Daily Archives: January 21, 2024

One of "American Idol's" most memorable contestants, William Hung, a Los Angeles area poker player, told People magazine his gambling addiction led to a failed marriage.

Hung, 41, infamously appeared on Season 3 of American Idol in 2004. He didnt advance beyond the initial phase after having one of the worst auditions judge Simon Cowell had heard after listening to a horrendous off-key rendition of Ricky Martins She Bangs.

Despite the public humiliation, Hung parlayed the appearance on the popular musical talent scouting show into some fame and notoriety. He gave up the musical career years ago and has since played poker regularly, although those days now appear to be over. But his gambling habit, according to an interview with People, turned into an addiction that doomed his first marriage.

I was earning way more doing that than I was at my regular job. It was going well for a while, Hung said of his poker game.

The only problem was he didnt stick to just playing poker. He began to bet on sports heavily to a point it became an addition, and a costly one for multiple reasons.

I know better [now]. I wasnt supposed to do those things, but I did it anyway, he said, calling himself greedy. And I paid for it. I got divorced, and I learned I had to be smart about which risks I chose to take, Hung continued.

On a positive note, Hung has since remarried and now has a stable job in Los Angeles as a data analyst. For the past decade, hes played cash games regularly in Southern California, at Commerce Casino and other LA area card rooms.

Hung does have some small results on The Hendon Mob totaling $108,295 in lifetime live tournament cashes, his most recent being last June at Venetian in Las Vegas, a small cash in a $600 buy-in event. Hes also appeared as a headliner in some charity events, including a 2023 Ante 4 Autism tournament at South Point in Las Vegas, a tournament Hung won in 2022.

The former American Idol contestant has competed in some World Series of Poker (WSOP) events but hasnt recorded a cash.

Hung told People he knew he was good at poker but got greedy and thats why he started to bet on sports, which apparently was his downfall in the gambling world.

PokerNews Podcast: William Hung Tackles Poker

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Infamous 'American Idol' Contestant William Hung Lost Wife Over Poker, Gambling Addiction - PokerNews.com

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$1.39 Million Fortune Pai Gow Poker Progressive Jackpot Hits at Rivers Casino Pittsburgh - WV News

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$1.39 Million Fortune Pai Gow Poker Progressive Jackpot Hits at Rivers Casino Pittsburgh - Chronicle-Tribune

After 13 hours of play, the curtain has closed on the 2024 Merit Poker Western Series $5,300 Main Event here at the Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino. It took 13 hours for a winner to be crowned from 30 hopefuls who made it to the third and final day. Maksim Shornikau of Belarus emerged victorious after the dust had settled, outlasting a field of 153 entrants and last defeating China's Shuang Luo to capture the title and top prize of $177,500.

Shornikau started the day third in chips and was seemingly in cruise control for most of the day, coming into the final table with the chip lead and claiming three final table knockouts en route to victory. Before today's win, Shornikau had just over $250,000 in live tournament earnings to his name with a previous best score coming from a 15th-place finish in the 2022 EPT Prague main event for 52,050 ($54,835). Today's score not only triples his previous best but, perhaps surprisingly, is also Shornikau's first time outright winning a poker tournament.

"Everything is good" Shornikau said when asked how he felt about his first tournament win. "I've had a lot of situations in previous tournaments where it just didn't click for me at the final table but this time everything clicked and I am very happy about it".

Shornikau is good friends with Mikalai Vaskaboinikau, a notable crusher with over $3,000,000 in career tournament earnings who also happens to be from Belarus. Shornikau acknowledged the value of learning the game with Vaskaboinikau years ago, but also mentioned his experience in online events that helped him prepare for today's final table.

"Mikalai and I are friends since we were twenty years old. We started playing together, we learned together. I also play a lot online which really helped bring my game to a higher level".

When asked about his experience playing in Merit Poker Events and what keeps bringing him back, Shornikau touted the player experience that Merit Poker provides.

"I like it here very much. The conditions that they've made for the players, both tournament and cash players, I cannot find that anywhere else. That's why I keep coming back".

The $5,300 High Roller smashed it's $300,000 guarantee, attracting a total field of 153 entrants to generate a prize pool of $703,800. Of those 153 entrants, 30 players managed to advance to Day 3. With only 20 spots paid the action was slow to start, with many middling stacks attempting to outlast the money bubble. Aleksandr Kirichenko began the day as the chip leader but dropped down the counts after paying off Justus Held, who started the day second in chips and took the lead in the first level of the day. Luo, who began the day sixth in chips, also had a good start after picking off a bluff from Aleksandar Tot in another early highlight.

Bulgaria's Fahredin Mustafov became the unfortunate soul to burst the money bubble after moving all in from the small blind only to run into a dominating hand. From this point the action became fast and furious and Shornikau began to establish himself as a force to be reckoned with, scoring three of the first four knockouts after the money bubble had burst to put himself neck and neck with Held for the chip lead.

Other notables who made the money but fell short of the final table include ACR team pro Monika Zukowicz, Milos Skrbic and Held, who was eliminated one spot shy of the final table after getting pipped by Tot.

Tunisia's Maher Achour came into the final table with the shortest stack at just three big blinds and was the first to be eliminated at the hands of Anatoly Nikitin. Achour was quickly followed out the door by Guoliang Wei who found himself on the wrong side of a blind on blind confrontation against Kirichenko.

Estonia's Tarmo Tammel began the day as the shortest stack with just under nine big blinds but did a great job laddering up, even finding himself among the chip leaders at one point during the final two tables. His run came to an end in seventh-place after losing a flip to Kirichenko that cost him most of his stack. Kirichenko would finish Tammel off shortly afterwards. Bogdan Munteanu and Nikitin were next to fall in sixth and fifth place respectively.

Start of day chip leader Kirichenko did a great job battling back after an early setback against Held and came very close to avenging his runner up finish at the last $5,300 Merit Poker High Roller event from the Gangster Series this past October. He would ultimately fall in fourth-place to Shornikau, who held two thirds of the chips in play going into the final three. Although Shornikau's victory seemed like a foregone conclusion from this point, Luo doubled through Shornikau twice in quick succession to leave him short-stacked for the first time since the day began.

With victory seemingly slipping through his fingers, Shornikau hit an incredible run of cards to come back from the brink of elimination. Luo was a 91% favorite to eliminate him after the flop in a blind on blind confrontation but Shornikau hit running cards to make a straight and stave off elimination. He would win a flip against Tot immediately after to leave Tot on fumes. Luo would finish Tot off shortly after and heads-up play would begin.

Luo began heads-up play with nearly a 2:1 chip advantage and almost won the tournament outright after moving in with pocket-sevens and getting called by ace-deuce in one of the first hands of heads-up play. Shornikau would spike the ace to reclaim the lead from Luo.

In the final hand of the night, Luo did an excellent job setting a trap after flopping two pair and checking both the flop and turn out of position. Shornikau had turned top pair and moved all in only to be snap-called by Luo, who was an 80% favorite to secure the double up which would have made the two players nearly even in chips. As fate would have it, Shornikau would make a better two pair on the river to win the final pot of the night, the title and top prize of $177,500.

That concludes our coverage for this event but be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews as we bring you all the action from the 2024 Merit Poker Western Series $3,300 Main Event which is already underway and set to play down to a winner on January 25.

Las Vegas-based PokerNews Live Reporting Executive, originally from Chicago, IL

Excerpt from:

"Everything Clicked" For Maksim Shornikau's First Tournament Win in Merit Poker Western Series $5300 High Roller - PokerNews.com

Last week, Arden Cho finished as runner-up to Daniel Smiljkovic in the PGT Championship, winning $200,000 in the process.

Cho is no stranger to the PokerGO studio, having previously gambled with Phil Hellmuth on No Gamble, No Future and has played in several cash games at the venue. But this result felt like a step forward in the actress's poker career, and she spoke with PokerNews about her experience and where her poker journey would take her next.

Thanks to tournament sponsor Eat Mezcla, Cho found herself seated in a star-studded field and played on Day 1 with the likes of Chance Kornuth, Artur Martirosyan and 2023 WSOP Main Event Champion Daniel Weinman.

"Everyone in the field was a top pro," she told PokerNews. "So every situation was tough! I had to make so many tough calls and tough folds. When it got down to about 14 players, I felt like I folded my way to the final six.

Daniel Smiljkovic Rallies to Defeat Arden Cho Heads-Up for PGT Championship Title ($500,000)

"But I was having a great time watching, learning as I was going and adjusting to the game. I spoke with Maria Ho before the tournament, and she gave me a ton of advice and a lot of help. I almost gave up multiple times when I got down to like 15 big blinds, but the support was tremendous, and somehow I held on and got doubles when they counted."

Making it through Day 1 was "unreal", says Cho, but with Day 2 seeing Cho make her first major final table, she says that nerves played a huge part.

"I didnt have much of a game plan, I just didn't want to bust first,"

"I didnt have much of a game plan. I just didn't want to bust first," she admitted. "Brian Kim went over some scenarios with me and explained ICM, and gave me as many final table tips/advice as he could.

"Initially, I planned to play fairly snugly. I was coming in as a shorter stack with very little final table experience, so I was just hoping to make the pay jumps and let the guys battle it out."

The advice worked, with Cho working her way through the final table and showing real tournament know-how to make the most of her deep run.

"As the blinds were picking up, I felt like I really had to pick some spots to survive. I also just adjusted to how I felt everybody was playing [against] me. I knew I was the weakest player at the table; my blinds were always attacked, and everyone played fairly aggressively.

"This is what I love about tournament poker, Im learning so much every single time I play"

"There was a Kx4x four-bet bluff when we were three-handed - that was my first time ever trying something like that, and I never knew you could do things like that with certain combinations of hands and apply pressure to players because of ICM. It was so exciting to try! Probably more exciting that it was successful. After the tournament, I spoke to Brian and told him that if I hadnt spoken to him, I think I wouldve gotten 5th or 6th.

"But again, this is what I love about tournament poker, Im learning so much every single time I play."

Cho says the heads-up against Smiljkovic was a "mental battle", and although it didn't go her way on this occasion, she says she was always realistic about her chances and is looking forward to taking what she's learned and applying it to future occasions.

"I knew I had no shot unless I got super lucky," she confessed. "Hes too good. I have no heads-up experience. Im sure my play was atrocious. I made a bad call in the end when I thought he only had 11 big blinds to actually double him up for over 17 big blinds.

"But he deserves the trophy. Hes a better player, and Im so glad to have had the experience because I definitely learned a few things from playing Dan heads-up!"

An incident on Day 1 of the PGT Championship got the poker world talking, with many believing that Jeff Lennon had gone too far with the way he interacted with the former Teen Wolf and Partner Track star.

While appearing intoxicated, Lennon quizzed Cho on everything from her status as an amateur player to whether she had a boyfriend, even going so far as to question her sexuality. When asked, Cho said that this happens "just about every time" she sits down to play poker.

Seemingly Intoxicated Poker Player on PGT Championship Stream Puts Viewers on Tilt

"This was just a small glimpse of what it's like being a woman at a poker table," she said. "So you can just imagine how bad it can get. Hopefully, moments like these being caught on stream and people voicing their opinions will change the way men act with women at the poker table.

"As someone who loves poker and hopes more women play - Im thankful for the allies speaking out and having our backs in those spots. Im a bit immune to it, but I do hope for change and see it slowly happening."

Cho told PokerNews that Lennon had, in fact, reached out to her in the aftermath to apologize.

"I believe his intentions weren't malicious, and he might have just had a few too many tequila shots!" she said before adding: "There are also a lot of really stand-up men in the poker community who are very welcoming to recreational and women players."

Cho says that going forward, balancing life with poker and her career in acting will become more difficult as she heads off to film her next project, but she insists that her poker hobby will still provide her with ample learning experiences.

"With acting, I put in an insane amount of preparation and work prior to filming, and even while filming, I'm constantly putting in work. I suppose if I want to keep playing tournaments, I should do the same for poker but can you blame me for wanting to keep it fun and exciting?

"I think I put the chips in bad at least four times this tournament and said 'Oops'. Because theres always a chance to get lucky! I still try to learn from my mistakes every time I play, but its more of a learn as you go style. Ive had so much fun playing a bunch of tournaments in 2023. I can't promise a tonne of tournaments, but expect to see me on the felt on my days off - especially if I'm invited to any other cool tournaments!"

Will Shillibier is the European Executive Editor for PokerNews and based in the United Kingdom. He started working for PokerNews as a freelance live reporter in 2015 and joined the full-time staff in 2019. He graduated from the University of Kent in 2017 with a B.A. in German. He also holds an NCTJ Diploma in Sports Journalism.

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Arden Cho Reflects on PGT Controversy, Continuing to Learn and Her Future in Poker - PokerNews.com

Dear San Diego

Michael Zucchetis one of those guys who listens more than he talks, and his calm and thoughtful demeanor has served him well at the poker table and at the negotiating table.

Ive never played poker with him, but I know him enough to know hes an understated, thoughtful guy, one of these guys who listens more than he talks, and Im guessing thats how he plays poker, said Dear San Diego co-host Tony Manolatos.

Zucchet oversees the City of San Diegos largest labor union as General Manager of the San Diego Municipal Employees Association.

In addition to his day job, Michael is one of San Diegos leading political minds, frequently called on for his strategic advice and recommendations. Hes also a fierce poker player, enjoying rare success in Vegas. Michael also serves as aSan Diego Port Commissioner.

Hes married with two kids and he and his family reside in Ocean Beach. Its his family life, he says, thats the priority and it may not have been if his political career did not take an unexpected turn.

The Dear San Diego podcast with Tony Manolatos and Juan Hernandez is produced by JC Polk ofOlas Mediaat the digital branding companys studios in Mission Valley.

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Dear San Diego Podcast: Michael Zucchet on Family, Unions, Politics and Poker - Times of San Diego

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Percy Jackson & the Olympians season 1, episode 6, "We Take a Zebra to Vegas."

Percy Jackson & the Olympians episode 6 features the Lotus Casino scene from Rick Riordan's books, but it misses out on the perfect callback to the movies. The Disney+ series is giving Riordan's best-selling novels a second chance on-screen, something that's come as a relief to those disappointed with the short-lived Percy Jackson film series. Despite the movies' negative reception, certain elements from the original adaptations have proven memorable including their original casting.

While Walker Scobell is masterfully capturing Percy Jackson's book mannerisms, many fans continue to associate Logan Lerman with the young demigod. The Percy Jackson movies' trio Lerman, Alexandra Daddario, and Brandon T. Jackson are still iconic in their roles, even if new talent has taken over. And the films do have a few other strengths, which is why the Percy Jackson show should have worked in a callback during its casino episode.

Percy Jackson & the Olympians episodes 1-6 are currently streaming on Disney+.

Disney's Percy Jackson show had the opportunity to reference the movies during its casino scene, a nod it could have accomplished in multiple ways. To start, the usage of Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" in 2010's The Lightning Thief is entertaining and iconic. Given that Lady Gaga remains a well-known artist, it wouldn't have felt outdated for the series to use the same song while the new Percy Jackson trio became enthralled by the White Lotus casino. Using "Pokerface" would have maintained the feeling of the moment and offered a fun Easter egg for longtime fans to pick up on.

Sadly, Percy Jackson & the Olympians episode 6 didn't go this route, opting for Dua Lipa's "Levitating" as a backdrop to its casino scene instead. While this fits the vibe and allows Percy Jackson to connect with its modern audience it's a missed opportunity for the Disney series. The show also missed out on the perfect chance to include movie cameos from the original trio.

In addition to including a musical callback to the Percy Jackson movies, the TV adaptation could have used its casino episode to include cameos from Lerman, Daddario, and Jackson. While having Lerman appear in a major role, like that of Poseidon, would have felt heavy-handed, placing the original stars in the background of a chaotic casino scene would have been a fun and fast cameo. It wouldn't have distracted from the story or the new Percy Jackson cast, and it would have acknowledged the adaptations that came before. Sadly, Percy Jackson & the Olympians missed its best opportunity to do this.

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Percy Jackson's Lotus Casino Episode Missed Out On The 1 Movie Callback We've Been Waiting For - Screen Rant

The use of RTA (real-time-assistance) software, especially in the online poker community, is a widespread problem on the increase.

888poker, as one of the leading entities in the poker industry, is actively addressing this challenge head-on for the benefit of its players.

Throughout 2023, 888poker refunded $362,893 to 4,068 players who fell victim to opponents using AI software in the form of bots or RTA, underlining its commitment to player protection.

It's evident that RTA tools provide an unfair advantage at the poker table. Consequently, 888poker has taken on the responsibility of cracking down on players utilizing this AI technology.

In this pursuit, 888poker took action against 161 accounts employing AI (Bots/RTA) software in 2023.

The platform remains unwavering in its dedication to continuing the fight in 2024, ensuring that all players encounter a level playing field when engaging in a game.

The commitment to implementing new technology to combat bots remains pivotal in 888poker's efforts to secure a safe, fair, and enjoyable poker experience for all players.

Continuing the charge into 2024, Matan Krakow, Head of Poker Offering at 888poker, conveyed the commitment to addressing responsible gaming issues within online poker:

Our continued progress in tackling bots stems from the understanding that it is crucial in order to ensure that 888poker continues to provide an enjoyable, safe, and level playing field for all our players.

This has been driven not only by our increased investment in our detection capabilities but also through the continued support and cooperation of our players, who have an important role to play in helping provide us with vital information about players they think are using AI and RTA.

It is not only important for us to detect and block accounts using AI, but also to make sure that players who lost to accounts using illegal software get properly compensated. This year we paid approximately $250K to players out of our own pockets when it was not possible to retain the funds from blocked accounts.

We continue to consult with advisors who are top-notch in terms of analyzing hand histories and detecting non-human patterns. Based on feedback we are receiving, we understand that after much work has been done on this front in the last couple of years, 888 is in very good shape compared to our competitors on this front and has a clean and safe playing environment.

It is an ongoing effort, and we will continue to do all in our power to ensure we keep poker fun and fair, and listening to our players will continue to be a key factor to progress on this front.

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888poker refunded $362,893 to 4,068 players who fell victim to opponents using AI software in the form of bots or RTA

Calum has been a part of the PokerNews team since September 2021 after working in the UK energy sector. He played his first hand of poker in 2017 and immediately fell in love with the game. Calum's proudest poker achievement is winning the only tournament he has ever played in Las Vegas, the prestigious $60 Flamingo evening event.

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888poker Pays $250K Out of Own Pocket to Players Cheated by Bots and RTA Users - PokerNews.com

COINS are a common part of everyday life for many Americans.

Some rare designs can be worth more than just a few cents.

1

One high-quality coin from 1922 sold for $80,000 at a pawn shop.

The piece of treasure appeared on History Channels Pawn Stars after a poker player won the coin.

He was unaware of its value, originally asking for just $20,000.

The customer entered the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas, Nevada, with the coin in a plastic case.

The tamper-proof case showed that it had been graded by the Numismatic Guaranty Company, NGC.

Rick Harrison, the celebrity businessman of Pawn Stars, expressed surprise at the coin.

This is like one of the holy grails of American coins, he said.

The high-quality proof coin is known as a Peace Dollar.

Proof coins are among the first minted of any new design theyre typically made for archival purposes.

Only a handful of copies of the coin were ever found, making them valuable collectors items.

To confirm the quality, Rick called on a friend to evaluate the coins legitimacy.

Dave, a grader from NGC, confirmed the coin was the real thing.

He estimated its value at between $50,000 and $100,000.

After some haggling, Rick bought the coin for $80,000.

While pawn shops and appraisers have long known the value of rare coins, many Americans are just now realizing their pocket change could be worth a small fortune.

Though rare by nature, several rare coins have been found in circulation.

A retail employee recently found a rare penny in their cash register worth over $4,000.

The luminous coin, which lacks the usual picture of Lincoln, was in an ordinary roll of pennies.

Another rare cent could be worth over $30,000.

One historic U.S. coin sold for $3.8 million.

A pro coin grader recently shared how to get started with collecting.

A 300-year-old American coin sold for over $13K thanks in part to its unusual design.

Link:

I won a coin in a poker game and took it to a pawn shop turns out its the holy grail of coins & sold i... - The US Sun

Since the inception of Bitcoin, there has been much speculation as to how different aspects of society will be impacted by this decentralized form of currency. As we approach the halving of Bitcoin, many are wondering how this will affect online poker.

While it is still too early to tell exactly how the halving will impact online poker, there are a few potential scenarios that could play out. One possibility is that the increased scarcity of Bitcoin could lead to more people using it as a form of investment, rather than spending it on everyday items like poker games. This could lead to a decrease in the amount of Bitcoin available for gambling, and consequently, a decrease in the number of people playing online poker.

Another possibility is that the halving could have no significant impact on online poker whatsoever. The reason for this is that online poker is already a very popular activity that does not seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Even if the amount of Bitcoin available for gambling decreases, there are still plenty of other ways to fund an online poker game.

Only time will tell how the halving of Bitcoin will impact online poker. However, regardless of the outcome, it is clear that Bitcoin is here to stay and is likely to have a major impact on the world as we know it.

The Bitcoin halving is the reduction in block rewards from mining. This event happens every 210,000 blocks, or roughly every 4 years. The halving decreases the new supply of Bitcoins coming into circulation, and has an overall positive effect on the price of Bitcoin.

Some believe that the halving could have a positive impact on online poker. With less new Bitcoins coming into circulation, and the demand for Bitcoin remaining static or even increasing, the price of Bitcoin could increase. This would be good for online poker players who use Bitcoin, as the value of their bankrolls would increase.

However, its important to note that the halving could also have a negative impact on online poker. If the price of Bitcoin doesnt increase after the halving, or if it decreases, then online poker players who use Bitcoin will see the value of their bankrolls decrease.

Only time will tell what effect, if any, the halving will have on online poker. But its definitely something to keep an eye on, especially if youre a Bitcoin user.

The Bitcoin halving is set to occur on May 12th, 2020 and it could have a big impact on online poker players who use Bitcoin as their currency. When the halving happens, the block reward for miners will be cut in half from 12.5 BTC to 6.25 BTC. This could lead to a decrease in the supply of new Bitcoin, which could in turn lead to higher prices.

If you're a poker player who uses Bitcoin, you might be wondering how the halving will impact you. Here's what you need to know.

The first thing to keep in mind is that the halving could lead to a shortage of new Bitcoin. If demand remains the same but the supply decreases, prices are likely to go up. This could make it more expensive to buy Bitcoin, which would in turn increase the rake that poker sites charge.

However, it's important to remember that the halving could also lead to an increase in the value of Bitcoin. If more people start buying Bitcoin because they believe that the price is going to go up, then the demand will increase and the price will go up. This could offset the increased rake and actually lead to a decrease in the amount of money that poker sites make.

Ultimately, it's impossible to say for sure how the halving will impact online poker players. It will all depend on how the market reacts to the event. If you're holding Bitcoin, it might be a good idea to hold onto it and see how the market plays out before making any decisions.

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Will the Bitcoin Halving Impact Online Poker? - HighstakesDB