into September. Up until now, by February their VIP Level would have been reset. This policy will start now, and will count for all Supernova and Supernova Elite players of ’08.

Milestone bonuses will become cash credits. This means once a player hits 200,000 VPPs for 2009 he will be able to obtain $2,000 cash credit for 50,000 FPPs, without a need to earn further 10,000 VPPs. This is especially good news for the hardcore grinders. This particular feature is not fully automated yet, but the plan is to allow players to buy these bonuses directly from the VIP Store, meaning there will be no need for further processing as it is now.

The $50,000 VIP weekly event is now a $75,000 event with 12 minute blinds. The $20,000 VIP weekly event is now a $30,000 weekly event.

The famed Concierge service will be changing slightly. These changes include that players will now be able to use the service only once per month, with a maximum of up to 3 receipts.

There you have it. These changes are plentiful and significant for everybody. Now you will not have to sweat as much as you did in order to benefit from the good stuff in the PokerStars VIP system.  The fruit is hanging lower now.

All you have to do to partake in the best VIP club on the internet is to download PokerStars, register your account, and start playing today!

Have you been playing on PokerStars? If not, here is what you have been missing out on.

PokerStars is having a 25 Billion Bash, and everyone is invited to join the celebration! Just over 18 months after their 10 Billionth Hand was dealt, they are now on the verge of dealing their landmark 25 Billionth Hand, and they’re not going to let such an occasion go unmarked. They’re going to be celebrating in the only way they know how – by having a bash, full of promotions that will give away some huge prizes!

25% Reload Bonus
Pokerstars is offering its biggest ever reload right now. Reload you account, and get a 20x in VPPs 25% reload bonus, up to a $1000 max. This means the following: if you reload your account with the maximum amount, which is $1000, you will get a 25% bonus of that sum (whic equates $250) added to your account. To release the bonus, you have to play an equivalent of 20x the bonus amount (in this case 5,000) in VPPS.
Oh, and HURRY UP! This bonus is only valid until February 18th. To take full advantage of this promotion, you may need to email support@pokerstars.com to have them increase your depositing limits from the default $600; and please be aware that some payment methods have controls that PokerStars cannot influence (e.g. eChecks).

Milestone Hands
The action begins before the 25 billionth hand is dealt, because PokerStars will be giving away cash prizes throughout the event to players involved in each one millionth hand dealt in cash games. Milestone Hands will run from the 24.85 billionth hand to the 25 billionth. To keep track of how many hands have been dealt so far, keep an eye on the ‘Game#’ in the top left corner of the table view.

Milestone Hands will be announced on the table with a pop-up message, before play is paused to ramp up the excitement. A host will then arrive at the table to explain exactly what’s happening. Players involved in every millionth hand dealt during the 25 Billion Bash will win the following:

Limit Winner The Rest
Micro $300 $125
Low $750 $250
Medium $1,250 $500
High $2,500 $1,000

There will also be a VIP multiplier, with bonuses for the following VIP tiers:

VIP Tier Multiplier
SilverStar 15% Bonus
GoldStar 30% Bonus
PlatinumStar 60% Bonus
Supernova 120% Bonus
Supernova Elite 200% Bonus

For example, if you are dealt into a Milestone Hand on a Medium stakes table and win the hand, you’d receive $1,250. If you are also a PlatinumStar VIP, you’d receive an additional $750 (60% Bonus).

Mega Milestone
Even the biggest live card room in the world, dealing cards 24/7, would take over 300 years to reach 25 billion hands! History will be made the moment PokerStars deals its 25 billionth hand, and PokerStars has got the prize to match the occasion.

The winner of the Mega Milestone Hand will receive the following:

$100,000 in cash
European Poker Tour Monte Carlo Grand Final package
PokerStars Caribbean Adventure package
World Series of Poker* package
World Championship of Online Poker Main Event ticket
This is by far the best prize we’ve ever given away for a Milestone Hand, and is worth $150,000. If you are playing at the table but do not win the hand, don’t worry, the rest of the table will share $100,000 in cash and prizes. Please note there is no VIP multiplier on the 25 billionth hand.

The Major Majors

$2,500,000 Sunday Million
The world’s biggest weekly online poker tournament gets even bigger during the 25 Billion Bash, as the guaranteed prize pool is increased to $2,500,000.

Sunday, February 15 at 16:30 ET
$2,500,000 guaranteed prize pool
$215 buy-in
Satellites, including VIP satellites will run all week
Registration is now open!
To find the tournament, go to the PokerStars lobby and select ‘Tourney’ and then ‘Regular’ or ‘Special’. You can also use the Tourney Filter in the lobby to search for the tournament.

$1,250,000 Sunday Warm-Up
The Sunday Warm-Up will also get a bumper prize pool for the 25 Billion Bash, with a guarantee of $1,250,000.

Sunday, February 15 at 12:45 ET
$1,250,000 guaranteed prize pool
$215 buy-in
Satellites, including VIP satellites will run all week
Registration is now open!
To find the tournament, open the PokerStars lobby and select ‘Tourney’, and ‘Regular’ or ‘Special’. The Tourney Filter can also help you locate the tournament.

First Depositor Freerolls
Each and every new real money player will be given the chance to play and win big in a series of freerolls during the 25 Billion Bash. To enter, just make your first real-money deposit and enter the code ‘fdf2500’ into the bonus code field at the Cashier. You’ll then be able to play in as many of the daily freerolls as you wish.

$2,500 freerolls will run every day during the week February 15-22, 2009
Freerolls will take place at 12:00, 16:00 and 20:00 ET
$2,500 prize pool for each freeroll, with a 20% payout structure
The buy-in is FREE – just make your first real-money deposit using the code ‘fdf2500’ and you are eligible to play in all the freerolls
First depositors will receive a 100% bonus up to $50
To find the freerolls, go to the PokerStars lobby and select ‘Tourney’ and ‘Freeroll’. You can also search for the tournaments using the Tourney Filter.

Guys, you should not miss this great opportunity. Sign up and get dealt in today!

• Ladbrokes will be adding five $5K WSOP DREAM packages to the Main Event.

• Ladbrokes will also be adding three €1,000 Ladbrokes Irish Poker Festival Packages to side events.

• Players who qualify for this event through Ladbrokes will have a £50 bounty placed on their heads, which can only be won by other Ladbrokes qualifiers.

• The packages will also be upgraded for the first five package winners.

You (yes, YOU!) can take part in all the action by winning a $1,500 Easter Rendezvous package at Ladbrokes, which includes a £500 + £50 ($825) Main Event Buy-In, the aforementioned £50 ($75) Bounty on your head, and $600 expenses for accommodation and travel to the beautiful Brighton Marina.

You (yes that is YOU!) can get your seat today on Ladbrokes for as little an investment as $1! That’s right, for less than the value of a cheeseburger. Just enter the $165 satellite, and somehow win the thing, and you have a chance to play in the Easter Rendezvous festival and win any or all of the great prizes! The qualification methods are as follows. There is a $22 Daily Final which will lead to $165 weekly finals. Win the weekly final and you have a seat in the Easter rendezvous. You can also buy-in directly into the $165 weekly finals. The $22 Daily Finals are also fed by daily $1 and $5 satellites. All Ladbrokes Rendezvous package satellites can be found in the Ladbrokes poker client’s MTT Lobby.

The winners of the first five packages will receive an upgraded package which includes 3 nights bed and breakfast at the Seattle Hotel in a King Sea view room worth over £500($750)!  This will be given as an alternative to their $600 expenses. This is a beautiful and upscale boutique hotel which is conveniently located next door to the Casino.
So, I guess this question is superfluous, but I got to ask it to you anyway… WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? PLAY TODAY AT LADBROKES AND QUALIFY NOW!

A quote from the Colorado State Director of the Poker Players’ Alliance, Gary Reed: “The PPA is pleased with the outcome of this case. It is further confirmation that poker is indeed a game of skill, not chance. At the same time, the not guilty verdict cements the rights of Colorado citizens to enjoy the American pastime of poker and will allow law enforcement to use its scarce resources to investigate real unlawful activity in the state, not poker games.”

The defendant in questioned got arrested on grounds of having organized bar poker games with his friends. The man in question, an individual by the name of Kevin Raley, did not think he was breaking the law in any form whatsoever, but he was still arrested.

The PPA officials then stepped to the rescue. They gave significant assistance and also provided an expert witness to testify to make it clear to everybody involved that poker is a game of skill, and because of this cannot be treated as “gambling” under any state law, but specifically Colorado. It seems that Colorado law specifically exempts “bonafide contest of skill” from being prosecuted. The Expert witness, a University of Denver statistics professor by the name of Robert Hannum, then presented all the pertaining evidence to make poker’s high skill element obvious to those not versed in the game.

Accordingly, his raid went just like what you saw in the Michael Moore’s movie “Fahrenheit 9/11″ in which a government agency sends an undercover cop into a group of old people who gathered weekly to drink milk and cookies, and discuss the weather. In the real life version, undercover officers infiltrated the game, which was run twice weekly at the Barleycorn’s. The game in question was organized by the semi-private poker club of Kevin Raley, and not by the bar itself. Colorado revenue officials then had the smart idea of mixing the wrong variables together, arguing that since the game took place in a place where alcohol was served, it broke a statewide ban against games of chance in such locations, and therefore the defense could not argue that the game came in accordance with Colorado’s allowance for social gambling. Needless to say, the judge exerted common sense, and struck it down.

First, Kentucky claimed to be the owners of the Internet, and then they send some undercover brothers to ruin a bar game. What’s next? Making it mandatory that all drinks must come in easy-open cans, since bottle opener’s can be used to kill people? It’s getting really amusing, and at the same time really sad.

Tax dollars well spent, apparently.

It seems like finally a good dose of common sense has struck a few of the people in command in the USA. While presence of luck is undeniable in any given poker hand, the skill element overshadows it big-time, and this is most apparent (or better said: becomes most obvious) in the long term. Poker is unique in being a marriage of the exactly right mix of luck and skill to make it fun and lucrative for everybody involved. If you cannot see how poker is a game of skill itself, ask yourself this question: how many books and websites and resources have been dedicated to poker?

If it’s all gambling, it would not have been possible to make such a vast amount of resources, only to tell you to “bet on black” would it? FlopTurnRiver.com would consist of a single page, telling you to “make sure you bet all your chips on black!”

Remember guys, even though today’s battle was a victorious one, the war is not over. We must remain vigilant.

This year, the aim of Ladbrokes is to give as many poker players as possible the opportunity to go to Las Vegas and be part of the World’s biggest poker event. They will compete in at least 3 Main Event satellites, enjoy the Vegas nightlife in true Ladbrokes style, and hopefully one of them will emerge as a Ladbrokes Poker winner for a second consecutive year.

That is right, not only do you get the chance to play for probably some of the biggest cash prizes you will see in your life, but you also get to live the experience, and the glamor, associated with success in poker.

With this in mind, Ladbrokes has created the $5,000 Vegas Dream Package, which consists of the following:

• 7 nights’ accommodation for two in Las Vegas in the week the Main Event commences.

• Staying on the Strip at the luxurious Caesars Palace Hotel & Casino

• Free extension for all Vegas Dream satellite winners who make Day 2.

• $2,000 travel expenses

• $1,050 Buy-In to Vegas Dream Satellite – Caesars Palace Card Room

• Top 10% win $10,000 Main Event Buy-In

• $ 220 Second Chance Satellite – Venue TBC

• Two added Main Event Buy-In’s

• $110 Last Chance Satellite – Binion’s Casino

• Added Main Event Buy-In for highest Team Ladbrokes finisher

• Exclusive Ladbrokes social events, including 2 tickets to the Ladbrokes Vegas Dream Party at the spectacular roof top VooDoo Lounge.

• Coaching from Team Captains:

• Jon “Skalie” Kalmar – 2007 Final Table

• Steve “fivek” Davis – 2008 & 2006 Money Winner

• Vegas Dream Team merchandise

Vegas Dream Package winners will also enjoy the normal support of the Ladbrokes Event Team to help them make all the arrangements required to have a trip of a lifetime. This support will continue in Vegas, where you can draw on their contacts to get those exclusive show tickets or dinner reservations. It’s a once in a lifetime chance to be a real VIP, not just another face in the crowd, and Ladbrokes has gone out of their way to offer you this unique opportunity.

So what are you waiting for? Qualify today for just $6!

You can win a Vegas Dream package in the $550 Vegas Dream Weekly Finals that are being held every Wednesday evening until 10th June 2009.

You can qualify for the Weekly Finals through the $60 Daily Finals, which are fed by $6 & $10 satellites that are held each day.

All Vegas Dream satellites can be found in the Specials section of the MTT Lobby.

Here is a little known fact to cook your nugget: Peter Eastgate, the 2008 WSOP Main Event winner, was a Ladbrokes Qualifier! So this year, do not miss your chance to repeat his footsteps!

The reason seems to be the way Full Tilt Poker markets the PAD show internationally. While the US Broadcast does not seem to imply any kind of favoritism, the international version seems to be more branded not as Poker After Dark, but as a Full Tilt Poker show itself. For instance, in the Latin market, the show is not even referred to as Poker After Dark, but as Full Tilt Poker. Of course the stars commercials and party poker commercials keep playing in the background, but in the end, this is not the effect that Pokerstars was seeking. Recently they took the decision to put the kibosh on every further participation of their pros in this popular program.

We are obviously very interested in where all of this will end, and as usual, FlopTurnRiver will keep you posted.