Come play poker for the kids at walker poker - Charity Ball Feb 2 2008

5TH Street Forum would like to invite you to join us in our Monthly Charity tournament at WalkerPoker.com Friday January 2ndat 16:00 server time.
its just $4 to buy in with half of the buy in going to a very worthy cause, The Make a Wish Foundation.

You can find it listed under Tournaments/ Private.
Its named "The 5th Street Charity Ball"

We usually get around 50 players in this every month but it would be great to see the numbers rise and raise ALOT more money for the kids.


I look forward to seeing all the regulars there and hopefully some new faces for a great game of poker.

If your not already a member , head on over to WalkerPoker.com and join, the registration for the next Charity ball is now op

Golden Casino

Here’s your Golden Opportunity to experience the finest online casino in the world today, GoldenCasino.com!

A world-class casino deserves nothing less than a world-class sign-up bonus — 100% on your first deposit — up to $555 in extra cash!

Take that $555 and get ready for the ultimate player-friendly internet casino, with an enormous selection of classic and modern-style casino games. All the games you’ve known and loved for years are available including Blackjack, Roulette, Slots, Video Poker, Craps, and Baccarat, but there are also some cool and innovative new games that will blow you away! And with an extra $555 of GoldenCasino.com’s money, you can afford to try them all on the house!

And unlike so many other casinos with tempting sign-up offers, GoldenCasino.com doesn’t forget about you once you’re in the door. A constant stream of player rewards, comp points, and random bonuses are available to keep showing you the money throughout your player lifetime.

GoldenCasino.com knows that the success of any business hinges on the highest quality customer service. That’s why we have 24/7 LIVE customer support to help you anytime day or night. Whether by toll-free phone, email, or live chat, there will always be a live support agent available to offer the best in technical support.

If you’re looking for a complete entertainment package that is exciting, trustworthy, and easy-to-use, congratulations… because you just struck Gold!

GoldenCasino.com – Go For Gold!

Wild Jack Mobile Casino - slots on your mobile

Now you can play slots for real on your mobile
Check out Wild Jack Mobile Casino



Wild Jack Mobile Casino (WJMC), offers mobile casino gaming excitement on the award winning Spin3 and Microgaming
mobile casino software. Spin3 and Microgaming were awarded the best mobile gambling system in both 2006 and 2007
at the Mobile Entertainment Awards.

WJMC supports over 750 of the world’s most popular WAP/Internet enabled phone models. All transactions, including banking,
take place over mobile handsets, so casino players can hit the tables right away, any time, any place.

Players can choose from 11 exciting games, including Roulette, Blackjack and Video Poker, along with Major Millions,
the high-payout progressive, all while enjoying smooth game play and crisp, realistic action.

For banking, players can choose from credit cards (VISA, MasterCard), NETeller, Click2Pay, Ukash
and a variety of Debit Cards.

WJMC offers 24/7 mobile text, mobile call back (from within the mobile software) and toll-free telephone support

5th Street Charity Ball

5TH Street Forum would like to invite you to join us in our Monthly Charity tournament , now also available at WalkerPoker.com Saturday February 2nd at 16:00 server time.
its just $4 to buy in with half of the buy in going to a very worthy cause, The Make a Wish Foundation.

You can find it listed under Tournaments/ Private.
Its named "The 5th Street Charity Ball"

We usually get around 50 players in this every month but it would be great to see the numbers rise and raise ALOT more money for the kids.

You might just be the 1st winner for 2008 :D

I look forward to seeing all the regulars there and hopefully some new faces for a great game of poker.

If your not already a member , head on over to WalkerPoker.com and join, the registration for the next Charity ball is now open

Carbon poker

100% First Deposit Bonus + $1,000 Freeroll Entry
Make your first deposit with CarbonPoker.com and use coupon code 100FIRST1K to earn a 100% bonus on deposits up to $500! That's $100 free on deposits of $100. After depositing you will receive 1 entry to a $1,000 freeroll, which can be used for entry to any $1,000 Freeroll.

You will also receive entry for 14 days into the $500 Freerolls for New Depositing Players.

This deposit bonus offer has the following play requirements:

$1 paid per 250 comp points.
Bonus paid in $10 increments.
Remaining bonus expires on withdrawal
For example, if you deposit $100, you will receive $10 of your bonus automatically every time you accumulate 2500 comp points (250 comp points for each $1 of bonus). This will happen 9 more times until the total $100 bonus is paid.

* Please be aware that any players who were issued an initial deposit bonus on the Poker.com site are ineligible for an initial deposit bonus on the carbonpoker.com site.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Royal Flush Bonus
Score a Royal Flush with your pocket cards on any real-money Texas Holdem ring game at CarbonPoker.com and you will receive a bonus of 100 x the big blind!

That means you can win a cash bonus of $1,000 cash, just by getting a Royal Flush on a table with $5/$10 stakes!

Royal Flush Bonus Qualification:
Only available for real money Texas Hold'em ring games (not tournament hands)
Both Hole Cards must be used
Player must win hand / pot with the Royal Flush (no rabbit hunts)
Must be submitted within 48 hours from hand completion
Bonus Terms & Conditions:
Bonus equivalent to 100 x big blind
You must earn 100 comp points per bonus $1 before withdrawal
Bonus not available for Blackjack use
Please allow 48 hrs for bonus to be credited







--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NEW FREEROLL SCHEDULE! EFFECTIVE MAY 25th 2007

Our new freeroll schedule includes at least one freeroll every 2 hours! All times are listed in CarbonPoker.com Time (GMT -5, ET-1)

$50,000 Freeroll
On the last Sunday of every month at 15:00, CarbonPoker.com will run a $50,000 Freeroll that is open to all players who earn 5000 comp points so far in the current month.

$10,000 Freeroll
Every Sunday at 15:00 (except the last Sunday of every month), CarbonPoker.com holds a $10,000 freeroll for players that have earned at least 2500 comp points in the previous 159 hours prior to the tournament start time.

$2,000 Freeroll
Every Saturday at 15:00, CarbonPoker.com holds a $2,000 freeroll for players that have earned at least 1000 comp points in the previous 72 hours prior to the tournament start time.

$1,000 Freerolls
Every Monday through Friday, CarbonPoker.com holds a $1,000 freeroll for players that have earned at least 1000 comp points in the previous 72 hours prior to the tournament start time.

Monday - 19:00
Tuesday - 13:00
Wednesday - 19:00
Thursday - 13:00
Friday - 19:00
* official CarbonPoker.com time
$500 Freeroll for New Depositing Players
Make an initial deposit at CarbonPoker.com and you will gain a coupon valid for 14 days entry into our daily $500 Freeroll for New Depositing Players.

Monday - 19:15
Tuesday - 13:15
Wednesday - 19:15
Thursday - 13:15
Friday - 19:15
Saturday - 13:15
Sunday - 13:15
* official CarbonPoker.com time
$50 New Player Freeroll
When you join CarbonPoker.com you will receive free entry to the $50 New Player Freerolls running daily at:

11:00
14:00
17:00
20:00
* official CarbonPoker.com time
$10 Freerolls every 2 hours
Open to any CarbonPoker.com member.

Carbon poker

100% First Deposit Bonus + $1,000 Freeroll Entry
Make your first deposit with CarbonPoker.com and use coupon code 100FIRST1K to earn a 100% bonus on deposits up to $500! That's $100 free on deposits of $100. After depositing you will receive 1 entry to a $1,000 freeroll, which can be used for entry to any $1,000 Freeroll.

You will also receive entry for 14 days into the $500 Freerolls for New Depositing Players.

This deposit bonus offer has the following play requirements:

$1 paid per 250 comp points.
Bonus paid in $10 increments.
Remaining bonus expires on withdrawal
For example, if you deposit $100, you will receive $10 of your bonus automatically every time you accumulate 2500 comp points (250 comp points for each $1 of bonus). This will happen 9 more times until the total $100 bonus is paid.

* Please be aware that any players who were issued an initial deposit bonus on the Poker.com site are ineligible for an initial deposit bonus on the carbonpoker.com site.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Royal Flush Bonus
Score a Royal Flush with your pocket cards on any real-money Texas Holdem ring game at CarbonPoker.com and you will receive a bonus of 100 x the big blind!

That means you can win a cash bonus of $1,000 cash, just by getting a Royal Flush on a table with $5/$10 stakes!

Royal Flush Bonus Qualification:
Only available for real money Texas Hold'em ring games (not tournament hands)
Both Hole Cards must be used
Player must win hand / pot with the Royal Flush (no rabbit hunts)
Must be submitted within 48 hours from hand completion
Bonus Terms & Conditions:
Bonus equivalent to 100 x big blind
You must earn 100 comp points per bonus $1 before withdrawal
Bonus not available for Blackjack use
Please allow 48 hrs for bonus to be credited







--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NEW FREEROLL SCHEDULE! EFFECTIVE MAY 25th 2007

Our new freeroll schedule includes at least one freeroll every 2 hours! All times are listed in CarbonPoker.com Time (GMT -5, ET-1)

$50,000 Freeroll
On the last Sunday of every month at 15:00, CarbonPoker.com will run a $50,000 Freeroll that is open to all players who earn 5000 comp points so far in the current month.

$10,000 Freeroll
Every Sunday at 15:00 (except the last Sunday of every month), CarbonPoker.com holds a $10,000 freeroll for players that have earned at least 2500 comp points in the previous 159 hours prior to the tournament start time.

$2,000 Freeroll
Every Saturday at 15:00, CarbonPoker.com holds a $2,000 freeroll for players that have earned at least 1000 comp points in the previous 72 hours prior to the tournament start time.

$1,000 Freerolls
Every Monday through Friday, CarbonPoker.com holds a $1,000 freeroll for players that have earned at least 1000 comp points in the previous 72 hours prior to the tournament start time.

Monday - 19:00
Tuesday - 13:00
Wednesday - 19:00
Thursday - 13:00
Friday - 19:00
* official CarbonPoker.com time
$500 Freeroll for New Depositing Players
Make an initial deposit at CarbonPoker.com and you will gain a coupon valid for 14 days entry into our daily $500 Freeroll for New Depositing Players.

Monday - 19:15
Tuesday - 13:15
Wednesday - 19:15
Thursday - 13:15
Friday - 19:15
Saturday - 13:15
Sunday - 13:15
* official CarbonPoker.com time
$50 New Player Freeroll
When you join CarbonPoker.com you will receive free entry to the $50 New Player Freerolls running daily at:

11:00
14:00
17:00
20:00
* official CarbonPoker.com time
$10 Freerolls every 2 hours
Open to any CarbonPoker.com member.

www.888.com

What is your favourite onlne casino game; Slots, Roulette,Craps or Video Poker? Or maybe you prefer online Blackjack or a fun version, Crazy Blackjack. No matter what casino game you like you will find it at www.888.com
http://www.888.com/blackjack/en/ has been online for ten years so you have to know that they are doing something right and now with the largest jackpots ever it is most definitly the site to head for to play.Not only do they offer No Download play but also Mobile play ,as well as forums. And if that is not enough they also offer a 100% bonus up to $200 on your first deposit.

When you visit www.888.com you can also download the free software for Pacfic Poker. The software offers an interactive poker school, a weekly bonus as well as poker forums. So if your game is poker then for sure you are going to want to try Pacific Poker!

5TH Street Charity Ball

Hey can you believe it- it almost time for the 5TH Street Charity Ball again? Man the time just seems to fly past like.... well like time I guess LOL
Now, I know if you are a regular you are already registered or have made a note to get over to Carbon/Poker.com and get yourself registered for the game slated to start at 14:00 LT on June 2and.
If for some reason you have yet to join in on this monthly tourney I gotta tell you - you have no idea what you are missing! This tourney is the real live baby of my bestest bud Earl (skinski) Moore and because of that it carries all his good qualities and ethics- and if you have sat at a table or shared a forum with him you know what I mean.
No matter where you finish at the end of the tournament you win because half of the money goes to the Make a Wish Foundation. Stop and think for even half a minute; how would you feel if that $2 from your entry that goes to the foundation is all that was needed to make it possible for a gravely ill child to do that one thing they wish to do before they die? Personally that thought almost takes my breath away!
So come on and get yourself registered and have some fun playing and the that really good feeling because you made a child's last wish come true!!

*HUGS*

Be a winner

Blackjack, the game that got it's start in France as vingt et un or 21. It was not popular when first played in the US so to help the game along if a player had the ace of spades and either of the black jacks then the payout was a 10:1 bonus thus the name Blackjack.

You can be a winner in the game of blackjack by reading and learning from successful players like Edward O Thorp, Max Rubin, and Jerry L Patterson, just to name a few.
The first thing to learn is the basic strategy. There are tables available suggesting when to hit or when to stand;also when it would be advantageous to double down and to split.

Card counting gives the advantage of knowing how many aces and tens are available which helps the player decide their betting levels. Be warned that card counting is legal in the US but, casino owners have the right and will ban any player they catch counting.

Arnld Snyder along with many others have written about shuffle tracking. That is when a player follows a clump of cards at a table where more than one deck of cards is used. It takes very good vision and estimation to perfect this strategy but has the advantage of fooling casino owners who are watching players action and count.

So educate yourself and then get to the tables play blackjack and win!

And dont forget about online blackjack, there are tons of places to play

5TH Street Forum

well

Seeing as how ive been a HUGE slaker lately i really have to start pushing the forum again

We have had some new folks join in the last couple of months and im glad to say that for the most part our games are still some of the best online poker you will find anywhere.

The Leader board is doing very well, i think we average about 13 or so in this one every week, not huge but like i said before some great poker playing.

The Charity Ball, well, i guess its had its ups and down, had some problems when we had it as a rebuy/addon tourny
We were under the impression that the rebuys were going to the MAke a Wish Foundation but it turned out that it was not the case.
So we changed it to a freezout And made the buy in a little bigger, still a great deal at $4, with half going to the kids.

I know im missing some stuff but its getting kinda late so ill add whatever it is tomorrow night

Have a GREAT day everyone.

Girls at Play

The girls stroll to the table so confident and cool
"No balls are needed for this game-cause we're not playing pool."
Each girl sits down more self assured and readies for the deal
The sisterhood of players wish "good luck"- their wish is real.
The cards are dealt, the bidding’s done; it’s a male who loses big
The language gets quite colourful, as he sits and flips his wig.
Maybe our "pro wannabe" had played the whole hand wrong
But girls don't try to tell him that, he'll stay angry far too long.
Instead they’re gracious win or lose and show it makes no sense
You miss the fun of playing cards when a loss gets you so tense.

@Margie Fortune August 31 2005

Gavin Griffin Wins the EPT and Finale

Gavin Griffin acquired his ticket to the Ð10,000 buy-in EPT Grand Finale Championship by winning a seat online at PokerStars. He parlayed his satellite win into Ð1.8 million as he became the latest EPT World Champion at the Bay Casino in Monte Carlo.


Although 706 players shared a collective dream of leaving luxurious Monte Carlo as a millionaire, most of them would go home empty handed in the largest and most prestigious tournament outside of the United States. When it ended, Gavin Griffin of Chicago, IL emerged as the winner.


Griffin was the youngest player to win a WSOP bracelet; he was 22 at the time he won it in 2004. In February, he made a final table at a WSOP circuit event. Most recently, Griffin has been focusing on charity work after his girlfriend survived breast cancer. He had been promoting the two-day 39-mile Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.


Gavin Griffin started the final table as the chip leader. The table also featured tough players such as Hendon Mob's Ram Vaswani and Ireland's Andy Black. When heads-up play began, Canada's Marc Karam lead 6M to 4.6M in chips. After feeling each other out for the first hour, the two played their biggest pot on the 50th hand of heads-up play. Griffin flopped trips and scooped a 3M plus pot. He appeared to have taken over the momentum as he extended his lead to 7.3M from 3.3M. The lead was brief. Eight hands later, Karam dragged a 2.5M pot as he pulled almost even.


On the 92nd and final hand of heads-up play, Gavin Griffin raised 125K pre-flop and Marc Karam re-raised to 400K. Griffin called. The flop was 4d-3c-2s. Karam bet 500K and Griffin raised to 2M. Karam moved all-in and before Griffin called he muttered, "I think you have the best hand." Karam flipped over his hand and said, "Shit! I just have a pair of fours." He tabled 7s-4s while Griffin flipped over Kd-5s for an open ended straight draw along with two overcards. Griffin had Karam covered by just 510K as the dealer counted out all their chips. After a couple of hours of meticulous heads-up play, the EPT Championships would come down to a coinflip. The turn was 3h and Karam knew he dodged a huge bullet. His hand looked a lot better and his chances of winning increased. However, Griffin still had outs and caught on one the river when the Kh spiked which sealed the victory for Griffin.


Marc Karam won Ð1,061,820 for second place, while Gavin Griffin picked up Ð1,825,010 for first place. For the second year in a row (Jeff Williams won last year), an American won the EPT Championships. "Nothing beats the prestige of winning a bracelet, but this is a special win for sure," a jovial Griffin said as he addressed the members of the foreign press.


After the winner's press conference a media rep joked, "Fitting that an online qualifier would win the PokerStars sponsored EPT Grand Finale. On the river card nonetheless."


There's an inside joke among online players who gave PokerStars the nickname "RiverStars" due to what seems like the high propensity of river suckouts and saves. And in true RiverStars fashion, the King on the river propelled Gavin Griffin to first place.


But perhaps it was karma balancing things out in life. Griffin's girlfriend Kristin was issued a bad beat a couple of years ago when she discovered she had breast cancer. All the good will and charity that Griffin put forth might have given him a cosmic edge over the rest of the players in the tournament.


Griffin won a WSOP bracelet in 2004 and although nothing in tournament poker is more impressive than winning a bracelet, he solidified himself as a bona-fide pro as he bested some of the premiere players in the world. From legends like Phil Ivey, Greg Raymer, and Phil Hellmuth to those wild and reckless Scandis like Patrik Antonius, Johnny Lodden, and William Thorsson, Griffin outlasted all of them as he gets to add the EPT Grand Finale Champion to his resume.

Playboy Enters Online Poker Market With Cryptologic-Designed Site

PlayboyGaming.com is the new home of Playboy's online casino offerings, including a poker room that opened on January 22nd as part of the Cryptologic Network. The poker room also includes blackjack, and a separate casino module will launch in the next few months, though as one would expect, the real-cash offerings are not available to U.S. residents, despite Playboy's American roots.

PlayboyGaming spokesperson Lee Knott hinted at the promotional opportunities likely to be offered through the new poker site, saying this: "We're delighted to deliver the unique Playboy brand to an online gaming audience. Not only will players experience a quality poker offering, but they will also have the opportunity to win once-in-a-lifetime, priceless experiences that no other online gaming site can offer."

Among those experiences are likely to be trips to upcoming editions of the Playboy Poker Camp, which made its own debut last month with five days of festivities, featuring instruction from Chris Moneymaker and a phalanx of other well-known pros, including David Williams, Layne Flack, Antonio Esfandiari, Phil Laak and Jim 'Krazy Kanuck' Worth, all surrounded by the expected Playboy appeal and glamour. That camp included a trip to the Playboy Mansion and a night on the town, L.A. and Playboy style, and a second camp is tentatively scheduled to take place this coming fall. Campers anted up $5,000 for the right to attend, with additional seats given away through other channels, such as a drawing at the host Morongo Casino. The camp wrapped with a poker tourney with a $100,000 grand prize and other Playboy merchandise and prizes up for grabs.

The Playboy Poker Camp also marked the next step in the growing business relationship between Playboy and Moneymaker's own licensing arm, Moneymaker Gaming, following the launch of a line of high-end, co-branded products such as poker chips, chip sets, tables and other accessories. Future joint efforts may also involve selected NASCAR drivers and the WWE.

Celebrity Poker Event Amid Super Bowl Festivities

The third annual Dewar's 12 Celebrity Poker Challenge, hosted by award-winning producer/rapper Pharrell Williams, returns tonight with a star-studded lineup of 100 celebrity poker players, all benefiting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami and From One Hand to Another, the charity organization helping low-income families founded by Williams.

The private event, held at Miami's exclusive Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, is part of an evening of festivities and a larger party attended by about 300 well-connected entertainment movers and shakers. Among the celebrities currently scheduled to participate in the poker event are Jamie Foxx, Jay-Z, Beyonce Knowles, Will and Jada Smith, Anna Kournikova, Queen Latifah, Jermaine Dupri, Pitbull, Lennox Lewis, Jesse Palmer (from "The Bachelor"), recent Heismann Trophy winner Troy Smith, and the cast of MTV's "Eighth and Ocean," a Miami-based reality series starring 10 now-famous South Florida fashion models.

Florida native and 2004 WSOP Pot-Limit Omaha bracelet winner Ted Lawson gets the emcee duties for this one, with a special grand prize also awarded to the winner. Last year's event, hosted by Alex Rodriguez, raised tens of thousands for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Miami, and this year's event will provide for similar good works, amid the general fun that also includes a Gwen Stefani-designed fashion show and a parade of Vegas-style showgirls and dancers

neckties

A fine tie is a work of art . Whether woven or printed, it is first designed, thentransformed into a pattern silk , engineered, then sewn by experts to meet with the maker's approval .


Woven silk ties are the most luxurious and dressy of all. Though less common today, they were at one time the incontestable mark and indispenable accessory of a true gentleman. Their greater manufacturing most raises the price of woven silk ties, which part accounts for the tact that they now represent only five percent of tie production. But they will never fall entirely by the wayside, and make periodic comebacks, especially in times of prosperity.

How to tie a Windsor Knot?

1.Start with wide end of the tie on your right and extending a foot below narrow end.
2. Cross wide end over narrow and bring up through loop.
3. Cross wide end over narrow and bring up through loop.
4. Then put down through loop and around across narrow as shown.
5. Turn and pass up through loop and...
6. Complete by slipping down through the knot in front. Tighten and draw up snug to collar.


How to tie a Half Windsor Knot?

1.Start with wide end of the tie on your right and extending a foot below narrow end.
2. Cross wide end over narrow and turn back underneath.
3. Bring up and turn down through loop.
4. Pass wide end around front from left to right.
5. Then up through loop...
6. And down through know in front. Tighten carefully and draw up to collar.

How to tie a Four in Hand Knot?

1.Start with wide end of the tie on your right and extending a foot below narrow end.
2. Cross wide end over narrow and back underneath.
3. Continue around passing wide end across front of narrow once more.
4. Pass side end up through loop.
5. Holding front of knot loose with index finger, pass wide end down through loop in front.
6. Remove finger and tighten knot carefully. Draw up tight to collar by holding narrow end and sliding knot snug.


How to knot a bow tie?

1.Start with end in right hand, extending 1.5 inch below that in left hand.
2. Cross longer end over shorter and pass up through loop.
3. Form front loop of bow by doubling up shorter end (hanging) end placing across collar points.
4. Hold this front loop with thumb and forefinger of right hand. Drop long end down over front.
5. Place left forefinger pointing up on bottom half of hanging part. Pass up behind front loop and...
6. Poke resulting loop though knot behind front loop (see illustration). Even ends and tighten

Want to buy and tie and give to charity? Visit Belisi.com they give a portion of every purchase, no matter how large or small, to the cause of your choice.

Problem poker part 2

So the question arises: Are Problem Poker and problem gambling not the same issue? Even more specifically, don't most gamblers have multiple problems? Aren't they betting on sports and playing craps or blackjack and playing poker?

In many cases the answer is, of course, yes. However, would you say that someone who has an alcohol problem has the same addiction as someone who compulsively overeats?

Or even more pointed, is the abuse of alcohol the same if its "only on the weekends" by someone with a job and a family versus someone who is an "on the street" wino?

The subtleties that surround any addiction are worth noticing when treatment and care or cures are the goals. So let's take a detailed look at some of the basic information on problem gambling and see how Problem Poker is the same and how it is different.

The key component that distinguishes poker from other forms of gambling is simply that when you play poker you are not playing against the house. Poker may not legally be a game of skill but does not have an inherent "edge" to the house. In casino, cardroom or online poker the "house" collects a fee for running the game but the competition is among the players seated at the table. It is this key factor in poker that makes the issues of Problem Poker different from other forms of gambling.

Problem gambling is gambling behavior which causes disruptions in any major area of life: psychological, physical, social or vocational. The term "problem gambling" includes, but is not limited to, the condition known as "pathological", or "compulsive" gambling, a progressive addiction characterized by increasing preoccupation with gambling, a need to bet more money more frequently, restlessness or irritability when attempting to stop, "chasing" losses, and loss of control manifested by continuation of the gambling behavior in spite of mounting, serious, negative consequences. [derived from the American Psychological Association definition]

Live poker is different. Other players (other people) must witness your losses; there is more than a mere betting slip to toss away. To lose consistently and heavily at a poker table requires making bad decisions in public over and over again and going into our wallet over and over again. There is a very public face to playing poker, which is why many Problem Poker players encounter their biggest losses online.

The internet has brought problem gambling into our homes and offices and has made it faceless. Pushing a button is much easier and addictively anonymous. For the action junkie, even being a maniac in a poker room means only 30 hands an hour. On the internet players can enter 10 or 20 games simultaneously. The adrenaline high of multiple tables is a fascinating and frightening addiction to behold. Problem Poker is almost never seen as an isolated live action phenomenon; there are either other gambling aspects, such as sports betting and other table games or there is an online component.

Many experts think that pathologic gambling is an addiction because of the "rush" you feel when you win and lose money. In tournament poker even the best players in the world lose more than 95% of the time. In hand for hand live action games, you can play every hand but it's a guaranteed losing proposition and still may never be enough action. But beyond the "rush" of winning and beyond the cash of winning, poker now offers another addictive prize. With the advent of television, poker now offers celebrity. Other than Jimmy the Greek, name a famous gambler? OK, now name fifteen famous poker players. If you have come to PokerNews.com and you have read this far -- name ten more famous poker players. No problem, right! Fame, celebrity as well as fortune are now there for anyone to have, simply by playing poker and even if you don't actually win the World Series, you can play at the table with Johnny Chan or Chris Moneymaker or Greg Raymer.

Its fame, its fortune, its drug, sex, rock-n-roll, its poker! Addiction behavior needs a goal and a focus. The "rush" is clearly one type of drug, so is fortune, and so too is fame.

Next week, more on the unique characteristics of Problem Poker.

WPBT and ESCARGOT: Two Seriously Fun Events

I'm not sure exactly when, but at some point poker became more serious. Bucking poker's sobering trend, two upcoming events have built reputations for reveling in the joy of the game.

During the second week of December, poker bloggers from around the country will descend on Las Vegas for the third annual World Poker Blogger Tour (WPBT) Winter Classic. Poker bloggers build powerful networks by linking with one another on the internet. The live WPBT events take those virtual linkages and forge lasting 'Brick & Mortar' friendships. The forging process, as witnessed during these events, involves lots of poker, drinking, discussion of craft, and teasing. And of course, the ultimate goal is to be able to remember enough of the weekend to yield a plethora of irreverent blog posts.

While most tourists try to give this group a wide berth, professional players and writers including Howard Lederer, Barry Greenstein, and Michael Craig have spoken at past WBPT events. Phil Gordon ran a charity Roshambo event for the bloggers earlier this year at the WPBT Summer Classic. Marcel Luske and Max Pescatori have been known to drop by.

Much of the weekend schedule is flexible allowing for many spontaneous outbreaks of cash games up and down the strip, but there is always time set aside for a blogger tournament. This year's tournament will be held at 1:30 pm on December 9th at Caesar's Palace. The Tao of Poker's Pauly will award the first player busted from the tournament with a DVD of the movie Gigli; which is also tradition.

In January another irreverent group of internet connected players will head for the Bicycle Casino for the ninth annual ESCARGOT (Extraordinary Southern California Annual RecGambling Outing and Tournament). ESCARGOT is a regional spin-off of BARGE which was borne from the early days of IRC Poker and the rec.gambling.poker Usenet group.

ESCARGOT is steeped in the BARGE tradition of almost obscene poker fun, exercised by some great poker talent. People that have made the money in past ESCARGOT events include writers Lou Krieger and John Vorhaus. Professional players Gavin Smith and Matt Matros also have scored ESCARGOT money finishes. And Suzan 'Sabyl' Cohen, the last woman standing at this year's WSOP Championship Event, honed her money winning ways at ESCARGOT.

ESCARGOT 2007 runs from January 11th through the 14th and features four official tournaments, but participants will also be availing themselves of the Bicycle's twice daily tournaments. Rumors of a Roshambo (rock-paper-scissors) event and Chowaha (a three flop variant of hold'em) ring games appear to be well founded.

For many, the popularity of poker transformed it from a great game to a serious business. It's comforting to know that there are still talented players out there that get together for ridiculously low buy-in events to celebrate the sheer joy of the game.

5th street news

5TH Street Forum would like to invite you to join us in our Monthly Charity tournament at Poker.com Friday December 1st .
You can find it listed under Tournaments/ Private.
Its named "The 5th Street Charity Ball"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Congratulations to our 1st ever Leaderboard event winner Evil666.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The top placers in the November 25th buy in were

1. cerberi.....15.00
2. Hacksaw...9.00
3. Wade79...6.00

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Keep your eyes on the forum for a special Christmas tournament for our active members which will be announced soon.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Brand new at 5th Street Forum

The Leaderboard Challenge

Leader board points are awarded as the reverse of the field, so if 20 players enter a tournament, the first player out will be awarded 1 point, and the winner will be awarded 20 points. As a bonus those players that make the final table will have their points for that round multiplied.


1st - 4x
2nd - 3x
3rd - 2x

So the player that finishes first in a field of 20 will end up with 80 Leader board points.

As an extra bonus , there will be 20 points on the head of hacksaw and myself....so that could be an extra 40 points if you bust us both out !

The games will be played each Sunday at 1700 lobby time @poker.com . They will be a 2.20 buy-in and password pertected for members only . ( look in password section here in forum )Each season will run four weeks ( four games ) and at the end of each season the winner will have $20.00 transfered to their account !

Blogger tour season 2 event 5

Well today is Event #5 of the second season of the Blogger Poker Tour .
The field is really tight and making the top 20 and the grand final will not be easy.

Sure hope im on top of my game today.

Good luck to everyone today.

Also the 5TH Street Forums weekly buy in today.
If you would like to play just visit us at the forum 5TH Street Forum

And dont forgot the The 5TH Street Forum has the 5TH Street Charity Ball on the 1st of every month, open to any one who wants to play and help the kids through a great charity, the Make a Wish Foundation.
games are hosted at Poker.com


Hope to see everyone there

Canadian Poker Tour dates

The Canadian Poker TourThe Canadian Poker Tour is a tour of the many casinos around Canada. There have been two previous events and the third season is currently underway.


Participating Canadian CasinosThere are over 20 casinos that participate in the CPT and some of the biggest in Canada. Some of the casinos that participate in the CPT are the Boomtown casino, Casino Regina and the Emerald Casino. The total prize pool for some of these poker events can reach to over $500,000, which means that this is more than your average home game.

The tournament schedule provided is grouped by month. The date of the tournaments, the hosting casinos, tournament styles, buy-ins, and estimated prize pools are listed.



Mar 3, 2007 Boomtown Casino
No-Limit Holdem
$200 / $0
Fort McMurray, AB
$10,000


Jun 2, 2007 Boomtown Casino
No-Limit Holdem
$200 / $0
Fort McMurray, AB
$10,000



Sep 16, 2006 Cash Casino (Red Deer)
No-Limit Holdem
$500 / $50
Red Deer, AB
$33,000



Oct 5, 2006 Casino Yellowhead
No-Limit Holdem
$200 / $20
Edmonton, AB
$95,000

Oct 6, 2006 Casino Yellowhead
No-Limit Holdem
$300 / $30
Edmonton, AB
$46,000

Oct 7, 2006 Casino Yellowhead
No-Limit Holdem
$500 / $50
Edmonton, AB
$88,000

Oct 8, 2006 Casino Yellowhead
No-Limit Holdem
$1000 / $50
Edmonton, AB
$145,000

Oct 14, 2006 Boomtown Casino
No-Limit Holdem
$200 / $0
Fort McMurray, AB
$10,000

Oct 25, 2006 Cash Casino (Calgary)
No-Limit Holdem
$200 / $30
Calgary, AB
$80,000

Oct 26-28, 2006 Cash Casino (Calgary)
No-Limit Holdem
$700 / $60
Calgary, AB
$270,000

Oct 29, 2006 Cash Casino (Calgary)
No-Limit Holdem
$160 / $15
Calgary, AB
$24,640




Nov 8, 2006 Casino Regina
Omaha Hi-Lo
$100 / $25
Regina, SK
$75,000

Nov 8, 2006 Great Blue Heron Charity Casino
No-Limit Holdem
$200 / $40
Port Perry, ON
$60,000

Nov 9, 2006 Casino Regina
No-Limit Holdem
$200 / $25
Regina, SK
$150,000

Nov 9, 2006 Deerfoot Inn and Casino
No-Limit Holdem
$300 / $25
Calgary , AB
$66,000

Nov 10, 2006 Deerfoot Inn and Casino
No-Limit Holdem
$500 / $35
Calgary , AB
$110,000

Nov 10, 2006 Casino Regina
No-Limit Holdem
$500 / $25
Regina, SK
$150,000

Nov 11, 2006 Casino Regina
No-Limit Holdem
$1000 / $50
Regina, SK
$200,000

Nov 11, 2006 Deerfoot Inn and Casino
No-Limit Holdem
$1000 / $65
Calgary , AB
$220,000

Nov 12, 2006 Deerfoot Inn and Casino
No-Limit Holdem
$500 / $35
Calgary , AB
$110,000

Nov 20, 2006 River Rock Casino Resort
Pot Limit Omaha
$1000 / $100
Vancouver, BC
$500,000

Nov 21, 2006 River Rock Casino Resort
Pot Limit Holdem
$1000 / $100
Vancouver, BC
$500,000

Nov 23-26, 2006 River Rock Casino Resort
No-Limit Holdem
$2500 / $200
Vancouver, BC
$2,500,000

Nov 29, 2006 Emerald Casino
No-Limit Holdem
$100 / $10
Saskatoon, SK
$25,000




Dec 7, 2006 Cash Casino (Red Deer)
No-Limit Holdem
$185 / $15
Red Deer, AB
$12,000

Dec 8, 2006 Cash Casino (Red Deer)
No-Limit Holdem
$200 / $20
Red Deer, AB
$14,400

Dec 9, 2006 Cash Casino (Red Deer)
No-Limit Holdem
$500 / $50
Red Deer, AB
$33,000

Dec 12-13, 2006 Great Blue Heron Charity Casino
No-Limit Holdem
$1000 / $50
Port Perry, ON
$500,000