For poker fans; today had everything.

We witnessed records broken and an indescribable atmosphere as players flooded the poker site here for the third and final opening flight of the Red Dragon.

By the close of late registration it was 512 who joined the quest today. That brought our total as much as 1,075 for a record-breaking Red Dragon field. Not just was today the most important Day 1 flight and confirmed we were a few of the biggest iteration of this tournament ever, nevertheless it also became the largest-ever freezeout tournament within the whole of the Asia-Pacific.

Of those 512 who did participate today, only 127 would survive the 12 levels of play. Sooner than the pack when all was said and done stood Huitong Cao. He finished with 232,600 sooner than Wayne Zhang with 167,600 and Jun Yang Ong on 165,900.

Ahead of the pack on Day 1c - Huitong Cao

Cao has just one previous live cash to his name from a second place finish in a turbo event back in 2014. With that score awarding him only $4,479 Cao is definitely on his solution to the most important results of his poker career.

Returning tomorrow to enroll in Cao on Day 2 from today's flight may be four previous Red Dragon champions. Yuefeng Pan (95,700), Zhenru Xie (73,400), Raymond Wu (73,000) and Tom Alner (49,000) all finished with chips.

MPC23 Red Dragon Day 1c Top Ten Chip CountsHuitong Cao (China) - 232,600Wayne Zhang (China) - 167,600Jun Yang Ong (Singapore) - 165,900James Chen (Taiwan) - 150,500Raul Gallego (Spain) - 138,400Leo Cheng (Canada) - 135,100Satrya Wijiya Teja (Indonesia) - 126,500Yongjun Liang (China) - 121,200Marc Rivera (Philippines) - 115,900Vladimir Dobrolskii (Russia) - 114,800

Click here for full end of day chip countsClick here for Day 2 seating draw<</a>

While these lucky players survived the night, for others, it was a special story. Our two representatives for the PokerStars contingent couldn't hold on. Bryan Huang was eliminated earlier after a three-way all in didn't lead to his favour. Also hitting the rail was Yaxi Zhu who lasted until late within the day but just came up short within the end.

Team PokerStars Pro Yaxi Zhu

We also lost a horde of notable names today with Jason Lo, Aaron Lim, Raiden Kan, Jack Salter and MC HotDog all falling by the wayside.

For the 127 who made the cut, they'll join the qualifiers from the primary two flights back here tomorrow. Play will kick off earlier with a 3:00pm begin to give players a possibility to wait the MPC24 Welcome Party within the evening.

As always we'll be covering all of the action from here at PokerStars LIVE Macau. We are hoping you'll be able to join us for one more exciting day of poker action!

Read More... [Source: PokerStarsBlog.com :: Asia Pacific Poker Tour]

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We have all been moved by the distressing images popping out of the Philippines in recent days. Millions of individuals was affected and thousands of individuals (perhaps 10,000) are feared lost.

As we've got done at other times of worldwide disaster, we're mobilising the poker community by launching a world online appeal in support of the victims of Typhoon Haiyan.

Effective immediately, our players may be able to donate to the international disaster relief efforts during the PokerStars client, using funds held of their player accounts. Players on Full Tilt Poker can be capable of do the similar in an issue of days.

Credit: OCHA

By creating dummy tournaments into which players register and pay their entry fee, that's then paid to charity as opposed to a prize pool, we can provide a snappy and simple way for our customers to make a donation to the appeal. In addition, players could make real money transfers from their online wallet to a specially created "Typhoon Fund", where every cent is passed directly to the correct charity.

Credit: OCHA

For the primary time, we can be activating a brand new partnership formed earlier this year with CARE International, a number one humanitarian organisation that responds to very large scale natural disasters by delivering emergency aid where it's needed most. This partnership means we have already got arrangements in place to make sure we will be able to provide immediate financial assistance within the event of a giant scale global catastrophe.

Over the approaching days we will be able to be communicating with our players and to the broader poker community encouraging then to provide generously. Through Helping Hands, the Rational Group's corporate giving programme, we can be matching dollar for dollar every donation made by our players via the arrangements outlined above.

Anyone with no PokerStars or Full Tilt Poker account wishing to make a donation to our appeal may accomplish that at our Philippines Appeal page.

Thank you for reading, and please help if you happen to can.

Sue Hammett is the pinnacle of Corporate Giving for The Rational Group

Read More... [Source: PokerStarsBlog.com :: Corporate Blog]

In the ground left corner of the Imperial Ballroom, a battle has begun. It's called the Americas Cup of Poker, and over the following two days, it is going to decide a large number of things, namely: who's the region's best poker team?.

Five-man (and lady) squads from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Mexico and Peru have made the adventure to Atlantis to reply to that query. In conjunction with help from their experienced Team PokerStars and pro coaches, they'll be battling for pride and a share of $100,000.

Americas Cup of Poker 2014: this year's combatants

Today sees everyone squaring off in "Sit & Go's with a tournament structure," consistent with tournament director, Thomas Koo, and there are details up for grabs, so as to determine seeding for tomorrow's heads-up encounters.

The action could be fast, the cheers loud, and we'll be bringing you stories from the tables inside the day. For now, though, here's how the teams line up:

Team ArgentinaIvan Antono RaichRamiro FalboJavier Enrique Perez MeisegeierFarnando Javier GordoCristian Andres QuiñonesCoach: Nacho Barbero

Team BrazilRafael Campelo Costa DinizFernando Geraldo MacedoMárcio TiegsRaphael Velasco Lima de FonsecaVinicius Da Costa CollacoCoach: Andre Akkari

Team ChileLeonardo Enrique Game ZeregaAstrid Silvana Periera FernandezCarlos Alexis Beltran FuentesPablo Nicolas Encina ZapataSergio San Martin FonsecaCoach: Amos Ben

Team ColombiaCamilo Posada FernandezJulian Felipe Segura ZambranoJavier Restrepo BuitragoJuan David Arias ZuluagaAmerica MarconiCoach: Freddy Torres

Team MexicoJulio Cesar Torres OrpinedaCristobal Mancbeo del CastilloFidel Efren Montoya RodriguezArieb Ortega LeonErick Jair Amaro AguilarCoach: Christian de Leon

Team PeruJunior Ray Barreto AndresHenry LlamosasLuis Felipe Villaran BedoyaLorella del Rosario Davila ReoVictor Hugo Calderon GarciaCoach: Humberto Brenes

Click through to live updates, features and interviews from the $10,000,000 guaranteed PCA Main Event and the$100,000 Super High Roller.

Keir Mackay is a copywriter for PokerStars.

Read More... [Source: PokerStarsBlog.com :: Americas Cup]

If you went to the PokerStars VIP Store at the moment with 1,000 Frequent Player Points, it might buy you two small foam stress toys within the shape of sharks. Do not get me wrong. It is a good deal. You'll be able to throw those sharks against a pc screen all day and not worry about damaging even a pixel.

But it's good to do better.

To understand how, you must take a look at a person that many of us call to mind as poker's most famed 13th-place WSOP finisher, a man who burned 1,000 FPPs in a freeroll a decade ago and has turned the outcome right into a ten-year career.

That man was Bernard Lee, an Ivy League guy from New England, a senior marketing manager in a Fortune 500 company, a poker enthusiast who'd been cards for greater than a decade. One night while watching a 2002 WSOP broadcast, he saw Russell Rosenblum call a guy's hand.

"I was so stunned that he could predict it that well that I literally said to myself, 'You know what? You're really not that good at this game. You think that you are, but you're not,'" Lee said this week.

Lee started studying, and by the point Chris Moneymaker won the 2003 WSOP, Lee was able to start his campaign to get to the primary Event. Though he tried time and again, he didn't make it in 2004.

When PokerStars opened satellites for the 2005 Series, Lee was ready. On a Monday night, he went to tennis practice, came home, and located a 1,000-FPP satellite. The plan was to practice for a large qualifier on Sunday. Instead, he won it. His wife found him crying within the kitchen at 7am.

"I made it," he said. "I CANNOT believe it. I made it."

There was never any doubt that Lee was a marketing man. The year 2005 was a kind of heady years where character was still king and sponsorship money fell from the rafters. Lee knew the price of a fair story. What's more, he had one.

In the weeks leading as much as the primary Event, it looked as though his trip could be over before he got to the airport. His wife looked as though she could have been very ill following a surgery. Lee started emailing PokerStars asking to defer his entry. By that point, it wasn't possible. The nice thing was, it also wasn't necessary. It turned out his wife was fine.

When Lee arrived, he set a photograph of his children at the rail in front of him and looked to it for inspiration. Over the process the following several days, the cameras hovered, and Lee became the WSOP's Everyday Family Man.

Lee kissing photos of his children in 2005

On just today in 2005, Lee was doing all he could to make it to the overall 27 players. Only that lucky group could be a part of the history-making day when the general three tables went to Binion's for the last time.

He made it, sealing his part in poker's history.

Bernard Lee hanging out with ESPN's Norman Chad in 2005 at Binion's

The result was a 13th-place finish. It paid him $400,000.

While it was an enormous score, it wasn't the type of money he could use to retire. The issue was, he immediately had the bug.

"You wish to come again to where you were," he said. "It's an out of this world feeling."

His wife, however, didn't see it quite the similar way.

"You can't believe that is going to happen every time," she said.

So they came to an understanding. If Lee could give you the chance to create some revenue streams outside of tournament play, he could leave his job on the Fortune 500 company.

What few people could have been capable of predict is that Lee would just do that.

Lee presently landed a column within the Boston Herald. He started a radio show and sold advertising. He picked up a few small sponsorships. What's more, before the top of 2006, he'd won the sector Poker Finals for an additional $300,000.

"In '07, I MADE UP MY MIND I USED TO BE going for it," he said.

The result was greater than he ever could've dreamed. He hasn't needed to look hard for more work. He's commentated for ESPN and the WSOP Circuit, been spokesperson for Foxwoods Casino, and hosted Inside Deal on ESPN.

"I don't work. I'm retired. That's how I BELIEVE about it," he said. "Somebody gives me a check every once in a while, and i am just amazed. Sometimes I play within the biggest tournaments on the earth and do well, they usually give me more money."

Lee at this year's WSOP

Over the process his career, he's won several events, including one who earned him a WSOP Circuit ring. In total, he has greater than $2 million in career tourney earnings. What's more, he's still being profitable outside of his play. He has other sponsors and business interests in his relationships with RunGood Gear and Blue Shark Optics. He also attached with an organization called Blaycations (short for Bucket List Vacations) thats brings people in for WSOP events, introduces them to the large players, and provides them the poker trip of a lifetime.

"I'm doing it because I LIKE what I do," he said. "I BELIEVE ridiculously fortunate."

As a result, he and his family have turned to charitable efforts. Together they work to offer tens of thousands of bucks worth of Christmas gifts to New England families throughout the holidays.

There is nothing to mention Lee couldn't have come this far if he'd busted out of that freeroll ten years ago. His drive and ambition are unparalleled. He dreams of being within the Poker Hall of Fame. He it likely would've made it this far it doesn't matter what path he took.

Nevertheless, it's greater than just a little fun to seem back and notice how Lee turned a PokerStars FPP pittance into millions and a career than has now lasted a decade.

"It's amazing to me that i am still on this industry ten years later," he said. "In 2002 and 2003, I USED TO BE a fan. Now I'm a qualified player."

Brad Willis is the PokerStars Head of Blogging. Photography by PokerPhotoArchive.com

Read More... [Source: PokerStarsBlog.com :: World Series of Poker]

Beginning November 21st, the ninety-six online casinos operating from Antigua may place ads to draw gamblers from Britain to their sites.

The British government has officially recognized that the web casino industry in Antigua and Barbuda is satisfactorily regulated and safe. The United Kingdom's Department of Culture, Media, and Sport has approved Antigua's application for whitelisting.

By being put on the whitelist, Antigua has qualified its locally-based Internet gambling sites to promote their services to citizens of the united kingdom.. Beginning November 21st, the ninety-six online casinos operating from Antigua may place ads to draw gamblers from Britain to their sites.

The British Minister of Sport said in an announcement that he was "content that Antigua and Barbuda has the legal authority to manage gambling and that its current system of regulation and licensing provides a powerful and adequately resourced framework to uphold our shared objectives: to stop gambling from becoming a source of crime; and to maintain gambling fair and open and to give protection to children and vulnerable people."

The announcement comes because the Antiguan people and the country's online casino industry continue to suffer economic damages from the United States' passing of the UIGEA in 2006, effectively preventing millions of usa citizens from wagering at these sites. The explanations given to dam these legitimate international businesses are the exact same refuted by the united kingdom investigation.

That is, the yankee government says it's thinking about protection of kids and consumers, and adequate control and regulation preventing money laundering and shady business practices. All those concerns are addressed and dismissed by the British inquiry, leading to the whitelisting which verifies Antigua's governance of the web casinos.

Antiguan Minister of Finance Dr. Errol Cort expressed pleasure on the announcement, and Director of Gaming Kaye McDonald said, "THE UNITED KINGDOM whitelisting reaffirms our commitment to stick to strict principles within the supervision and oversight of this global industry and our current high level of success at doing so."

Meanwhile, all ninety-six online gaming sites are forced to simply accept the lack of a number of the American market, because of the law regarding payment transactions. Twenty-five now not even allow American patrons. Perhaps the U.S... government should review the findings in their British counterparts.

Published on November 4, 2008 by TomWeston

Read More... [Source: US Casinos in the News]

We've three huge first round basketball games Friday night. The Raptors, Hornets, and Trail Blazers are all trying to eliminate their opposition and move directly to the second one round.

Toronto Raptors at Indiana Pacers (-2, 194.5)

Raptors lead series 3-2

Toronto shooting guard DeMar DeRozan emerged from his playoff hibernation within the Game 5 victory and can try to help the Raptors clinch the best-of-7 series after they visit the Indiana Pacers on Friday. DeRozan set a private best for the postseason with 34 points within the 102-99 road win to offer the Raptors a 3-2 series lead.

DeRozan shot just 29.6 percent over the primary four games but rediscovered his All-Star form with the stellar effort. "IT IS ALL about patience," DeRozan told reporters. "YOU CANNOT get flustered, you cannot get frustrated. You have to stay the course. That is what we are going to continue to do." Indiana faces elimination after letting a 17-point lead break out in Game 5 and helped Toronto's comeback bid by scoring just nine fourth-quarter points. "Once again, we didn't live as much as that moment," All-Star forward Paul George told reporters. "Nine points within the fourth. It is the only thing to take a look at - nine points within the fourth."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBATV, ESPNews, TSN (Toronto), FSN Indiana

LINE HISTORY: The Pacers opened as 2.5-point favorites however the public hit the Raptors and the books were forced to bring the road all the way down to -2. The whole hit the board at 196 but was dropped to 194.5 by Thursday afternoon. Take a look at all the line history here.

MATCHUP CHART:

ABOUT THE RAPTORS (59-28, 47-40 ATS, 43-43-1 O/U): DeRozan averaged just 13.3 points over the primary four games of the series before his breakout game but backcourt mate Kyle Lowry still can't find the mark. Lowry, the All-Star point guard, went 3-for-11 in Game 5 to drop his series shooting percentage to 31.4 and he has shot below 40 percent in all the five contests. Backup center Bismack Biyombo was a big-time standout in Game 5 with 10 points and 16 rebounds and he's averaging nine boards within the series.

ABOUT THE PACERS (47-40, 44-42-1 ATS, 38-49 O/U): George is averaging 28.8 points within the series after enjoying another superb game with 39 points, eight rebounds and 8 assists in Game 5 and was again seeking to suppress frustration with a few of his teammates. "I BELIEVE our guys individually know, individually, that they've to bring it," George told reporters. "I AM NOT about putting guys down or putting teammates down, but individually everybody has to bring it." Shooting guard Monta Ellis is one guy Indiana could use a lift from as he has scored eight or fewer points in all the past three games while shooting 9-of-26 from the field.

TRENDS:

* Raptors are 2-10 ATS of their last 12 Conference Quarterfinals games.* Pacers are 17-4 ATS of their last 21 games playing on 2 days rest.* Under is 7-1 in Raptors last 8 road games vs. a team with a house winning % of more than .600.* Under is 8-2 in Pacers last 10 home games.* Underdog is 6-1 ATS within the last 7 meetings.

Miami Heat at Charlotte Hornets (-1.5, 190.5)

Hornets lead series 3-2

The Charlotte Hornets have won three straight games and took full control of the their first-round series against the fourth-seeded Miami Heat by stealing a win at the road on Wednesday. The Hornets have a possibility to near out the series and advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals after they host the warmth in Game 6 on Friday.

Charlotte leaned on its backcourt to even the series in Game 4 with a combined 55 points from Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lin but got only 25 points from the 2 in Game 5 while the frontcourt took control. Courtney Lee was having the worst night of the backcourt quartet before hitting the most important shot of the sport – a 3-pointer with 25.2 seconds left that put the Hornets in front for good. "I USED TO BE wide open so I just let it fly," Lee told reporters. "If I needed to draw it up, I'll take shooting 1-for-8 before I knock down a large shot any day.” The warmth will leave Miami with the similar feelings they'd after leaving Charlotte following Game 4 as they question the refereeing however the NBA said Thursday that a non-foul on Dwyane Wade with 2.6 seconds left was the right kind call.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN, FSN Sun (Miami)

LINE HISTORY: The Hornets have won three games in a row to take the lead on this series against the warmth they usually opened as one-point favorites - the road was bumped slightly to -1.5. The whole opened at 192.5 and was dropped a whole two points to 190.5. Take a look at your entire line history here.

MATCHUP CHART:

ABOUT THE WARMTH (50-37, 45-41-1 ATS, 36-50-1 O/U): Miami was dismayed by the whistles blown against them in Game 4 and subtly questioned the disparity in personal foul calls after the sport but were more open about things after Game 5. Wade told reporters that he was fouled at the layup attempt that may have tied the sport within the final seconds and his wife, actress Gabrielle Union, took to Twitter to advocate for fining the refs. “It hurts losing at home,” Heat coach Eric Spoelstra told reporters. “But welcome to the playoffs. The playoffs just started now. One team beat somebody at the road. Now it gets real. Now we just must collect ourselves, as raw because it feels presently. Now we have 48 hours to regroup and prepare for a heck of a battle in Game 6.”

ABOUT THE HORNETS (51-36, 45-41-1 ATS, 42-43-2 O/U): Charlotte doesn’t know what it will get out of forward Marvin Williams from game-to-game within the playoffs, but he stepped up with a team-high 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting to move together with eight rebounds and 3 steals in Game 5. The Hornets changed up the lineup before Game 3 and pushed Al Jefferson right into a starting role with fellow center Frank Kaminsky, leaving Williams to do damage at the wing against smaller defenders. Williams went scoreless in 37 minutes in Game 4 and was a combined 1-of-17 within the first two games of the series but prepare solid performances in two of the last three to assist support Walker, Lin and Lee.

TRENDS:

* Heat are 1-8 ATS of their last 9 road games.* Home team is 4-1 ATS within the last 5 meetings.* Under is 5-0 in Heat last 5 road games vs. a team with a house winning % of more than .600.* Over is 4-1 in Hornets last 5 Friday games.

L. a. Clippers at Portland Trail Blazers (-10, 198)

Trail Blazers lead series 3-2

The Los Angeles Clippers prepare a powerful effort without their injured superstars but in spite of everything didn't have enough to triumph over the Portland Trail Blazers at home in Game 5. The Clippers will attempt to muster up enough to increase the series after they visit the path Blazers in a possible elimination Game 6 on Friday.

Los Angeles lost All-Star point guard Chris Paul (broken hand) and star forward Blake Griffin (quad) for the remainder of the postseason in a Game 4 loss and will not find enough offense late to circumvent a 108-98 loss at home in Game 5. “(The players) heard the similar thing that (the media) said, you know, for 48 hours,” Doc Rivers said. “’Hard game, can they win?’ So, I liked the emotion, but they didn’t sustain it. Like, the pace we played at within the first half was terrific, we just couldn’t sustain the pace.” Portland weathered the early emotional storm from the Clippers and located its stride offensively within the second half, giving itself an opportunity to near out the series at home. “We need to close the series out,” guard C.J. McCollum told reporters. “We’ve got a singular opportunity here to play an elimination game at home, and we wish to be certain that we take full good thing about it.”

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), KGW (Portland)

LINE HISTORY: The Blazers opened as 10-point favorites at home in an elimination game and the road has yet to transport. The entire opened at 197.5 and has also been stationary. Take a look at all the line history here.

MATCHUP CHART:

ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (55-32, 42-42-3 ATS, 35-52 O/U): Future Hall of Famer and previous NBA champion Paul Pierce started as opposed to Griffin and went scoreless in 10 minutes while Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford started as opposed to Paul in Game 5 and went 6-of-23 from the ground in 44 minutes.  “I was just a little winded,” Crawford told reporters. “But what are you able to do at this point? It's a must to discover a way.” Austin Rivers moved into the starting lineup in addition however it was J.J. Redick managing a team-high 19 points within the loss while Jeff Green came off the bench so as to add 17 points in 37 minutes.

ABOUT THE PATH BLAZERS (47-40, 47-40 ATS, 45-42 O/U): Portland star guard Damian Lillard was 1-of-10 from the ground within the first three quarters on Wednesday before exploding for 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting within the final period to assist put the sport away. “I’ve always been in a position to put the primary three quarters behind me and are available up big when my team has needed it,” said Lillard. “All my teammates within the game, they only kept saying, ‘keep shooting, stick with it, stay aggressive, keep your mind right.’ I MIGHT has been doing that each one along, nevertheless it felt good to have that encouragement and that support. … I just needed to be patient.” Lillard finished with 22 points within the win while McCollum matched his series high with 27.

TRENDS:

* Clippers are 1-6 ATS of their last 7 games following a straight up loss.* Trail Blazers are 4-0 ATS of their last 4 games playing on 1 days rest.* Under is 9-1 in Clippers last 10 games following a double-digit loss at home.* Under is 6-1 in Trail Blazers last 7 overall.* Under is 5-1 within the last 6 meetings.

Read More... [Source: Covers.com: NBA News and Stories]

News of China's continuing crackdown on online gambling so resembles US action that the united states seems, on this instance more just like the totalitarian country than other democracies just like the UK.

News breaking during the last few months describes how the united states strategy to online gambling more closely resembles that of China, a totalitarian government, instead of the United Kingdom, another democracy. Both Chinese and US government forces have spent the primary 1/2 2010 arresting and prosecuting Internet casino operators, and seizing large sums of money.

The Chinese news service Xinhua reported today that the Chinese campaign against Internet gambling started in February has led to the arrests of over 3400 persons and the seizure of $88 million in gaming funds. Internet freedoms has been denied, as censorship blocks both gambling websites and payment processors from the country's residents.

US citizens can empathize with their Chinese counterparts. A decade of attempts to take choice clear of residents and deny access to online casinos have been racheted up by Eric Holder's Justice Department over the past several months. While actual arrsts number within the hundreds instead of thousands, money taken from frozen bank accounts is way greater than the Chinese figure.

UK lawmakers have acknowledged the will of the population to patronize online sports betting and Internet casinos, and, in place of fight the wish of the public, have worked to fairly and safely regulate online gambling. Legislators continue to check and tweak UK gaming rules, to make sure the best freedom for residents while protecting against fraud and underage participation.

Despite the accepted notion that the united states is a capitalist republic, such actions as denial of Internet freedom and the banning of online gambling indicate otherwise. With the ongoing consolidation of corporations within the US, especially financial concerns, and their growing interlocking with the federal government, Internet gaming is also just the start folks similarity to China.

Published on June 7, 2010 by JoshuaMcCarthy

Read More... [Source: UK Casinos in the News]