In an overhaul of sorts for Season 9, the () has brought back Kimberly Lansing. Her role, you ask? According to a press statement released on Saturday, Lansing will “provide show opens, breaks, commentary, and perspective, including player interviews that will serve to bring out the human interest side of playing for high stakes.”
Sunday marks the first day of play in the Bellagio Cup VI, the kickoff U.S.-based event of Season 9 of the WPT. With buy-ins for several upcoming tournaments slashed to encourage more participation, Season 9 may mark a rebirth of sorts for the age-old series that first appeared on the Travel Channel back in 2003.
Lansing last appeared on WPT programming in Season 6. On why she will rejoin the tour’s ranks for the forthcoming cycle, WPT President Adam Pliska commented in the same press release, “We believe the WPT anchor represents a significant step forward in poker programming and Kimberly is a natural fit for the position. Her charisma, style, professionalism, and knowledge of the sport have earned her the respect and attention of players throughout the poker community.”
Party Gaming purchased the WPT late last year, leading some to believe that pro may make her way to the small screen. However, Lansing will become a mainstay at live tournaments located at casinos around the United States. Also receiving more exposure during Season 9 will be WPT hosts and Vince Van Patten, who will now attend the starting day of every U.S. event. Despite the Bellagio Cup starting on Sunday, Van Patten sits in 101st after Day 2A of the Main Event holding a stack of 174,200.
The WPT held a press conference on Saturday morning to announce the changes for Season 9 and also officially introduced Matt Savage as its Executive Tour Director. Savage, a co-founder of the Tournament Directors of America, will work hand in hand with players, casinos, and tournament staff to provide a seamless experience for WPT players. Savage added, “There are so many exciting changes at the World Poker Tour and I’m looking forward to having a big role in the WPT’s continued success. This is an amazing team and I’m proud to be working with them.”
Also debuting during Season 9 will be the Royal Flush Girls, who include 2007 Miss Kentucky USA Michelle Banzer, “FHM Singapore” cover girl Sunisa Kim, and Formula Drift car builder Melyssa Grace. All told, six Royal Flush Girls will film vignettes for WPT programming, including a behind-the-scenes tour at the host venue. The Royal Flush Girls will be on-hand this weekend at the Bellagio on the Las Vegas Strip.
The WPT last held an event on U.S. soil in April, when newly signed pro took down the $25,000 Championship event. Williams defeated pro Eric “” Baldwin heads-up in a final table that also included Shawn Buchanan, , Billy Baxter, and John O’Shea. Attendance for the 2010 WPT Championship was down over 40% from 2009, when 338 players took to the felts in a tournament won by Yevgeniy “Jovial Gent” Timoshenko.
The seventh and eighth seasons of the WPT appeared on Fox Sports Net. However, no official announcement has been given as to whether the ninth season will also air on the cable station, although a statement is expected in the near future. Seasons 1 through 5 of the WPT aired on the Travel Channel, followed by a brief hiatus to GSN for Season 6. GSN officials opted not to air Season 7, leading to WPT landing on Fox Sports Net.
Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest WPT news.
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07 10th, 2010
The announcement was made during press conference held on the eve of Bellagio Cup VI, which is the first event of the WPT’s ninth season.
Lansing served as a video hostess during the WPT’s sixth season and towards the end of her run acted as a hostess like Shauna Hiatt, Courtney Friel and most recently Amanda Leatherman.
“I’m so thrilled to be back in the poker world,” said Lansing.
“I didn’t know where the WPT was going, not having had a host for a few years, so for me to come back and get a chance to be even more than a host is really exciting.”
Lansing will be the first hostess that will also be given the title as anchor which means she will cover each tournament from the starting day all the way to a winner.
“The new anchor position will allow us to have a central hub reminiscent of what you would see on Sports Center,” said WPT President Adam Pliska.
In addition to the new anchor role, the WPT will offer more international stops such as London, England and Amneville, France.
“We are truly going global,” said PartyPoker Pro Mike Sexton. “We’re not only adding stops in the US, we’re adding numerous stops around the world.”
Also new for the upcoming season are the Royal Flush Girls, six event ambassadors who will appear in every episode of the WPT bringing behind the scenes action to viewers.
The group includes Michelle Banzer, Melyssa Grace, Jennifer Haley, Melanie Iglesias, Sunisa Kim, Katrina Topacio.
Earlier this year the WPT also announced that well-known director Matt Savage would act as the executive tour director.
The WPT Bellagio Cup VI begins Sunday and will run until a winner is declared on June 15.
Earlier this week, the () moved to solidify its leadership staff with the hiring of noted tournament director Matt Savage.
The WPT stated that Savage will assume the newly created role of Executive Tour Director. This position, according to the WPT release, will place Savage as the liaison between the organization and the players, with Savage in the position to improve such areas as player communication, tournament offerings, tour cohesiveness, and growth of the WPT. With its ninth season set to begin on July 11th with the Bellagio Cup VI in Las Vegas, the WPT is looking to make the tour and schedule one of the best in the tournament poker world.
“Matt is one of the world’s foremost experts on poker tournaments,” said Steve Heller, the Chief Executive Officer of the WPT. “Matt’s expertise and relationships in the poker community will greatly enhance our upcoming ninth season.” Savage himself stated during the announcement, “I am excited about this opportunity to work with WPT as their Executive Tour Director. The World Poker Tour is one of the most respected and recognizable brands in poker and I am happy to be a part of its efforts to improve tournament poker for players, fans and casinos.” Savage encourages anyone who has concerns, thoughts, or ideas for the WPT to contact him.
Savage’s new responsibilities with the WPT shouldn’t affect his numerous directing capacities. On Twitter, in response to a question from a follower, Savage affirmed that he will still handle the overseeing of his tournaments in San Jose and Los Angeles as well as the upcoming Detox Poker Series at the Hard Rock. The Detox Poker Series will play out from August 13th to 22nd in Las Vegas while the WPT stop at the Legends of Poker at the Bicycle Casino in Bell Gardens, California is playing.
The response from the poker community has been overwhelmingly in support of the addition of Savage to the WPT’s leadership. Many players, such as ’s Adam “Roothlus” Levy, Christian Harder, Alex Outhred, and Brunson 10 member Amit “amak316” Makhija have Tweeted their congratulations to someone who knows both sides of the table. When he isn’t running tournaments, Savage is known to step to the felt to take part in the action. When asked on Twitter which one he would rather be – a top professional poker player or the top tournament director in the game – Savage responded, “One is attainable (for me) and the other is not! I’ll stick to what I am best at.”
Savage has been a part of WPT action before, but never in an official capacity. He has been the longtime tournament director at Bay 101 and its WPT event, the Shooting Star No Limit Hold’em bounty event. This year, he added in duties at the Commerce Casino’s L.A. Poker Classic. These are but a few of the highlights of what has been a remarkable career officiating the action on the felt.
Savage has appeared on more than 300 televised poker shows on nearly every outlet that poker has appeared on like Fox Sports Net, the Travel Channel, GSN, and ESPN. He has also officiated tournaments overseas, such as Asian Poker Tour stops in Macau, and once was the tournament director of the . He was also the host of a nationally televised show called “Inside Poker” and performed as an actor in the poker movie “Lucky You.” One of the founders of the Tournament Directors Association, Savage was also a recipient of the inaugural Benny Binion Award for outstanding service in the poker industry.
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The roster for the 24-team World Championship just got a little bit bigger. Top female poker pros and have been inked to play for Team Germany, whose roster currently includes Dan Heimiller. The World Championship gala will take place from October 11th to 17th in Las Vegas, although a host venue has not yet been announced.
Violette has been a staple of the poker scene since the 1980s. She final tabled Ladies’ Events at the () in 1985 and 1987 before winning her first bracelet in 2004 in a $2,000 Seven Card Stud High-Low Split Eight or Better tournament for $135,000. In 2005, Violette was the runner-up to in a $2,000 No Limit Hold’em event for $295,000, but she has not made a final table at the WSOP in four years.
Liebert also won a bracelet in 2004, taking down a $1,500 Limit Hold’em Shootout for $110,000 in a final table that included Brock “t soprano” Parker, Kevin Song, and Joe Cassidy. Liebert finished third in the 2008 World Championship of Pot Limit Hold’em for just over $300,000 and owns over $1 million in WSOP and Circuit earnings. Last November, Liebert won a $2,325 No Limit Hold’em event held during the Foxwoods World Poker Finals for $74,000 and took third in the () North American Poker Championship two years ago for nearly $300,000.
Now, these two poker divas, whose parents are German, will step up to bat on behalf of Team Germany. Competing against them under the Iranian banner will be Victory Poker pro , who also joined on with World Team Poker in recent days. Esfandiari already has two cashes during the 2010 WSOP, including a 12th place showing in a $5,000 No Limit Hold’em event for $47,000. Esfandiari finished 24th in last year’s Main Event for $352,000 and won a bracelet in 2004 in a $2,000 Pot Limit Hold’em contest.
Other World Team Poker rumors have two-time WSOP gold bracelet winner Greg “FBT” Mueller captaining Team Canada, whose roster of pros has yet to be announced. World Team Poker’s Robert Turner told Poker News Daily that the hype for the World Championship event in October is quickly building: “People like our concept. It’s something new in poker that’s never been done. Even though there have been attempts to do team events, we have it right. There is no collusion, we combine chips, and the fact that we’re with Fox Sports Net has helped. That’s the home run for us.”
On July 14th, a teaser episode of World Team Poker’s kickoff event at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas will air on Fox Sports Net. Then, beginning in September, the full action from the Downtown casino will be broadcast in one-hour episodes on the sports station on Sunday nights.
Earlier this month, World Team Poker signed pro Annette “” Obrestad to Team Norway, whose roster also includes Thor Hansen. Team China took down the tournament series’ inaugural event at the Golden Nugget, besting Team Brazil. The Chinese squad included , David Chiu, , Maria Ho, Winfred Yu, Rich Zhu, and Derek Cheung.
Twenty-three countries are listed on World Team Poker’s website, meaning that one more may need to come aboard in order to fill out a 24-team World Championship field: Armenia, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the Czech Republic, England, Germany, Greece, India, Iran, Israel, Italy, Korea, Lebanon, Mexico, Norway, the Philippines, Russia, Switzerland, Turkey, the United States, and Vietnam. Curiously absent is France, whose roster could include players like Bertrand “” Grospellier, , and .
Stay tuned for the latest news from World Team Poker.
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The tentative dates for the World Championship event of have been announced. Poker News Daily has learned that the highly anticipated tournament will likely take place in Las Vegas from October 11th to 17th. World Team Poker officials are still negotiating with the Golden Nugget, which hosted the series’ first tournament last month. However, the Golden Nugget in Downtown Las Vegas has not been officially announced as the host venue.
The World Championship will air over the course of 10 episodes in primetime on Fox Sports Net. In July, a special teaser episode of the Golden Nugget tournament will air on the same cable station. Then, in September, the entire World Team Poker Golden Nugget event will play out. The World Championship and the tour’s kickoff event will likely run back-to-back on Fox Sports Net.
A total of 24 to 32 teams will take part in the World Championship, including two brand new squads, Canada and Russia. Team Canada promises to be a formidable one. Pros from the North American nation that could take to the felts under the Canadian banner include Team Pro front man , () bracelet winner Nenad Medic, former European Poker Tour (EPT) Monte Carlo Grand Final winner Glen Chorny, and Greg “FBT” Mueller.
Russia’s roster of pros could encompass the likes of WSOP bracelet winner Alexander Kravchenko, 2008 WSOP and WSOP Europe Main Event final table member , and last year’s $40,000 WSOP No Limit Hold’em commemorative event winner , who gained additional fame when the contest aired on ESPN.
Given the caliber of talent involved with World Team Poker, Poker News Daily asked organizer Robert Turner why the World Championship event was not held concurrently with the WSOP, while many of the game’s elite will be camped out in Las Vegas. Last year, for example, Dream Team Poker held a tournament during the WSOP that attracted 122 teams, or 366 players. Turner explained, “Next year, we may do that. For 2011, we’ll try to do our events when everyone is in town.”
Turner also revealed that two-time Olympic gold medal skier Petter Northug may join Team Norway at the World Team Poker Championship event. Northug won gold medals in the 50 km Classic and Team Sprint during the 2010 Vancouver Games and also captured a silver and a bronze. Team Norway recently added new pro Annette “” Obrestad to a lineup that already included Thor Hansen.
Given poker’s acceptance as a “mind sport” by the International Mind Sports Association (IMSA), poker in the Olympics may soon be a reality. Turner and company have already pitched the concept of a World Team Poker event during the 2012 Summer Games in London. In the same European city, the IMSA World Mind Sports Games will feature poker, chess, and bridge.
Team China emerged victorious from World Team Poker’s inaugural event at the Golden Nugget. Its roster included 10-time bracelet winner , former Championship winner David Chiu, , Mario Ho, Winfred Yu, Rich Zhu, and Derek Cheung. Heads-up, China bested Team Brazil, which included Juliano Maesano, Rodrigo “Zidane” Caprioli, Humberto “Kima” Kim, Raul Oliveira, Christian Kruel, Leandro “Brasa” Pimentel, and Felipe “Mojave” Ramos.
Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest from World Team Poker.
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Online poker has been assaulted on several fronts over the past few days. The June 1st institution of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act () had, to this point, yet to be in full effect. Another ruling in Switzerland, issued the day after the UIGEA was enacted, has been decried by poker’s preeminent governing body as a misguided judicial decision.
On June 2nd, the Swiss Supreme Court made the decision that poker was a “game of luck,” which has a significant effect throughout the country. The lower court decision that was overturned ruled that Texas Hold’em was a game of skill and eligible for play anywhere, including private games in hotels, bars, and restaurants. The decision by the Swiss Supreme Court reverses that decision and makes such private games illegal; under the Supreme Court decision, the only place for poker to be played is in a casino.
The International Federation of Poker (IFP), which has made significant inroads into becoming the governing body for the sport of poker, reacted with understandable outrage over the Swiss Supreme Court decision. The president of the IFP, noted poker journalist Anthony Holden, was quoted in a statement on the organization’s website: “This is yet another example of misguided poker thinking by courts and judges who simply do not understand the game – i.e. that poker is a ‘mind-sport’ of strategic skill far more than luck.”
Holden accurately pointed out that the sport of poker has reached beyond the debate of skill versus luck when the International Mind Sports Association (IMSA) recognized it as a “mind sport.” He explained, “In April of this year, poker was accepted as a ‘mind-sport’ by the International Mind Sports Association, an organization recognized by the International Olympic Committee, which puts it on a par with chess and bridge as a game of skill.”
“Poker has also been invited by SportAccord, the general assembly of 150 international sport federations, to take part in next year’s World Mind Games in China,” Holden pointed out in the IFP statement. Poker is also expected to be a competition sport during the IMSA’s next World Mind Sports Games, to be contested during the run of the Summer Olympics in 2012 in London.
Since it was created in April 2008, the IFP has been one of the most active advocates for the sport of poker around the world. After electing Holden as president, the IFP’s primary goal has been to have the sport of poker recognized as a skill – or “mind” – sport instead of its common view as a game of luck. Exactly one year after its founding, the IFP was able to earn the “mind sport” designation from the IMSA and has exhaustively been at the forefront of proving to governmental organizations, through academic research and study, that skill is a much more critical element to poker than luck.
“We at IFP will continue this battle on behalf of the poker community,” Holden emphasized in the IFP statement while appealing to the wider poker community. “I urge you all to rally to our support. Do not allow our skillful ‘mind-sport’ to be hijacked and repressed by ignorant legislators. We must persuade governments and courts throughout the world to separate it off from mere gambling.”
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Online poker has been assaulted on several fronts over the past few days. The June 1st institution of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act () had, to this point, yet to be in full effect. Another ruling in Switzerland, issued the day after the UIGEA was enacted, has been decried by poker’s preeminent governing body as a misguided judicial decision.
On June 2nd, the Swiss Supreme Court made the decision that poker was a “game of luck,” which has a significant effect throughout the country. The lower court decision that was overturned ruled that Texas Hold’em was a game of skill and eligible for play anywhere, including private games in hotels, bars, and restaurants. The decision by the Swiss Supreme Court reverses that decision and makes such private games illegal; under the Supreme Court decision, the only place for poker to be played is in a casino.
The International Federation of Poker (IFP), which has made significant inroads into becoming the governing body for the sport of poker, reacted with understandable outrage over the Swiss Supreme Court decision. The president of the IFP, noted poker journalist Anthony Holden, was quoted in a statement on the organization’s website: “This is yet another example of misguided poker thinking by courts and judges who simply do not understand the game – i.e. that poker is a ‘mind-sport’ of strategic skill far more than luck.”
Holden accurately pointed out that the sport of poker has reached beyond the debate of skill versus luck when the International Mind Sports Association (IMSA) recognized it as a “mind sport.” He explained, “In April of this year, poker was accepted as a ‘mind-sport’ by the International Mind Sports Association, an organization recognized by the International Olympic Committee, which puts it on a par with chess and bridge as a game of skill.”
“Poker has also been invited by SportAccord, the general assembly of 150 international sport federations, to take part in next year’s World Mind Games in China,” Holden pointed out in the IFP statement. Poker is also expected to be a competition sport during the IMSA’s next World Mind Sports Games, to be contested during the run of the Summer Olympics in 2012 in London.
Since it was created in April 2008, the IFP has been one of the most active advocates for the sport of poker around the world. After electing Holden as president, the IFP’s primary goal has been to have the sport of poker recognized as a skill – or “mind” – sport instead of its common view as a game of luck. Exactly one year after its founding, the IFP was able to earn the “mind sport” designation from the IMSA and has exhaustively been at the forefront of proving to governmental organizations, through academic research and study, that skill is a much more critical element to poker than luck.
“We at IFP will continue this battle on behalf of the poker community,” Holden emphasized in the IFP statement while appealing to the wider poker community. “I urge you all to rally to our support. Do not allow our skillful ‘mind-sport’ to be hijacked and repressed by ignorant legislators. We must persuade governments and courts throughout the world to separate it off from mere gambling.”
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Former () Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack has a new gig. After parting ways with Harrah’s last November, Pollack is the new Executive Chairman of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) and will serve on the company’s Board of Directors, according to the Sports Business Journal.
Former PBR CEO Randy Bernard stepped down in February to make his way to the Indy Racing League (IRL). Pollack has already made an impact on the new company despite having little tenure. He told the Sports Business Journal, “We’ll take a fresh look at scheduling and where we hold our competitions” and added, “We may retire the title of CEO, that’s something we haven’t decided.” Pollack makes his home in Los Angeles and PBR is based in Colorado.
In addition to the WSOP, Pollack previously held down positions with the NBA and NASCAR, making him one of the industry’s top sports marketers. He once expressed his desire to have poker players competing at the annual WSOP look like NASCAR drivers, leading to the deluge of high-profile logos gracing the series’ telecasts. He joined Harrah’s in 2005 and was instrumental in serving as the primary liaison between poker players and WSOP management.
Three days following ’s victory over in the finale of the 2009 WSOP Main Event, Pollack announced that he was leaving his post. Appropriately for the new-age WSOP Commissioner, he Tweeted his final statements to the poker world: “Thank you for allowing me to be part of the WSOP these last few years. I will always be a fan and friend to the poker community.” Pollack has not made a Twitter entry since November 13th.
On TwoPlusTwo, posters reacted to Pollack’s new gig with PBR. TwoPlusTwo member “PADRE24” questioned, “Congrats to Jeff! He did a great job and will be a good rep for bull riding. I wonder if he has to wear a cowboy hat now?” Meanwhile, “Eponymous” joked, “He probably just wants to meet Jewel, who is married to one of the PBR founders.” Jewel is married to Ty Murray, who is an advisor to the PBR’s Board.
Pollack is a half-brother of Gary Bettman, the Commissioner of the NHL, and was instrumental in bringing on several non-poker sponsors to the WSOP including Sirius Satellite Radio, AOL, Milwaukee’s Best, and Planters Peanuts. The latter sponsored the “Good Instinct Moment” during WSOP on ESPN telecasts. Current WSOP sponsors include , Jack Link’s Beef Jerky, and Bluff Magazine.
In a , pro and reigning National Heads-Up Poker Championship winner explained what Pollack’s departure meant to the poker community: “The community agrees that it may be bad for the players. What that speaks to, whether it’s true or not, was that he was a big friend to the players and that’s his legacy. What an amazing legacy for someone to have.”
WSOP Vice President Ty Stewart has assumed many of the front-line duties of Pollack, but no new Commissioner has been named. During the first bracelet ceremony of 2010, WSOP Tournament Director Jack Effel took on the duties of awarding the piece of hardware to Hoai Pham, winner of the $500 Casino Employees No Limit Hold’em tournament.
Bluff Magazine Editor-in-Chief Lance Bradley told Poker News Daily that PBR was wise to Pollack into its ranks: “I think the PBR is lucky to have somebody like Jeffrey on board with them. Jeffrey will probably admit he knows as much about bull riding as he did about poker when he started with Harrah’s – and that’s a good thing. They didn’t bring him onboard for his cowboy expertise – they brought him onboard for his experience taking a brand to the next level.”
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05 30th, 2010
The tournament series has yet to crown an open-event bracelet winner but the $50,000 Player’s Championship, the first $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em event and a $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo are all underway in Las Vegas.
Be sure to check our , and sections for complete coverage.
This summer our ongoing Poker News in Brief feature will feature some of the rare poker stories that occur outside of the WSOP.
This week we’ll take a look at a new offer for Isildur1, William Hill leaving France, Fox Sports broadcasting World Team Poker and more.
DragTheBar Makes Offer to Isildur1
Poker training site DragTheBar publically offered the still-unidentified Isildur1 $250,000 to join their coaching staff this week.
Apparently the site also offered to let Isildur1 keep his or her identity a secret.
“We have no other way of reaching Isildur1 other than making a public offer,” said DragTheBar CEO Hunter Pick.
“He is a one of a kind player, and I think his unique thought process would be a huge addition to our site and add tremendous value for our members. He should know that we’ll keep his identity anonymous if he wants us to.”
Isildur1, who broke almost every big pot record on last year, is widely believed to be Swedish player Viktor Blom, though Blom has denied the association.
World Team Poker Joins Fox Sports Net Lineup
Fox Sports Network will broadcast episodes based on the newly-formed World Team Poker league this week.
The inaugural event of the World Team Poker took place at the Golden Nugget earlier this month and Team China, which included noted poker pros Johnny Chan, David Chiu and Maria Ho, ended up winning the event for $300k.
The format of the league sees various poker stars act as team captains for their respective countries. The captains have the ability to make substitutions in their team based on how players are performing.
Regional and repeat airings will show on FSN throughout the week.
Ghezelbash Wins Melbourne Poker Championship High Roller Event
A world away from Las Vegas, Ali Ghezelbash outlasted 41 players to win the AUD$5,200 High Stakes Event of the 2010 Melbourne Poker Championship in Australia.
Ghezelbash took home AUD$92,250 for getting past Australian poker pros like Jason Gray, Daniel Neilson and Billy “The Croc” Argyros.
The Melbourne Poker Championship main event, which is currently running at the Crown Casino, concludes on Monday.
William Hill Pulls Out of France
William Hill is the latest online poker operator that has decided to close its doors to French players.
It shouldn’t come as a huge surprise considering France introduced new laws regarding online gambling in the country on Wednesday and many have already left the market.
Apparently is considering whether it will apply for a license, which would allow them to operate in the country.
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05 27th, 2010
In a surprising announcement before the start of the 2010 (), top female player/model/poker announcer has revealed that she has parted ways with .
According to a posting on the Bryan Micon/Todd Witteles owned poker forum Donkdown.com, Micon said that Jones informed him that she had left one-half of the CEREUS Poker Network without providing any information as to the reason. The departure was further discussed on Micon’s radio program, the Cold Call Show, but again no reason for the split was announced. Normally quite prolific on Twitter, Jones has not Tweeted since May 25th and, four days earlier, posted a cryptic comment that stated, “Today is a new chapter of my life and I’ve never been more excited! Get ready for some BIG things everyone!”
A visit to the Absolute Poker home page still shows Jones listed as a member of Team AP. Along with fellow poker pro Matt “Plattsburgh” Vengrin and recent () Invitational final table player , Jones’ profile is still on the site. Jones was a part of a sponsorship group that, along with sister site and fellow CEREUS Network partner , included , recent European Poker Tour (EPT) San Remo champion , and many other notable players.
Jones is known as much for her poker game as for her hosting abilities and looks. She was named the spokesperson for the Canadian Poker Tour earlier this year, signed a sponsorship deal with KSINO Clothing, and, most recently, was the floor announcer and hostess for the Poker Doubles Poker Championship, which will air on Fox Sports Net sometime in July. Jones’ departure from Absolute Poker makes her a very appealing commodity for another online poker site sponsorship deal.
Jones was dropped from the roster of Absolute Poker after the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act () was enacted in 2006, but the twosome seemed to be on good terms last year. Absolute re-signed Jones to the sponsored players list last year around the end of the WSOP and, along with Jones’ poker skills and hosting abilities, was receiving good exposure from one of the classiest ladies in the game.
Jones’ departure from Absolute is just the latest in what has been a trying time for the company. Three years ago was the debilitating “superuser” scandal that struck the site, forcing Absolute Poker to pay back money to its customers and attempt to regain face in the industry. Many poker players are still steaming over the non-prosecution of anyone in the case which, from evidence presented, appeared to be an inside job allegedly run by former employees A. J. Green and Scott Tom.
Absolute Poker was purchased by Tokwiro Enterprises soon after the “superuser” debacle and, along with UB.com, joined forces in what became the CEREUS Network in 2008. Since then, the CEREUS Network has become the sixth largest poker network in the industry, according to PokerScout.com, but has still had issues with security on the network.
Earlier in May, the CEREUS Network’s security was called into question when it was found that the network didn’t use the standard encryption methods in the online poker industry. CEREUS used a privately developed encryption system for game play instead of the industry standard SSL technology. In this instance, a skilled hacker could have broken through the security and potentially see players’ hole cards. While such a situation allegedly never occurred, CEREUS was once again embarrassed by another security issue.
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