The 1974 film California Split is regarded by many as one of the best depictions of gambling in movie history. Written and co-produced by the actor Joseph Walsh, the film routinely ranks highly on lists of “best gambling movies” ever, often at the very top.
The truth is, for gamblers who like movies, or film buffs who like to place a bet now and then, you can’t do much better than California Split.
Except, perhaps, to talk to Walsh himself about his film. I had the chance recently to do just that in a call with the writer at his California home. Much like his film, the conversation was both entertaining and edifying.
A couple of gambling buddies who are anything but two of a kind
In a sense, California Split is a buddy movie, or perhaps a variation on The Odd Couple. It is both a comedy and a drama, mixing the playful with the serious in a way that mirrors life itself.
It begins with a chance meeting between two gamblers. They are seated at the same poker table at the fictional California Club. The movie’s setting uncannily recreates one of the several Gardenapoker rooms that were popular at the time. So uncannily, in fact, that Walsh notes some poker players have insisted to him over the years they played at the California Club, even though it was entirely built on a set.
Elliott Gould plays Charlie Waters, a seemingly happy-go-lucky type always eager to place his next bet. George Segal portrays Charlie’s new friend, Bill Denny, whose relationship with gambling is less certain.
For Bill, gambling fills some sort of need in his life. It provides a temporary emotional fulfillment he is otherwise lacking. Charlie does not have such a problem. For Charlie, gambling doesn’t serve to replace something else in his life — gambling is his life.
California Split’s place in film history
There is a great deal to praise about California Split. Director Robert Altman (M*A*S*H, Nashville, The Player) brings to the film his signature style, often crowding the frame with a great deal of information. The crew used an experimental sound technique that involved recording eight separate audio channels. As a result, the multiple conversations in many scenes often create an appropriately casino-like atmosphere (even when not in a casino).
Gould and Segal are both excellent in their roles, demonstrating tremendous chemistry despite their characters’ different outlooks. Meanwhile, Walsh’s episodic story provides a series of captivating and entertaining situations. These include:
The masterful opening scene in the California Club, culminating in a fight between Charlie and a belligerent opponent (played by Walsh’s older brother, Ed)
Charlie and Bill drunkenly betting on being able to remember the names of all seven dwarves
Bill’s confrontation with his bookie, Sparkie (played by Walsh himself), to whom he owes a significant debt
Charlie hustling younger kids in a pick-up basketball game
Charlie’s hilarious sequence of reads on players in the Reno game (where real-life poker celebrity “Amarillo Slim” Preston makes a cameo)
Those who have seen the film remember all of these scenes. Those who haven’t can look forward to enjoying them.
Meanwhile, here are some highlights from my conversation with Walsh about the film.
Friendships and gambling: The day Joey went 14-0-1
In real life, Walsh has always been more Charlie than Bill. A dedicated gambler, the 83-year-old has always loved being “in action.” Meanwhile, Gould, who plays Charlie is actually much more like Bill, at least when it comes to gambling.
Joseph Walsh
Walsh knows this because he and Gould have been lifelong friends, having met as teenagers when schoolmates in New York City in the early 1950s. Gambling played a part in their friendship from the start, with the risk-loving Walsh often taking the lead in their betting adventures.
“I convinced Elliott I was the greatest handicapper known to man,” laughs Walsh. “Somehow I had an antenna, boy. I could pick football games. I just knew who would win. I told Elliott to give me $60 and I had $91. I told him I didn’t know how any one of my 15 college games can lose.”
Walsh found a bookie and put the pair’s money down on a series of parlays involving those 15 games. As it turned out, Walsh was almost right. He was on the right side of 14 games (against the spread!), with the 15th ending in a push! They’d turned their $151 into around $1,500.
“Elliott is looking at me like ‘my friend is a freak of nature… Joey is spooky as it gets!’” Walsh remembers. It goes without saying the pair were never able to recreate such a streak again, but that didn’t stop them from trying.
The streak does make kind of a reappearance, however, in California Split. I’m referring to the Reno sequence at the end of the film that cleverly mixes humor and suspense as Bill gambles with the pair’s money (and keeps winning) while Charlie watches from the rail.
I’ll avoid spoilers, but it’s safe to say Split does not exactly feature a typical “Hollywood ending.” That’s not Walsh’s style. In fact, the ending is one reason why I believe the film has endured so well.
Forget the romance, ‘Split’ offers a realistic view of gambling
“The film will never be dated,” Walsh agrees. “It’s not going to be dated because I took anything that would be dated out of it.”
It’s true that even decades later, the series of episodes involving Charlie and Bill still speak directly to the gambling experience.
California Split depicts many different types of gambling. There’s poker, blackjack, roulette, and craps. The characters also wager on horse races, boxing, and make those aforementioned bets on Snow White characters and pick-up basketball.
The movie also presents an incredible variety of relatable emotions related to gambling, from the rush of winning to the crush of losing and everything in between.
‘California Split’ first premiered in August 1974
Viewers who do gamble recognize and identify with the frustration, excitement, boredom, and pleasure the characters experience while gambling. The film even depicts the sort of existential self-doubt that can rise up and cause a gambler to question the purpose of constantly taking risks and seeking rewards.
The point was to “keep it honest,” says Walsh of his depiction of gambling. As he puts it, he did not want “to glamorize it or make it more ‘movie-ish.’”
It is fair to say that Walsh primarily wrote the film for gamblers, or at least with an intention to present gambling in a way that gamblers would recognize as truthful. Put another way, Walsh didn’t write California Split for those who excitedly watch others gamble and who possess all sorts of erroneous conclusions about what they think they are witnessing.
By way of contrast, Walsh brings up The Cincinnati Kid, the 1965 film starring Steve McQueen that like California Split often appears on “best ever” lists of poker and/or gambling movies.
“I like The Cincinnati Kid, too,” says Walsh, though he adds that while the film is dramatic and engaging, it’s not necessarily the most realistic representation of gambling.
Walsh had to fight some significant behind-the-scenes battles in order to avoid letting California Split be transformed into a different kind of movie. In fact, such battles included at one point having to consider casting the Cincinnati Kid himself, Steve McQueen, in Split (a possibility never realized, likely for the better).
“I didn’t cater to anything,” he insists, noting how he avoided the temptation to embellish or make gambling seem more romantic than it really is.
“Every time there was a precious line that would have sounded so f***ing smart, I said get rid of it,” Walsh laughs. “If you remain true [to your characters and subject], you don’t over-intellectualize it,” he adds. “You can see the real feeling and emotion of gambling.”
“That will never go out of style. The film has a life that’s been unbelievable. It’s been incredible.”
A ‘California Split’ TV series?
As if to prove even more conclusively the continued appeal of California Split, few know about it but there was an earnest effort made recently to create a big-budget Showtime series based on the film. Walsh shared a few behind-the-scenes details of that story during our conversation.
The project was to have involved director Todd Phillips and his company, Green Hat Films. The director of Old School and The Hangover trilogy worked for several months with Showtime to create a series inspired by the film, to be titled California Split.
The negotiations were quite exciting for Walsh. There would be a conspicuous credit for him at the start of every episode. And not least importantly, a handsome payday as well.
Joseph Walsh recently published a memoir, titled ‘Who Says It’s Over’
“This would have been a bonzana for me,” says Walsh. “It was all set. They wanted to do it. They were nice enough to send the screenplays to me. It was a nice job, especially the first episode. They kept the characters, and were doing a lot of scenes from California Split.”
Walsh mentions one example, the woman superstitiously switching seats at the California Club poker game, as a detail from the film reappearing in the TV script.
A number of rewrites followed. There was even talk of Walsh being called upon to write an episode, perhaps during the second season.
“That would have been nice,” says Walsh. “I think I have a wonderful episode in me.”
Alas, a last-minute disagreement (not involving Walsh) thwarted the project. Phillips was suddenly gone, having moved on to direct the award-winning Joker and to pursue other projects.
The way Walsh tells the story, it was as though he had been on the verge of collecting a massive pot when his opponent unexpectedly rivered a one-outer.
“It all blew up. I couldn’t believe it. It was one of those where you knew you were 98 percent, 99 percent,” he chuckles.
Coming from someone else it might have sounded like a bad beat story. But a lifetime of bets won and lost prevents Walsh from succumbing to anything resembling self-pity, even where it might be deserved.
“That knocked me on my ass for 10 days. But somehow after 10 days, I said okay… what’s on the other side of this? Are you going to let this crush you?”
The answer was no, and among other things during the years since Walsh wrote and has now published his hilarious Hollywood memoir, Who Says It’s Over.
“I’m in the win column, already,” says Walsh, characteristically accepting that which he cannot control.
As California Split well shows, you win some and you lose some. It’s how you handle those wins and losses that matters most.
The partypoker US Network recently announced a World Poker Tour event is heading to New Jersey in late December. However, plenty of action kicks this week as well.
Party kicks off the fall Online Series on Nov. 29 with 11 events running through Dec. 6. Buy-ins range from $109 to $535 and the series features $185,000 guaranteed in a fun week’s worth of action.
The entire series is available to partypoker players in NJ as well as the BorgataPoker.com and BetMGM skins. All events are in No Limit Hold’em but there are a few bounty events to add to the excitement.
The Online Series comes out firing on Nov. 29 with a $215 Sunday No Limit Hold’em event with $100,000 guaranteed. Other series highlights include:
$535 Progressive Knockout 6-Max (Event 7) – This $25,000 guaranteed event on Dec. 3 features bounties starting at $250 a person and keep growing throughout the tournament. One bounty late in the tournament could help a player make a profit.
$215 NLHE (Event 10) – Another big Sunday major on Dec. 6 with players battling for a $50,000 guaranteed prize pool.
Here’s a look at the complete schedule.
Partypoker US Network Online Series fall 2020
Date
MTCT Name
Buy In
Guarantee
Bounty
Nov. 29
#1: SUNDAY $100K GTD NLHE
$215
$100,000
Nov. 29
#2 – $10K GTD NLHE TURBO
$109
$10,000
Nov. 30
#3: $5K GTD NLHE R+A
$55
$5,000
Nov. 30
#4: $20K GTD PROGRESSIVE KNOCKOUT – BOUNTY
$320
$20,000
$150
Dec. 1
#5: $15K GTD PROGRESSIVE KNOCKOUT – BOUNTY
$215
$15,000
$100
Dec. 2
#6: $15K GTD 8-MAX NLHE
$215
$15,000
Dec. 3
#7: $25K GTD 6-MAX PROGRESSIVE KNOCKOUT – BOUNTY
$535
$25,000
$250
Dec. 4
#8 – $15K GTD 6-MAX NLHE
$215
$15,000
Dec. 5
#9: $20K GTD 8-MAX NLHE
$320
$20,000
Dec. 6
#10: SUNDAY $50K GTD NLHE
$215
$50,000
Dec. 6
#11: $10K GTD TURBO PROGRESSIVE KNOCKOUT – BOUNTY
$109
$10,000
$50
Play At Borgata Poker Now With Free $20 On Sign Up
Partypoker is cranking out some big promotions over the next few weeks in New Jersey. With the lack of live tournaments taking place, players can stay in the action throughout the holidays.
Free $215 Online Series ticket
Players have a chance to claim a free $215 entry into the $100,000 guaranteed event on Nov. 29. Players who played in two or more Sunday $35,000 guaranteed tournaments Nov. 1-22 earn a free buy-in.
Black Friday for $50,000
Generally Black Friday means finding some of the best deals on the Internet and partypoker is no different. The site is offering a free ticket into the Black Friday $50,000 guaranteed tournament, which is set for Nov 27.
Players simply must play in four or more $10,000 guaranteed tournaments from Nov. 16-26. Complete that mission and a Black Friday tournament ticket is secured.
WPT returns to NJ in December
The WPT is also back in the Garden State at partypoker in December. The $3,500 WPT Online Poker Open Main Event runs Dec. 27-29 with a $1 million guaranteed prize pool.
Just like a live WPT event, the winner also has his or her name etched on the Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup. The champ also secures a $15,000 entry into the Tournament of Champions. Look out for satellites coming to Partypoker soon.
The chase for the championship rings returns this week at WSOP.com. Those looking for a Black Friday minus the crowds and shopping can head to the site for some post-Thanksgivingonline poker.
The fall Online Super Circuit Series is set for Nov. 27 to Dec. 14 with 18 events and $1 million guaranteed. This becomes just the latest opportunity for players in New Jersey and Nevada to win some WSOP hardware.
The series comes at a busy time for WSOP.com. The site wrapped up the Fall Online Championships on Sunday. The WSOP also announced the annual $10,000 Main Event would be held online this year.
That signature tournament now includes online play at WSOP.com in the US and on GGPoker internationally. The event includes two live final tables in Las Vegas and in the Czech Republic.
The winners then meet live in Vegas in a heads-up duel for $1 million and the championship bracelet.
While that event begins Dec. 13, WSOP.com players now have another big series to check out. Once again, the Super Circuit will award 18 rings in 18 days as the holidays roll in.
Some highlights from the latest WSOP.com Online Circuit Series
Fans of No Limit Hold’em events are in luck with this series. The Super Circuit features 17 tournaments in the format.
However, Omaha fans will find one event to mark on their calendars. A $215 Pot Limit Omaha 6-max is also thrown in on Dec. 4 with a $50,000 guarantee.
The $525 Main Event highlights the series on Dec. 13 with $200,000 guaranteed. A mega satellite for that event is planned for Dec. 12 with 20 seats guaranteed. A few other Super Circuit highlights include:
After three straight losing sessions, Doug Polk put together a solid win of $205,522 on Friday. The performance moved Polk back into the lead over Daniel Negreanu.
For more of the Day 8 action, check out the updates just below the links. This page follows the action of the Daniel Negreanu-Doug Polk matchup as it plays out over the next few weeks.
The High Stakes Feud kicked off on Nov. 4 with live play on PokerGo and then shifted online. Here are all the match details and updates.
Day 9: Nov. 20 – Polk notches nice win to edge ahead in series
Team Polk should be happy after a big finish to the week. Polk scored a nice win on Friday after three straight losing sessions. The win moves him back into the series lead.
One of the first major hands of the day saw Polk call about a $14,000 river bet on a board of 59643. He showed A9 for top pair to Negreanu’s QJ to win about $48,000.
Polk doubled up with a $12,000 win on the second table at the same time. The heads-up specialist seemed off and running from the beginning. He led by about $33,000 about 15 minutes into the session.
One interesting Negreanu win came in the first hour. Negreanu raised to $1,000 on the button and Polk three-bet to $4,100. Negreanu called and bet $2,000 after a Polk check on a flop of 579.
Polk then raised to about $10,000 and his opponent called. The turn brought the 2 and Polk moved all in for $32,000.
Negreanu snap called, showing 77 for trips with Polk tabling KK. The J on the river changed nothing and Negreanu raked a pot of about $53,000.
Polk takes command
Negreanu may have taken that one, but much of the day went Polk’s way. A short time after that cooler, the two locked horns in another big hand.
After Negreanu raised from the small to $1,000, Polk called and the flop came 954. Negreanu then called Polk’s bet of about $5,000.
The turn brought the 2 and Polk bet $5,800. Negreanu continued with a call and the river brought the 9. Polk moved all in for $42,000 and Negreanu called with the last of his $40,000.
Negreanu showed J10 for a flush, but Polk had a bigger flush with K7. He raked a pot of almost $111,000. About an hour in, Polk raked $54,000 also after an all-in shove on the turn and a Negreanu fold.
That was a move Polk utilized throughout the day. For example, late in the day Negreanu raised the action to $1,000 with Polk three-betting to about $1,800.
Negreanu called for a 5310 flop and his opponent fired another $1,800. Negreanu again called and the 2 fell on the turn. This time Polk bet almost $14,000 and received another call.
The river brought the 9 and Polk moved all in. Negreanu eventually folded and Polk took a $43,000 pot.
A short time later, the two were involved in another three-bet preflop hand. On a board of 572102, Polk moved all in again. Negreanu folded and Polk added another $43,000.
Inside the ninth day of play
It was a big day for Polk, who dominated much of the action on Friday. He continued to take most of the big pots and his aggressiveness scored plenty of small ones also.
After 377 hands, Polk scored $205,522 in a session that lasted a bit more than two hours. A couple coolers also went his way leading to a nice win.
“It was good that I finally got a win after a little bit,” Polk said on the GGPoker stream. “It’s anyone’s game at the moment.
“Sometimes when you’re on a big upswing, it feels like you can’t lose. And sometimes when you’re getting beat every session, it feels like you forgot even what it’s like to win.”
Going into the series, Polk said he expected Negreanu to be weak and easily run over. He’s been surprised at his aggressiveness and strength. He believes Negreanu isn’t afraid to make tough calls at times, but also still has some leaks in his game.
“A lot of the situations in heads up are really difficult, very complicated and you really have to think about how often you should take some lines,” Polk said.
“I do think there are some errors that he’s making that make me feel good about my side, but he’s not going to get totally run over. I don’t think that’s going to happen in this one.”
For his part, Negreanu felt good about his play and that he took some tough situational beats. He believed he played better on Friday than he did when booking a small win on Wednesday.
“I’m glad this is a close match,” Negreanu said. “I wanted it to be competitive and it is.”
What’s up next?
With the Thanksgiving holiday this week, the upcoming schedule has been adjusted slightly. Look for action on Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday.
Day 8: Nov. 19 – Negreanu adds another session to the win column
With eight sessions into the High Stakes Feud, Negreanu continues to defy the doubters. There’s still plenty of poker to be played, but he again extended his lead with a small victory on Thursday.
One of the first major pots of the day fell Kid Poker’s way with a fortuitous river card. Polk started the action with a raise to $910 and Negreanu three-bet to $4,100.
Polk made the call and flop brought 42Q. Negreanu led out with $6,155 and Polk called. The turn brought the 4 and Negreanu checked, with his opponent doing the same.
The river card was the 2 and Polk bet almost $14,000. Negreanu made the call with J9 for a flush and Polk turned Q10 for two pairs. Negreanu raked a $48,000 pot.
Polk grabs his share of pots and then a big cooler
Thursday’s action saw a bit of a see-saw battle with Negreanu able to book a win just over a single buy-in. Polk certainly had his moments as well. Early in the day he raised from the button to $910.
Doug Polk
Negreanu called and the flop came 9J3 and Negreani checked. Polk bet a bit over $760 and received a call. The turn was the 4 with Negreanu checking again.
Polk bet $5,000 this time, Negreanu called, and the 4 fell on the river. After another Negreanu check, Polk went for his signature over-bet on the river – this time for $20,000. Negreanu thought a bit before calling and Polk showed AJ for two pairs and a $53,500 pot.
At about the 90-minute mark Polk made an all-in river bet of about $53,000 into a $42,000 pot. With the board showing 81022K. Negreanu went into the tank and eventually folded.
The crazy hand of the day came just short of two hours into the match and produced plenty of fireworks. After Polk’s raise to $910, Negreanu three-bet to $4,100.
Polk called and the flop brought 5AQ. Negreanu bet $2,000 and received a call with the turn bringing A. This time Negreanu checked and Polk did as well.
The 3 fell on the river and Negreanu bet about $9,200. Polk moved all in for his $103,000 stack and his opponent called the last of his almost $32,000 chips instantly.
Polk showed K8 for the nut straight, but Negreanu tabled AA for quads. It was a massive cooler hand for Polk and Negreanu pulled in almost $94,000.
Inside the eighth day of play
The action swung back and forth a bit Thursday. Negreanu finished up ahead again for the session, scoring $24,157 after 457 hands.
The win moves his total number of days won to five, including the live session to start the series. Here’s a review of the sessions won by each player:
Negreanu – sessions 1, 4, 5, 7, 8
Polk – sessions 2, 3, 6
Both players took to Twitter afterward to comment on a couple hands and had some back and forth. Polk noted losing with a nice pocket pair.
Day 7: Nov. 18 – Negreanu bags nice day to reclaim lead
The back and forth battle between Negreanu and Polk continued on Wednesday as these two upped their session frequency. After about three meetings a week, that moves to four this week.
Polk jumped out to about a $65,000 lead early after raking a few decent pots. But Negreanu turned the tables at about the five-minute mark. In one big hand, Negreanu raised from the button to $1,000 and Polk three-bet to $4,100.
The flop brought K58 after a Negreanu call. Polk bet $2,300 and Negreanu called before seeing the Q on the turn. Polk now bet $9,600 and Negreanu called, swelling the pot to just over $32,000.
The river brought the 7 and Polk moved all in for $32,000. His opponent thought a bit before making the call with K10 for a pair of Kings. Polk tabled AJ for Ace-high and his opponent raked an $80,000 pot.
Shortly afterward, Negreanu raked a nice pot again after calling some hefty bets from his opponent. Negreanu hung in to secure a pot of $122,000 after Polk missed on his flush draw.
Kid Poker continues to build
The pots continued to go Negreanu’s way throughout the afternoon. After about 20 minutes, both players flopped a flush. Negreanu came out on top of that one with a Queen and won $20,000.
Later Negreanu scored a $31,000 pot when his pocket Queens hit trips on the flop. He was able to bet the hand all the way through the river.
Daniel Negreanu
By the hour mark, Negreanu had moved up to more than $160,000 for the session. Polk did find his share of pots, such as a three-bet forcing a Negreanu fold after an hour of action.
On a flop of K26, Polk bet $2,300 followed by a Negreani raise to $7,000. Polk then escalated the action to more than $14,300. Negreanu got out of the way and Polk took down about $30,000.
However, most of the really big pos went Negreanu’s way. One more example came late in the match with about $7,200 in the pot and a board of 42QQ3.
After a Nreganu check on the river, Polk made a signature over-bet of almost $11,000. Negreanu made the call with Q10 for trip Queens and a $29,000 pot while Polk showed J9.
Inside the seventh day of play
It was that kind of day for Polk. Negreanu just seemed to have the nuts in big spots and picked off his opponent at key times. He finished $222,833 to the good after 591 hands.
The Poker Hall of Famer is pleased with his play so far and feels his preparation has paid dividends.
“I’m looking at my balance now and it’s definitely bigger than when I deposited online, so I’m happy about it,” he said afterward on the GGPoker stream. “I think my play’s improving with each session and one think I’ve always prided myself in is that I work hard and learn fast.
“This isn’t my first time playing poker. I did have to re-learn a lot about how the game is structured and the best way to play it, but I’m willing to do that. It requires a good amount of humility to ask other people for help.”
It was certainly a nice day for Negreanu, but still only a small win in comparison to the buy-in. Polk remains a favorite, but so far Negreanu has shown he can play in this arena.
“Lowest point in the challenge yet,” Polk noted on Twitter. “Luckily only about four buy-ins or so. Looking forward to getting in a lot of volume tomorrow and Friday.”
The heads-up specialist Polk remains confident in his play and his chances.
Day 6: Nov. 16 – Controversy over hand histories, Polk slides back ahead
After plenty of fireworks in Day 5, there may have been more interest in a post-session controversy after Monday. Businessman and poker player Bill Perkins charged Polk with using study methods outside the rules.
Match delayed due to disagreement over rules. One party(@DougPolkVids )thinks its ok to manually enter in hand history to software and have frequency analysis done and the other does not (@RealKidPoker) Big disadvantage that Dnegs has not been doing this. @PhilGalfond time #Poker
That drew some quick responses from Polk, who said the charge was completely baseless. He noted on Twitter that both players can open the WSOP.com client and review hand histories. The “cheating on his homework” charge was out of line, he noted.
“The rules were, no hand histories and no HUDs [head-up display, an app that collects and displays statistics about opponents],” Polk said. “We both agreed and were clear on that. Neither was used.”
After a brief discussion on data mining, Negreanu agreed with Polk. The matter now seems to be in the past and players can again focus on the match.
At the tables, Negreanu found the first big pot on Monday. Early action saw him score $34,000 when his Q5 made two pairs on the flop.
After about 10 minutes, Negreanu seized a lead of about $22,000 and then snatched two more nice pots. At about the 20-minute mark, Polk scooped a small one but there were big developments on the second table.
After a pre-flop four-bet from Polk, the players saw a board of 10102. Negreanu checked and Polk bet a bit over $4,100.
Negreanu called and the 9 landed on the river. After another check, Polk checked as well and the river brought the 7.
After another check, Polk thought a bit and checked again – sniffing out a trap as Negreanu tabled 1010. Kid Poker scooped a $28,000 pot with his quad 10s but missed out on more.
Action shifts Polk’s way
After two straight losing days, Polk would find some nice pots of his own – and one would come quickly. Just a couple hands later on the same table, Polk picked up pocket Aces and three-bet.
The flop brought 5KQ and he led out with a $6,700 bet. His opponent moved all in and Polk snap-called. Negreanu turned over Q5for two pairs and looked to be in good shape to crack his foe’s Aces.
A 4 on the turn was no help for Polk, but a second King on the river gave him a bigger two pairs. That gave him the $81,000 pot.
Polk grabbed another big pot a short time later, taking $37,000 with a full house. That win moved him ahead in the session and he continued battling.
Inside the sixth day of play
For much of the day, Polk’s aggression paid some big dividends including a five-bet pre-flop shove at one point. His typical river over-bet shoves also scored some nice pots.
The chips just kept going his way much of the day. That was enough to book a win of almost $93,542 on the day, moving Polk back up for the series. However, that’s not a huge lead – just a bit more than two buy-ins for this High Stakes Feud.
The capper for Tuesday’s controversy may have been a video released by poker pro Will Jaffe calling Perkins out. He advised that this was “the ultimate stay in your lane moment.”
After Monday’s session, the heads-up challenge is now about 10% complete. The play went more than three hours and both players have promised moving past the early two-hour sessions.
There are also plans for more frequent matches, with more play set for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday this week. USPoker will update all the action as it plays out.
Hands played: 2,374
Total: Polk up $67,625.81
Next match: Wednesday, Nov. 18, 5:30 pm ET
Day 5: Nov. 13 – Negreanu makes it two in a row, climbs ahead in series
After rallying late in Wednesday’s session, Negreanu built on that momentum Friday. He notched his second straight online win, this time much bigger than his previous score and putting him ahead in the match.
There was plenty of action in session four with plenty of three- and four-bets with big pots. The three-bets came early in the fifth session and Negreanu took the first $20,000-plus pot.
A few more pots went Negreanu’s way early before Polk scored a $7,000 pot with a full house. He followed that up with a few more nice ones.
Just after raking an $11,000 pot, Negreanu raised to $1,000 from the button. Polk three-bet to $4,110 and his opponent made the call.
The flop brought Q9A and both players checked with 8 coming on the turn. Polk checked and Negreanu bet $6,165.
Polk called and the flop brought the 6. After a check from his opponent, Negreanu fired $15,413 and Polk made the call. Negreanu tables 89 for two pairs and took down a $51,373 pot.
Kid Poker finds some big pots
Things seemed to be going Negreanu’s way and he’d seized a small lead by the first half hour. A massive hand then developed after Negreanu five-bet shoved all in with AK.
Polk quickly called with 1010 for an $83,000 pot. The flop brought Polk a set with 2410 followed by a J on the turn. The 7 on the river meant a huge win for Polk.
A few hands later, Negreanu added an $11,000 pot and then found another for $20,000. A $25,000 pot then immediately went Negreanu’s way as another big hand also developed on the second table.
In that one, Polk raised to $910 from the button and was three-bet to $4,241. Polk called and the flop brought 723. Negreanu bet $1,600 and received a call.
The turn brought the 5 and Negreanu bet a hefty $8,762 before receiving another call. On the river 6, Negreanu moved all in and Polk snap-called.
Polk showed 64 for a straight while Negreanu tabled 89 for a bigger straight. Kid Poker collected a nice $80,000 score.
Truck driver rolls, Negreanu fights back
After a break in the action, the truck driver rallied back with a few nice pots at just over an hour into the session. However, Negreanu seemed more aggressive throughout the day. A big hand developed at about the 90-minute mark.
After Polk raised to $910 on the button, Negreanu three-bet to $4,241. Polk called and the two players saw a flop of 8J10. After Negreanu checked, Polk bet $2,798 and was called.
The 6 fell on the turn and Negreanu checked. With the pot at about $14,000, Polk bet $11,542. After Negreanu’s call, the K fell on the river and he checked again. Polk then jammed all in with Negreanu snap calling.
Polk held Q9 for a King-high straight, but Negreanu showed AQ for a Broadway straight. The hand shipped him more than $93,000.
Inside the fifth day of play
It was that kind of day for Negreanu and he seemed to collect plenty of nice pots with big hands. Just a short time after the big Ace-high straight, another pot fell his way.
With 45, Negreanu flopped a straight and snagged another $24,000. By the end of the two-hour session, Negreanu had erased his deficit and climbed ahead. He’s now winning almost $26,000 for the series.
That represents less than one buy-in, but so far Negreanu has been competitive in an event many felt Polk would dominate.
“A long way to go to the finish line, but very happy to be ahead obviously,” Negreanu noted on Twitter, and broke out a Rocky shirt to commemorate his success so far.
Beyond hitting big hands, many feel Negreanu heads-up skills have sharpened since earlier online sessions. Even Polk echoed those thoughts.
“The worst part of today’s session wasn’t getting stacked repeatedly for $200,000, it was also seeing Dnegs making less and less errors in other pots,” Polk noted on Twitter. “If the challenge keeps going this direction, may need to trade in the truck for a used Honda Civic.”
Polk probably won’t be heading to the Honda dealership any time soon. He remains confident and is looking forward to next week’s action.
Hands played: 1,737
Total: Negreanu up $25,916.87
Next match: Monday, Nov. 16, 5:30 pm ET
★★★ Those looking to follow the action live, should check out our complete review of the GGPoker and Upswing Poker streams. ★★★
Day 4: Nov. 11 – Daniel Negreanu rallies for first online win
Score one for Kid Poker. After two straight losing sessions, Daniel Negreanu notched a winning session online Wednesday against Doug Polk. It was a nice result for Negreanu, who is considered the online underdog.
Polk made a small aesthetic change on Wednesday, switching his avatar to the American flag. It may have been a Veterans Day gesture with or a slight needle to his foe’s Canadian flag.
The two traded pots early, moving just above and below each player’s $40,000 starting stack. At about the five-minute mark, Polk made the day’s first four-bet for more than $10,000.
Negreanu made the call and the two saw a Q7Q flop with almost $22,000 in the pot. After a check, Polk bet $4,318 and his opponent called. The J came on the turn and Polk bet $6,650 after a Negreanu check.
Again Negreanu called and the 10 came on the river. Polk shoved all in for $25,000 and Negreanu went in the tank. He eventually folded and Polk dragged a $43,528 pot. More fireworks would follow.
Polk dominates early play
A few hands later, another big pot developed with $34,000 in the pot on a board of 529K7. Both players checked the river and Negreanu took it down with KQ.
Despite that, Polk was up about $45,000 the first 20 minutes. A $42,000 pot after a half-hour moved that up to $65,000 and later more than $90,000.
Just short of an hour into the match, a couple interesting hands developed. Polk shoved all in on both tables, one on the turn and one on the river.
I think the average player really underestimates the amount of time and work it takes to become even somewhat decent at HUNL. With the info out there now the bar is just absurdly high and you will constantly be making mistakes.
Negreanu folded on both, and Polk took almost $14,000 on one and $29,000 on the other. A few hands later Negreanu raked a $17,000 pot, but Polk soon gobbled up one for $32,000. For the first hour, Polk seemed to take pot after pot with aggressive bets on the turn and river.
Kid Poker surges late in the session
Despite Polk’s early domination, Negreanu got back into it. A few hands later, a check-raise on the river worked out well when he caught a straight. Polk called and Negreanu won $24,000.
With about 30 minutes left, another huge hand developed. Negreanu raised to $1,000 from the button and Polk three-bet to $4,110. Negreanu then four-bet to $10,220.
Polk moved all in for another $47,495 with Negreanu making an insta-call. Polk tabled JJ to Negreanu’s KK. The flop didn’t change things and Negreanu took a $95,000 pot.
That became the largest pot so far for Negreanu during online play and cut his session deficit to about $30,000. Another $41,000 pot would ship his way a short time later.
In the last 15 minutes, Polk four-bet a pot to $12,876 and Negreanu called. The flop came A84. Negreanu checked and Polk bet $5,150 and Negreanu called before the turn brought the A.
Again Negreanu checked and Polk bet $11,896. His opponent called once again and the river produced a 4. Negreanu checked again and Polk moved all in with $126,351.
With only $34,633 in front of him, Negreanu made a snap call and revealed AQ for a full house. Polk showed JQ, handing Negreanu a pot of $129,109 after picking off his bluff.
Inside the fourth day of play
The late comeback brought Negreanu his first winning online session in the series. He finished the day winning $87,167 and the late wins helped overcome some early struggles and frustrations.
“It didn’t feel like a win did it?” he said on the GGPoker stream. “The first hour I just kept missing all these hands. I was getting annoyed.”
Nice to book a win today of about 2 buyins. Lost that pesky JJ vs TT hand on the river or it would have been 4 buy ins, but a win is a win.
1372 hands played of 25,000 and currently down about 4.5 buy ins.
While Polk was dominant for much of the day, Negreanu’s late push seemed not to bring any real concerns. Polk knows it’s a long haul.
“Obviously it was not the best of runs there at the end,” he said after the match on the Upswing Poker stream.
Polk said when Negreanu seemed to bet aggressively, he always seemed to have a strong hand. He also feels his opponent has ramped his game up a bit.
“I think he’s playing a little more aggressive online overall than when we played live,” Polk said. “It’s been interesting. It was an interesting swing today.”
Despite the big numbers, Polk notes that he’s up only two and half buy-ins. There haven’t been any massive swings so far and Negreanu also made note of that as well.
Hands played: 1,372
Total: Doug Polk up $180,865.22
Next match: Friday, Nov. 12, 5:30 pm ET
Day 3: Nov. 9 – Doug Polk extends his lead
The High Stakes Feud action resumed on Monday between Daniel Negreanu and Doug Polk. After one live session won by Negreanu, Polk again won in the second online session at WSOP.com.
The pair got in another 382 hands and Polk came out on top for an additional $166,239. This moves his total up to a positive $268,032.
Monday’s action began well for Polk after his 25 hit two more fives on the flop early in the match. He got paid off on the river for almost a $27,000 pot.
However just after that, Negreanu raked his own $29,000 pot on the second table. He added another $10,000 pot a few minutes later with a flush.
There was plenty of three-bet action early. About 15 minutes into the match, Negreanu also picked up a $93,000 pot after picking off a Polk bluff. He seemed to be rolling through the second online session.
Polk turns it around and turns it on
That momentum would change however. About a half-hour in, Polk moved all in for $42,000 on a board of J734. This came after Negreanu three-bet pre-flop and then bet the flop and the turn. Polk took the $34,000 pot instead.
Several five-figure pots continued to go his way. Polk picked up a $16,000 pot when his K-J hit a King on the river. Polk’s stacks on both tables continued to grow.
He raked a $25,000 pot at about the one hour, 15-minute mark. After three-betting pre-flop, he check-raised the flop and bet big on the turn to draw a fold.
A few hands later, Polk raked a $12,000 pot after betting $17,000 on the river. More pots would go Polk’s way including two simultaneous pots for about $30,000, both of which Negreanu had three-bet.
Polk methodically took control and continued to over-bet often on river cards. Negreanu was put in numerous tough spots and a critical hand came late in the match.
With $13,000 in the pot and a board of K7385, Polk moved all in for $81,000. Negreanu tanked before eventually making the call.
Polk tabled K7 for two pairs with his opponent showing K5 for a smaller two pairs. The $96,000 pot was sent to Polk after a tough cooler for his opponent.
Inside the third day of play
After 1,006 hands played so far, Polk looks to be in control. However, there is plenty of poker left to be played. Polk’s lead looks hefty at more than a quarter of a million dollars. However, players start each session with $40,000 and Polk noted his lead isn’t large in this kind of challenge.
“I will say this though, just cause the number is big doesn’t mean Dnegs is down that much,” he noted on Twitter. “He is down a little under seven buy-ins. That is a completely normal result over 1,000 hands of heads-up no limit.”
The two foes are about 4% through the challenge and Polk looks to be in command online so far. His river aggression on Monday seemed constant and gave Negreanu some trouble. Polk did note that Negreanu faced some tough hands.
At the end of the challenge ill give my thoughts on Negreanu’s play, but until then not going to say much.
I will say he is obviously running bad in a bunch of standard cooler spots. His game does have some issues though.
Negreanu said the big two pairs versus two pairs hand was indicative of how things went. He still seems pleased with how he’s played and believes he’s on the right path overall.
“I was very happy,” Negreanu said on the GGPoker stream after the day’s action wrapped up (see complete stream replay above). “I felt like I ran kind of bad in the last session … but in this one I was quite certain I ran worse. I generally felt pretty comfortable, pretty good.”
Can Kid Poker turn it around? There are plenty more online sessions and USPoker will be tracking all the action.
Day 2: Nov. 6 – online action begins, Polk storms ahead
After battling on PokerGO live, the action shifted to WSOP.com on Friday. The heads-up game is Polk’s forté and that came through in the first session online.
When it comes to usernames, Polk brings some humor – going with “MicroStakes” as his moniker. Negreanu goes with “DNegs” at these virtual tables. Here is all the action below via the GGPoker stream.
There was plenty of action right from the beginning with Negreanu scooping a few pots early . Then almost simultaneous $20,000-plus pots developed on both tables within the first 10 minutes.
Negreanu won the first for $120,698, then action shifted to the second table. That hand produced some fireworks.
With Polk on the $200 small blind, Polk raised to $918 and his opponent three-bet to $4,140. Polk made the call and the flop brought 624. Negreanu then bet $6,210 and Polk called with the 10 landing on the turn.
Kid Poker checked and Polk bet $6,830. Negreanu, on a stack of just over $56,000, then moved all in. Polk snap-called with almost $29,000 left in front of him – producing a $92,205 pot.
With the call, Negreanu held J9 for a flush draw. Polk flashed 46 for two pairs. The river brought the A and Polk raked the massive pot.
Inside the second day of play
That’s the kind of day it would be for Polk on Day 2 online. He completely flipped the table from the first session – winning $218,292.78 after 424 hands.
I won 200k but I still feel bad because I made more misclicks in my session than a man 2 tabling in a recliner
“Felt good today,” Polk added on Twitter. “Obviously ran hot in some important spots. Much happier to be back on the online felt.”
A few coolers ran Negreanu’s way and he wasn’t disappointed with his play.
“I’m playing against a really great player,” Negreanu said after the match on the GGPoker stream. “It’s going to be tough and put you in really tough spots. Overall I think I played pretty well.”
Hands played: 624
Total: Doug Polk up $101,792.78
Next match: Monday, Nov. 9, at 5:30 ET
Day 1: Nov. 4 – kicking things off on PokerGO
The two combatants got things started at the PokerGO Studio at Aria casino in Las Vegas. The live component was a late addition but added extra excitement to the series to get fans even more interested.
Ali Nejad and Kane Kalas called the action as the series, known as High Stakes Feud, got underway. Those looking for some contentious banter wouldn’t find it on PokerGO.
While they may trade barbs on social media, Polk and Negreanu were friendly and even wished each other good luck.
I was happy that despite our history, and with all the divisiveness in the country right now, that @DougPolkVids and I could be civil and put on a show that the poker community could both be proud of and enjoy the fireworks.
The action began with Negreanu raising to $1,000 with K4 and Polk called with A4. Both players continued checking on the flop of K29 and turn of 6.
Negreanu then fired a $1,500 bet on the river with Polk raising to $8,500. After some thought, Negreanu made the call and jumped out to a lead of $9,500.
“How many hands left?” he said as he got up from his seat. The joke drew a laugh from his opponent.
That run would continue and the two continued talking poker and other topics throughout. Both players even needled Phil Hellmuth a bit.
Negreanu finds some big hands to take lead
Some poker fans may have preferred more combative conversation. However, even the friendly chit chat made for better viewing. High stakes players simply staring at cards hasn’t made for great viewing.
Negreanu even mentioned his new chair for the online portion of the match – complete with built-in massager.
By Thursday morning, High Stakes Feud had been viewed more than 260,000 times on YouTube. At the table, Negreanu seemed in control in the first match.
A look at the action from the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas.
An early win with a flush saw Polk dip below half his starting stack and add $30,000. Negreanu kept a small advantage of $10,000 to $15,000 for much of the early play.
Polk reversed Negreanu’s lead after a break in the action. He flopped a flush while Negreanu hit the nut-flush draw. Polk ultimately raked a pot of $11,600 for his first lead in the match.
That lead disappeared soon as Negreanu took a few big pots and found a lead of about $50,000. One of the biggest hands then came right before the end of the night.
Polk raised the action to $900 with QJ and Negreanu three-bet to $4,000 with 106. Polk made the call and the flop brought 6K6.
Negreanu then bet $1,600 and Polk called. The river brought the 8 and he then checked. Polk fired $7,600 and Negreanu called.
The 2 fell on the river and Negreanu checked again. Polk continued the bluff moving all in, swelling the pot to more than $70,000.
Negreanu called and raked a massive pot with Polk adding another $50,000. The match would come to a close a few hands later with Negreanu finishing up $116,500 for the first session.
In his post-match interview, Negreanu spoke about how the live game was to his advantage.
“I’ve got 20 years of playing under the lights in this scenario, but unfortunately for me that’s just a very small portion of the match,” he said. “I know that we’ve got a long road ahead and we’re going to be walking into his arena, which is online.
“I felt like I played well and executed my strategy. It was really important to me to get off to a good start and I want to make this match competitive.”
Negreanu did just that. With action shifting online, Polk is in his element and it will be interesting to see how things play out.
“I had some spots that I thought were good to bluff – they weren’t,” Polk said about the live play element. “Just really didn’t get things going my way.”
Felt good about my play tonight despite going -$116,500. Couple hands were slightly loose (first hand of the night I misread the board to be totally honest lol)
Looking forward to not getting stacked bluffing into trips next session.
“I always feel bad [for the sites] because it’s not their fault,” Negreanu noted about regulations legal operators faced. “It’s all politicians just doing their best.”
The site, however, apparently made some moves to facilitate the large deposits. WSOP.com has also designated two cash game tables for the match.
“It was pretty cool they made it work for us,” Negreanu noted.
Kid Poker went on to detail some of the frustrations the industry initially faced in Nevada. The two continued discussing the state of online poker and now take the game to the virtual tables.
After the loss, Polk to Twitter to offer an interesting post-match note as the action heads online.
Getting ready for bed and I get a text from my dad “Doug had a rough night, lost 100k”. Then texted back, oh wrong person.
The global coronavirus pandemic has affected business in Las Vegas differently than most cities in the US. Yes, this virus is affecting businesses all over the world but the impact isn’t the same everywhere.
Cities that largely depend on international tourism and business travel like Las Vegas will feel the pain today and for at least the next couple of years. Las Vegas is in a unique position from other US casino markets. This is what makes Las Vegas special but it’s also making recovery a bit slower.
Regional casinos already on the mend
Regional casino operators like Boyd Gaming are already bouncing back from closures earlier this year. This is the case with various casino operators that depend on residents within driving distance.
Even Las Vegas casinos that depend on local residents are beginning to come back from being closed earlier this year and the current social spacing rules. These types of casinos in Las Vegas and around the country are seeing fewer guests but they’re spending more money per visit.
Station Casinos and some Boyd Gaming properties fall into this category in Las Vegas. Penn National Gaming properties is another regional casino operator with properties around the country.
Many of these properties are institutions of the community. They’re more than just a place to gamble. These properties are local bars, restaurants, bowling alleys, and more. They may not offer lavish production shows or world-famous celebrity chefs but they offer a comfortable place for adults and families to spend time.
A slow return for Las Vegas
The casinos on the Vegas Strip are having a more difficult time recovering. According to multiple gaming industry analysts, it will take multiple years before the Vegas Strip is back to what people remember.
In the “Las Vegas: A Post-COVID Landscape” research paper, UNLV provost and historian David G. Schwartz said the following:
“Las Vegas is facing a historic crisis, and its response over the next few months will determine the trajectory of the city for years, if not decades.”
Even the Nevada Economic Forum is finding it difficult to pinpoint how and when Las Vegas will return to pre-coronavirus levels.
During the early November meeting, Moody’s Analytics shared data that shows a slow return for the US that will extend into 2022. Further, Las Vegas won’t be able to recover until airlines recover.
According to the most recent Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) annual Visitor Profile, about half of the visitors to Las Vegas travel via airplane. More than 42 million visited Las Vegas in 2019.
Approximately 21 million visitors flew to Las Vegas in 2019. Until the world is comfortable flying again and all borders are open, Las Vegas won’t see a return to pre-coronavirus levels.
Why the Vegas Strip is different
In recent years, Vegas Strip casinos have put a focus on two different segments. The goal has been to have customers filling hotel rooms and restaurants for all seven days during the week.
During weekdays business travelers would visit for conventions, conferences and meetings. During the weekend the casino corporations used entertainment to draw leisure travelers for entertainment in showrooms, theaters and arenas.
The tactic was working as hotel rooms on the Vegas Strip were filled throughout the week, resulting in a revenue boon. However, social distancing and capacity limits have put an end to the big shows and conferences in Las Vegas this year. What’s open in Las Vegas and the capacity numbers ebb and flow with virus case counts.
Large-scale arena and theater events don’t seem as though they’ll return anytime soon. Caesars and MGM Resorts are starting to bring back small scale entertainment. However, shows can only have 250 people at the maximum. This is a far cry from thousands that would typically see a large show or residency. Obviously, revenue from entertainment will be limited until the coronavirus slows down greatly.
Conventions are allowed limited to open for a limited audience which could increase in 2021. However, the largest convention of the year in Las Vegas, the Consumer Electronics Show, won’t return until 2022 at the earliest. The largest convention and expo of the year in Las Vegas had more than 175,000 attendees in 2019, so losing it is a big blow to the city.
The large crowd for a four-day event is just part of the equation for Las Vegas. Hotel rooms around town are close to capacity for the entire week. Not coincidentally, this week typically has close to the highest hotel room rates each year.
Las Vegas is more than just gaming
There are casinos all over the US that offer the ability to gamble. Las Vegas is different as the properties offer much more than a room to play slots or table games. Former MGM Resorts International CEO Jim Murren might have said it best with a simple statement:
“…without live entertainment, without conventions, Las Vegas is just another hotel town.”
In 2019, Vegas Strip casinos made approximately two-thirds of revenue from non-gaming parts of the casino. Neary 65% of revenue for Vegas Strip casinos came from hotel rooms, food, beverage, etc. In other words, only about 35% of revenue on the Vegas Strip came from gambling. This ain’t yo grandpa’s Las Vegas.
The revenue split isn’t quite as drastic when you leave the Vegas Strip. Downtown Las Vegas and casinos throughout Nevada see closer to 50% of revenue from gaming. The reason for this is twofold.
First, these casinos have different customers than international tourists and business travelers on the Vegas Strip. Second, casinos away from the Vegas Strip don’t offer the same lavish amenities – including bars and restaurants. The local bar and restaurant can’t quite charge the same as a tourist trap.
Regional visitors continue to return to Las Vegas. The drive from California and Arizona is still comfortable for those looking for a change of scenery. According to the LVCVA, 10% more people drove to Las Vegas in September than the previous month. Similarly, more people drove to Las Vegas in September than in July.
However, it will take some time for visitors to fly to Las Vegas. If a vaccine is a cure-all many expect this will take some time to get out. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), will take months for a vaccine to reach the general population in the US and around the world. The CDC says adults should be able to receive a vaccine in late 2021.
Even if things go smoothly it will take time for the vaccine to reach every adult all over the world. Similarly, recipients will still have to return to traveling the way they used to. There’s no guarantee if and when that will happen.
In the meantime, casinos in Las Vegas (and the rest of the country) are already changing. Visiting Las Vegas won’t be the same today and a year or two from now.
Coronavirus is pushing casinos to expedite some efforts to cut expenses and move up targets to launch new automation and digital efforts.
For example, in an effort to reduce contact and close communication with others, the many properties have sped up contactless and mobile efforts. Guests are encouraged to check into the hotels via mobile devices or kiosks. Digital keys on mobile phones mean guests don’t even need a physical key.
Gaming will also be different. Vegas Strip casinos are offering more electronic gaming options. There are more gaming units for blackjack, craps, baccarat, roulette, etc. These gaming units are easier to clean than traditional table games. Additionally, no dealer means fewer possible germs in the air.
Las Vegas casino operators are also streamlining expenses. Buffets that became synonymous with Las Vegas may not return. These eateries aren’t very profitable and casinos can’t bring back venues that aren’t generating positive cash flow.
Similarly, casinos have laid off many employees due to coronavirus. Many may never return as casinos learn to operate on a smaller staff. All of this will make the future different in Las Vegas.
Las Vegas casinos are already changing. This transformation will continue as Sin City tries to reinvent itself once again.
After two successful series in New Jersey, the World Poker Tour and partypoker US Network are raising the stakes. On Wednesday, the companies announced the first-ever WPT Main Tour online event to be played in the Garden State.
The $3,500 buy-in WPT Online Poker Open Main Event runs Dec. 27–29 and comes with a $1 million guarantee. Partypoker players will now have an opportunity to join the WPT Champions Club and take home a huge payout.
“WPT and partypoker US Network continue to expand our relationship,” partypoker US Network director of poker Ray Stefanelli told USPoker. “The opportunity to conduct the first-ever WPT Main Tour online event in the US reinforces our partnership.”
WPT puts New Jersey in online poker spotlight with even bigger event
At a time when online poker is surging around the world, the US market is also seeing considerable growth. The new WPT/partypoker event only adds to that and should be a popular event in the Garden State.
The tour ran its first New Jersey event in June. The first Online Poker Open featured a $400 buy-in with NJ grinder David Colemantaking the title for $56,586. The event attracted 868 entries for a $317,540 prize pool.
David Coleman won the first WPT Online Poker Open in June at the partypoker US Network. The tour is now offering the event again as a Main Tour tournament. (photos courtesy WPT)
WPT and partypoker followed that up with the Online Borgata in September. The series featured a $1,060 Main Event, which brought 440 entries and a $432,700 prize pool.
Champions Club member Tony Sinishtajtook down the event, scoring $77,350. The win came after his mother dreamed he’d have a big score at the tables.
The tour is now upping the ante with a full-scale WPT Main Tour event. Stefanelli is excited to see a Main Tour event heading to the NJ platform and the prestige that goes with it. Along with joining the Champions Club, that includes:
a $15,000 seat into the WPT Tournament of Champions (presented by Baccarat Crystal)
his or her name added to the Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup
points toward the Hublot Player of the Year race
a Hublot Big Bang E Titanium watch
“WPT Online and the partypoker US Network are pushing online poker in New Jersey and the United States to another peak with the WPT Online Poker Open Main Tour event,” WPT Vice President of Global Tour Management Angelica Hael said in a news release. “Following back-to-back record-setting events, this $1 million guarantee will push our partnership to new heights.”
New Jersey adds to the expanding WPT/partypoker partnership
The WPT and partypoker are no strangers to co-hosting major events. Even before the Coronavirus pandemic, the companies partnered on several live tournament series around the world.
Those efforts shifted online during the pandemic and they also recently announced even more partypoker events in 2021. The New Jersey Main Tour event now adds another interesting move online.
Numerous satellites are planned for the Online Poker Open. Those qualifiers start at just $5 and players can expect plenty of promotion as in a live WPT event.
The final table will be live-streamed on Dec. 29. Players can expect more side events in the series, but a full schedule hasn’t been released yet.
The new event comes as New Jersey has placed new restrictions on residents because of COVID-19. After the state’s online poker revenue flatlined a bit in October, this tournament should help December revenue numbers. The online poker market still remains at huge highs compared to 2019.
“partypoker US Network welcomes the Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup back to New Jersey for the WPT Online Poker Open,” Stefanelli said.
“This event promises the opportunity for players of all bankrolls to compete for the most coveted prize in poker. Come December, we look forward to welcoming players from across the US to New Jersey for a chance to compete for their share of the $1 million guarantee.”
Play At Borgata Poker Now With Free $20 On Sign Up
Those looking to take a shot at a WPT online title will have to be located within NJ. The state remains one of only a few legalized online poker states, along with Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Delaware.
With so much on the line, many players may be looking to head to the Garden State. Those traveling for the Online Poker Open can create an account and deposit from anywhere in the US.
Along with partypoker NJ, the network also includes the BorgataPoker.com and BetMGM skins. Players can compete on any of these. The latest WPT event should make for a nice way to close out the year for Garden State grinders.
“The WPT Online Poker Open brings the most prestigious prize in poker to New Jersey and the partypoker US Network,” WPT CEO Adam Pliska said. “WPT’s continued pivot toward online will continue with another landmark for regulated online poker in the United States.”
★★★ Those looking to play the WPT Online Poker Open should check out the USPoker reviews of partypoker US Network, BorgataPoker.com, and BetMGM. You’ll find plenty of information and exclusive bonus offers. ★★★
Online poker continues to show year-over-year growth in the US regulated market. The legal states of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware have maintained a solid revenue stream.
That continued in October with revenue numbers remaining strong. The Garden State saw similar numbers as September and PA saw a slight increase.
Due to the COVID-19 spread and rising case numbers, online poker may produce another upsurge again in the coming months.
New Jersey revenue remains in good shape, signs for upward trend
Revenue reports for online poker in New Jersey flattened out in October. The NJ Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE) reported online operators brought in $2.5 million in revenue.
The total was basically unchanged the previous month, but a 53.5% increase year over year.
WSOP.com comes out on top
The monthly revenue battle has tightened in New Jersey among the three online operators. The Garden State’s online operators include:
All three platforms battle monthly to grab the top spot but WSOP.com continues to hold on. In October, the site reported $951,651 in revenue.
The site dropped under $1 million for the first time since the Coronavirus pandemic began in March. In November, WSOP.com is running the Fall Online Championships, which may help the site get back over the million-dollar mark.
The operator also recently announced the annual $10,000 Main Event will return in December. The tournament will be played online this year at WSOP.com and GGPoker with final tables in Las Vegas and the Czech Republic.
The winners then meet in a separate $1 million winner-take-all showdown.
The WSOP.com operates a shared player pool with New Jersey, Nevada, and in Delaware with 888poker. NJ players will be eligible to play for the title.
After briefly losing the monthly silver medal, PokerStars reclaimed that spot in October. The site reported $842,307 for the month, an increase from $767,272 in September.
PokerStars was the only site to show a month over month increase. That came after a successful New Jersey Championship of Online Poker (NJCOOP).
The partypoker US Network reported $723,816 in revenue for the month, a drop from September’s $781,912. The platform operates the BorgataPoker.com and BetMGM skins as well.
On Oct. 21, Borgata was the first live casino to reopen in New Jersey since the pandemic lockdown. The property also recently reopened its brick and mortar poker room.
Gov. Phil Murphy (D) allowed for the reopening of Atlantic City casinos in July, though poker rooms remained closed. No other casinos have announced public plans to reopen their rooms yet.
#BorgataAC‘s Poker Room REOPENS October 21 at 10AM. Poker play will be live cash games on seven-handed tables with polycarbonate barriers. Disinfecting of high touch points and hand sanitizer will be available. Masks are required. Learn more: https://t.co/xgOwv1j7Xhpic.twitter.com/m3gcHOro6E
Overall NJ online casino revenues are up big. According to the NJDGE, iGaming win increased 103% to $779.1 million when compared to October 2019.
The state also brought in a total of $34.7 million in tax revenue for the month. Gaming taxes represent 8% of taxable casino gross revenue and 15% of Internet gaming gross revenue.
PokerStars PACOOP leads to rise in Pennsylvania revenue
The Keystone State rebounded in October as online poker revenue brought in $2.4 million. This was up from the $2.3 million in September.
Stars continues to be the standalone operator in the state. Partypoker and WSOP.com have been granted approval by The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB). However, neither site has launched yet.
Most live poker rooms in PA remain open but new orders have temporarily closed Rivers Casino Philadelphia and its poker room again.
Under the state’s new “Safer at Home” restrictions, casinos fall under the category of “business and activities that are not allowed.”
Online poker in Delaware totaled just over $43,000 in October. Those results have continued to slip slightly month over month since the pandemic boom in March.
Delaware online poker sites are all operated by the 888poker platform. 888poker software runs shared player pools through three brick and mortar casinos:
Delaware Park
Dover Downs
Harrington
Delaware Park accounted for half of the poker revenue in October with $20,504 for the month.
Live casinos are open in Delaware but for limited hours. Poker rooms under Gov. John Carney’s (D) order remained closed in October. With COVID-19 surging again in the northeast, there are no plans to reopen at the moment.
No Thanksgiving dinner would be complete without the turkey and Global Poker is bringing its own bird to the party. The Big Bird in fact – a Thanksgiving-themed Sunday Scrimmage tournament set for Nov. 22.
The SC218 tournament features a SC50,000guarantee and some tasty prizes thrown in the mix as well. Online poker players can enjoy a nice get-together before the pumpkin pie and cranberry sauce are even served.
The Sunday Scrimmage is one of Global Poker’s signature events with a big payout each week. Those looking to get in the action want to learn how this sweepstakes poker site works.
The online social poker room offers free-to-play poker with more than one million players. No purchase is necessary to enjoy a wide range of poker action.
When heading to the virtual tables, players make use of Gold Coins in various ring games and tournaments. This is a free currency for use in numerous events.
Players who purchase additional Gold Coins are also given a separate virtual currency known as Sweeps Coins. These can be used in completely separate ring games, tournaments, and sit and go’s.
Unlike Gold Coins, this currency can be accumulated and redeemed for real cash prizes and gift cards. Global Poker uses a sweepstakes model, making it available to players in the USA and Canada (excluding Washington and Quebec).
Global Poker cooking up some extras for Big Bird Sunday Scrimmage
Those who play their cards right and make the Big Bird final table will receive some just desserts. Along with the usual Sweeps Coins prizes, these players also receive a $100 Amazon voucher.
That should be quite a bit to be thankful for, but there’s more. Even those who simply get in the money take home a $50 Amazon voucher on top of their Sweeps Coin winnings. Winning players will receive their e-voucher on Nov. 23.
Gold Coin players again will have something to play for as well. The Golden Scrimmage features a buy-in of GC110,000 with a GC20,000,000 guarantee. Winning players can be thankful for nice swag including hats, T-shirts, pins, and more.
Eagle Cup lands with big finish
Global Poker also just wrapped up another bird-themed series. After almost a month of action, Global Poker’s Eagle Cup events closed the series on Sunday. The festival produced big numbers and Sunday’s main events serve as a nice example.
Things got underway with the SC110 Medium Main Event. The tournament featured a SC40,000 guaranteed prize pool and attracted 484 entries.
That entry total topped the guarantee, paying out SC48,400. In the end, New Jersey player “Wisdomous” came out on top and took home SC9,075.
The SC218 High Main Event featured a SC100,000 guarantee and produced 632 entries for a SC126,400. In the end, “Grunka Lunka” came out on top.
This player from Illinois took home a nice SC23,131. The new champ also collected an Eagle Cup trophy, some branded swag, and an entry into the Tournament of Champions.
The TOC is set for Nov. 22 with a nice bonus on the line. The winner earns a trophy and $5,000 package to represent Global Poker in a live tournament.
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Fresh off running two concurrent series, the action returns to WSOP.com in November. The Fall Online Championships kicked off on Sunday and run through Nov. 22.
The series comes with a $1 million guarantee and players will find 37 events with buy-ins ranging from $11 to $1,000. After running the Fall Online Circuit and PLO Mania in October, the autumn action continues for players in Nevada and New Jersey.
A quick look at the WSOP.com Fall Online Championships
Players heading to WSOP.com for the action will find a varied schedule similar to last year’s series. The 2020 festival looks similar to the 2019 edition, with a matching number of events and Main Event guarantee.
This year, however, the Championships run in November rather than October. Players will find numerous No Limit Hold’em events, with just two Omaha events mixed in. Variations include turbo, high roller, deepstack, knockout, and more.
Once again the Main Event highlights the series with a $175,000 guarantee and is set for Nov.22. As in the past, some extra hardware is also on the line in that event – a shiny new championship belt. Here’s a look at some of the other series highlights.
Just two months remain in the WSOP.com Player of the Year race. The Fall Online Championships could play a key role in determining the winner.
Yong Keun Kwon (aka “LuckySpewy1”) leads the race after a massive year. This player from New Jersey has scored numerous wins and final table appearances throughout the year.
That’s included titles in numerous series including:
PLO Mania
50th Anniversary
Money May
Spring Online Championships
In 2019, Kwon also scored a WSOP.com online bracelet, taking down a $400 No Limit Hold’em event for $165,263.
The leaderboard winner takes home a $10,000 cash prize and an exclusive POY ring. The champ also earns $1,000 and $500 WSOP.com online bracelet event entries for 2021. Taking the top spot also includes a and a 25-seat scramble ticket for the 2021 WSOP.
Fall Circuit ring events score well
The Fall Online Circuit wrapped up on Oct. 27 and more than doubled the $1 million prize pool. The series ultimately paid out $2.3 million with 7,196 total entries.
The series awarded 13 gold WSOP Circuit rings awarded and the Main Event came with a$250,000 guarantee. That event attracted 589 unique runners and smashed the guarantee. The tournament ultimately paid out $471,000 in prize money.
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. He showed A
for top pair to Negreanu’s Q
