2006 July 31 Poker News, Events and Happenings

There will be many talented women taking their seats for ‘Day Two’ of the WSOP. But like their male counterparts, there were many more that failed to clear the WSOP Day One hurdle….

Chris Moneymaker is low on chips, and he is frustrated. He sees a man at his table push all-in on the turn with middle pair for 4000 chips and get called by the nut flush….

Defending champion Joseph Hachem turned the poker table into his bully pulpit Monday, aggressively raising players he considered out of line and increasing his own stack at the main event in the World Series of Poker. Hachem roughly doubled his opening stake to 19,500 chips after four hours of play, knocking out an opponent along the way, but was still behind the day’s chip leader Peter Hedlund,

I spot Robert Varkonyi somewhere behind his mountain of chips, and stop by to see how he’s doing. Many people don’t give Robert’s play much respect - Phil Hellmuth even promised….

Cyndy Violette smiles at me, and I am mesmerized. Wearing a pink shirt with the words ‘Poker Pro’, a Doyle’s Room baseball hat, and spreading around the felt an assortment…

First, a disclaimer: This subject is ridiculous. Advancing the notion of poker as sport and its players as athletes will certainly get you laughed at out in the real world away from the gambling hall and possibly slapped around by anyone who has ever made a living at basketball, golf or even bowling, for that matter.

With action continuing on Monday afternoon, it is surprising the faces that have appeared to enter this year’s World Series of Poker….