COLD CALLING IN DECEMBER Without wanting to sound remotely “clothe-ist” I was surprised, particularly in the midst of winter, to discover how popular strip poker has become in Universities up and down the country. One contest in which students were frantically trying to bluff each other into the buff had come up with the rather counter-productive idea of offering T-shirts as prizes? Maybe they’re not as bright as we all thought they were?
$15,000 BUY-INS! Some of the very best developments to come out of the online poker phenomena are the scores of chances almost any one of us can have of winning a FREE buy-in to a major tournament where massive fortunes can and are often won by relative newcomers. We’ve all heard the ground-breaking Chris Moneymaker and Joe Hachem stories but there are literally dozens more big-buck-beginner-break-throughs like that unfolding online all over the globe every week. Why is this such a good thing? Because if you would like the undoubted privilege of going up against a poker legend like Doyle Brunson at his favourite haunt, The Bellagio Casino, Las Vegas, a buy-in for his Five Diamond Classic will cost you a whopping $15,000. This level of buy-in is not uncommon in gaming circles for special events and it’s only through online poker sites like 888 that the average Joe or Joanne gets the opportunity to gate-crash the big parties, all expenses paid. The big one to look out for beyond our own current “Caribbean Adventure” is the 2007 World Series of Poker next summer when the prize pool is predicted to reach $120,000,000 with the winner walking away with a cool $15,000,000. If that’s not enough to have you honing your online skills I give up.
LEARN THE “GOLDEN” LESSON Regular followers of this column will know that we have reported about the case of this year’s WSOP winner Jamie Gold and his alleged deal with a sponsor. The deal in dispute was allegedly agreed over a telephone to the effect that Jamie would contribute half of any winnings to the alleged sponsor for services rendered should he hit the $12,000,000 jackpot. A court has withheld $6,000,000 pending a decision on the merits of the case. Be warned! If you enter into any agreement to be bankrolled, sponsored or in anyway assisted with an attempt to fight your way to the final table at the WSOP or any other large scale event, make sure it’s in writing and properly drawn up. Better still compete regularly to win a FREE buy-in online and avoid the hassle altogether.
