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CBS' Intercontinental Poker Championship On Deck
Published: 2006-04-13
 Just a couple of days after hosting the second season of High Stakes Poker, the Palms Casino plays host this weekend to another TV taping—that of the first-ever Intercontinental Poker Championship, or IPC, a No-Limit Hold ’Em freeroll with a $500,000 prize pool.
The IPC brings together 21 players representing 21 different countries, as designated either by country of original origin or current residence. Proving that NBC isn’t the only major network catching the poker bug, CBS will air all eight episodes of the IPC, beginning on Saturday, June 17.
Those competing and the countries they represent are as follows:
Australia: Tony G.
Canada: Daniel Negreanu
China: Johnny Chan
Costa Rica: Humberto Brenes
England: David Ulliott
France: David Benyamine
Ireland: Donnacha O’Dea
Israel: Eli Elezra
Italy: Marco Traniello
Japan: Yosh Nakano
Lebanon: Sammy Farha
Mexico: Refugio Quintero
Norway: Thor Hansen
Pakistan: Hasan Habib
Russia: Ralph Perry
Spain: Carlos Mortensen
South Africa: Steve Wolff
South Korea: Jimmy Cha
Sweden: Chris Bjorin
Vietnam: Chau Giang
United States: Doyle Brunson
The format in this event is different from regular tournaments. In the first round, the 21 players are divided into three tables of seven players based on a random draw. Each table plays a freezeout, with the three winners advancing to the second round. The 18 players who did not advance then compete against the remaining players at their table in a second-chance first round, with those three winners also advancing to the second round. Those not advancing are eliminated.
In the second round, the 6 qualifying contestants play another freezeout, with the winner advancing to the final round. As in the first round, another second-chance freezeout with the remaining 5 players then commences, with the winner also advancing.
The two finalists will then compete in a best-of-three heads-up match to determine the winner. The champion receives $350,000, a trophy, and intercontinental bragging rights for the year, while the runner-up takes home $150,000.
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Mansion Poker proof that new online poker rooms and sportsbooks can be competitive, Manchester United deal falls through though
Published: 2006-04-12
 Ending last week on a high speculative note were strong rumours that the Indonesian owned but Gibraltar based Mansion gambling group is interested in acquiring online sportsbook BetDirect, according to Online-Casinos.com
The rumours were given impetus by Mansion's stated goal of using acquisition tactics to expand its gambling product offerings, a "no comment" position from the BetDirect parent group and street talk that an offer as high as GBP 10 million had already been made.
Mansion can certainly afford the action. The owner and major shareholder, Indonesian billionaire Putera Sampoerna (58) is one of the world's richest men, and last year sold his cigarette business to Philip Morris for GBP 3 billion. He is also believed to be counting out GBP 120 million to buy the Les Ambassadeurs Casino in London's Mayfair. Mansion recently signed a GBP 40 million poker tournament deal with American giants television company Fox Sports Network.
Due to a controversial last-minute switch by Manchester United last week, a deal through which Mansion was offering a $70 million shirt sponsorship fell through. The proposed deal included a healthy cash element, so Mansion will have good liquidity at present.
Many online gambling naysayers have balked at the idea of new online casinos and sportsbooks having the ability to compete in an already saturated marketplace.
Nevertheless, some of today's most regarded and cash-infused brands continue to make waves and march past the competition with reckless abandon. Bodog, PartyGaming, TradeSports and BetFair are all branding concepts that formed after 2000. Mansion Poker and Sportsbook is another that came into existence just over two years ago.
Consolidation, phewey!
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