1. The Advent of Live WSOP Coverage

For the first time ever, ESPN brought live coverage to the poker world. Up until this year, WSOP results were constantly being spoiled because all anyone had to do was go to the Internet to see results, and word-of-mouth took care of the rest. Now, with live coverage, followed by 30-minute tape delays, the WSOP and ESPN has brought incredibly fast entertainment to the poker community and its fans. In other words, televised poker went from an outdated highlight show to an “in-the-moment” breaking news phenomenon. For the hardcore poker fan, it was a brilliant move because without the hole cam being used until post-flop situations, fans were able to see how players played their hands, and also estimate the identity of their hole cards at the same time.

The broadcasters during these live shows proved to be a big success as well. The Norman Chad one-liners and bad jokes tend to get insipid and repetitive. Fresh voices like Phil Hellmuth, Olivier Busquet and Antonio Esfandiari were great, and they’re actually top-notch poker players! Hearing them break down hands, analyze them, speculate at players holdings and reflect on their experience was a beauty to watch and very informative.

This move is changing the poker landscape, and is the biggest positive, in my eyes, from the WSOP in 2011.

2. Important News: WSOP Final Table Change of Schedule

While the 30-minute delays seemed to be the closest thing to live television for Poker, think again! ESPN has gone one step further to appeasing poker fans by bringing a new format to final table coverage. In a cutting edge, 15-minute delay, poker enthusiasts will now be able to see the Main Event final table Online, as it will be streamed on November 6, and again on November 8 when the final nine will be cut to just three.

3. The Rise of Martin Staszko

Staszko, looking focused, is the chip leader of the Main Event final table.

Much of the poker world tends to focus on the unreal run of Ben Lamb or the history of the O’Dea family and Eophan’s ascension into the poker world, and rightfully so. But, the Main Event final table chip leader, Martin Staszko, has quietly flashed under the radar. While he may be more reserved than most, Staszo’s story speaks volumes to his triumph in life.

Indeed, this man went from obscurity to prominence in such a short time, and if he’s not famous yet, eight more eliminations would land him on top of the poker world.

4. The Epic Poker League

In a difficult time for Poker (due to Black Friday), the inaugural Epic Poker League (EPL) has brought some real positives to the game and its fans. By featuring the best poker players around, it has the highest quality of play. Moreover, by appearing on TV, fans are able to not only read about its success, but see it on their tubes.

Their website is the best going in the poker world. It has up-to-date stories, events and coverage. The site is extremely pleasing to the eye, with awesome graphics and eye-popping stories. Its content is really noteworthy, and you should check it out!

The Global Poker Index (GPI) is unique to the EPL. People are always debating who the best poker players are, and where they should be ranked. Well, the GBI not only provides a leader board for their league, but creates an incentive for players to keep playing and rising in poker prominence. The professional poker players are not just concerned with profit, but also legacy. The GPI is the perfect system for calculating progress, profit and performance.

5. Adams Takes a Stand

This last part can be attributed as a wild card to the list. It has not changed the poker world yet, but it offers great insight, and a unique stand by one of the better poker minds and players out there. Adams, in his blog, revealed why he was the only one to sport the Full Tilt patch in the WSOP.

Whether you support or hate Full Tilt at this point is of no significance. Adams is merely taking a stand for a company he feels made some simple mistakes, but still was so important to poker.

Adams analysis of the urgency to get poker regulated was very strong! Full Tilt is one of the main reasons professional poker players became credible and popular. Chris Moneymaker’s run certainly changed the game, but Full Tilt popularized it thereafter, and enabled pros to further their careers and amateurs to experience life-changing thrills. Without poker regulation, the game, as Adams notes, may go back to the dark ages again. So, it is important that legislation takes place, and everyone support the need for change!

Whether it is by luck, skill, or a little bit of both, it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter how they got here (even though the players certainly study tape of each other) because what lies ahead is all that matters. That is an opportunity at stardom, unreal popularity, and a chance at immortality.

To reach those “larger than life” titles, the final nine must fight to be the last man standing in one of the most interesting final tables in recent memory. It features a top-notch pro and a top-notch online player looking to crash the pro circuit with a bang!

The prominent pro is Ben Lamb, who is having one of the best WSOP years of all time. He has four cashes, one bracelet, and Player of the Year honors wrapped up. Oh yeah, and he made the main event final table! Meanwhile, the online phenomenon, Phil Collins, has enjoyed upwards of $3 million in earnings online, but only around $50,000 live. With Black Friday dooming many poker players dreams across the country, the story of Collins is particularly uplifting for those who wonder if they can bring their online talents to the live felt and be successful. Thus, a lot of fans should back Collins, known as USCphildo online.

Another storyline going is the remarkable “firsts” in the 2011 WSOP. Sam Holden of the United Kingdom, Pius Heinz of Germany, and Anton Makiievskyi of the Ukraine, are playing in their first WSOP. Also, Badih Bounahra becomes the first player to represent Belize in the final table, while chip leader Martin Staszko is the first player from the Czech Republic to grace the final table.

One of the most intriguing members of the final table is Eophan O’Dea. Despite his five WSOP cashes, he is overshadowed by his father, Donnacha O’Dea, who has a bracelet and also made two main event final tables. Making the main event final table is very impressive for Eophan, but anything but a first place finish will likely keep Eophan beyond his dad’s shadow for years to come.

Also, don’t forget about Matt Gianetti, who is from Las Vegas, and hopes for a hometown ending. With eight cashes in his short WSOP career, this 26-year old is fully capable of taking down the crown and $8.7 million.

Collins is seeking to become the most well-known and successful online pro to take down the main event title since Cada did it in 2009. (pictured above)

For a while now, the main event champion has been an amateur or lesser known pro. That trend could very well continue in 2011. It is up to Ben Lamb to change it, or Phil Collins to pull his best Joe Cada. See you in November!

Seidel, who won the 2011 National Heads-Up Poker Championship, has had the most impressive year in poker history to date.

When you look at the greatest moments in sports and poker (some argue the two are the same) for 2011, guys like Dirk Nowitzki, Aaron Rodgers, Tim Thomas, Novak Djokovic, and Erik Seidel come to mind. Unlike the other sports, poker has many champions each year, but none stands out quite like Seidel in 2011.

Seidel has won around $6.4 million dollars this year, and while a few main event champions have eclipsed that mark, none have ever had a more consistent and productive run than the eight-time bracelet winner. Astoundingly, over 95 % of Seidel’s prizes this year came away from the Main Event, which speaks to the year-long dedication of top-notch professional poker players. Seidel has won four tournaments and cashed in a dozen others, two of which were the first two Epic Poker League (EPL) final tables.

McDonald, elated after winning EPL Main Event number two.

After a second place finish in the first EPL finale, Seidel scored a fourth place finish in the next EPL Main Event, which saw Canadian Mike McDonald take down the title, along with nearly $800,000. McDonald, the youngest player on the EPL roster, bested yet another star-studded final table. Aside from the Chino Rheem probation and the Michael DiVita sex offender ban, the first EPL season has been spectacular and quite entertaining, nonetheless. I mean, what’s poker without a little controversy?

While the next EPL event isn’t until December, there is plenty going on until then. The World Series of Poker-Europe has completed five events, with superstars Phil Laak, Jeff Lisandro, and Gus Hansen already earning bracelets. Furthermore, in case you forgot, there is still another Main Event final table left in November. So, get your TIVO/DVR ready, put your feet up, and enjoy this action-packed year of live poker!

Rheem, after capturing the title for EPL Main Event # 1.

In sports and in poker, the rise and fall (and vice versa) of a player is the kind of story that really captivates America. After a great first event at the Epic Poker League (EPL), in which Brad Garrett energized a great charity event, it was the rise and fall of David ‘Chino’ Rheem that echoed sound waves throughout the poker community.

You may remember Rheem for his work in 2008, when he rocketed onto the poker world with a Main Event final table appearance, as well as a World Poker Tour win. Since then, Chino has struggled to produce a major result, but that soon changed. Rheem took down the unprecedented main event number one at the EPL, good for $1 million. Even more impressive was whom he beat to get the win. He found himself three-handed with Jason Mercier and Erik Seidel, only the top two ranked players in the EPL league.

After besting those two poker superstars, Rheem cracked a smile, held up a peace sign, and sported the jewelry that came with the victory. But, behind the pose was a sense of relief. It wasn’t representing the fact that he finally got a big cash, but that he could now pay off some of his debts he has collected since those 2008 glory days. For these reasons, which were reported on the very first day of the EPL main event and later investigated, the EPL put Rheem on probation.

This strong move speaks to exactly what the EPL team strives towards. That is to produce a league featuring the best poker players in the world that also conduct themselves in a professional manner. While Rheem’s actions occurred prior to the EPL, the team felt it wasn’t acceptable and also, bad publicity for the league. However, Chino has made significant strides by paying every penny of those million dollars towards his debts, as he works hard to become clean again. If Rheem provides an accurate list of his debts to the EPL and continues to display a professional manner, it’s rumored that he will be removed from probation. Let’s hope this affable star can rebound from his fall, and rise again into poker stardom, both on the felt and off it.

The colorful logo of the Epic Poker League.

If you thought the Epic Poker League (EPL) was solely a competition of the best poker players, think again. The league, hosted by the philanthropic Annie Duke, is full of good deeds and rewarding sacrifices. Accompanying each EPL event is a main event, preceded by a Pro/Am and a charity event. The charity event is what distinguishes this poker organization from the rest.

Garrett, on the right, pictured with poker pro Scotty Nguyen. Garrett is an entertainer first, and a poker player second.

The first charity event was hosted by “Everybody Loves Raymond” star and poker advocate/player, Brad Garrett. Garrett’s humor and passion rubbed off on the field, and made for a very enjoyable and successful tournament. Every last penny of everyone’s buy-ins, rebuys and add-ons ($240 buy-in, $100 rebuys and an optional $100 add-on) went towards Operations USA and the relief effort for the catastrophe in Joplin, Missouri, making this event extremely special. But, it wouldn’t be a professional poker tournament without some nice prizes. The final nine compete for a $1,500 EPL Pro/Am Seat (1st-3rd place, with first getting a custom jewelry bracelet), as well as a resort package at the Palms (the EPL home), jewelry, an iPad2 and tickets to Cirque du Soleil, American Idol, X-Factor and Brad Garret’s Comedy Club.

The charity event certainly set the stage for Main Event number one of four for the season. This inaugural main event featured 137 players at the outset, and currently, only 18 remain. All bought in for $20,000, and the final two tables are guaranteed $43,190, with the winner getting a whopping $1 million. While every main event is always going to feature the biggest names from beginning to end, this final 18 has to have Duke and her team smiling from ear to ear. As it turns out, Erik Seidel, Jason Mercier and Eugene Katchalov, who make up three of the top four ranked EPL players, have made the illustrious final two tables. The rankings are based on EPL’s own Global Poker Index, ranking players based on their calculated system.  Don’t miss the rest of the action, with live updates and any information you desire on their website. Also, keep up with the rest of the EPL season and schedule, as it promises to be one of the most unique and star-studded formats of all-time.

The 2011 World Series of Poker (WSOP) final table brings the poker community several firsts. With Eoghan O’Dea making the final table, he joins his father, Donnacha, as the only father-son combination to make the main event final table. Moreover, with Pius Heinz making the November Nine, he becomes the first German to do so, and should boost the exposure of poker for his country.

The game is becoming more and more global, and that’s even more evident with our final table. The nine players come from seven different countries, with only three representing the United States. For a breakdown of the players and their backgrounds, click here.

This final table is extremely intriguing because it features one of the hottest  stories going in poker today. That would be the case of Ben Lamb, who is  currently ahead of Phil Hellmuth in the Player of the Year (POY) race. Lamb  only needed a 137^th place finish in the main event to snatch the lead from  Hellmuth (with seven WSOP-Europe eligible point tournaments left), but he  has gone a giant step further by making the November Nine. Not only that,  but he won his first bracelet this year, as well as a second, eighth and  12^th place finish in other tournaments, earning him over $1.3 million this  year alone. Winning the main event and the POY in the same year would put  him in untouched territory, and represent one of the most incredible stories of  all-time.

Up until now, Collins has enjoyed all his major success on the Internet, but that is soon to change.

Meanwhile, this final table also has an Internet phenomenon, known online as USCphildo, and Phil Collins to the IRS. Collins has won over $3.0 million on the Internet, and just under $50,000 live. For those poker players who are worried they won’t be successful transitioning from Online Poker to live after the Online Poker crash in America, Collins gives reason to believe.

Outside of Lamb, Collins, O’dea and Matt Giannetti (who has eight WSOP cashes for over $200,000), the rest of the final table doesn’t have many results in the poker world. But, none of that matters at this point. All these nine players have survived eight weary days, and will be fresh and ready to go come November. Get ready to be captivated in four months, when nine lucky souls chase the dream of $8.7 million and poker immortality.

Lamb, located in an Aria T-shirt, fourth from the right, is amongst the November Nine.

Despite the USA Online Poker crash (Bodog being the latest victim, effective at the end of the year), there are many great things going on in the poker world. Last time I left you, Ben Lamb was on the roller-coaster ride of his life, chasing phenom, Phil Hellmuth, for Player of the Year (POY) honors, amidst the thunderous crowds and bright lights of the World Series of Poker (WSOP). Well, Lamb hasn’t veered off the tracks once, as he’s automatically vaulted a car length ahead of Hellmuth in the POY race, just by making the November Nine.

Lamb has bested 6,856 players to reach the most touted final table in all of poker. Let that sink in for a minute. The man has the unheard-of opportunity to not only capture POY honors, but win the Main Event for over $8.7 million. In the meantime, Hellmuth has a chance to regain the lead during seven WSOP-Europe events (not including the Ladies tournament), which begin October 7. But, don’t forget that if Lamb were to win the most prestigious tournament in the game, he would earn  an unbeatable 500 points, as well as 350 for a runner-up finish. Lamb can become the first player to win POY and the Main Event in the same year, a feat that would land him the highest respect in the poker community. However, if Hellmuth, the most successful tournament player in the history of the game, finds late-game magic and seizes back the lead, it will truly be history in the making! So, keep up with all the tournaments over the next four months, leading up to the Main Event final table!

Speaking of tournaments, some of the most exciting tournaments this year will be featured in the groundbreaking Epic Poker League. This league will be revolutionary for the poker world, comprising of 200 of the best live tournament players, based on career live tournament winnings, the amount of major titles earned and the most recent historical live performance earnings. For a full breakdown of the requirements to make this elite field, click here.

The only other time there was a similar idea executed was when the Professional Poker Tour (PPT) crashed the poker circuit in 2005, but burned in 2007. Unlike that short stint, the Epic Poker League has all the makings of having a long and  successful road ahead. While the PPT aired on the Travel Channel, this league has 20 guaranteed hours of television airtime, on CBS and Discovery’s new channel, Velocity. For a full rundown of the events and their dates, click here.

So, while the online scene has taken a hit, live poker is as exciting as ever. With the WSOP-Europe carrying us to the November Nine, and the Epic Poker League going on during those normally “dead” months between the WSOP and the next WSOP, there isn’t a dry moment in the poker world. Look for ratings to boom, superstars to rise, and amateurs to recognize their dream. Don’t miss the action!

For most, poker is about the money. For the professionals, winning a bracelet has significant value beyond its worth. For Phil Hellmuth, it’s all about cementing his legacy. Coming into the 2011 WSOP, Hellmuth led the world with 11 bracelets and 79 WSOP cashes. But, being just one bracelet ahead of Johnny Chan and Doyle Brunson, the drive for a 12^th was more prevalent than ever.

Hellmuth heads up with Rast for the Poker Players Championship.

With his game in full force, Hellmuth found himself heads up for a bracelet not once or twice, but an astounding three times. Remarkably, he lost all three times, the most recent being a crushing blow in which he blew a seven to one chip lead to Brian Rast in the ultra prestigious Poker Players Championship.

Ben Lamb, winning his first career bracelet this year.

With five cashes for over $1.5 million, he finds himself atop the Player of the Year (POY) standings. If he were to win this award that’s given each year to the best overall player at the WSOP, he will have added yet another sick accomplishment to his already packed resume. However, being just 51.2 points ahead of fellow pro, Ben Lamb, it’s anything but over. If Hellmuth doesn’t cash in the main event, and Lamb finishes 137^th or better, Lamb will take the lead, with seven WSOP-Europe events left to decide the winner.

Hellmuth nearly got blinded out of the main event because he thought he was in a different day two session. If it wasn’t for his buddy and loudmouth, Mike Matusow, ordering hotel security to inform Phil about his mistake, he’d probably be out of the tournament. Instead, he arrived down to just under 7,000 chips, and grinded his way above 50,000, and now sits at over 60,000 with less than a 1,000 players left of the 6,865 that started. Meanwhile, Lamb is making the charge of his life, as he was the day one and day two chip leader, and currently sits in the top 40, with nearly 500,000 chips.

With cashes from both looking like a real possibility, this POY storyline is coming down to the wire. Wouldn’t it be intriguing if the two met at a table down the stretch? Tune into the WSOP to find out and witness the stretch run and the most exciting moments in poker. It is currently being shown live on ESPN2 for the first time ever, and will air normally starting this Tuesday.

Rod Jahanguiri, grinding.

I recently had the pleasure of talking with Rod Jahanguiri, a part-time professional poker player.  Jahanguiri is a cash game specialist, but has enjoyed some tournament success of late. This includes a  3^rd place finish at the Rio Deep Stack event for around $5,000 and 4^th place in the World Series of Poker  (WSOP) $550 6-Max event in January, where he pocketed over $8,000. At the six handed tournament,  he got his pocket kings all in preflop against the second biggest stack, who happened to have big slick,  and flop an ace for about 80 % of the chips in play. He also took down the TJ (TJ Cloutier) Classic at  Choctaw (event two) for around $5,300, in which he overcame a four to one chip disadvantage heads up  against Cloutier himself, in an epic battle between the 2006 Poker Hall of Fame Inductee and six-time  bracelet winner and the young pro. Here is a Q and A from the conversation we had:

Superfan: How did it feel to take down the TJ classic, and describe the experience of actually playing TJ heads up, being his tournament?

Jahanguiri: It was the first casino tourney I’d ever won. I had just actually taken a break off poker, and that was the first thing I played since. I play with TJ in cash games somewhat regularly, so looking back, it wasn’t as big of a deal. We had been playing with each other for a good portion of the final five tables, so we were already friendly when it got heads up. We were showing each other a lot of hands, which is very relaxed and dynamic for a poker game. When you are first, it’s always exciting. I got a cool story out of it at the time, considering who was heads up with me and how it finished.

Superfan: Describe what it was like to have a big chip lead throughout a tournament, like you did in the $550 6-max, and the strategies to take when you’re in that position.

It’s always nice to have chips in front of you. Unlike being the short stack, you can actually three bet and play hands in position, which is a recipe for obtaining more chips, pending that you’re a good post flop player. The thing about that tournament was that I barely ever had to show my hands at showdown. I’m not sure if I was lucky overall as far as table draws went, or if a majority of the tourney field was that passive. With only five other opponents (at my table), I was able to start killing the blinds, once the antes kicked in.

Superfan: As you know, Black Friday brought an end to the three largest Online poker sites for USA players. How has this affected you and the rest of the poker community?

Jahanguiri: Unless you’re traveling year round or live in LA/Vegas, there aren’t a lot of great tourneys going on regularly because of Black Friday. I’m definitely playing less.

Superfan: If there’s some advice you’d give to young players, what would it be? Give a top five, if you can.

Jahanguiri:

1. Only surround yourself with friends if they are playing higher stakes with winning results.
2. Never assume there isn’t an encyclopedia of information you don’t know or understand about poker.
3. You can play tight and you’re still going to get the action you want, in the lower stakes games.
4. In Hold’em, most players have figured out the nuances of the game, so I like to keep a tight image because the truth is that in Texas Hold’em, you’re not going to make a lot of hands. But, neither are your opponents, so you need to be able to bluff hands.
5. Stop concentrating on bad beats, and instead, concentrate on the hands you went in from behind.

Jahanguiri is 25, orgionally from Plymouth, Mn, but currently resides in Plano, Tx, where he has lived since he was 11. He recently graduated with a Political Science/ Business degree from UTD (University of Texas at Dallas). He plans to go to law school, but before that, he’s going to enjoy his youth a bit, and do some traveling. He came back from the WSOP to take the LSATS for law school, but he’ll still be making two to three poker trips minimum before the end of the year. He feels that the mix of competition, psychology, math and gambling all make poker his favorite hobby. If he continues to succeed at the game, it may end up being much more than a hobby.

Walking into the World Series of Poker (WSOP) room sent chills up my spine. Hearing the shuffling of chips and seeing the immense crowds, I knew I was home, if only for a day. Despite all the statistics and catchy, off-the-wall phrases that only Norman Chad could come up with, television doesn’t do the place justice. It is a behemoth convention room, aligned with more tables than the eye can see. Trying to gain my composure, my first thought was to look high and low for celebrities. It was definitely a challenge, but I had finally found what I was searching for.

Allen Cunningham, stone-faced and in deep focus, on the wall at the Rio.

I came across a table with Allen Cunningham and Erick Lindgren, two stars of the game who happen to have their own posters out in the halls. Since it wasn’t at a final table, I couldn’t see the action too well, but for a nerd like me, it was sufficient enough. I felt trapped in time, a feeling I got watching the fireworks during the birthday of America. As spectacular as those lights were, the lights that shined on the stage of the poker room were just as memorable. I had made my way to the end of the room, where the Main Event champions were framed on the wall, above the stage. In lieu of running onto the stage and doing cartwheels, I took some photos and moved on.

2008 Player of the Year, Erick Lindgren, seizing the moment.

The feeling of moving on is common to American poker players, who saw their hopes and dreams dashed when Black Friday struck, just 47 days shy of the 2011 WSOP. This tragic event put an end to American online poker on the three largest poker sites, which were subsequently indicted for money laundering and bank fraud. While the world’s largest poker site, PokerStars, reached an agreement with the FBI to give their players their money back, its biggest rival, Full Tilt, has yet to do the same. This prompted Phily Ivey, thought by much of the poker community to be the top player in the game today, to boycott the WSOP until the issue got resolved.

While Ivey’s attempt is brave, it is the young, online poker pros and others who have been impacted the most. Ivey has enjoyed much success on the felt, while many young up-and-comers have experienced a large amount of their achievements on the Internet. With many people out of work, the WSOP attendance has gone up this year, but this will unlikely be a trend. Without online poker sites launching players into the WSOP, combined with the large buy-ins and the Vegas atmosphere eating up your money, attendance is bound to decrease in years to come.

So, while bringing online poker back may be the only solution to this problem, there are many positive things going on in Vegas. You should definitely make your way out to the WSOP, whether you are there to chase the dream or simply bask in the atmosphere, like I was. It is truly an experience that can only be described by being there, although I hope this article gives you a better sense of just how magnificent the WSOP really is.