Author: admin

It’s time for this hamlet of ours to stand on a grander stage.  

It’s time for the best in our business to be recognised. 

It’s time for us to shower them with rice.

Wait.

That’s a wedding.

Scratch that last sentence.

It’s time to shower them with words of praise.

The Global Poker Awards (GPA) returns.

In 2019, the Global Poker Index (GPI) teamed with Poker Central to host the inaugural GPA – a decision that brought an axe down on the necks of the European and American Poker Awards, and the pair reunite for a take two.

On Friday, March 6, 2020, the GPI and Poker Central will host the 2020 GPA live from the ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. Details are as sparse as organic fruit and vegetables in a small Welsh valley, but here is what we do know thus far.

The whole shebang takes place at the PokerGO Studios, and you need to be a PokerGO subscriber to watch the entire thing live.

Last year there were 20-awards, and you can expect even more this year. We don’t know how many thrones need filling with the kings and queens of poker, but we do know there is at least one new category: Player’s Choice for All-Around Poker Player and the smart money is on Stephen Chidwick. 

In June, CardPlayer asked 76 players to inscribe a name on a piece of clay, and when the various parts of pottery came out of the kiln, Chidwick’s name was on a third of them. On the day CardPlayer handed Chidwick a mug inscribed with the title of “The World’s Greatest Player,” he locked up his first World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet, winning the $25k Pot-Limit Omaha. He remains the GPI World #1.

Voting Process

Cynical complaints on the voting process marred the first GPA, with members of the poker community feeling the process for creating shortlists for the content creation categories was weak. 

Speaking at the time of the complaints, Eric Danis, GPI President, ensured his team would change things up for 2020, and although we don’t have the full details, changes are on the cards.

Referring to the voting process, Danis called it ‘updated’. A panel of experts will oversee voting in each category (for example, streaming experts on the streaming category), and the GPI will lean more on fan voting.

We will bring you further news on the categories when we see them.

Here are last year’s winners.

Global Poker Awards 2019 Winners

Tournament Performance of the Year – John Cynn (WSOP Main Event)
Breakout Player of the Year – Ali Imsirovic
Streamer of the Year – Lex Veldhuis
Vlogger of the Year – Andrew Neeme
Podcast of the Year – The Chip Race
Broadcaster of the Year – Maria Ho
Poker Journalist of the Year – Sarah Herring
Media Content of the Year – Lance Bradley (The Pursuit of Poker Success)
Industry Person of the Year – Angelica Hael (WPT)
Tournament Director of the Year – Paul Campbell (ARIA)
Mid-Major Circuit of the Year – RUNGOOD Poker Series
Event of the Year – WSOP Main Event
Moment of the Year – Justin Bonomo Winning The Big Three
GPI Player of the Year – Alex Foxen
GPI Female Player of the Year – Kristen Bicknell
Lifetime Achievement Award – Doyle Brunson
Charitable Initiative – Robbie Strazynski
Jury Prize – Drew Amato
PocketFives Legacy Award – Chris Moorman
People’s Choice Award: Poker Personality of the Year – Brad Owen

It’s time to enter the gravity of high stakes poker players tweets. We’ll extract the nuggets that smell like a sharpie and discard those that sniff like sulfur, and we begin in a place that has odours both good and bad – the live poker room.

Last week, Poker Central, Sydney’s Star Casino, and the World Poker Tour (WPT) inked a deal that sees the Australian Poker Open (APO) and Super High Roller Bowl (SHRB) Australia emerge from the vernix. 

The inaugural APO consists of seven events ranging from $10,000 to $100,000. The SHRB retains the $250,000 price tag it courted during its holiday in the Bahamas. 

It’s a smart move by all concerned and provides a much-needed shot in the arm after PokerStars killed its Caribbean Adventure. 

You can check out the full details in our article, right here.

Poker Central Prepare to Launch Australian Poker Open & Super High Roller Bowl Australia

In other live poker-related news, our friends at Triton have released Episode #6 of the No-Limit Hold’em Cash Game from The Triton Super High Roller Series in Montenegro.

And there is another episode of ‘I Am High Stakes Poker’ doing the rounds, this time with the SHRB Bahamas winner, Daniel Dvoress, under the glare of the police helicopter spotlight.

The Debate: Does Playing Online Poker Hurt Your Live Game? Are Training Videos Beneficial?

Two debate worthy tweets caught my eye this week, and the first came from the mind of Lauren Roberts. 

As a female high stakes poker player, Roberts is a rare breed, and a fortnight ago, she competed at the partypoker MILLIONS World in the Bahamas. Judging by her twitter feed, things went as well as trying to stroke a chained and starving bear, and she posed this question as a potential source of what she described as ‘not my best showing.’

Roberts received a well of information resulting in the realisation that too much online poker wasn’t the cause of her demise – an unhealthy mindset was. 

What’s your view? Can too much online poker have a detrimental effect on your live game and vice versa?

Patrick Leonard on The Efficacy of Training Videos

My favourite thread of the week came from Patrick Leonard. The PocketFives World #3, believes that ‘most’ players that watch online poker training videos become worse players. He suggests that ‘poor imitation of somebody else’s strategy is usually worse than their own while not optimal but clear strategy performed pretty well.’

Dominik Nitsche agreed with Leonard’s statement, calling ‘live session videos’ ‘entertainment, not studying.’ Nitsche also claimed that it’s ‘easy’ to watch a video while grinding and call it studying.

“Doing the actual hard work isn’t anywhere as easy or fun. People aren’t looking for poker training as much as they’re looking for something that makes them feel better.” – Dominik Nitsche.

Chris Kruk then waded in with an interesting viewpoint.

“The idea that you’d study something from other humans nowadays makes me lol. Why would you ever ask another human how to play an NL spot when you can ask a comp?”

And the response from Nitsche, who owns the poker training app DTO Poker.

“Chris, do you want to take my spot as DTOPoker ambassador? That’s literally my sales speech.”

What about you?

Do you feel poker training videos can make you a worse player?

Outside of Poker

Not a week goes by that Fedor Holz doesn’t get coverage in ‘The Pinnacle’. It’s rarely poker-related, but at least the lad keeps our ‘Outside of Poker’ segment running. 

Last week, Holz caught up with Watford and Austrian defender, Sebastian Prödl, for a spot of selfie-snapping, as well as opening a fashion lab in Vienna called 360 Fashion Lab.

On Service

Two of the best poker players on the planet became benevolent baristas delivering two cups of excellence.

Jason Koon penned a blog post called “It’s the same game, but it isn’t,” sharing his in-hand thought-process. The purpose of the post was to defend his fellow pros from the criticism that high stakes poker players are robotic and boring to watch. 

It’s a beauty.

Koon’s partypoker partner, Patrick Leonard, was also in a giving mood last week. 

Check it out.

Leonard’s early thoughts on a Pads style leaderboard include.

1. Planning to work with players to help popularise them, create brands, hype and attention.

2. He wants to create something that reminds people that the games are still beatable

3. He wants to help create new heroes for up and coming players.

4. A team concept during significant festivals.

What would your suggestions be?

The Quote(s) of the Week

I love the quote mentioned above by Dominik Nitsche.

“Doing the actual hard work isn’t anywhere as easy or fun. People aren’t looking for poker training as much as they’re looking for something that makes them feel better.” – Dominik Nitsche

And here’s a throwback from Phil Hellmuth and Jennifer Tilly.

And that’s a wrap for this week’s Pinnacle.

On Sunday, online poker’s pilgrims endured another arduous trek back and forth to the kitchen and the little boys and girls room, as they whinnied and whined their way through another stupendous Sunday. 

We begin our short round-up at partypoker, and Day 1A of the $10,300, $20M GTD MILLIONS Online enticed poker players from around the globe to drop their pitchforks long enough to wire the online poker room, ten-large. A record is brewing after 709-entrants competed in the first of four starting flights. Leading the way is ‘Jiggidyjigjohn,’ who crammed 20,120,995 into a virtual plastic bag, and the highest finish from a poker celeb came from Anatoly ‘NL_Profit’ Filatov, who ended the night in the sixth spot.

In finishing in the top spot, ‘Jiggidyjigjohn,’ moves into $1m Promotion Village: Population One. Courtesy, of partypoker’s generous promotion, should jiggidywhat’shisface win the thing, they will give him or her an additional million bucks. 

Last year, Day 1A ended with 1,574-entrants in the books, and Philipp Gruissem was leading the way. It’s worth noting that the inaugural event saw a $5,300 buy-in clatter into the kitty, hence the reduction in attendance 12-months on. 

Here are the Top Ten Chipcounts, which given the anonymity, makes it as useful a hypoesthesia sufferer’s steaming hot cup of tea.

MILLIONS Online Day 1A Top Ten

  1. Jiggidyjigjohn – 20,120,995
  2. Triple Sexy – 20,027,055
  3. Sharealgor – 17,064,569
  4. Aaaaaaaaaaaa – 15,113,516
  5. Greekeye – 14,621,981
  6. Anatoly ‘NL_Profit’ Filatov – 14,616,878
  7. Langenzersdorf – 13,588,991
  8. Brobizz – 13,455,467
  9. LawyerUp1981 – 11,976,290
  10. Madgenuis111 – 11,700,523

Continuing with our weekly online round-up, and while we don’t know the full extent of Johannes “Greenstone25” Korsar, and Mikita ‘fish2013’ Badziakouski’s weekend, we know they appeared at the final table of two pristine events. 

The PocketFives World #2 made the final table of the $5,200, $500k GTD No-Limit Hold’em Sunday Big Game. The event pulled in 132-entrants, and Korsar finished sixth. Triton Poker’s three-time champion, Badziakouski, went one better, finishing in the fifth position. Roberto “R_Romanello” Romanello finished eighth, and ‘BtchByTrade’ eclipsed them all, winning the $151,734 first prize.

PokerStars

Korsar and Badziakouski also flocked to the final table of the $2,100, $100k GTD Sunday High Roller on PokerStars. The event attracted 59-entrants, and ‘anteen’ beat Korsar, heads-up, to win the $34,745 first prize. Korsar collected $35,137 after cutting a heads-up deal. Badziakouski finished fourth.

GGPoker

The most significant buy-in outside of the MILLIONS Online came courtesy of GGPoker’s flagship skin, Natural8. Forty-seven entrants competed in the $10,000, $300k GTD No-Limit Hold’em events, and ‘KenBrynney’ won the $166,221 first prize from a base in Canada.

PocketFives World Rankings

  1. Sami ‘LarsLuzak’ Kelopuro
  2. Patrick ‘pleno1’ Leonard
  3. Johannes ‘ Greenstone25’ Korsar
  4. Niklas ‘lena900’ Åstedt
  5. DeathbyQuads

As the children told me what part they played in their school production of The Wizard of Oz, my role, way back in 1985, seemed like a chicken carcass to a king. 

I played the role of Toto the Dog.

I guess you can call me a bad actor.

GGPoker doesn’t want that label. The fastest-growing online poker room this side of the nearest alien, has never operated in the U.S., so it won’t be easy to pin that particular tail onto this thoroughbred, but GG is not taking any chances.

The Head of GGPoker, Jean-Christophe Antoine, has announced plans to withdraw from 12 markets coloured with grey felt tip. Typically, it’s been a hush-hush process, with little in the way of pomp and circumstance, expected, considering GGPoker’s desire to stay away from the bottom of the mortar and the mighty pestle of the governments that are likely to crush them for fiddling in no-go zones.

If you play on skins that use the GGPoker Network in Belgium, Bulgaria, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Georgia, Greece, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Switzerland then you need to find somewhere else to create some scars. 

But don’t worry.

Like Arnie, GGPoker will be back. 

Antoine told someone (I can’t find the root source), that then became a lot of people, that GGPoker would work hard at acquiring the necessary licenses in those jurisdictions as well as trying to obtain new ones.

Like the U.S.?

I keep banging on about the U.S. because GGPoker has signed Daniel Negreanu, and I can’t think of a better way to legitimise your operation than by signing arguably the most famous poker player this side of Groot’s Donkey Kong. 

According to reports, players on Natural8 have been told to close their accounts, and withdraw their dineros. In 2013, partypoker poured boiling water on 18 grey markets, before re-entering 21 European and South American markets in 2016, so GGPoker folks, keep your powder dry (thanks to CardsChat’s Daniel Smyth for the grind on those stats). 

The Nutshell History of GGPoker

GGPoker began life in the Asian markets where skins such as Natural8 grew in popularity (Kitty Kuo, Michael Soyza and Danny Tang are brand ambassadors). 

As the network became more popular, GG focused its attention on the European market and obtained a license from the UK Gambling Commission. After signing Bryn Kenney as their only brand ambassador, the All-Time Money Leader helped them create the most delicious menu of online high stakes multi-table tournament (MTT) action in the market, with $25,000 buy-in events more popular than mugs of tea in Stockport. 

High Rollers Week

To prove that they’re no Toto The Dog, GGPoker is hosting a $10m GTD High Rollers Week. The shebang runs Dec 1 to Dec 9, and it will compete alongside PokerStars $11m GTD High Roller Series, the Winning Poker Network’s (WPN) $6m GTD Venom tournament, and partypoker’s $20m GTD MILLIONS Online extravaganza.

Here are the deets:

https://www.ggpoker.com/poker-promotions/high-rollers-week-poker-promotion/

It seems its more natural to breath life into dead flowers than run an online poker room. 

Ask Phil Galfond.

Yet, the man didn’t become one of the best in the business without the grit, determination and resilience needed to overcome the obstacles that Joseph Campbell always maintained would bar your way. 

Galfond needs more sweaty palms covering mice that fire arrows onto Run It Once like Robin Hood on crack, and one of the ways he intends to do that is to bring high stakes online cash game action to his baby. 

In a post entitled: “Heads-Up Battle,”, Galfond goes old school, issuing a high stakes challenge to everyone except his current roster of Run It Once pros. 

“Who wants to play some high stakes poker with a washed-up ex-pro?”

There are two ways to get involved in the action.

Galfond is offering a Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) challenge to all coaches that work on Run It Once’s competitor sites. He suggests Heads-Up, PLO over 50k hands, and a 3:1 side bet of 10 buy-ins played at 100/200+.  

Galfond would consider dropping the stakes to get some action, but judging by feedback on his blog, it’s likely high stakes fans will get the knitting needles in the eyes they so desperately want. 

Outside of PLO superheroes, Galfond offered a second challenge to anyone who thinks they have what it takes to topple a man the poker community would gladly memorialise with a golden statue. 

Here are the deets:

  • Prefer 100/200 through 300/600 PLO.
    • Will consider as low as 25/50
    • Will consider PLO/NL, PLO / limit games, and perhaps even straight NL if I get desperate enough!
  • Strongly prefer play on Run It Once Poker, but would consider some or all of the match played elsewhere if necessary.
  • You accept that I might make training content around the match and/or stream some of the match.
  • Any opponent who would stream some of the match (on RIO Poker) will get preference and possibly better terms.

The format is similar to the ‘Durrr Challenge,’ and who was the only player Tom Dwan omitted from that challenge – Mr Phil Galfond. 

If you are interested in taking him on, then send an email to support@runitonce.ru with “Phil’s HU Challenge” as the title.

But there’s more than one way to skin a sloth.

Want to be a Legend?

Galfond has many attributes, and one of them is his humility. In a blog post, entitled “Become a Legend” , the online cash game genius admits that his beloved ‘Splash the Pot’ Rakeback system, isn’t as loved as he would like.

During his time streaming and talking with players, Galfond has had to admit that some poker players prefer the older, volume-based way of grinding profits through Rakeback. 

“As should be obvious from all of my previous discussion on the topic, I don’t share that view, but it doesn’t really matter what I think,” wrote Galfond. “If we are giving back over half of our rake collected and a number of players view our rewards as worse than sites which offer 20% flat Rakeback, then we are failing miserably at getting the most out of our rewards system.”

In what Galfond calls ‘the first time that we’ve substantially altered course based on customer feedback,’ Run It Once’s rewards system changes. Rakeback reserved for Splash the Pot reduces from 51% to 30%, and soon, players can compete for splashes worth 100bb without risking any chips. Run It Once are set to implement “all-in for nothing” splashes, where the best hand at showdown wins 70% of the splash, with 30% reserved for the table.

The reduction in ‘Splash the Pot’ Rakeback allows Galfond to siphon rake to the new Legends program where players can earn up to 45% Rakeback (making that 75% in total). Legends is a point-based, tiered-system where a single point equates to €0.05 in gross rake paid, and there is a variety of fun and innovative ways that you can boost your scores including the first login of the week, first hand of the day, and clearing a rewards level. Run It Once plans to pay Rakeback weekly, and they’ve also added a rolling 4-Week Streak Rakeback boost for achieving a specific tier or higher four weeks in a row.

There is also insane value for people brave enough to keep games running with 1.5x point multipliers for 3-handed action, and 2x multipliers for battling heads-up.

Click on this link to learn more about the Legends program.

https://www.runitonce.eu/rewards/legends/

While PokerStars 27-event, $11m GTD, High Roller series is a far cry from the multi-millions fought over in the live high roller tournaments across the globe, it’s still going to attract high roller brethren like kites to electricity pylons.

From Dec 1 – 9, the world’s largest online poker room will usher superyachts into their harbour with the lure of action ranging from between $530 – $10,300. There’s also room for the odd tugboat with feeder satellites starting at $5.50.

The Poker Gods from the Isle of Man promise one daily event with a guarantee of $500,000, and the series opens with a $10,300, $1m GTD No-Limit Hold’em event and three more games with combined guarantees of $1.1m.

The one day that high rollers don’t want to be caught outside with a hatchet driving into wood is Sunday, December 8. The schedule contains four events ranging between $530 and $10,300 with $3.15m in guarantees.

Included in that honey pot is the $5,200, $2m GTD NLHE Main Event. Starting December 8 and ending December 11, the four-day dingaling is a 250 big blind bash allowing players to fire three bullets before late registration ends somewhere near the start of Day 2.

Here is the schedule in full.

Schedule in Full (All Times CET)

Dec 1: 19:00 $10,300 NLHE, $1m GTD
Dec 1: 20:30 $1,050 NLHE PKO, $500k GTD
Dec 1: 22:00 $530 NLHE Turbo, $300k GTD
Dec 1: 23:00 $1,050 NLHE Hyper-Turbo, $300k GTD
Dec 2: 19:00 $5,200 NLHE PKO, $500k GTD
Dec 2: 20:30 $530 NLHE, $250k GTD
Dec 2: 22:00 $1,050 NLHE, $200k GTD
Dec 3: 19:00 $10,300 NLHE, $1m GTD
Dec 3: 20:30 $1,050 PLO 6-Max, $150k GTD
Dec 3: 22:00 $530 NLHE PKO, $200k GTD
Dec 4: 19:00 $5,200 NLHE, $500k GTD
Dec 4: 20:30 $530 NLHE, 200k GTD
Dec 4: 22:00 $1,050 NLHE, $200k GTD
Dec 5: 19:00 $10,300 NLHE PKO, $1m GTD
Dec 5: 20:30 $1,050 8-Game, $100k GTD
Dec 5: 22:00 $530 NLHE, $150k GTD
Dec 6: 19:00 $5,200 NLHE, $500k GTD
Dec 6: 20:30 $1,050 NLHE, $200k GTD
Dec 6: 22:00 $530 NLHE PKO, $150k GTD
Dec 7: 19:00 $5,200 6+Hold’em, $250k GTD
Dec 7: 20:30 $1,050 NLHE PKO $250k GTD
Dec 7: 22:00 $530 NLHE, $150k GTD
Dec 8: 19:00 $5,200 NLHE Main Event, $2m GTD
Dec 8: 20:30 $10,300 PLO 6-Max, $500k GTD
Dec 8: 22:00 $2,100 NLHE PKO, $400k GTD
Dec 8: 23:00 $530 NLHE Hyper Turbo, $250k GTD
Dec 9: 13:00 $5,200 NLHE, $500k GTD

PokerStars High Rollers: A Brief History

The PokerStars High Roller Series fell out of a bloody womb in 2017 with 22-events and $11.4m in guaranteed prize money. Winners included Fedor Holz, Simon Mattsson and Talal Shakerchi.

The $2,100, $2m GTD No-Limit Hold’em Main Event attracted 1,135-entrants, and ‘Sanderssi’ from Finland won $294,685 after cutting a four-way deal with ‘jutrack’ from the UK ($226,162), ’Maz&Yauskas’ from the UK ($250,000) and ‘MATT HOLVIK’ from Canada ($250,000).

PokerStars extended the number of events to 27 in 2018 but carved a million bucks off the previous year’s guarantee. ‘th’Kick’ from Switzerland won the $413,157 first prize in the $2,100, $2m GTD No-Limit Hold’em Main Event. He also finished third in the Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) Main Event in 2017 for a career-high score of $690,348.

The Main Event pulled in 1,333-entrants, and Connor “blanconegro” Drinan came fourth, Simon “C.Darwin2” Mattsson finished sixth, and Ole “wizowizo” Schemion’s claim for a title ended in seventh.

PokerStars was so happy with the turnout, in Nov 2018, they created the PokerStars High Roller Club, where people joust in tournaments with buy-ins ranging between $530 – $2,100. Six events take place Mon-Sat, with seven on each Sunday.

What better way to welcome yuletide than settling down with a big bowl of your mother’s soup, a bowl full of cherries and the chance to win more than $2m squid playing online poker. partypoker MILLIONS Online returns, one year after its record-breaking debut. It’s time to start throwing pennies into a well.

The groom to MILLIONS Live’s bride begins on Sunday, December 1, and ends on December 10. Last year, the buy-in was $5,300. This year, partypoker has doubled it, bringing it in line with the MILLIONS Live buy-ins, and that means they have to bring out their mightiest marketing mallet.

A year ago, partypoker defied all odds to destroy the record for most significant online multi-table tournament (MTT) prize pool, when 4,367-entrants created a $21,385,000 prize pool (the previous best score was less than $13m).

Rob Yong and the gang need to attract 2,179-entrants to break the record, and it’s imperative they get off to a sizzling start. In a bid to do this, partypoker promises that should the Day 1A chip leader win the event then they will give that person an additional $1m in prize money.

Last year, Manuel “Sheparentao” Ruivo ($2,329,944 ) and Pim “ForMatherRussia” de Goede ($2,309,995) cut a heads-up deal with Ruivo going on to win. Scarmak3r ($1,364,688) and Pedro “Maddonaa” Marques ($1,091,750) also netted seven-figure scores. The only caveat on the Day 1A promo is should they get to the final table they cannot cut a deal.

The biggest $10k+ online MTT event in history contains four starting flights, and partypoker has already given away more than $1m in free seats in November alone.

Online Poker Round-Up

If you fancy a flutter on a potential winner of the MILLIONS Online, then look no further than ‘Junglemandan.’ No, it’s not the charismatic, cash game phenom, just someone who stole his identity, but man is he playing like him.

Over the weekend, ‘Junglemandan’ won the $215 buy-in 4,567-entrant partypoker MILLION for $153,000, and also took down the partypoker $5,200 High Roller Big Game for $105,450. According to Pocketfives, ‘Junglemandan’ made a total of four final tables over the weekend.

There was also a victory for the PocketFives World #2, Johannes “Greenstone25’ Korsar, who conquered a 99-entrant field in the partypoker $2,100 High Roller for $59,302 (Junglemandan finished ninth)

PocketFives World Rankings

  1. Sami ‘LarsLuzak’ Kelopuro
  2. Johannes “Greenstone25’ Korsar
  3. Patrick ‘pleno1’ Leonard
  4. Niklas ‘Lena900’ Åstedt
  5. DeathByQuads

There are rules in life that we should all follow, and if those rules should sizzle into nothingness anarchy would ensue.

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”.

“You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or his male or female servant, nor his ox or donkey.”

“Poker players must head to the Bahamas in January for the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA).”

Houston we have a problem, and it’s not the lack of oxen and donkeys.

For the first time since 2004, there is no PCA, leaving January looking more cabbages than caviar for professional poker players eager to harness up the yoke.

It’s a hole that needed filling, and Poker Central has turned up with a bag full of cement.

Cary Katz’s team has announced plans to host the first-ever Australian Poker Open, and Super High Roller Bowl (SHRB) Australia. The whole shebang runs from Jan 25 through to Feb 2, and PokerGO subscribers get to see both events.

The Star Gold Coast in Broadbeach, Queensland acts as host, and the World Poker Tour (WPT) will partner with the venue and Poker Central on this one. In October, the WPT held their inaugural 10-game series at The Star, and Hari Varma conquered a field of 658-entrants to win the $184,537 first prize in the AUD 2,500 No-Limit Hold’em WPT Australia Main Event.

Australian Poker Open

The Australian Poker Open is a points-based system consisting of seven events, with the winner earning an additional AUD 50,000 prize.

Schedule of Events:

Jan 25 – Australian Poker Open Event #1: $10K No Limit Hold’em
Jan 26 – Australian Poker Open Event #2: $10K Pot Limit Omaha
Jan 27 – Australian Poker Open Event #3: $10K No Limit Hold’em
Jan 28 – Australian Poker Open Event #4: $25K Pot Limit Omaha
Jan 29 – Australian Poker Open Event #5: $25K No Limit Hold’em
Jan 30 – Australian Poker Open Event #6: $50K No Limit Hold’em
Jan 31 – Australian Poker Open Event #7: $100K No Limit Hold’em

Poker Central created the US Poker Open in 2018. Stephen Chidwick was the first to wear the crown followed by David Peters. In September, Poker Central created the British Poker Open (BPO), and Sam Soverel won the first event in London.

The Super High Roller Bowl

The $250,000 SHRB Australia takes place on Feb 2.

Previous Winners of SHRB Events

Las Vegas

2015: Brian Rast ($7.525m)*
2016: Rainer Kempe ($5m)
2017: Christoph Vogelsang ($6m)
2018: Justin Bonomo ($5m)
2018: Isaac Haxton ($3.672m)
*Buy-in was $500k before reverting to $300k

China

2018: Justin Bonomo ($4.823m)

Bahamas

2018: Daniel Dvoress ($4.08m)

WPT

In 35-days, Father Christmas will have come and gone, millions of people would have earned the bronze medal, falling short of a myriad of New Years’ resolutions that never got past the 24-hour mark, and all eyes in the poker world will stare towards Melbourne.

But we have one more month to go before 2019 is locked in a vault.

We have Player of the Year’s to herald.

Let’s take a look at the tapestry.

December Tournaments

Three primary events will shape the 2019 Player of the Year (POY) awards.

The World Poker Tour Seminole Hard Rock & Roll Poker Open.

The World Poker Tour Five Diamond World Poker Classic.

The European Poker Tour Prague.

The World Poker Tour (WPT) Seminole Hard Rock & Roll Poker Open

There is one event that will attract North American High Rollers, and that’s the $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller: Mon & Tue 2-3 Dec.

It’s the first time an event of this magnitude has appeared on the schedule. In 2015, Jason Mercier defeated a field of 83-entrants to win the $517,187 first prize, and in 2016, Ben Tollerene defeated a field of 21-entrants in a $50,000 No-Limit Hold’em event for $459,228.

Of interest, Sean Winter finished third in 2015, and second in 2016. Winter currently sits second in the Global Poker Index (GPI) POY race and fifth in the Poker Central’s equivalent.

World Poker Tour Five Diamond World Poker Classic

The World Poker Tour (WPT) Five Diamond World Poker Classic runs at the same time as the European Poker Tour (EPT) in Prague, so it will be fascinating to see where the high rollers believe the value lies.

There are three $25k events and a $100k game. Also, there are five $10k events across all major disciplines – more than enough action to keep players with deep pockets busy.

Here are the highlights.

Dec 9-10: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller
Dec 10-11 $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller
Dec 12-13 $10,000 8-Game Mix
Dec 13-14 $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller
Dec 15-16 $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller
Dec 16-21 $10,000 WPT Five Diamond Main Event
Dec 19-20 $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller
Dec 20-21 $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller
Dec 21 $100,000 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller

The WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic dropped the name of Doyle Brunson from the doorframe in 2014.

Here are the scores on the board since then.

In 2014, Mohsin Charania defeated a field of 586-entrants to win the $10,000 Five Diamond Main Event for $1,177,90, and Andrew Lichtenberger won the 55-entrant $100,000 WPT No-Limit Hold’em Alpha8 event for $1,770,692.

In 2015, Sam Stein conquered a 65-entrant field to win the $122,220 first prize in the $10,400 Pot-Limit Omaha, Kevin Eyster vanquished 639-entrants on his way to capturing the $1,587,382 first prize in the WPT Five Diamond Main Event, and Fedor Holz defeated the 45-entrant $100,000 No-Limit Hold’em Alpha8 event for $1,589,219.

The WPT Five Diamond became high roller heaven in 2016. James Romero won the 791-entrant $10,400 Main Event for $1,938,118, Jason Koon defeated a 43-entrant field to win a $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller for $412,800, Ankush Mandavia then beat Jason Koon, heads-up, to win a 64-entrant $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller for $403,532, and Jan Schwippert took down the 38-entrant $100,000 No-Limit Hold’em Super High Roller for $1,439,274.

Things went a tad insane in 2017 when Justin Bonomo won two $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em High Rollers for a combined haul of $460,000, Stefan Schillhabel, Keith Tilston, Rainer Kempe and Jason Koon also picked up $25,000 No-Limit High Roller wins. Sergio Aido won a 28-entrant $10,000 No-Limit High Roller, Ryan Tosoc beat Alex Foxen, heads-up, to win the Main Event for $1,958,065, and Dan Smith mauled a 39-entrant $100,000 No-Limit Hold’em Super High Roller to collect $1,404,000.

Last year saw Joshua Ladiness and Sam Soverel win $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha events, Sam Soverel also won a $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em, and John Hennigan won a $10,000 Mixed Games event. Manig Loeser, Nick Petrangelo and Seth Davies won $25,000 games. Dylan Linde won the record-breaking 1,001-entrant Main Event for $1,631,468, and Jake Schindler earned $1,332,000 for winning the 37-entrant No-Limit Hold’em Super High Roller.

European Poker Tour Prague

EPT Prague has four €10k events, three €25k events, and a €50k game.

Here are the highlights,

Dec 6-7: €10,300 No-Limit Hold’em
Dec 8: €25,000 No-Limit Hold’em
Dec 9-11: €50,000 No-Limit Hold’em
Dec 11: €10,200 No-Limit Hold’em
Dec 12: €25,000 No-Limit Hold’em
Dec 14: €25,000 No-Limit Hold’em
Dec 15-17 €10,300 No-Limit Hold’em
Dec 16: €10,300 No-Limit Hold’em

In 2014, Leonid Markin topped a field of 51-entrants to win the €771,360 first prize in a €50,000 No-Limit Hold’em Super High Roller.

In 2015, Rainer Kempe won an 80-entrant €25,500 No-Limit High Roller for €539,900, and Steve O’Dwyer won the 56-entrant €50,000 No-Limit Hold’em Super High Roller for €746,543.

In 2016, Isaac Haxton, Sam Greenwood and Sergi Reixach won €25,000 events, and Leon Tsoukernik defeated a field of 49-entrants to win the €741,100 first prize in the €50,000 No-Limit Hold’em Super High Roller.

In 2017, Igor Kurganov and Albert Daher won €25,000 No-Limit Hold’em events, and Timothy Adams won the €555,000 first prize in the 34-entrant €50,000 No-Limit Hold’em Super High Roller.

Last year, Thomas Boivin and Corentin Ropert won €25,000 No-Limit Hold’em High Rollers, and Matthias Eibinger took the €653,000 first prize in the €50,000 No-Limit Hold’em Super High Roller.

Here are the current GPI POY and Poker Central High Roller of the Year standings.

Winter has cashed in both the Rock & Roll Poker Open and the Five Diamond event. Stephen Chidwick and Rainer Kempe have made money at the Five Diamond and EPT Prague. Interestingly, Burns hasn’t appeared in the pecking order of any of these events before.

Points accrued at EPT Prague only count for the GPI POY.

Global Poker Index Player of the Year

  1. Kahle Burns – 3,548.08
  2. Sean Winter – 3,525.43
  3. Stephen Chidwick – 3,428.36
  4. Rainer Kempe – 3,421.86
  5. Manig Loeser – 3,327.95

Poker Central High Roller of the Year

  1. Sam Soverel – 2,820
  2. Cary Katz – 2,000
  3. Ali Imsirovic – 1,685
  4. Stephen Chidwick – 1,580
  5. Sean Winter – 1,300

If you peer over the treetops and take a gander at partypoker’s MILLIONS World Bahamas, two stories emerged as the final embers of an incredible event blew into the sea.

Wai Leong Chan

We’ll begin with the story of Wai Leong Chan.

Chan is one of the stars of the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series earning $7.5m through 12 in the money (ITM) finishes, and only Paul Phua and Jason Koon have cashed at a faster rate.

But he has had trouble crossing the finishing line.

His trophy cabinet remained damp, with his last recorded live tournament victory coming in 2011 when he took down a 92-entrant $215 No-Limit Hold’em event during the Asian Poker Tour (APT) in Manila, for $7,136.

How times have changed.

Chan has felt the plough blade to the head feeling of finishing runner-up in three major events:

2018 Triton Poker No-Limit Hold’em Main Event in Jeju – $3,252,348
2018 €25,000 at the European Poker Tour in Barcelona – €420,800
2019 $250,000 Super High Roller Bowl Bahamas – $2,677,500

But when it comes to holding the monopoly on the close but no cigar heartache of live tournament poker, then Chan doesn’t come close. Consider that his heads-up opponent, Ike Haxton, has racked up 14 runner-up finishes since opening up his account in that spot during the 2007 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) Main Event in the Bahamas.

It’s been an incredible series for Chan who also finished runner-up to Daniel Dvoress in the $250,000 Super High Roller Bowl (SHRB) for $2,677,500. After winning the 52-entrant $25,000 Super High Roller Finale, Chan’s live tournament score shot up to $11,742,177, the vast majority of which came in the past 24-months. Haxton put in a decent performance at the Bahamas finishing 5th and 2nd in $25k events, and 88th and 21st in $10k games.

The former Poker Master, Ali Imsirovic, finished 4th in this one, and 7th in the $50k. Jason Koon finished 7th in the $250,000 SHRB and 5th in this one. And you don’t see Rob Hollink in these things often, but the Dutchman finished 6th in this one and 21st in the other $25k – his only two live tournament scores of the year.

Lastly, Kristen Bicknell continues to impress on the high roller circuit. Bicknell won a $25k event at the Poker Masters for a career-high $408,000 and also made the final table of the World Poker Tour (WPT) Montreal Main Event finishing fifth. Bicknell finished 15th and 7th in the two $25k events here and also cashed in the Main Event finishing in 69th place.

ITM Results

  1. Wai Leong Chan – $380,000
  2. Isaac Haxton – $250,000
  3. Sean Winter – $191,000
  4. Ali Imsirovic – $150,000
  5. Jason Koon – $120,000
  6. Rob Hollink – $95,000
  7. Kristen Bicknell – $75,000

Kahle Burns Leads Global Poker Index (GPI) Player of the Year (POY) Race

Sean Winter has also had a cracking series, finishing 14th and 3rd in $25k events, and 5th in the $50k. Winter lost the GPI POY lead to Kahle Burns during MILLIONS World, so the 224.96 points earned for a third-place finish in the final $25k was worth its weight in gold. Winter picked up 427.62 GPI points during the trip, and he currently sits in the second position. Kahle Burns leads after picking up 482.2 points, Stephen Chidwick collected 238.27, Rainer Kempe 368.34, and Manig Loeser had to make do with the bagel.

GPI POY Race

  1. Kahle Burns – 3,548.08
  2. Sean Winter – 3,525.43
  3. Stephen Chidwick – 3,428.36
  4. Rainer Kempe – 3,421.86
  5. Manig Loeser – 3,327.95

You sense this will go down to the wire with the Master Classics of Poker (MCOP) in Amsterdam, the EPT in Prague and the WPT Five Diamond in the Bellagio key events.