Poker

It hasn't taken long for some of the world's most accomplished online poker players to accept the $1.5 million challenge thrown out earlier this week by online poker ace Tom "durrr" Dwan. Phil Ivey, David Benyamine, Barry Greenstein and Patrik Antonius have all picked up the gauntlet, according to Poker Road Radio.

Internet poker multi-tabling and nosebleed stakes ace Tom "durrr" Dwan clearly savours the adrenalin of competition, and has started the new year with an interesting 3 to 1 challenge open to all online poker players with the wherewithal, confidence and courage to take on one of the most exciting and unpredictable pros on the Net.

The Washington Post print stories and the 60 Minutes television coverage of the UltimateBet and Absolute Poker cheating scandals published on Sunday continued to evoke wide comment and exchanges of opinion on industry message boards and in the media this week.

Another American gambling legal tussle is imminent, this time in New York state where Missouri-based Free Poker Experience LLC has filed suit against the state in an effort to clarify regional laws on gambling with particular reference to bar poker leagues.

World Poker Tour Enterprises could be about to shut down its troubled online poker operations at WPTonline.com following an advisory report to the SEC filed October 17 which announces that the firm's 3 year poker network deal with turnkey provider and network Cryptologic is to be prematurely terminated on November 14 2008.

The Poker Players Alliance has furnished its 1.2 million members with a rating guide on the position of members of the US Congress on the legalisation of poker.

Wide coverage in Dutch newspapers like De Volkskrant, De Telegraaf and Spits on the poker skills vs. luck debate has resulted in renewed publicity for the subject in online poker media this week.

The World Series of Poker Europe 2008 came to a fitting climax this week with John Juanda emerging as the champion in the £10,000 buy-in NLHE Main Event.

Barney Frank's HR6870 Payment Service Protection Act will probably not be voted on this congressional session despite its successful 30 -19 vote in the House Financial Services Committee on September 16.

Senator Robert Menendez's attempt to legalise online poker in the United States advanced to the Senate this week with the introduction of the New Jersey Democrat's bill S. 3616, the Internet Skill Game Licensing and Control Act.