Daily Poker News Review: Thursday, April 24, 2014 Daily Poker News Review: Thursday, April 24, 2014

Main Headlines

California Online Poker Stakeholders Air Concerns at Informational Hearing

The California State Assembly Committee on Governmental Organization held an informational hearing on Wednesday to discuss the merits of regulating online poker in the state.

  • California gaming stakeholders who testified before the committee included representatives from tribal government, card rooms, the horse racing industry, gaming regulators and law enforcement.
  • Other than a disagreement over what constitutes a bad actor, the overall tone of the hearing seemed to indicate that gaming interests in California were as close to an agreement on internet poker as they have been in the five years since the California legislature began discussing the topic.
  • Richard Lopes, Chairman of the California Gambling Control Commission told the committee that the commission was well prepared to regulate internet poker.

PokerTracker Coaxes Hold’em Manager Customers with 40% Switch Promo

One week discount of 40% seeks to poach HM2 users.

  • Players are directed to a special discount page where, from tomorrow, the retail price for the combined Hold’em and Omaha product will be dropped from $159.99 to $95.99.
  • PokerTracker also confirmed that it now supports the “big four” online poker rooms in New Jersey.

WSOP Asia-Pacific 2014 Schedule Offers Ten Bracelets

The headline events will get live final table coverage on ESPN with a one hour delay.

  • The revamped WSOP Asia-Pacific (APAC) Australia schedule for 2014 has now been published and it includes ten bracelet events. The series will run from October 2 to October 18.
  • ESPN will be televising the final table of the $10k Main Event and the $25k High Roller.
  • Broadcast is scheduled to be live in the US and Australia, with a one hour delay, on October 17 and October 18.

Rational Group Reveals Plan to Bring PokerStars Brand to California

A deal with three casinos and the Morongo Band of Mission Indians will oppose “bad actor” clauses in proposed California legislation.

  • PokerStars has entered an agreement with the Morongo Band of Mission Indians and three card clubs to supply its online poker platform to the joint venture when online gaming legislation is passed in California.
  • In addition, the organizations have said they will work together as a coalition “to promote legislation that authorizes and regulates intrastate real-money online poker in California.”
  • “We’re pleased to announce our agreement with these established and proven organizations that represent millions of California poker players,” said Morongo Tribal Chairman Robert Martin.

Picks from F5 Poker:

PokerStars EPT 10 London Main Event – Episode 2

Schemion, Gruissem, Hellmuth and Devilfish all get face time. Just like that – it’s already time for Episode 2 of the PokerStars broadcast of EPT London, Season 10. Included is everything you can hope for from a poker show – big hands, big bluffs, hole cards and commentary from James Hartigan and Joe Stapleton. Enjoy!


Borgata 2014 Spring Open – Chipleader Eric Afrait Looks For Back-To-Back Titles

The money bubble will burst today as 68 remain. Day 2 of the Borgata 2014 Spring Open World Poker Tour Championship is in the books. As expected, the Borgata Poker Room saw a fast and drastic reduction in players as only 68, from the 200 that started the day, bagged up chips at the end of the night. Today, on Day 3, the money bubble will burst (36) as we get closer to determining who will take home the over $1.3 million first place prize.


EPT Monte Carlo €100k Super High Roller Day 1 Live Stream

This begins 9 full days of live streaming action!


Eric Afriat – A Happy, Humble WPT Championship Chipleader

The most recent WPT Champion storms into Day 3 with the chiplead. Before action gets underway for Day 3 of the Borgata 2014 Spring Open World Poker Tour Championship event, check out what overnight chipleader Eric Afrait had to say to Bluff Magazine’s Thomas Keeling about building a massive stack on the back of pocket aces.


Joe Stapleton’s Disney Princess Audition


Kevin “Phwap” Boudreau’s Condition Continues To Improve

Playing online poker as body begins to awaken. For those of you who recall the story of Kevin Boudreau from last year’s WSOP, Chad Holloway over at PokerNews recently spoke with the family to provide the poker community with a very nice update on his condition.


EPT Monte Carlo – Big Money Plays In Monaco

The EPT hype machine is in full force. With only a couple days left in season 12 of the World Poker Tour and their Championship event in full swing, eyes begin to shift back to Europe where PokerStars’ European Poker Tour takes over Monte Carlo for more than a week of massive poker action. The €100k Super High Roller is already underway with a massive €250k minimum buy-in cash game to follow. So get ready for a ton of action as Season 10 of the EPT wraps up with a bang.


How To Resurrect Your Dead Poker Career Part 5 – So You’re A Degen

Do what Jesus did and bring your game back to life. So, none of the previously mentioned problems plague you? If you’re still on the outside looking in, you’re probably just a degenerate. Lucky for you, this is poker, where the wolves come to play. Here’s Part 5 (the finale) of How To Resurrect Your Dead Poker Career.


Phil Ivey – You Gotta Keep 'Em Separated

Embattled high-roller tries to keep the focus on the felt in Monte Carlo. The man everyone’s been talking about, Phil Ivey, has made his way to EPT Monte Carlo to partake in the 100k Super High Roller. So far though, he tells PokerNews that he’s off to a rocky start having taken some early hits to his chipstack. Maybe it’s hard for him to focus with all of his off-the-felt 'happenings’? Not so according to Ivey.


F5Poker Longform Chat: Jimmy “Gobboboy” Fricke

Former poker prodigy returns to the game. A lot has changed in the past 8 years for one-time poker phenom Jimmy Fricke. At only 19 years old the Illinois native was a dominant online grinder and by virtue of a deep run, the unwitting star of the 2007 Aussie Millions as the world watched him go heads-up against Gus Hansen…and lose.


EPT Monte Carlo – Super High Stakes Cash Game Live Stream

€250k minimum buy-in, €500/€1k blinds

Exclusive Articles on pokerfuse PRO:

Online Gaming Blamed for Decreasing Casino Revenues in Switzerland

Swiss Casino Federation urges legislators to act, as land-based revenues continue to slide. The Swiss Casino Federation blamed online gaming, among other causes, for declining land-based revenues in the country.


Players Pick 6-Max NLHE for NJCOP “Players Choice Event”

Despite complaints of a lack of variety, majority vote for another NL tournament. Over 50% of those who responded to a customer survey poll chose 6-max NL for the NJCOP Players Choice Event.


Equity Poker Network Returns to Growth Following PokerHost Merger

Initial teething problems resolved at the new US-facing offshore network. The arrival of PokerHost on the Equity Poker Network (EPN) has helped the network outperform its competitors by almost 20% in the last month.


The Deal

Promotional highlights of the week, including PokerStars, Full Tilt, partypoker, TonyBet, WSOP NJ and Hive Poker. One Week Left to Claim Largest Deposit Bonus On Offer in New Jersey

Poker Podcasts and Training Vids:

Podcast: 04/23/2014 Poker Action Line Poker Action Line

BIG Dave and Joe wrap up the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Showdown, which concluded on April 16th, and look at the early action of the WPT World Championship underway at the Borgata in Atlantic City. BIG Dave interviews WPT President Adam Pliska, reigning WSOP Champion Ryan Reiss, and Grand Prix de Paris winner Mohsin Charania.


Podcast: #46 – Nick Wealthall The Mental Game of Poker

My next guest on the Mental Game of Poker Podcast is Nick Wealthall.
Most of you will know him as a host for PokerStars TV, and a former
host for Sky Poker and Poker Night Live. He is also an accomplished
poker author, and away from the game, a comedy writer. You may be
surprised at just how much he has to share about the mental side of
poker. Learning is a topic that has fascinated him for years and he
has used this enthusiasm to create his own training video series at
www.transformmypoker.com. Nick is a really funny guy with a great
handle on some of the mental biases that can hamper our progression as
poker players. You’ll learn a lot about learning in this show.


Training Video: 3/6 Euro Hand Replayer Drag The Bar

In this hand replayer video we find ourselves in a number of interesting spots. I talk about how certain board textures may lead us to take unconventional lines


Training Video: zZzTILT: Hypers Hand History Reviews Part IV HUSNG


This video is the fourth part of zZzTILT’s recent series of reviews of hands he received from many different players ranging from $15 to $60 hypers. In this video are the next nine reviews.