There is an update in UK Poker News (sorry can't post the link on pain of being told off) but the bottom line is that the FBI have been investigating Neteller since mid-2006 and that they say that Neteller has effectively laundered billions of dollars out of the USA from criminal activities (online gambling). There is a comment from the FBI that the multibillion dollar online gambling industry is - and I quote - "a colossal criminal enterprise masquerading as legitimate business."

One question for the guys arrested. What arrogance or stupidity possessed you to step on US soil after the events of 2006? Completely off their rockers!

With ref to MikkyT's views, I suspect they are promoting it as a more general leisure place. Either they have good advice or they should have spoken to someone else!

If they're promoting it as a general leisure place, maybe they should have picked a different website address...

http://www.loosecannonpoker.com/

You may have a point........

Roy Houghton - in his interview with UK Poker News website - says he's been to the Police, the Gaming Commission and the Council to clear the way, presumably using lawyers. If that is not reassurance, then nothing is. But then again, perhaps he'll be done by a one-outer!

His words were:

"We've spent a lot of time and trouble going to the Gaming Commission, the City of London, the City of London Police and it's all been done. In other words, we're starting a private members club, the facilities are totally free of charge, we are not taking rake or table money."

Link deleted

With ref to MikkyT's views, I suspect they are promoting it as a more general leisure place. Either they have good advice or they should have spoken to someone else!

Hi guys

I seem to have made an appearance on this thread thanks to catching Snoopy's eye halfway through the day. Despite at least three attempts at advising him of the correct spelling of my name, you got Broomham and Broonham in equal measure, neither are correct But it looks like a slog doing that job!

I didn't make it to the end despite holding around 20k for several hours after surviving a couple of all-ins earlier on. I was happy with my play but weariness got the better of me around midnight and I got involved in a hand that reduced my chips by a few thou. Tried stealing a pot with 44 on a Q32 board and was called by my heads up opponent with AQ. Q on the river doesn't help either. Still had 12k but that was reduced when I called a short stack's all in (c. 4.5k). I had AQ. He showed K9 and the board of 278 9 5 was pants for me.

My swansong came in an 8-player flop! I limped with everyone else. I had . The flop of A J 8 (all black) looked promising so I bet out 1500. Called by two guys. Turn 7, meant two clubs and two spades out there. I was left with 3k so I dumped it in hoping my A was good enough. It wasn't. The big stack to my right had hit a straight on the turn with a flush draw. He had 10s.

Great experience. I felt I played well and pretty aggressively but the wheels fell off in the end.

Saw a few of the big US names in the flesh.

Hellmuth. Very tall.
Ferguson. Unmistakeable.
Lederer. Shambolic appearance. Get a shave man!
Brunson. Nice wheels.
Evelyn Ng. Nice everything

To name a few.

Like I say, fabulous to be involved.

Thanks to the Ladbrokes team for letting me use their lounge!
 

I keep thinking of responding but that rare picture of the Broadmoor patients' day out keeps popping up after Royal Flush's posts and I lose my train of thought

On the subject matter, let's remember we are talking about the televised WPT finals where there is no sane behaviour. Phil Laak's ludicrous leaping around behind the dealer was unfunny too. That is WWF Poker, not WPT.

Tony G almost certainly hams it up for these but also knows he can put opponents right out their strides. Matusow and Hellmuth do it (albeit I think that's more a never-left-the-pram condition with them). When it's on US TV, it is the entertainment game, not the Queensbury's Rules. There's a John McEnroe in every sport.

Too easy to be critical of a new show. Need to give it time. Mind you, the implication that it is worse than Poker425 sounds slanderous 

I must take a look as they filmed the Paddy Power Gutshot Media comp which I finalled in (6th), knocking out Snoopy on the way (hehe - sorry mate). Don't often see myself on TV (thankfully).

Malcolm is a really top bloke, I hope it succeeds.

 

Well done to Blondeite Simon Trumper on getting sponsored for buy-ins and expenses to play three of the biggest tourneys at the WSOP.

In case I say the wrong things or mention a rival poker room or poker news site (I was told off for using links before - sorry chaps), you can find out by doing a Google News search. The information is currently no.1 under "Simon Trumper". It is my article and contains Simon's own quotes to me.

I am posting this only because Simon is a Blondeite.

Agree, therein lies the conundrum. The steep structure is one issue. The time factor another.

Fair enough from a player's practical viewpoint, but do you not think ending a tournament early makes a nonsense of it as a serious sport? No one actually won. The "title" being given as a condition of doing a deal is farcical. 

Excorcism, as for finishing comps......how do you feel about chipcounts, where the casino in effect make a deal for you?

I'm talking about what should happen if poker is to be taken seriously as a "sport". Important tournaments should play to a true finish. Chipcounts are not a good way to finish either. It's like ending a football match after 70 minutes and taking the score at that point to determine who wins the cup.

Or maybe you don't think it's important? Maybe the status quo is fine. Mine is only an opinion. I don't have the answers but it's an interesting debate.

ifm

I think you are missing my point. It's the reputation of poker as a game played to the finish that is at stake. Until that is the norm, it will not be a true sport.

Your point about players putting in their own money is important though. TV companies, casinos have a lot to do to help.

This debate reminds me of the all-seater stadium argument in football. The die-hards, Luddites and neanderthals wanted to keep the terracing so they could continue with their right of freedom to move around, jump about and have a craic whatever the safety issue. But football had to move on if it was to be taken seriously as an entertaining sport and one where safety to spectators came before the selfish wishes of the cavemen.

So it is with poker. If it is ever to gain widespread acceptance as a "sport" in the same vein as darts, snooker etc, then the tournaments have to run their courses to determine a true winner, runner-up and so on. Deals in poker are the terraces in football. The diehards still want them but all it does is sustain the image of poker as a backroom activity. Any deal is collusion designed to alter the natural course of the game, and that cannot be justified, even if it is a partial chop with only a rump being played for.

As for Walsall, that tournament was fine until the deal was made. Then it became a sham. There is a long way to go before the "sport" becomes respectable and mainstream in the true sense, while the old practices prevail.

Yes, the good thing about poker is that a nobody can be in the same final as a superstar. A deal may be financially prudent for the nobody but it is done at the expense and reputation of poker as a "clean sport". If the nobody wants to compete at the same table as the superstar, he/she should accept that he/she will have to suffer the emotions of playing for the prizes and possibly missing out on bigger money. He/she should not have the cake and eat it.

It would probably help if participants in tournaments that are promoted as a "Main Event" or "Important Tournament For The Benefit Of This Casino's Reputation" were required to sign an entry form that specified that winnings will be forfeit in the event of a deal being agreed. Hopefully then, players and casinos could agree on a structure that suits both parties.

I've just published an interview (first of 2 parts) with Easy Pickings Stu Rutter. Very articulate boy he is too, with lots of good advice.

Please don't ask for the link here. I wasn't wearing a Blonde hat at the time.

It's all over and New Zealand's Lee Nelson, an experienced campaigner, took the spoils and is Aussie Millions champ 2006:

http://uk.pokernews.com/news/2006/1/aussie-millions-champion.htm

Day 4 play summarised here:

http://uk.pokernews.com/news/2006/1/aussie-millions-final.htm

Last 7 to play to a finish tomorrow, no Brits in sight!

at this all-in hand described, that knocked Kenna James out:

    versus   

Flop comes down: 

Quads v Royal Flush draw. Don't see that too often - even on-line!