WSOP Update: Chris Moorman Scores 2nd Bracelet, Dan Buzgon Adds Another Runner-up

Chris Moorman winning his second bracelet highlighted some of the action in the World Series of Poker Online over the last week.

New Jersey online grinder Daniel Buzgon also hit another runner-up finish and numerous pros earned cashes as the WSOP.com series winds down.

Online players had the opportunity to jump in high rollers, turbos and six-max events. Two brand new bracelet winners were awarded in these events as the last few events kick off Friday.

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Event Tournament Entries Prize pool Winner Winner payout
1 $500 NLHE BIG 500 Kickoff (July 1) 1,277 $574,650 Jose “Deposit” Noboa $105,161
2 $600 NLHE Monster Stack (July 2) 1,038 $560,520 Manig “Ohio77” Loeser $104,313
3 $500 NLHE Turbo Deepstack (July 3) 950 $427,500 Donnell “Spreezy52” Dais $90,801
4 $500 NLHE Super Turbo (July 4) 850 $382,500 Jeffery “Steelvikes7” Hoop $73,861
5 $1,000 NLHE 8-Max 459 $648,700 Jeremiah “freestylerr” Williams $139,600
6 $2,000 NLHE Deepstack 416 $769,600 Tyler “ShipTheShip” Denson $175,700
7 $777 Lucky Sevens 888 $621,600 Michael “stiltwalk” Mercaldo $123,574
8 $888 Crazy Eights 782 $625,600 Carlos “CarlosWelch” Welch $124,369
9 $400 NLHE Six-Max 788 $438,120 Philip “wingsuiter” Beck $81,534
10 $2,000 NLHE 1,517 $455,100 Michael “njnj17” Leib $81,645
11 $400 NLHE Ultra Deepstack 1,417 $510,120 Vijay “Eclypzed” Para $86,210
12 $500 NLHE Turbo Deepstack 958 $431,550 Bryan “Pellepelle” Piccioli $83,332
13 $1,000 NLHE Freezeout 561 $504,900 Ryan “Adopt_aDogg0” Leng $108,654
14 $500 NLHE 671 $466,200 Gionni “Coldwarkid” Demers $90,023
15 $5,300 NLHE High Roller 188 $940,000 Justin “Jsaliba2” Saliba $253,800
16 $600 PLO Hi/Lo Six-Handed 498 $268,920 Allen “Acnyc718” Chang $61,394
17 $400 NLHE 8-Max 747 $405,000 Justin “LappyPoker” Lapka $75,371
18 $1,000 North American Open 756 $692,000 James “Danfriel” Gilbert $137,570
19 $888 PLO Crazy Eights Eight-Handed 507 $405,600 Martin “bathroomline” Zamani $92,598
20 $3,200 NLHE High Roller 311 $948,840 Sang “youngkoi” Lee $241,768
21 $600 PLO Six-Handed 1,551 $297,540 Bradley “DrStrange7” Ruben $61,148
22 $600 NLHE Knockout 612 $342,720 “LastBullet” $46,796
23 $500 NLHE Turbo 694 $312,300 Ryan “hagzzz021” Hagerty $67,207
24 $400 NLHE MonsterStack 1,176 $423,360 Byung “bhy101” Yoo $77,475
25 $7,777 High Roller 151 $1,113,927 David “dpeters17” Peters $283,940
26 $500 NLHE Big Encore 1,118 $503,100 Eric “8Bracelets” Van Auken $93,627
27 $1,000 Pot Limit Omaha Championship 398 $367,050 David “lox10” Goldberg $86,440
28 $3,200 High Roller Championship 265 $805,600 Daniel “RiverRats” Lazarus $205,347
29 $800 NLHE Turbo 8-Max Turbo Deepstack 623 $448,560 Chris “Robotbob47” Moorman $102,406
30 $600 NLHE Six-Max Championship 783 $422,820 Mitchell “franzia” Halverson $84,057

 

Event 28: $3,200 High Roller Championship (July 27)

On Tuesday night, Daniel “RiverRats” Lazarus scored $205,347 and his first gold bracelet in this big buy-in event. The field included 265 entries and a prize pool of $805,600

Daniel “juice’ Buzgon also added another impressive feat, finishing runner-up for $126,882. Just one week earlier, Buzgon came in second in another $3,200 High Roller for $149,386.

USPoker recently caught up with him about his runner-up finish and recent success in the partypoker Ultimate Super Satellite.

“I ran just about as good as one can run deep in a big tournament, so it’s tough to get too down on coming up a little short of the bracelet.” Buzgon said of the first runner-up finish.

Event 29: $800 NLHE 8-Max Turbo Deepstack (July 28)

This eight-max event drew in 623 entries and a prize pool of $448,560 on Wednesday. At the end of the day, legendary online crusher Chris “Robotbob47” Moorman snatched his second bracelet and $102,406.

The 888poker ambassador wasted no time in showing off his new bracelet:

Other notable cashes included Ryan Leng, Tom Cannuli, Ryan Dodd, and Justin Lapka.

Event 30: $600 NLHE 6-Max Championship (July 29)

Mitchell “franzia” Halverson overcame a 783-player field to win his first bracelet and $84,057. The championship event took 10 hours to complete and produced a prize pool of $422,820.

Halverson topped Joshue “Kenjiboi7” Faris heads up for the title. Faris still took home $51,965 for his runner-up. 

Others cashing included Tony Dunst, Jesse Sylvia, Mike Matusow, Carols Welch, and David Williams.

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Upcoming bracelet events 

The WSOP.com series coming to an end this weekend, but a few bracelet events still remain. Here’s a look at the weekend’s action:

  • $500 Summer Saver (Event 31, July 30) 
  • $1,000 NLHE Championship (Event 32, July 31) 
  • $500 Grand Finale (Event 33, Aug 1) 

Catena Media standings

With just three events remaining in the WSOP Online, the battle continues for the top of the Catena Media poker team standings. USPoker editor Sean Chaffin vaulted over content manager Valerie Cross for the top spot with Buzgon’s runner-up finish. Here’s a look at the updated standings:

  1. Sean Chaffin – $307,159
  2. Valerie Cross – $271,142
  3. Anthony Cicali – $35,779

★★★ Those new to WSOP.com should check out USPoker’s complete review, which also includes exclusive bonus offers. ★★★

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Lucky 7: Phil Hellmuth Wins Again on PokerGO’s High Stakes Duel; FOX Sports Host Nick Wright Battles But Comes Up Short

PokerGO’s High Stakes Duel has become The Phil Hellmuth Show. He just keeps winning in the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas.

The 15-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner chalked up his seventh-straight victory on Wednesday on the show. This time, the win came over FOX Sports host Nick Wright, although it didn’t come without some fireworks. Hellmuth staged a comeback to score the $100,000 that was on the line for this third edition of the series.

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Chit chat and chips moving

The back and forth between the two began quickly. Wright, who was sponsored by PokerStars for the match, charged Hellmuth with being an hour late. There were also some pre-match discussions regarding blind levels.

Ultimately, the match still went off and Hellmuth was quick to rake a pot early with three of a kind. He also quickly produced one of his snacks for the day – Pop Tarts.

Shortly afterward, Hellmuth hit a Jack-high straight flush. Things were off to a nice start early for the Poker Brat.

Wright added his own pot early with a straight, however, and took a small lead. He didn’t show any fear of bluffing and took pots with inferior hands throughout the match.

Those watching for the Hellmuth dining options noticed a chicken sandwich right before the 30-minute mark.

Wright takes an early lead

Wright’s needles and table talk seemed to throw Hellmuth off his game at times. He led the match by about 20,000 at the hour mark. Hellmuth wasn’t complimentary.

“I will tell you one thing, you are doing a bunch of stuff badly, but it has worked out well for you,” he noted.

Some well-timed raises took down a few pots for Wright and left Hellmuth muttering early. That continued throughout the first half here and there.

Wright seemed to go in trying to offer Hellmuth as little information about his hands as possible. Looking for some hand discussion? Wright had no interest in revealing what he really held. That helped his cause initially.

Wright has played poker for several years and said he did some serious reviews of Hellmuth’s heads-up play. The combative back-and-forth fun made for some interesting viewing.

“I’m not trying to irritate you,” Wright said.

Despite that, Hellmuth seemed irritated and frustrated at times early. But at this point, that may be the Poker Brat’s usual routine.

Ace-high for a win

One particular hand saw Wright rake a pot with Ace-high after calling several Hellmuth bets. That produced some chuckling and words from Hellmuth.

“That’s what I need, people to call me light,” he said. “That’s how I win all my matches.”

Another big win with two pairs after that hand brought a Hellmuth walk around the studio with a multitude of F-bombs. He recovered to win a nice pot with A-10 shortly afterward.

Hellmuth closes the gap

By the first break, Wright won 40 of the first 62 pots in the match and held a 3-to-2 chip advantage. He seemed unafraid to mix it up and his efforts at confusing Hellmuth seemed to be working.

Shortly afterward, Hellmuth grabbed a big pot with pocket Sevens with a board of 4443Q♠. Wright chose to call again with A♠9♦, but this time Ace-high wasn’t good enough. Hellmuth pulled in almost 22,000 chips.

Just like that and the match was almost back to even. At about the two-hour mark, Wright set a nice trip with Q-Q and caught quads by the turn.

Hellmuth put in a couple bets and Wright looked anguished, even using a time extension. Hellmuth continued firing on the river, but a quick raise sent Hellmuth’s hand to the muck. That brought another self-lecture by the Poker Brat.

Phil Hellmuth battled FOX Sports host Nick Wright on Wednesday in PokerGO’s High Stakes Duel. The duel brought the seventh-straight win for Hellmuth. (photos courtesy PokerGO)

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Hellmuth recovers for second half surge

Despite being flustered at times, Hellmuth recovered in the second half of the match. Just before the halfway mark, that included a nice river call with Q-10 and no pair.

The move picked off another Wright bluff and scored Hellmuth a pot. As the match became extended, he just seemed to figure things out more.

Three hours into the match, Hellmuth had moved to a 2-to-1 chip lead. He began picking off Wright later in the match.

“I’m just trying to play perfect,” Hellmuth said at one point.

That included applying plenty of pressure and making big river calls. The match saw its first all-in moment at the four-hour mark. Wright shipped what remained of his stack with 5-5 against Hallmuth’s Q-J. The flop brought 5-3-3 for a Wright full house to double up.

By the five-hour mark, Hellmuth still held a nice lead and he kept raking pots.

Closing the show

In the end, Hellmuth proved just too much for Wright. While viewers may see Hellmuth explode at times, one has to wonder if it becomes just part of doing business for the Poker Brat.

In the first seven matches, losing control hasn’t really been an issue despite his blow-ups and antics. That continued on Wednesday.

Wright broke down the final hand of the day on Twitter. Both players caught a flush, quite a cooler for this FOX Sports rec player.

In these kinds of situations, Hellmuth has just seemed to have the nuts. That’s been the case in some critical situations and has carried him to seven straight wins. Love him or hate him, Hellmuth brings plenty of heads-up skills.

“I played well for the first two hours and really, really badly for an hour,” Wright said afterward. “I was clawing my way back from it, but that last one’s tough. Phil played great.”

Hellmuth was complimentary when the six-hour match came to an end.

“Nick bluffed my shoes off, and kept me completely off balance by lying about his hands afterwards,” he noted on Twitter. “After watching the match just now: my eyes are wide open! Good match Nick, well played!”

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WSOP Weekly: David Peters, Ryan Hagerty Score Bracelets; Corey Paggeot Runs Hot

The World Series of Poker Online  bracelet hunting action continued over the weekend for players at WSOP.com. Some big names saw success in recent action.

One of those found made the final table of the 2020 WSOP Main Event. Ryan Hagerty took fourth last year for $387,130 and secured his first bracelet in Friday’s action.

High stakes regular David Peters also took home bracelet number three. Michigan resident and WSOP Circuit ring winner Corey Paggeot also came through with an impressive showing. He scored final table appearances twice in three days.

Here’s a look at the last few events in the series.

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Event Tournament Entries Prize pool Winner Winner payout
1 $500 NLHE BIG 500 Kickoff (July 1) 1,277 $574,650 Jose “Deposit” Noboa $105,161
2 $600 NLHE Monster Stack (July 2) 1,038 $560,520 Manig “Ohio77” Loeser $104,313
3 $500 NLHE Turbo Deepstack (July 3) 950 $427,500 Donnell “Spreezy52” Dais $90,801
4 $500 NLHE Super Turbo (July 4) 850 $382,500 Jeffery “Steelvikes7” Hoop $73,861
5 $1,000 NLHE 8-Max 459 $648,700 Jeremiah “freestylerr” Williams $139,600
6 $2,000 NLHE Deepstack 416 $769,600 Tyler “ShipTheShip” Denson $175,700
7 $777 Lucky Sevens 888 $621,600 Michael “stiltwalk” Mercaldo $123,574
8 $888 Crazy Eights 782 $625,600 Carlos “CarlosWelch” Welch $124,369
9 $400 NLHE Six-Max 788 $438,120 Philip “wingsuiter” Beck $81,534
10 $2,000 NLHE 1,517 $455,100 Michael “njnj17” Leib $81,645
11 $400 NLHE Ultra Deepstack 1,417 $510,120 Vijay “Eclypzed” Para $86,210
12 $500 NLHE Turbo Deepstack 958 $431,550 Bryan “Pellepelle” Piccioli $83,332
13 $1,000 NLHE Freezeout 561 $504,900 Ryan “Adopt_aDogg0” Leng $108,654
14 $500 NLHE 671 $466,200 Gionni “Coldwarkid” Demers $90,023
15 $5,300 NLHE High Roller 188 $940,000 Justin “Jsaliba2” Saliba $253,800
16 $600 PLO Hi/Lo Six-Handed 498 $268,920 Allen “Acnyc718” Chang $61,394
17 $400 NLHE 8-Max 747 $405,000 Justin “LappyPoker” Lapka $75,371
18 $1,000 North American Open 756 $692,000 James “Danfriel” Gilbert $137,570
19 $888 PLO Crazy Eights Eight-Handed 507 $405,600 Martin “bathroomline” Zamani $92,598
20 $3,200 NLHE High Roller 311 $948,840 Sang “youngkoi” Lee $241,768
21 $600 PLO Six-Handed 1,551 $297,540 Bradley “DrStrange7” Ruben $61,148
22 $600 NLHE Knockout 612 $342,720 “LastBullet” $46,796
23 $500 NLHE Turbo 694 $312,300 Ryan “hagzzz021” Hagerty $67,207
24 $400 NLHE MonsterStack 1,176 $423,360 Byung “bhy101” Yoo $77,475
25 $7,777 High Roller 151 $1,113,927 David “dpeters17” Peters $283,940
26 $500 NLHE Big Encore 1,118 $503,100 Eric “8Bracelets” Van Auken $93,627
27 $1,000 Pot Limit Omaha Championship 398 $367,050 David “lox10” Goldberg $86,440

Event 23: $500 NLHE Turbo  (July 23)

2020 Main Event final table qualifier Ryan “hagzzz021” Hagerty used his aggressive approach to land a bracelet on Friday. He battled back and forth with Richard “Na_Cho_Cheez” Liotta and Russell “njpincher” Crane when play reached three handed. But Hagerty was able to pull ahead and score the gold. 

The event drew in 694 entries and a prize pool of $312,300. Hagerty pulled in $67,207 for his efforts and spoke with USPoker about the win. 

“I never thought that it would be possible but it was really a surreal feeling,” he said. “I was super excited especially after bricking most of the events prior to this and the KO [Event 22], but I look forward to chasing more and hopefully winning one live this fall.”

Event 24: $400 MonsterStack (July 24)

Byung “bhy101” Yoo took down the monstrous action on Saturday. He overcame 1,176 entries to secure the victory, the hardware, and $77,475.

This was the largest field since Event 11 and the total prize pool reached $423,360. Yoo defeated Corey “Corgasm” Paggeot heads-up for the title. Paggeot would go on to another deep run two days later.

The event took 12 hours and some notable players cashing included Carlos “CarlosWelch” Welch, Jerod “WhiskeyDeck” Smith and Anthony “heheh” Zinno.

The US Poker Open wrapped up this week at the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas with David Peters winning three events to earn the championship.
After his success earlier this year in the US Poker Open, high stakes regular David Peters secured his third World Series of Poker bracelet on Sunday. (photo courtesy PokerGO)

Event 25: $7,777 High Roller  (July 25)

David “dpeters17” Peters added his third bracelet on Sunday night in a familiar tournament – a high roller. He locked in $283,940 after defeating Charles “CherryHillPd” Hook heads up.

The win comes after Peters scored the championship in the PokerGO US Poker Open earlier this year.

The event attracted 151 entries and reached a prize pool of $1.1 million, the largest of the series. 2016 bracelet winner Ryan “protential” Laplante finished in third. This was his second deep run after finishing fifth in Event 7.

Event 26: $500 NLHE Big Encore (July 25)

WSOP.com ran this event on the same night as the High Roller. This was the first time during the series that saw two bracelet events on the same day.

Eric “8Bracelets” Van Auken won $93,627 and his first bracelet on Sunday night. Van Auken defeated Dominick “Flo_Cold” Sarle who scored $57,856 for his runner-up finish. 

The field produced 1,118 entries and a prize pool of $503,100. Paggeot made another huge run, finishing third for $40,952.

New Jersey grinders Justin “pocketprofit” Wong, Jacob “tooletime13” Toole, and Ryan “hagzzz021” Hagerty also cashed in the event.

Event 27: $1,000 Pot Limit Omaha Championship (July 26)

On Monday, Omaha fans turned out for the biggest PLO event of the series. David “lox10” Goldberg took down the event after topping Todd “Chi.t.420” Sladek heads up for his first bracelet.

He snagged $86,440 for his efforts after defeating a field of 398 entries for a total prize pool of $367,050Also cashing were Michael “BrockLesnar” Holtz, Seth “JohnStarks” Zimmerman, and Kristen “krissyb24” Bicknell.

★★★ Those new to WSOP.com should check out USPoker’s complete review, which also includes exclusive bonus offers. ★★★

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Phil Hellmuth Returns To Face FOX Sports Host Nick Wright on PokerGO ‘High Stakes Duel’

Can Phil Hellmuth make it seven in a row? That’s the question many in the poker world are asking as the 15-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner heads into another High Stakes Duel match on PokerGO.

This edition is set for Wednesday and finds the Poker Brat squaring off with Nick Wright, host of FOX SportsFirst Things First. While not a pro, Wright believes he can mix things up in a way that pros might not against Hellmuth.

Phil has had massive success in this event playing against professionals who clearly think they’re better than him, but now he has to play an amateur who has no such delusions,” Wright told PokerGO. “I am almost incalculably worse than Phil at all forms of poker, most notably this form that he may have mastered. I think that should work in my favor. It might actually throw him off.”

That seems like a tall order considering talented, seasoned pros like Daniel Negreanu and Antonio Esfandiari fell in three straight matches. However, Hellmuth experienced some dental issues earlier this week.

Will the canine conundrum keep Hellmuth from playing his best? Poker fans will be watching to see how things shake out.

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A look at the challenger

Wright is no stranger to the poker table or the PokerGO Studio. The two competitors are both part of an upcoming eight-episode Poker After Dark series on the network.

“Phil and I have played before and he thinks he’s picked up a number of physical tells of mine,” Wright said. “Little does he know that I always had this match in mind, and I was just setting him up for the long con. Wait, is he going to read this? Damn it.”

He now takes a big stage facing off with Hellmuth. The current High Stakes Duel champ has already pocketed $700,000 from his wins over Esfandiari and Negreanu. Wright expressed his excitement about battling Hellmuth mano a mano in Las Vegas

“To be serious for a moment, this is one of the greatest honors of my life, to be selected as Phil’s next opponent,” he said. “I’ve made a career discussing the ‘men in the arena,’ as Teddy Roosevelt put it, but I’ve obviously never actually been able to be in that arena myself.

“Now, for at least one night, and hopefully for more than one night, I get to be in that arena and compete against literally not only arguably the best in the world, but arguably the best in world history. I cannot wait.”

Here’s a look at the complete details on the match:

  • Date: June 28
  • Location: Las Vegas
  • Time: 8 pm (ET)
  • Network: PokerGO
  • Stakes: $100,000 ($50,000 each) 
  • Starting chips: 50,000

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Will dental drama affect matchup, Hellmuth snack consumption? 

Some dental dynamics entered the match mix on Monday. Hellmuth suffered a toothache over the weekend and saw a dentist on Monday.

“Luckily, the ‘bad infection’ was caught today right before it hit my sinus nerves (it was deep),” Hellmuth noted on Twitter. “I did have to have a root canal, and am taking antibiotics. I’m 100% fine, but I am concerned about those of you in the same boat. If you have any pain, go see your dentist!”

Through the first six matches, Hellmuth has made it part of his routine to dine at the table. That ranged from hamburgers to mixed nuts to Sour Patch Kids.

Plenty of questions come to mind following the dental surgery and with some big money now on the line. Will his PokerGO diet become soft foods? Will his duel diet transition to applesauce and milkshakes?

Any remaining pain might also present a problem. Will this give his opponent a chance to sink his teeth into the Brat? Wright believes Hellmuth may be preoccupied and thesituation offer an opening for his own success at the table.

My takeaway from this whole thread is that Hellmuth is taking our match so lightly, he’s scheduling major dental surgery just days prior,” he Tweeted. “Sad!”

The action promises for some interesting action with the added element of a rec player at the table. Can Wright stop the streak? His fans will find out soon.

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Anthrax’s Scott Ian Ready to ‘Rock the Pot’ Charity Poker Event; Talks Online Poker, Music, Beavis and Butthead, & More

It’s rock ‘n’ all night and poker everyday for the inaugural Rock the Pot charity online poker tournament. The event is set for Thursday and sponsored by the Charity Bomb non-profit and benefits the group’s efforts to curb mental illness.

Befitting the event’s name, the tournament features a host of rock stars including Scott Ian. The lead singer of Anthrax spoke with USPoker on Monday about his own life in poker and what to expect from the event. He even threw in a little behind-the-scenes nuggets about hanging out with Beavis and Butt-Head.

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What is the Rock the Pot poker tournament?

Charity Bomb works to help adults and children dealing with mental illness. The tournament raises funds for our Operation GENzEQ, which aims to reverse trends and symptoms of mental illness

“Our efforts are more important now than ever as the pandemic has disrupted the lives and mental well being of kids around the world,” Charity Bomb founder and executive director Matthew Leone says. “As we assess the damage imposed from the COVID lockdowns, we are learning that our children have been hit the worst, from an emotional health perspective.”

Charity Bomb was founded by musicians and remains music-focused. Prior to Rock the Pot, the group has produced large-scale fundraising concerts. Those featured acts like Tenacious D, Metallica, Bush, Slipknot, Weezer, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fall Out Boy, The Offspring, No Doubt, and more.

During the pandemic, the group lost its primary source of fundraising. The tournament is a way to bridge some of that gap.

“The response has been terrific,” Leone says. “The cultures of music and cards coalesce so well, and I think mental health is certainly a unifying thread between them.”

The event comes with a $100 buy-in and is hosted by Faded Spade’s charity online poker platform. Other musicians competing in the event include:

  • Jesse Huges – Eagles of Death Metal
  • Nick Wheeler – All-American Rejects
  • Nick Hexum – 311
  • Fletcher Dragge – Pennywise

More celebrity players and poker pros are also expected to play. The winner scores a private yacht trip to Spain and Portugal. A few of the other prizes include a Jackson King V electric guitar, tickets to the Aftershock Festival, and more.

2003 World Series of Poker Main Event winner Chris Moneymaker hosts the event.

Anthrax’s Scott Ian talks poker, rock, and more

Formed in New York City in 1981, Anthrax is celebrating 40 years of heavy metal this year. The band has sold more than 10 million albums and is now gearing up for some live shows again.

When not rocking on stage or in the studio, poker has been a regular part of life for Scott Ian. He didn’t play much growing up, but the poker boom ignited an interest in playing online.

“It wasn’t until 2006 where I basically got a free weekend in Vegas if I showed up and played in this VH1 celebrity rock ‘n’ roll poker tournament,” he says. “I only did it so I could go hang out with my buddies who were also playing, like Vinnie from Pantera and Ace Frehley from KISS. Somehow I won it and that kind of changed my life for the next five years.”

While on tour, online poker fit into his schedule well and Ian developed a love for the game. He even played in the WSOP Main Event in 2009.

“I dived deep into that world,” he says. “I took lessons from Annie Duke and hanging out with Phil Hellmuth quite a bit, learning from him.”

Black Friday brought an end to much of Ian’s online poker. His time at the tables has decreased, but this rocker still enjoys playing cards.

“Playing online was amazing because all I needed was my laptop, and you can be anywhere,” he says. “Once that went away, it made it really tough for me to stay current.

“I play with friends and home games here and there, but nothing like I used to. I would love to play in the World Series again at some point.”

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Appearing on Beavis and Butt-Head, hitting the poker tables

Those not familiar with Anthrax may recognize their music from the MTV hit Beavis and Butt-Head. Anthrax videos were featured on the show and the entire band even appeared in a sketch on the soundtrack to the film.

The band covered Beastie Boys’ Looking Down The Barrel of a Gun and were part of a recording session with show creator Mike Judge.

“We went to the studio with Mike and he had written this sketch about Beavis and Butt-Head coming to see Anthrax on tour, and hanging out on the tour bus with us and getting into lots of shenanigans,” he says.

“That was amazing. We were all massive fans of the show and Mike Judge, so to get to be in a room with him while he’s doing those voices was amazing. To look at his face while he’s doing those voices, he kind of takes on the appearance of Beavis and Butt-Head [says laughing]. It really tricks you into thinking that you’re talking to these two idiots. It was really an amazing experience to do that and see how he works.”

Seeing their own videos on the show was a badge of pride for Ian and his bandmates.

“Beavis and Butt-Head were always big supporters of Anthrax,” he says. “It’s nice to know that we made the cut and they didn’t make fun of us.”

The rest of Anthrax don’t necessarily share Ian’s love of poker. He’s excited for the Rock the Pot and enjoys the challenge the game provides, as well as the camaraderie.

“I’m just excited to get to play and have fun,” he says. “Hopefully I’ll get to play against some real players. I know there are some pros who are playing, so it will be nice to see how my game holds up. I’m not looking at this tournament like I’m playing the Main Event. I really just want to have fun.”

Additional details

For more information on the Rock the Pot charity poker tournament or to register, click hereAnthrax has returned to performing some festivals and one-off shows. The band is also working on a new album for 2022. For more information, visit the band’s official website or follow Anthrax or Scott Ian on Twitter.

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High Stakes: Retired PGCB Chairman Opens Up About Gambling Expansion, iGaming Growth and the Future of the Industry

“High Stakes: Talking Pennsylvania Gambling With the Power Players” is an ongoing series by PlayPennsylvania featuring interviews with people who are shaping the PA casino and sports betting industry. Pennsylvania reported record breaking gambling revenue for the 2020/2021 fiscal year. All forms of gambling in PA combined to create $3.9 billion in revenue and $150 million in tax revenue for the state.

Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board Chairman David M. Barasch turned in his gavel and announced his retirement on July 15. Barasch was not known to bang the gavel or rule with an iron fist. Instead, he led with an even keel, a calming tone and a collaborative attitude. 

Barasch served as ex officio on the PGCB from 2007 to 2008. In 2015, Gov. Tom Wolf appointed Barasch chairman and he accepted a second three year term in 2018. All PGCB commissioners are term-limited to six years. Denise Smyler was named  the new chairwoman. 

The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Gambling expansion in Pennsylvania

Does 2015 feel like a minute or a decade ago? What were the biggest challenges during your time as chairman?

Barasch: It feels like the blink of an eye. It was an interesting and challenging situation but I’m glad I did it. Gov. Wolf thought it would be good having a former prosecutor in charge of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB). The first big challenge was gambling expansion. The board relied heavily on what was going on in New Jersey and Nevada. It was a challenge for the professional staff who do a great amount of the work.

One of the first things that happened as a result of the expansion was bidding on mini-casinos. The state received bids in five auctions in 2018. 

Barasch: Because of my background, when we did the auctions I immediately became very interested and concerned in the possibility of collusion in the bidding. We designed some systems about how the bids were received and opened. The initial rounds collected much more money than the governor or the general assembly thought they would. 

In October 2018 Gov. Wolf signed the Gambling Expansion bill and in June 2019, online sportsbooks started launching in the PA. What was it like during those months to get things set up? 

Barasch: I did everything I could to double-down that we are part-timers and there are professionals here who live and breathe this. I told (Executive Director) Kevin O’Toole that the board and I were not going to try to micromanage. We met regularly and he told me about the work that was happening to get sports betting up and running. I can’t say enough about the attitudes of the senior staff. They knew it was going to be a challenge and attacked it with focus and a lot of thought. I did anything I could to empower Kevin and the best people in our agency to figure out how we were going to do it. The proof is in the pudding. We’ve hit the deadlines and so far there hasn’t been any major problems I can think of.

You mention you had worries about underage gambling and concerns about geolocation for online casinos and sports betting. For the most part, your fears haven’t become a reality. Can you talk about some of your worries about VGTs?

Barasch: The VGTs have always been conceptually problematic. If you are gambling at a slot machine in a casino the surveillance is in real time and we have people who work for the PGCB at the casino. How can we effectively make sure all the things we worry about at casinos aren’t happening on a different scale at a truck stop? We can’t put a person in every truck stop. We’ve used a lot of technology for monitoring.

Coronavirus shuts down PA casinos

Coronavirus shut down PA casinos for about three months starting in March 2020, then again for a few weeks in December. What challenges did this present for the PGCB?

Barasch: It put tremendous stress on our staff and a big portion had to be laid off because a number of them were inside the casinos that closed. You worry about how you are going to reach the level of professionalism we had before COVID.

We have not been together as a group for 18 months. There has been very little in-person contact between the board members. In the first four-and-a-half years, I was in the office regularly and was used to talking to people face-to-face. Then COVID came and to try to keep your finger on the pulse became harder.  You lose that feeling for what people are concerned about. My goal was to try to do things by consensus and it’s a lot easier to do when people are sitting around a table in executive session and you can talk it out.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has also experienced a high amount of turnover.

Barasch: We have had, both pre and during COVID, unprecedented turnover on this board. During the most recent election, three of the four legislative appointees lost or didn’t run. That’s an unusual situation. You work with commissioners for a while and tend to learn their tendencies, and it’s even harder when you haven’t met them in-person. 

With the amount of turnover that’s happened, I think it’s remarkable that we’ve been able to keep moving ahead. There were far more changes on the board over the past five years than any other time. I lead, but I’m also looking for consensus and to do that you need to talk to people. I have a lot of confidence Denise will do a wonderful job. 

iGaming growth in Pennsylvania

Online casinos started arriving in Pennsylvania in June 20219. In FY 2020/21 iGaming revenue in PA was more than $897.2 million AGR (adjusted gross revenue). It represented a 272.5% increase compared to the nearly $240.9 million generated in the previous fiscal year,

 What are your thoughts on the explosion of iGaming in Pennsylvania? 

Barasch: For us, the projections we made on the growth of iGaming and sports betting were quite lower than what happened. Nothing could have forecasted the casinos shutting down. How much of that explosion is love of iGaming as opposed to not being able to play in a casino? I think we are going to find out in the next couple months as more people get comfortable returning to casinos. Will the iGaming numbers plateau? We got to a higher level of revenue much sooner than we expected. But we don’t know if it’s a temporary phenomenon. 

On keeping order

When asked how he kept order during his time as chair, Barasch simply replied “this isn’t my first rodeo” in the tone of a cowboy who has been a part of quite a few stare downs at the O.K. Corral.

His legal career spanned 47 years in state, federal and private practice. He served as the state’s advocate in the Three Mile Island nuclear accident litigation and also for a utility case that went to the Supreme Court. In another notable case, as U.S. Attorney, Barasch put then Pennsylvania Attorney General Ernest Preate Jr. in prison for charges which included soliciting $20,000 in secret, prohibited cash contributions from proprietors of illegal gambling businesses.

Why have you chosen not to speak to the media during your time as chairman? 

Barasch: I’m the chair of a board who votes. I have a lot of opinions and I am not someone who generally hides his opinions. But I have found that if you are playing the role of a semi-judicial figure you have to shut up. 

Online casino growth and customers returning to casinos

There are certain things from COVID shutdowns that Barasch and his wife still find are a part of their lives. Barasch watches movies on streaming services and wonders when he will return to a theater. He prefers ordering groceries ahead and picking them up curbside. All of these changes make him think about Pennsylvania casinos.

Will people return to casinos in the same numbers or has online gambling cannibalized brick and mortar casinos?

Barasch: I think it is a challenge for the brick-and-mortar casinos. Even if they have skin in the online game, a lot of money has been invested in brick-and-mortar casinos. If people’s first experience with legal iGaming and sports betting happened during COVID, it severed the connection to the brick-and-mortar casinos. Everyone is trying to cover their bets. I think it’s a big challenge for the casino industry. Is this an abnormal development and will things return to some notion of what we thought this industry would look like or is this a permanent change?

I don’t think my wife and I will ever stop doing curbside pickup from Giant. It makes my life so much easier. Now that I think about it, I never liked grocery shopping.

What’s next?

The 73-year-old Barasch does not sound like a man who is ready to settle into a rocking chair on the porch. He says he would have continued serving as chairman if the statute allowed it. He recalls attending Cornell University Law School and the feeling of wanting to change the world.

What will you miss the most?

Barasch:  I’ll miss not being involved in public policy matters. The hardest thing for me is being in the grandstand watching the show and the debates of the day about public policy. I was happy to do this for the governor. I may yet find something else to do.

Lead photo from PGCB Twitter. From left: Chairman David Barasch, PGCB Commissioner Kathy Manderino, and Exec. Director Kevin O’Toole.

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WSOP Weekly: Bradley Ruben Wins Second Bracelet, Daniel Negreanu Earns Third Place

Some big names made deep runs over the last few days at the World Series of Poker Online at WSOP.com and that includes Daniel Negreanu. He scored a third-place finish Thursday night as he searches for a seventh bracelet. 

WSOP.com played host to the full range of events this past week including high rollers, Pot Limit Omaha, and knockout bracelet events. Here’s a look at some of the latest action.

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Event Tournament Entries Prize pool Winner Winner payout
1 $500 NLHE BIG 500 Kickoff (July 1) 1,277 $574,650 Jose “Deposit” Noboa $105,161
2 $600 NLHE Monster Stack (July 2) 1,038 $560,520 Manig “Ohio77” Loeser $104,313
3 $500 NLHE Turbo Deepstack (July 3) 950 $427,500 Donnell “Spreezy52” Dais $90,801
4 $500 NLHE Super Turbo (July 4) 850 $382,500 Jeffery “Steelvikes7” Hoop $73,861
5 $1,000 NLHE 8-Max 459 $648,700 Jeremiah “freestylerr” Williams $139,600
6 $2,000 NLHE Deepstack 416 $769,600 Tyler “ShipTheShip” Denson $175,700
7 $777 Lucky Sevens 888 $621,600 Michael “stiltwalk” Mercaldo $123,574
8 $888 Crazy Eights 782 $625,600 Carlos “CarlosWelch” Welch $124,369
9 $400 NLHE Six-Max 788 $438,120 Philip “wingsuiter” Beck $81,534
10 $2,000 NLHE 1,517 $455,100 Michael “njnj17” Leib $81,645
11 $400 NLHE Ultra Deepstack 1,417 $510,120 Vijay “Eclypzed” Para $86,210
12 $500 NLHE Turbo Deepstack 958 $431,550 Bryan “Pellepelle” Piccioli $83,332
13 $1,000 NLHE Freezeout 561 $504,900 Ryan “Adopt_aDogg0” Leng $108,654
14 $500 NLHE 671 $466,200 Gionni “Coldwarkid” Demers $90,023
15 $5,300 NLHE High Roller 188 $940,000 Justin “Jsaliba2” Saliba $253,800
16 $600 PLO Hi/Lo Six-Handed 498 $268,920 Allen “Acnyc718” Chang $61,394
17 $400 NLHE 8-Max 747 $405,000 Justin “LappyPoker” Lapka $75,371
18 $1,000 North American Open 756 $692,000 James “Danfriel” Gilbert $137,570
19 $888 PLO Crazy Eights Eight-Handed 507 $405,600 Martin “bathroomline” Zamani $92,598
20 $3,200 NLHE High Roller 311 $948,840 Sang “youngkoi” Lee $241,768
21 $600 PLO Six-Handed 1,551 $297,540 Bradley “DrStrange7” Ruben $61,148
22 $600 NLHE Knockout 612 $342,720 “LastBullet” $46,796

Event 20: $3,200 NLHE High Roller (July 20)

Sang “youngkoi” Lee took down this event on Tuesday night, his first bracelet and $241,768. The event attracted 311 entries for a $948,840 prize pool.

The accomplishment was no easy task for New Jersey’s Lee. He had to bypass a final table of of other Garden State online powerhouses.

That included David “Dehhhhh” Coleman, Daniel “Juice” Buzgon, and Christopher “Basile28” Basile. Basile is currently the top online player in the United States.

Buzgon is also no stranger to online success. USPoker recently caught up with him about his runner-up finish and recent success in the partypoker Ultimate Super Satellite.

“I haven’t had the best track record over the years in bracelet events so making a run like that feels pretty good,” he says. “Getting second in any tournament let alone a WSOP bracelet event can be depressing if you let it. I obviously wasn’t feeling great after busting, but then reality starts to set in a few hours later and you realize how insane you ran to get to that point.”

Event 21: $600 PLO Six-Handed (July 21)

Bradley “DrStrange7” Ruben added his second bracelet came to him Wednesday night along with $61,148. The tournament drew a field of 1,551 and a prize pool of $297,540.

Bradley Ruben’s first bracelet came in a $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha event in 2020 at GGPoker. Other notable cashes included Ari “PalmTreeB” Engel, Shannon “Aulophobia” Shorr, and Andrew “Watchguy42” Lichtenberger. 

Event 22: $600 NLHE Knockout (July 22) 

A player by the online name “LastBullet” outshot Daniel “Dnegs” Negreanu on the final table of the $600 Knockout Thursday night. The event brought in 612 players and a prize pool of $342,720.

LastBullet scored $46,796 for the win. Ryan “badbeatbill” Basile finished in second place for $28,708.

A possible Negreanu bracelet win drew plenty of interest among poker fans online. He streamed his play at the final table, eventually taking third for $19,851.

Upcoming WSOP bracelet events:

WSOP.com will offer a full range of games over the next few days. That includes a high roller, Pot Limit Omaha, and a MonsterStack.

Here’s a look at the action over the weekend and Monday:

  • $500 NLHE Turbo (Event 23, July 23)
  • $400 NLHE MonsterStack (Event 24, July 24)
  • $7,777 NLHE High Roller  (Event 25, July 25)
  • $500 NLHE Big Encore (Event 26, July 25)
  • $1,000 PLO Championship (Event 27, July 26)

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Tracking Catena poker team battle

The race continues for the Catena poker team standings over the last week. Content manager Valerie Cross remains in the top spot. Runner-up finishes by Joon Kim and Jonathan Dokler have helped her add a couple $5,000 bonuses to her total.

However, USPoker editor and site runner Sean Chaffin snagged a nice score over the last week. Dan Buzgon notched a runner-up, adding $154,380 to Chaffin’s total. Cross still holds a hefty lead however, and he’ll need more scores like that to get back in it.

Here’s a look at the action so far:

  1. Valerie Cross – $262,326
  2. Sean Chaffin – $171,453
  3. Anthony Cicali – $27,681

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Borgata Ambassador Daniel Buzgon Scores In Partypoker Ultimate Satellite; Almost Adds WSOP Online Bracelet

Turning a thousand bucks into five figures makes for a good day. That was the result of partypoker US Network’s Ultimate Super Satellite for New Jersey online grinder Dan Buzgon.

In June, the online poker event gave players a shot at a $1,060 satellite event for a Vegas live tournament package. Buzgon jumped into the action and was one of those who won a tournament package.

“Being one of the three fortunate players obviously felt great,” he told USPoker. “I had already planned to go out to Las Vegas prior to winning so it was just an added bonus.”

If that weren’t enough, Buzgon recorded a massive score on Wednesday in the World Series of Poker Online.  

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Jersey to Vegas via partypoker

Buzgon, an ambassador for Borgata Poker, has more than $2.3 million in live

Dan Buzgon at a WPT final table in Las Vegas.

tournament winnings. No stranger to tournament success, his trophy collection includes eight WSOP Circuit rings.

Four World Poker Tour final table appearances also highlight his poker record. After qualifying on partypoker, Buzgon used his Ultimate Satellite score to enter the $10,000 Wynn Millions

The event attracted a big field of pros, drawing 1,328 entries and a massive $12.5 million prize pool. While he didn’t come out on top, Buzgon finished 125th for $25,091 – quite a return on investment.

Overall, the Ultimate Super Satellite produced three winners among a player pool of 59 in New Jersey. In addition to Buzgon, “FitzroidPoo” and “lIlbILLYmAC” also won tournament packages.

In Michigan, the event included 89 players and these players also earned Las Vegas tournament entries:

  • Farmhand
  • Mentalist
  • LouisD60

Appealing to more players

The network just wrapped up the Online Series in New Jersey. The festival is now underway in Pennsylvania and Michigan.

The platform also recently launched a $50,000 Invitational Freeroll for regular players in New Jersey. The tournament plays out on Sunday.

Buzgon is pleased to see these events appealing to players of all levels. The Ultimate Satellite offered numerous opportunities for players of all bankrolls. He believes that kind of marketing and creativity can be key for US regulated poker.

“I thought the promotion was a great idea,” he says. “Whether you were going to just take the cash or actually fly out to Vegas for these intended events, it’s a great way for a lot of players who wouldn’t normally play this high a buy-in to take a shot. Party ran a ton of satellites for as low as $5 to give as many players a chance to get in the tournament as possible.

“The promotions party runs target not only your everyday player, but also your casual player. It was great to see the number of players in all of the smaller buy-in satellites leading up to the $1K event. It will help going forward to show that there is a market out there and we just have to continue to be creative in finding ways to reach all of the players.”

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Buzgon also comes close to a WSOP bracelet

After scoring in Vegas, it was back to the online grind in July for Buzgon. After minimal success so far in the WSOP Online, he finished runner-up in the $3,200 High Roller for $149,386.

Another New Jersey player, Sang Lee, took the bracelet and $241,768.

Despite coming up just short for his first bracelet, Buzgon took the finish in stride.

“I haven’t had the best track record over the years in bracelet events so making a run like that feels pretty good,” he says. “Getting second in any tournament let alone a WSOP bracelet event can be depressing if you let it. I obviously wasn’t feeling great after busting, but then reality starts to set in a few hours later and you realize how insane you ran to get to that point.

“I ran just about as good as one can run deep in a big tournament, so it’s tough to get too down on coming up a little short of the bracelet.”

Buzgon plans on getting in the action in more partypoker events as well. He may have missed out on some gold, but don’t count him out yet. Plenty of bracelet events remain.

* photos courtesy WPT

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