Where Are the WPT Shooting Stars Going Next

This year the WPT #ShootingStar Championship was a great success, with an amazing star-studded field and record number of entries (in excess of 700). Equally unprecedented was the fact that NONE of the stars designated as 'bounties' at each of the 25 tables survived beyond Day 2, when the field of about 300 went down to 36. 

Photos: Jennifer Tilly, WPT Live Updates. @Jennifer Tilly @Maria Ho @Vanessa Selbst @Antonio Esfandiari 

Photos: WPT Live Updates. @Marvin Rettenmaier @Eugene Katchalov 

For the first time in WPT history none of the 'bounties' reached Day 3. Hopefully all the wishes made on the shooting stars will come true...

So where are they off to next? One obvious destination is the 2014 WPT Rolling Thunder in nearby @Thunder Valley Casino Resort. There is even a free shuttle service that has been taking players to Thunder Valley since yesterday. The $3,500 5-day main event is scheduled to begin on Saturday, Mar. 15. 

Event schedule on WorldPokerTour.com

Alternately, the shooting stars might choose to take a break and you could find them in a theater near you :)

Photo tweeted by Jennifer Tilly, 'We are the only ones in the theater. @PhilLaak pic.twitter.com/M3Nl6WixJ3' on Mar 13

Sam Trickett - the World's Youngest Old School Player?

At 27, he may be the world's youngest old school player. The one who could survive in the Wild West or in 1930’s mafia-ruled Sicily... @Sam Trickett's sheer physical presence and the confidence he exudes command respect and attention. Yet at the same time he’s disarmingly unpretentious, genuine, and approachable.

Europe’s top live poker winner did not learn the game online as most of his generation, and does not have an exotic professional background or degree in advanced mathematics, economics, or astrophysics. He was born in 1986 in Nottinghamshire, UK. When he was 17 years old he was dreaming of making it in football and was really good at it but a knee injury put an abrupt end to any such plans and he had to take a job. As a plumber, earning 80 Pounds a week. Before long his best friend got him hooked on the local pub poker games and so it began, around 2005.

“I never thought I was going to be an international poker superstar. I just saw it as a way to pick up some money quickly. I always dreamed of having nice cars and houses but I never really wanted to work that hard. I could see that gambling might be a shortcut.”

And it was by no means only uphill from there. There were major wins but also very bad losses, debt, lies, family problems, and heartbreak along the way to poker stardom and riches. And the fact that he’s been through it all makes him even more likeable and inspiring for regular poker fans and struggling gamblers. 

Beneath the tough surface and warrior’s built, Sam is a romantic, committed and still in love with the girl he grew up with and first kissed when they were both 14.  

Even during their break-up in 2010, they stayed in touch and now that they are back together Natasha Sandhu is travelling the poker circuit with him.

“Looking back I wouldn’t change anything because this time I appreciate everything,” Sam says in an interview for Daily Mirror. And that applies to his bankroll, that he swears he would never put at risk again, as well as his love life and family, whose trust he will never again gamble away.

"Just realised this pic looks like im pouting! Im obv kissing the dog,haha! Will never catch me pouting."

Sam Trickett is now faced with a new challenge - in a highly publicized deal, he joined Everest Poker and hopes to make a difference as a poker ambassador. He is now playing the WPT Venice Carnival Main Event and of course hopes to win his first WSOP bracelet this year (ideally at the second edition of the $1 million buy-in Big One for One Drop this summer).

Check out Sam’s earnings since 2007 on RankingHero, as well as the all-time money list.

Poker Ambassadors Meet at the WPT Venice Poker Tables

The colorful field of players at Gioco Digitale WPT Venice Carnival Main Event (March 10-15) includes a number of eminent poker ambassadors who are testing their diplomacy skills at the tables in the inspiring setting of the world's oldest casino - Casino di Venezia.

@Liv Boeree - PokerStars Team Pro was eliminated by @Andrea Dato during level 7 today (AK

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wpteurope/

Lovely PartyPoker Pro @Kara Scott has been sharing her genuine and contagious enjoyment of Venice with her fans in the past few days. Her fiance, @Giovanni Rizzo, just got eliminated but Kara is still hanging in there as we write!

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wpteurope/

Finally, many - if not all - eyes are on @Sam Trickett, who is hailed as Europe's most successful live tournament player and who has just joined Everest Poker, with the promise to share 10% of his 2014 WSOP winnings with Everest players.

We wish all of them lots of luck and a great time in Venice. And if they burn their bridges at the WPT, they can always try to cross all 409 of them in Venice :)

Live updates, chip counts, and photos from the WPT Live Updates team

Ludovic Lacay Makes It to Day 2 at WPT Shooting Star

Our best wishes and congratulations to EPT champion @Ludovic Lacay who was one of the 11 Shooting Stars to survive Day1B at the @World Poker Tour Main Event, @Bay 101 Casino, San Jose. We are proud he is a member of the RankingHero community and will keep our fingers crossed for him on Day 2. 

This is how he tripled up during Level 4 (blinds 100-200) from T6,500 to 20,000 (coverage by WPT Live Updates):

Shooting Star Ludovic Lacay is short stacked and all in for about 6,500 with J♦ J♠, Matt Stout holds A♥ K♥and is all in for roughly 25,000, and a third player in the hands holds K♣ 10♦  and has both covered.

The board runs out 10♥ 8♠ 2♣ 2♦ 2♠ , giving the main pot to Lacay witth deuces full of jacks, while Stout is eliminated.

 Well done and GL today, on Day 2!

Sam Trickett Just Joined the Action at WPT Venice

@Sam Trickett made all the poker news headlines yesterday as the latest ambassador of poker. The most successful live tournament player in Europe has signed a deal with Everest Poker - "Everest is a great poker brand and I will be doing everything I can to make it one of the most recognized in the world."

In a special promotion, a 10% share of all his winnings from the 2014 World Series of Poker (WSOP) (excluding the One Drop) will be distributed among Everest players.

Meanwhile, Sam has just joined the WPT and is already playing at Casino di Venezia in the Gioco Digitale WPT Venice Carnival Main Event Day 1B!

GL Your Excellency!..

Fantastic Line-Up at WPT Shooting Star Main Event at Bay 101 Casino

There is not even any need to write an article to get your interest in this incredibly star-studded event - it's enough to cite the names of some of the players who got eliminated on Day 1A: @Daniel Negreanu, @Mike Sexton, @Todd Brunson, @Joe Hachem, @John Juanda, @Phil Laak, @Mike Matusow, @Thuan B. "Scotty" Nguyen, @Erik Seidel, @Jennifer Tilly, and @Phil Hellmuth. 

28 out of 29 of the Shooting Stars who started on Day 1A - the only one missing is Mike Matusow.

Seated, left to right: Paul Volpe, Matthew Salsberg, Blair Hinkle, Phil Hellmuth, Jennifer Tilly, Brian Rast, Phil Laak, Mike Sexton, Todd Brunson, Antonio Esfandiari, John Juanda, Joe Hachem, Nam Le, and Noah Schwartz.

Standing, left to right: Scotty Nguyen, J.C. Tran, Faraz Jaka, Jason Koon, David Chiu, Erik Seidel, Jonathan Duhamel, Eugene Katchalov, Daniel Negreanu, Loni Harwood, Tony Dunst, Dominik Nitsche, Jay Farber, Marvin Rettenmaier, and Tournament Director Matt Savage.

WPT Executive Tour Director @Matt Savage has every reason to embrace this as his favorite poker event. It is a celebrity-packed, fan- and media-friendly show with fantastic promotional value and impact.

So how does it work? The main event is a $7,500 buy-in, single re-entry event, with two Day 1s, each with 10 one-hour levels. Players begin with 30,000 in chips and may buy in up until the start of Day 2. There are 25 tables and at each table, at least one player will be designated a #ShootingStar, with a bounty on their head. The player who eliminates a shooting star from the tournament earns $2,500. What is more, the chip leader in Day 1A and Day 1B will each earn $10,000. 

117 out of 312 entrants remained at the end of Day 1A. 

Play resumes today for Day 1B at 11:00 AM (UTC/GMT -7 hours) And these are the 12 surviving stars:

@David Chiu  - 174,000 (145 bb)
@Jason Koon  - 149,600 (124 bb)
@Dominik Nitsche  - 128,000 (106 bb)
@Matt Salsberg   - 109,200 (91 bb)
@Jonathan Duhamel  - 106,700 (88 bb)
@Marvin Rettenmaier  - 103,400 (86 bb)
@Antonio Esfandiari  - 85,000 (70 bb)
@Brian Rast  - 77,900 (64 bb)
@Loni Harwood  - 65,000 (54 bb)
@Faraz Jaka - 59,200 (49 bb)
@Blair Hinkle  - 43,300 (36 bb)
@Eugene Katchalov  - 24,500 (20 bb)

Live updates, chip counts, and photos from the WPT Live Updates team and Bay101News.com

The Stage Is Set for Drama and Passion at WPT Venice

The Carnival of Venice ended on the 4th of March but the show must go on and poker has taken over the relay. The Gioco Digitale WPT Venice Carnival, which includes more than 30 events, is entering its culminating phase today with the start of the $3,000 WPT 5-day Main Event.

The maginificent palazzo on the Grand Canal hosts the world's oldest still operating casino (opened in 1638) - Casino di Venezia - and it is also home to the Wagner Museum, being the last dwelling-place of the great composer. So the stage is certainly set for drama and passion at the poker tables. 

Last year @Phil Hellmuth made the most of this unique setting to stage a dramatic entrance:

The WPT Live Show hosted by commentator Jesse May promises daily updates, interviews and special guests during the 5-day event with the following schedule:

10th March 2014: 21:00-21:30 CET
11th March 2014: 21:00-21:30 CET
12th March 2014: 21:00-21:30 CET
13th March 2014: 21:00-22:00 CET
14th March 2014: 21:00-22:00 CET
15st March 2014: Final Table live commentary starting at 14:45PM CET

So who could you expect to glide right past you in a traditional black gondola if you happen to be in Venice right now? @Sam Trickett is reportedly there and last year’s WPT Venice Grand Prix winner, @Rocco Palumbo is defending the title. Other notable pros already playing include @Steve Watts and @Julian Thomas, and many more are expected to join them. The main event has a second Day 1 B with possible re-entry and those who play on both Day 1A and 1B will be free to choose either their Day 1A or Day 1B stack to bring to Day 2.

Kara Scott – What To Do And What NOT To Do in Venice!

Jesse May - Get Ready Venice Here We Come! 

UK Online Poker Star Rhys Jones with First Major Live Win

Rhys Jones crushes online as: #floppinhel, floppin_ell, floppinhel11, floorpinhel, and as a Main Event Travel Sponsored Player, he’s also been drawing lots of attention and making live tournament news in the past two years.

Last night Rhys Jones became #GUKPT Main Event Manchester Champion 2014 and besides the trophy and a cash prize of about $67,000, that entitles him to a seat in the grand final in November.  The @Grosvenor UK Poker Tour is one of the UK's longest-running and most popular poker tours and Rhys will probably make appearances at other legs of the tour before the final.

@Rhys Jones is one of UK’s top online poker players - currently 11th on PocketFives, he reached his highest ranking in late 2013 when he climbed to third place after only @Chris Moorman and @Jude Ainsworth. His online cashes amount to about $2 million and since 2011, he has accumulated $445,000 in live winnings.

Rhys is a well-liked and popular guy in the UK poker community and is particularly sought-after as rail enthusiast. Here with Chris Moorman, railing for @Craig McCorkell in 2012.

While 2013 was great for Rhys online, 2014 is looking really good in the live tournament arena - he got ITM in two Aussie Millions events and now he’s had his first major live win in Manchester. Rhys won after playing heads-up with another UK player to watch out for - @Simon Deadman, who’s had three second place finishes this year and is sure to make his name heard again soon.

 Full coverage, videos and interviews on http://www.gukpt.com/gukpt-2014-leg-2-manchester-blog/

"Losing money for a living... not sure it's sustainable" - you can read this on Rhys Jones' Twitter profile but the way his career has been going lately, he may have to change his motto soon for something more relevant, GL!

More and More of Moorman - 2014 WPT LAPC Champion

This has been an incredible week in @Chris Moorman's poker career: he started off modestly with his FOURTH consecutive Best International Player award (BPA, Monday, March 3rd); then on Wednesday he topped the PocketFives Rankings as the number 1 online player worldwide. And all the while he was not just surviving but thriving at the L.A. Poker Classic Main Event and made it to Day 6. And he won.

We don't know what else he's got planned for the weekend, but maybe it's time to remind him that even God took a rest on Day 7. And God knows Moorman deserves it.

1 million in 5K chips!

Cheered on by his excited supporters on the rail, Chris Moorman triumphed at his first WPT final table and ultimately won his first major tournament title with a pair of Aces in a heads-up with Glenn Lafaye. 

You will find complete coverage of the six-day main event on http://www.worldpokertour.com/Live_Updates/Post.aspx and http://www.lapcnews.com/

 More about Moorman and #LAPC2014 on RankingHero: Chris Moorman Eliminates Jennifer Tilly at WPT L.A. Poker Classic

Professional Bluffer

@Isabelle Mercier was born in Victoriaville, Quebec, Canada. She studied law at the University of Montreal but ended up practicing for only 6 months; this being the minimum delay in order to obtain her license. Refusing to settle for a 9 to 5 job, she turned down a position with the “Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec” (Quebec Deposit and Investment Fund).

Instead, she sent her resume to more than hundred casinos worldwide. She envisionned that working in the gaming industry could help her fulfill her dream of becoming a globetrotter. Penniless, she flew to Paris trying to get a job at the Aviation Club de France (ACF), a renowned game club located on the Champs Élysées. Once hired and working the night shift, she also studied at the Sorbonne Univertisty in order to obtain her French working visa, while completing a master's degree in International Law. Determined, she quickly climbed her way up to a managerial position at the ACF's poker room.

Constantly in contact with the big names of poker, Isabelle saw that becoming a professional poker player could be a possible career path. After a few years, driven by desire and the constant need to push herself, she was unstoppable. She sold all her belongings in order to bankroll herself, growing into a full-fledged professional poker player. She started living in her suitcases and risk became an integral part of her life.

In 2004, she hit the jackpot by winning the World Poker Tour (WPT) Ladies Night Tournament. During that tournament, Isabelle was given the nickname “No Mercy” by the famous poker legend and commentator, Mike Sexton. This nickname is a reference to her aggressive and merciless game play.

World Poker Tour WPT Ladies Night II 2004 pt1 by wsop08

Following her remarkable success, Isabelle was noticed by a popular online poker site and was offered to be an international spokesperson for the company. Soon after, Isabelle was shot to stardom increasing her media coverage worldwide. In 2009, “No Mercy” gave back 260,000€ to the Darfur cause, the totality of her first place prize at the tournament “Ante Up for Africa”, and her winnings exceed one million dollars in tournament prizes.

Today, she is a renowned player and a major influence in the world of poker, thanks to her many projects, which highlight her creativity and flair for business. Her autobiography “Profession: Bluffer” came out in Canada on January 16th, 2008, in France on February 8th, 2008, and in Italy in December of that same year. Her DVD “Win at poker, by Isabelle Mercier”, distributed by Warner, was released on March 4th, 2008, in France.

In 2010, Isabelle was the commentator of the poker series “High Stakes Poker” Seasons 4 and 5, for Orange Sport channel in France, and she came back to the screen in 2011 as the commentator of the 30 episodes of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) of Las Vegas.

Isabelle lives in Monaco, and is the manager of her own company, “No Mercy Productions” based and created in the Principality of Monaco in October 2012.