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Thursday, April 12, 2007

Repeal the Uigea

Internet Gambling: Barney Frank to Repeal UIGEA with support from the Euroean Union



The Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, Barney
Frank of Massachusetts is about to introduce a bill to end the ban on
internet gambling imposed by the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement
Act of 2006. Frank has called UIGEA the "stupidest law ever passed" and
is looking into introduce the legislation with the help of Southern
Nevada Congresswoman, Shelley Berkley and others.



"I want to get it undone," Frank told reporters.




A bill to end a ban imposed last year on online gambling in the United
States will be presented within two weeks but will likely need time to
garner support, U.S. Rep. Barney Frank said on Thursday.



"I
think a reconsideration among my colleagues is beginning but it's not
far enough along yet," Frank said. "If the storm of public unhappiness
is great enough then I will try to substantially revise that ban."



Could the European Union get involved?




In a letter to President George W. Bush, Arizona Senator Jon Kyl
bragged about wiping out over $7 billion in market capitalization from
AIM listed publicly traded gaming companies. Kyl’s actions and UIGEA
bothered the European Union which is home to several internet gambling
firms that were forced to withdraw from the United States. After a
visit from Frank, the EU internal market chief Charlie McCreevy hinted
he may challenge the ban at the World Trade Organization.





Antigua & Barbuda has already won a landmark internet
gambling case over the United States at the World Trade Organization.
The WTO recently released the official 215 page report declaring that
the United States failed to change legislation that unfairly targets
internet gambling websites. The WTO agreed with Antigua and stated that
the United States could only block such websites if its laws were
equally applied to domestic firms that offer other forms of internet
gambling such as remote betting on horse racing. Internet gambling
firms have long contested that the US move is simply protectionism.



"I
am not going to draw a distinction between poker and blackjack," Frank
said. This is music to the ears of the entire internet gambling
industry. Many within the industry thought that online poker could
receive an exemption to the existing law, however, Frank’s comments
clearly indicate that his legislation will help internet casinos &
sports betting websites as well.




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Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Math and the Home Openers




I decided to play with all the Cool Bloggers last night in the MATH tourney, But I was
starting to regret that decision as soon as I sat down.

My what a Tough table Not exactly what i was Hoping for in a starting table. only thing missing was having FUEL on my left, But Hoyazo is pretty damm close in my book.

Tourney was pretty tight early on for a blogger tourney. I don't remember seeing the Hammer dropped till the 2nd hour. Kattitude Tried to do it to me but ran into my slowplayed KK (i was UTG I think).


High On Poker was abusing my blinds all night. But i did manage to survive much longer than anticipated. Due mainly to luck such as the above KK hand with Kat.

I did donk out 11th after pushing 3 straight times the 3rd with TT only to run into JJ, I was the small stack and the blinds and antes were significant at that point so not much else I could do.
Had a good time playing with all the bloggers which is something I have been avoiding lately due to bankroll restrictions ( read broke). But it is nice to play with People Who usually have a decent understanding of the game we play.

Beckett called on for Fenway opener
Seattle (2-1) at Boston (3-3), Tuesday, 2:05 p.m. ET

Today is the Home Opener. The first time we can see all the new changes to the oldest Baseball park in America. I would gladly sit in the right field grandstand facing centerfield for only

The Redsox come home 3-3 which isn't so bad since they had to start in Balmy Texas and Kansas City. atleast they didn't start in Cleveland. Seattle comes in having had the last 6 days off since thier 3 games series in Cleveland was canceled due to SNOW. Now they are saying it could snow in BOSTON on thursday??????? Maybe it's the Mariners????

Look for beckett to have double digit strikeouts against a sluggish Seattle team today.

I am Amazed that Don Imus still has a Job. Seriously making comment such as he did in todays society with the rush to judgement that we all seem to do. But lest i forget he is a Shock Jock in reality One that has his veins filled with Enbalming fluid every other week but still alive.
(story and video available here). Crossing into racist and Gender issues is something that I would have thought he would know would get him in trouble, If not fired altogether.


Imus: That's some rough girls from Rutgers. Man, they got tattoos and —

McGuirk: Some hard-core hos.

Imus: That's some nappy-headed hos there. I'm gonna tell you that now, man, that's some — woo. And the girls from Tennessee, they all look cute, you know, so, like — kinda like — I don't know.

But then after he goes on The king panderers show (Al Sharpton) he further states that he
"JUST CAN'T WIN WITH THESE PEOPLE"

here is the link to his apperance on Sharptons show.
There seems to be a difference in how some people get treated in the media as compared to others. See Micheal Ray Richardson's remarks about Jewish people. Better yet, have we already forgotten his punishment? Black Guy gets fired white guy gets 2 weeks???????

Hope everyone has a great day and Enjoys The Home Opener.

Peace
Billyb

Monday, April 09, 2007

Math Tourney

Tournament: Mondays at the Hoy (MATH)

When: Monday 10pm ET

Game: NLHE - Deepstack

Buyin: $24+2 or token

Password: hammmer



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Absolute Poker/UltimateBet fires Grinder, Hellmuth and others

Copyright © ThePokerBiz.com All rights reserved.
Absolute Poker/UltimateBet fires Grinder, Hellmuth and others

Life as a professional poker player has taken a dramatic turn for the worse.

Six months after the UIGEA became reality and made it difficult for online poker companies to do business in the United States, UltimateBet and Absolute Poker have made the decision to distance themselves from professional player endorsements and have essentially fired Antonio Esfandiari, Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi and Mark Seif.

The futures of Annie Duke and Phil Hellmuth are a little bit cloudier given their ownership status. Rumor has it that Hellmuth will no longer promote the UltimateBet brand in the United States, but will continue to do so in Europe and Asia.

The players were told that “legal issues” were the central concern and the official reason for the contract termination. There is also some thought that company executives were worried U.S. authorities may attempt to make an example out of one of their players and arrest them, probably using similar reasoning to the NETeller arrests.

The endorsement deals were worth upwards of $500K per year and included provisions for buy-ins and bonuses for final tables made and logo exposure through interviews and photographs.

The move by Absolute Poker, which purchased UltimateBet late last year, could be their first step towards leaving the US market altogether or could simply be a move to provide their brand with some security knowing that they have no employees on U.S. soil.

The UB/AP group of pros was certainly one of the better stables going. Mizrachi was the 2006 CardPlayer Player-of-the-Year, Phil Hellmuth is one of the most recognizable players in the game today, Annie Duke has managed to build her brand around being one of the game’s top female players, Antonio Esfandiari has won a World Poker Tour and a World Series Of Poker title and Mark Seif won back-to-back WSOP bracelets at the 2005 WSOP.

Hand from last night

Here is the final hand of a $5 tourney on Full Tilt last night
I think I played it right But it still bothers me today.

Full Tilt Poker
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds: t600/t1200
(Ante: t150)
9 players
Converter

Stack sizes:
UTG: t12159
UTG+1: t38518
MP1: t19970
MP2: t13677
MP3: t23538
CO: t31408
Button: t23817
Hero: t19112
BB: t15774

Pre-flop: (9 players) Hero is SB with :td :tc
UTG calls t1200 (pot was t3150), UTG+1 calls t1200 (pot was t4350), 3 folds, CO calls t1200 (pot was t5550), Button raises to t4800, Hero raises all-in t18962, 4 folds, Button calls t14162 (pot was t29912).

Flop: :9h :5s :4c (t44074, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: t44074)
Turn: :4d (t44074, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: t44074)
River: :qc (t44074, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: t44074)
Results:
Final pot: t44074
Button showed Qd Ad
Hero showed Td Tc

My thinking was with 4 limpers TT might very well be the best hand and I had been playing pretty tight. I was surprised he called the AI for 4/5ths of his stack with AQ since with 5 limpers I figured him for a steal and a Reraise from behind him had to tell him at best he was a flip and at worst he was dominated.

Anyone have any thoughts?


Peace
Billy

Fantasy Baseball

Baseball has started and I know alot of people Do Fantasy Baseball.
Here is my team which considering I picked 12/12 in the first round I am pretty happy with my team. Our league is Head 2 head with 20 Category's 10 batting and 10 pitching.

Stat Categories: R, HR, RBI, SB, K, A, E, FPCT, AVG, OBP, APP, IP, W, L, SV, R, BB, K, ERA, WHIP


I won week #1 13-6-1
I also have a Bet with the Commissioner of the league on who's team will finish the regular season with the better record. for the entry fee to the league.

R# p#

1.12 Carlos Beltrán
2. 1 Vladimir Guerrero
3.12 Bobby Abreu
4. 1 Brian McCann
5. 12 Scott Rolen
6. 1 Billy Wagner
7 12. Richie Sexson
8. 1. Freddy Sánchez
9 12. Curt Schilling
10 1. Eric Gagne
11 12. Josh Beckett
12 1. Derek Lowe
13 12. Edgar Rentería
14 1. Ken Griffey Jr.
15 12. Ryan Dempster
16 1. Tim Hudson
17 12. Tom Glavine this was the steal of the draft.
18 1. Anibal Sánchez
19 12. Jorge Cantú -- Dropped for Ray Durham who was dropped God knows why.

Peace
billyb

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