Check out The Poker Edge on ESPNRadio.com for an archive of this radio show, hosted by Phil Gordon and Andrew Feldman. My favorites include the shows with Daniel Negreanu (where he provides tips on heads up tournament play) and Annie Duke (where she talks about tournaments with fast blind structures).
Once you pick up some tips from these radio shows, put your learnings to the test at PokerStars.com.
Just wanted to share with everyone my recent experience with PokerStars. I used the client software to request a cashout on April 6. I asked that a check be sent to me, and the check arrived at my Bellevue, WA address on April 14. The name and address of the company that issued the check had nothing on it to associate it with PokerStars (or anything about online poker or online gambling, for that matter). It cleared the bank normally.
PokerStars continues to accept US-based, real-money players. Their current signup offer: Get $50 more when you deposit $50.
If you’ve not yet joined the PPA (like I asked you to 
), join up today so that you can tune in to tomorrow’s webcast with Senator Al D’Amato. According to their website:
“The Senator will give you an update of the federal government issues facing poker today and what the PPA is doing to fight for your rights. You have the opportunity to send e-mail questions before and during the Webcast which the Senator will answer live.â€
Hopefully, they will record and post the webcast for later viewing, since many of us have real jobs that will prevent us from attending live.
In a recent paper, a scientist has found a mathematical model that accurately describes texas hold ‘em tournament results. The primary predictive variable appears to be stack size. This is not surprising — one would expect that the larger one’s stack size at any given point in the match, the better one’s finish would be. The model also found that there is an optimal percentage of time that one should go all-in, and this optimal precentage is higher the fewer chips one has left. This is also not surprising, as players that are behind in a tournament need to double up in order to continue in the tournament. What is surprising is that the distribution that underlies the model is a fairly common one. I would not have expected that any model that attempted to describe something as complex and varied as a poker tournament would be seen in any other — much less many other — areas of nature.
I predict that you’ll have fun playing in the sit-and-gos and multi-table tournaments at Full Tilt Poker, where new players get a 100% match up to $600 on their first deposit.
I was skeptical when I saw the formation of the Poker Player’s Alliance about 18 months ago. Their goal is “.. to promote the game, ensure its integrity, and, most importantly, to protect poker players’ rights.â€.
Yeah, right. Good luck.
But I now think that they may be on to something. They have named former senator Alfonse D’Amato as Chairman of the Board of the organization. Getting someome like him to lead the charge — someone who knows the ins-and-outs of Congress, and who still may be able to call in a few outstanding favors — is a real score.
Do your part and help fud the efforts of the PPA — and get some bonus cash at the same time. Here’s how.
US players can also play in special PPA Membership Drive $500 freerolls at PokerStars in exchange for allowing them to share your contact information with the PPA. The PPA will send you more information, and you can decide to join at a later time.
Just a quick heads up that Mayagaming has been newly added to The Online Casino Gambling Directory. It accepts all US players, and is a combination casino, poker room, and sportsbook. They have a decent first deposit bonus — not great, but decent — and I encourage you to give them a try if you are looking for a new place to play.
If you have any money in a Party Poker account and can no longer play at the site, you’ll want to get it out of there ASAP. The Party Poker Inactive Account Fee of $5 a month will be deducted from your account each month until all your money is gone.
After you take your money out of Party Poker, drop it into an online poker room that still takes US players, like Mansion, FullTilt, or PokerStars. These three sites take players from any state in the US, and offer at least a 100% bonus on your first deposit.
Note: Props to the ACPW for the heads up on this story.
Check out this introduction to The Online Casino Gambling Directory. It covers all the key features of the site in about six minutes.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0S5lUgLPo3k
22 Dec 06 update: Here are the updated videos:
NETeller recently confirmed that they are staying in the US market, at least until the US implements the provisions of the UIGEA in July 2007. Realistically, there will need to be a major shift in the United States Congress to allow NETeller to continue operating under its current business model in the United States. By major shift, I mean something on the order of a repeal of the UIGEA, which is unlikely.
One possible scenario that I can see is that the regulations that are implemented will contain a loophole through which NETeller will attempt to squeeze through. History suggests that most regulations of this nature do contain loopholes that are exploited by interested parties, and there is little reason to think that the UIGEA regulations will be an exception. Once NETeller attempts to squeeze through the loophole, litigation may follow (although I can’t imagine what jurisdiction would hear the case).
We’ll all have to wait and see. In the meantime, game on!
By the way, if you are a US player and recently go kicked out of your casino or poker room (like I did), I got your back. Here is a list of online casino and online poker sites that continue to accept US-based real-money players. Fight the power.