The Nightly Turbo: Ivey's Divorce Case, Shuffle Master Recommended in Nevada, and More
On Wednesday, Nevada was busy with online-gaming license hearings, court cases and, of course, the World Series of Poker. We'll touch on all of that and more in this edition of the Nightly Turbo.
In Case You Missed It
France’s Gaelle Baumann led the way after Day 2a/2b of the Main Event. Find out which big names are close on her heels in the Day 44 WSOP recap.
Two years ago, Filippo Candio made it all the way to the final table of the WSOP Main Event. PokerNews' Sarah Grant caught up with Candio on Tuesday to get some advice on how to survive Day 2.
What was it like growing up as Jason Mercier? He talks about his childhood, siblings and more in the latest edition of Seat Open.
The latest installment of the German Championship Of Poker II came to a close this week. We have all the final table details in the GCOP recap.
Looking for a fun, behind-the-scenes perspective of life at the WSOP? All Mucked Up has daily stories from inside the Rio, so check it out!
Best Christopher Walken Impression?
The talented Kevin Pollak is playing in his first World Series of Poker Main Event this year. Lynn Gilmartin caught up with Pollak to find out how the tournament is going, but through the voice of Christopher Walken.
Follow PokerNews on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news.
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WSOP — It's In The Game
While the World Series of Poker Main Event is going strong in Las Vegas, EA Mobile and Caesars Interactive Entertainment have unveiled a new mobile poker game for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch devices worldwide.
World Series of Poker Presented by EA brings the excitement of the WSOP straight to your phone. The app is designed to appeal to novices and pro players alike with the challenge of going after virtual bracelets and rings, VIP rooms and Pro status levels.
“We’ve taken the adrenaline rush of playing at the table and combined it with stats to help you anticipate your opponents’ moves for a truly fun and competitive game that fans can play anytime," said Bernard Kim, senior vice president of social and mobile publishing at EA. "No other app captures the true poker experience like World Series of Poker."
With World Series of Poker Presented by EA, you can chat in real time with other players, keep detailed stats of your play, and more. Here's a glimpse of what the game has to offer:
For more information, visit WSOPMobile.com or Facebook.com.
Duhamel Back on Top
Jonathan Duhamel regained the lead in the Global Poker Index Player of the Year race this week, overtaking Dan Smith for the top spot after a three-week absence.
Duhamel, who led the 2012 GPI POY rankings for the first 17 weeks, finished 38th in the $10,000 Six-Handed No Limit Hold'em event at the WSOP last week, increasing his GPI POY point total to 668.79. Smith is second with 662.47, and World Poker Tour Championship winner Marvin Rettenmaier climbed one position to No. 3 with 642.97 points. Former No. 1 Phil Ivey (629.12) and Kyle Julius (585.32) rounded out the top five.
Daniel Negreanu, Jason Mercier and Andrew Lichtenberger cracked the top 10 for the first time this week. Negreanu struggled through most of the 2012 WSOP but is thriving in the Main Event, boasting a big stack after Day 2ab. A deep run for "Kid Poker" would certainly boost him into contention for Player of the Year.
Here's a look at the Top 10 of the Global Poker Index Player of the Year standings:
| Place | Player | Total Score | Change in Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jonathan Duhamel | 668.79 | +2 |
| 2 | Dan Smith | 662.47 | -1 |
| 3 | Marvin Rettenmaier | 642.97 | +1 |
| 4 | Phil Ivey | 629.12 | -2 |
| 5 | Kyle Julius | 585.32 | +7 |
| 6 | Samuel Chartier | 583.37 | +5 |
| 7 | Jason Koon | 537.75 | -2 |
| 8 | Andrew Lichtenberger | 535.21 | +28 |
| 9 | Daniel Negreanu | 527.64 | +15 |
| 10 | Jason Mercier | 517.36 | +69 |
The Global Poker Index Player of the Year, presented by PokerNews, honors the player who has the strongest performance in live tournaments during the calendar year, according to the USA Today Global Poker Index point system.
For the full GPI Player of the Year standings, head on over to EpicPoker.com.
More Good News in Nevada
On Wednesday, gaming supplier Shuffle Master was recommended by the Gaming Control Board to be a licensed manufacturer and provider of interactive gaming systems in Nevada.
Shuffle Master will next meet with the Nevada Gaming Commission for final license approval. If accepted, the company will be the third to receive an interactive gaming license in the state. Slot machine suppliers IGT and Bally Technologies were granted licenses last month.
In June, Shuffle Master positioned itself for legalized poker in Nevada by purchasing the Ongame Network from bwin.party for $28.5 million. However, after looking deeper into the current industry conditions, Shuffle Master pulled out of the deal. The company still intends to compete for a share of the gaming space in the U.S., but says it remains wary of the circumstances looming over the industry.
"Although we believe in its eventuality, there is uncertainty surrounding the timing of legalization and the rollout of online poker in the U.S. at both the state and federal levels," Shuffle Master CEO Gavin Isaacs said last month.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal has more.
Ivey and the Supreme Court
Phil Ivey's ugly divorce case was heard in front of the Nevada Supreme Court on Tuesday. Ivey, who is in Las Vegas for the World Series of Poker, was represented by attorney David Chesnoff, who made arguments for his client regarding the $5,000 campaign donation Ivey made to the judge who granted his divorce in 2009.
Last September, Luciaetta Ivey filed a petition with the higher court claiming that Phil Ivey made a $5,000 contribution to Family Court Judge Bill Gonzalez three months after the couple's divorce was granted, alleging that she was treated unfairly. Luciaetta also declared in the petition that her ex-husband ceased paying spousal support in April 2011, around the same time the Full Tilt Poker domain name was seized by the U.S. Department of Justice.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Chesnoff argued Tuesday that the case was already dead and that Luciaetta "made millions" from the uncontested divorce. According to documents presented to the court, Luciaetta collected about $180,000 a month as taxable alimony from her husband’s Tiltware payment.
Luciaetta's lawyer, Bruce Shapiro, noted Tuesday that Phil Ivey's donation to Gonzalez was one of only a few $5,000 donations made in Nevada in 2010. According to the LVRJ, Chief Justice Michael Cherry responded by saying that there might be "free speech" problems if the Supreme Court tried to pass laws blocking people from contributing to judicial campaigns.
The Nevada Supreme Court now must decide whether judges should avoid cases involving their contributors.
Read the full story at the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
