Poker Blog & Poker Forum

Fuzion Poker had informed in a poker blog that Phil “The Unabomber” Laak would be trying for the endurance poker record. On Saturday June 5 at 12.06 PM Las Vegas time Phil Laak became the official poker endurance champion by breaking the record of 72 hours and 2 minutes. This had been set by Larry Olmsted. For some reason the record of 78 hours 45 minutes set by Paul Zimbler is not treated as official. But that will not matter now because Laak has crossed that one as well. And The Unabomber will make things more difficult for the next man trying to break the endurance record. As per current plans Laak intends to keep playing for 90 hours. Who knows, once he reaches that he may try for a full century?

Laak began the mission on Wednesday June 2 at the Bellagio Casino. He is permitted a five minute break for every hour played. Laak accumulated his time so he could shower or do yoga. He has been eating under the guidance of a nutritionist, who provided meals every five hours. In fact the nutritionist has kept Laak on a strict no-sweets and low-fat diet since January 2010 in order to ensure that he is fit for the event.

It did baffle many why Laak chose the WSOP period for pursuing the record. Therefore he explained, “I wanted to just do it when I knew there would be games. I needed people around because you need that energy when you do long sessions. I didn’t think I was playing the $50K anyways.”

Doyle Brunson’s blogs make interesting reading because they cover more than poker and when they do cover poker they touch upon the larger picture.

The Mike Huckabee TV show with Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman as the guest opened some old wounds for Doyle Brunson. President Obama had created a major backlash with his anti Vegas comments a few months back. The President had said that rolling the dice on the Vegas Strip was not the wisest move to make when needing to save for college and had referred to gambling at Vegas casinos as blowing a bunch of cash. In the Huckabee show Goodman said that statistics revealed a gigantic dip in canceled conventions after the President’s first comment and a sharp decline in tourist traffic after his second comment. Therefore Goodman squarely blamed the President for Vegas being the hardest hit city from the recession. Doyle concluded, “I don’t see how any resident in Nevada could ever vote for Obama after this.”

Doyle goes back to the presidential election when he voted for McCain. Doyle conceded that Obama was then projected as being good for poker and was sure to win. He had voted for McCain out of Republican loyalty. In his blog Doyle writes, “If I thought my vote would have mattered, I probably would have voted for Obama.” Today poker players have every reason to be let down. Less than two years down the line prosecutions of online poker payment processors are up and the UIGEA rules have been implemented. Instead of offering even lip support to online poker the President has condemned gambling at large.

The second interesting issue in Doyle’s blog is his fitness. Doyle went for complete physical and after a graphic no holds barred description of the tests conducted by the doctor Doyle gave his readers the doctor’s verdict. He said, “… the heart doctor said, barring some unforeseen complication or disease, I should live into my 90’s.” Given the fact that Doyle is not yet 77, he has a long way to go. This reminds me of some buffoon who had created a list of 100 celebrities who were most likely to die in 2009. Doyle Brunson was No. 16 on that list. That guy will not dare to include Brunson again.

In all the noise about WSOP one news item went largely unreported last week. Poker babe Lacey Jones has left the online poker room Absolute Poker. Lacey had joined Absolute Poker only last July and one of her major assignments was for Poker2Nite, which was sponsored by group poker room Ultimate Bet. It has been reported that the parting was without acrimony.

Lacey first informed Donk Down Poker of her decision to quit through a text message. Donk Down did play up this item because they have always been against Absolute Poker and have called it names like “Cheater Site”. “micon” of Donk Down wrote, “Lacey is a good friend and I am glad she is no longer associated with a filthy site such as AP. Furthermore, I don’t think it will be long before she gets a higher value sponsorship on a more reputable site. Good luck in WSOP 2010 Lacey, I hope you already have a deal in the works!”

However the news really caught on in the poker community when Lacey’s cryptic Tweet appeared on Facebook. The message read, “Today is a new chapter of my life and I’ve never been more excited! Get ready for some BIG things everyone!” It elicited immediate response from half a dozen Lacey fans. Tarver wanted to know whether the change was professional or personal. Meraw said, “Come on give us a hint lacey”. Other respnses were of a saucy nature. Candido figured that Lacey was pregnant, whereas Garner though that she was engaged. Those fans who want to score with Lacey should take a leaf out of the California inspection guys. In a recent Tweet Lacey said, “California inspection guys are so smooth. Was just asked if there were any roses besides me in the car. Made my day.”

Whether Lacey already has a new deal in the works will only be known when she spills some more beans. But Lacey has had a great time in the recent past. She had become the spokeswoman of the Canadian Poker Tour. Lacey also has a sponsorship deal with clothing company KSINO. She perfectly fitted the brand’s ethos of “playing great and looking hot while doing it.” But despite her success Lacey is a woman with her feet on the ground. On Memorial Day she did not forget those who gave their lives for the country, especially her dear friend Sgt. Matthew Murphy.

Online poker rooms are going all out to sign up poker babes. First Victory Poker signed up Sara Underwood. Then Bodog took on Amanda “Manderbutt” Musumeci. Now Ultimate Bet (UB) has done a sponsorship deal with porn star Samantha Ryan. Unlike the two poker babes named above, Samantha will not be a permanent brand ambassador for UB. She will be playing at WSOP 2010 under the UB clothing.

It is not known what connection Samantha has with poker, but she does have a link of sorts with UB and with WSOP. She is close to Tiffany Michelle who is on the regular Ultimate Bet team. Two years ago when Tiffany was the last woman standing at the WSOP Main Event Samantha and Maria Ho were seen together cheering for Tiffany.

Samantha, who Tweets under the name SammyRyRy, continuously chatters with Tiffany and a host of other poker babes. There are Tweets about Tiffany and Maria in the Amazing Race, about trying to win a date with Tiffany and Maria and team China winning the World Team Poker and even about more intimate subjects. But apparently Samantha does play poker in Las Vegas and claims to be good at beer pong. However, Samantha’s porn star resume is more spectacular. Apparently they have their own Oscar type awards known as AVNs in various categories and Samantha has won nominations in many of them.

But coming back to Samantha and UB and WSOP this was her Tweet on securing the deal. “Hey Tweeps! Please tell all ur friends to follow @ultimate_bet @RealAnnieDuke @TiffnyMichelle & me! And help me get to the main event!”

Poker is very much like Hollywood. Fans are interested in the action outside the main arena. Who is dating whom? Who is bitching whom? What is happening at the parties? Poker2Nite filled in this gap. Once a week hosts Scott Huff and Joe Sebok along with their team of Dana Workman and Lacy Jones interviewed poker celebrities and got them to speak out on personal moments or controversial topics. A recent episode had Sara Underwood revealing more than yoga skills. Another had Maria Ho talking on how she was heckled during the Amazing Race.

Season 2 of Poker2Nite is over and the gossip mill has it that it is curtains for the show. The rumor was started by none other than the co-host Huff, who was probably peeved at being out of a job that required asking intimate questions to poker babes. He Tweeted, “Cat is out of the bag with @poker2nite. Was fun while it lasted, and whether you loved it or hated it, I’m glad we tried something new. Since @Poker2Nite has not been renewed: Working on a musical number for my Legally Prohibited from Talking Poker on Television tour.”

The Poker2Nite web site has nothing to say on this issue. You can still read the invite for the second season, that says, “After a killer freshman season where some of the world‘s biggest names in poker stopped by to talk, Joe Sebok and Scott Huff are back with Season 2 of Poker2Nite. And the sophomore season promises to be even more entertaining than the first.” However UB, the show’s sponsors, issued a clarification through Chief Operating Officer Paul Leggett. Leggett said the door has not been closed completely and no long-term decision has been taken on the fate of the show. UB is taking a summer sabbatical while it mulls on whether it will do a Season 3 in the fall or another poker television show.

Meanwhile those who miss the show can go to the Poker2Nite web site and get a rerun of some of the hottest poker babes like Trishelle Cannatella, Annie Duke, Joanna Krupa, Lacey Jones, Lauren Kling, Liv Boeree and more.