2006 May 23 Poker News, Events and Happenings

(Mobile, Ala.) May 23 - There’s an old saying about poker - if you can’t spot the sucker at the table, chances are it’s you. Poker is the big craze. It’s on prime time. Professional players are becoming celebrities, celebrities are becoming players.

Most people think of casino-style gambling as happening somewhere other than the Treasure Valley. But police say, and our own independent investigation reveals, illegal video poker-style gambling is happening all over the area.

Support is building in the state House to outlaw video poker after several years of preferring tighter regulations to a ban, a top lieutenant to Speaker Jim Black said Tuesday.

Two of the largest gaming companies in the world are stepping up their efforts to get Congress to consider legalizing, taxing, and regulating the booming online gaming industry….

,Will Jill Cohen get her entry into poker tourney?

Five months ago: cancer patient Bob Bode was looking forward to receiving some relief from charitable poker players when they held a Texas Hold’em tournament in January in order to raise money to help pay for his treatment. Unfortunately for Bode and his family the state liquor board broke up the tournament and confiscated $6,000. For five months members of Bode’s family tried to convince the board that their intentions were honorable in running the tournament…

Poker champion Joe Hachem, 40, is spending the next few months preparing to defend the world series title that netted him $7.5m (£4m) last year.