The 411 on Online Poker Reviews

Source: PokerListings.com ()

Sunday, Dec. 23, 2007

By Earl Burton

The adage has it that “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.” With a flurry of activity in the online world, March 2007 was indeed filled with turmoil and surprises, but disproving the proverb, the end of the month only saw more frenetic activity.

Early in March we saw a concrete example of what hundreds of thousands of American citizens were going through regarding the decision of NETeller to stop fund transfers for U.S. citizens. Isaac Haxton, who had finished as the runner-up to Ryan Daut at the WPT PokerStars Caribbean Adventure in January, informed the poker world that a majority of his second-place prize money was being held by NETeller. As you may recall, NETeller froze the accounts of all Americans due to the arrest of its founders early in 2007. Haxton, who earned over $800,000 for his efforts in the Bahamas, considered many avenues to reclaim his funds and also demonstrated the variance that top players in the poker world have to deal with.
EU says to let them play!As the NETeller situation continued to play out, online poker seemed poised to make headway as a legitimate venture in Europe. The European Union cracked down on Italy due to its 2006 laws that precluded foreign companies from competing for bettors and poker players. The European Free Trade Act has a section stating that all member nations are to allow online gaming and poker. When the EU’s highest court ruled that Italy was in violation of this clause, many in the poker world were hopeful that other countries with state-run monopolies, such as France and Germany, would soon see their operations challenged as well. The World Champion of Poker, Jamie Gold, also spoke out during the month regarding the pitfalls of success from his WSOP victory in 2006. He stated that he could have been a better ambassador for the of poker and commented on the lawsuit that resulted from his $12 million victory.
Shannon’s …

Source: Guardian Unlimited ()

It is probably the most negative book review ever written. Or if there is a worse one, do let me know. “This book runs the full gamut from the mediocre to the ludicrous to the merely bad,” begins Colin McGinn’s review of On Consciousness by Ted Honderich. “It is painful to read, poorly thought out, and uninformed. It is also radically inconsistent.”The ending isn’t much better: “Is there anything of merit in On Consciousness? Honderich does occasionally show glimmers of understanding that the problem of consciousness is difficult and that most of our ideas about it fall short of the mark. His instincts, at least, are not always wrong. It is a pity that his own efforts here are so shoddy, inept, and disastrous (to use a term he is fond of applying to the views of others).”And in the middle, there is nothing to cheer the book’s author. Honderich’s book is, according to McGinn, sly, woefully uninformed, preposterous, easily refuted, unsophisticated, uncomprehending, banal, pointless, excruciating.What does the man on the receiving end think of this review? “It is a cold, calculated attempt to murder a philosopher’s reputation,” says Honderich. The review has reignited a feud between the two philosophers that shows how bitter, unforgiving and (to outsiders) unwittingly hilarious academic disputes can be. It certainly makes the bear pit that is journalism seem like sunshine and lollipops by comparison.McGinn is unrepentant. When I ring him in Miami to find out if there is any chance of a rapprochement, he tells me: “It’s not like you’re hitting someone over the head with a hammer. Ted is not very good at philosophy. That’s the problem.” So probably not.Instead, the feud is escalating into philosophy’s equivalent of a prize fight between two former colleagues who are both among the showiest brawlers in the philosophy dojo. In one corner is McGinn, 57, West Hartlepool-born of philosophy at the University of Miami, and the self-styled hard man of philosophy book reviewing. …

Source: Emediawire (press release) ()

Chipleader, an award-winning online poker affiliate website, announces information on the winner of its $100,000 private jet promotion. The winner of the promotion has won 18 hours of flying time aboard a private jet.

Miami, FL (PRWEB) December 20, 2007 — One lucky online poker affiliate is flying on cloud nine this morning after winning Chipleader's most recent promotion. Roger Shriver, operator of the online poker affiliate website www.compatiblepoker.com, has secured the keys to his own luxury private jet service valued at over $100,000 thanks to a dramatic increase in overall performance over the last three months.

Launched in September, Chipleader's Private Jet promo promised to reward the online poker affiliate who achieved the highest percentage of increase in their MGR from September through the end of November 2007 with their own luxury private jet service.

"To be honest I didn't do anything out of the ordinary to win the competition," says Shriver. "Chipleader sites convert like crazy and, promotion or no promotion, I keep them towards the top of my lists because of how well they do."

For his achievement, Shriver has earned approximately 18 hours of flying time. When asked how he plans to use his 24-hour access to the private jet in the coming months, Shriver tied it all back to Chipleader.

"Tickets to the Super Bowl after stepping off my private jet," stated Shriver, referring to Chipleader's latest Super Bowl promotion, a two-month competition that will rocket the winner to Super Bowl XLII in Arizona.

The poker affiliate who brings in the highest percentage increase of new depositing players for the month of December compared to their November numbers will secure a Super Bowl prize package that includes: airfare for two (2) to Phoenix, Arizona, luxury accommodations, and two (2) tickets to Super Bowl XLII on February 3rd, 2008.

The frequency …

Source: Emediawire (press release) ()

Online poker and casino resource guide, The27offsuit, proudly announces the expansion of its popular web site. The online gaming information portal now offers more extensive resources including casino and poker room reviews, casino and poker bonus codes, as well as an insightful page dedicated to the upcoming 2008 World Series of Poker.

(Bluehost) December 17, 2007 — The27Offsuit, a longtime established online gaming information portal, takes pride in the announcement of tactical expansions to its web site. The online casino and poker room resource guide now offers a more extensive reserve of information, including in-depth online casino and poker room reviews, online casino and poker bonus codes, and an insightful department dedicated to the World Series of Poker coming up in 2008.

Individuals looking to Play Online Poker utilize website such as The27OffSuit (www.the27offsuit.com) to find honest, in-depth online poker reviews of each online poker room. Intensive research is dedicated to each poker review to provide factual, up-to-date information regarding software, bonuses and promotions, player traffic, competition, customer service and USA player acceptance.

We at strive to provide our readers with must accurate information available via poker room reviews that are updated constantly by our dedicated editing staff if effort provide a current snapshot of today's poker scene.

According to the27offsuit.com owners, the number-one goal of The27Offsuit is to provide visitors with what they really want - the truth - not just a bunch of fluff or advertisements, but the meat of an online poker room. This same idea goes into the development of The27Offsuit's online casino reviews as well, depicting the integrity and fairness of and security of each casino and poke room, along with the specific locations game poker room bonuses where applicable, ease of deposits and withdrawals, customer service and USA player acceptance. …

Source: Washington Post ()

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission dealt a blow to European online gaming companies on Monday when it accepted a U.S. offer of openings in other sectors to compensate for closing the U.S. gambling market to foreign firms.

European companies such as PartyGaming <PRTY.L> and bwin Interactive Entertainment <BWIN.VI> had hoped the European Union might shun a settlement and fight on instead to restore their ability to operate in the world’s biggest market.

Source: PR Web (press release) ()

PokerStars Marketing Code PAWSUB157 and PokerStars Bonus Code DEC2007 Released

PokerStars have released 2 new codes for new players. The PokerStars Marketing Code PAWSUB157 for exclusive freerolls, plus the PokerStars Bonus Code DEC2007 for a $50 bonus plus entry to a series of first deposit freerolls.

(PRWEB) December 5, 2007 — Using the PokerStars Marketing Code PAWSUB157 in conjunction with the new Bonus Code DEC2007 will entitle new players to a $50 bonus plus entry to an exciting range of freerolls worth over $80k.

New players at PokerStars should now use two new codes for the maximum bonus - the Marketing Code when they first register and then a further Bonus Code when they deposit for the first time. This has caused some confusion in the poker world as many players are not sure what to enter where. In response, Directory of Online Poker have created a special Poker Stars Marketing Code page which spells out exactly what each code is for.

Nikki Bealing, editor of Directory of Online Poker states:-

"We have our own exclusive new PokerStars Marketing Code PAWSUB157 which entitles the new player to enter a year round series of exclusive freerolls for big events like the Aussie Millions, EPT and WSOP, plus regular $5k cash freerolls.

We also urge players to use the latest PokerStars Bonus Code DEC2007 which will entitle them to a $50 sign-up bonus plus entry to a series of First Deposit freerolls running from the 5th of December worth $30k

Using both codes will ensure the new player receives the maximum bonus available."

PokerStars is currently the largest poker site in the world with between 40,000 to 120,000 players online at any one time. PokerStars accepts players worldwide, including US players. Games offered include cash games, sit and go's, and multitable tournaments in Texas Holdem, 5 and 7 card Stud, Razz and HORSE. See PokerStars Review for more information.

The …

Source: Emediawire (press release) ()

Holiday season is well known as the busiest time in the online casino world for special promotions and bonuses, and leading online casino guide, Online Gambling Insider, has negotiated a variety of exclusive casino bonuses for their visitors this festive season.

(PRWEB) December 11, 2007 — http://www.online-gambling-insider.com has established a reputation for honest and reliable online gambling information, and of course great online casino deals. The portal operates a very unique service by offering players a $1,000 deposit guarantee, protecting their deposits at all the online casino promoted by Online Gambling Insider. The guarantee is available exclusively to portal visitors, and protects their deposits at the casino, poker and sportsbook sites recommended by Online Gambling Insider. "Our exclusive deposit guarantee remains proof of our commitment to back up our recommendations by guaranteeing that we will pay people back their money of they have a bad experience," says founder and editor, Ryan D.

We have a wide variety of bonuses available for the holidays

Each month, Online Gambling Insider negotiates special casino bonuses on behalf of its visitors. "Our motto is simple. Why settle for the default bonus at some of the best online casinos if you can get a little extra?" says Ryan. "Our contacts in the industry allows us to negotiate some really hot deals, something that not every gambling portal is able to do." There are a wide variety of bonus types that can only be claimed by visiting the casino website via links at Online Gambling Insider, where players are provided with complete instructions on how to claim each bonus. Some bonuses also may have specific terms and conditions so players are advised to make sure they understand these before proceeding an making a deposit their chosen casino.

"We have a wide variety of bonuses available for the holidays," says …

Source: CardPlayer.com ()

Brian “sbrugby” Townsend is one of the most well-known and feared cash game players around. He got his start playing 25¢-50¢ limit hold’em on PartyPoker in 2003, and he now plays the biggest cash games available online against the toughest opponents — and wins. He has starred on the hit GSN show High Stakes Poker and was also a Card Player magazine cover-boy (Vol. 20/No. 17, Aug. 29, 2007).

Townsend also famously decided to almost completely forego the 2007 World Series of Poker to instead go head-to-head versus poker legend Sammy Farha in a series of mega-high-stakes cash game sessions (you can read about that matchup by clicking here). He eventually left that table up a substantial amount of money (in the millions) after besting Farha and a slew of other pros that had decided to jump in and try their luck.

Avoiding major tournaments is nothing new for Townsend, though, as he finds cash games infinitely more profitable and rarely plays in tournaments. Card Player snagged Townsend for an interview to talk about cash game strategy:

Shawn Patrick Green: You’re likely most recognizable to the general public from GSN’s High Stakes Poker. What was the most interesting hand you played on that?

Brian “sbrugby” Townsend: I would say the most interesting hand, and the largest pot that I played, was against Daniel Negreanu where I was bluffing with a straight draw and he had a set of sevens. That was probably the most interesting pot I played in and also the largest pot that I played in.

SPG: What was your thought process in the hand?

BT: How the hand played out was that I raised from under the gun [with 8-6 suited] and he called from middle position. From watching other High Stakes Poker shows, Daniel really calls with a lot of hands there, everything A-K down to suited connectors and just random hands. So, I figured he could have a …

Source: Kansas City Star ()

A retired Hollywood movie mogul now living in Johnson County is hoping to spin a hit TV show and more from his patent-pending casino game invention, BlackJack Extreme.

The card game — a blend of blackjack and poker strategies — is as intriguing as its inventor, David C. Thomas.

Thomas’ lengthy resume as a producer, director and location manager includes such films as “Kansas City,” “The Howling,” “Mask,” “Marked for Death,” and his latest and perhaps last effort, “Lenexa 1 Mile,” which premiered this year.

“I don’t see myself making another movie,” he said. “That’s way too many 17-hour days standing around staging gunfights and car wrecks. This is a lot more fun,” Thomas said of his first dip into the fast-moving waters of the gambling industry.

Thomas and Internet marketing guru Mark Koetting have formed BJX Entertainment LLC and are simultaneously pitching BlackJack Extreme as a TV card-game show, an online or live casino poker room game and an electronic game joining slot machines and video poker on casino floors.

“This is very ambitious to move simultaneously into three major industries,” Thomas admitted. But he’s confident that, given a chance, the game will catch on.

“It’s fast. It’s fun,” he said. And, he added, BlackJack Extreme is even more sociable than standard blackjack or Texas Hold ’em.

“We think casinos are evolving into amusement centers rather than gambling halls,” Thomas said. “We are offering casinos a new roller coaster for their park.”

The non-house-banked game pits players against one another as each takes a turn as “dealer” raking in fellow players’ losing bets but also paying off the There are a couple of rounds of pokerlike betting and permissible bluffing on each hand. Players …

Source: PR-USA.net (press release) ()

Lakes Entertainment, Inc. to Present at Bank of America 2007 Credit Conference

Lakes Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: LACO) announced that Timothy
J. Cope, Lakes’ president and chief financial
officer, will present at Bank of America’s
2007 Credit Conference at the Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando
in Orlando, FL.

Mr. Cope’s presentation is scheduled to take
place at 8:30 a.m. EST on Monday, December 3, 2007. The audio-webcast of
the presentation will be accessible at http://www.veracast.com/webcasts/bas/credit07/id53101477.cfm.
The webcast will be archived through December 21, 2007.

About Lakes Entertainment

Lakes Entertainment, Inc. currently has development and management
agreements with five separate Tribes for casino operations in Michigan,
California, and Oklahoma, for a total of eight separate casino sites. In
addition, Lakes has announced plans to develop a company owned casino
resort project in Vicksburg, Mississippi. The company also owns
approximately 61 percent of WPT Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ: WPTE), a
separate publicly held media and entertainment company principally
engaged in the development, production and marketing of gaming themed
televised programming including the World Poker Tour®
television series, the operation of an online gaming website, the
licensing and sale of branded consumer products and the sale of
corporate sponsorships.

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a safe
harbor for forward-looking statements. Certain information included in
this press release (as well as information included in oral statements
or other written statements made or to be made by Lakes Entertainment,
contains statements that are forward-looking, such as statements
relating to plans for future expansion and other …