Unstoppable Colman With Yet Another Win

@Daniel Colman has repeatedly expressed his personal distaste for this type of 'individual glamorization' and 'idolization' but he truly deserves the #ColmanPhenomenon  hashtag. He has just added one more victory from high-stakes live tournament poker to his resume. Colman took down the WPT Alpha8 £60k event, bringing his total live earnings in 2014 to $22 million so far!

Has there ever been anything like it in poker history? Just take a look at @Daniel Colman's last five cashes:

Colman was one of 17 players who entered this WPT Alpha8 event at @The Palm Beach Casino London. The elite field included Sam Trickett, Daniel Cates, Philipp Gruissem and many of the other 'usual high-roller suspects'. Daniel Colman was one of 6 players with re-entries, just like his heads-up opponent, @Max Altergott. @Talal Shakerchi and @Isaac Haxton finished third and fourth, respectively.

WPT Live Updates:

Colman Now Best Tournament Poker Player in the World - WHAT is he doing right?

Weekly RankingHero Highlights

In the past week on RankingHero, we invited you to have fun with PokerNews' Sarah Grant and Top Most Annoying Things Poker Players Say and Do, to study away from the tables with Phil Ivey, to compare the fantastic live poker careers of ElkY and Jason Mercier, and be amazed by Daniel Colman's absolutely unparallelled 2014 performance.

We've added two discussion pages: the #RKHreads where we hope you'll share interesting articles and comments about your favorite poker books; and a page to read about, watch and analyze the strategy and tactics of the  #ColmanPhenomenon.

We revisited the #NOCHOPSNOSWAPS debate: Top Four $1,000,000+ Cashes in EPT Barcelona Decided in Chop Deals.

And for those of you who are playing in the WCOOP: If Online Poker Is Your Religion, Here Are Your 10 Commandments and 7 Deadly Sins

Warm welcome to our new members @Clement Bonin @Pascal Junkar @Renaud Bachelet @Thierry Bassereau and @Derek Kenny to mention just a few. We look forward to your poker updates!

Many thanks to everyone posting on RankingHero and in particular to @Jason Matthieu - the champion of exports in Mission 6 of the RankingHero summer contests - and to @Christian Ontheroad, the champion of freerolls :)

Looking forward to congratulating the winner of the @Barriere Poker Tour Lille Buy-in in the Top 10 contest, and wishing you happy pokering and sharing on Facebook,  and on RankingHero,

Yours truly,

@Annie RKH

Colman Now Best Tournament Poker Player in the World - WHAT is he doing right?

There has never been a poker year quite like @Daniel Colman's 2014. So far he has made $21,039,323, including four million+ cashes! So the question eveyone in the poker world is asking is HOW? How does he do it? We are fortunate enough to have most of his final tables on video and we can study and analyze (and hopefully learn from) his play!

This is a call to all poker coaches, writers, fans, and RankingHero members: watch the replays and try to uncover Colman's secret weapons. He MUST be doing something right! Share your analysis of his game and your favorite #PokerHand (s). Enjoy your study session and please don't keep any insights to yourself :)

SHRPO 10 M GTD Final Table :

EPT 11 Barcelona Super High Roller Final Table:

EPT 10 Grand Final Super High Roller:

WSOP 2014 Big One for One Drop:

RKH: 

The Monte-Carlo EPT Super High Roller - a Clash of Cultures, Generations, and Poker Styles

Second-Biggest Winner in Poker History Refuses to Promote the Game

Dan Colman Speaks Out on the 'Ugly World' of Poker, Daniel Negreanu Looks on the Brighter Side

Colman Continues Fantastic 2014 Run with Six-Figure Score at the Aria

The 15 Million Dollar Ten of Spades

Daniel Colman Overtakes Phil Ivey in All-Time US Live Poker Ranking

'Good run' doesn't even begin to describe it and neither does good 'sprint'. 'Skyrocketing' is more like it :) In 2014 alone, @Daniel Colman has earned $21,039,323 and has just surpassed @Phil Ivey's 16 YEARS of live tournament winnings!

We are still in awe of his $15 million Big One for One Drop 1st place prize. And we still can't stop talking about his million+ cash in @European Poker Tour Barcelona, where he made a chop deal with his friend and mentor @Olivier Busquet for $1,142,538. And he did it again! Colman just won the @Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino - Hollywood 10 Million Guaranteed event for $1,446,710 and his FOURTH $ million+ cash this year!!! Not to mention his 3rd place finish in a Super High Roller at @ARIA Resort & Casino for a 'minor' cash of $796,821...

Three wins, a runner-up, and a 3rd place for phenomenal 6 months in live tournament poker and earnings totaling $21,533,574! And he doesn't even like poker!..

RKH: 

The Monte-Carlo EPT Super High Roller - a Clash of Cultures, Generations, and Poker Styles

Second-Biggest Winner in Poker History Refuses to Promote the Game

Dan Colman Speaks Out on the 'Ugly World' of Poker, Daniel Negreanu Looks on the Brighter Side

Colman Continues Fantastic 2014 Run with Six-Figure Score at the Aria

The 15 Million Dollar Ten of Spades

http://www.bluff.com/ : Daniel Colman Continues Historic Year With SHRPO Title, $1.4M 

The 15 Million Dollar Ten of Spades

The mind-blowing prize at stake, the media hype, the star-studded rail, and the superstar heads-up finalists @Daniel Colman and @Daniel Negreanu would have been enough to ensure top poker entertainment. Yet the poker gods decided to make the spectacle even more spectacular. The final hand in the Big One for One Drop was an amazing roller coaster that seemed to be taken right out of a poker television producer's dream scenario.

Watch the hand unfold:

One can only imagine what goes through their minds as the fateful Ten of Spades fell on the turn. The river didn't bring a miracle four or ace for Negreanu who had to content himself with $8,288,001 and the Number One position in the all-time worlwide earnings ranking :)

#PokerHand  #OneDrop 

Dan Colman Speaks Out on the 'Ugly World' of Poker, Daniel Negreanu Looks on the Brighter Side

Daniel Negreanu on Top of the World

Colman Continues Fantastic 2014 Run with Six-Figure Score at the Aria

Colman Continues Fantastic 2014 Run with Six-Figure Score at the Aria

Whatever @Daniel Colman's views and feelings about the game and its dark side, the poker gods sure seem to be doing everything in their power to keep him in the bright half. Last week the 2014 Big One for One Drop winner added another six-figure score to his resume by finishing third in a 100 K #SuperHighRoller at @ARIA Resort & Casino.

With the latest $796,821 win, Colman not only cemented his top position as the world's number one by live earnings in 2014:

..but also overtook @Phil Hellmuth in the 4th position in the all-time US ranking!

More on RankingHero:

Second-Biggest Winner in Poker History Refuses to Promote the Game

Dan Colman Speaks Out on the 'Ugly World' of Poker, Daniel Negreanu Looks on the Brighter Side

The Monte-Carlo EPT Super High Roller - a Clash of Cultures, Generations, and Poker Styles

Big Changes in Poker Rankings after Big One for One Drop

Dan Colman Speaks Out on the 'Ugly World' of Poker, Daniel Negreanu Looks on the Brighter Side

@Daniel Colman has spoken out on 2+2 and, unsurprisingly, his post immediately provoked an avalanche of opinions ranging from unconditional support and admiration to outrage and mindless trashing; from romanticized views of the game as a family-bonding and socialization tool to cynical observations on the exploitative nature of capitalism.

Between them, Colman and @Daniel Negreanu won more than 23 million in the world’s biggest buy-in tournament, Big One for #OneDrop. They represent two very different generations and schools of poker and perhaps more surprisingly, diametrically opposed views and feelings about poker. The controversy surrounding Daniel Colman’s decline to talk to the media is still hot on poker forums. Both Colman and Negreanu make some thought-provoking points and all of us who love the game of poker should maybe take the time to answer the questions they raise for ourselves.

I really don't owe anyone an explanation but Ill give one...

First off, I don't owe poker a single thing. I've been fortunate enough to benefit financially from this game, but I have played it long enough to see the ugly side of this world. It is not a game where the pros are always happy and living a fulfilling life. To have a job where you are at the mercy of variance can be insanely stressful and can lead to a lot of unhealthy habits. I would never in a million years recommend for someone to try and make it as a poker pro. 

It is also not a game where the amateurs are always happy to be losing their money for the sake of entertainment. The losers lose way more money at this game then winners are winning. A lot of this is money they cant afford to lose. This is fine of course because if someone is dumb enough to gamble with money they cant afford to lose, that's their problem. Im not really buying that though. In a perfect world, markets are based on informed consumers making rational transactions. In reality sadly that's not the case, markets are based on advertising trying to play on peoples impulses and targeting their weaknesses in order for them to make irrational decisions. I get it if someone wants to go and play poker on their own free will, but I don't agree with gambling being advertised just like I don't agree with cigarettes and alcohol being advertised. 

It bothers me that people care so much about poker's well being. As poker is a game that has such a net negative effect on the people playing it. Both financially and emotionally. 

As for promoting myself, I feel that individual achievements should rarely be celebrated. I am not going to take part in it for others and I wouldn't want it for myself. If you wonder why our society is so infatuated by individuals and their success, and being a baller, it is not that way for no reason. It is their because it serves a clear purpose. If you get people to look up to someone and adhere to the "gain wealth, forget all but self" motto, then you can get them to ignore the social contract which is very good for power systems. Also it serves as a means of distraction to get people to not pay attention to the things that do matter.

These are just my personal views. And yes, I realize I am conflicted. I capitalize off this game that targets peoples weaknesses. I do enjoy it, I love the strategy part of it, but I do see it as a very dark game. 

Happy to read any ones opinions that could convince me otherwise of my views.

@Daniel Negreanu as we know him could obviously not stay away from a controversy that just seems to be begging for his opinion and we didn't have to wait long for a response from him. These are the final two passages and you can read the entire post here:

Whatever it is you choose to do in your life, make sure INTEGRITY is at the core of it. If you are genuinely having an issue with the morality of playing poker for a living, make a choice. Don't compromise your own moral code for money. If you truly believe in your heart that what you are doing hurts people, and you don't want to hurt people, you need to make a choice.

If I may make a suggestion, why not continue to do what you love, empower others, educate others about the dangers of this lifestyle, and use the money your talents allow you to earn, to make a difference in the world? Not by staking people btw! Lol. You have the potential at a very young age to make a positive impact on the world, both with your money and intelligence. Don't waste the gifts you've been given, and be grateful for the kind of life you are able to create as a result of those gifts.

More on RankingHero:

Second-Biggest Winner in Poker History Refuses to Promote the Game

Daniel Negreanu on Top of the World

Terrible Day for AA in Big One for One Drop with Two Bad Beat Eliminations

The Monte-Carlo EPT Super High Roller - a Clash of Cultures, Generations, and Poker Styles

The livestreamed #EPTGrandFinal €100,000 buy-in #SuperHighRoller in Monaco this year offered poker fans all over the world three days of fantastic entertainment, bringing together the top pros on the planet and a sizeable group of the mythical #Macao Big Game players. The mainstream stars busted early and in the end it was a match between the Asian group and the online kids (who are by no means new kids on the poker block).

The Super High Roller EPT albums with Neil Stoddard photos could be published without further editing as a “Who’s Who in Top of the Tops Poker”:

It was extremely interesting to observe the different styles of playing, of table manners and even dress and body language. And so refreshing not to see any hoodies or headphones, hardly any sunglasses and phones, and to actually hear the players laugh and talk, just like in the good old Full Tilt Poker TV days…

In fact there were three distinct groups at the Super High Roller event - the Macau players (@Paul Phua @Richard Yong @Lo Shing Fung, the older-generation stars (@Phil Ivey @Daniel Negreanu), and the twenty-something online wizards (@Daniel Colman @Daniel Cates). 

It was a little sad to see the best-known and possibly best-liked players of an older generation drop out first but the more exotic Asian group that made it to the final table offered a fascinating opportunity to compare two very different demographic sets of characteristics and behavior models at the poker table. It was a clash between the young guys and the old folks, between patiently betting on the probable and constantly daring the odds, between millionaires in hard-earned real cash and another type of millionaires with a more abstract idea of money as a points system. 

The 'kids' won by a landslide as Paul Phua, Richard Yong, and Lo Shing Fung left the final table one by one. The chop deal made immediately after the departure of the last Asian player reinforced the impression of a community of sorts, of shared identity, background, and attitudes. We will soon bring you another article taking a closer look at the profiles and similarities between the winner and runner-up in the 2014 EPT Super High Roller - Daniel Cates and Daniel Coleman. Meanwhile, here’s the strikingly similar chart of their live winnings:

Related reading on RankingHero:

The Macau Big Game

Macau Cash Game Stories and Pics by First-Hand Participants

Out of the Online Jungle - Daniel Cates Bursts Onto the Live Poker Scene