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Tag: WSOPC

  • Mistake at WSOPC Final Table Eliminates Player, Casino Quickly Kills the Livestream

    Mistake at WSOPC Final Table Eliminates Player, Casino Quickly Kills the Livestream

    A mistake at the final table of a $1 million guaranteed World Series of Poker Circuit event bounced a player, and the only people who seemed to notice were the stream’s producers who immediately cut the online broadcast and wiped the accompanying chatrooms that bubbled with critical comments.

    Dealers, the floor, and the eliminated player didn’t notice that it’s a split pot. Did the players know? (Image: YouTube)

    While today’s (Jan, 24) streams have returned, they’re continuing without giving viewers access to the tainted hand and everything that came before it. And at least in the case on it’s YouTube’s English-language broadcast, without the chat feature.

    The mistake 

    With five players left in the €1,700 Main at King’s Casino in the Czech Republic, and blinds at 60K/120k, Pierre Kauert pushed his last 1 million in pre-flop with JT. “Lupo” called with KJ. The pot was about 2.2 million, leaving him about 4.2 million behind.

    The flop came AQ6. The turn turn hit both players with a jack. Kauert was still alive with a 10 for the win, or an ace, queen or six for a split.

    A six hit the river.

    “Unlucky Sir, good game,” wrongly said the announcer, as Kauert went around the table shaking hands and saying goodbye to his competitors, none of who spoke up.

    But it should have been a split pot.

    The dealer, floor, and Kauert himself didn’t notice the mistake, so he’s the fifth-place finisher of this year’s Main in Rozvadov.

    But plenty of viewers on King’s Resort’s Twitch and YouTube livestreams across several different languages noticed and chimed up in the chatrooms — and then the stream was cut across all the platforms, the video of the first part of the final table removed, and the chat boxes were deleted.

    Damage control? 

    King’s Resort streamed featured tables of most of the WSOPC events that happened the past week at its casino.

    This was the case today, with the final table of its Main Event that began Jan. 22.

    As it started, the poker world watched as Bastian Gallitzendorfer, Guiseppe Abbonizio, Klas Krueger, and then Kauert were eliminated in that order.

    But friends and family who want to how the elimination hands were played out are currently out of luck, because right after the tainted Kauert hand, King’s Casino briefly stopped the streams and removed the video across all its platforms before restarting the broadcast a few minutes after it took place.

    King's Resort
    Livestreams of the WSOPC broadcast of the final table at King’s Resort were continued without a tainted hand that caused a player’s unwarranted exit. This is the very start of the continued broadcast. (Image: SpadePokerTV/YouTube)

    This caused the first part of the final table broadcast to be removed.

    So instead of owning up that a mistake was made, someone at King’s Casino decided to pull the plug, wiping the whole first half of the final table broadcast from today’s broadcast, before continuing.

    But the Internet is forever, and a Twitter user posted the tainted hand:

    https://twitter.com/EyDuBrot/status/1617927264985034753?s=20&t=S5avsFecgyrRR-Z9hNCtOg

    There’s no doubt that mistakes happen, and while it’s easy to heap deserving blame on the dealer and floor personnel for what happened here, it’s a good reminder that the player is totally responsible for speaking up and protecting his hand.

    But panicking and removing the stream right after a controversial hand is nothing but nonsense, and King’s Resort owes the poker world an explanation. CardsChat will update when the poker room releases a statement, if it does.

    Another video of the hand, in case the Twitter link gets scrubbed.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlGdDRgHG5I

    UPDATE!

    King’s Casino’s Twitter shared a statement released by Federico Brunato, its “poker director.” Published on Facebook alongside a video of the hand, it reads in full:

    Dear poker community,

    I am sharing with you a very interesting situation that has occurred on one of our annual WSOPC events.
    I am glad to have it documented on the livestream as it is something that happens very often during the games and is not talked so much about. With this post I want to raise awareness and give official piece of advice to our poker community.
    To start with our poker dealers are very highly trained professionals that undergo a 6 week training course before entering their career paths at King’s. I myself have started as a poker dealer at King’s and know the work ethics.
    The dealer in the clip is our dear Sona that has been a member of our family for the last 6 years. When it comes to the standard of our streams we do our maximum to ensure that it is at the highest possible level and accordingly Sona has been a constant member of our TV crew since her first steps in our team.
    When it comes to the Hand number 35 of the final day of the WSOPC ME where Mr. Pierre Kauert was eliminated and cashed a stunning 58,000€ incl. a WSOPE ME ticket.
    I would like to refer to one of the most important rules of poker – always read your hand. At the end of the day we are all humans and we all can make mistakes, Sona is no exception. Even though she has dealt thousands of successful hands in her life, this hand unfortunately she misread.
    Nonetheless alongside with Sona, Mr. Pierre Kauert and all other competitors at the table misread the hand as well which of course is very unfortunate. The hand was supposed to be a split and we can now only guess how it would turn out in the Main Event path of Pierre Kauert, perhaps he would now be crowned a champion with a Golden Ring, perhaps he would be eliminated in the next hand.
    At the end of the day I would like to refer to rule number 76. Of WSOP which states: The right to dispute a hand ends when a new hand begins. This applies not only to WSOP, but also to nearly all regular poker games that are played.
    To take from this I strongly advise the poker community to not criticise other peoples mistake and not to try and find guilty, instead learn from this, know your rights and follow your game as every single occasion is individual in its own way.

  • Heads-Up: MSPT Heading to Bally’s Black Hawk, WSOPC to Mississippi, and Happy Birthday, Phil!

    Heads-Up: MSPT Heading to Bally’s Black Hawk, WSOPC to Mississippi, and Happy Birthday, Phil!

    The Mid-Stakes Poker Tour is heading to the mountains after a successful stop at the beach, the World Series of Poker goes international, (and also to Mississippi), while one of the big Phil’s of poker hands out solid advice to celebrate his birthday. Gear up for a big week, players!

    Phil Falfond
    Happy Birthday, Phil! (Image: WSOP)

    MSPT heads to the Rockies

    The people running the Mid-Stakes Poker Tour simply don’t get a break. MSPT just wrapped up it’s stop at Sycuan Casino Resort in Sand Diego yesterday, and heads to Bally’s Black Hawk in Colorado for a series starting Thursday, Jan. 18, with a $100K guaranteed $360 no-limit event. 

    There’s nine tourneys scheduled, with some fun options, including a $300 tag-team event on Tuesday, Jan. 24, a $250 pot-limit Omaha event Monday, Jan. 23, and a $250 Monster Stack event Wednesday, January 25.

    The $1,100 headliner and its $300K guarantee starts Thursday, Jan. 26. 

    After that, it moves to Hollywood Casino St. Louis for the Missouri State Poker Championship on Feb. 2. 

    Trip, trip, triple for WSOP Circuit

    Two WSOPC series are scheduled to wrap-up this week, while a third is set to begin, as part of a densely-packed 2023 schedule. 

    The $1,700 WSOPC Main Event Day 1 at Thunder valley Casio in California begins Friday, Jan. 20. Day 2 of the $500K guaranteed event takes place the next day, and the tourney is set to conclude Jan. 23. 

    Meanwhile in Morocco — yes, Morocco — there’s jewelry to be found in the WSOPC International at Es Saadi Marrakech Resort in Marrakech. First of two starting flights of the €1,500 Main begins Thursday, Jan. 19. 

    The €2,000 “high roller” event starts Tuesday Jan. 17, and the €3,000 “super high roller” begins Sun, Jan. 22.  

    Back in the states, the WSOPC brings its roadshow to the Horseshoe Casino in Tunica, Miss., starting Thursday with a $400 “big stack” event where players start with 30,000 chips. It. runs until Jan. 30, with the three-flight $1,700 Main starting Thursday, Jan. 26. 

    Happy Birthday, Phil!

    No, not you Brat, or you, Mr. Ivey. But a big CardsChat Happy Birthday goes to Phil Galfond, who announced that he turned 38 today.

    He seems to be having a good day. The poker champion and businessman who hopes to brings an online poker site to the US took to Twitter with a gift for all his fans: Ten bits of poker and business advice that may help lead to happiness, wealth, and eternal sunshine.

    Here’s what he wrote:

    Here’s my quick story: 1. Dropped out of college at 21 to play poker full-time. 2. Have been playing poker against the best in the world since 22. 3. Continued with high-stakes poker the last 16 years while also creating businesses and a family. Now, let’s get to the lessons…
    2. This doesn’t mean you should go all-in like there’s no tomorrow.
    • Great temporary opportunities DO arise, but they won’t be the last.
    • Attack them, but don’t burn all your resources & be left on the sidelines for the next one.
    3. Poker isn’t naturally conducive to family life. It takes extra effort to make it work.
    • Optimizing your poker career means late nights and all kinds of unpredictability.
    • Dating a non-player? Someone needs to make a real compromise.
    • To become parents, it has to be you.
    4. Future earnings are almost always overestimated
    Why?
    A) You’re not accounting for all the:
    • Interruptions
    • Obligations
    • Hiccups
    • Downswings
    • Burnout
    B) You’re overestimating your edge in the first place, crediting skill for wins & blaming luck for losses.
    5. People who say “Never hire your friends” don’t have good enough friends.
    • Trust is everything.
    • Why bring on an unknown person for a key role if you already know someone who’s skills & integrity are a sure thing? I mean people you KNOW know. Not 1-year friends.
    6. Relaxation/Recharging IS Work
    I need much more recharging for poker than I do for business, but in each case, I perform better when I take care of myself. One 90hr week when needed is cool, but not if it’s twice every month (unless you’re 20!).
    7. Thinking about money above all else is a recipe for unhappiness.
    • “Why would I drive my Mom to the airport? It’s $25 to Uber. I’d make 10x in that time.”
    • “Watching this movie with my friend is costing me $1,500!

    It’s hard to enjoy anything when thinking like this.

    8. Invest in You I’ve paid to improve myself & my skills more times than I can count:
    • Poker coaches
    • Business consultants
    • Mental Game coaches
    • Performance coaches
    • Fitness coaches
    • Psychologists
    • Online Courses
    • Workshops
    I’ve literally never regretted it.
    9. *Great* mentors are worth whatever they cost
    The very best investments in myself have been long-standing personal mentor relationships.
    Note: Not all mentors are great! A referral from a friend is your best bet.
    10. Good partners are everything
    • Learning from someone is great.
    • Learning with someone is even better. Poker friend, business partner, another person trying to accomplish what you are… Find them. Stop what you’re working on. Make this the priority.
    That’s it! I hope this was useful for others in poker, & for anyone reporting to yourself & making big decisions! It took me 38 years to learn these lessons, but they aren’t the only ones. I’m writing more threads going forward so follow me @PhilGalfond
     to hop on the journey!
    Thanks Phil!
  • GGPoker’s WSOP Winter Circuit: Rings, Special Prizes, and $150 Million Guaranteed

    GGPoker’s WSOP Winter Circuit: Rings, Special Prizes, and $150 Million Guaranteed

    The latest WSOP Winter Circuit online tournament series will take place on GGPoker from December 4 and, this year, there are 18 championship events and $150 million in guaranteed prize money.

    WSOP-Winter-Circuit
    GGPoker is bringing 2022 to a glittering conclusion with its $150 million guaranteed WSOP Winter Circuit online series. (Image: GGPoker)

    The 2022/2023 WSOP Winter Circuit will feature a mixture of championship tournaments, satellites, and side events. In addition to cash prizes and Circuit rings, players can win a seat in the 2023 WSOP Million Dollar Freeroll in Las Vegas.

    The schedule also contains a $10 million guaranteed main event, the winner of which will be invited to join GGPoker’s Team Champions.

    Cash, rings, and prizes up for grabs in WSOP Winter Circuit series

    The first event of the series is the Big 50 Bounty Million$. Players can buy in for $50 and play their way into the December 4 final session where one player will win the lion’s share of a prize pool worth at least $1 million.

    Next on the schedule is a special WSOP Winter Circuit edition of GGPoker’s Super Million$. The $10,300 tournament has a $5 million guarantee and the winner gets a seat in next year’s WSOP Million Dollar Freeroll.

    In fact, that’s true for all WSOP Winter Circuit winners. Anyone who finishes on top in one of the 18 ring events will earn a spot in the 2023 freeroll.

    The championship tournaments will be flanked by a series of side events and satellites. All in all, there will be WSOP Winter Circuit action until January 9. That means players have plenty of prizes to shoot for over the holiday season and into the New Year.

    WSOP Winter Circuit Key Events
    Date Event Buy In Guarantee
    November 29 – December 4 Big 50 Bounty Million$ Kick-Off $50 $1 million
    November 29 – December 5 Super Million$ $10,300 $5 million
    December 4 – 12 Merry Millionaire Maker $1,500 $5 million ($1 million for 1st place)
    January 2 New Year’s Mystery Bounty $210 $2 million + bounties up to $250K
    January 9 Winter Circuit Main Event $1,700 $10 million

    Satellites for all of the championship events are running now and cost between $0.55 and $1,050. GGPoker will also be hosting special events throughout the series to increase engagement.

    Big finish to 2022, hot start to 2023

    GGPoker’s online WSOP Winter Circuit series will give those who aren’t traveling to Las Vegas for the WPT World Championship a way to play for seven-figure prize pools in December. Not only that, the series is a chance for all players to win a coveted Circuit ring and, potentially, a place on Team GGPoker.

    The end of 2022 and start of 2023 are set to be busy periods for poker players. In addition to the WSOP Winter Circuit series and WPT World Championship in Las Vegas, PokerStars’ Caribbean Adventure gets 2023 underway in style.

    The series returns to Baha Mar Resort in the Bahamas after a prolonged hiatus due to COVID-19 restrictions. Among the events on offer is the $25K PokerStars Players NL Hold’em Championship. Between that event and the pre-Christmas festivities on GGPoker, poker players have more than $150 million in guaranteed prize money to shoot for over the next few weeks.

  • Big Winners of the Week (Oct. 3 – 9): Daniel Negreanu Runs Hot to Break Cold Spell and Bank $3.3 Million + More Poker Results

    Big Winners of the Week (Oct. 3 – 9): Daniel Negreanu Runs Hot to Break Cold Spell and Bank $3.3 Million + More Poker Results

    Daniel Negreanu makes a welcome return to our Big Winners round-up this week after bouncing back from a rough WSOP. The Canadian pro scooped more than $3 million and another PokerGo Tour title after winning the Super High Roller Bowl. Joining Negreanu in our latest round-up of Big Winners are some European stars making moves on the WSOP Circuit, as well as a landmark victory for Monica Eilertsen Vaka. To find out who won what, and how, scroll down for CardsChat’s Big Winners of the Week ending October 9.

    Daniel Negreanu
    (Image: PokerGo)

    Daniel Negreanu

    Super High Roller Bowl VII
    PokerGo Studio, Las Vegas

    $3,312,000

    Negreanu is proof that you can never keep a good player down. The GGPoker ambassador had a rough WSOP this year, but he was back at it last week in the $300K Super High Roller Bowl. Despite losing over $1 million at the WSOP, Negreanu didn’t let past results influence his decisions. That confidence combined with a healthy dose of luck on Day 1. Negreanu went runner-runner to make quad threes and beat Bryn Kenney’s set of aces. That set him on the road to victory and, by the time 23 players had fallen, Negreanu banked his second-largest score last Friday.

    Renat Bohdanov
    (Image: Facebook/Pokerroomkings)

    Renat Bohdanov

    WSOP International Monsterstack
    King’s Resort Rozvadov

    €132,500 + WSOPE Main Event Ticket
    ($128,579)

    Bohdanov banked his second-biggest live score last Monday after taking down the aptly named Monsterstack event. The €550 ($535) tournament attracted 1,248 entrants and 439 re-entries, which pushed the prize pool way beyond its €500,000 ($487,000) guarantee. With a WSOPC ring, a free seat in the WSOPE Main Event, and the lion’s share of more than $800K for grabs, Bohdanov put in one of his best-ever performances. And, when the final chips fell, Bohdanov claimed his second WSOP title.

    Michael Ugucctoni
    (Image: Facebook/Pokerroomkings)

    Michael Ugucctoni

    WSOP International Circuit 8-Max Event
    King’s Resort Rozvadov

    €73,150
    ($72,564)

    Ugucctoni only has two live results recorded on the Hendon Mob’s database and both are in WSOP Circuit events at King’s Resort. The Italian’s latest entry was his best yet — a win in the €3,000 ($2,922) 8-max event. A total of 74 players anted up in search of a WSOP International Circuit ring. Twenty-six of those exercised their right to re-enter, which meant Ugucctoni scooped the lion’s share of a prize pool worth more than $260K after beating Jakub Kolečkář heads-up last Thursday.

    Gabriel Habbaba
    (Image: Kevin Taylor)

    Gabriel Habbaba

    Big Poker Oktober $200,000 Guaranteed Event
    Bicycle Casino

    $38,820

    The first big Quantum event of Big Poker Oktober at the Bike saw a final table full of Los Angeles regulars, including two who got heads up. Phuoc Nguyen is a former winner of the Bike’s marquee event, the Mega Millions, and he finished second in a heads-up chop for $38,000 even. Another Bike regular, Gabriel Habbaba, took home the title, and $38,820 in cash. He bested a field of over 650 players, with the final prize pool nearly reaching $250K. This is the second big win for Habbaba at the Bike in 10 months. He won a WSOPC ring and over $86K in December. 

    James Rodriguez
    (Image: Twitter/WynnPoker)

    James Rodriguez

    The Wynn Fall Classic Opener
    Las Vegas

    $35,675

    Rodriguez secured his second live win last Wednesday by taking down the Fall Classic’s $400 opening event. The American grinder had won over $300K prior to his recent win at the Wynn. In fact, his biggest live score to date was a second-place finish in the Wynn’s $1,100 Summer Classic worth $174,216. He added to that last week by topping a field of 689 players at the Vegas casino.

    Monica Eilertsen Vaka
    (Image: Twitter/WakaWaka_89)

    Monica Eilertsen Vaka

    Heads-Up Championship
    Norwegian Poker Championship
    Thon Hotel Oslo

    €13,000
    ($12,663)

    Vaka, aka WakaWaka_89 online, became the first woman to win a Norwegian Poker Championship title last Saturday. The Unibet Poker ambassador and streamer grinded her way through seven matches, winning them all. Her last opponent was veteran Norwegian pro, Andreas Høivold. Vaka agreed a deal before going on to outplay Høivold and follow up her recent iPoker Festival Winter Series win with a live title.

    Daniel Smyth compiled this report. Know a big winner we missed? tips@cardschat.com

  • Angela Jordison Riding Momentum to the Top of the GPI

    Angela Jordison Riding Momentum to the Top of the GPI

    Angela Jordison has been playing cash game poker professionally since 2008. However, it took some downtime in the pandemic for Jordison to commit to improving her tournament game. The work has paid off, as she’s had a fantastic 2022, most recently capped off with a victory in a mammoth 532-player field in the $500K Guaranteed WPT side event at the Legends of Poker at LA’s Bicycle Casino.

    Angela Jordison
    Angela Jordison with her rail after her latest big cash, a win at the Bicycle Casino for more than $84K. (Image: Twitter/AngelaJordison)

    The cash was the second-best career score for Jordison, and amazingly, her fifth straight five-figure cash dating back to July 3 when she cashed in the WSOP Main Event.

    “I’ve always splashed in tourneys, but just 20% to 25% for me. I do love the strategy of tournaments, but I like the flexibility of cash games. I think I’ve found a really good poker life balance which is hard to find early on.” 

    Jordison primarily played Pot-Limit Omaha and PLO-8 cash games because it gave her a better work/life balance than playing more poker tournaments. But, after seeking out coaching from former WPT champion Faraz Jaka, she’s taken tournaments more seriously and is reaping the rewards.

    Angela Jordison’s Hot Summer of 2022
    Date Event Result Cash
    August 22 WPT Legends of Poker Event 23
    $1,100 No-Limit Hold’em    		 1st $84,400
    August 14 WSOPC Cherokee High Roller
    $2,200 No-Limit Hold’em    		 6th $17,184
    August 11 WSOPC Cherokee Event 9
    $1,100 No-Limit Hold’em    		 3rd $37,838
    July 22 Mid-States Poker Tour Iowa
    $1,100 Main Event    		 5th $46,458
    July 3 WSOP
    Main Event    		 175th $53,900
    June 9 WSOP
    $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout    		 3rd $151,544

    “I think he has really helped me out a lot, especially when it comes to navigating multiway pots. Obviously, running well above EV does help as well,” said Jordison. “This last year, I’ve been running hot so I’m sticking with that until it evens back out, and then I’ll go back to cash games.”

    Career highlight  at the WSOP

    Jordison originally broke out with a solid World Series that included a third-place finish in a $1,000 freezeout bracelet event, good for $151,544. It was by far her best career score and her first WSOP final table, a dream she’d had since seeing other friends experience it themselves. 

    “Making my first WSOP final table was surreal,” Jordison said. “It was exhilarating and I loved every moment of it. I kept looking at my rail, it was filled with people I love and admire, and it made me so happy.”

    “I have spent hours and hours on friends’ rails and it was finally my time. In the moment, I was so focused on playing the spots I was dealt well. It didn’t hit me until a few days after how close I was to a bracelet. I hope I get another opportunity.”

    Chasing a new goal

    Jordison’s latest win at the Bike put her near the top of the GPI rankings for 2022 amongst women. It was a goal that she didn’t set out to reach until a friend told her she was in contention after her stellar summer. Now, it’s her primary focus for the rest of the year.

    “I didn’t even know that was a thing and right before Cherokee, a friend calls and says you are in the mix. I looked into it and decided I’d go to WSOPC Cherokee and, if I bricked out, oh well. But then, I final tabled two there so it’s a priority now. I’d like to get it, but there’s some stiff competition.”

    Jordison made two final tables at Cherokee — a third in the $1,100 event and sixth in the $2,200 high roller, good for nearly $55K in combined cash. She also bagged a decent stack on the first Day 1 of the Legends of Poker Main Event, but ended up busting on Day 2 shortly before dinner break. Still, Jordison proved to herself that she can hang in these big-field events, something she doubted in the past.

    “My whole career, I’ve avoided big buy-in tournaments. They were intimidating to me. It wasn’t about the buy-in, it was about the level of competition. I didn’t know if I had put enough time in to compete there. I don’t like to get into things and be an underdog, and I usually do lower buy-ins.” 

    Angela Jordison at her latest final table, a $500,000 Guaranteed WPT Side Event. (Image: Kevin Taylor)

    “This last year was the first time I’ve averaged $1K and this is my first $5K event,” Jordison added. “I came here with the intent of playing it, but I was nervous. When I got a free seat for the $1,100, it took a lot of the nerves away. I feel good” 

    Jordison currently splits her time between Oregon and Iowa when she isn’t at the poker table. She says her favorite hobbies are painting, hiking, and being outdoors in general, especially with her two adult children. But her downtime might have to be put on hold in her quest to become the latest GPI Female Player of the Year.

  • WSOPC Adds Netherlands Stop to International Schedule

    WSOPC Adds Netherlands Stop to International Schedule

    The WSOP Circuit is continuing its international expansion with the announcement of yet another European stop when the circuit brings its rings to the Netherlands in late May. 

    The WSOPC will be coming to Holland in late May for nine Circuit tournaments. (Image: Somuchpoker)

    The newly announced series will be held at the Holland Casino in Venlo, Holland, from Friday, May 20 through Saturday, May 28. There will be nine ring events spread out over those nine days, with the highlights being the €1,000 Main Event, with two starting sessions, and the €2,000 High Roller Event.

    International love for WSOPC

    The new series will mark the ninth international stop for the WSOPC this season. In fact, four of the final five stops on the tour will take place abroad in France, Senegal, Canada, and now, in the Netherlands.

    All ring event winners in this series will qualify for the season-ending WSOP Tournament of Champions, a $1,000,000 freeroll for all winners on the WSOPC. The TOC will take place in Las Vegas after the conclusion of the WSOP main event in July.

    2022 WSOP Circuit Event Schedule – Holland Casino, Netherlands
    Date Time Format
    		 Event Buy-In Re-Entry
    Friday, May 20 1 pm NLH Starter Event €300 Unlimited
    Saturday, May 21 2 pm NLH The Weekender €400 Single
    Sunday, May 22 2 pm NLH Bounty Hunter €400 None
    Monday, May 23 4 pm NLH 6-Max €700 Unlimited
    4 pm NLH NLH €400 Single
    Tuesday, May 24 2 pm NLH Monster Stack €600 Single
    Wednesday, May 25 1 pm NLH Main Event
    Flight A    		 €1,000 Unlimited
    Thursday, May 26 1 pm NLH Main Event
    Flight B    		 €1,000 Unlimited
    Friday, May 27 6 pm NLH High Roller €2,000 Single
    Saturday, May 28 2 pm NLH The Closer €300 Single

    Holland Casino no stranger to big events

    This isn’t the first time the Holland Casino will host a major poker series. Before the pandemic, the casino was the host for the WPT Deepstacks Amsterdam stop, and it was also the host of the Main WPT Tour Stop in Amsterdam from 2015-2018.

  • French Poker Pro Sami Bechahed Takes a Chance, Finds Success in California

    French Poker Pro Sami Bechahed Takes a Chance, Finds Success in California

    The return of poker tournaments in Los Angeles has given many local players something to look forward to after more than a year-and-a-half of empty poker rooms in Southern California. For players like Sami Bechahed, an online grinder, the return toward normalcy provided the perfect time to branch out and take a chance by focusing more on live tournaments. 

    Sami Bechahad
    Sami Bechahad after winning his first WSOPC ring (Image:WSOP.com)

    Bechahed has made the most of that chance, winning two preliminary events at the Bicycle Casino.

    “It’s just been a commitment for me. I’ve never played a series where I took some time off and dedicated myself to it,” said Bechahed. “I would play mostly cash with one tournament here and there, but I didn’t have time. Now that I’m focused on it and dedicated the time to play, it has paid off.”

    Tournament tryout a big success

    Bechahed, a French native, said that the vast majority of his poker experience before this series was through online tournaments on Winnamax, a popular site with French players. Bechahed says he’s encouraged by his new-found live success, and that his first WSOPC ring holds special significance to him.

    “The ring means as much as the money to me. I’m going to keep it forever, whereas the money won’t be here forever. It’s pretty cool, I have a ring and a lot of poker pros don’t have trophies. I’m just happy and enjoying the moment. The hardware is great,” said Bechahed.

    While taking down a couple of WSOPC events has been great, Bechahed says he has his eyes set on bigger goals as 2022 approaches.

    Eyes set on 2022 WSOP

    Unable to make it to Las Vegas for the 2021 WSOP, Bechahed says visiting the series in 2022 is his ultimate goal, and that playing at the WSOP would be a dream come true.

    “I didn’t play any in Vegas this summer. I played a bit at Commerce Casino, but I’m looking forward to the next WSOP, it’s a big goal for me,” said Bechahed. “When I talked to my wife about grinding tournaments, the main goal was to build a nice bankroll for the WSOP. It would be a dream for me to play, just to be able to shuffle the chips on that table.”

    Like many other pros, Bechahed is a former dealer who moved to the other side of the table after deciding to pursue playing poker at a more serious level. His decision couldn’t have come at a better time, as the WSOP Circuit made a massive change this season, awarding all ring winners a seat to the $1 Million Tournament of Champions in Las Vegas at the end of the summer. 

    Sami Bechahad After Winning Bounty Event (Image: Bicycle Casino)

    All WSOP bracelet winners will also be eligible for that event as well. Playing in that event, Bechahed said, will be another dream come true for him. 

    “It’s incredible. I’m so excited to play in that and I have a chance to go to Vegas where I don’t go very often. I love the game so I’m very excited to play in that.”

  • ‘Catrific’ Retreats from WSOPC Debacle after Social Media Schooling (UPDATE)

    ‘Catrific’ Retreats from WSOPC Debacle after Social Media Schooling (UPDATE)

    When YouTubers and poker mix, drama ensues as Cat Valdes aka Catrific found out after taking part in the wrong World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) event.

    Cat Valdes Catrific
    Cat Valdes aka Catrific has issued an apology after receiving backlash for playing in the wrong WSOPC tournament. (Image: Twitter)

    About half a day after CardsChat News reported on Valdes’ WSOPC appearance and subsequent social media hubbub, the 29-year-old YouTube influencer and admitted poker newbie has taken a step back from her tale of a confusing tournament mishap at Bally’s in Las Vegas.

    Catrific: Sorry for WSOPC Mishap

    Issuing an update via her YouTube channel (see video below), Catrific said she should have taken more responsibility for her actions.

    “I want to completely acknowledge that I did mess up and I did the wrong thing and I totally own that,” the novice poker player said on April 1.

    Prior to releasing her latest statement, Valdes had given her take on the WSOPC debacle during an 11-minute vlog. Now removed, the video goes into detail about how she bought in for a $400 side event but found herself in the $1,700 main event.

    Although the initial oversights weren’t her fault, the source of contention for some was the revelation that she knew she was in the wrong tournament. After almost two hours at the wrong table, she reasoned that keeping quiet was the best course of action.

    “In my head, I was thinking I could go tell somebody but if I tell someone it will cause all this chaos. I was like, what if they stop the clock and people are mad at me,” Catrific said in her March 31 video.

    The situation was finally resolved after she was removed from the WSOPC main event in Las Vegas and given a spot in the $400 side event.

    Video Backlash Surprises Valdes

    Despite shedding light on the situation, Valdes wasn’t prepared for such a harsh backlash from the poker social media community. With cheating a touchy subject in the poker, it seems she didn’t account for such a perception, nor the potential impact it may have had on other players.

    Not wanting to incur any further abuse while mourning the death of her grandmother, the YouTuber has set her Twitter account to private. In tandem with closing the door on further comments, her latest video is the “final word” on the matter.

    In concluding her explanation, she reiterated that she didn’t realize her actions affected the equity of other players. What’s more, she said that cheating was never her intention and the only thing she’s guilty of is being “naïve.”

    “If I was intentionally trying to cheat and do all these things maliciously,” she says, “why would I ever post that online?”

    As with other tournament scandals, the Valdes/WSOPC saga will soon find its way into the muck. However, if nothing else, the incident has given the social media figure some extra drama for her YouTube channel.

  • Pokersplaining: Cat ‘Catrific’ Valdes Ejected from WSOPC Main Event (VIDEO)

    Pokersplaining: Cat ‘Catrific’ Valdes Ejected from WSOPC Main Event (VIDEO)

    Popular YouTube vlogger Cat Valdes, aka Catrific, caused an uproar during a recent World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) event after playing in the main event by mistake, and even busting out another player before she was booted from the tournament that she didn’t buy into.

    Cat Valdes Catrific poker
    Aspiring poker player and YouTuber Cat Valdes, aka Catrific, has caused a stir after playing the wrong WSOPC event. (Image: World Poker Tour)

    Giving her side of the story via YouTube, the social media maven prefaced the video by explaining that she’s still new to poker.

    After providing an overview of how live buy-ins work, she told her 666k+ subscribers that she intended to play a $400 WSOPC side event at Bally’s, Las Vegas, but instead was mistakenly seated at a table for the $1,700 main event.

    Catrific’s Version of Events

    During an 11-minute video, Catrific admits that she “didn’t realize right away” what had happened, even though there were early signs that something was amiss. After playing for over an hour, she claims floor staff “kicked her out” of the tournament in a “extremely rude” way.

    “You can probably hear it in my voice, I’m getting emotional and anxious just remembering yesterday because it was so bad,” Valdes said on March 31.

    The confusion, according to Valdes, stemmed from a mistake by the cashier. Despite questioning the number of starting chips she’d been given, the novice was assured by the cashier and dealer that everything was in order.

    After an hour, Catrific eventually realized she was in the wrong tournament.

    “A break was coming up on the screen and I looked and I was like s**t they put me in the wrong tournament,” she continued.

    After noticing the error, Valdes continued to play but admits she was faced with a dilemma over what to do next.

    “In my head, I was thinking I could go tell somebody but if I tell someone it will cause all this chaos. I was like, what if they stop the clock and people are mad at me,” the YouTuber went on to say.

    On a friend’s advice, she continued to play in the wrong event until the tournament director removed her from the action.

    In her opinion, she was surprised at the “aggressive” reception she received but she was allowed to join the $400 she’d originally intended to play.

    https://youtu.be/wsZUeYVbFjY

    UPDATE: Valdes has disabled the video in question, at least temporarily.

    Poker Players Balk

    For some players, the reaction was not only expected but warranted. Although many agreed an aggressive tone wasn’t necessary considering the tournament staff’s error, but a few pointed out that it could have been seen as cheating.

    Players pulling scams at the table is nothing new. In 2015, Valeriu Coca raised suspicions but was ultimately cleared by the Nevada Gaming Control Board of foul play at the WSOP.

    In fact, it’s not just players that have been accessed of cheating. Poker dealer Robert Brown was indicted but avoided charges after an incident involving a card falling from his sleeve in 2016.

    With incidents such as these still fresh in the mind of players, Catrific has raised the question of what the right course of action should have been — and that discussion has been ongoing.