The World Series of Poker did not officially end when everyone cleared out of the Amazon room this summer after the 10th place finisher of the Main Event final table was named. Currently, the continuation of the WSOP brand is in London as Day two of their Main Event just wrapped up. The £10,000 buy-in made it one of the highest buy-in tournaments offered on the live poker circuit (behind the EPT Grand Finale and WSOP $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. to name two).

The tourney started with 362 players and dwindled down to 67 by last night as the star-studded leaderboard will attest to high-styled play of the much more intimate surroundings in London. Andy Bloch will lead the field going into tomorrow as they will getting closer to the £868,800 first prize and the right to call himself (as Team PokerStars Pro Vicky Coren was the last female standing) "World Champion".

Straight from the recap of John "Falstaff" Hartness at PokerNews (follow the link here to the complete recap) here's the top ten in chips going into Day Three:

Andy Bloch - 321,600
Brian Townsend - 290,100
Erik Seidel - 282,300
John Juanda - 252,500
Philippe Rouas - 233,300
Christopher Elliott - 231,900
Chris "Moorman1" Moorman - 219,500
Justin "BoostedJ" Smith - 217,700
Daniel Negreanu - 203,700
Brandon Adams - 190,000

$6.1 million

It's a nice sum of money. This pile of cash will grab you a Eurocentric sports car or two, a house near people you see in movies, and maybe a few million left over for a decent lawn mower.

The amount noted above is the current sum of money that has been refunded to high stakes players at UltimateBet for some of their opponents were not on the level. Lead by WSOP Main Event winner Russ Hamilton, certain players were using super-user accounts to view the hole cards of their opponents. Currently, Hamilton is the only one who is named in the Kahnawake Gaming Commission's (KGC) audit findings as additional payouts will be going out on November 3rd as well.

Below is the official statement from the KGC (with thanks from Pokerati for the find):

Kahnawa:ke Gaming Commission Imposes Sanctions on Ultimate Bet with Regard to Cheating Incidents
For immediate release
(MOHAWK TERRITORY OF KAHNAWAKE - September 29, 2008) Kahnawa:ke Gaming Commission ("KGC") Chairman Dean Montour today announced the initial findings of the audit conducted on licensee Ultimate Bet, as well as the sanctions to be imposed.
According to KGC Chairman Montour, the Commission has reviewed the information provided to it over the past months from Frank Catania of Catania Gaming Consultants of New Jersey; Gaming Associates, an Australian game testing company; and the permit holder. Chairman Montour said, "The Commissioners have made several findings of fact with regard to the cheating that occurred on the Ultimate Bet web site that included the identification of some of the individuals responsible for these incidents as well other significant violations of the Kahnawa:ke Interactive Gaming Regulations."
The Commission found clear and convincing evidence to support the conclusion that between the approximate dates of May 2004 to January 2008, Russell Hamilton, an individual associated with Ultimate Bet's affiliate program, was the main person responsible for and benefiting from the multiple cheating incidents. Furthermore, the KGC is currently in contact with the appropriate law enforcement agencies and intends to fully cooperate in the prosecution of all individuals involved in the UB cheating incidents.
Mr. Catania states, "My intention is to provide further information as it is uncovered, although the information already submitted to the KGC relating to Ultimate Bet warrants the KGC taking the actions it has today. Any further evidence uncovered with regard to cheating, withholding or destroying records in our continuing investigation will be reported to the KGC and the proper agency for appropriate action."

As a result of the KGC's findings of fact, the Commission called a special meeting, at which time it was unanimously decided to impose the following sanctions against Ultimate Bet:

1. Ultimate Bet is directed that by November 3, 2008 it shall, under the close supervision of the KGC, its employees and agents, commence refunding all players accounts found to have been adversely affected by the cheating of individuals under the control and supervision of the licensee. It is estimated that Ultimate Bet has to date reimbursed $6.1 million USD to players' accounts found to have been adversely impacted by the cheating activity

2. Ultimate Bet is directed that by November 3, 2008 it is to remove any and all persons deemed as "unsuitable" by the KGC from all involvement with the company, which shall include all levels of ownership, management and operation. Ultimate Bet during that time period until November 3, 2008 is required to continue to provide complete details of all day-to-day operations of the company. These shall include financial as well as daily gaming records to Frank Catania and or his assigns. It is anticipated that this action will provide full disclosure and prevent any further improprieties or wrongdoing from occurring while ensuring that the public is being offered fair and honest games and all player monies will be protected.

3. Ultimate Bet's control system as defined in section 9 of the Kahnawa:ke Interactive Gaming Regulations has been modified to prevent any further incidents of cheating or related improprieties.

4. Ultimate Bet will not delete or modify any logs including but not limited to web logs and game logs as required by the Kahnawa:ke Interactive Gaming Regulations and will continue to have those logs immediately available for inspection by the KGC or its agents.

5. Ultimate Bet shall immediately pay a fine of $1.5 Million USD to the KGC for its failure to implement and enforce measures to prohibit and detect fraudulent activities.
6. Ultimate Bet's failure to comply fully with these measures will result in the immediate revocation of its KGC gaming permit.

image from parttimepoker.com

In the way back time machine, in 2007 there was a block of about four months where I couldn't lose. It seems like all my draws came in, my hands held up, and my complexion never looked better in the mirror. Everything clicked, poker was easy, just show up and the bankroll magically climbed into thousandaire status by opening up four to six tables a night.

In the poker world, "running good" is something players try to latch on to as much as they can because streaks don't happen often. Of course there's statistical basis to running good but for the poker soul, there's nothing like a streak of cards to overcome the months (or even a year or two) of cards not falling the way the math dictates.

Enter the PokerListings Run Good Challenge for some of your favorite internet scribes (maybe next time I'll get the nod). A series of freerolls that culminated into a kick ass six person SnG that the bloggers had to qualify for. From Pauly's site here's the Change100 victory standings as she takes down noted Poker Cougar Michele Lewis and earns an extra $1,000 on top of her prelim moneys won:

The Final Event Money Winners: 1st Change100 - $1,235 2nd Michele Lewis - $802 3rd Amy Calistri - $494 4th Shamus - $247 5th Pauly -$185 6th Dan Skolovy - $123

For the site's write up on this generous freeroll, check out the link here.

image from parttimepoker.com

As the time table creeps forward towards the "live" showing of the 2008 World Series Main Event final table, poker fans are awaiting the crowning of a new champion. Last year's champ was Jerry Yang by the way, if you didn't see him sporting Full Tilt or PokerStars gear in commercials you're not alone. With luck, fans will welcome in a new ambassador to the game, likely we'll be seeing that someone sporting PokerStars gear.

The "PokerStars Six" as they are dubbed are not resting on their laurels after surviving hell week at the Rio. Instead they are going to be handing out money as it were on PokerStars during a set of freerolls called "Million Dollar Men Freerolls" that started on Saturday and last until October 17th.

Below is the official information on a great way to extend your cheer even further on ESPN in November:

Please welcome the PokerStars Million Dollar Men (MDM): Dennis Phillips, Ivan Demidov, Peter Eastgate, Ylon Schwartz, Darus Suharto and David 'Chino' Rheem. These players make up 6 of the remaining 9 players at the final table of the World Series of Poker* Main Event. Join us in supporting them as they take their shot at becoming the new WSOP* Main Event World Champion, and winning millions in prize money this November.

Since so many players at the Final Table represent PokerStars this year, we're celebrating...and, we want all our players to join us. As we count down to November 9, you can:
• Play for your share of over $360,000 in cash prizes for FREE!
• Win a share of the MDM's actual WSOP* Final Table winnings
• Take on the MDM in special tourneys with thousands of dollars in cash up for grabs
You can't play them at the World Series Final Table, but you can join them as we celebrate their historic achievement at PokerStars...and play some cards, of course.

MILLION DOLLAR MEN FREEROLLS
There is over $360,000 worth of cash prizes up for grabs through our MDM Freerolls! And it's free to enter. Play in our daily Round 1 freerolls from September 28 to October 17, and you could find yourself in the final, playing against the MDM for the $100,000 first prize!

For tourney dates, times and where to find the freerolls, see the Million Dollar Men events page.

WIN A SHARE OF THE MILLION DOLLAR MEN
Would you like a piece of the winnings that the MDM will take home from the World Series in November, PLUS a shot at $600,000 worth of prize pools? Then be sure not to miss our Win a Share tourneys.

We're running a tourney each Sunday at 16:00 ET (beginning October 5 for six weeks) which has a $100,000 prize pool, and awards the top 100 finishers a 0.01% share in the winnings of one of the Million Dollar Men. Each tournament corresponds to one of the MDM and placing in the top 100 gets you a share in that particular player. You can play in one, a few, or all of the tournaments - so go for all six to increase your chances of walking away with some serious cash!

SCHEDULE:
Date MDM
Sunday, October 5 at 16:00 ET David 'Chino' Rheem
Sunday, October 12 at 16:00 ET Darus Suharto
Sunday, October 19 at 16:00 ET Ylon Schwartz
Sunday, October 26 at 16:00 ET Peter Eastgate
Sunday, November 2 at 16:00 ET Ivan Demidov
Sunday, November 9 at 16:00 ET Dennis Phillips

WAYS TO ENTER/QUALIFY:
• 500 Frequent Player Points (FPP) buy-in gets you a seat in a tourney
• First Time Deposit - players making their first deposit using the code MDM will receive a free ticket to a Win a Share tourney of their choice
• 10 FPP and 50 FPP satellites
Read more about how to win your share here.

PLAY AGAINST THE MILLION DOLLAR MEN
The MDM have taken on over 6,800 players and have shown that they have the competitive edge. Now you can test your skills against them in a series of VIP 1-table tourneys and a special Outlast the MDM tourney.

There are thousands in prizes, bounties and bragging rights on the line, so if you have what it takes to beat the MDM, see the promotions page.

MILLION DOLLAR MEN VS. WORLD CHAMPIONS
We'll also be running a Tournament of Champions where the MDM will take on former World Champs Greg Raymer, Chris Moneymaker, Joe Hachem and Tom McEvoy. It will be great poker viewing and you can watch it exclusively at PokerStars, so don't miss it.

For full details on all of the MDM events, see our promotions page or contact us at support@pokerstars.com.

image from poker.com

Despite all the lashing at Bodog Poker lately, they are going forward with the second installment of the Bodog Open. Starting on Sunday September 28th, Bodog will be hosting several Hold Em' tournaments (and only Hold Em') over the course of next week with buy-ins ranging from $55 (w/rebuys) to the $500 Main Event which is carrying a sizable $300,000 guarantee.

There has been problems at Bodog lately and maybe this tournament series is a sign of their current health as all of the tournaments are carrying larger guarantees then the normal nightly MTTs. The structures at Bodog have always been some of the best found values on the internet, but can you wait almost a month and half for those funds should you strike gold? It's the average waiting time currently for cashing out, be mindful if you're going to commit new funds to the site for this series.

Below is the site's lead-in for the series:

Announcing: Bodog Poker Open II! It's BPO the sequel - but bigger and badder than ever. After a mightily successful Bodog Poker Open I in March 2008, where "phatcat" took home $76,280 - it's now your chance to grab that slice of the pie.

Satellites for the Bodog Poker Open II are up and running so dig deep and pull out your best online tournament strategies and skills. For this series of eight championship events, buy-ins range from $100-$500.
The first tournament goes down on September 28th with a major tourney happening each day after that and culminating with the Main Event on October 5th. The Main Event's $300,000 guaranteed prize pool will make for the biggest in Bodog history.

Series Highlights

Adding a little spice to the mix, there will also be six bounty tournaments during the week where Main Event Semifinal seats (T$109) will be awarded to anyone who knocks out one of the 20 players with a bounty on their head. The bounty tourney buy-ins range from $20 - $100.
Special prizes will also be awarded to BPO II event winners and players who bubble. All first place finishers will win an entry in any BPO II Main Event Satellite (T$109) hosted nightly at 9:20 PM ET. While the two bubble players from the 'Championship' events (No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7) will also win the same entry fee (T$109).
• Championship Event Winners: All winners of a numbered 'Championship' event will win an entry in any BPOII Main Event Satellite hosted nightly at 9:20pm ET (T$109).
• Championship Event Bubble Insurance: The 2 Bubble players in each 'Championship' event will win an entry in any BPOII Main Event Satellite hosted nightly at 9:20pm ET (T$109).
• Bounty Tournaments: Every player that wins a bounty gets entry in any BPOII Main Event Satellite hosted nightly at 9:20pm ET (T$109).
• Bounty Players: win a bounty by eliminating any of the following players in one of the 'bounty' designated tournaments:
• Evelyn Ng Team Bodog Pro
• JeanRobert Bellande Team Bodog Pro
• David Williams Team Bodog Pro
• Justin Bonomo Team Bodog Pro
• Rusostreet BPO I Event #1 Champion
• 3pounder BPO I Event #2 Champion
• PckAces BPO I Event #3 Champion
• foldpreflop85 BPO I Event #4 Champion
• bigcatfish BPO I Event #5 Champion
• phatcat BPO I Main Event Champion
• ari Team Bodog Featured Player
• nevertilt22 Team Bodog Featured Player
• magpe Team Bodog Featured Player
• head2782 Team Bodog Featured Player
• mattboom Team Bodog WSOPE 2007 (3rd place finisher)
• drossxyu Team Bodog WSOP 2008 (bracelet winner)
• illNuGWichee Team Bodog Alumni
• papadelpoker Team Bodog Alumni
• UFPokerStar Team Bodog Alumni

image from PokerStarsBlog.com

The best never rest. This applies to athletes and businesses, as online poker players have branded PokerStars to be the best in the business from their customer service down to the games they offer.

Just a few days after their record breaking World Championship of Online Poker series ended, they are gearing up for their big annual live event. The 2009 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure's (PCA) schedule has been announced along with the incoming dash for PCA prize packages for players to fully enjoy the week-long festivities at the Atlantis resort and casino.

Below is the press release from PokerStars outlining the big event:

THE 2009 POKERSTARS CARIBBEAN ADVENTURE ANNOUNCES FULL WEEK TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE Online Satellites Begin on September 24 Isle of Man (UK), September 24, 2008 - PokerStars (www.PokerStars.net), the world's largest online poker site, today announced the tournament schedule for the 2009 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. This season's tournament has grown into a series of events which will begin January 4, 2009 at the Atlantis Hotel and Casino on Paradise Island in The Bahamas, and run through January 10. The 2009 PCA Tournament will feature a $10K Main Event - from January 5 - January 10. The last two days of the event will air live on www.pokerstars.tv. Other PCA events include a $1K, $2K and $5K NLHE and for the first time in the history of the tournament the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure will also include a $25K NHLE High Roller Event that will stretch over three days. Last year's event attracted more than 1,100 players, most of whom qualified on PokerStars, and was one of the largest ever fields outside of the WSOP series, generating a massive prize pool of $8,594,976. Team PokerStars Pro, Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier took home $2 million for the win after five days of action in the sun. ElkY will return to defend his title alongside Team PokerStars Pros Chris Moneymaker, Joe Hachem, Greg Raymer and Daniel Negreanu. "Competing and winning last year was such a great experience. The PCA playing field is always diverse and competitive because of the amount of PokerStars qualifiers - the location can't be beat and I can't wait to go back." said ElkY. Online satellites are running on PokerStars starting September 24. Players can win a PCA 2008 prize package by playing in one of the many qualifying tournaments on PokerStars.com. There will also be opportunities to win a place at the PCA for free. Qualifiers will receive the $9,700+$300 event buy in, hotel accommodations, food credit and $1,000 in travel and spending money. Please visit http://www.pokerstars.com/caribbean-adventure/ for more information.