Weekly Turbo: The Poker Slump, Mike Sexton, Sofia Lövgren, Banana Games
This week is one of those interesting weeks where the poker world has slowed down so that everyone can go buy their Christmas presents in peace. Or, there just aren’t that many tournaments so everyone moved online instead or is playing low-key somewhere.
Regardless, PokerNews has your news and a couple features to keep your mind occupied, alert and involved in the industry, whatever poker season we’re in.
The Winner’s Circle
Traian Bostan won the largest Unibet Open ever, the Unibet Open Bucharest, for €100,000 at the JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel. He bested Eli Heath for the win. Bostan kept grinding him down in the final hand of the game: Heath shoved 14 big blinds with queen-seven off suit and Bostan snap-called with ace-queen suited to see the board run out jack-high.
"big.appl3" shipped the $50,000 Ultimate Warrior this past Sunday in New Jersey. That and more in this week’s New Jersey Online Poker Briefing.
Teen Wolf actor Tyler Posey beat Phil Hellmuth to win the Poker Central Shootout for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The tournament gave $85,000 to charity.
Former WSOP Main Event champion Joe Cada was among the big online winners this weekend. Here are the rest of the big results from the Sunday Briefing.
Malta's "hateh4tehate" was the biggest winner at 888poker this week. Check out the other big winners this week on 888.
The Railbird Report is back this week with a bang: "kkopghy" wins $304,834.
The Game Changers
The 2016 PokerNews Holiday Gift Guide has been released! Even more than that, we have taken the top five and broken them down for you: My Poker Coaching Advanced Video Courses + Free Bonus, the MGM Gift Card, The PokerDepot’s Custom Poker Chips, Books from D&B Publishing and our No. 1 spot, KO Watches.
PokerNews follows Mike Sexton's journey from humble poker beginnings to WPT legend.
Sofia Lövgren took over the PokerNews Instagram account on Dec. 5, giving players tips on exercising, eating right and being patient. Here's what you missed.
Brian Hastings quit poker. PokerNews traces back his history and why he's leaving.
The EPT's last festival kicks off in Prague. Let's look back at the early years, part 1 of the three part series.
The Potawatomi Hotel & Casino in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,will be a WSOP Circuit Event stop in 2017.
888poker joins forces with Flow Esports, one of the biggest Hearthstone streamers online.
Card-playing continued to be a significant part of soldiers' experiences during subsequent wars, with World War I — a.k.a. the "Great War" — similarly fostering the spread of poker on a global scale. Delve into their collective histories (that of war and poker) in this week’s Poker & Pop Culture.
Formerly the world's No. 1 professional tennis player and six-time major singles winner, Boris Beckeris the latest name to sign with partypoker as a brand ambassador. Jan-Peter Jachtmann also signed on with partypoker as their newest sponsored pro.
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has issued a warning to parents and guardians following a report into young people and gambling which shows 450,000 children from England and Wales participate in gambling every week.
The Drift by Miikka Anttonen continues the former grinder's three-part memoir, Once a Gambler. Ben Saxton reviews it.
For the last half-year — 26 weeks — Fedor Holz has led both overall GPI and 2016 Player of the Year. Despite Holz leading the race, Ari Engel moved up this week.
Unibet Group plc has changed its name toKindred Group plc to reflect its multi-brand strategy.
This week Caesar’s plan for its largest operating division to exit bankruptcy encountered a road block and over a quarter million gaming industry workers go on strike in Argentina to protest proposed taxes. More in Inside Gaming.
Take Matters Into Your Own Hands
Mixed games level the playing field, allow you to flex your "poker muscles," and are a lot of fun. Start learning variants from the 8-game mix, the ones Jason Somerville likes to call "banana games."
Sometimes thinking "big picture" in poker involves making choices based on happiness not just profit. Check out Carlos Welch’s attempt to avoid conflict and measure out the benefits of both choices at single-table satellites.
"Poker cheaters should be boiled and eaten," said Mike Caro. We can't do that, but what can we do? Learn the best courses of action should you suspect a cheater in a poker game.
Jonathan Little discusses an EPT hand involving deep stacks, premium starters and preflop aggression. With what hands are you willing to put a deep stack at risk in a tournament?
If you aren't tilting enough, Tommy Angelo has you covered with plenty of ways to lose your mind.
Win a share of €100K in cash and prizes in the €100K Winter Wonder at Everest Poker this month.
Play onUnibet Poker's new client in December and win a chance to travel around the world.
Be prompt, patient and ready to adapt when playing PokerStars' "MicroMillions Marathon" this Sunday.
888poker is running a trio of promotions right now including free cash offers and $800,000 Gift Showers.
Check Tape
PokerStars shares the final table coverage of the EPT 13 Barcelona €50,000 Super High Roller. Watch as Fedor Holz tried to add the just over €1.3 million prize to his bankroll.
Matt Berkey gets the clock called on him by Sarah Herring. Here’s one of the questions from his two-minute rapid-fire session: What’s your favorite Disney movie?
With more than $10,000,000 in online winnings,Chris Moorman is no slouch when it comes to bluffing. In the 888Live London High Roller, he explains a bluff that he didn't get through.
Throwback: Kristy Arnett is tableside withPhil Laak and Jennifer Tilly as he goes into overtime at Bellagio.
Episode 3 of TABLE TALK: Daniel Negreanu, William Kassouf, Alexander Dreyfus and Sheldon Adelson "stop by" to talk with Doug Polk and Joey Ingram.
In this week's PokerNews Podcast, Matthew Parvis and Sarah Herring touch on the Global Poker League Finals before their interview with Caitlyn Howe, a member of the Royal Flush Crew for the World Poker Tour and a former PokerNews hostess.
