There’s quite a ‘spring’ in Shaun Deeb’s step as the poker pro continues to crush the competition at the PokerStars Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP). Initially, the dominant SCOOP story was Viktor ‘Isildur1’ Blom taking two back to back events, but that’s been eclipsed by Deeb’s taking of three SCOOP titles in a six-day span. Deeb’s run began May 10, when he earned $41k for topping the 64-player field at Event #10, a $2100-buy-in Seven Card Stud. Three days later, Deeb collected $40k at Event #19, the $2100 buy-in Triple Stud. On Tuesday, Deeb beat back 73 other players to take Event #26, the $2100 buy-in Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo. This brought Deeb’s career SCOOP scalp count to four, an all-time record. Deeb has also made the final table at four other SCOOP 2012 events, and has finished in the money 19 times. Deeb seems a lock to earn SCOOP MVP honors, but Blom’s larger paydays means he still leads the money rankings.
Moving to the live poker scene, the World Poker Tour has released the first half of its Season XI schedule. Gone from the fall schedule are stops in Barcelona, Amneville and the Foxwoods WPT Finals. New for 2012 are stops at the Parx Casino in Philadelphia and Copenhagen. Morocco remains on the WPT itinerary, but will shift from Marrakech to Mazagan. The full sked looks as follows: Merit Grand Casino, Cyprus (Aug. 4-9); Parx Casino, Bensalem, PA (Aug. 10-15); Legends of Poker at the Bicycle Casino in California (Aug. 24-29); Grand Prix de Paris at the Aviation Club de France (Sept. 10-15); Casino de Portomaso, Malta (Sept. 16-20); the Borgata Poker Open in Atlantic City (Sept. 16-21); the Bestbet Fall Series in Jacksonville, Florida (Nov. 9-13); Casino Copenhagen (Nov. 12-17); Mazagan Casino, Morocco (Nov. 26-Dec. 1); Corinthia Hotel, Prague (Dec. 3-9) and the Five Diamond World Poker Classic at the Bellagio in Las Vegas (Dec. 17-22).
Poker pro Michael Mizrachi has re-upped as promotional partner of the Breeders’ Cup. Organizers hope Mizrachi will continue to raise awareness of the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge and Celebrity Poker Invitational among his deep-pocketed poker brethren. Mizrachi said the partnership with the horseracing outfit “has been amazing” and to watch his social media feeds for updates.
Online poker site Americas Cardroom has announced it will reduce by half the required contribution by mid-stakes players to the site’s bad beat jackpot. Site spokesman Michael Harris claims the move was the result of mid-stakes players complaining that the contribution “had too big an effect on their win rates.”
