Lee Davy brings you another shot of poker news, including: Caesars and Amaya falling in love; the World Series of Poker serenading the Italians; Dusk till Dawn jumping into bed with partypoker, and much more.
It’s been a strange old week for the poker community.
Hearts have fluttered. Hearts have broken. Fortunately, for you, we haven’t missed a beat.
Last week, we told you that Pala Interactive CEO, Jim Ryan, believed that the Restoration of America’s Wire Act (RAWA) had a good shot of passing. That belief strengthened this week, after Nolan Dalla posed the question: “Could American Online Poker be Holding the Losing Hand?”
“{Sheldon} Adelson’s organization, the Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling, is steadily winning over the hearts and minds of our elected officials in Washington.” Dalla wrote before continuing, “They are outspending, out maneuvering, outthinking and outworking the opposition.”
We are a disjointed bunch. A whole lot of people, looking at other people, hoping and praying that they will do something to bring back online poker to the USA.
That approach doesn’t cut the mustard.
Sheldon Adelson knows that, Dalla knows that.
“The online gambling forces and poker community better get its act together quick and now, or else it’s going to be too late.” Dalla writes.
Caesars and Amaya Gaming Have a Cuddle
Nolan Dalla is not alone. His way of thinking is being shared by others.
This week Caesars Entertainment Corp. put down their gloves and extended a sweaty hand to Amaya Gaming Group.
“We need to focus on where our opposition really lies,” Jan Jones Blackhurst, Executive Vice President of Governmental Relations for Caesars told Chris Krafcik, of Gambling Compliance. “It’s clearly not Amaya and PokerStars. They are a strong ally in the space.”
Three Californian tribes: The Rincon and Pala Band of Luiseno Indians, and the United Auburn Indian Community, have also softened their stance on the ‘bad actor’ tag that has been sewn into the school jumper of PokerStars.
Let’s hope the olive branch has not been extended too late.
The World Series of Poker Spreads its Wings
If online poker does go the way of the Dodo, one organization that will still carry on regardless will be the Caesars owned World Series of Poker (WSOP).
The most prestigious poker tour in the world, is a breath of fresh air. They remind us that people do sometimes leave their homes. That face to face contact is still important. That the dirty green baize is still a battlefield full of blood.
The WSOP is spreading their wings. They are flapping. A trajectory has been set. The landing strip is The Casino di Campione in Italy. The World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) will takes it’s roadshow and pitch it in Italian soil.
It’s a great move. The event will be held Sep 16-30, weeks before the World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) opens up their shop in Berlin for the first time. Not only are they testing the water to see if the WSOPC brand will float, they are also able to host multiple live satellites. An avenue for the European masses giving safe passage to the higher buy-in events in Berlin.
Panzica and Fish Winning Gold
It’s a long time before the WSOPC gets its moustache coated in gelato. In the meantime it’s business as usual.
The Palm Beach Kennel Club might sound like a place to leave your Shitsu whilst jetting off on holiday, but this week it’s been home to poker players prospecting for gold rings.
12-events have been consigned to the history books; two main stories to bring you up to speed on. Could Sam Panzica one day hold the record for the most WSOPC gold rings ever won?
Well, he currently has four, and he is just 22-years of age. His fourth coming in Event #9: $1,125 No-Limit Hold’em (NLHE) where he beat 147-players on his way to a $41,159 first prize.
Darryll Fish won the $1,675 Main Event. It was his first major title since he started racking up cashes in 2007 – but none of that old bollocks bothers Fish.
“I’m not in the game for the titles.” Says Fish.
{When I first wrote that sentence I actually wrote: I am not in this game for the titties. Thank God for auto-spell check.}
Poor, Poor France
For every happy Italian there is a Frenchman crying in an empty snails shell.
“Yeah! The WSOP is coming to Italy!”
“Boo! The European Poker Tour (EPT) is leaving France :(“
It’s a fact. The EPT has confirmed that it will not be returning to Deauville when Season 12 kicks off in earnest. It’s a body blow for the French, and comes on the back of the closing down sale of the Partouche Poker Tour, the unknown fate of the Aviation Club de France, and the decision of the WSOP to jump ship and leave Paris for Berlin.
If you want to play in a high buy-in live poker tournament in France, you will be sorely disappointed.
There aren’t any.
The Rest of Europe
Another dichotomy of desire and divorce.
Dusk till Dawn (DTD) have jumped into bed with partypoker. I know you knew that, but do you know that they are trying to squeeze 10,000 entrants into the partypoker branded Grand Prix Million?
The buy-in will be $120, and there will be a guarantee of $1 million. The event will take place May 15-25, 2015, and if anyone can pull it off, Rob Yong and his team can.
Whilst DTD and partypoker are getting their kit off behind the bike shed, William Hill and 888 Holdings are letting down each other’s tyres. The proposed acquisition of Hills over 888 has fallen apart at the seams.
Hills reportedly put together a deal worth over £700m, and the Shaked family – who own a 50% stake in 888 – didn’t think they were getting their monies worth.
Seriously, how could you need more than £744m?
Finally, the World Poker Tour (WPT) is going to be heading to the Georgian capital of Tbilisi. Adam Pliska and the team have agreed a deal with the countries flagship gambling company Europe-Bet that will see the pair host two National Series events, and a Main event, in the very near future.
I wonder if Anthony Zinno will be making a dash for Tbilisi? I’m not so sure. The last time he was in Europe he took away some ACF chips, and they have since closed the club down.
Perhaps, Zinno can keep those chips as mementoes after adding $400,000 to his bankroll, and a second WPT Main Event title, after victory in Fallsview.
A great example, that if your online income has been taken away from you, adaptation is the key to overcoming that particular handicap.
