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March 2007

There is a Tournament at Foxwoods Too

While David Benyamine eats up the competition in Europe, there is actually another major event going on stateside, the WPT Foxwoods Poker Classic.

Day 1a chip leader is Ralph Perry, stacked at 140,500. Other notable big stacks include: Bill Gazes (102,675), Bernard Lee (70,625), and Ted Lawson (70,000).

Get full chip counts at Pokerwire.

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Erica Schoenberg Loves David Benyamine For His Body and Other EPT Grand Final News

EptlogoBy the time we could turn the yacht around and make our way back to Monte Carlo for the EPT Grand Final, the tournament would be over, so we're stuck getting reports over the so-called "Internet", which isn't so bad considering the superb coverage the folks over at PokerNews.com and PokerListings.com are doing.  Of note, Owen Laukkanen and the PokerListings gang are all over the action at the tables like Jenna Jameson's plastic surgeon on her pink parts, except they're not botching the job. Check out their live updates here where you can read about how Atlanta's Josh Arieh and Chad Brown/Lorenzo Lamas are repping the U.S. well as they sit atop the leaderboard on Day 2, and check out Owen's daily blogs on the EPT here. Pauly and his fellow PokerNewsers meanwhile are doing a great and entertaining job of tracking the action and shooting video at the EPT Grand Final. Check their day two updates here (especially the Arieh "Billy Madison" bit) and be sure to head over to Tao of Poker to see the Monte Carlo version of a table-side masseuse. Damn.


After the jump, video evidence, courtesy of PokerNews, that Erica Schoenberg only likes David Benyamine for his amazing body and youthful exuberance.

Continue reading "Erica Schoenberg Loves David Benyamine For His Body and Other EPT Grand Final News" »

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We Forgot Our Birthday Yesterday

We're so busy right now, if busy means hopping from Capri to Mykonos on our Christensen 157', that we forgot our second birthday yesterday.

And while last year we celebrated with several days of self-indulgents pats on the back and celebratory pics from a few friends, this year we'll settle for the below video from the scandalous Buck Rogers birthday episode starring 1980s MILF hottie Erin Gray in spandex, a penis-head robot and enough sexual innuendo to pull your pants down to.

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Gavin Smith vs. Joe Sebok: The LAPC Ass-Tattoo'ing Last Longer Prop Bet

Over the years, we've tattooed a number of things on our collective asses: "Live free or die." "Poop comes out of here." A Groucho Marx face. The lyrics to "Silent Lucidity."

Now replace all of the preceding with "nothing," and somewhere in between lies the truth.*

One thing we certainly wouldn't put on our ass: someone else's name.

That's why we love Gavin Smith and Joe Sebok.

In Part I of their latest Prop Bets, filmed last month at the WPT LAPC, Smith and Sebok put more than money on the line. They put their pride. See who gets their ass tatt'd (or read our posts from last month) on RawVegas.tv.

*New favorite saying...for the next couple of days at least.

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J.C. Tran Has Spectacular Breasts

Louise_glover_smallJ.C. Tran (at right) simply has the best breasts in the world.

Nobody's breasts are hotter right now. We think it should be fairly easy for us all to agree upon this fact, give or take a Keeley Hazell. His breasts strike fear in the hearts of men. When his breasts sit at a poker table, everyone stares. His breasts mesmerize.

Now replace all of the above about "breasts" with some reasonable facsimile about "poker" and somewhere in between lies the truth.

And the truth is, as reported by Card Player:

Since October of last year, [Tran has] cashed eight times for $2.6 million. He won almost $700,000 of that just last night by winning the $5,000 World Poker Tour’s World Poker Challenge held at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno .

With the win, Tran banks $683,473 and now leads the POY race, just as we predicted he would yesterday.

Tran beat Juan Carlos Alvarado heads-up for the title. David "The Dragon" Pham* placed third. Mark Seif finished fourth.

For full results and pay-outs, click here. For more (super NSFW) pics of Louise Glover's spectacular breasts, here.

*Not a real dragon.

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J.C. Tran Wants to Be Player of the Year

Last year, J.C. Tran made a late season charge for Player of the Year honors. But like a midget sitting in a "big person" chair hoping to eat a meal atop the dining room table, he came up just short.

Header1This year, Tran is like John Parr, he's a man on a mission. Or is that Man in Motion? Whatever. Fuck you.

Tran is currently second overall in Card Player's POY race, trailing James Van Alstyne. Even though we have no idea how these rankings are calculated, he'll surely surpass Van Alstyne with his current performance, as he's stacked third overall at the WPT World Poker Challenge final table with 904k. Tran is joined WCP fave Mark Seif, who makes his first WPT final table since 2002. Seif is fifth overall at 325k.

The big stack going into the final table is David "The Dragon" Pham* with 1,655,000. Pham has been among the chip leaders the entire tournament, which we guess is impressive.

The other guys we don't really care about round out the final table.

Just missing out on the TV final table were Erick Lindgren (10th) and Joe Sebok (13th).

Get full chip counts here. Get two for one subs in Ontario here.

* Not a real dragon.

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The Case for Bombing the Crap Out of Iran
WSOP Won't Penalize Jamie Gold for Collusion

Editor's Note: Sorry about the first headline. That's for our other blog.

JamiegoldfdupIn surprising news that should be surprising to no one, WSOP commish Jeffrey Pollack said in a press release today that the World Series of Poker "will not penalize reigning WSOP World Champion Jamie Gold for two rules infractions that occurred during the 2006 WSOP Main Event."

For a refresher on those two infractions, read our "Forgive Me for Cheating" (aka "Jamie Gold is like herpes") piece here.

According to the press release, which you can read in its entirety after the jump, WSOP officials reviewed video of the infractions and discussed them personally with Gold and concluded that "he did not deliberately attempt to violate the rules and that no penalties would be invoked retroactively for the incidents."

"Not only were we impressed with Jamie's candor and contrition, but we also recognized that tournament officials didn't witness the incidents or take appropriate action at the time of the rules infractions," said Jeffrey Pollack. "We share culpability in this case and are satisfied that the actions in question were inadvertent mistakes. We look forward to Jamie's participation in the 2007 WSOP.

And Jamie of course is looking forward to returning to the WSOP. As he told us in our exclusive interview after the National Heads-Up Championship, "I think I'll make the final table this year. I know you're gonna slam me on this, but that's what I believe. If you don't believe that, then why are you playing?"

Full press release after the jump.

Continue reading "The Case for Bombing the Crap Out of Iran
WSOP Won't Penalize Jamie Gold for Collusion" »

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Chantel McNulty Is Stuck-In-An-Elevator Hot

You know when you're on an elevator with a bunch of strangers and none of the chicks are that hot but you still try to figure out which one you'd bang if you got stuck for a few hours? Well, 22-year-old poker player Chantel McNulty is that kind of hot to us. Marginally buttaface with a doable body but definitely not anywhere close to being in the same league as Angelina Jolie, as a few of the hard-ups over at 2+2 are claiming, or even on par with Erica Schoenberg for that matter.

Chantel_mcnulty_fakeboobsWith that said, we still thought a video of PokerWire cutey Amanda Leatherman feeling up Chantel McNulty's newly implanted breastesses at the World Poker Challenge would be hot but it wasn't. Not exactly sure why not. Perhaps it's because Chantel (seen in pic modeling her new salines) talks like she has marbles in her mouth the whole time, which would be hot if she had actual marbles in her mouth and you were up to something. Or maybe it's her burgeoning Brandi-like narcissism shining through for no apparent reason other than she's a poker player with boobs who's not Crazy Bitch Williamson.

Either way, view the video and decide for yourself.

To remind yourself of what is hot, after the jump is a video of our last Friday Night Parting Shot Girl, Karen Carreno. We must warn you it's quasi NSFW and at times features a gay man unconvincingly pretending to be her lover.

Continue reading "Chantel McNulty Is Stuck-In-An-Elevator Hot" »

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WPT World Poker Challenge Getting to the Point

After just two days, the WPT World Poker Challenge is down to 27 players. They're not fucking around there.

Mark Seif ended Day 2 as the chip leader, stacked at 535,000. Yesterday's chip leader, David "The Dragon" Pham* is still strong, sitting third overall at 384,500.

Other big names still alive include Joe Sebok (241,500), Erick Lindgren (188,000), Mike Matusow (165,500), and J.C. Tran (152,000).

Get full chip counts here. Get free beer here.

* Not a real dragon.

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JC Tran, David Williams and Joe Sebok are Focused

The WPT is in Reno at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino this week for the World Poker Challenge.

Like the movie The Fast and The Furious, action on Day 1 was fast and furious.

LogoOf the 475 who entered, only 90 remain going into Day 2. Leading them all is David "The Dragon" Pham. David, who is not a real dragon, is stacked at 186,000.

Three other big stacks who have been on a tear lately include JC "INIIWIN" Tran (119,900), David Williams (115,800) and Joe Sebok (96,600). Look for a Heads-Up interview with Joe Sebok later this week, and catch his latest Prop Bets show with Gavin Smith on RawVegas.tv.

Other notable big stacks include: Mike Matusow (93,800), Mark Seif (84,200), Chantel McNulty (82,400), Barry Greenstein (75k), Erick Lindgren (51k), and WCP fave Joe Pelton (40k).

Get full chip counts here. Get a free AIDS test here.

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Friday Night Parting Shot: Karen Carreno

KarencarrenohomeIf there is any one thing that we could share with you about Colombia, South America's cradle of coke and communism, it would be that the majority of women there are ravishingly hot, unabashedly sexy and have an aversion to clothing that's second to only Keeley Hazell.

Indeed, the girls of Colombia are the one thing that the troubled country has going for itself, and don't take just our word for it, or the right-wing paramilitary groups we fund there, just look for yourself at the 5'8" Colombian model Karen Carreno (seen here and after the jump), who you may or may not have seen in music videos and ads for Guess and Lacoste. Yes, girls as hot as her, believe it or not, are just as common on the streets of North Bogota as Pablo Escobar wannabes walking around in the jungles with snub-nosed machine guns. And they're just as dangerous.

Sense the danger after the jump . . .

Continue reading "Friday Night Parting Shot: Karen Carreno" »

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Dear Cassie Fans, She's Not Reading Your Comments

Cassie_greenOur Friday Night Parting Shot post of the ridiculously cute Cassie has been one of the more popular pages here at Wicked Chops Poker recently, thanks primarily to Google images searches for the model/pop star. And with that has brought her fans who think they are somehow talking directly to Cassie when they post their comments on our site.

Read for yourself here.

Adoring simpletons yet somewhat endearing, Cassie fans are still a few notches up the evolutionary chain from Nickelback fans, who suck.

And yes, it's a slow news day.

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Gavin Smith and Joe Sebok vs. Female Muay Thai Kickboxers - Who You Got?

Latest webisode of "Prop Bets" (aka "The Stupid Show") on RawVegas.tv starring Gavin Smith and Joe Sebok is up. The Bet: A $10,000 "last longer" in the ring with chick Muay Thai kickboxers who hate men. Star of the show: Master Toddy, and not just because he looks like a Thai Elvis. Quote of the show: "You put your head into my kick," said the female kickboxer after a blow to Sebok's noggin. Watch the video: click here or play video below.

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CEO Poker Flash Invite May Cause Seizures

CeopokertourThe marketing geniuses dilettantes over at the CEO Poker Tour trumpeted in a press release today their use of a Flash online invite for their 2007 CEO Poker Tournament, saying, "Poker players are not used to receiving unique Flash driven advertisements for poker events, giving us a marketing edge."

They go on further to say, "This is a year for growth in the poker tournament industry ... and the fastest way to grow is with unique marketing campaigns that portray the CEOpoker brand energy."

Sure we could point out that claiming Flash gives them a marketing edge is like saying fax machines are a revolutionary way to pitch vacation deals and penny stocks, but we gave up being mean for Lent, sort of. We will say though that apparently "unique marketing" is synonymous with "seizure causing" so don't say you weren't warned when you view their Flash invite here.

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April Scott as Daisy Duke Makes for a Good Post

April Scott is a longtime Wicked Chops Poker fave for a number of reasons, six of which you can view here or head over to GorillaMask.net for these 12 reasons, and so we're proud to show you the best and only 30 seconds worth watching from her new film Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning, which went straight to DVD ABC Family, which means this video is totally NSFW, if you're a Muslim, Mormon or Mennonite.

After the jump, a few shots of April as Daisy and one of April with fellow Friday Night Parting Shot Girl, Miss USA Tara Conner, who we'd still bang despite the bangs.

Continue reading "April Scott as Daisy Duke Makes for a Good Post" »

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Dicks-missed!* Sportingbet Pays $400k to Get Dicks Off

Peterdicks_2PokerNews.com, a site we read for its hot photos of playing cards and dice, is reporting that Sportingbet, PLC, paid the State of Louisiana a paltry $400,000 to drop its arrest warrants against the online gambling outfit's executives, including Peter Dicks, its former chairman who was snatched last September by authorities in New York but released soon after because Gov. Pataki refused to give Dicks to Louisiana.

According to PokerNews.com, the payment, or ransom money if you will, that got Dicks off will be used in part towards local efforts against guys who get their dicks off stealing peoples' identities, looking at illegal porn and betting online.

Expecting more play on "Dicks" in this post? Well, we petered out after we did this Dicks-laden post on the Sportingbet ex-exec last September.

Now go check out PokerNews.com. They have scantily clad red dice and handcuffs on their homepage right now.

* Thanks to the reader who will remain anonymous for the headline suggestion. We love suggestions and people writing stuff for us. If ever interested in doing so, anonymously or not, shoot us an email.

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On Cards, Clinton and Communism

Modelrdf1Justin Hartfield, the deputy editor over at the Prometheus Institute, a libertarian think tank, also happens to be a regular card tosser at LA card rooms, where you can usually find him playing Hi/Lo Crazy Pineapple. Recently, as far as we can tell, he wrote an online essay entitled "Poker, the Progressive Tax, and You" that's worth the read for any poli-poker-free-market-social-liberalism types who think Hillary Clinton is a devil woman in pantsuits.

The piece has Hartfield arguing against a progressive tax, an idea supported by Communist (hate them) and Hillary Clinton (hate her more), and he uses a typical night at the Hustler Casino to support his position.

After stating that "[p]oker is a game of American Capitalism at its purest form" where "[t]here is no health care for the professional poker player, nor welfare," Hartfield ponders what would happen if the casino implemented "a progressive tax plan . . . so that the top 20% of the money winners have to give 40% of their earnings back to crappiest players."

Read what he has to say in the article HERE.

We'd opine on the subject but we're busy looking at the Joanna Krupa pics right now. Give us kudos though for finding a pic of a cute girl with a shirt that has Hillary and Communism on it.

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For the Hump, Joanna Krupa

Joannakrupaupclose

You have two choices:

1) Check out Joanna Krupa's new FHM spread-erview where she shows us all her good sides and admits she has "a good poker face." Starts here and the poker bit is here.

2) Refresh your memory of Joanna Krupa playing the 2006 World Series of Poker with our two post collection of 30+ stalkerrific photos of the insanely hot model here and here.

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BREAKING: Neteller Plans Return of US Customers' Money

Logo_168x31Isaac Haxton may no longer be stuck $800,000.

Neteller, the online payment processor that helped fuel the online poker boom but went south after its two founders were nabbed by U.S. authorities, eventually freezing approximately $55 million of its U.S. customers' money, announced today that it has signed agreements with the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York and financial consulting firm Navigant Consulting, Inc., that outline a timeline under which Neteller "will work toward the orderly distribution of funds to its US customers."

According to the press release though, players shouldn't expect any formal plan on the disbursement until this summer, just as the World Series of Poker gets underway.

"Per the agreements, the Group anticipates that within the next 75 days it will announce a plan by which the funds will be distributed to US customers. Navigant will also provide a report to the USAO on the Group’s current financial condition."

Ron Martin, who holds the enviable position (if you're a saddo masochist) of being the NETELLER Group President and CEO commented, "We continue to be committed to returning funds to our US customers and working with the US Attorney’s Office. Progress, while not always visible to the outside observer, has been steady and these agreements mark a milestone in the process."

For the backstory, after the jump are links to some of our past posts on the Neteller shakedown as well as today's press release from Neteller announcing it steps towards returning US customers' funds.

Continue reading "BREAKING: Neteller Plans Return of US Customers' Money " »

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Danielle Lloyd Tapped As Offical Face (Boobs, Butt, Legs, etc.) of Ladbrokes Poker

Danielle_lloyd_ladbrokes_2When we saw a story yesterday with the name "Danielle Lloyd" in the headline, we didn't even bother reading it because we just assumed that the news had to do with the dethroned, delicious, D-breasted and D-list-ed British beauty pageant winner-turned-reality TV star being the subject of some new sex tape that she was either denying or felt betrayed by but now that people are talking about her it's a good time to announce that she is going to be starring as Julie McCoy in the has-to-be-in-the-works movie version of "The Love Boat."

So as we were writing up our "Dirty Dani Does It On Tape" post, we decided to read the story and much to our surprise, we learned that the news wasn't about the sure-to-come sex tape starring Danielle and her old-enough-to-be-her-father former flame, Teddy Sheringham, but instead that she was being tapped to become the new ______ (pick the body party you're looking at in the photos) of Ladbrokes Poker.

Continue reading "Danielle Lloyd Tapped As Offical Face (Boobs, Butt, Legs, etc.) of Ladbrokes Poker" »

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A Half-Dressed Denise Pernula Getting Doused with Chowder for Gavin Smith's Money Makes for a Good Post

Out of respect for RawVegas.tv's wickedly sexy host Denise Pernula, as well as woman and men who dress as woman every where (and Tobey Maguire), we really shouldn't post the video of her getting semi-naked and doused with cold chowder for $5k of Gavin Smith's money during the taping of his online TV show Prop Bets.

Unfortunately we have the self-restraint of a crack whore from the city of Crackville swimming in a pool of crack with a bunch of crack-addicts tossing around their crack-flavored schlongs for wads of crack-stained hundies, if that helps explain the kind of self-restraint we lack.*

Video below and link to it here. It may or may not be NSFW depending on how bad your job sucks.

* Wicked Chops Poker thinks crack is bad. Please don't use crack.

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It's (Not) Official: Harrah's and Bluff Announce WSOP Digital Media Alliance

BluffIn a press release dropped today, Harrah's and Bluff Media have finally announced, officially, the unofficial details of their pending partnership as it relates to all World Series of Poker events, including the WSOP in Las Vegas, the new WSOP Europe this September and the WSOP Circuit events that no one really seems to care much about.

According to the release, Bluff Media is "to be designated the official digital publisher and radio partner of the WSOP, the WSOP Circuit, WSOP Europe and other WSOP events."

Bluff will also operate www.worldseriesofpoker.com and provide "broadband, streaming and real-time content, including chip counts, live event updates and video and audio news programs and features."

At this time, only a letter of intent has been signed, and not yet a definitive aggreement, so that means the deal is not quite official yet and the shysters are still working out the nitty gritty while getting paid big bucks but it's about time they get the news out because people are already talking about it, like ThePokerBiz.com, who reported last month about the rumor that CardPlayer wouldn't have exclusive rights to the 2007 WSOP, to which we reported the same while also "hinting" that Bluff was getting the deal, and unrelatedly, that Lorenzo Lamas and Chad Brown were the same person, to which ThePokerBiz.com reported more than a week ago pretty much the same details announced in today's press release, to which some disgruntled CardPlayer employee posted an anonymous-yet-easily-tracked comment that you may or may not agree with.

It's worth noting that Chops won't have to shave his head live on RawVegas.tv because of today's announcement.

The Harrah's-Bluff press release after the jump...

Continue reading "It's (Not) Official: Harrah's and Bluff Announce WSOP Digital Media Alliance" »

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The Wicked Chops Week That Was

Danielapestova14To better enhance our page views ensure you don't miss anything in the Wicked Chops world of poker, some big stories from the past week:

:: Jamie Gold comes clean in an exclusive Wicked Chops Heads-Up interview.

:: Poker Stars proves that poker is still just a fad by booking their biggest ever Sunday Millions.

:: Barney Frank (D-MA) is working on banging a dude new legislation to counter the UIGEA.

Danielapestova2:: The WSOP introduces some new rules and prepares for 10,000+ entrants this year. 

:: Jesus, Gordo, and other move for a judgement against the WPT in that lawsuit we all forgot about.

:: Card Player was totally busted when an employee posted an anonymous comment at ThePokerBiz.com about BLUFF and their taking over the mantle of being the WSOP's "official" coverage outlet.

:: J.J. Liu, a woman, almost wins a WPT championship event. She was foiled by Ted Forrest.

:: And finally, we found some sick pics of Daniela Pestova (above).

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J.J. Liu Almost Wins WPT Shooting Stars: UPDATE

Poker history was almost made at the WPT Shooting Stars tournament at Bay 101.

Jjliu_awomanJ.J. Liu, a woman, was in contention to become the first woman to ever win a major $10k buy-in event.

But then Ted Forrest stood up for men everywhere around the world and said, "No fucking way I'm letting a woman beat me at a man's game. I'm Ted Freaking Forrest. Sure, if this was knitting class or some shit like that she might have a chance. But not poker."*

When heads-up play began, J.J. Liu, a woman, actually had the chip advantage, stacked 5,305,000 to 3,695,000.

The two battled heads-up for nearly 100 hands and the heads-up match climaxed when Forrest moved all-in pre-flop with pocket 7's. Liu called with A-8. Forrest made a boat to win.

UPDATE: Turns out J.J. Liu is four months pregnant and having some problems during the final table. WCP hopes she's OK. Above humor all in jest, as always.

For the win, Forrest banks $1,125,000. Liu brings home $600,000.

The rest of the final table results were: 3) Amir Shayesteh - $314,000, 4) James Van Alstyne - $250,000, 5) Vince Shaw - $200,000, and 6) Bill Edler - $160,000.

* Dramatization with no actual proof that was said.

- Image from World Poker Tour.

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WPT Shooting Star Final Table: Stacked But Much Less Interesting

Let's get this out of the way: the WPT Shooting Star final table is stacked with some serious talent.

2007shooting_onAmir Sheyesteh leads everyone with 2,731,00. We'll have to assume he's good. He doesn't have much of a track record in major events. But we'll give him the benefit of the doubt, although we're typically totally against giving anyone the benefit of the doubt, because in general people fucking suck.

Sheyesteh is trailed by someone with a serious track record in major events: Ted Forrest. Last year's National Heads Up champ was short-stacked much of the day, but ended up in second position with just over 2M.

Also remaining is James Van Alstyne, as well as J.J. Liu, who is a woman and is making her second WPT final table, and Bill Edler, who made a (non-TV) final table recently at the WPT LAPC.

Get full chip counts here.

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Anonymous CardPlayer Rep Rips WSOP + Bluff, Reports ThePokerBiz.com

In response to its post on the pending announcement of the Harrahs-Bluff Magazine WSOP deal, new kid on the poker news block, ThePokerBiz.com, received a caustic comment from someone calling himself "Artie Fufkin" (obviously a Spinal Tap fan), that said:

“Awarded?” Buying an overpriced package from the cash hungry WSOP is hardly a coup. More realistically the folks at Bluff have bitten off more than they can chew. Would not be surprised if the fees bankrupt them. Bluff is mediocre at best, as is the WSOP, and the whole thing looks like an impending slow motion train wreck.” (emphasis added)

LizzieharrisonAfter 30 seconds of investigative work, 5 minutes for a smoke and an hour or so reading our exclusive Jamie Gold interview and Keeley Hazell Hump Day Special brought to you by "Calvin Ayre Wild Card Poker II", where you can compete for a $2 million grand prize package, and our friends at RawVegas.tv "It's Not TV, It's Dot TV," ThePokerBiz.com discovered that the "anonymous" comment came from a computer that, according to a WHOIS IP search, is owned by none other than Card Player Magazine.

Shit damn.

Get the full scoop, including the IP address, over at ThePokerBiz.com.

To learn how to hide your IP address when posting contemptible remarks about your competitors and poker's richest and most revered poker tournament, check out this About.com article.

For poker news, go read a poker news site. We're tired.

Random screen capture of CardPlayer's Lizzie Harrison for no good reason.

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Really Bad Headline Alert: March Madseness? Phenom Leads WPT Shooting Star -- Sebok Still Strong in Second

2007shooting_onJeff Madsen is to poker what the Entities that comprise Wicked Chops Poker are to globe-trotting, yachting, funding guerrilla armies in third world countries to overthrow oppressive regimes, and banging super hot chicks before we married super hot chicks.

As in, Jeff Madsen is too good for his own good. This kid's game is sick.

With 36 players remaining, the 2006 WSOP Player of the Year leads the WPT Shooting Star, stacked at 706k.

In second overall is Madsen's good friend, Joe Sebok. Clearly Joe's success in 2007 all stems from the confidence he's gained from his thorough domination of Gavin Smith in his Prop Bets show on RawVegas.tv. Clearly. Sebok is second overall with 603k.

Other big names still around include Nenad Medic, Joe Pelton, woman J.J. Liu, Bill Edler, James Van Alstyne, David Williams, Clint Baskin, Ted Forrest, and Erik Siedel. So yeah, lots of big names still around.

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Chris Ferguson, Phil Gordon, et al. Move for Judgment Against the World Poker Tour

Wpt_largeIn a press release sent by their shysters at Dewey Ballantine LLP, it was announced that Chris Ferguson, Andrew Bloch, Annie Duke, Phil Gordon, Joseph Hachem, Howard Lederer, and Greg Raymer have filed a motion for summary judgment today against WPT Enterprises, Inc. in federal district court in Los Angeles, claiming that they have "presented undisputed facts whcih establish that WPTE, which owns the World Poker Tour ("WPT"), has committed multiple violations of federal antitrust laws."

You can read the entire release after the jump and for the back story, check out the past Wicked Chops Poker posts on the lawsuit:

:: World Poker Tour Extends Its Middle Finger to Chris Ferguson, Andy Bloch, Howard Lederer, Joe Hachem, Greg Raymer, Phil Gordon, and Annie Duke - (commentary on the WPT's response to the lawsuit)

:: Sued - (comparing the WPT to Britney Spears)

A copy of the actual motion for summary judgment can be found at http://www.wptlawsuit.com/.

Continue reading "Chris Ferguson, Phil Gordon, et al. Move for Judgment Against the World Poker Tour" »

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Jeffrey Pollack, Pokerati's Waiting for Your Call

WsopIn a threat on par with getting a slap on the wrist by Crispin Leyser or perhaps having a Clay Aiken song dedicated to you, not that were suggesting anything here, WSOP man-in-charge Jeffrey Pollack said during a telephone press conference call today with media outlets, and some clueless rep from PacificPoker.com, that if anyone reported that this year's WSOP field would be capped at 10,000 players or that the WSOP anticipates 10,000 players he would personally call them to demand a retraction and make them buy him lunch, and perhaps dinner and a movie and a stroll on the beach, if the vibe was there.

Continue reading "Jeffrey Pollack, Pokerati's Waiting for Your Call" »

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Barney Frank Says UIGEA is 'Preposterous', Working on New Legislation

160pxbarney_frankRep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), who the Boston Globe labels "outspoken, openly gay, and eminently quotable" and who last March said "adults are entitled to do with their money what they want to do" in opposition to efforts to ban online gambling, is quoted today in the Financial Times as saying, "I am working on legislation to cut back on this internet gambling thing… I think it’s preposterous." We first saw the news of this over at BillRini.com, to give credit where credit is due, so read more about the FT bit there.

Also worth reading is this piece over at Gambling911.com from February, in which Congressman Frank, who chairs the House Financial Services Committee, called for a two-year amnesty on the online gambling law.

Frank's opposition to the prohibition of online gambling is nothing new, it's worthing noting, as he was just as vocal seven years ago when the House tried to pass the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act of 2000.

As a good refresher of some of Frank's spot-on talking points against prohibition, re-watch the video of him speaking before the House last summer on the issue after the jump . . .

Continue reading "Barney Frank Says UIGEA is 'Preposterous', Working on New Legislation " »

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WPT Shooting Stars: Baskin, Madsen, Forrest, Seidel Among Day 1B Chip Leaders

Do you remember Clint Baskin?

We didn't really either. But the name sounded familiar. So we "google'd" him on our site and re-discovered he won a WSOP-C event last year, besting Daniel Negreanu's first protege, Brian Fidler.Madsenclose_1_1

When play wrapped at the WPT Shooting Stars for Day 1B, Baskin led the field, stacked at around 200k.

Other leaders include Jeff Madsen (at right), who still seems intent on sticking to his arch-rival E-Fro, as well as Ted Forrest, Erik Seidel, Barry Greenstein, and WCP fave Joe Pelton.

Day 2 gets underway at 3pm EST today with the combined fields from Day 1a and Day 1b. Get full chip counts at Card Player.

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For the Hump, Keeley Hazell + More After the Jump

Keeleyarena5In advance of Harrahs' announcement that Bluff Magazine will be the official digital media provider of the World Series of Poker and in what may or may not be a weekly hump day tradition, we offer AFTER THE JUMP a Keeley Hazell video moment of her on the beach in LA, once again showing her aversion to bikini tops (yes it's NSFW), followed by links that have nothing to do with poker and everything to do with Sophie Anderton, Daniela Pestova, April Scott, the Australian Bikini Cricket Team, and a video of Olivia Munn talking oral with Anna David.

Happy Wednesday.

Continue reading "For the Hump, Keeley Hazell + More After the Jump" »

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David Williams Licks Competition on Day 1A at WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star

David WilliamsDavid Williams, the 2006 7-card stud world champion bracelet winner, WPT finalist and 2004 WSOP ME runner-up who will be appearing soon in his own reality series on RawVegas.tv so that "licks" comment is all you're going to get from us for now, finished on top with the biggest stack (188,900) and a taste for victory in his mouth (woops) yesterday at the WPT's Bay 101 Shooting Star Tournament. It's a nice start for the tournament ace at the Bay 101, after finishing 4th in the event last year for a $280,000 cash.

Continue reading "David Williams Licks Competition on Day 1A at WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star" »

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EXCLUSIVE: Jamie Gold Goes Heads-Up With Wicked Chops Poker

JamiegoldbuzzIt's possible over the past seven months or so we've said some harsh things about Jamie Gold.

Granted, he, along with his monkey-fucking-a-football handlers, have deserved a good share of it.

It all started days before Gold won the World Series of Poker Main Event. In an interview with ESPN.com's Steve Rosenbloom, Gold said he'd rather finish second than win the Main Event.

Then, within days of winning poker's biggest event in one of the most dominating performances ever (aided by some insanely fortuitous flops, turns and rivers), a lawsuit filed by premature ejaculating, gun-jumping Crispin Leyser brought on one of modern poker's ugliest chapters.

A series of misteps in the press followed, as well as some unfortunate personal hardships.

Now, Jamie Gold is ready for a new beginning.

FuckedupLast week after playing in the National Heads-Up Championship in Las Vegas and sharing on video what he thought of us, Jamie Gold sat with Wicked Chops Poker for a candid (and frankly, ballsy) interview on his rollercoaster year. Gold was honest, forthcoming and, as he put it, ready to step up as an ambassador for the game.

NOTE: After reading our WCP Heads-Up interview with Jamie Gold after the jump, visit Jamie Gold's Raw Perspective video on RawVegas.tv for more in-depth coverage.

WCP: What was your life like a year ago? 

Continue reading "EXCLUSIVE: Jamie Gold Goes Heads-Up With Wicked Chops Poker" »

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We Told You Poker Is a Fad

Pokerstars_1Proving that poker is a fad, has been since 1829 and will be for as long as the melting polar ice caps allow, 10,508 players competed yesterday in PokerStars.com's one-year anniversary Sunday Million tournament, making it the largest real money poker tournament ever held, online or otherwise.

While Poker Stars bumped the guaranteed prize pool up to $1.5 million for the celebration, the massive field pushed the purse above the $2 million mark, with a first place cash locked at $271,106.40. A deal split when they were down to five though, gave the eventual winner, Zeddor, a $131,972 take away while runner-up, nickym998, cashed $160,960 thanks to being the chipleader at the chop.

For more on the history making tournament, get it on with PokerNews.com's Haley Hintze here.

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And We Thought They Just Tickled Each Other

Silly us, we thought hot girls just tickled each other when they got together. Apparently they also play masseuse and bath each other.

Link to the video of stupidly hot, barely dressed BodogFight girls in a Russian bath house here.

WARNING: This video has nothing to do with poker and everything to do with stupidly hot, barely dressed BodogFight girls in a Russian bath house.

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The Toke: Beers, Steers and Poker, Shannon Elizabeth Handles a Stick Like a Pro, Chad Kroeger Not Among "Rock Legends" at VH1 Poker Event + David Einhorn's Fund Goes Busto

:: Bill Seeks to Legalize Poker in Texas. Is Omaha Next? - Bars in the state that gave us the game of hold'em and some rockin' toast may not be known just for beers, steers and queers anymore thanks to a bill (HB 3186) introduced in the state legislature that would allow certain establishments in Texas to have up to four real money poker tables. The sexy gang over at Pokerati.com is all over this news like two lonely cowboys in a rain storm. - WOIA.com and Pokerati.com

Shannonelizabethpool:: From Heads Up to 8 Balls and a Stick - After besting some of poker's finest at the National Heads-Up Poker Championship, including world champion bracelet winners Barry Greenstein and Humberto Brenes, Shannon Elizabeth reportedly is bored with the game of poker, saying, "It's so easy, an F-list actress could do it," (and when we say "reportedly" we mean we're making this up). She is now moving onto the game of pool, recently taking on the Prince of Pool himself, Corey Deuel, at the IPT North American Open 8-Ball Championship. - InsidePoolMag.com

:: Get Amped for Airing of VH1's Rock and Roll Poker Tournament - VH1 Classic is airing its Rock 'n' Roll for Charity Poker Tournament on Wednesday, March 14, at 10 p.m. ET, and will feature a full table of rock and roll legends, except replace "rock and roll legends" with Godsmack's Sully Erna, Pantera's Vinnie Paul, Kiss' Ace Frehley, ZZ Top's Dusty Hill, and Anthrax's Scott Ian. The event is for charity so we won't say anything mean about Nickelback's Chad Kroeger not getting an invite to play because he's a cheesy wannabe rocker douchebag who can't sing or write one damn lyric worth listening to. - CardPlayer.com

:: Nice Guy Poker Player Sees Hedge Fund Flop - David Einhorn, the 18th place finisher at the 2007 WSOP main event who made headlines for donating all of his $659,730 winnings to charity, has seen the hedge fund he manages lose about $140 million recently, primarily due to one of its holdings, New Century Financial, being the subject of a Federal criminal probe. Einhorn has since quit the board of New Century. Cue Debbie Downer "wah-wah" now. - Bloomberg.com

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She Looks A Lot Like Keeley Hazell But . . .

...the Keeley Hazell we know doesn't wear clothes.

Keeleyclothed4_4Keeleyclothed3_2Keeleyclothed2_4Keeleyclothed1

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Radio Free Gavin (updated after the jump)

Around 6pm last night on popular Las Vegas radio station X107.5's Xtreme Disorder, Gavin Smith offered $1,000 for a girl to come to the studio, take her top off, and have clam chowder dumped on her head.

The phone lines lit up. A porn star with double D's wanted the cash. Chaos ensued.

What started out as a standard promo for RawVegas.tv and Prop Bets quickly turned into Howard Stern-esque air wave orgy. Appearing with RawVegas.tv lead anchor Denise Pernula and host Lauren Boiros, Gavin got involved in a prop bet with a 19 year-old X107.5 listener, Dan. The bet: who could take the most belly slaps from Denise and Lauren.

The loser was to get clam chowder dumped on his head from 10 feet above.

Photo4_1 Photo30_1

Continue reading "Radio Free Gavin (updated after the jump)" »

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Poker Players Alliance's "Call to Arms" Ad

The below video is the PPA's new "The State of Play: America and Online Poker" ad. View it and others on the PPA's YouTube page here.

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While We're Pimping . . .

. . . Be sure to check out Jen Leo's spanking brand new travel deals blog for the LA Times not ironically called the Daily Deal Blog.

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Other People's Coverage of the WPT Celebrity Invitational

Skelly_huWhile two of us were in LA for the kickoff party and first night of play at the WPT Celebrity Invitational, we didn't so much cover the event as we did not cover it; that is, unless you consider trying to figure out if that ridiculously hot Hawaiian-looking girl at Bai Ling's table was Kelly Hu (it was), or debating whether a $1 Commerce Casino poker chip or Paris Hilton's tongue carried more disease-causing bacteria or deciding which Playboy Playmate in attendance we'd most like to have "clean our house" (we picked Shanna Moakler--seen with plunger below--over Donna D'Errico) as covering the event. If so, we were all over it.

ParishiltonThere were, however, a few poker media folks there actually reporting on the action, and we wanted to give them mad props, if we used phrases like that, for their work. Like John Caldwell and his PokerNews crew, who were there interviewing celebs in attendance (see videos here) and John Stern and his self-professed big-footed camera girl, who were on hand to liquor it up photograph the action at the table for Pokulator.com (see their gallery here, including the shot above of Kelly Hu).

Shanna_moaklerOur favorite coverage of the event though came from Matt Showell and Owen Laukkanen at PokerListings.com, who along with PokerWire.com and the WPT's own people, were there from start to finish. If you're not a regular reader of PokerListing's live reporting, you can always count on the multi-tasking/talented Matt and Owen being all over the action at tournaments like Ray J taking a whiz on Kim Kardashian, except unlike Ray J, Matt and Owen get it done sanitarily by blogging, live reporting, and photographing their subjects rather than pissing on them.

So for a complete wrap-up of the action at the WPT Celebrity Invitational, we suggest checking out:

:: Owen's excellent wrap-up blog on the Day One action here.
:: Photos of the celebs, pro players and unknowns playing in the event here.
:: Their live reporting of the tournament here.
:: Interview with the winner and ridiculously nice guy Adam Weinraub (seen in photo) here.

WptweinraubFor those who opted not to cover the WPT Celebrity Invitational for one reason (NBC Heads-Up) or another (NBC Heads-Up), definitely put it on your "coverage" radar next year. The WPT folks do a great job putting this event on, especially their PR girls, and its charitable purpose, relaxed atmosphere, great mix of celebs and pros in attendance and steady flow of free drinks and food avail to all make it a great event to cover, or in our case, just show up to tell you to get your coverage elsewhere.

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The Daily Dump™

We really don't do The Daily Dump™ like we used to, which when we did, it wasn't daily, but close enough for us, since we're so crazy busy/lazy. So consider this post like The Daily Dump, without the little pics. Worth noting that some of these links are best clicked away from work and without small people around.

:: Remember that scene in La Dolce Vita when Anita Ekberg jumped into the Fontana di Trevi? No? Well the pics of American Idol's Antonella Barba getting wet, semi-naked and posing like a porn star in a fountain are just like that, with the only difference being that Antonella is semi-naked and posing like a porn star. As a sidenote, when the Addict saw these pics he thanked God for the Internet, because he's religious like that. - WWTDD.com

:: While you're over at WWTDD.com, the pics of Christina Aguilera in Las Vegas last night are worth the viewing, or whatever you choose to do with them. - WWTDD.com

:: We spent all week in LA looking for Kate Beckinsale, and all the while she was right there on the Internet. - Popoholic.com

:: If you ever had a crush on Kirsten Dunst, these photos will cure you. - Egostatic.com

:: We blame GorillaMask.net for making us see this disturbing (if not strangely curious) video. Don't fall victim to it like we did. Please don't watch it. - Santasm.net (seriously, don't watch it)

:: You watched it didn't you? Wtf? Why didn't you listen? Ok, rinse your mind out with the best photos of Scarlett Johannson's cleavage we've seen today. They just may do the trick. - Popoholic.com

:: If that didn't do the trick, try some new and old photos of our favorite model with a funny name, Doutzen Kroes. - DoubleViking.com

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No Really, D'Amato Tapped as Poker Players Alliance Chairman

This is the third time we've reported this but now the deal has officially been inked and former U.S. Senator Al D'Amato is the Poker Players Alliance's new Chairman of the Board.

Read a NY Times article on D'Amato's new role and poker background here.

Press release from the PPA after the jump...

Continue reading "No Really, D'Amato Tapped as Poker Players Alliance Chairman" »

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Jamie Gold Wants Us to Like Him

After saying the lawsuit with Crispin Leyser was "all really stupid" and "only the press made it out to be a big thing," Jamie Gold tells RawVegas.tv's Denise Pernula (and soon-to-be featured in Playboy) what he thinks about Wicked Chops Poker.

Link to Jamie Gold on Wicked Chops Poker video here.

UPDATE: WickedChopsPoker.com will feature a "Heads-Up" interview with Jamie Gold next week.

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Wasicka Wins NBC National Heads Up Poker Championship

Entering the 2007 NBC National Heads Up Poker Championship, Paul Wasicka was just about everyone's pick to win the event. Except replace "everyone's" with "no one's."

WasickaNot that Wasicka isn't respected by his peers. He's just an under the radar kind of guy. Humble. Unassuming. A former shoe shine boy*. Just like Underdog.

On his way to the finals, Wasicka defeated Eli Elezra, Joe Hachem, T.J. Cloutier, Nam Le, and Shannon Elizabeth. Against Elizabeth, Wasicka was down 5-to-1 in chips and was all-in with pocket tens to Elizabeth's A-Q. Elizabeth hit a Queen on the flop, but Wasicka rivered a straight to stay alive and eventually move on. It was a disappointing loss for Elizabeth, as is the case with most losses. However, she definitely earned her way into the final four, and if we were not cool white kids desperately trying to sound cool by talking all hip-hop, we'd say that Shannon Elizabeth earned "mad respect" for her performance. Holla!

In the finals, Wasicka matched up against Chad Brown, the 2006 BLUFF Magazine Player of the Year. Brown, a dead-on ringer for Lorenzo Lamas, or every male actor to every appear in a late night Cinemax adult flick, couldn't hold off Wasicka, whose last name still sounds too much like swastika for our liking. On the final hand, Brown moved all in after flopping top pair, but busted because Wasicka flopped the nut straight.

For the win, Wasicka banked $500k and some serious mad respect. Holla!

* Completely made up.

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First Two of Final Four: Paul Wasicka and ............... Shannon Elizabeth

Update from Caesars: Paul Wasicka defeated Nam Le to advance to the semi-finals of the National Heads Up Poker Championship.

Also advancing...Shannon Elizabeth.

Shannon Elizabeth.

UPDATE: Gavin Smith and Chad Brown advance as the other semi-finalists.

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NBC National Heads Up Poker Championship: Who Is the Best Around?

Quick "in-depth" analysis: Down to eight, our gut says the winner of the NBC National Heads Up Poker Championship will come from the winner of the Andy Bloch vs. Gavin Smith match-up. Or Nam Le. Bad for poker if it's Nam Le. Awesome player; not a huge name nationally though. Good for poker if it's Gavin, he's arguably the marquee name left. Really bad for poker if it's Shannon Elizabeth. Poker will get ZERO respect as a sport if she wins it, regardless of how well she's playing.

To get our Elite 8 pumped, we present possibly the greatest song ever used in a movie montage. Here's a little Joe Esposito and "You're the Best (Around)" from the Karate Kid. Put 'em in a body bag, guys.

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The Following Headline Is Not a Joke:
Shannon Elizabeth Among Elite 8 in NBC National Heads Up Championship

Shannonelizabeth_1Shannon Elizabeth, a woman, and Kristy Gazes, also a woman, are among the Elite 8 in the NBC National Heads Up Poker Championship.

Elizabeth's improbable run began when she defeated that creepy old guy married to Celine Dion in round 1. She then beat phenom Jeff Madsen. And then in what is possibly the biggest upset in the history of known man, she beat Barry Greenstein in the Sweet 16.

Elizabeth is joined in the Elite 8 by Kristy Gazes, another woman. Kristy defeated Clonie Gowan, a woman, Isabelle Mercier, a woman, and Scott Fischman, not a woman, to advance.

Huck Seed, our pick to win two years running, was eliminated by Humberto Brenes in the Sweet 16.

Today's match-ups are:

Shannon Elizabeth vs. Humberto Brenes
Paul Wasicka vs. Nam Le
Andy Bloch vs. Gavin Smith
Kristy Gazes vs. Chad Brown

View full bracket results here.

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Don Cheadle Further Proves Why He Is One of the Coolest Dudes Alive

Wicked Chops Poker isn't gonna lie to you. We save the lying for our wives.

So we'll freely admit that we were a bit upset when Don Cheadle drew Phil Ivey in round 1 of the NBC National Heads Up Poker Championship.

Doncheadleericklindgren_2Don Cheadle, you see, is one of our favorite actors. Period. From his spin as Ice Tray on one episode of the Fresh Prince to his role as the guy who ran Hotel Rwanda, there's hardly an actor alive who hits it out of the park more consistently than Cheadle.

In turn, Phil Ivey is one of our favorite pros. One of our best experiences ever while writing for this site was in 2005 while covering the WSOP Main Event. For two hours we witnesses Ivey play every hole card and wreck his table. Just an amazing display of poker.

So when Cheadle drew Ivey at the National Heads Up draw party, we hoisted our fist in the air and screamed, "Why God! Whyyyyyyyyy!"

It was like when ABC and UPN pitted  "My Wife and Kids" against "Everybody Hates Chris." Just totally, TOTALLY not cool.

Side note: For a closer look at what it's like to miss out on a Don Cheadle interview on a red carpet, check out yesterday's RawVegas.tv Daily News.

Of course, everyone in the room, including Cheadle, assumed that Ivey would make quick work of him. This is Phil Freaking Ivey we're talking about. But then something crazy happened. Something wonderful and crazy. Cheadle showed the world exactly why he is Cheadle. He beat Phil Ivey. Don Cheadle advances.

Some other upsets included...

Continue reading "Don Cheadle Further Proves Why He Is One of the Coolest Dudes Alive" »

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Girls on the Rail at 2008 WSOP

  • NEW PHOTOS ADDED DAILY


    Our photog at the 2008 WSOP is having a hard time focusing his lens on the pros at the table. We like him for that. Check out girls on the rail here.

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