The TOKE: Let's Catch UP - Part II

:: WPT online site launches, but you are banned.  Interesting piece from the Los Angeles Times on the World Poker Tour's online site.  Like Virgin Poker, US players will not be allowed.  This is unfortunate, as the US makes up about 80% of all online players.  Fortunately the WPT hired our buddy Slim at 4th Street to help their operations and overcome this obstacle.  Los Angeles Times

:: Did Empire know it was going to get screwed?  In the increasingly awesome soap opera that is Empire Poker vs. PartyGaming,  Launch Poker reports that Empire knew of a potential Party pull-out, but failed to mention it to investors.  Launch Poker

:: The genesis of PartyGaming's evil empire.  About five months after Snake did his initial story on PartyGaming's sordid background (although we focused mostly on the fantastically named Anurag Dikshit, at right), the Charlotte Observer tells the tale of the woman behind the porn-to-poker success story, Ruth Parasol. Charlotte Observer