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18/12: PokerHeaven European Cash Game Series to Air on TV in 43 Countries
Watch the game live on your TV. It will be broadcast in 43 countries, and cover a total of 110 million TV homes.The PokerHeaven European Cash Game will air every Friday on The Poker Channel at 11pm GMT ( UK & Ireland on Sky Channel 166), 2300 CET ( Europe on platforms listed below) from 19 December 2008. Exclusive previews of each episode will be available one day in advance of TV broadcast on www.pokerchanneleurope.com/ecg.
The brand new ‘Pokerheaven European Cash Game’ (7 x 60’) is an invitational only event, featuring some of the best established and up-and-coming cash game players in the world including the 2008 World Series of Poker winner, Peter Eastgate.
The series was filmed on October 11th this year, in response to increasing demand for cash game poker on TV, as revealed by The Poker Channel’s survey of viewers in April this year.
The Producer of the series is Emblaze Productions, whose extensive credits include The Million Dollar Cash Game, European Poker Masters and The Million Pound Challenge.
Eric Liu was the big winner at the PokerHeaven European Cash Game, which took place in central London . Liu is a well respected CardRunners instructor, who also came 4th in the prestigious EPT in London this year. Liu chalked up a profit of over €70,000 during the European Cash Game. The €10,000 minimum buy-in and straddles by players, on almost every hand, resulted in some very large pots. Liu joined Albert Iversen, Riku Vihreasarri and Chris Haller as winning players on the day whilst Neil Channing, Andy Black and 2008 WSOP winner Peter Eastgate posted losses.
Peter Eastgate is the current WSOP main event champion. He collected over $9,000,000 for winning the main event bracelet after defeating the eight other members of the ‘November Nine’. Albert Iversen picked up $264,000 for a 3rd place finish in Event 44 at the 2008 WSOP, while Andy Black has a string of major tournaments results behind him including a 5th place finish in the 2005 WSOP main event for $1,750,000. Neil Channing is well known throughout Europe as a high stakes cash game player.
The Poker Channel will also air the first ever educational series (6 x 30’) on how to play cash games. The educational series features footage and highlights of play from the European Cash Game series, with reviews and strategy advice from Eric Liu.
About The Poker Channel:
The Poker Channel is Europe 's largest dedicated gaming TV network and broadcasts to more than 15 million cable homes in 17 countries. Gaming fans all over the world can also visit www.pokerchanneleurope.com for programming on demand, exclusive promotions, features, and video news - edited by a top team of journalists and players.
The Poker Channel launched in March 2005 and now owns Europe 's largest library of poker programming with more than 600 hours of premium content including the World Series of Poker, the World Poker Tour and other major tournaments, instructional shows, news, documentaries and top player profiles. The Channel attracts close to one million unique TV viewers per month, with 65% of its TV viewers playing online every day.
Watch the Poker Channel on TV:
• In the UK and Ireland on Sky Channel 166 from 9.30pm to 4am
• In France on Noos, Numericable, Free (Channels 48, 95 and 145) and Orange
• In Germany on Kabel Deutschland, KBW, Unity Media, NetCologne, NetMartens
• In Belgium on BeTV and Numericable(Channel 168)
• In Luxembourg on Numericable (Channel 168)
• In Netherlands on UPC Digital (Channel 127) and KPN (Channel 316)
• In Finland , on Welho (Channel 212) and Canal Digital (Channel 94)
• In Norway , Sweden and Denmark on Canal Digital (Channel 94)
• In Iceland on Skjarinn
• In Spain on Imagenio (Channel 98)
• In Malta on MelitaCable (Channel 209)
• In Switzerland on Zattoo
• In Greece on OnTelecom
• In Poland on Vectra
• Pan-Europe: at 1° West with set top box tuned to 11.229 GHZ Horizontal
This will be fun to watch for those who can get it. Good luck to all the players!!
03/12: Asian Poker Ambassador, JC Tran, wins PartyPoker's Premier League III
JC Tran has won yet another title. This time it was PartyPoker's Premier League III, winning $300,000.Although Tran went into the final table as chip leader, his opponents were certainly not fish! With the likes of the 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event champion Peter Eastgate, Tony G, Roland de Wolfe, Juha Helppi and Tom Dwan (better known as Durrr), JC Tran had a long road ahead of him.
The first victim to get knocked out was Peter Eastgate, followed by Roland de Wolfe and Tom Dwan. Tony G knocked out 3rd place finisher Juha Helppi. Juha's As Td was no match for Tony G's Ad Qc; especially when he spiked a Q on the flop. Once heads up, Tony G had almost a 3:2 chip lead on Tran, so it was still pretty much anyone's game.
The hand that clinched the victory for Tran came when blinds were at 20k/40k. Tran limped in with 9c 7d and Tony G checked his option with Ks 8d. The flop brought 5d 7h 6h, giving Tran top pair along with a gutshot straight draw, while Tony G was left with a draw and two overs. Tony G check-raised Tran all-in. The final two cards were blanks, Js and 2s.
Full Story
19/11: Judges Halt Kentucky’s Lawsuit on Online Gambling
Here is maybe some good news for a change, on the Kentucky Ban on online gambling. It has been halted until the appellate judges hear both sides and make a ruling.FRANKFORT, Ky. -- The Court of Appeals yesterday blocked Franklin Circuit Court from proceeding with Gov. Steve Beshear's lawsuit against 141 gambling Web sites until appellate judges hear oral arguments and rule on the matter.
Internet gambling and domain name trade groups asked the Court of Appeals to intervene after Franklin Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate ruled last month that he has the right to decide whether control of the Web sites must be forfeited to Kentucky.
The order issued yesterday prohibits Wingate from holding a forfeiture hearing scheduled for Dec. 3.
Oral arguments are scheduled for Dec. 12 before the Court of Appeals.
For the whole story:
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20081115/NEWS01/811150457/1008/NEWS01
We will hope that they will throw the ban out all together. Stay tuned as it happens!
05/11: Bans Extended to Kentucky’s Neighboring States
If you live in a State neighboring Kentucky, you will be required to show proof of residence. This is an added burden on everyone but is for the safety of Jackpot Factory Group, powered by Microgaming.November 4, 2008 (InfoPowa News) -- The attempt by the state of Kentucky to hijack the international domains of online gambling companies continued to be a source of inconvenience and irritation to U.S. players this week as the Jackpot Factory group extended software provider Microgaming's ban on Kentucky players to embrace neighboring states pending proof of residence.
Last month Microgaming casinos started excluding Kentucky players from licensee sites following a shocking ruling by a Kentucky county court that global domains could be seized if owner companies did not exclude Kentucky players from gambling websites.
The Jackpot Factory group, one of Microgaming's larger licensees, emailed players in states bordering Kentucky this week, telling them that due to recent changes in Kentucky legislation, as of Thursday, November 6th, it would temporarily block accounts of players whose IP addresses trace to a neighboring state.
Players can reinstate their accounts by producing proof of ID and residence in a neighboring state. Residents of Kentucky remain blocked.
Players with enquiries or problems were invited to contact support@jackpotfactory.com.
The domain seizure cases in Kentucky have caused a major international uproar on jurisdictional, legal, and constitutional grounds and are currently the subject of appeals by individual companies, trade associations and Net Neutrality bodies. Merge Poker Network and Microgaming have both instituted precautionary bans on Kentucky players until the local court debacle can be resolved through Superior Court litigation.
20/10: Kentucky Judge Seizure Order
This is not good news for the players in Kentucky.A circuit court judge for Franklin County, Ky., modified a seizure order today to allow online gambling companies 30 days to install software blocking Kentucky citizens from access to their sites.
This afternoon Judge Thomas D. Wingate refused to dismiss a case against 141 online gambling domain names being sued by the Commonwealth of Kentucky for offering gambling services to citizens of the commonwealth.
However, he ruled that the defendants have 30 days to demonstrate that they have blocked access to Kentucky from their sites. If the defendants do not comply, the original seizure order will remain in effect, and Kentucky will have the power to take control of the domain names, according to court documents.
Last Thursday, Judge Wingate heard arguments from lawyers and associations representing the online gambling industry in the high-profile case, brought by Kentucky in late August. Judge Wingate ordered the original seizure and forfeiture of the 141 domain names belonging to online gambling sites.
Judge Wingate's ruling today also took away associational standing from groups like the Interactive Gaming Council and Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association, according to court documents.
The associations from now on, considered 'friends of the court,' which means they still file certain motions, but they're not treated as 'parties' and thus cannot seek substantive relief, or do much besides present legal argument, Lawrence G. Walters, an Internet gambling attorney and partner at Weston, Garrou, Walters & Mooney, explained to IGN via telephone.
Mr. Walters, who is representing GoldenPalace.com in the case, said for the domain-name defendants without legal representation, it will be up to them to represent themselves and to show proof that they have blocked access to Kentucky -- if they so choose.
Mr. Walters said the real loser in today's ruling is the plaintiff's attorneys, who were working on a 25 percent contingency basis and asking for millions of dollars in damages on behalf of Kentucky. Judge Wingate awarded no monetary settlement, and his ruling offers a return of the domain names for free if access by Kentuckians is blocked.
Judge Wingate has scheduled a forfeiture hearing for Nov. 17, following the 30-day deadline given to the operators to block Kentucky.
To read the Judges Opinion and order, copy and paste in web browser:
http://www.igamingnews.com/articles/files/081016KentuckyRuling.pdf
16/10: Kentucky Gambling Web Site Case is Proceeding
The Judge in the Kentucky case on seizing 141 websites has today ruled to allow the case to proceed.Here is this afternoon’s press release!
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - A Franklin County Circuit Court judge has refused to dismiss a lawsuit seeking to block access to online casinos in Kentucky.
Judge Thomas Wingate said in an order Thursday afternoon that he will hear arguments on Nov. 17 before deciding whether to give Kentucky state government control of the domain names of 140 of the Internet's most popular gambling Web sites.
Wingate said online casinos that don't block access to their Web sites in Kentucky could be ordered to forfeit their domain names.
Gov. Steve Beshear's administration filed the lawsuit. Beshear supports legalizing casino gambling in a state that already allows betting on horse racing, bingo and a state lottery.
http://www.wave3.com/Global/story.asp?S=9190758&nav=menu31_2
13/10: Kentucky Ruling Expected this Week
Judge Thomas Wingate heard from all sides on this issue of the seizures of 141 domains last week. After hearing hours of arguments, Wingate said he would render his ruling on Oct. 15th.John Pappas, the executive director of the Poker Players Alliance stated the Lawyers representing the 141 domains did a very good job of pointing out issues and laws that showed the Commonwealth did not have the authority to do this. He also stated that he believed that there was a sense from the judge that he fully understood the impact of his order.
The PPA says poker should not be included in any of this since it was a game of skill, and not gambling.
Jennifer Brislin, the communications director for the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, which filed the lawsuit on behalf of the government stated: "It was an educational process and good listening session for the judge. We have a very strong case and nothing that happened yesterday did anything to diminish that.”
This weeks ruling should be about these issues. And the Judge may lay out a plan for going forward, We will have to wait and see.
08/10: Manila Poker Event for 2009
The Asian Poker Tour is very happy to announce the first Manila Event for 2009. All of you poker fans get your poker faces on and prepare for this exciting event!!October 8, 2008 (MANILA, PHILIPPINES) – Having made its mark on Asia and players around the world with two highly successful poker events in 2008, the Asian Poker Tour (APT) has announced the first event for its 2009 tournament schedule.
APT Philippines 2009, the Manila leg of next year’s Tour, will be held at the Dusit Thani Manila Hotel in Makati, Philippines, from January 27 to February 1, 2009. Buy-in is set at USD $2,500. Interested parties may contact their local or online poker room for information on scheduled satellites.
This year’s APT Philippines event, held at the same venue last May, attracted 316 poker players from around the world – a number that the APT is looking to surpass at next year’s event. It featured a USD $1,000,000 guaranteed prize pool and had various attractions such as Asia’s first 13-card poker tournament. The main event was won by Australian poker pro David Saab, who walked away with the USD $280,000 top prize.
APT Philippines was followed by an even more successful APT Macau tournament, which was held in late August. The event featured an even bigger guaranteed prize pool of USD $1,500,000 and was won by U.S.-based Yevgeniy Timoshenko.
The Tour will feature at least four major events in 2009. Further announcements regarding this year and next year’s events will be made by the APT next week.
Chris Parker, CEO of the APT, said that the Tour has big plans and that he is looking forward to next year:
“The APT has already held two major events this year – APT Philippines and APT Macau. After consultation with players, online partners, and sponsors, a comprehensive schedule is now being planned for 2009 to successfully meet the needs of all concerned. We are looking forward to enhancing poker’s presence in Asia.”
For more information contact:
Melissa Ross
Lyceum Media for Asian Poker Tour
melissa@lyceummedia.com
I am sure everyone is looking forward to this event. Good Luck to all and most of all have fun!
27/09: Kentucky Online Gambling Case Continued
Even though Kentucky wants to know who owns the Domains of the online gambling sites, attorneys refuse to give the names.A Chicago attorney representing the state, Robert Foote, said: “no one has standing” to appear before the court until a person or corporation is named.”
“A domain name has no right to have a lawyer, only a corporation or person can have a lawyer,” Foote said. “And no one here is going to tell you they represent anyone.”
To read the full story on this update:
http://www.newsandtribune.com/
statenews/kentuckystatehouse_story_270181412.html
Stay tuned as this develops!
26/09: Amicus Brief Submitted by PPA in Kentucky Seizure
In a hearing that started today the PPA Submitted a “amicus curiae”, which means friend of the court. It gives in detail several points as to why the seizure should be overturned.Poker is a game of skill, and is not considered gambling according to the Kentucky Laws, and the PPA is pointing this along with several other points in today’s hearings.
Poker players in Kentucky and the PPA are not taking the action by Governor Beshear and the court lightly.
To read all about this and the other points the PPA are making:
http://www.pokernews.com/news/2008/09/ppa-files-amicus-brief-kentucky-poker-domain-seizure.htm
How many more of trying to take our freedom’s will there be? The question is yet to be seen. We will let you know what happens in court, as we get it.
