Покер|Poker

First steps towards legal regulation of online poker are taken in the United States.

Racener will take his seat at the final table in November with 19 million chips and he’ll have as good a chance as anyone to take down the $8.9 million first place prize.

“If I win this tournament I don’t know what I’m going to do,” he said. “I know I won’t have to worry about anything for a long time.”

The 25-year-old from Port Richey, Florida, has been playing poker all of his adult life and even a bit before that.

When he was 16 years old he asked his mother to put $50 into an online poker site for him. She agreed and about two years later Racener had run that deposit up to over $30,000.

Despite his keen interest in poker, Racener took the time to go to college and graduated with an associate of arts degree from Florida Southern.

It didn’t take long before Racener was back on the online poker tables, however.

Racener celebrated his 21st birthday by making the final table of his first live tournament – the 2006 WSOPC Atlantic City Main Event.

He eventually finished third but that was good enough to net him $103,527.

The score jumpstarted his World Series of Poker Circuit career and he would go on to make some big cashes on the regional tour.

Just one year after placing third in the WSOPC Atlantic City event, Racener returned to win it all for $379,392.

As of 2010, Racener has over $2 million in combined online and live tournament earnings.

“I’ve been playing poker for seven years now so I’m feeling very confident heading into the final table,” said Racener.

Racener nearly missed out on the final table completely when he experienced an extremely rough final table bubble that saw him drop from 35 million chips all the way down to 19 million.

“The final table bubble probably went the worst for me, except for the guy that busted,” said Racener. “I got into some rough spots but I felt I made some good lay downs.

He will now have four months to analyze exactly what went wrong on Day 8 of the 2010 WSOP Main Event and what his play will be at the final table.

“I’m going to study all the players when it airs on TV,” he said. “I’m going to look them up online. I’ll have a really good feel for everyone by the final table.”

Racener, who was wearing a Full Tilt patch on Day 8 of the Main Event, emphasized he is open for business over the next four months and will consider most sponsorship and media offers that come his way.

“I feel like just by making the final nine, it’s going to give me opportunities to do great things,” said Racener. “I’m not going to turn anything down. I would never do that. I feel like it’s going to make things better for me.”

Whatever happens, Racener has already achieved the biggest score of his poker career and the $8.9 million first place prize is a distinct possibility.

“Maybe I’ll buy a really nice big house or something,” he said. “That would be fun.”

The 2010 WSOP Main Event final table begins Nov. 6, with a winner crowned on Nov. 8.

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Should it become law, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act of 2009 would establish a federal regulatory and enforcement framework under which Internet gambling operators could obtain licenses authorizing them to accept bets and wagers from individuals in the United States.

The Act passed in the House Financial Services Committee by margin of 41-22 and must now go through both the full House and Senate before becoming law.

According to the Committee, the legislation comes in response to the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), which restricted the use of the payments system for Americans who gamble online.

The new act will require licensees to take appropriate safeguards to prevent fraud, money laundering, underage and compulsive gambling. 

It also contains protections to prevent minors from gambling online; prevents inappropriate online advertising targeted toward underage or compulsive gamblers; prohibits licensees from accepting bets or wagers from persons on the self excluded list of compulsive gamblers and persons delinquent with child support payments; prevents the use of a credit card to gamble online; requires that players set financial loss limits; strengthens regulatory requirements regarding integrity and fairness; bans violators of federal and state gambling laws from obtaining a license; and requires a substantial U.S. presence as a condition of obtaining a license.

PokerStars, the World’s largest online poker site, has come out quickly to applaud the Committee’s support of the bill.

“The bill, sponsored by Committee Chairman Barney Frank, offers a long overdue common sense approach to Internet gaming regulation in the United States,” reads a release.

“PokerStars wholeheartedly supports the efforts of Chairman Frank and the bill’s proponents. This bill represents the most significant U.S. legislative accomplishment in the history of the Internet gaming industry.”

Although PokerStars has continued to allow U.S. Players on its site through the passage of the UIGEA, the company believes its activities in the U.S. are and at all times have been lawful and will not prevent the organization from obtaining a license should the bill become law.

“PokerStars maintains its strong support for H.R. 2267 and encourages the full House and ultimately the Senate to move quickly to secure passage during the current Congressional term,” said Paul Telford, PokerStars’ General Counsel.

“PokerStars, a pioneer in operating online poker under stringent regulatory frameworks, looks forward to working with incumbent and new operators in promoting a safe and healthy online poker industry in the United States, as it currently does under similar licensing models in Italy and France.”

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The software is almost a complete overhaul of the former user experience with over 100 new features including improved search functions, layout, 3D table graphics and an always visible cashier.

Catering to both beginners and advanced players the new 3D lobby is separated into a simple easy-to-navigate section or an advanced layout with customizable features like favorites.

Tournament players will be happy to know 888poker has added late registration and several time bank options.

888poker also introduced its new online store where players can spend their reward points on poker merchandise, iPods, trips, cars and clothes.

To celebrate the new software, 888poker is launching a series of new micro buy-in tournaments where entry is just eight cents. Players can win iPad, Kindles a Sony Home Cinema and entry into a special $15,000 poker freeroll.

The software upgrade is available in English, French, Spanish, German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Portuguese, Russian and Italian.

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The 24-year-old Floridian will enter the final table second in chips only to French-Canadian Jonathan Duhamel who has 65 million.

After making the final table Dolan was humble about his accomplishments in poker.

“I think there are a lot of kids just like me,” he said.

Born and raised in Bonita Springs, Florida, Dolan’s story is indeed similar to many other players. He started by playing $5 and $10 home games in college and then transitioned into online poker, playing as JRD312.

“I lost at first, like everyone else, obviously,” said Dolan.

For a time Dolan even worked as a dealer and the first WSOP event he ever cashed in was the 2007 Casino Employee’s event.

Dolan eventually learned to play better and met a few key people that helped him work on his game. After a couple big wins when he was 20, Dolan was able to start a bankroll.

At first Dolan’s parents weren’t fond of his new career but after he made a few large scores they started to understand his talent.

“Now they are extremely supportive and helpful,” he said. “I don’t think my Dad left the computer for two days when they found out I was going deep in the Main Event.”

As of 2010 Dolan already had over $1 million in poker tournament earnings including a side event win at the 2009 Gulf Coast Championship and another side event win at the 2009 Winter Bayou Challenge. Dolan also won the Full Tilt $1k Monday event for $100,000 and the PokerStars Sunday Warm Up for $86,000 playing online.

Dolan had his best WSOP ever this summer making a final table in a $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em event, eventually finishing sixth.

Perhaps the defining moment of John Dolan’s Main Event will be how he played the final table bubble. While many players tightened up, both Duhamel and Dolan got aggressive and by the time the six-hour bubble was complete they were 1-2 in chips.

 ”At first I really wasn’t doing much, I was just kind of seeing how it was going. Then I was fortunate enough to pick up a few hands and chip up. After I got up to over 30 million chips I was just able to build a stack without going to showdown.”

Dolan will likely need a different strategy at the final table in November.

“I definitely feel like I did learn a little about each player, however, I don’t think the final table will play quite that tight. I don’t think that was a good reflection of how they will actually play.”

Interestingly Dolan was initially vehemently opposed to the November Nine format, which sees play paused for four months once the final table of nine is set, but he’s starting to understand the value.

“It’s nice to get a break because it was a long eight days leading up to the final table,” he said.

As a member of the 2010 November Nine it appears the under-the-radar Dolan will be unable to avoid the limelight any longer.

Still he’s going to try and keep it simple over the next four months.

“I’m going to go back to Florida and relax,” he said. “I’ll probably play a few tournaments here and there.”

The 2010 WSOP Main Event final table begins Nov. 6, with a winner crowned on Nov. 8.

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Rick Bakovic won the title and $173,500 first-place prize defeating a healthy 3,300-player field in the $335 buy-in event in the Los Angeles area Tuesday.

“It’s the thrill of a lifetime,” said Bakovic, who has been playing five tournaments a week for the past five years, but never cashed for more than $22,000.

“It just goes to show that if I can do it, anyone can.”

A unique feature at Commerce Casino, this event gave players the option of entering or re-entering on any of the first five days. The top 27 players advanced each day to the final, leaving 135 to battle it out for the big money.

Famous faces like John Phan, Bruce Buffer, Shannon Elizabeth, Maria Ho, Joe Tehan, Archie Karas and former L.A. Poker Classic winner Eric Hershler all played.

David “Dragon” Pham, Nam Le and “Miami” John Cernuto made it to the final day, but not the final table.

Despite a $59,500 overlay, Commerce officials say this event will be back on its schedule.

“Clearly our initial Guaranteed Million Dollar Summer Tournament was a major hit, and we are thrilled that so many players responded to a tournament that was just announced a couple of weeks ago,” said Casino Manager Jeff Harris.

“With this demonstration of interest in a low-buy-in, high-payout summer event, Commerce Casino has already committed to another Guaranteed Million Dollar event for summer 2011, following on the heels of the L.A. Poker Classic opening event in February.”

Next up on the Commerce schedule is the Hold’em Series beginning Sept. 1.

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The 37-year-old is the only amateur of the 2010 November Nine and will have to outlast established pros like Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi and John Racener if he hopes to win the $8.9 million first place prize.

“This being my first WSOP I didn’t expect to get this far,” he said. “I just wanted to come for the experience. It’s been one hell of a ride.”

Nguyen currently resides in Santa Ana, California and works for a medical supplies distribution company.

His experience in poker is extremely limited compared to the rest of the final table and he admitted the 2010 WSOP Main Event was only the fourth live Hold’em tournament he’d ever played.

Known as an aggressive player, Nguyen first gained the attention of the media on Day 7 of the 2010 Main Event when he won a 20 million chip pot from former chip leader Theo Jorgensen.

In the hand Nguyen shoved with top pair and Jorgensen called with a flush draw. Nguyen dodged the flush outs, raked a giant pot and crippled the Danish pro in the process.

With only nine million chips, Nguyen will enter the final table as one of the shortest stacks so he’ll have to chip up early. Nguyen is also the oldest player at the youngest Main Event final table in history.

Nguyen mentioned he was particularly impressed with the skill level of the players at the final table and will perhaps benefit more than any other player from the next four months before the final table plays out.

“I think the break is a great thing for me personally,” he said. “After playing for 16 hours on the last day I was done. There was no way I could have taken another day of it. The break also gives a player like me a chance to study the game more.”

The So-Cal native mentioned he plans on sitting down over the next couple weeks and deciding what his best poker strategy will be.

It likely doesn’t hurt that he’s close friends with veteran poker players Nam Le, J.C. Tran, Tuan Le and Steve Sung.

“Without Nam Le, Chino (Rheem) and Tommy Le on the rail cheering me on I would not have made it this far.”

For the time being, Nguyen is happy just to be at the final table and an inspiration to amateur poker players everywhere.

“I don’t have that much experience and I’m not a professional poker player,” he said. “It can happen.”

The 2010 WSOP Main Event final table begins Nov. 6, with a winner crowned on Nov. 8.

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UB’s Show Up, Get Paid promotion asked their online qualifiers to come to Las Vegas, take their seat in the Main Event and wear the UB logo.

Those who did would claim a share of a progressive prize pool that swelled to an impressive $265,000 – whether they cashed or not.

“This promotion is amazing and even if you bust out on the first hand, you still make good money,” said Levy. “To someone who started from Step 1 at UB and worked it all the way up, that’s a considerable chunk of change.”

A total of 53 players took advantage of the promotion, playing in the Main Event and pocketing a minimum of $3,750.

However, four of those 53 took things to the next level, cashing in the tournament and getting an even bigger piece of UB’s progressive prize pool.

Chris Bolt (53rd) had the deepest run of them all, cashing for $168,556. Meenakshi Subramaniam finished 67th for $114,205, Michael Adamo took 564th place for $24,079 and Donald Himpele grabbed 725th place for $19,263.

Each added $20,312.50 to their bankrolls courtesy of UB.

Add Team UB Pros Eric Baldwin, Brandon Cantu and Friends of UB Shawn Rice and Jon Friedberg to the list of players who cashed in the second-biggest Main Event of all time and, by all accounts, it was a great World Series of Poker for UB.

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