€570,000 up for grabs on DevilfishPoker.com

Online poker players get their second shot at winning thousands of cash bonus prizes as the World’s Biggest Rake Chase promotion on DevilfishPoker.com starts afresh on August 1, 2009.

Offering more than €1.7 million in prizes throughout the summer, the World’s Biggest Rake Chase is free to enter for players of all levels and bankrolls and takes place over three monthly chase periods — July 1 to 31, August 1 to 31 and September 1 to 30. All real money play counts towards this World’s Biggest Rake Chase including cash games, sit & go tournaments and multi-table tournaments.

July’s Chase was a thrilling affair with many value seekers taking part to earn their slice of the €1.7 million cake. With Aug. 1 heralding a new start for all players — existing and new — the World’s Biggest Rake Chase is expected to ratchet up a gear as players take to the online felt to score free money for simply playing at
DevilfishPoker.com

Irish Poker Radio: #3 in Irish Sports Podcasts.

The second installment of Ireland’s new poker radio show was recorded at their studios in Longford this week with hosts Iain Cheyne and Nicky O’Donnell speaking with Carlo Cretareo from the Four of a Kind Poker tour and Nicky Power live from Vegas.

Nicky was taking a break from his efforts in the WSOP Main Event to play a round of Golf on the Wyn course with Marty Smyth when we called and seemed a little reluctant to discuss tactics.

Carlo spoke to the show about how he began running poker events and his plans for a North West Poker tour.

Last weekend Irish Poker Radio reached number three in terms of listeners for Irish Sports Podcasts, ahead of RTE, The Guardian and The Times.

Show #2 also included discussion on the Irish at this years WSOP Main Event, a preview of the International Poker Open (Europe’s largest tournament held in Ireland) Bruce Poker’s new pub league.

Irish Poker Rakings: July Update.

It’s time for our monthly update on the top performers in Irish poker tournaments courtesy of Irish Poker Rankings

Last month Francis McCormack had clung on to the top stop for quite some time despite not having scored any points since March 22nd.

The Vultures have been circling however and it’s Paul Smallwood who has come out on top in June having narrowly missed out on a Vegas package at the Atlantis WSOP super satellite and a 5th place at the Westbuy end of month tournament which has given Paul the majority of his points this year.

Up to second from seventh is Alan Kelleher who made three final table’s in june including a win in the €500 PLO event at the Macau’s short-handed festival.

Despite the attractions of the World Series Main Event there are no less than thirteen ranking events in July.

WSOP Watch June 30th. Multiple Irish cashes this week.

As an increasing number of Irish players flocked to Vegas this week in preparation for the impending main event, as did the number of players added to our Vegas 2009 In-The-Money list

Jason Tompkins went deep in the $2,500 mixed Holdem event, finishing a very credible 27th of 527 entries for a prize of $8,739.

John O’Shea had his second WSOP cash this year when he came 32nd in the $1,500 PLO HI/Lo for $5,398

Albert Kenny came 23rd in a $1,500 NLHE for $19,587 which seemed a paltry reward considering the field had 2,781 players. Paul Leckey came 254th in the same tournament for $2.753.

Donnocha O’Dea was among the chip leaders in the $3,000 triple chance event, but with three tables left was eliminated when his pocket Aces didn’t hold up against pocket Jacks all-in pre-flop. O’Dea was given $14,967 for his 26th place finish. James Daly came 79th in same event $5,892

paddypowerpoker.com invites players on Paddy’s Vegas Vacation.

paddypowerpoker.com today invites players to take part in Paddy’s Vegas Vacation, which is scheduled from June 30th to July 3rd. The tournaments take place each evening at 8.45pm and the poker room is adding at least $100 to the prizepool of each.

“Paddy’s Vegas Vacation is designed for those of us who can’t get to Sin City for the start of the world championship event later this week” said Paddy Power, Communications Manager at paddypowerpoker.com.

“We’re adding cash to the prizepools and there are a variety of tournaments to choose from – we may not be in Vegas but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy some thrilling tournament action during the most exciting time in the poker calendar!”

British bracelet mania on The Poker Show.

As the World Series of Poker main event approaches and John Kabbaj lifts the pot-limit hold’em world championship, The Poker Show talks to some of the UK’s hottest prospects in “The Big One”

This weekend, presenters Jesse May and Matt Broughton will catch up with a host of British hopefuls including recent pot-limit hold’em bracelet winner John Kabbaj, Dave “Devilfish” Ulliott, Ian Frazer, serial staker Neil Channing, and comedian and ‘triple crown’ victor Roland De Wolfe.

Flying the Irish flag is co-presenter Padraig Parkinson, who recently finished 14th in the pot-limit Omaha world championship. He makes his daily call to the show with all the news and gossip from the Rio hotel and casino in Las Vegas. Fellow countryman John O’Shea will also drop in for a chat.

Tuesday sees the return of the weekly Poker Show Live turbo bounty tournament on Boylepoker.com which has $250 added, with guests, presenters and listeners vying for supremacy in this password-only tournament. Last week the winner of the turbo tournament was “Faughballagh” who is none other than Boylepoker pro and World Series of Poker main event finalist Scott Gray.

No joy for Parkinson as Lunkin narrowly misses 3rd bracelet.

Padraig Parkinson narrowly missed a final table in the $10,000 WSOP Championship PLO, finishing 14th. This event was one of the main hopes for an Irish bracelet considering the popularity of Omaha in Ireland and Marty Smyth’s win in 2008.

Unfortunately for Parky he never got going on the final day. Nursing a short-stack from three tables out, he finally busted at the hands of Vitaly Lunkin who is fast becoming a man to be feared in Vegas.

Lunkin, already had two bracelets in the bag – one in a $1,500 NLHE event in 2008, and a huge win for almost $1.9 million in this years $40,000 NLHE event – showed he is well adapt at the plying his trade in the four card game.

After a gruelingly long heads up battle with American Matt Graham, the Russian was unlucky to miss out on his 3rd WSOP title.

The Irish in Vegas: In-The-Money list 2009.

So far at this years World Series of Poker Festival, six Irish players have had ten cashes between them. Andy Black with two sizeable five figure cashes is the highest earner and the only Irishman to make a final table. However, we have yet to see anything like the successes of 2008 when Ireland took home a bracelet.

Other players who have cashed are Stephen “AllinStevie” Devlin with an impressive three cashes across three separate disciplines, Nick Heather with two cashes in No Limit Holdem events, and Derek Murray, Jude “j.thadeus” Ainsworth and John O’Shea with one in-the-money finish each.

Padraig Parkinson will join them when he plays out the remainder of the $10,000 Pot Limit Omaha event. With 25 players remaining, Parkinson is in with a very realistic chance of taking over the title from his compatriot, Marty Smyth.

This weekend on the Poker Show

Dublin, Ireland: June 19, 2009 – This week on poker’s leading live radio show, The Poker Show, presenters Jesse May and Matt Broughton will be talking to a selection of the world’s leading players in Las Vegas.

Among those expected to drop in between taking pot shots at bracelets are Chris Ferguson, John Duthie, Daniel Negreanu, Issac Haxton, Marty Smyth, Dan Goldman from the Poker Players Alliance, and Dave ‘Devilfish’ Ulliott.

Padraig Parkinson also checks in with all the gossip from the Rio hotel and casino in Las Vegas.

Tuesday sees the return of the weekly Poker Show Live turbo bounty tournament on
Boylepoker.com which has $250 added, with guests, presenters and listeners vying for supremacy in this password-only tournament. Last week the event was won by “RadonGas” and attracted 83 players.