It’s been a slow couple days in the poker world, outside of the always exciting WSOP. Most of the online giants are holding off on the big promotions, spending their money instead on lucrative sponsorship and advertising deals. While this is great for the visibility of the game, it sure does make for some boring online play.
But as we say in poker, there’s always another game. There are plenty of interesting news nuggets to find, if your ears are open and your reads are sharp. With that in mind, here is a brief rundown of the latest info from the digital and tangible felt…
Phil Laak working on world record poker session
One of the games most colorful characters, Phil Laak, has set out to break the record for the longest continuous poker session. The endurance race started on Wednesday, with the acquaintance of popular player Jennifer Tilly sitting at a $10/$20 no-limit table at the Bellagio. He’s been providing fans with updates via his Twitter account. According to his personal clock, he’s got about five hours left. The time to beat is 78 hours and 45 minutes.
All luck in Switzerland
In a disappointing ruling by one of the game’s more friendly havens, the government of Switzerland has ruled that poker is to be classified as “a game of luck.” This ruling is another troubling blow, leaving an unfortunate black eye on the European poker scene. Because of the decision, several hundred private games will be forced either to shut down or go underground. The International Federation of Poker responded with this statement:
“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.”
Hellmuth strikes out
The Poker Brat will have to wait to collect his 12th WSOP Bracelet, after falling short in the $1,500 No Limit Hold’em Event #8. Despite starting the final day with more than 500,000 chips, Hellmuth was worn down to 80,000 before moving all in with a suited Queen and nine. He lost to Scott Vener, who held a ace/six of clubs. Pascal Francois would go on to win the tournament, collecting both the jewelry and the $569,974 payday.