This week we invited you to relive some great poker moments with the Hand of the Year shortlist in The British Poker Awards and to read TBPA 2013 winner and 2014 nominee Victoria Coren's great article on Phil Ivey's (uneven?) battle with the casinos.
The first of a series of exclusive RankingHero interviews is up and more are to come in the coming week! @Sofia Lovgren talked to Pedro Canali about being an ambassador for 888 Poker, the poker pro lifestyle, and her favorite stop on the live poker circuit!
Since the beginning of October, RankingHeroes have been busy competing for the buy-in to the @Barriere Poker Tour at @Casino Barrière d'Enghien-les-Bains, as well as great prize packages offered by @TPTK and @custompok. The Grand Championship on Campok - the first webcam poker application on Facebook, is now over and we have a winner: @Gilles Duguy will take the RankingHero patch to Enghien on October 30! May the RKH force be with you, Gilles :)
Don't miss the new additions to the November Nine moments collection of poker hands - with Bruno Foster Politano and Mark Newhouse! And take a look at the amazing 2014 record of WSOP Player of the Year winner George Danzer!
Finally, if you've ever suspected collusion and cheating in your online poker room, don't think there's nothing you can do - here is how a group of players got together and exposed a fraud scheme, leading to the current trial against WSOP bracelet winner Darren Woods.
Welcome to all the players and poker fans who joined our community this week. To mention just a few - @Mathieu Rebourg @Loic Pierre Marc Revellat @Nathan Barfoot. @O\'Dell Potter joined us with the motto "Good luck to all, better luck to me" ;) and @Grazielli Politano - sister of Brazil's first November Niner! - registered upon the personal invitation of @Vincent Dupuy (Vincent, can you please get Bruno to come, too :)
Congratulations to all the members who cashed in the PMU.fr WPT National Marrakech and other tournaments all over the world! We hope you'll share your photos, hands, and reviews of events and venues where you played. Good luck to all RankingHeroes in WPTN Brussels with @Pedro Canali and @Bruno Vanryb :)
You are all most welcome to visit us on Facebook and to follow us on Twitter!
Yours truly,
The Four Best Poker Hands of the Year
For the first time this year @Bluff Europe presents a new category in The British Poker Awards - fans are invited to vote for their favorite poker hand. The selection is great and seems to have it all: from heartbreaking whims of chance to cold-hearted skill, through heart-throbbing suspense - you guessed it, poker is definitely not for the faint-hearted :)
The worst bad beat and the best read, a huge bluff and a rollercoaster of a hand - 17 minutes of fantastic poker that remind us why we are all under the spell of the game!
All of these hands have been featured on RankingHero:
Terrible Day for AA in Big One for One Drop with Two Bad Beat Eliminations
A Must Have for Your Poker Hand Collection from EPT Barcelona
Scott Seiver and One of the Most Memorable Hands in WSOP 2014
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Adrien Bacchi 17 Feb 2015
Adrien Bacchi 17 Feb 2015
Awesome poker moments thanks !!!
A Good Year for WSOP POY George Danzer
@George Danzer was the only player in the world to capture two bracelets in Vegas this summer. With his third win from WSOP APAC in Melbourne, Danzer won the WSOP Player of the Year race against @Brandon Shack-Harris with 6 final tables (5 for Shack-Harris), 10 cashes (vs. 9), and 3 titles vs. the American's one win and two runner-up finishes in WSOP!
Even before his amazing WSOP summer, Danzer scored a first place in the EPT Monte Carlo and these FOUR first places from 7 final tables put him on top of one of the toughest national rankings in poker - the German one!
Danzer ranks 8th by earnings in 2014 within the phenomenal #GermanPoker team and with his 15 cashes is second only to @Ismael Bojang (18 ITM) in this respect in 2014.
George Danzer made this video to thank everyone for the support and good wishes but it seems that fans, too, have to thank him for being such a smiling and positive presence in the poker world!
More on RKH:
George Danzer Only Exception in Total US Domination in WSOP 2014 Stats
PokerStars Blog: George Danzer, Player of the Year, thanks you
2011 Collective Player Investigation Leads Up to Fraud Trial Against Darren Woods
There has been a recent addition to our #PokerCrimeFiles with news about the ongoing trial in the UK against @Darren Woods on fraud charges for offences committed between January 2007 and January 2012. The case goes back to 2011, when a group of high-stakes players on 888poker became aware of a likely cheating scheme involving collusion at the push-or-fold tables. The problem was, their suspicions were directed at a well-known and respected player, a WSOP bracelet holder, no less!
At the time, Darren Woods was an 888poker sponsored player and pokerstrategy.com coach, and had just won his bracelet in WSOP 2011, Event 19 - Six-Handed Limit Texas Holdem. No wonder their initial complaint met with the following response from VIP support: "maybe you should move down in stakes where the games are softer". What they did instead was to organize their own investigation!
The players set up a skype channel, started collecting screenshots, chat and hand histories and prepared a report that was brought to the attention of 888poker management with the help of the PokerStrategy CEO.
A detailed account can be found on 2+2 and here is an excerpt from the official statement the group sent to 888poker management:
| Purpose and Introduction This is a collective statement from the high stakes players of 888.com. What brought us together is a very strong suspicion that some other players at the highest stakes of the 888.com PushorFold (PoF) tables are colluding (they are sharing hole cards with each other). The push or fold tables are perfect for this as the play is very easy and straight and the advantage provided by collusion maximized as all decisions take place early. We all agree that something suspicious is happening and we ask you to immediately freeze the involved accounts and their assets until a thorough investigation is done. They keep playing every day and many innocent players are getting hurt. Its very important to stop what we suspect as cheating as soon as possible. The players suspected of colluding is dooshcom (Darren Woods) working togheter with benkaremail, liverfc123 and benhamandcheese. Why do we think they are cheating? |
BLUFF Live! @ The 2011 WSOP - Episode 15 - June 14, 2011
The players' efforts proved well worthwhile. The prosecution at Sheffield Crown Court now claims Woods and his 56-year-old father, Morteza Gharoon, used different computers and real persons' identities to open accounts on various poker sites. "He cheated from the outset and he knew what he was doing was wrong from the outset," claimed Prosecutor Alasdair Campbell. According to the Grimsby Telegraph, "Woods admitted playing online poker games using other people's names but denied acting dishonestly or that he had any intention of making a gain."
Darren Woods and his father deny all charges. The trial continues and online poker players all over the world are sure to follow developments closely.
Grimsby Telegraph:
Gambling star 'knew what he was doing was wrong'
Champion poker player from Healing 'used other people's identities', fraud trial told
Fraud trial: Vegas poker star & dad from Healing deny 'fooling the system' of thousands
888 Poker Player Darren Woods @ Aussie Millions 2010:
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British Poker Awards Winner and 2014 Nominee Victoria Coren Mitchell on the Phil Ivey Case
If her historic double EPT title win is not enough reason for you, the sense and sensibility of @Victoria Coren Mitchell's writing will get you to head over to The British Poker Awards site and vote for her in all three categories in which the @Bluff Europe expert panel shortlisted her this year :)
The popular TV presenter, writer, and poker pro @Victoria Coren Mitchell was last year's winner in the Best Social Media User category in #BritishPokerAwards presented by @Bluff Europe. In 2014, the first-ever two-time EPT champion has been nominated for three awards: Poker Personality of the Year, Performance of the Year, and Best Social Media User.
Here is Vicky Coren's take on the @Phil Ivey edge sorting affair:
The late gambling legend Amarillo Slim once bet the 1939 Wimbledon champion Bobby Riggs that he could beat him at ping-pong. When the match day dawned, the old-time gambler surprised the tennis champ by unveiling the “bats” he’d brought: two cast-iron cooking skillets. Slim had been practising with the skillets for months. Riggs could barely hold them. The tennis whizz thought he’d had a big edge in the coup, but he was wrong. He paid out and learned from his mistake.
Titanic Thompson once bet a guy that he could work out how many watermelons were piled on a passing truck, by sight alone. The guy had no idea that Thompson had met the truck driver the previous day, counted the watermelons and paid him to drive past at an agreed time. The guy paid out and learned from his mistake.
Phil Ivey himself, a few years ago, lost several thousand dollars playing golf against a couple of British poker players. One of the Brits made the mistake of boasting widely that Ivey was “a golf fish”. The proud American went away, took lessons, played obsessively, then came back and (claiming he’d “hardly played”) suggested upping the stakes. He won a million dollars.
Some argued that it was cheating not to declare a changed handicap. Others replied that this was not an official match; Ivey had been taken for a mug, so he mugged his opponents in return.
Why should casinos be exempt from the traps that face all gamblers? They hustle in their own ways, after all. No windows or clocks, so we lose a sense of time. Free drinks; friendly dealers; no open declaration of their statistical advantage. If they think you’re going to lose a fortune (as they did in Ivey’s case), they will pander to your “superstitions”, whether it’s providing a Mandarin-speaking dealer or flipping cards around. It’s all about making you feel important, to ensure you keep betting your money at unfavourable odds. They make you feel “lucky” when you don’t have a chance.
Ivey interfered with the run of play. That is one definition of cheating; the judge accepted it and I can see why. But my heart says he was just cleverer than the house.
More on RKH:
Victoria Coren in the Run for a Second EPT Title at Sanremo
Champion of Poker Victoria Coren Mitchell Wins Favorite EPT Moment
Did Phil Ivey Cheat or Outsmart the Casinos?
More by Victoria Coren Mitchell:
Nedellecmickael 21 Oct 2014
sexy @Victoria Coren Mitchell en petite chatte :p :p mais aussi en winneuse de l'EPT ;) :p
Nicolas Levi 21 Oct 2014
<3
November Nine Moments: Mark Newhouse Strikes with 5's Again!
Back-to-back November Niner @Mark Newhouse hit quads with pocket 5's on Day 5 and famously eliminated @Jose-Luis Velador on Day 7 with pocket 5's vs. 4's. Here he is with a full house featuring the 5♥ and 5♠ that worked their magic for him on both the money bubble and the final table bubble!
Day 6, World Series of Poker 2014 Main Event
@Scott Mahin finished 18th for $347,521.
More on RKH:
2014 November Nine Moments - Full House Too Small for Newhouse
Back-to-Back November Niner Mark Newhouse Bio and Poker Profile
November Nine Moments: Bruno Foster Politano Rises to Chip Leader on Day 6
When two players flop sets there's bound to be some dramatic action at the table. With 1/98 chance of flopping set over set, Brazil's poker hero @Bruno Politano was on the lucky side in this all-in pot, on Day 6, World Series of Poker 2014 Main Event.
Watch the hand unfold:
On set-over-set probability (1/98), Poker Digest Vol. 4, No. 26, December 14 - 27, 2001: http://people.math.sfu.ca/~alspach/mag86/
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Weekly RankingHero Highlights
RankingHero members have been busy giving winner interviews and making travel plans to Malta this week, with the fun contest to win a fantastic prize package which includes the buy-in to the @Malta Poker Championship Main Event, hotel accomodation, and airfare! You've got until October 26 to enter and get likes from the members of the community. Good luck to all the entrants!
Winner photo collage by @twenyOone :) For more inspiration, also see the entries of @Vincent Dupuy @Rayan @Michel Pons @ Buffledoux and @janluk1554 !
We've added some great #PokerHand videos to our collection and invite you to share your own favorites! Don't miss the hand that 2014 November Niner and foosball world champion @William Pappaconstantinou called "pretty much the biggest moment of my life"!
@Liv Boeree was one of several EPT champions playing (and cashing!) in London this week - check out her interview and find out more about her passions and interests outside poker!
Congratulations to all of the members who cashed in live events all over the world - starting with @nakk who played (and won!) his first ever tournament in a casino; @Ilan Boujenah, @Mustafa Ali @William Watchman @Pierre Antoine and many, many others! @Domino2012 on the other hand has been frustrated in poker lately but has an even better occasion for celebration - the birth of his daughter Amelia :)
Welcome to all the new members who joined us in the past week - @David Cromwell @Karib @Victor Chong @Michael Benhammouda @Maurizio Pili to mention a few!
Special thanks to everyone sharing links, news, photos, and poker highs and lows on RankingHero, and to all our followers on Facebook and on Twitter!
Yours truly,
Domino2012 19 Oct 2014
Thanks for the mention! 
Time to make a break through with poker now! 
Win Dream Prize Package for Malta Poker Championship on RankingHero!
The prize package in our Malta Poker Championship contest just got absolutely irresistible, with buy-in, hotel, and airfare included!!! We hope this is all the inspiration you will need to answer the three questions and create your winner's photo collage :)
The generous price package offered by RankingHero and Malta Poker Championship now includes:
Buy-in to the inaugural @Malta Poker Championship Main Event - €570.
Round-trip airfare - up to €300.
Three nights hotel accommodation at the 4 Star Boutique Hotel The George.
Your #MPCinterview Mission:
1. Give your answers:
What will be your first message on RankingHero announcing your win to your fans?
With whom will you celebrate your victory? Are you going to stay and party at Portomaso Casino?
To whom do you dedicate your victory?
2. Create and post your winner’s photo collage!
Winner photos submitted by contest entrants @Maurine Lensel @Vincent Dupuy and @Rayan GL!
3. Post your entry to the contest on RankingHero with the #MPCinterview hashtag
4. Share on social media and get all the support you can from your friends - the post with the most likes by October 26 will win the amazing prize package!
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Eva Dimitrova 17 Oct 2014
And all I have to do is answer 3 questions and make a funny collage?! Damn.. see ya in Malta, boys!
#MPCinterview #awesome
Elena RKH 17 Oct 2014
A♣ A♥ @Manmoon @Eva Dimitrova GL !!! :P
Karen Kats 26 Oct 2014
Wish I saw this sooner! :(
