Supporters of legal poker clubs in Northern Ireland pleaded their case to legislators on Thursday. The Legislative Assembly’s Social Development Committee heard testimony from Legalise Poker in Northern Ireland’s Glen McCabe, who urged MLA’s to reverse the law enforcement trend that had forced poker clubs to go “underground” about five years ago. The BBC quoted McCabe as saying legislation could create 150 jobs and bring about “the resumption of a cross-community social activity.” At the hearing’s conclusion, committee members agreed to write to the full Department of Social Development to ask whether legalization might be considered.
The Grosvenor UK Poker Tour (GUKPT) 2012 season kicks off in Manchester on Jan. 23, and will continue over 11 legs across the UK, plus an additional two stops in Ireland and Belgium (a GUKPT first). The full list of season six events is as follows: Walsall (March 11); Stockton (April 8); Thanet (April 22); Dublin (May 6); Belgium (June 3); Plymouth (July 1); Bolton (July 15); Coventry (Aug. 19); London Victoria (Sept. 16); Luton (Oct. 14) and Blackpool (Nov. 4). The Grand Final will also take place at the London Vic.
GUKPT Coventry 2010 titleholder Stuart Rutter has been added to Sky Poker TV’s roster of analysts, which includes recent additions Ryan Spittles and Julian Thew. In addition to his online successes, the Birmingham native and Oxford maths graduate Rutter has tallied almost £500k in live tournament winnings and final tabled twice at the 2010 World Series of Poker (seventh place in a $2,500 Seven Card Razz and third place at a $5k NLHE Shootout). Rutter made his Sky Poker TV debut Thursday night.
In case anyone missed it, the US-facing Yatahay Poker Network – home to America’s Cardroom, True Poker, BetCris, Bookmaker, 5Dimes and other online sportsbooks – changed its name to the Winning Poker Network last week. We’re not convinced rebranding with a worn Charlie Sheen meme is the best way to go, but what the yatahay…
Finally, poker film geeks will have to make do a little longer with their worn DVDs of Rounders, the 1998 poker flick starring Matt Damon, Edward Norton and John Malkovich. Late in 2010, reports suggested a Rounders sequel was in the works for a 2012 release, but the Internet Movie Database has revised the new flick’s release date to 2014. Bad beat…
