Now that the World Series of Poker is over many pros have been reporting moving to Canada to play online poker.   Ever since the US Department of Justice locked out the main sites for US players in April, the choices have been somewhat limited for American players online.   They can still play at some selected places, but the action at those sites is much more limited.   By moving to Canada they can play at the big sites like Pokerstars and Party Poker.

Some of the names making the move across the border are Phil “OMGClayAiken” Galfond, Daniel Negreanu, and Daniel “Jungleman10″ Cates.

The main procedure involved is to establish a residence in the country, so that you have formal bills going to that address (to be used as proof of address).  And by formal bills I mean either utility bills or a bank statement.   Then with this proof of address and your Canadian IP you will once again be accepted by the big online poker sites.

Event 16 of the WSOP produced a star-studded final table and two of the biggest names of all, John Juanda and Phil Hellmuth, made it all the way to heads-up.

The game was No Limit Deuce Seven Lowball.  A game that Juanda is known to be extremely proficient in.  Hellmuth is no slouch at the game either, particularly in the No Limit format.  However ultimately the cards and possibly skill edge prevailed and Juanda won, denying Hellmth his 12th WSOP bracelet.

1 John Juanda $367,170
2 Phil Hellmuth $226,907
3 Richard Ashby $143,833
4 Steve Sung $97,416
5 Nick Schulman $69,216
6 David “Bakes” Baker $51,485
7 Hasan Habib $40,020
8 Joe Cassidy $32,440
9 Greg “Fossilman” Raymer $27,928
10 Benjamin Parker $27,928
11 Bertrand “Elky” Grospellier $27,928
12 Johnny Chan $24,043
13 Brandon Cantu $24,043
14 Chino Rheem $24,043

On the final hand of the tournament Hellmuth stood on a Queen (Q,T,8,5,2), and Juanda drew one from J,6,3,2,X.  He needed to avoid an Ace, King, Queen, Jack, Six, Three, or Two.  It’s was an eight, and Junada won the pot and the match with J,8,6,3,2.

Daniel Negreanu took on Isildur1 in the Pokerstars Super Showdown last night.  The plan was to play 2500 hands of $50/$100 this week and another 2500 hands next week.   $150,000 is the standard stop-loss of the challenge which would trigger it to end early - and indeed it has!  

After just 1439 hands last night that $150K deficit was reached (Negreanu being down by $150K), with Isildur1 therefore winning the challenge.   It is the first time since these challenges have been running that the stop-loss has come into affect.   Negreanu must be very disappointed as he had been practising a lot for this game.  For it to not even last the planned duration is a bit of a slap in the face.

Early indications are that Negreanu will reload to play a fresh challenge next weekend, as the playing time had already been penciled in.  Let’s hope he runs a little better.

You can watch the challenge and future challenges at Pokerstars

The main event of the EPT Copenhagen has concluded with Michael Tureniec taking down the 3.7 million kroner first prize.  Here is a list of the top finishers:

1 Michael Tureniec DKK 3,700,000 (~$725,000 USD)
2 Per Linde DKK 2,450,000
3 John Eames DKK 1,400,000
4 Kevin Iacofano DKK 1,000,000
5 Nikolas Liakos DKK 750,000
6 Mudassar Khan DKK 600,000
7 Andrea Dalle Molle DKK 450,000
8 Juha Helppi DKK 296,400
9 Joel Nordkvist DKK 220,000
10 Simon Hanninger DKK 220,000
11 Jens Lauridsen DKK 165,000
12 Simen Johannessen DKK 165,000
13 Johnny Jensen DKK 130,000
14 Lars Krogh  DKK 130,000
15 Daniel Johansson DKK 105,000
16 Ivan Freitez DKK 105,000
17 Helge Rahbek DKK 85,000
18 Jan Sørensen DKK 85,000

To qualify for future EPT Events sign-up to Pokerstars

The Pokerstars Carribean Adventure (PCA) has just got underway for it’s 8th year.    11 days in the warm and sunny Bahamas.    The key events are the $10K Main Event which normally delivers a hefty prizepool including a winners prize in the region of $2 million.   There are also a couple of high-roller events, a $25K buy-in and a $100K buy-in.   Also there is a $5K Bounty event.

 Here is the full schedule:

 January 6, Thursday
8:00 1 Fish and Chips - Fishing Derby - Day 1 $2,300
12:00 2 NL - Hold’em - Super High Roller - Day 1 $100,000
 
January 7, Friday
8:00 1 Fish and Chips - Fishing Derby - Final Day $2,300
12:00 2 NL - Hold’em - Final Day - Super High Roller - Day 2 $100,000
17:00 1 NL - Hold’em - Fish and Chips Poker - Day 1 $2,300
18:00 3 NL - Super Satellite to Main Event $1,040 + $60
20:00 4 NL - Turbo $270 + $30
 
January 8, Saturday
12:00 5 Main Event Day 1A $10,000 + $300
13:00 2 NL - Hold’em - Super High Roller - Final Day (ESPN2) $100,000
13:00 1 NL - Hold’em - Fish and Chips Poker - Final Day $2,300
16:00 6 NL - Turbo - Randomized Bounties $800 + $200 + $100
18:00 7 NL - One Rebuy Super Satellite to Main Event $1,040 + $60
20:00 8 PLO - Turbo $270 + $30
 
January 9, Sunday
12:00 5 Main Event Day 1B $10,000 + $300
16:00 9 NL - Turbo - Randomized Bounties $800 + $200 + $100
18:00 10 NL - One Rebuy Super Satellite to $5,000 $550 + $50
20:00 11 PLO8 - Turbo $270 + $30
 
January 10, Monday
12:00 5 Main Event Day 2 $10,000 + $300
12:00 12 PokerStars PLO Championships - “8 Max” - Day 1 $5,000 + $250
14:00 13 NL - Hold’em - Day 1 $2,000 + $150
16:00 14 H. O. E. (Hold’em, Omaha Hi-Lo, Stud Hi-Lo) - $25K GTD - Day 1 $1,000 + $100
18:00 15 NL - One Rebuy Super Satellite to $5,000 $550 + $50
20:00 16 NL - Turbo $270 + $30
 
January 11, Tuesday
12:00 5 Main Event Day 3 (TV) $10,000 + $300
12:00 17 NL - Hold’em - “8 Max” - Day 1 $5,000 + $250
13:00 12 PokerStars PLO Championships - “8 Max” - Final Day $5,000 + $250
13:00 13 NL - Hold’em - Final Day $2,000 + $150
13:00 14 H. O. E. (Hold’em, Omaha Hi-Lo, Stud Hi-Lo) - $25K GTD - Final Day $1,000 + $100
14:00 18 NL - Hold’em - Day 1 $1,000 + $100
16:00 19 PLO - “8 Max” - Day 1 $1,000 + $100
18:00 20 Fiple Draw (A-5, 2-7, Badugi, Baduci, Badacey) - $25K GTD - Day 1 $1,000 + $100
20:00 21 NL - Turbo - Bounty $270 + $100 + $30
 
January 12, Wednesday
12:00 5 Main Event Day 4 - play down to 24 players (TV) $10,000 + $300
12:00 22 PokerStars Heads Up Championships (64 Cap) - Day 1 $5,000 + $250
12:00 23 NL - Turbo - “6 Max” - Bounty $1,000 + $1,000 + $150
13:00 17 NL - Hold’em - “8 Max” - Final Day $5,000 + $250
13:00 18 NL - Hold’em - Final Day $1,000 + $100
13:00 19 PLO - “8 Max” - Final Day $1,000 + $100
13:00 20 Fiple Draw - $25K GTD - Final Day $1,000 + $100
14:00 24 PS.net Big Game Tourney - PL Pre - NL Post - Hold’em - Day 1 $550 + $50
16:00 25 Two Plus Two - Binglaha $550 + $50
18:00 26 8 Game - Day 1 $1,000 + $100
20:00 27 NL - Turbo - One Rebuy $270 + $30
 
January 13, Thursday
12:00 5 Main Event Day 5 (TV - Webcast) $10,000 + $300
12:00 28 NAPT Bounty Shootout - Day 1 (216 Cap) $5,000 + $250
13:00 22 PokerStars Heads Up Championships (64 Cap) - Final Day $5,000 + $250
13:00 24 PS.net Big Game Tourney - PL Pre - NL Post - Hold’em - Final Day $550 + $50
13:00 26 8 Game - Final Day $1,000 + $100
16:00 29 NL - Hold’em - “6 Max” - Day 1 $1,000 + $100
18:00 30 Omaha 8 / Stud 8 - $25K GTD - Day 1 $1,000 + $100
18:00 31 NL - Hold’em - AMFAR Charity Event Invitation
19:00 32 NL - Super Satellite to Women’s NL (Event 37) $180 + $20
20:00 33 NL - Turbo - Bounty $270 + $100 + $30
 
January 14, Friday
9:00   Big Slick Bootcamp - 9:00am - 1:30pm  
12:00 28 NAPT Bounty Shootout - Day 2 - 36 Players (ESPN2) $5,000 + $250
12:00 34 NL - Hold’em - High Roller - Day 1 $25,000 + $500
12:00 35 World Cup of Poker - Day 1 Invitation
12:00 36 NL - Hold’em - Day 1 $1,000 + $100
13:00 29 NL - Hold’em - “6 Max” - Final Day $1,000 + $100
13:00 30 Omaha 8 / Stud 8 - $25K GTD - Final Day $1,000 + $100
14:00 37 NL - Hold’em - Women’s Event - Day 1 $1,000 + $100
14:00 38 NL - Heads Up - 64 Player Cap - Day 1 $1,000 + $100
20:00 39 NL - Turbo - One Rebuy $270 + $30
20:30   PokerStars PCA Party - Royal Deck - 8:30pm - 10:30pm  
 
January 15, Saturday
12:00 34 NL - Hold’em - High Roller - Day 2 $25,000 + $500
12:00 35 World Cup of Poker - Final Day Invitation
12:00 40 PCA Battleship - Main Event $2,000 + $100
12:00 41 NL - Hold’em  - Day 1 $1,500 + $100
12:00 42 PokerStars 8 Game Championships - Day 1 $5,000 + $250
13:00 36 NL - Hold’em - Final Day $1,000 + $100
13:00 37 NL - Hold’em - Women’s Event - Final Day $1,000 + $100
13:00 38 NL - Heads Up - 64 Player Cap - Final Day $1,000 + $100
14:00 43 NL - Hold’em - Women’s Event $270 + $30
16:00 44 NLH / PLO - “8 Max” - Day 1 $550 + $50
16:00 5 Main Event Day 6 - Final Table (TV - Webcast) $10,000 + $300
20:00 45 NL - Turbo $270 + $30
 
January 16, Sunday
12:00 28 NAPT Bounty Shootout - Final  (ESPN2 - Webcast) $5,000 + $250
12:00 34 NL - Hold’em - High Roller - Final Day $25,000 + $500
12:00 41 NL - Hold’em - Final Day $1,500 + $100
12:00 42 PokerStars 8 Game Championships - Final Day $5,000 + $250
12:00 44 NLH / PLO - “8 Max” - Final Day $550 + $50
12:00 46 NL - Hold’em - Unlimited Rebuys + Add-on - $25K Guaranteed $90 + $10
12:00 47 NL - Heads Up - Supernova - VIP (32 Cap) Invitation - 30K FPP’s
13:00 48 NL - Turbo - “6 Max” High Roller $10,000 + $200

To qualify for a trip to the Caribbean playing poker at this year’s PCA or future year’s PCAs then join Pokerstars and receive a bonus of up to $600

The latest session of the durrrr challenge vs jungleman12 (Daniel Cates) took place yesterday.  They played for around 6 hours and completed 2918 hands.  jungleman12 came out on top for the session by $319,103. 

This puts the challenge up to 17108 hands in total, With Cates $819,213.50 up.

They are playing up to 50,000 hands with Cates winnng a $1 million prize if he is an least 1 dollar up at that point.  You can follow the challenge at Full Tilt Poker

RCOOP (Regional Championships of Online Poker)

13 regions, 11 events in each championship.

The Regions and Dates:

Russian - Oct 31st - Nov 7th 2010 - $200,000 guaranteed prize pool

Nordic - November 4-14th - $700,000 guaranteed prize pool

Baltics - November 4-14th - $43,000 guaranteed prize pool

USA - November 21-28th - $3,275,000 guaranteed prize pool

Canada - November 21-28th - $580,000 guaranteed prize pool

Germanics - November 21-28th - €828,000 guaranteed prize pool

Asia Pacific - November 21-28th - $100,000 guaranteed prize pool

Mediterranean - November 18-28th - $80,000 guaranteed prize pool 

UK & Ireland - December 5-12th - $512,500 guaranteed prize pool
 
Central and Eastern Europe - December 6-16th - $150,000 guaranteed prize pool
 
Latin America - December 5-12th - $160,000 guaranteed prize pool

Iberian - February 13-20, 2011 - €113,000 guaranteed prize pool
 
Benelux - February 2011 - €235,500 guaranteed prize pool

If you are interested in giving it a shot then join Pokerstars and receive a sign-up bonus of $600

Daniel Negreanu (KidPoker) got paired with Phil Galfond (MrSweets28) in the $25K High-roller Heads-up WCOOP event.   There were a lot of intesting hands (several of which I have posted below) with Galfond eventually emerging the winner.

Top pair and flush draw vs Aces

 PokerStars Game #49863206375: Tournament #2010090039, $25000+$500 USD Hold’em No Limit - Match Round I, Level II (30/60) - 2010/09/19 15:36:32 ET
Table ‘2010090039 1′ 2-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: MrSweets28 (11153 in chips)
Seat 2: KidPoker (8847 in chips)
MrSweets28: posts small blind 30
KidPoker: posts big blind 60
*** HOLE CARDS ***
MrSweets28: raises 84 to 144
KidPoker: calls 84
*** FLOP *** [3d 6d 8s]
KidPoker: checks
MrSweets28: bets 188
KidPoker: raises 352 to 540
MrSweets28: calls 352
*** TURN *** [3d 6d 8s] [7h]
KidPoker: bets 720
MrSweets28: calls 720
*** RIVER *** [3d 6d 8s 7h] [3h]
KidPoker: bets 1500
MrSweets28: calls 1500
*** SHOW DOWN ***
KidPoker: shows [Jd 8d] (two pair, Eights and Threes)
MrSweets28: shows [Ah As] (two pair, Aces and Threes)
MrSweets28 collected 5808 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 5808 | Rake 0
Board [3d 6d 8s 7h 3h]
Seat 1: MrSweets28 (button) (small blind) showed [Ah As] and won (5808) with two pair, Aces and Threes
Seat 2: KidPoker (big blind) showed [Jd 8d] and lost with two pair, Eights and Threes

Overbet with a boat

 PokerStars Game #49863895598: Tournament #2010090039, $25000+$500 USD Hold’em No Limit - Match Round I, Level II (30/60) - 2010/09/19 15:48:49 ET
Table ‘2010090039 1′ 2-max Seat #1 is the button
Seat 1: MrSweets28 (12657 in chips)
Seat 2: KidPoker (7343 in chips)
MrSweets28: posts small blind 30
KidPoker: posts big blind 60
*** HOLE CARDS ***
MrSweets28: raises 84 to 144
KidPoker: calls 84
*** FLOP *** [3s 8s 3h]
KidPoker: checks
MrSweets28: bets 144
KidPoker: calls 144
*** TURN *** [3s 8s 3h] [4c]
KidPoker: checks
MrSweets28: bets 366
KidPoker: calls 366
*** RIVER *** [3s 8s 3h 4c] [Ac]
KidPoker: checks
MrSweets28: bets 2544
KidPoker said, “ugh hate that bet”
KidPoker said, “has to have me beat but I cant just fold!”
KidPoker: calls 2544
*** SHOW DOWN ***
MrSweets28: shows [8c 8h] (a full house, Eights full of Threes)
KidPoker: mucks hand
MrSweets28 collected 6396 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 6396 | Rake 0
Board [3s 8s 3h 4c Ac]
Seat 1: MrSweets28 (button) (small blind) showed [8c 8h] and won (6396) with a full house, Eights full of Threes
Seat 2: KidPoker (big blind) mucked

Bust hand

PokerStars Game #49865132035: Tournament #2010090039, $25000+$500 USD Hold’em No Limit - Match Round I, Level III (40/80) - 2010/09/19 16:12:23 ET
Table ‘2010090039 1′ 2-max Seat #2 is the button
Seat 1: MrSweets28 (17409 in chips)
Seat 2: KidPoker (2591 in chips)
KidPoker: posts small blind 40
MrSweets28: posts big blind 80
*** HOLE CARDS ***
KidPoker: raises 80 to 160
MrSweets28: raises 251 to 411
KidPoker: calls 251
*** FLOP *** [3c Kh 6c]
MrSweets28: bets 344
KidPoker: calls 344
*** TURN *** [3c Kh 6c] [4h]
MrSweets28: bets 16654 and is all-in
KidPoker: calls 1836 and is all-in
Uncalled bet (14818) returned to MrSweets28
*** RIVER *** [3c Kh 6c 4h] [4c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
MrSweets28: shows [Ad Kd] (two pair, Kings and Fours)
KidPoker: shows [Td Kc] (two pair, Kings and Fours - lower kicker)
KidPoker said, “gg”
MrSweets28 collected 5182 from pot
KidPoker finished the tournament in 20th place
MrSweets28 said, “gg”
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 5182 | Rake 0
Board [3c Kh 6c 4h 4c]
Seat 1: MrSweets28 (big blind) showed [Ad Kd] and won (5182) with two pair, Kings and Fours
Seat 2: KidPoker (button) (small blind) showed [Td Kc] and lost with two pair, Kings and Fours

The amount of player traffic a site gets can be very important.  At the end of the day biggest is often the best in the online poker world, because more action means more money and more game choice.  With that in mind here are the biggest poker sites/networks for European and American players.

4 biggest poker sites for European Players

PokerStars
Full Tilt
Party Poker
iPoker Network (eg Titan Poker)

4 biggest poker sites for American Players

Pokerstars
Full Tilt
Cereus Network (eg Ultimate Poker)
Cake Network (eg Cake Poker and Doyles Room)

With 43 events gone at this year’s WSOP it’s time for a bit of a summary so far.

It has largely been the year of the unknown players with several notable exceptions.   Some of the more familiar names to win bracelets are:

Event 2: Michael Mizrachi
Event 5: Praz Bansi
Event 10: Men “The Master” Nguyen
Event 11: Matt Matros
Event 21: Richard Ashby
Event 23: Dutch Boyd
Event 24: Sammy Farha
Event 37: Phil Ivey
Event 38: Scott Montgomery

Some of the guys have gone close include Neil Channing (2nd in Event 6), Brandon Adams (2nd in Event 10), Tom Dwan (2nd in Event 11), Men Nguyen (2nd in Event 32), Bill Chen (2nd in Event 37), Richard Ashby (2nd in Event 43)

With 14 events left to play let us see if any other big names can hit a big score.