Wicked Chops Poker: Poker News, Gossip and Hot Girls

2008 WSOP Update: Day 1A of the WSOP Main Event Underway

2008-07-03T19:48:46-07:00

Poker pro Shawn Rice, somewhere in the photo above, is among the pros who have already busted on Day 1A of the 2008 WSOP Main Event.

Day 1A of the 2008 WSOP Main Event kicked off today at noon, and the big story brewing is that the number of runners is looking to be down from last year's 6,358. And Harrah's ain't talking about it, refusing to share with media or anyone how many are in the field today (rumor is around 1400). They've even gone as far as blocking the number generally visible on the tournament clocks located throughout the Amazon Room. All we can see now is that 907 players remain at the dinner break.

The early chipleader is "friends and family" player Christopher Kero with 118,700 in chips. Big names at the top include David Rheem, Kido Pham, Glum Girl, Dustin Dirksen and ever-present Blair Hinkle.

Pros sent home early include Davidson Matthew, Gavin Smith, Chad Brown, OMGClayAiken, Katja Thater, a woman, Taylor Caby, Lyle Berman, Dan Harrington, Freddy Deeb, James Mackey, Vanessa Selbst, a woman, Durrrr, a ginger, Devilfish, a chav, David Benyamine and 2007 final table-ist Raymond Rham.

Keep track of chip counts here.

Adam Sandler Also Played the Ante Up for Africa Charity Poker Tournament

2008-07-03T17:52:09-07:00

Adam Sandler couldn't hide his excitement of playing in the Ante Up for Africa charity poker tournament yesterday

Not much more to say than the headline above. We have tons of photos from the first 3 and a half minutes of the event yesterday before all the celebs busted, so we're dumping some more on you.

See a few more shots of Adam from a different angle by clicking thumbnails below.

And oh yeah, Johnny World Hennigan took down the event and won a bunch of money. He was asked to give 50% of it to charity and he ended up giving it all away because apparently pros like him and John Phan are out to make us seem like bigger assholes than we already are.

They Say the Best Things In Life Are Free

2008-07-03T17:14:53-07:00

Well, not all things that are free.

One of our readers found this Craigslist listing for the told-you-we're-not-making-this-sh!t-up All In: The Poker Musical. Apparently Harrah's is giving away free tickets to the show this weekend.

Or you can pay 55 bucks a pop for them here.

We're guessing all the players who seem content with wasting $10k on donkey-ass moves during the WSOP Main Event today will go for the latter.

Shannon Elizabeth on Ante Up for Africa Red Carpet at the 2008 WSOP

2008-07-03T16:25:30-07:00

We didn't quite listen to what Shannon Elizabeth had to say in the video below from the Ante Up for Africa poker tournament yesterday at the 2008 WSOP. Something about actors being tired doing poker players who act while playing poker at the World Series of Poker. Or something. We don't know. Honestly we were distracted by that cute vein Shannon has on her forehead and the British glam girl with huge breastesses who walked by near the end of the video and who somehow made an appearance in our photos of Ben Affleck yesterday.

Watch Shannon Elizabeth on RawVegas.tv here

Jeffrey Pollack Reads, Loves Wicked Chops Poker

2008-07-03T15:52:53-07:00

"I read Wicked Chops and I love it!"

That's what WSOP commish and famed blogger Jeffrey Pollack reportedly told Michele Lewis the other day.

And to think we thought he came here just for the photos of girls on the rail.

2008 WSOP Update: The Year of The Pro(TM) Not Dead Yet

2008-07-03T10:39:12-07:00

Well, it looks like it all comes down the the Main Event this year to determine if the 2008 WSOP will forever be known as The Year of the Pro^TM or as something else. Fortunately, as reader "Mike" pointed out here, the man who won the $10,000 PLO tournament, Marty Smith, is in fact an Irish pro, which definitely helps.

:: Event #52 ($1,500 No Limit Hold'em) - Pro poker player David Daneshgar took this one down, winning his first WSOP bracelet and banking $625,443. Daneshgar defeated Scott Sitron (not a pro), for the title. Ginger pro Dan Heimiller finished third. Get full results here.

:: Event #53 ($1,500 Limit Hold'em Shoot-out) - Survivor's Jean-Robert Bellande could've put away The Year of the Pro^TM race with a win, but he came up just short of his first bracelet. JRB lost heads-up to Matt Graham, who is arguably pro material with four cashes in this year's World Series of Poker. Graham banks $278,180 for the win. Get full payouts here.

Main Event starts tomorrow at noon PST. Check back with WickedChopsPoker.com for regular updates.

2008 WSOP Band of Bloggers: Get full recaps and payouts from WorldSeriesofPoker.com here. Get Dr. Pauly's take on WSOP happenings here. Please please don't forget Pokerati here. And get Poker Prof's recap and more photos here.

Ben Affleck, Matt Damon Don't Play Poker Anymore, Are Good Tippers

2008-07-02T21:02:01-07:00

This video can best be summed up as: don't have kids.

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon were in Las Vegas today to play in Don Cheadle and Annie Duke's Ante Up for Africa charity poker tourney. Both said that they really won't be playing poker anymore, and one of the major reasons was because they both have kids.

So yeah, don't have kids.

In unrelated news, apparently Affleck is a legendary tipper.

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon in Las Vegas for Ante Up for Africa

Charles Barkley Thinks We're Jackasses

2008-07-02T20:45:55-07:00

Charles Barkley is awesome. No way around it. Even if he thinks the so-called "media" (which he is a part of) are "jackasses." Not that we disagree with Sir Chuck, but sometimes it hurts being called a jackass. Although this isn't one of those times.

Regardless, good to see Charles in Las Vegas again...hope the pit bosses are ready.

Charles Barkley in Las Vegas for Charity Poker Tournament

Don Cheadle and Mekhi Phifer Have Similar Taste in Ed Hardy Shirts

2008-07-02T20:31:18-07:00

If we were the type of guys who posted on a poker forum run by sanctimonious old douchebag pricks, we'd probably make a Phil Ivey joke here.

But we're far better than that.

Seriously, we are. Don't laugh.

So yeah, Don Cheadle, aka one of the coolest dudes alive, and Mekhi Phifer were among the celebs who played today in the Ante Up for Africa poker tournament and incidentally both showed up wearing the same not-so-limited limited edition Ed Hardy t-shirt (which apparently runs about $2k).

Matt Damon Among Celebs Playing Today in the Ante Up for Africa Poker Tournament

2008-07-02T19:39:31-07:00

Matt Damon (above), the actor who starred in the only decent poker movie in the past decade and who stole the show in Team America, joined his bud Ben Affleck at the tables today in the Ante Up for Africa poker tournament at the 2008 WSOP.

Another shot of Matt similar to above and one for the ladies after the jump . . .

Ben Affleck Among Celebs Playing Today in the Ante Up for Africa Poker Tournament

2008-07-02T19:19:54-07:00

Actor Ben Affleck was among the A-list celebs who played in today's Ante Up for Africa poker tournament today at the 2008 WSOP. Click away below to see the rest of the photos our trusty photog got of Ben playing today.

For more girls on the rail, at the table, or within eyeshot of some notable pro at the 2008 WSOP, go here.

Google Image Photo Dump of Some Celebs Playing the Ante Up for Africa Event Today

2008-07-02T17:15:35-07:00

Don Cheadle and Annie Duke's Ante Up for Africa poker tournament at the 2008 WSOP got underway today. Lots of celebs ponied up the $5,000 buy-in to play for something called "charity".

We'll have some pics from the event shortly but until then below is a photo dump of google images we found for some of the celebs in attendance.

Jeff Madsen and Phil Ivey's Cuz Smokey Rap Battle Video

2008-07-02T15:13:26-07:00

As promised in this post, we just put up a YouTube video of Jeff Madsen's rap battle with Phil Ivey's cousin Smokey at last night's World Series of Barbecue at the Golden Nugget.

Jeff Madsen is the white guy.

Check it out below or on YouTube here.

UPDATE: Yeh the audio blows. It's from a phone but Madsen's moves straight from 8 Mile are worth the watch.

2008 WSOP Gingers of the Day

2008-07-02T14:13:36-07:00

They're multiplying! Like gremlins or something, except way creepier.

That World Series of Barbecue Pool Party Wasn't Bad

2008-07-02T14:00:30-07:00

We tend to stay away from things that involve poker players in bathing suits and barbecues outside in 100 plus degree heat. Nevertheless we stopped by the World Series of Barbecue at the Golden Nugget pool last night, and despite the lack of hardcore drugs, ninja midgets and an Aristrocrat-style orgy (did we lose a war or something?) and the fact that it was hosted by the Lederererers and that old guy poker pro with the creepy moustache who was on an episode of The Cathouse, it wasn't bad. We're not sure if they gave out any awards during the night but if they did and came up with them while sitting on the can this morning they'd go something like:

• Best Karaoke Performance by a Drunk Canadian Who Doesn't Suck as Bad as Nickelback Because Nothing Sucks as Bad as Nickelback: Gavin Smith with some six-year-old girl singing "Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond

• Best Really Awkward Moment of the Night: Gavin Smith singing the lyrics "Touching Me, Touching You" to the six-year-old girl during "Sweet Caroline"

• Best Karaoke Performance By A Drunk Canadian Who Doesn't Suck as Bad as Alanis Morrisette Because Nothing Sucks as Bad as Alanis Morrisette, except for Nickelback: RawVegas.tv's Eric Newby singing "Mandy" by Barrily Manilow

• Best Hot, Leggy Asian Girl Who Spends Way Too Much Time Playing Guitar Hero: Evelyn Ng

• Best Karaoke Performance by a Certifiably Insane Guy: Dutch Boyd singing "Puff the Magic Dragon"

• Best Performance by a White Guy Thinking He's Dope/Crunk/Fly or Whatever The Brothers Say These Days: Jeff Madsen freestyling with Phil Ivey's cousin, as in real, biologically-related cousin (YouTube video ~~coming soon~~ here)

• Best Hot Lesbians-At-The-Moment Couple: Tiffany Michelle and Maria Ho

• Best Karaoke Performance by a Sexy Hot Tiffany Michelle Singing "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" in Nothing But a Tiny Bikini Top and Jeans: Tiffany Michelle

• Best Cougar with Pigtails: Michele Lewis

• Best Performance by Two Hot Blondes Who Like to Shower Together When Getting Ready for a Party, or At Least That's What We Imagined: Lacey Jones and Christina Lindley

• Best Performance Standing There Looking Ridiculously Hot and Talking with a British Accent: Perfect 10 model Leilani Dowding

• Best Guitar Hero Performance by a Girl Dressed Like This: Joe Bartholdi's hot girlfriend

• Best Poker Journalist Who Was Once Lost But Now Is Found: BJ Nemeth

2008 WSOP Update: The Year of the Pro(TM) Back In Jeopardy as Phil Hellmuth, Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi Do Not Win Bracelets

2008-07-02T11:56:43-07:00

The Grinder failed to rack up his first WSOP bracelet last night.

Uh oh.

:: Event #50 ($10,000 Pot Limit Omaha) - Errr. Eeee. Hmm. Well, Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi entered final table play as chip leader, but he couldn't pull through that first WSOP bracelet, eventually falling in third. Instead, Marty Smith, who is not even a pro, took the title, his first bracelet, and $859,549. Even worse, and this is truly scary, Marty Smith is...ugh...a ginger. Get full payouts here.

:: Event #51 ($1,500 H.O.R.S.E.) - After Grinder not winning a bracelet, all eyes were on Phil Hellmuth. Could Hellmuth keep hope alive for The Year of the Pro^TM at the 2008 WSOP? It was such a main storyline that nobody was even paying attention to the fact that Phil was going for his 12th bracelet. Didn't even cross anyone's mind. It was all about The Year of the Pro^TM. But following in the steps of The Grinder, Hellmuth finished third. Instead, James Schaaf took his first bracelet, banking $256,412. Get full payouts here.

:: Event #52 ($1,500 No Limit Hold'em) - There is still hope though. Three guys we consider pros by any measurable standard, Matt Matros, David Daneshgar, and Dan Heimiller, who happens to be THIS GINGER, enter final table play stacked second, fourth, and sixth respectively. If Heimiller pulls out his second bracelet, will that make this The Year of the Ginger? (patent pending) They all trail chip leader Corwin Cole (not a pro). Get full final table chip counts here.

:: Event #53 ($1,500 Limit Hold'em Shoot-Out) - A field of 823 whittled down to 72, paying out first $278,180. Some pros still alive and fighting to ensure this year is their year include Jean-Robert Bellande, Hoyt Corkins and Kenna James (see their brokeback moment here), and David Bach. Get chip counts here.

Poker News Made Better with Venezuelan Hottie Gabriela Vergara

2008-07-01T17:59:05-07:00

Some poker news to go along with photos of Venezuela hottie Gabriela Vergara, who plays the seductress on the Univision version of Desperate Housewives, if you care and aren't already clicking away at the thumbnail images below.

• British guy on holiday loses poker game, gets naked, plunges to death. [link]

• Assistant principal at elementary school gets nabbed for running underground poker room in Texas. [link]

• Same story above but this time involves girls stuffing cash in their bras. [link]

• The poker player once described by Nolan Dolla as a "ball-busting, cantankerous curmudgeon" passed away on Saturday. [link]

• Norman Chad counts the ways the World Series of Poker is better than the Olympics. [link]

• Poker nights helping to populate Jews in Britain. [link]

• Some poli-blogger on what poker and craps say about Obama and McCain. [link]

• WSOP Europe announces schedule. [link]