Posts Tagged ‘poker’
Diamond Mine Value – Don’t Say I Didn’t Warn You!
January 20th, 2011
There’s still time to make some serious cash through the Diamond Mine.
As I predicted a couple weeks ago, Cake Poker’s Diamond Mine has had some outstanding value. The good news is that it’s not over yet and there’s still a couple great ways to make money through the Diamond Mine.
The first way is to play in it of course. Today at 5PM EST anyone with a 2011 Series Queen of Diamonds can use it to compete for a $2,700 prize pool and one of the 15 seats that move you on to Event 12 with its $3,500 prize pool and 10 seats to the $15,000 Final Tournament.
The key to the value here is how few players you will be competing against. While there are currently only 27 players registered for today’s tournament, there is only one registered for Event 12 and none for the $15,000 final running on Sunday!
So how do you get in if you don’t have the right card? You can head to The Exchange and purchase the appropriate cards there.
Which leads us to the second way that you can make money through the Diamond Mine – by selling your Gold Cards in The Exchange. If you already have the necessary cards (2011 Series Queen of Diamonds or King of Diamonds, as well as an Ace of Diamonds from any series) then you are just a few clicks away from selling them for serious cash. The value of these cards has shot through the roof with current Sell Offers in the Exchange being $264 for a 2011 Queen of Diamonds, $444.44 for a 2011 King of Diamonds and $176.99 for an Ace of Diamonds.
Additionally, since Turbo Gold Cards are in effect until January 23, you’ve got a much better chance of winning a high value card simply by playing in real money ring games.
Maryland Looking to Add Poker to Slots Parlors
January 14th, 2011
Is Maryland going to catch up with its neighbors and add poker to its casinos?
Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Delaware all offer poker at their casinos, which means that legal poker games are just a short drive away for most residents of the eastern U.S. state of Maryland. Now at least one legislator is proposing that the state change its gambling laws to keep its poker players at home.
Maryland State Senator Katherine Klausmeier has introduced a bill that would allow the so-called “slots parlors” to add table games – including blackjack, poker and roulette – to the mix of games they can provide at their facilities. Since a ballot referendum was passed in 2008, the state has had the authority to issue five licenses for slots parlors. Only three of those have been handed out so far, though, and only two of the licenses have resulted in actual operating casinos at this point. A third is expected to begin operating later this year.
The Senate seems likely to support Klausmeier’s bill – last year it passed a bill that would have allowed card games to be spread at Rosecroft Raceway. But the House of Delegates, the state legislature’s lower chamber, has historically been opposed to the expansion of gambling in Maryland, and Governor Martin O’Malley is also on record opposing such expansion. But Klausmeier says that in order to attract a wide segment of the market like neighboring states do in their casinos, Maryland needs to offer the games that people want to play. That means poker, blackjack, roulette, and other games that don’t involve staring at a screen and pressing a button.
If the House were to go along with the Senate, table games would still have to be approved by a statewide referendum, just like slot machines were in 2008. The next time that could happen would be 2012.
Sister Testifies Against Poker Player Accused of Murder
January 13th, 2011
Ernest Scherer III’s sister told the court his mother disapproved of his lifestyle.
Catherine Scherer, the younger sister of professional poker player Ernest Scherer III, testified against her brother yesterday in his murder trial.
Scherer III is accused of beating and stabbing his mother and father, Charlene Abendroth and Ernest Scherer Jr., in order to gain a seven-figure inheritance. His sister testified yesterday that his career in poker was a constant stressor to his mother, a devout Mormon who was opposed to gambling, but that he simply ignored his mother’s opinion about his choices. The friction between them caused family drama during holidays and was “a frequent conversation topic.”
“What I observed was kind of indifference: ‘It’s my life. I’ll do what I want with it,’” 28-year-old Catherine told the court. She also said that her own relationship with her poker player brother “was great until I turned about six and learned to say no, and then it was not close at all.” As for Scherer III’s relationship with his father, she admitted under cross-examination that had told police detectives that the two of them were “like best friends.” Jurors might not know what to make of all that testimony, given that she also testified that the whole family – presumably including herself – seemed to have a “deceptive-manipulative gene.”
The double-murder trial of Scherer III is now in its second week and is expected to run through March. Full coverage of the trial from reporter John Simerman is available at the Contra Costa Times.
Las Vegas-Style Casinos Could Come to Florida
January 12th, 2011
Can you imagine a casino on this beach? One Florida state senator can.
The state of Florida has experienced a poker renaissance since changing its laws on the game last summer. Now there’s a good chance that the state could be become the next Nevada as legislators prepare to consider a bill that would bring full-on casinos to Florida.
State Senate President Mike Haridopolos authorized a report last year on the possible revenues that could be collected if Florida were to legalize full Las Vegas-style casinos. Yesterday that report was presented to the Regulated Industries Committee chaired by Sen. Dennis Jones, who is currently drafting legislation that would allow the state to build “destination casinos.” The committee heard about the results in 13 other states that approved expanded gambling options, such as the $1 billion generated in Pennsylvania and the $500 million collected by Louisiana each year. It also heard from lobbyists for the Las Vegas Sands Corporation and Wynn Resort Casinos, each of which is interested in building casinos with attached convention and retail properties. Vegas-style casinos would create some 5,000 to 7,000 jobs at each location, for a ceiling of 35,000 new jobs in the state.
Jones’ legislation, which would allow Florida to build four or five casino resorts offering a full range of Las Vegas-style casino games including slot machines, blackjack, baccarat and craps in addition to poker, is expected to be ready in about two weeks. Currently only some of those games are permitted in the state, and even then the locations where they can be offered are highly regulated. Casino companies would have to pay $50 million just to bid for the right to build a casino in the state; in return the winning bidder would receive an exclusive contract to operate casino games in a 75-mile radius.
Earlier this week Haridopolos said he thinks the chances of the legislature approving expanded gambling this year are about even money. However, some fellow legislators think that the state’s compact with the Seminole tribe would prevent non-Indian casinos from being built, while others are convinced the state would have to pass a constitutional amendment to allow to construction of the casinos. The uncertainty means there will be plenty of debate on the bill, but the possibility is an exciting one for those who hate taking a long flight to Las Vegas to get their gamble on.
2010 November Nine Reuniting at Foxwoods
January 10th, 2011
Foxwoods is getting the band back together – and you’re invited to come along.
Normally it takes a stroke of luck to get more than one former WSOP Main Event finalist at the same poker table. Next month, though, all nine of last year’s finalists will reunite at the Foxwoods Resort Casino.
Last year’s November Nine – Jonathan Duhamel, John Racener, Joseph Cheong, Filippi Candio, Michael Mizrachi, John Dolan, Jason Senti, Matt Jarvis and Soi Nguyen – are being reassembled as part of Foxwoods’ Mega Stack Challenge XIX, which runs from February 4th to the 13th. They will all serve as hosts for the tournament series, but more interestingly, they will all play in a three-table reunion tournament against winners of a series of satellite tournaments to be held at the casino from January 11th to February 3rd. The reunion tournament is scheduled for February 8th in the newly opened Foxwoods tournament room.
“We are thrilled to host these poker superstars at Foxwoods and are proud to be a part of such a historic event,” said Terry Chiaradio, director of Poker Operations at Foxwoods. “We are pleased to be able to share this reunion of the 2010 November Nine with not only the Foxwoods players, but also the entire poker community.”
This isn’t the first time Foxwoods has welcomed members of the November Nine to its property for one of its signature tournament series. Duhamel, the reigning world champion, hosted the Mega Stack Challenge last fall, and 2009 WSOP Main Event runner-up Darvin Moon has also played host at the Connecticut casino’s tournament series in the past.
Some Truly Great Value
January 7th, 2011
Dive into Cake’s Diamond Mine. You won’t regret it.
Hey Cakers! There’s a HUGE opportunity coming up with the Diamond Mine promo. Any players who manage to get into the first tournament are going to have an excellent shot at making thousands in the both the $10K Flawless Freeroll (open to players who play in ALL of the first 12 Diamond Mine events) as well as the $15K final tournament. Not to mention all the cash prizes in the tournaments along the way.
Seriously folks, you should be doing everything you can to get 2 of Diamonds Gold Cards before Monday. You need FIVE of them to enter that first tournament and they must be from the 2011 series (meaning they were won this year). Since it’s so early in the year there won’t be many people with the necessary cards so the further you progress the more you’ll see tournaments with big prize pools and only dozens of players or less.
The people out there paying attention to this promo are going to stand to win a LOT of money. The key to maximizing this opportunity lies in making sure you get in that first tournament, and then if you fail to qualify for any of the following tournaments, make sure you get your hands on the necessary Gold Cards to be sure you don’t miss a single event.
Cake has made things even easier for you to get the necessary cards by cranking up the rate that Gold Cards are awarded to FOUR times the usual speed from now until Monday. And remember, if you don’t win the necessary cards you can buy them from other players in the Exchange.
If you have any questions about this promotion please don’t hesitate to leave us your questions here or contact Cake Poker support at support@cakepoker.eu.
Connecticut Man Pleads Not Guilty in Poker Game Stabbing
January 6th, 2011
Wendy Georges told police, “Those guys jumped me. I was defending myself.”
A Connecticut man charged with first-degree manslaughter after a stabbing at a poker game has pleaded not guilty.
Wendy Georges, 29, of Norwich, Conn., has been held on $1 million bond since mid-December after he was arrested and charged in the stabbing death of 24-year-old John Stevens Fleurimond. Georges appeared in court yesterday and entered a not-guilty plea. The judge in the case, Patrick J. Clifford, appointed the area’s chief public defender to handle Georges’ case. He then continued the case until January 18.
Georges and Fleurimond had been playing in a poker game with several others at Fleurimond’s apartment in Norwich when an argument broke out. Georges told police after his arrest that he suspected Fleurimond of cheating, so he grabbed him by the throat. Fleurimond then produced a knife and retaliated, cutting Georges on the hand. Other players separated the two men but Georges managed to grab the knife, at which point he stabbed Fleurimond in the back.
Georges, a Haitian immigrant described as “soft-spoken” and “a loving family man,” is married with two children and his wife is pregnant with a third child. He was collecting unemployment at the time of the incident. If convicted, he would face a maximum of 20 years in prison.
Trial Underway For Poker Player Accused of Murder
January 5th, 2011
Ernest Scherer III’s defense attorney says police targeted his client without any physical evidence tying him to the murder of his parents.
The trial of former professional poker player Ernest Scherer III, who stands accused of murdering his parents in 2008 in order to gain an inheritance of more than $1 million, began yesterday in a California court.
The prosecution gave its opening statements on Tuesday. Alameda County Deputy District Attorney Michael Nieto painted Scherer III as a shady character who habitually deceived those around him, fell behind on mortgage payments for a house his parents had purchased for him, and sought female companionship through Craigslist ads despite being married. He told jurors that he will call a long list of witnesses to testify against Scherer III, including authorities who answered the initial emergency call from his parents’ home; an employee who oversaw the washing of Scherer III’s car in the days following his parents’ deaths; casino employees who knew Scherer III; Scherer III’s grandfather, sister and ex-wife; and an automotive expert who can match Scherer III’s vehicle to the one in the surveillance footage from his parents’ home.
Scherer III’s defense attorney, Richard Foxall, delivered his opening statements earlier today and told jurors that police targeted his client without considering any other suspects despite the complete lack of any physical evidence tying Scherer III to the crime. Foxall discounted the theory that Scherer III committed murder to gain his inheritance, noting that his client’s sister also stood to inherit money in the event of their parents’ deaths. He also noted that much of the evidence that prosecutors will present – including his Google searches for countries without extradition treaties and information on buying a gun in Mexico – is purely circumstantial and only ties his client to the crime if his guilt is presupposed.
The trial of the former professional poker player is expected to continue for the next few months.
Cake Poker January Promotions
January 5th, 2011
The Diamond Mine $40K Tournament Series, Irish Open 2011 Satellites, WAR Freerolls and Turbo Gold Cards will be served up for Cake players throughout January.
Diamond Mine
The Diamond Mine $40,000 Gold Card Tournament Series is debuting on January 10th, and running until January 23rd. The Diamond Mine is similar to a stepladder format tournament series in which each tournament awards seats to the next tournament in the series. Entering the Diamond Mine series does not cost players a thing except for Gold Cards. As players move up in the series they play for progressively larger prize pools and ultimately the $15,000 final. Players who participate in every event of the tournament, from event one through 12, will receive free entry into the $10,000 Flawless Freeroll for their shot at some post-holiday cash taking place on January 22nd.
Turbo Gold Cards
As 2011 series Gold Cards will be quite rare during the first few weeks of January, Cake is also running its popular Turbo Gold Cards in order to increase players’ chances of acquiring the 2011 series cards required to enter the Diamond Mine. Turbo Gold Cards will be distributed at ring game tables at double speed each day from January 10th through January 23rd from 4-5pm EST and 8-11pm EST giving players a great chance to build up their 2011 series Gold Card collections and get in on the $40,000 Diamond Mine. Players can also visit The Exchange, to purchase the cards they require.
Irish Open Satellites
Also in January, Cake kicks off its 2011 Irish Open satellites beginning January 3rd. The Irish Open, rich with history, is the longest running No Limit Texas Hold ‘em poker tournament in Europe and second longest in the world after the World Series of Poker, Las Vegas. Cake is offering its players a shot at a seat at the main event for as little as $1.10 with satellites running daily. Each $7,000 USD prize package includes a main event seat at the Irish Open worth €3,500, a 5 night stay at the Irish Open host venue, The Burlington Hotel, $1,500 USD cash to help with travel as well as an official Cake Poker gear pack.
Daily WAR Freerolls
Additioanly, Cake Poker is now running daily WAR freerolls. Added to the Cake Poker roster earlier this year, WAR is an online multiplayer game, inspired by the all-time classic card game. Each player starts the game with the same ten cards and is forced to out think and out guess their opponents to accumulate the most cards and ultimately, the most points to win the game. Though the game itself is extremely simple, it offers its players amazing depth through strategy and bluffing while also allowing for dynamic interaction between players, and with the introduction of daily freerolls, Cake players can try their hand at making money through this new and exciting offering for free.
News
Lastly, Cake is excited to announce that it has made a strategic decision to expand its casino offering into several new territories. This expansion of the casino product line combined with the recent additions of Cake WAR and Tourney Blackjack further contributes to Cake’s ever increasing gaming options.
For more information on all of Cake Poker’s unique promotions visit us at the Cake Poker Promotions page.
Rare Poker Book Collection Finds Buyer
January 4th, 2011
People have been reading about poker as long they’ve been playing poker.
Antiquarian bookseller Natalie Galustian spent four years compiling a collection of the most noteworthy books on poker ever published. Now the collection has moved on from her bookstore in London, thanks to a cash offer from a buyer who remains anonymous.
Galustian’s collection consisted of books from far and wide, in English and in other languages, about both the modern game of poker and its forebears. A 1730 guide to the French game Poque and a 1534 guide to the Italian game Primiera, both considered ancestors of modern poker, were both in the collection. There was also a first-edition copy of James Hildreth’s Dragoon Campaigns to the Rocky Mountains from 1836, the first book ever to mention the modern game of poker, as well as a copy of English actor Joe Cowell’s 1844 memoir, Thirty Years Passed Among The Players In England And America, which describes a poker game played on a Mississippi riverboat in the year 1829.
More recent books also made the cut in Galustian’s poker book collection. First editions of Herbert O. Yardley’s 1957 primer The Education of a Poker Player, Doyle Brunson’s 1978 classic How I made over $1,000,000 playing poker (later renamed Super System), David Sklansky’s 1976 guide Hold’em Poker, and Mike Caro’s landmark 1984 guide The Book of Tells were all part of the 125-book collection. Unfortunately for those interested in checking out these rare books on a trip to London, the entire collection was recently purchased by an anonymous collector. Galustian has not disclosed the price, but one has to imagine it runs into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Galustian and her collection were recently profiled on the WSOP’s website by none other than poker historian Nolan Dalla. You can read the first part here and the second part here.
