In a story first reported on by PokerFuse.com on Tuesday, Orinic Limited has officially submitted a category 2 gaming license with the Alderney Gaming Control Commission.  Orinic Limited is the sole company affiliated with former online poker room Full Tilt Poker that escaped having their license revoked this past July.

Orinic was a subsidiary of Full Tilt Poker and was incorporated in January of 2011 inAlderneyso that Full Tilt could offer services toSwitzerland.  Orinic originally held a category 1 gaming license with the AGCC, a license that prohibited the company from handling gaming funds.

The company was among those who had their licenses suspended by the AGCC following the Black Friday indictments in theUnited States.  However, it was the only company whom did not have their license fully revoked by the Commission.  Instead, the license was suspended for six months.  This decision was reached based on the fact that Orinic was not currently trading at the time of the suspension.

The request for the license was submitted on March 23rd and is nearing the end of the objection period with the AGCC.  Should the license be approved, the company would be permitted to offer a full range of online gaming.

This news comes at the same time as Full Tilt subsidiary Pocket KingsLTDposted a need for customer service representatives.  These bits of news are beginning to raise hopes that the potential deal between Groupe Bernard Tapie and Full Tilt Poker may actually go through.

Rumors have been swirling the past couple of weeks that an announcement would be made by the end of March, but such an announcement never came.  With the new activity by the company, it seems likely that an announcement will be imminent.  As such, no news has been made public regarding player repayments, which is really the only piece of news that former customers care about at this time.

Should Full Tilt be reopened, they face many months of scrutiny from customers and poker media from around the world just like UltimateBet did following their superuser scandal.  Many feel the site will eventually rebound, but it may indeed take time.  Keep an eye on PokerListings.com for more Full Tilt Poker news.

The biggest Springfest ever is here!

Next-gen online poker room PKR have announced their Springfest tournament series, running for 17 days from Friday, 6 April until Sunday, 22 April. With $280,000 of expected prize pools spread across 34 events, this will be the biggest Springfest ever.

With a programme aimed at attracting poker players of all levels and bankrolls, Springfest features two similar tournaments each day at lower and higher buy-in levels. Throughout the series, players will also compete for a range of prizes that will be awarded to the leaderboard winners. The top prize will be a $530 „PKR 500‟ tournament ticket.

The series begins this Friday at 17:00 GMT with the $5,000 EXP* Mini Springfest Terminator, culminating in an extremely playable 3-day Championship event. Direct buy-ins start at only $1.10 and range all the way up to $88, with regular satellites running from under $1.

The lineup features an exciting variety of popular formats including Terminator, Omaha, Triple Chance, six-seater and Rebuy Rampage tournaments. This year PKR have also introduced an exciting new 4×4 tournament which will challenge players in a fast paced game on short-handed tables.

Springfest 2012 also sees the start of a new “Last Longer than a pro” tournament. One PKR Team Pro will compete against the field and everyone who outlasts the pro will win an equal share of 50% of the prize pool. The remainder will be paid out as usual to the highest finishers.

PKR Poker Room Manager Neil Wright commented, “The sixth year of our Springfest series promises to be the most exciting yet, with big prizes and a range of formats including several new innovative tournaments which we hope will be appealing and challenging to all players.”

For more information on Springfest, please visit PKR Springfest

Springfest schedule

Mini Springfest schedule

Unlike in other events this season, those watching today kind of knew that this final table would be a long one. The reasons were obvious. For a start the days in Campione begin at 2pm rather than 12pm, but aside from this obvious logic (and that most final tables these days take a while), the players had a lot of chips, and without exception, the talent to win.

When Day 3 dragged on for seven levels, reducing the field to 24, it shaved hours from the action yesterday, which slimmed the field to eight in just four hours. It left the finalists with chips and the time to use them when they sat down this afternoon. And over 13-and-a-half-hours they proved that point.

Against the backdrop of what looked like an electronic digital billboard sold to an Italian television by the makers of Blade Runner, Jannick Wrang endured the glare to win his first EPT title, the third in a row for Denmark, in the Casino di Campione tonight, earning €640,000.

“I was really rooting for Olivier to bust out when he was all-in (when four-handed) because he’s a very tough player,” said Wrang, shortly after his victory. “Everyone was tough actually, it was a sick final table.

“I can’t compare it with any other wins not yet. It’s a nice pay day.”

A win is a win on the EPT but Wragg’s title came against some significant opposition, not least Busquet.

A naturally gifted player, Busquet (who looked as unruffled in his waistcoat and tie at 4am as he had done at 2pm) was an unswerving threat to opponents this week, outlasting the gold-diggers who tried to rob him of the wealth he’d amassed earlier in the week, to come within a whisker of a first EPT title. Two weeks ago in Madrid he had shown us what he was capable of with a short stack. Today he demonstrated what he can do with a big stack.

Of the eight finalists all had something in their pedigree to suggest a possible win today.

Robin Ylitalo, who departed in eighth, had previously reached the penultimate table of an EPT event, while seventh place Stefano Puccilli, the last Italian from a 42 per cent Italian field, had an Italian Poker Tour title to his name.

In sixth place went Mario Nagel, who won a SCOOP title in 2011, followed by the impressive Koen de Visscher, who had played a thoughtful game this week, only to crash out in fifth, two places short of his previous best finish of third at Snowfest in Season 7.

It left a quartet of Busquet, Botond, Wrang and Soulier, arguably the four toughest players on the day.

As the clock reached 12.45am Botond, a fearless player for much of the week, made a big move on the turn but Wrang had top pair and a flush draw and snapped him off. It was nearly an hour and a half before Soulier followed.

The Frenchman looks like a man who has been awake for 36 hours whether he has been or not. This was his first EPT final table, despite a career full of success both in Europe and the United States. Today though he was unable to finish what he came here to do.

Short stacked compared to his last two opponents, Soulier, got his chips in with a king, which paired on the flop, before Wrang’s ace found its partner on the turn.

It left Busquet and Wrang relatively equal in chips, but as a heads-up specialist, Busquet was the favourite. But Wrang was not here to make it easy for the American, who looked as alert and focused, in a waistcoat and tie, as he did at 2 o’clock this afternoon. But finding strength from somewhere at 3.50am, he pushed on.

With the chips in the middle and the cards on their backs, Busquet was all-in with ace-nine against Wrang’s ace-six. Crucially though Wrang’s ace was a heart. Two hearts then hit the flop, a third the turn and a fourth the river.

After such a long time at the table players don’t jump in the air to celebrate. Wrang, exhausted, smiled and shook Busquet’s hand. From the look on his face, all this won’t sink in for Wrang until he’s woken up from a long sleep.

By Stephen Bartley
Sponsored by: PokerStars  

After a massive Final Day which saw 78 players return to the felt in the 2012 SKYCITY Deep Stack Series, Jun Li from Auckland took out his first ever live tournament picking up the SKYCITY Deep Stack Series title against Auckland’s Matt Carter collecting NZD $22,370.00 for his efforts.

The SKYCITY Deep Stack Series saw 153 players from around New Zealand taking their seats in the SKYCITY Poker Room encompassing three Day 1’s. From the original 153 players, 78 survived to play on the final day.

Players fell fast on the final day with those holding short chip stacks busting out quickly. Play was halted once the Final Table was decided. The Final Table returned with 600/1200 blinds with the clock wound back to 40 big blinds to the average stack. Play continued on until there were only two players vying for the title of SKYCITY Deep Stack Series champion.

Heads-up lasted only a matter of minutes when Li who was chip leader and full of confidence went all in against Carter. Li showed a Q♦9♥ against Carter’s A♦2♦ with the cards on the table falling in Li’s favour giving him a Straight over Carter’s Ace High. Jun Li picked up the tournament title and the NZD $22,370.00 prize money for first place.

The payouts for the tournament are as follows
16^th – Leilani Vaughn – Auckland – $770
15^th – Nick Hood – Auckland – $770
14^th – John Harman – Auckland – $770
13^th – Mike Tyler – Hamilton – $770
12^th – Lean King – Auckland – $1150
11^th – Anthony Corin – Auckland – $1530
10^th – Brandon Naidu – Auckland – $1840

Final Table
9^th – Sam Ruha – Auckland – $1990
8^th – Chao Pang – Auckland – $2370
7^th – Lee Yeung – Auckland – $2910
6^th – Paul Reid – Auckland – $3520
5^th – Damon Smith – Hastings – $5740
4^th – Eric Chang – Auckland – $6890
3^rd – Cole Swannack – Auckland – $8570
2^nd – Matt Carter – Auckland – $14,540
1^st – Jun Li – Auckland – $22,370

 For information on SKYCITY Auckland’s next poker tournament go to www.skycityauckland.co.nz/poker.

End of day reports on the European Poker Tour are normally written late at night, in darkness, with the food gone, the bar closing and the debris of the day; beer bottles, plastic cups, sandwich crusts and ex-boyfriends, strewn across the floor, cast aside by players who also had to jettison their title ambitions. Today though, that formula is different.

It’s sunny outside for a start, side events rage on and for young revellers (content with downtown Campione) are just getting the evening warmed up. And up on the hill, on the ninth floor of Casino di Campione, the main event is down to a final table.

It took no more than four hours, or two-and-a-half levels, to turn 24 into eight, aided no doubt by the extra level played last night. More significantly, the players who reached the last day are the ones more orthodox poker fans would have handpicked, leaving a final table that could prove a page turner, or whatever the online equivalent of that is.

They’re led by chip leader Fabrice Soulier, who bags up 3,480,000. He was delighted.

“My plan was to get to the final table so, yes, I’m very happy,” said the journeyman Frenchman, laughing. “It was amazing we have a nice restaurant to go to tonight, so it’s beautiful.”

It marks the first EPT final for Soulier, who has been a permanent fixture on the European and world poker stage for several years. “I have a triple crown in final tables,” he said, referring to finals at the WSOP, WPT, Partouche and EPIC tours. It could well result in a Shamballa bracelet to add to his World Series one.

Behind him is Olivier Busquet, who has played solidly all week and can look back at the period from nine to eight for the boost he needed going into tomorrow. He took chips from Balazs Botond in that spell and ultimately eliminated ninth place finisher Simeon Naydenov.

“To be honest I got some hands,” admitted Busquet. “I started off with an ill-advised four-bet that didn’t work. Then I three-bet Fabrice (kings against Soulier’s ace-queen).”

Then came a hand against the aggressive Balazs Botond: “I cold four-bet his three-bet; then he made an odd looking min five-bet.” Busquet shoved to pick up 350,000 chips without having to show when Botund passed. Then the hand that brought the day to a close in record time.

“The very aggressive Danish player (Jannick Wrang) opened,” said Busquet. “I three-bet with ace-king off-suit; he min four-bet with jacks and I shoved. He didn’t think long before calling. Once he four-bet he has to call; then it’s just winning a flip. Now I have three million, which is great.”

That three million leaves the American second in chips at a final table that will not prove easy to beat, with a look through the line-up revealing no obvious weak spots.

Seat 1. Olivier Busquet, USA, 3,011,000
Seat 2. Koen De Visscher, Belgium, 1,856,000
Seat 3. Mario Nagel, Germany, 1,210,000
Seat 4. Stefano Puccilli, Italy, 1,450,000
Seat 5. Jannick Wrang, Denmark, 2,882,000
Seat 6. Fabrice Soulier, France, 3,480,000
Seat 7. Balazs Botond, Hungary, 2,080,000
Seat 8. Robin Ylitalo, Sweden, 1,153,000

Belgian Koen De Visscher reaches his second final table, following Snowfest in Season 7; Stefano Puccilli, the last Italian in the competition, is a former Italian Poker Tour winner; while Wrang, Soulier, Botund and Robin Ylitalo have each reached the last two tables of an EPT.

That leaves the rookie, Mario Nagel, but then his lack of live results is deceiving. From Germany, Nagel won a SCOOP event last year and then cashed in a Campione event a month later. If there’s such a thing as a preferred place to play, this might be his.

It was a quick day, with stories tucked in among the defeated as well as the victors.

If the matter of a first double EPT winner fascinates/irritates the travelling pack, it didn’t show as anything of interest on the faces of David Vamplew (tenth) and Ronnie Kaiser (22nd) today. Both former champions departed this afternoon, seemingly indifferent to what are essentially meaningless records.

We also lost Andrea Benelli (picked out on Day 1 as an in-form player to watch) as well as Pasquale Vinnci, who deserves a hat tip for laddering beautifully, his meagre stack, the stack the government would pay you when unemployed, was accidentally good for 11th place.

It was fast today because it was slow yesterday. It should mean a marathon tomorrow and for anyone looking for any further confirmation that this should be a thriller worth watching on EPT Live Lite at 2pm, as Busquet summed up.

“One of the most remarkable things about this final table is we got rid of 16 people in four hours,” he said, looking ahead. “It’s really going to be deep and interesting poker which I think is the most interesting form. It’s good because that’s where all the money is, you don’t want it all coming down to flips or luck. I’m excited; it should be a great day.”

By Stephen Bartley
Sponsored by: PokerStars  
Photo is not of all final tablists (Decoration purposes only) 

WHERE WERE YOU ON BLACK FRIDAY?
THE DAY THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT ENDED THE POKER BOOM?

ALL IN — THE POKER MOVIE is the story of the worldwide poker boom that started in the underground clubs of New York City and went on to be played at homes and casinos all around the globe. How did poker become the battleground for personal freedom and the fight for adults to choose how they spend their time and money? The film explains how poker has become the target of politicians who have cut off the ability for millions to play and for many to make a living.

It tells the exciting story of poker’s renaissance in the first decade of the new millennium, from a game once played only by grandparents and teenagers unable to get a date on Friday night to a nationally televised sport played by millions, and watched by millions more. An activity so hip that even Matt Damon, George Clooney, and Leonardo DiCaprio have a regular game. Played in casinos, basements, on line, in college dorms or at charity events, poker is everywhere. The film explains the “tipping story” to the events and people that came together to make poker so popular that you could see it being played on twelve television networks a week.

This documentary weaves the quest for the American Dream, the ability to take risks, and the celebration of entrepreneurship with a game that began with conmen on riverboats and ended up being played by presidents. Poker has become a metaphor for making it big quick, and though millions play it, poker seems unable to escape it’s cinematic image of something done by people on the outside of society.

Team PokerStars Pro Marcin Horecki has won the first PokerStars MicroMillions Player of the Series.

The man from Poland we normally see entering $10,000 events all over the world has won the MicroMillions leaderboard and its prize: a full package to the 2013 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure.

It was not without some insane effort. Horecki played 89 of the 100 events. He cashed 34 times, the most of anybody in the entire series. Though he never placed higher than 58th in any of the tournaments, he earned enough points through sheer grinding to win the leaderboard by ten points over Spain’s GMalex89 (you’ll find a list of the top 100 players at the bottom of this post).

“I hope to find the same commitment and motivation during SCOOP in May,” Horecki said.

Marcin’s MicroMillions Method

5,578th place: MM-01: $0.11+R NL Hold’em
744th place: MM-06: $4.40 NL Hold’em
872nd place: MM-16: $2.20 NL Hold’em
665th place: MM-20: $8.80+R NL Hold’em
207th place: MM-23: $8.80 NL Hold’em
168th place: MM-30: $8.80 NL Hold’em
321st place: MM-31: $5.50 HORSE
1,074th place: MM-34: $5.50 NL Hold’em
658th place: MM-35: $2.20 NL Hold’em
777th place: MM-39: $8.80 NL Hold’em
1,063rd place: MM-40: $2.20 NL Hold’em
531st place: MM-42: $5.50 PL Omaha Hi/Lo
371st place: MM-45: $3.30 NL Hold’em
1,625th place: MM-46: $1+R NL Hold’em
608th place: MM-47: $5.50 NL Hold’em
58th place: MM-48: $8.80 NL Hold’em
1,024th place: MM-57: $8.80 NL Hold’em
549th place: MM-60: $1+R PL Omaha
464th place: MM-61: $4.40 NL Hold’em
762nd place: MM-66: $8.80 NL Hold’em
244th place: MM-69: $3.30 Triple Stud
433rd place: MM-71: $2.20+R NL Hold’em
93rd place: MM-73: $5.50+R NL Single Draw 2-7
156th place: MM-74: $1+R NL Omaha Hi/Lo
582nd place: MM-75: $8.80 NL Hold’em
772nd place: MM-77: $11 NL Hold’em
138th place: MM-79: $5.50 FL Omaha Hi/Lo
161st place: MM-82: $4.40 PL Omaha
1,478th place: MM-86: $2.22+R NL Hold’em
646th place: MM-87: $11 NL Hold’em
3,314th place: MM-96: $1+R NL Hold’em
2,392nd place: MM-98: $22 NL Hold’em Main Event, $150K+ to 1st!
1,251st place: MM-99: $5.50 NL Hold’em
1,240th place: MM-100: $1+R NL Hold’em

Horecki was a Polish standout in a series dominated by Russians. More players from that country entered the MicroMillions than any other. At the final count, Russia put up 212,820 entries, a full 70,000 more than the next most-active country, Germany’s 142,680 entries.

As a result, Russia dominated a lot of the big statistics. It earned the most final tables (131), most in-the-money finishes (26,390), most money won ($1,206,261.50), and most events won by a country (23).

Overall, the MicroMillions put up some amazing numbers. In all, the series awarded $8,139,586.19 in prize money. More than 329,000 unique players put up their cash for what turned out to be 1.2 million tournament buy-ins. Two of those people played in 98 of the 100 events, a feat that requires some respect, to be sure.

As mentioned before, Team PokerStars Pro Marcin Horecki will pick up a full prize package to the 2013 PCA. He, however, is not the only one winning prizes for a good finish on the MicroMillions leaderboard. The Top 100 spots will be walking away with more than the tournament purses.

1st place–MicroMillions Player of the Series Trophy and 2013 PCA package
2nd-10th place–2012 SCOOP Main Event (Medium) $1,050 ticket
11th-100th place–2012 SCOOP Main Event (Low) $109 ticket
You can find full details, statistics, and results over at the PokerStars MicroMillions web page.

Congratulations to everyone who did well in the first MicroMillions.

PokerStars MicroMillions Player of the Series Leaderboard

1. Marcin “Goral” Horecki (Poland) 510
2. GMalex89 (Spain) 500
3-4. AleksS69 (Russia) 480
3-4. RedPh0enix (Russia) 480
5. ELGRAND4 (Germany) 475
6-7. Agasajo (Mexico) 460
6-7. bem777ret (Russia) 460
8. L.A.COOL(Germany) 430
9. EDWARDHOPPER (Denmark)425
10. Nemans (Lithuania) 410
11. MrsButton (Canada) 400
12. jon011 (Estonia) 395
13. Dainiux (Lithuania) 390
14. serikcs (Spain) 380
15. LordAgrael (Russia) 375
16. Mindthis (Canada) 370
17. jeffybird (Canada) 360
18-20. BerlofaSP (Brazil) 355
18-20. CMoosepower (Denmark) 355
18-20. pokerboy22 (Czech Republic) 355
21. Pierek87 (Poland) 350
22-23. bishkek4 (Kyrgyzstan) 340
22-23. Mickelson3 (Spain) 340
24. Asmodey08 (Russia) 330
25. Dart Serg (Russia) 315
26-30. JeanGrae (Canada) 310
26-30. Pegasus1950 (Denmark) 310
26-30. RockStarr21 (Canada) 310
26-30. sk86 (Russia) 310
26-30. StuntmenBob (Austria) 310
31-33. gerdeper (Netherlands) 300
31-33. harakiri 22 (Germany) 300
31-33. xbertssmiler (Germany) 300
34-36. AA TURON AA (Czech Republic) 295
34-36. chenz0r (Romania) 295
34-36. WinnerVad (Ukraine) 295
37-39. #1 Man U fan (Australia) 290
37-39. 2RICH18 (Denmark) 290
37-39. Spikefinger (Ukraine) 290
40-41. duploooo (Belgium) 285
40-41. JustProSkill (Russia) 285
42-43. ayhreza (Netherlands) 280
42-43. DaDomal (Austria) 280
44-49. elnota83 (Spain) 275
44-49. iLWiNnRuN (Netherlands) 275
44-49. kollerPS (Romania) 275
44-49. madavaster (Poland) 275
44-49. spice5 (United Kingdom) 275
44-49. STINKERRR (Canada) 275
50-52. BeeJall (Canada) 270
50-52. gmanwicksy (Canada) 270
50-52. MattyDaCobra (Mexico) 270
53-57. dhilton12 (Costa Rica) 265
53-57. hazzy7 (United Kingdom) 265
53-57. oahi5 (Romania) 265
53-57. plstrider (United Kingdom) 265
53-57. zothar9 (Romania) 265
58-60. Dee Diablo (Canada) 260
58-60. gaerton (Germany) 260
58-60. TedSTRETCH (Costa Rica) 260
61-64. Arseb73 (Poland) 255
61-64. Bruno GT (Brazil) 255
61-64. gunmasterhh (Germany) 255
61-64. romses2004 (Russia) 255
65-69. AykeT (Netherlands) 250
65-69. BugsGamble (United Kingdom) 250
65-69. Next-L3vel (Canada) 250
65-69. S.FILTH (Ukraine) 250
65-69. W.I.W.69 (Russia) 250
70-81. bakievm (Kazakhstan) 245
70-81. bebito696 (Spain) 245
70-81. bedmax18 (Ukraine) 245
70-81. blank seat (Austria) 245
70-81. dzsinn6 (Hungary) 245
70-81. H.FresnO (Spain) 245
70-81. koprik (Turkey) 245
70-81. Kaila (Canada) 245
70-81. lllothup (Canada) 245
70-81. mdv1978 (Russia) 245
70-81. oeli70 (Germany) 245
70-81. queenmillion (Romania) 245
82-85. April Tears (United Kingdom) 240
82-85. DeStro.B (Germany) 240
82-85. kirdface (United Kingdom) 240
82-85. Royalkid7575 (Canada) 240
86-89. brhhr (Belarus) 235
86-89. C13Greentumb (Netherlands) 235
86-89. Drakon-21 (Russia) 235
86-89. FLEXTHRON (Austria) 235
90-95. Analyser2 (Hungary) 230
90-95. Cezar6666 (Poland) 230
90-95. Com. Tomson (Germany) 230
90-95. EYeGNIEEsLLa (Colombia) 230
90-95. Mr-Slick82 (United Kingdom) 230
90-95. ricardolago (Brazil) 230
96-102. aeronautix (Germany) 225
96-102. Beckersen81 (Germany) 225
96-102. FouTight (Canada) 225
96-102. KinderS1990 (Russia) 225
96-102. Mrs.Wendy (Czech Republic) 225
96-102. sergiuo (Romania) 225
96-102. zhukvlad (Canada) 225

By Brad Willis
Sponsored by: PokerStars  

The ultimate family vacation just got better with the World Poker Tour. The Cruise Authority and Royal Caribbean International present WPT Cruise™, the poker vacation of a lifetime. This brand new partnership offers poker players and fans the chance to experience the high seas like never before — with the World Poker Tour. Find out more at WPTCruise.com.

While aboard Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas, WPT Cruise attendees will be able to meet World Poker Tour cast members like Mike Sexton, Vince Van Patten and the beautiful WPT® Royal Flush Girls*. The expansive poker room will feature cash games for any limit, sit-n-go tournaments, ladies-only events and freeroll tournaments every day for amazing WPT prizes. Whether you are new to the game or an experienced player, WPT Cruise presents the extraordinary chance to play poker in paradise.

The initial voyage runs from September 30 – October 7, 2012, and features port stops in popular Caribbean destinations including Mexico, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Royal Caribbean’s private beach in Haiti. All WPT Cruise passengers will receive a special welcome package containing WPT apparel and merchandise, poker lessons and a free three-month subscription to ClubWPT.com. ClubWPT.com is WPT’s online membership site and sweepstakes-based poker club which offers members inside access to the World Poker Tour and the chance to win a share of more than $100,000 in cash and prizes each month playing unlimited online poker.** For more information visit ClubWPT.com.

WPT Cruise offers a vacation the whole family can enjoy. Children of all ages will be entertained by Royal Caribbean’s many kid-friendly attractions including the H2O Zone waterpark complete with interactive sculpture fountains, ground geysers and a cascading waterfall; an enormous rock-climbing wall with eleven routes and a central spire for swinging; the first-ever onboard surf park; a mini-golf course and so much more.

When adults are ready to take a break from the poker action, they can relax at the world-class Vitality Spa, soak in the cantilevered whirlpools that extend 12 feet beyond the sides of the ship or work out at the state-of-the-art fitness center with yoga and Tai chi classes. Among the largest ships at sea, Freedom of the Seas is a 160,000 ton technical marvel replete with the most spectacular, innovative onboard features in the industry featuring extensive WiFi capabilities, cell phone connectivity and flat-screen TVs in every stateroom. A WPT Cruise is sure to be the experience of a lifetime.

*Attendance by each WPT cast member is subject to his/her availability.
**No purchase is necessary for the ClubWPT sweepstakes and the service is void in states where prohibited. See terms and conditions at ClubWPT.com.

The Star is to be home of this year’s $500,000* NPL500 III Event!

After 2 extremely successful FTP500′s, where NPL gave away $1,000,000 in cash and prizes and $200,000 in cash and prizes given away at NPLWT Trips in Manila & Macau, NPL is getting ready for their next Major Event, the NPL500 III. 250 of the finest poker league players in Australia plus the 9 NPL Masters will be brought together at The Star to battle for their share of $500,000* in Cash & Prizes in August, 2012.

When & Where
Venue : The Star, Sydney
Date : Saturday 25th & Sunday 26th August 2012

Qualifying
NPL500 III Tickets can be won via NPL satellite games, which includes, Giveaways, Special Events, Quarterly Finals, Regional Finals & Monthly Finals.

Please NOTE: Buy-ins only offered if there are seats unallocated 2 weeks before the tournament begins.

Keep an eye on the NPL website for NPL500 III Qualification Events.

Prizes
With a Lotus Elise and an Audi TT already given away, this year Audi is back on board with a stunning fully specced Audi A4!

2012 Audi A4 2.0L TFSI S-Line Multitronic Sedan with Phantom Black Paint, Xenon plus Headlilghts, S Line Sports Pack with 19″ wheels, Navigation package, Electric Glass Sunroof, Acoustic Parking System, Window Tinting, plus much much more!

1st-$200,000*-$102,000 Cash*
$95,000 Audi A4 2.0L TFSI S-Line
$3,000 NPLWT Manila Ticket

2nd-$80,000*-$77,000 Cash*
$3,000 NPLWT Manila Ticket

3rd-$50,000* -$47,000 Cash*
$3,000 NPLWT Manila Ticket

4th-$30,000*-$27,000 Cash*
$3,000 NPLWT Manila Ticket

5th-$20,000*-$17,000 Cash*
$3,000 NPLWT Manila Ticket

6th-$17,500*-$14,500* Cash
$3,000 NPLWT Manila Ticket

7th-$15,000*-$12,000 Cash*
$3,000 NPLWT Manila Ticket

8th-$13,000*-$10,000* Cash
$3,000 NPLWT Manila Ticket

9th-$9,500 Cash*
10th-$7,500 Cash*
11th-$6,500 Cash*
12th-$6,000 Cash*
13th-$5,500 Cash*
14th-$5,000 Cash*
15th-$4,500 Cash*
16th-$4,000 Cash*
17th-$4,000 Cash*
18th-$3,000 Cash*
19th-$3,000 Cash*
20th-$3,000 Cash*
21st-$3,000 Cash*
22nd-$2,500 Cash*
23rd-$2,500 Cash*
24th-$2,500 Cash*
25th-$2,500 Cash*

Actual car is Phantom Black.

* Prize breakdown above is based on 250 Players playing in the NPL500 III which excludes the NPL Masters Team.

Structure

To be annouced closer to the event.

NATIONAL POKER LEAGUE – NPL500 TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1. Registration to the National Poker League (NPL) is required by all participants and is free of charge.
2. Participants must be 18 years of age or older to register.
3. The game played at NPL events is ‘No Limit Texas Hold ‘em”.
4. Standard No Limit Texas Hold ’em game rules are in play at all NPL events and such rules are available from the Tournament Director as well as our website – www.npl.com.au
5. Chips used at NPL events have absolutely no monetary value or otherwise. They CANNOT be exchanged for cash or any currency as prohibited by law.
6. *$500,000 (AUD) prize pool is based on NPL500 attracting 250 players plus 9 NPL Masters Team. Should there be less than 250 players the prize pool will be adjusted to compensate for the reduction in players. Please refer to : www.npl.com.au/npl500 for prize breakdown
7. Cash and Prize is up to* $500,000 (AUD) –should there be less than 250 players ( This number does no t include the NPL Masters Team) the prize pool will be adjusted to compensate for the reduction in players. Prizes will be paid after the event not at the event.
8. Any participant suspected or caught to be colluding, cheating or behaving inappropriately by the Tournament Director or fellow players or the respective licensee may be disqualified from the league and may be excluded from future participation in NPL events.
9. NPL has the sole right to disqualify any participant from the league or it’s event should they bring disrepute to the NPL brand and game.
10. Members agree that the NPL has the right to promote the member for marketing and promotional purposes for a period of three years from the date of winning our major prize at no cost to the league.
11. NPL members agree to be photographed whilst they are participating in any NPL event held at any authorised venue and agree to the publication of those images in various forms of media and agree to waive any rights that they may have in that regard.
12. Any or part thereof of these rules may change without notice. Please check our website www.npl.com.au or ask your Tournament Director for a printed copy.
13. All event rulings and decisions are left solely with the Tournament Director. They will settle all disputes and their decision is final. Their decision will be made in keeping the best interests of all NPL members in mind.
14. NPL500 Tickets incur a GST

The 2012 Melbourne Poker Championship boasts 10 official tournaments ranging from the $200 No Limit Holdem Megastack to the $1,100 No Limit Holdem Main Event. Plus there are daily satellites on offer from $65.

This years Melbourne Poker Championships will feature two major championship events with the $550 Joe Hachem Deepstack 9 kicking things off as the opening event. Already well established this Joe Hachem Deepstack Events feature a repechage format like the Melbourne Championship Main Event and offer fantastic value for the poker player. The $1,100 Main Event itself features a great structure that produces worthy champions. Last years winner Brendon Rubie proved it was no fluke when he backed up his win with victory in the Aussie Millions Opening Event. These combined events are sure to bring the best players in the Country to fight it out for the huge prize pools up for grabs.

Returning to the schedule in 2012 are the ever popular events, the $200 MegaStack No Limit Holdem, a $340 7 Game Mixed Event H.O.R.S.E/NLHE/PLO and $550 Pot Limit Omaha (Double Chance Format), No Limit Holdem Bounties- ($500 per Bounty), No Limit Holdem- 6 Handed Events.

New to the schedule is a $400 Turbo terminator event, with $100 for every player eliminated the action is sure to be fast and loose. Also a first on any Australian Championship schedule is an “Ante Up!” event. In this format the one blind stays at the minimum while the antes are raised every level. With a $200 entry and the last event on the schedule this event is sure to attract plenty of interest. There is also a new twist on an old favourite with this years teams event open to teams of two OR three players. Team-mates will change after each orbit on their table with no team-mate allowed to play more than one consecutive orbit.

Thursday 03-May
10:10am Step 1 Satellite – Main Event (Turbo, 1 in 5 win) $65 (50+15)
12:10pm JHDS Supershot (Turbo, 1 in 5 Win) $130 (110+20)
2:10pm JHDS Supershot (Turbo, 1 in 5 Win) $130 (110+20)
4:10pm JHDS Supershot (Turbo, 1 in 5 Win) $130 (110+20)
6:10pm 1 Joe Hachem Deepstack 9- Flight 1 $550 (500+50)
10:00pm Step 1 Satellite – Main Event (Turbo, 1 in 5 win) $65 (50+15)
Friday 04-May
10:10am JHDS Supershot (Turbo, 1 in 5 Win) $65 (50+15)
12:10pm 1 Joe Hachem Deepstack 9- Flight 2 (Repechage) $550 (500+50)
2:10pm Step 1 Satellite – Main Event (Turbo, 1 in 5 win) $65 (50+15)
4:10pm Step 1 Satellite – Main Event (Turbo, 1 in 5 win) $65 (50+15)
7:10pm Step 2 Satellite – Main Event (1 in 5 Win) $250 (220+30)
10:00pm Step 1 Satellite – Main Event (Turbo, 1 in 5 win) $65 (50+15)
Saturday 05-May
10:10am JHDS Supershot (Turbo, 1 in 5 Win) $65 (50+15)
12:10pm 1 Joe Hachem Deepstack 9- Flight 3 (Repechage) $550 (500+50)
2:10pm Step 1 Satellite – Main Event (Turbo, 1 in 5 win) $65 (50+15)
4:10pm Step 1 Satellite – Main Event (Turbo, 1 in 5 win) $65 (50+15)
7:10pm Step 2 Satellite – Main Event (1 in 5 Win) $250 (220+30)
10:00pm Step 1 Satellite – Main Event (Turbo, 1 in 5 win) $65 (50+15)
Sunday 06-May
10:10am Step 1 Satellite – Main Event (Turbo, 1 in 5 win) $65 (50+15)
12:10pm 2 MegaStack No Limit Holdem $200 ($170+30)
12:30pm 1 Joe Hachem Deepstack 9- Day 2
4:10pm Step 1 Satellite – Main Event (Turbo, 1 in 5 win) $65 (50+15)
6:10pm 3 No Limit Holdem Teams -Non Stop Turbo $300 (260+40)
10:00pm Step 1 Satellite – Main Event (Turbo, 1 in 5 win) $65 (50+15)
Monday 07-May
10:10am Step 1 Satellite – Main Event (Turbo, 1 in 5 win) $65 (50+15)
12:10pm Step 1 Satellite – Main Event (Turbo, 1 in 5 win) $65 (50+15)
2:10pm 4 7 Game Mixed Event H.O.R.S.E/NLHE/PLO $340 (300+40)
4:10pm Step 1 Satellite – Main Event (Turbo, 1 in 5 win) $65 (50+15)
7:10pm Step 2 Satellite – Main Event (1 in 5 Win) $250 (220+30)
10:00pm Supershot – Any $550 Side Event (Turbo- 1 in 5 win) $130 (110+20)
Tuesday 08-May
10:10am Supershot – (Turbo- 1 in 5 win any $550 Event) $130 (110+20)
12:10pm Step 1 Satellite – Main Event (Turbo, 1 in 5 win) $65 (50+15)
2:10pm 5 Pot Limit Omaha (Double Chance Format) $550 (500+50)
4:10pm Step 1 Satellite – Main Event (Turbo, 1 in 5 win) $65 (50+15)
7:10pm Step 2 Satellite – Main Event (1 in 5 Win) $250 (220+30)
10:00pm Supershot – Any $550 Side Event (Turbo- 1 in 5 win) $130 (110+20)
Wednesday 09-May
10:10am Supershot – Any $550 Side Event (Turbo- 1 in 5 win) $130 (110+20)
12:10pm Step 1 Satellite – Main Event (Turbo, 1 in 5 win) $65 (50+15)
2:10pm 6 No Limit Holdem Bounties- $500 per Bounty $550 (500+50)
4:10pm Step 1 Satellite – Main Event (Turbo, 1 in 5 win) $65 (50+15)
7:10pm Step 2 Satellite – Main Event (1 in 5 Win) $250 (220+30)
10:00pm Supershot – Any $550 Side Event (Turbo- 1 in 5 win) $130 (110+20)
Thursday 10-May
10:10am Supershot – Any $550 Side Event (Turbo- 1 in 5 win) $130 (110+20)
12:10pm Step 1 Satellite – Main Event (Turbo, 1 in 5 win) $65 (50+15)
2:10pm 7 No Limit Holdem- 6 Handed $550 (500+50)
4:10pm Step 2 Satellite – Main Event (1 in 5 Win) $250 (220+30)
6:10pm 8 Melbourne Poker Championship Main Event (Flight 1) $1,100 (1000+100)
10:00pm Super Satellite – Main Event (Turbo, 1 in 10 win) $130 (110+20)
Friday 11-May
10:10am Step 1 Satellite – Main Event (Turbo, 1 in 5 win) $65 (50+15)
12:10pm 8 Melbourne Poker Championship Main Event (Flight 2-Repechage) $1,100 (1000+100)
2:10pm Step 1 Satellite – Main Event (Turbo, 1 in 5 win) $65 (50+15)
4:10pm Step 1 Satellite – Main Event (Turbo, 1 in 5 win) $65 (50+15)
7:10pm Step 2 Satellite – Main Event (1 in 5 Win) $250 (220+30)
10:00pm Super Satellite – Main Event (Turbo, 1 in 10 win) $130 (110+20)
Saturday 12-May
10:10am Super Satellite – Main Event (Turbo, 1 in 10 win) $130 (110+20)
12:10pm 8 Melbourne Poker Championship Main Event (Flight 3-Repechage) $1,100 (1000+100)
2:10pm Terminator Qualifier (Turbo,1 in 5 win) $100 (80+20)
4:10pm Terminator Qualifier (Turbo,1 in 5 win) $100 (80+20)
7:10pm APPT Step 2 Satellite -(1 in 5 win) $160 (140+20)
10:00pm Terminator Qualifier (Turbo,1 in 5 win) $100 (80+20)
Sunday 13-May
10:10am Terminator Qualifier (Turbo,1 in 5 win) $100 (80+20)
12:10pm 9 Turbo Terminator- $100 per KO $400 ($360+40)
12:30pm Melbourne Poker Championship Main Event Day 2
2:10pm APPT Step 2 Satellite -(1 in 5 win) $160 (140+20)
4:10pm APPT Step 3 Satellite 10K Start Bank -(1 in 8 win) $700 (625+75)
6:10pm 10 NLH- Turbo Ante Up! $200 ($170+30)
Monday 14-May
2:10pm Melbourne Poker Championship Main Event Day 3