Category Archives: Poker

Even though the 2024 World Series of Poker (WSOP) wraps up today, poker players don't have to wait until next summer for the next bracelet series. The WSOP announced today that WSOP Paradise will return to The Bahamas from December 6-19.

"This is one you cant miss, said Daniel Negreanu, GGPoker Global Ambassador. "There were a lot of learnings from year one and everything is going to be bigger and better. A 50 million guarantee in The Bahamas! Are these guys crazy?"

The festival is set to feature the largest guarantee in live tournament history, with a $25,000 buy-in No-Limit Holdem championship event coming with a $50,000,000 guarantee. Online qualifiers and tournament promotions to this Super Main Event will begin immediately on GGPoker.

In addition to the Super Main Event, the festival is set to feature a number of High Roller and Super High Roller tournaments, including the return of a $1,000,000 buy-in tournament. A full schedule is expected later this year.

Last December, online qualifier Stanislav Zegal took down the WSOP Paradise Main Event for $2,000,000.

"This is what you call life-changing money," he told PokerNews after he topped a field of 3,010 that included dozens of online qualifiers.

Other highlights of the 2023 WSOP Paradise festival included poker legend and Hall of Famer. Erik Seidel winning his tenth bracelet.

Over nine days of live streaming, poker fans were able to enjoy coverage of the Mystery Millions, Super High Roller and even the $103,000 Ultra High Roller. The festival also featured an iconic Phil Hellmuth entrance, dressed as the Greek god Poseidon.

Overall, the festival proved highly successful with just one missed guarantee and over $70 million in prize money awarded.

Read More About 2023 WSOP Paradise!

This winter, players will once again have to choose between three high-profile events on the global poker schedule.

The three festivals kick off on consecutive days in the first week of December, with the European Poker Tour, World Poker Tour and World Series of Poker once again butting heads.

But the WSOP are confident that the second edition of WSOP Paradise will be another success story, and are committed to improving the event experience, with SVP & Executive Director of the WSOP Ty Stewart saying that last year was no "one-time gimmick."

"The action we saw during the WSOP summer series is a testament to the health of poker, particularly for high-roller tournaments," he said. "Were thrilled GGPoker has reaffirmed their commitment to building WSOP Paradise through the biggest guarantee in poker history."

Connor Richards is an Editor & Live Reporter for PokerNews and host of the Life Outside Poker podcast. Connor has been nominated for two Global Poker Awards for his writing.

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$50m GTD Super Main Event Headlines the Return of WSOP Paradise - PokerNews.com

Both players lost money at the WSOP, but Becker lost less, so he is the big winner of one of the most talked about prop bets in years.

The prop bet of the year perhaps did not quite live up to the hype, but it ended with a Jeremy Becker win.

The crossbook between two of the game's brightest young stars, aided by Daniel Negreanu and Matt Berkey, ended with both players losing money this summer.

But Becker lost less, meaning he won the bet.

Becker lost $17,137 over 90 entries, with his biggest score being $23,395. Tice lost $88,879 over 86 entries and his biggest score was $29,353. You can see how it unfolded in more detail over at poker.org.

It was a stark reminder of the reality of tournament poker, especially in large elite fields like the World Series of Poker. Most players return from the WSOP down money and tournament poker is mostly downswings (with occasional upswings that put everyone in the black).

Did you have money on this? Let us know in the comments:

Barry Carter is the editor of PokerStrategy.com and the co-author of The Mental Game of Poker 1 & 2, Poker Satellite Strategy, PKO Poker Strategy, Endgame Poker Strategy, GTO Poker Simplified, Mystery Bounty Poker Strategy and Beyond GTO.

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News: Jeremy Becker wins crossbook against Landon Tice - pokerstrategy.com

The final day of Event #97: $3,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 6-Handed of the 2024 World Series of Poker (WSOP) at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas crowned Alex Livingston as the champion, now a two-time bracelet winner. On top of the prestigious achievement of winning the most coveted trophy in all of poker, Livingston will also take home first-place prize money totaling $390,621.

After defeating Francisco Benitez in a strenuous heads-up match, Livingston now stands atop a start-studded field of 844 entrants who came together to create a prize pool worth a staggering $2,253,480.

Livingston is already an accomplished pro, but this one is extra special to him.

This was basically my last chance so its definitely awesome to do it

Since he won his first bracelet in a Stud event, he was asked how it felt to win in PLO.

I really do love all the games, like the 10-game, 9-game mix, and H.O.R.S.E. are my best formats, but its really nice to win one in PLO because its probably the game Ive played the most hands in, and to get one done here really feels good.

In regards to the grueling heads-up duel with Benitez, he had this to say.

He said this was his second-ever live PLO tournament, so I dont know why he gave me that information, but it made me want to play as much post-flop as possible so I just would limp a lot of buttons and see where the action played out on the later streets, and it wound up working in my favor.

This truly was a summer saver.

The final day saw 17 of some of the best PLO players the WSOP had to offer such as bracelet winners Dylan Weisman, Shaun Deeb, Ari Engel, Ronald Keijzer, and Alex Foxen all took the felt earlier today.

The action started relatively fast as Zachary Reinbold, Murilo Milhomem, Oswin Ziegelbecker, and Shai Elbaz all found the rail in the first level for a payout of $20,595 in 17th, 16th, 15th, and 14th, respectively.

Deeb then exited in 13th for the same payout, and the remaining 12 players were reseated at the final two tables. PLO savant Weisman met his end during this time when he fell to Hokyiu Lee, who flopped a straight against Weismans two pair. The straight held on the river, and Weisman hit the rail in 11th place for $26,34.

The action slowed down at that point as the two tables of five players both were guilty of stalling, causing the floor to hold them at a soft hand-for-hand. This slow play only ended once German pro Keijzer exited in ninth to secure the remaing players the ~$8,000 payjump.

As soon as that happened, the action picked back up as short-stacked Alex Foxen (9th - $34,411) fell to Benitez, and then Ari Engel fell to Martin Zamani in eighth to send the surviving players to the final table.

Going into the final table, Zamani came in with a massive lead with 50 more big blinds than Benitez, who entered in second place. Zamani then managed to have nearly 100% VPIP (Voluntarily Put [chips] in Pot) as he was involved in almost every hand. He used this large chip stack to his advantage and proceeded to take out Tolga Demirel in seventh, Christopher Roth in sixth, and Hokyiu Lee in fifth. But Benitez ended his reign of terror when the two got it all in on the flop in a massive pot. Benitez at risk with an overpair and flush draw, and Zamani with two pair. The turn immediately brought in the flush for Benitez, and the river failed to give Zamani a boat, awarding a giant pot to Benitez to emerge as the new chip leader.

Benitez then went on to knock out Day 2 chip leader Andrew Watson when his flopped two pair trumped Watsons ace-high holding to send him out in fourth place.

Livingston confidently navigated his way through the final table, taking down pots here and there but avoiding confrontation with the big stacks. That changed when he clashed with Zamani in a big pot. The two got it all in on the flop, with Livingston holding a set against Zamanis straight draw. Zamani wound up hitting his straight on the turn, but Livingston made quads on the river to send him out in third place in dramatic fashion.

Livingston and Benitez then entered their epic heads-up battle that would ensue over the next several hours, even though Benitez started with a 2:1 chip lead. After three hours and forty-forty minutes of chip-trading, the two finally got it all in for the last time, with Benitez at risk. Livingston flopped a dream with a straight and flush draw, drilled the flush on the turn, and faded a board pairing on the river to close out the win while Benitez exited as the runner-up. Livingston celebrated emphatically with his rail as he held up the gold bracelet to notch another achievement on his belt.

With this win, the PokerNews coverage of this event ends. As the 2024 WSOP wraps up, we want to thank you for all of the support during this summer, and stay tuned during the rest of the year, as many exciting things are happening in poker!

Excerpt from:

Summer Saved! Alex Livingston Claims Second Bracelet and $390,621 in Event #97: $3,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 6-Handed! - PokerNews.com

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Before I dive into your bi-weekly mystery goodness that includes new releases, news, and true crime set in India and Japan, I thought Id chat a bit about my recent reading. When you take a thing that you love, and it becomes your job, it sometimes dulls the joy from it. I ended last year having been frustrated more than I wanted to with reading.

So I made a bunch of changes in my reading life this year which have all turned out great so far. Two were related specifically to mysteries. The first was that I reread Gone Girl (thoughts here). The second was that every time I stare at my TBR too long without picking anything (think endless scrolling on a streamer instead of watching something) I pick up the next letter in Sue Graftons Kinsey Millhone series. Im up to F is for Fugitive, and Im really enjoying getting to read solid PI mysteries that focus on following one case, beginning to end.

For fans of corporate espionage!

Princeton graduate Michael Wang is working on self-driving technology at General Motors, but he is unsatisfied with life. Enter Vivian, who wants to poach him for a new business in Beijing where hell be the VP. If he knew he was in a thriller, then he would know that too-good-to-be-true offers come with strings: he has to steal GM software. Michael doesnt hesitate because this is a dream job but once he moves and starts his new job, things arent what they seem.

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Sign up to Unusual Suspects to receive news and recommendations for mystery/thriller readers.

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For fans of suspense authored by attorneys and dual storylines.

In 1987 Julie Waits mission is to become a cheerleader and escape the terrible men orbiting her widowed mother.

In 2019, Stella Parker gives up her law career to raise her kids in the suburbs. But her life is suddenly endangered when a neighbor accidentally drops her phone, and Parker fears her secrets may come to light.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out ourNewBooksnewsletter.

Here are two true crime books set outside of the United States that look at, among many things, different legal systems.

2014 Katra Sadatganj, India

Padma and Lalli grew up in a village in western Uttar Pradesh, and after disappearing in 2014, they were found dead. Faleiro takes us into Padma and Lallis lives, the town, Indias legal system, the caste system, and even looks at the way this case was reported around the world.

The audiobook is narrated by the author, which I recommend.

Trigger warnings for mentions of a gang rape case, details about murder and suicide, brief discussion of infanticide, and discussions about violent cases and history.

2000 Tokyo, Japan

Lucie Blackman was a young British woman who disappeared while working in Japan as a hostess. Parry takes you through Lucies family, flying to Japan to get answers. It includes excerpts from Lucies diary, looks into some aspects of Japanese culture and history involving the racist treatment of Koreans in Japan, and shows the investigation and trialwhich went a bit sideways from what Japanese courts were accustomed to.

Trigger warnings for incest, rape, torture, suicide attempt, and self-harm.

Browse the books recommended in Unusual Suspectss previous newsletters on this shelf. See upcoming 2024 releases and mysteries from 2023. Check out thisUnusual Suspects Pinterest boardand get Tailored Book Recommendations!

Until next time, keep investigating! In the meantime, come talk books with me on Bluesky, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, and Litsy you can find me under Jamie Canavs.

If a mystery fan forwarded this newsletter to you or you read it on bookriot.com and youd like to get it right in your inbox,you can sign up here.

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True Crime Around The World, Poker Face Casting, New Mystery Books, + More! - Book Riot

One day is all that is left of the 2024 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, and the series as a whole. We'll know who the winner is on Wednesday evening.

It will be Niklas Astedt, Jordan Griff, or Jonathan Tamayo, that much has been decided. None of the other 10,109 players in the record-setting field could outlast them. But there were some other interesting last longer bets and contests out there of note to discuss as we wrap up what has been a thrilling summer of poker.

You probably saw hundreds of Jaka Coaching patches around the 2024 WSOP, along with the popular poker coaching site's namesake, Faraz Jaka, who finished runner-up in the $25,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold'em Championship for $300,000 in June. Many of the patched up players cashed in the Main Event, including Angela Jordison, the 2022 Global Poker Awards Breakout Player of the Year, who took 1,201st place for $17,500.

Michael Dwyer, who turned a $100 GGPoker satellite into a $1.3 million GG Millions score, finished in 447th place in the Main Event for $37,500. But out of the eight Jaka Coaching players who cashed, Pol Vela was the last player standing, a 129th place finish for $85,000.

If there's anyone who knows what it takes to run deep in the Main Event, it is the 2006 champion, Jamie Gold, who won $12 million for beating out 8,773 entries 18 years ago. The champ didn't make another deep run in 2024 and was eliminated on Day 2, but he led a Commerce Casino Pro team from Los Angeles that found some success in poker's world championship event.

Commerce Casino, the largest poker room in the world, sent 20 VIP qualifiers out to Las Vegas to compete in the Main Event. The entire team, excluding Gold who entered Day 1c, registered for the Day 1a session on July 3. Only four of the team members didn't find a bag. Sixteen of the 20 advanced to Day 2.

When all was said and done, Rudy Cervantes, who now has over $1 million in The Hendon Mob cashes, was the last player in the group still standing. He took 324th place for $45,000 after being eliminated on Day 5.

Barbara Enright is the last woman to reach the WSOP Main Event final table when she finished fifth place in 1995. She's also the only woman in history to finish among the final nine. But the poker world cheered on as one of the game's top pros Kristen Foxen was deep on Day 7 and Day 8 with a big stack.

It appeared that the drought of no women at the final table would come to an end this year. Confidence in this happening was high not only because of her big stack deep in the tournament, but also because of Foxen's experience deep in major tournaments. But with 13 players remaining, she jammed all in with middle pair and a gutshot straight draw on the turn, and ran into the top two pair of Joe Serock, whose hand held up on the river. Foxen, the last woman standing, was out in 13th place for $600,000. Maybe next year will be the year.

Many players made it to Las Vegas to compete in the WSOP Main Event via online qualifiers, none more so than at GGPoker. But there was more at stake for those who qualified on GGPoker than other players in the tournament.

The winner of the 2024 WSOP Main Event will win $10 million, but Boris Angelov and Joe Serock came so close to winning $11 million. That is because they were both GGPoker qualifiers, and the poker site offered up a promotion that if any of its qualifiers become world champion, they'd receive an extra $1 million.

Serock was eliminated in eighth place for $1,250,000, while Angelov went out in fifth place for $2,500,000 at the final table.

Follow the Final Day of the 2024 WSOP Main Event at PokerNews

Continued here:

Who Won These Last Longers at the 2024 WSOP Main Event? - PokerNews.com

Fifteen-years after making a deep run in the World Series of Poker Main Event, Jonathan Tamayo finished the job and is the last player standing of the largest WSOP tournament in its 55-year history. He wins $10 million and a giant bracelet loaded with gems he could probably wear as a belt.

The four-time WSOP Circuit ring winner secured his first bracelet in the biggest tournament the world has ever seen. The 10,112 entrants broke last years attendance record by 69 players. Tamayo made it to the final table on Sunday, and then pushed through to the final three, who returned to the Horseshoe Las Vegas to finish the tournament, yesterday.

With a boisterous a rail that included 2015 Main Event champion, friend and summer roommate Joe Mckeehan at his back, the long-time pro who brought in just over $2 million in lifetimes winnings found himself heads-up against amateur Jordan Griff after Niklas Astedt an online expert who plays massive volume was bounced after only nine hands.

Not real life. My roommates picture is right there from 2015. We both have banners now. What in the world just happened, Tamayo said afterwards. Leading up to it, Joe was just like, play your game. I realized youre never going to play perfect poker, and weird things happen, and its just unreal.

Griff wins $6 million for his deep run, while Astedt takes $4 million home to Sweden.

Besides his rail, the poker Gods were on Tamayos side and if a flip went the other way, this story would be about Griffs improbable run to the championship. A supply chain manager, Griff brought less than $50,000 in lifetime tournament winnings to the table.

Griff was one board away from becoming the Main Event champion. Holding pocket sevens, he called an all-in push and both of the players found themselves in the race of their lifetimes. Tamayo, holding KT, flopped a king-high straight to survive and take a small lead that would soon again disappear after he paid off Griffs made set with a pair a few hands later.

But Tamayo again chipped away at Griffs lead until the final hand, where he flopped two-pair with 83. Griff hit top-pair holding 96, and couldnt get away from the massive shove on the flop, and that was the end of the amateur.

Tamayos top cash before taking down the Main Event was in the 2009 Main when he made it all the way to 21st, good for $352,832. He also made a deep run in 2015 when he finished 78rd.

Right after winning all the chips, he took a selfie while the media grabbed their own images.

Im just kind of taking it in right now. Because this perspective, and actually, lets take a perspective photo just so I can have one for myself. This is what it looks like from here, Tamayo said.

Vice-president of the WSOP Jack Effel gave McKeehan the honor of presenting his friend with the bracelet.

This guy has been on the grind for 20 years now. Hes always been there for me and Id like to be for him as well, McKeehan said. Hes a great friend, a great guy, and now hes going to share a banner with me up there with all the other Main Event winners and let me tell you, this was incredible being able to watch it from the other side, too. He was there for me when I won and (I thought) Im going to be here when he wins. And Im very happy to present him with this 2024 World Series of Poker Main Event champion bracelet, he said.

And the crowd went wild as Tamayo held the chunky prize up over his head.

Bob Pajich

Bob Pajich is a poker news reporter, creative writer, and poker player who never met suited connectors he didnt like. For any tips, corrections, complaints or kudos, please contact us.

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Jonathan Tamayo Is the 2024 World Series of Poker Main Event Champion - CardsChat.com

Niklas Astedt came into Wednesday's World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event finale as a heavy favorite, but he left with a sour taste in his mouth.

The online poker legend known across the poker world as "Lena900" was the player to beat with three left in poker's world championship event. He had the biggest stack and the most experience playing at such a high level. But he'd make an abrupt exit from the tournament on Day 10, just two spots shy of the $10 million first-place prize.

Astedt made some brilliant calls at the final table, including a hand in which he correctly called off with pocket tens to the bluffing Brian Kim on Tuesday, still one of the biggest and most discussed hands of the final table.

Early in the final day, Astedt would lose his decent-sized chip lead to Jordan Griff, while Jonathan Tamayo hung tough in a close third. And then the biggest hand of the tournament just the ninth hand dealt of the final day would change everything.

Astedt raised to 8,000,000 on the button with KJ, and Griff three-bet to 28,000,000 in the small blind with 99, to which Astedt called. The flop came out 1093, hitting both players, although Astedt only had a gutter ball and two overs.

Griff bet 28,000,000, and Astedt called to see the J, a bit of an action card. Griff, who had slightly taken over the chip lead, moved all in for 159,000,000, That put his Swedish opponent into the tank, facing one of the biggest decisions of his life at the poker table. He eventually made the call only to find out he was drawing to a four-outer for a straight. That card didn't hit on the K river, and "Lena900" was out in third place for $4,000,000.

"He's a bit of a wild one, so sometimes you have to guess." Astedt told PokerNews after being eliminated. "This time I was wrong,"

Moments prior to the big hand, Griff made a strong play, jamming all in preflop with AxQx, forcing Tamayo to fold the same hand. Doing so propelled Griff, a poker player from Illinois with just $47,000 in prior live tournament cashes, into the chip lead.

At the time of publishing, Griff held better than a 2:1 chip advantage over Tamayo. First place will pay $10,000,000, while the runner-up will take home $6,000,000, meaning Astedt missed out on a $2 million pay jump. You can follow the heads-up action live on PokerGO or through PokerNews live reporting coverage.

Follow PokerNews Live Coverage of the Main Event Final Table

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Astedt Out! WSOP Main Event Favorite Eliminated in Third Place - PokerNews.com

Disclaimer: This blog was written by a neutral party who has no reason to pull for either person.

Nate hopped on todays episode of KFC Radio to talk about the potential game of heads-up poker between him and Dave. As a Team Portnoy guy bystander in the room I couldnt believe the confidence I was hearing out of Nate. Now dont get me wrong, Nate is a great poker playerbut poker is all mental and I just dont see him being able to hang with Dave in that aspect. He claims hes heard it all from Dave so he cant be rattled by it, which is like saying defenders in the NBA are finally gonna figure out how to stop Curry from hitting threes. Some guys are gonna execute no matter what.

Im not gonna pretend to know the first thing about poker, but I think the more fearless you play the better. If I were Nate I wouldnt want to be going into that type of competition with $20,000 on the line against a guy who is self-proclaimed to have unlimited money.

While the showdown isnt official yet, as a huge Brick by Brick, Go Pres Go, Salt of the Earth, King of the Beach guy Barstool fan I sure hope it happens. Listen to todays episode of KFC Radio to hear KFC and Feits talk through the possible matchup with Nate!

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Nate Would Wither Away Against Dave in a Game of Poker - Barstool Sports

1. The viral reaction of Neymar after losing a $175,000 pot in poker to Jimmy Butler in LA  AS USA
2. Heat's Jimmy Butler wins big against Neymar at Los Angeles poker event, takes $174,000 pot  CBS Sports
3. Video: NBA's Jimmy Butler, Ryan Garcia, Neymar Play Poker Together at Hustler Casino  Bleacher Report

Excerpt from:

The viral reaction of Neymar after losing a $175,000 pot in poker to Jimmy Butler in LA - AS USA

Winning big is nothing new for Jimmy Butler, who has a successful career so far playing professional basketball.

That success has transitioned to the poker tables. On Saturday, the Miami Heat star took home two pots of winnings worth $200,000.00.

He played in a tournament called "Legends Of The Felt" at Hustler Casino Live in Los Angeles. The field included Brazilian soccer star Neymar, professional streamer Ninja, boxer Ryan Garcia and professional poker player Dan Blizerian.

Butler cashed in twice on pots worth $120,000 and $80,000 respectively. At one point in the tournament Butler and Garcia went all in on a four-way.

Butler seemed to have a war of words with Garcia and did not care for his dialogue or his antics at the table. Garcia was apparently trying to draw attention to himself and Butler was obviously disturbed by it. However, Butler enjoyed the event nonetheless.

It was the first public appearance for Garcia, who was suspended from fighting for one year due to a positive drug test for performance enhancing drugs that went public last week. As a result, his majority decision over Devin Haney. was overturned.

At the end of the tournament, Garcia gave a shoutout to Haney as a measure to try and secure a rematch.

Hustler Casino said the players were part of the "greatest event in poker history." The event was broadcast on their livestream Saturday night. Ninja also streamed it on his YouTube channel.

Scott Salomon is a contributor to Inside the Heat. He can be reached at scottsalomon67@gmail.com

Excerpt from:

Miami Heat's Jimmy Butler Has Big Night At The Poker Table With Neymar, Ninja - Sports Illustrated