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In poker, players form sets of five playing cards, called hands, according to the rules of the game.[1] Each hand has a rank, which is compared against the ranks of other hands participating in the showdown to decide who wins the pot.[2] In high games, like Texas hold 'em and seven-card stud, the highest-ranking hands win. In low games, like razz, the lowest-ranking hands win. In high-low split games, both the highest-ranking and lowest-ranking hands win, though different rules are used to rank the high and low hands.[3][4]

Each hand belongs to a category determined by the patterns formed by its cards. A hand in a higher-ranking category always ranks higher than a hand in a lower-ranking category. A hand is ranked within its category using the ranks of its cards.[5] Individual cards are ranked, from highest to lowest: A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2.[6] However, aces have the lowest rank under ace-to-five low or ace-to-six low rules, or under high rules as part of a five-high straight or straight flush.[7][8] Suits are not ranked, so hands that differ by suit alone are of equal rank.[9]

There are nine categories of hand when using a standard 52-card deck, except under ace-to-five low rules where straights, flushes and straight flushes are not recognized. An additional category, five of a kind, exists when using one or more wild cards. The fewer hands a category contains, the higher its rank.[10] There are 52 ! ( 52 5 ) ! = 311 , 875 , 200 {displaystyle {begin{matrix}{frac {52!}{(52-5)!}}=311,875,200end{matrix}}} ways to deal five cards from the deck but only 52 ! ( 52 5 ) ! 5 ! = 2 , 598 , 960 {displaystyle {begin{matrix}{frac {52!}{(52-5)!5!}}=2,598,960end{matrix}}} distinct hands, because the order in which cards are dealt or arranged in a hand does not matter.[11] Moreover, since hands differing only by suit are of equal rank, there are only 7,462 distinct hand ranks.[12][13]

Five of a kind is a hand that contains five cards of one rank, such as 3333Jkr ("five of a kind, threes"). It ranks above a straight flush but is only possible when using one or more wild cards, as there are only four cards of each rank in the deck.[7] Five of a kind, aces, AAAAJkr, becomes possible when a joker is added to the deck as a bug, a form of wild card that may act as a fifth ace.[6] Other wild card rules allow jokers or other designated cards to represent any card in the deck, making it possible to form five of a kind of any rank.[14]

Each five of a kind is ranked by the rank of its quintuplet. For example, QQQQQ ranks higher than 66666.[7][15]

A jack-high straight flush

A straight flush is a hand that contains five cards of sequential rank, all of the same suit, such as QJ1098 (a "queen-high straight flush").[4] It ranks below five of a kind and above four of a kind.[6] Under high rules, an ace can rank either high (as in AKQJ10, an ace-high straight flush) or low (as in 5432A, a five-high straight flush), but cannot simultaneously rank both high and low (so QKA23 is an ace-high flush, but not a straight).[7][15] Under deuce-to-seven low rules, an ace always ranks high (so 5432A is an ace-high flush). Under ace-to-six low rules, an ace always rank low (so AKQJ10 is a king-high flush).[16] Under ace-to-five low rules, straight flushes are not possible (so 98765 is a nine-high hand).[8]

Each straight flush is ranked by the rank of its highest-ranking card. For example, 109876 ranks higher than 87654, which ranks higher than 65432. Straight flush hands that differ by suit alone, such as 76543 and 76543, are of equal rank.[7][15]

An ace-high straight flush, such as AKQJ10, is called a royal flush or royal straight flush and is the best possible hand in high games when not using wild cards.[6][17][18] A five-high straight flush, such as 5432A, is called a steel wheel and is both the best low hand and usually the best high hand of the showdown in ace-to-five high-low split games.[4]

Four of a kind, also known as quads, is a hand that contains four cards of one rank and one card of another rank (the kicker), such as 9999J ("four of a kind, nines"). It ranks below a straight flush and above a full house.[6]

Each four of a kind is ranked first by the rank of its quadruplet, and then by the rank of its kicker. For example, KKKK3 ranks higher than 7777Q, which ranks higher than 777710. Four of a kind hands that differ by suit alone, such as 44449 and 44449, are of equal rank.[7][15]

A full house, sixes over kings

A full house, also known as a full boat or a boat (and originally called a full hand), is a hand that contains three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank, such as 33366 (a "full house, threes over sixes" or "threes full of sixes" or "threes full").[19][20] It ranks below four of a kind and above a flush.[6]

Each full house is ranked first by the rank of its triplet, and then by the rank of its pair. For example, 88877 ranks higher than 44499, which ranks higher than 44455. Full house hands that differ by suit alone, such as KKKJJ and KKKJJ, are of equal rank.[7][15]

A flush is a hand that contains five cards all of the same suit, not all of sequential rank, such as K10764 (a "king-high flush" or a "king-ten-high flush").[21] It ranks below a full house and above a straight.[6] Under ace-to-five low rules, flushes are not possible (so J8432 is a jack-high hand).[8]

Each flush is ranked first by the rank of its highest-ranking card, then by the rank of its second highest-ranking card, then by the rank of its third highest-ranking card, then by the rank of its fourth highest-ranking card, and finally by the rank of its lowest-ranking card. For example, KJ964 ranks higher than QJ765, which ranks higher than J10942, which ranks higher than J10863, which ranks higher than J10843, which ranks higher than J10842. Flush hands that differ by suit alone, such as 108765 and 108765, are of equal rank.[7][15]

A straight is a hand that contains five cards of sequential rank, not all of the same suit, such as 76543 (a "seven-high straight"). It ranks below a flush and above three of a kind.[6] Under high rules, an ace can rank either high (as in AKQJ10, an ace-high straight) or low (as in 5432A, a five-high straight), but cannot simultaneously rank both high and low (so QKA23 is an ace-high hand).[7][15] Under deuce-to-seven low rules, an ace always ranks high (so 5432A is an ace-high hand). Under ace-to-six low rules, an ace always ranks low (so AKQJ10 is a king-high hand).[16] Under ace-to-five low rules, straights are not possible (so 109876 is a ten-high hand).[8]

Each straight is ranked by the rank of its highest-ranking card. For example, J10987 ranks higher than 109876, which ranks higher than 65432. Straight hands that differ by suit alone, such as 98765 and 98765, are of equal rank.[7][15]

An ace-high straight, such as AKQJ10, is called a Broadway straight,[22] while a five-high straight, such as 5432A, is called a baby straight,[23] bicycle or wheel and is the best possible hand in ace-to-five low games (where it is a high card hand, not a straight).[24][25]

Three of a kind, also known as trips or a set, is a hand that contains three cards of one rank and two cards of two other ranks (the kickers), such as 222K6 ("three of a kind, twos" or "trip twos" or a "set of twos"). It ranks below a straight and above two pair.[6]

Each three of a kind is ranked first by the rank of its triplet, then by the rank of its highest-ranking kicker, and finally by the rank of its lowest-ranking kicker. For example, 666Q4 ranks higher than 333K2, which ranks higher than 333J7, which ranks higher than 333J5. Three of a kind hands that differ by suit alone, such as 999108 and 999108, are of equal rank.[7][15]

In community card games, such as Texas hold 'em, three of a kind is called a set only when it comprises a pocket pair and a third card on the board.[26]

Two pair, jacks and threes

Two pair is a hand that contains two cards of one rank, two cards of another rank and one card of a third rank (the kicker), such as JJ449 ("two pair, jacks and fours" or "two pair, jacks over fours" or "jacks up").[19][27] It ranks below three of a kind and above one pair.[6]

Each two pair is ranked first by the rank of its highest-ranking pair, then by the rank of its lowest-ranking pair, and finally by the rank of its kicker. For example, 101022K ranks higher than 554410, which ranks higher than 5533Q, which ranks higher than 5533J. Two pair hands that differ by suit alone, such as KK778 and KK778, are of equal rank.[7][15]

One pair, or simply a pair, is a hand that contains two cards of one rank and three cards of three other ranks (the kickers), such as 44K105 ("one pair, fours" or a "pair of fours"). It ranks below two pair and above high card.[6]

Each one pair is ranked first by the rank of its pair, then by the rank of its highest-ranking kicker, then by the rank of its second highest-ranking kicker, and finally by the rank of its lowest-ranking kicker. For example, 99QJ5 ranks higher than 66K74, which ranks higher than 66QJ2, which ranks higher than 66Q87, which ranks higher than 66Q83. One-pair hands that differ by suit alone, such as 881065 and 881065, are of equal rank.[7][15]

High card, also known as no pair or simply nothing, is a hand that does not fall into any other category, such as KJ874 ("high card, king" or "king-jack-high" or "king-high").[19][28] Note that under ace-to-five low rules, straights, flushes and straight flushes are not possible, so such hands are instead high card hands.[8] It ranks below one pair.[6]

Each high card hand is ranked first by the rank of its highest-ranking card, then by the rank of its second highest-ranking card, then by the rank of its third highest-ranking card, then by the rank of its fourth highest-ranking card, and finally by the rank of its lowest-ranking card. For example, K6532 ranks higher than QJ653, which ranks higher than Q10874, which ranks higher than Q10764, which ranks higher than Q10754, which ranks higher than Q10752. High card hands that differ by suit alone, such as 108764 and 108764, are of equal rank.[7][15]

Under deuce-to-seven low rules, a seven-five-high hand, such as 75432, is the best possible hand.[29] Under ace-to-six low rules, where aces have the lowest rank, a six-four-high hand, such as 6432A, is the best possible hand.[30] Under ace-to-five low rules, where aces have the lowest rank and straights, flushes and straight flushes are not possible, a five-high hand, such as 5432A or 5432A, commonly known as a bicycle or wheel, is the best possible hand.[8][24]

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List of poker hands - Wikipedia

In the world of high-stakes poker, the sums of money being won and lost every day are huge.

The top players think nothing of dropping tens of thousands, or even more, in a playing session, knowing that they could easily win it back when they next sit down at the poker table.

But which professional poker players have the largest bank balances, taking into account winnings, endorsements, movie appearances, plus other income streams?

Takea look below to find out

At number 10 on this list ofthe richest poker players is Antonio Esfandiari, one of the best-known playerson the poker circuit.

The former magician managed to win three World Series of Poker bracelets throughout his career, plus hes won three WPT titles, with the first coming in 2004 at the L.A. Poker Classic.

Esfandiaris biggest ever wincame in 2012, when he won the Big One for One Drop tournament at the WSOP.This saw him win a massive $18,346,673 at the time, the largest ever livepoker prize.

At one point, he had earnedmore via tournament winnings than anyone else, until his title was taken byDaniel Negreanu.

Tony G real name Antanas Guoga is one of the loudest, most outspoken poker players around.

Hes also a politician in the European Parliament, as well as a successful businessman. Hes never won a WSOP bracelet, however he has finished in the money 15 times.

During his poker career, TonyG has won several six-figure prizes. Most of his wealth comes from his businessactivities though.

He is the chief executiveofficer of Cypherpunk Holdings, an investment company listed on the CanadianSecurities Exchange.

Next up, we come to JustinBonomo, who has found huge success in both live and online tournaments.

Hes a three-time WSOPbracelet winner and has cashed 55 times at the event. He has also won manylarge online events, including the Super High Roller Bowl Online in 2020.

Bonomos biggest ever win camewhen he won the Big One for One Drop tournament in 2018, which added $10million to his bank account and made him the number one all-time livetournament money winner, until his total was surpassed by Bryn Kenney.

Daniel Negreanu is the mostfamous poker player of all time. His personality has made him a huge hit withfans, and his skill has ensured hes one of the richest poker players around.

Kid Poker has six WSOPbracelets and is the only player to be named WSOP Player of the Year twice.Hes also a member of the Poker Hall of Fame.

Overall, Negreanu has won nearly$42 million in tournament prize money and has earned a considerable sum fromsponsorship deals, with the biggest seeing him become the face of PokerStars.

Negreanu and PokerStars parted ways in 2019 though and hes now an ambassador for GGPoker, which leaves many wondering which is the best poker room of the two. Check out our PS v GGPoker review to find out!

Bryn Kenney is an Americanplayer and perhaps one of the lesser known names on this list.

He has only won one WSOPbracelet, however he has finished in the money 32 times. He is number one onthe list of the players with the highest tournament earnings ever, withwinnings of over $55 million.

Kenney is perhaps best-knownfor winning the highest prize ever awarded at a poker tournament. He won over$20.5 million at the 2019 Triton Million charity event in London.

He actually came second, however he made a deal with eventual winner Aaron Zang when he was the chip leader, allowing him to win the larger prize.

Doyle Brunson is known as one of the greatest names in poker history.

Throughout his career, he won 10 WSOP bracelets and won the Main Event twice, in 1976 and 1977.

The retiree also regularly played cash games at Bobbys Room at the Bellagio, including a limit mixed poker game with $4,000/$8,000 blinds.

Overall, Brunson has earned over $6.1 million from live tournament winnings. How much he earned while playing high stakes cash games is unknown.

Hes also earned money from various other sources, including his book Super System, which is regarded as one of the best poker strategy books ever written.

It would be fair to say that Chris Ferguson is not the most popular man in poker.

He was accused of being one of the people behind a massive Ponzi scheme at Full Tilt Poker, which stole around $444 million from players.

Even though he later came out with an apology, it was considered too little, too late by many.

Despite his shady behaviour heis still a great player, having won the WSOP Main Event in 2000 in which hescooped a $1.5 million prize.

Overall, he has earned nearly $7 million throughout his career in live tournament winnings, with a large percentage of this figure coming from his 90 money finishes at the WSOP.

Most players will recognize Sam Farha as the man who lost to Chris Moneymaker in the 2003 Main Event.

The Lebanese poker player has bagged three WSOP bracelets over the years and although he does play tournaments, hes better known as a high-stakes Omaha cash game player.

Farhas biggest tournamentwin, aside from his prize for finishing second at the WSOP Main Event, is$488,241, which he won when finishing first at the 2010 WSOP $10,000 OmahaHi-Low Split-8 or Better Championship.

His wealth also comes from several business interests, TV and movie appearances, and writing books.

Many consider Phil Ivey to beone of the greatest players of all time. The American has managed to win 10WSOP bracelets only Phil Hellmuth has more.

He has also appeared at thefinal table of the Main Event, finishing 7th in 2009. He has won oneWPT title, plus has reached nine final tables.

Ivey has won numerous largeprizes at tournaments, including AU$4 million for coming first at the 2014Aussie Millions LK Boutique AU$250,000 Challenge.

Ivey is also a successfulonline player, plus hes a superb high-stakes cash game player, once winning $16million in three days playing against Texan billionaire Andy Beal.

Bilzerian is a huge Instagramstar and claims that most of his fortune has come from poker winnings, wonplaying ultra-high-stakes poker games.

Many are dubious of this claimthough, as he received an unknown sum of money from a trust fund, plus has manybusiness ventures, as well as a highly lucrative social media presence.

Bilzerian has made some bigclaims about his poker playing abilities, including that he made $50 millionfrom poker in 2014 alone.

He has never won a major tournament, instead claiming that his money comes from cash games only. The social media sensation has also been arrested on various occasions.

Regardless of how he got hismoney though, hes still the richest poker player in the world by far.

If you are interested in playing poker, check out our online poker guide, or our top poker freerolls.

Excerpt from:

Top 10 Richest Poker Players In The World - Updated Oct. 2020

July 07 2021Carmine Ferro

Whether you're playing poker recreationally, as a hobby, or professionally, theres a great deal of thinking that goes with it. Learning how the poker odds and outs work, and how to calculate them, is key to owning your game.

Of course, the higher the level played, the more thinking required to increase your chances of winning a hand. And that is essentially what this article comes down to chance!

In this case, we will refer to it as odds, as the two terms are synonymous. More specifically, well zero in on what poker pot odds and poker outs are and how to calculate them.

Keep reading this poker guide to find out all about poker odds and outs, so you can effortlessly chime in with your expanded vocabulary at your next poker homegame or on a real money poker site. This article describes the following in detail.

Regardless of whether youre playing poker with your friends, at a local casino, or an online poker lobby, the bottom line is that you want to win!

Now, its time to step up your game.

This article is meant for the more inexperienced and aspiring poker players. So, if youre a veteran card player, this would be familiar territory to you.

Reading this may not turn you into a professional poker player like Daniel Negreanu right away, but it could serve as a stepping stone and help you hone your poker skills and take you to the next level.

Firstly, lets just briefly say that generally speaking in poker, like in sports, odds carry a similar meaning. That is, they are pointers that tell the player about the probability of them winning a hand or estimating how much money they stand to win. This probability can be expressed in several ways fractions, percentages, or odds.

Since youre here, it means you know you have a general understanding of the games rules but are unsure how the odds work. More than just a game of chance, poker is a game of skill, analysis, and quick thinking.

Understanding and analyzing the various odds in a game helps players make more calculated moves and increase their chances of winning the round and, eventually, the game. Learning the basics about poker odds will also help prepare newbies for higher-stakes games down the road.

In poker, every hand played and every bet made has odds. Nevertheless, here we will explore pot odds, outs, and a few other relevant terms for the most popular of all poker variations Texas Hold'em!

By the way, if you want to play poker for free with your friends, make sure to download ClubGG through PokerNews. Sign up for Club PokerNews with Club ID 811180 and get 100,000 free chips to play with!

In poker, odds can be expressed for or against. For instance, if a player has two suited cards (either Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, or Spades) and the board already has two matching suits after the fourth street, then the player has four suits as they await the fifth street and a possible flush.

Say, for example, you have and the cards on the board are . You need the last card to be spades in order to hit the flush. We know that each suit has 13 ranks (from Aces to Kings) and there are already four in play - the and you hold and the and on the board. That leaves you with 9 possible outs that could hit a flush.

You would think you have relatively good odds for a flush, right? Well, not exactly.

Because if it is a game involving multiple players, one or several of them could also be holding some of the remaining spades, which effectively lowers your odds. Whether, or how many spades the other players hold is anyones guess and youll have to wait for the showdown. That is, unless you dont think your pot odds make it worth it. But what are pot odds?

Pot odds are the most important odds every poker player should know. Simply put, pot odds represent the ratio of the size of the pot to the wager you must place. For instance, if the pot has $600, and another player wagers $300, the wager is added to the total pot sum, which is now $900. Now, if you want to proceed with the hand i.e. if you dont fold - then you must call the $300.

The pot odds basically represent the ratio between the sum of money you need to wager to the total pot size. So, to calculate the pot odds, you look at how many times the amount you need to wager is contained in the pot amount. So, if you call $300, and $300 is contained 3 times in $900, then your pot odds are 3:1.

If your opponent makes a pot-sized bet/raise which is a wager that matches the size on the table, in our case $600 then the pot has $1,200. You need to call $600, which is contained two times in $1,200, which means the pot odds are 2:1.

Learning about pot odds goes hand in hand with understanding poker outs. Poker outs are undrawn cards that, if drawn, can significantly improve a players hand against their opponent.

Lets say there is a flop and you've been dealt . To improve your winning chances, you can hope for a straight. Your strongest hand would be straight and you need a 6 to hit a straight (4 and 5 of hearts, a 6 of any suit, and the 7 and 8 of diamonds). There are a total of four sixes in the deck, meaning you essentially have four possible outs or four cards that can be drawn that can improve your hand.

There are pre-calculated odds expressed in both percentage or fraction for your chance of hitting a straight on the turn or on the river (referred to as turn odds or river odds). For example, with four outs, you have about 10.8-to-1 odds or 8.51% chance of hitting straight on the turn and about 10.5-to-1 odds or 8.70% chance on the river, or combined 5.1-to-1 (16.47%) Turn+River odds.

Calculating pot odds and outs are interconnected. The idea behind understanding your pot odds is so you can compare it to your card odds to turn a profit. That means, if you have a 4:1 chance of hitting a flush, the pot needs to offer 4:1 pot odds for the risk to match the potential reward.

Another term connected to pot odds and outs is implied odds. Implied pot odds basically refers to the amount of money you expect to win in a later street. For instance, if the pot odds are 3:1 (a $200 pot size and a $100 bet) you stand to win a total of $300 if you call your opponents $100 bet. But odds might improve or diminish in the future, which is what implied odds are. See implied odds as a players ability to calculate whether they can win more or less money by considering future betting.

Now, when you know what poker odds and outs are, you can test your skills in some of the best freeroll tournaments for 2021! Good luck!

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Poker Odds and Outs (and How to Calculate Them) Explained - PokerNews.com

A Century man is facing felony charges for allegedly stealing the cash pot during a poker game.

Ronnie Lee Simpson, Jr., 39, was charged with robbery with a firearm, felony grand theft, two counts of petit theft, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

Simpson was allegedly playing poker for money at a residence on Blackmon Street in Century when he pulled a gun and stole the pot. Other players said Simpson had gone broke and was upset.

One victim told deputies that he had $740 in the pot, and another said he was had $300. Both said they wished to pursue charges. A third victim told deputies he was in for $1,875 that was stolen but he said he wished to pursue the issue civilly.

Simpson was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $40,000 bond.

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Century Man Charged With Stealing The Cash Pot From Poker Game After He Went Broke - NorthEscambia.com

When Governor Dan McKee signs the state budget for the fiscal year that started July 1 into law later this morning, you can expect him to praise lawmakers for sending him a plan that doesnt raise taxes or overspend on federal relief money, and includes a little something to make almost everyone happy.

But there are two revenue-producing items that arent in the budget, and it looks like Connecticut is going to have a leg up on Rhode Island on both: cannabis and online poker.

While the Rhode Island Senate did approve a bill to legalize cannabis, the House of Representatives didnt take a vote before the legislative session ended last week. All signs suggest that a legalization bill could be considered in the fall.

Connecticut beat the state to the punch by approving a cannabis bill, and some aspects of the law have already taken effect. As of July 1, adults can replace their nutmeg with up to 1.5 ounces of marijuana. In October, medical marijuana patients will be allowed to grow their own plants at home.

Retail sales and other growing rules are further down the line. The state expects retail to begin late next year, and all adults will be allowed to grow marijuana at home on July 1, 2023.

McKee and other legislative leaders have stressed that they dont believe Rhode Island is in a race to approve cannabis its been legal in Massachusetts for a while now but theres always the chance that the state could expedite its retail timeline in order to cash in before Connecticut.

When it comes to online gambling, Connecticut is years behind Rhode Island in sports betting, but the state has now legalized sports wagering, online casinos, and online poker. Rhode Island doesnt yet offer online casinos or poker.

Poker is particularly significant because, even though it doesnt produce massive revenue, the seven states that have legalized online poker are expected to eventually offer interstate gambling, which will be attractive to the gamblers seeking large prize pools.

If you flash back 15 or so years, you might remember all the online poker ads that aired on television. That industry largely dried up in the US because Congress approved the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in 2006, which banned online poker. But the Justice Department recently threw in the towel on that policy, and Connecticut became the seventh state to legalize it.

THE GLOBE IN RHODE ISLAND

From organic farm to armed standoff, the Providence man who was arrested Saturday during and after an hours-long standoff with police on I-95 in Wakefield has taken an unexpected path. Read more.

Heres what you should know about the Rise of the Moors, the Rhode Island group that live streamed its standoff with police. Read more.

The Bristol Fourth of July parade was kind of perfect. Read more.

The only thing I could think about reading this story about Rhode Islands copies of the Declaration of Independence was the movie National Treasure. Read more.

This weeks Ocean State Innovators Q&A is with Vanessa Venturini and Amanda Missimer, the co-founders of Food Recovery for Rhode Island, a program that aims to rescue and recycle food in order to address the states food waste and access issues. E-mail Alexa Gagosz with suggestions for this weekly interview. Read more.

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Crime: Do not miss Dugan Arnetts piece on a Massachusetts police chief who is still trying to cope with his fathers suspicious death in 1987. Read more.

Politics: My colleague James Pindell explains how the governors race in Maine could offer clues about a comeback for former president Donald Trump. Read more.

Health: Doctors say the near-ubiquitous nature of hand sanitizer is a net positive. But its not without risks and should not be overused. Read more.

Sports: As long as Adam Ottavino continues pitching well, he should continue earthing in Fenway Park. Read more.

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Each day, Rhode Map offers a cheat sheet breaking down whats happening in Rhode Island. Have an idea? E-mail us at RInews@globe.com.

Governor Dan McKee is scheduled to sign the state budget into law at 11 a.m.

Governor McKee and Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos are holding their weekly press conference at 2 p.m.

Democrat Oscar Vargas will officially be elected to the Providence City Council because he faces no opponent in todays general election in Ward 15.

Do you Rhode Map? Your subscription is what makes it possible. Weve got a great offer here.

Dan McGowan can be reached at dan.mcgowan@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter at @danmcgowan.

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Connecticut beats Rhode Island to the punch on pot and poker - The Boston Globe

Tobey Maguire, From Wandering Into Shelters As A Kid To Making $30-$40 Million In Just 4 Years Rags To Riches (Photo Credit: IMDb)

Just like Robert Downey Jr and Daniel Radcliffe are etched in our minds as Iron Man and Harry Potter, respectively, Tobey Maguire will always be our original Spider-Man. While the actor had a less than humble beginning, he now has his own production company, Material Pictures. So how did he make this jump from rags to riches?

Well, the answer is loads of hard work and organising high stake poker games for Hollywoods biggest stars and some loaded business figures. Shocked? In his book, Billion Dollar Hollywood Heist, writer Houston Curtis opened up about it and spoke about the poker games the duo organised.

Just so that you understand the Spider-Man actors humble beginning, in a 2013 interview with The Guardian, Tobey Maguire revealed he used to couch surf and even went to shelters. He said, As a kid, I was very poor. I mean, its all relative, but we would get groceries from neighbours. I always had a roof over my head, but I slept on couches of relatives, and some night we wandered into a shelter. My family had food stamps and government medical insurance. And I wanted to get out of that, so my ambition was initially to make money; I was pretty driven.

And being poor is a thing of the past now for him. As per past media reports, the Spider-Man star made close to $30-$40 million in just a matter of years by playing cards. According to a past report in Hindustan Times, writer Houston Curtis once opened up about the reasons behind Tobey Maguire not saying yes to many films. He noted that it was so because Tobey has cultivated a career as a poker player.

According to the writer, Tobey Maguire and he would run high-stakes poker games frequented by stars like Ben Affleck, Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon. Revealing that they have been doing so since as far back as 2005, Curtis estimated that Maguire could have made up to $30 to $40 million from the games, in like four years.

According to Houston Curtis book, Billion Dollar Hollywood Heist, the poker game was designed to hustle the well-bankrolled competition from the start. The book stated that it was Curtis job to dump chips to the rich at the table, allowing Tobey Maguire to use his poker skill to win huge sums. These poker games ran every Tuesday at L.A. locales like the Beverly Hills Four Seasons Hotel and the Viper Room nightclub from 2005 to 2009.

Now thats a story of rags to riches! In fact, Maguires underground success at poker was said to be the inspiration behind the Player X character in Mollys Game.

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Spider-Man Tobey Maguire Used To Organise Poker Games For Ben Affleck, Leonardo DiCaprio & Others Making $30-$40 Million From Them - Koimoi

At least 10 people were shot this weekend in Dallas, police said.

DALLAS Dallas police said 10 people were shot and three were killed in Dallas over the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

People living in the area of the shootings said they were out watching fireworks and enjoying themselves when the shooting started and they were forced to run for cover.

Senseless, senseless, Cornerstone Baptist Church Pastor Chris Simmons said.

Simmons was stunned when he heard about the violence across Dallas Sunday night.

Crews spent the day cleaning up at the Larry Johnson Recreation Center in Southeast Dallas on Dixon Circle after a holiday celebration ended in violence.

They heard the shooting, and they started running, witness Kevin Carter said.

Carters girlfriend was sitting in her car when it was shot out, shattering the back window.

Her cousins, ages 13 and 15, were shot, and are in area hospitals. Theyre both expected to make full recoveries.

Over on the 3000 block of Park Row, many were gathered and watching fireworks when one woman was shot, and another man was shot in the head.

Its a dangerous neighborhood, Carter said.

Around 11:15 last night, a celebration on the 8200 block of Towns Street in Hamilton Park was the site of a shooting where five people were shot, and three were killed.

Then, over on Gould Street, a 61-year-old man was shot and killed in a park over a poker game.

He attended our church, Simmons said. Senseless, to realize that a life is not more valuable than $7, and the shooter's life is destroyed."

Garcia and the community have been working hard to get the crime rate and violence down. He said compared to this time last year, the crime rate numbers are significantly down.

Simmons and other pastors have been sticking together, and trying to make a difference.

To not allow violence to take place in the community, and become incognito, but to engage with the police, said Simmons.

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61-year-old man killed over a poker game is one of 3 people killed in Dallas-area shootings over holiday weekend - WFAA.com

A piece of great news in the fight to legalise online poker across the United States hit the headlines in June. The deadline for the Department of Justice to appeal a January ruling of the Trump administrations reinterpretation of the Wire Act finally expired. Could the country be on the brink of rebuilding its online poker scene?

With this new legal clarification on the Wire Act the states might now start talking to each other to put together a new framework that benefits the whole country.

Michigan and Pennsylvania are new to the party and are thought to be discussing possibilities right now. West Virginia could now be the next state drawing up a bill, and there is also talk regarding the small north eastern states like Connecticut, who were not previously considered suitable candidates for a standalone player pool, but could now tag along with another deal.

A nationwide player pool would give players more choice, leading to greater competition and improving conditions for the entire market. There is no down side here if the lawmakers can get together and pull this off. Fingers crossed.

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Is Poker Finally Coming to the USA by the End of 2021? - HighstakesDB

Baazi Games concluded the online edition of the National Poker Series recently and saw a nation-wide pool of Indias poker talent. The debut-edition recorded a whopping 83,793 entries from across the country and the winners took home a staggering prize pool of more than Rs19 crores.

The 15-days series hosted on PokerBaazi lauded 64 gold medalists in addition to 128 silver and bronze champions. The winners from the main-event gold medalist Mohammad Azhar (Nagaur, Rajasthan), silver medalist Ashwani Vishwakarma (Satna, Madhya Pradesh) and bronze medalist Player think_again were the ultimate poker maestros who secured victory in this tenacious battle of skill and mental strength. The biggest event of the tournament Golden Rush witnessed 19,249 entries and discovered the hidden gems of poker Vivek Bajaj (Ranchi, Jharkhand), Player neha 94 and Sumit Sapra (Mohali, Punjab) who won gold, silver and bronze medals respectively.

Commenting on the success of the National Poker Series,Baazi Games founder and CEO Navkiran Singhsaid,We are over-joyed with the immense enthusiasm and love that the poker patrons across the nation have showcased during this 15-days gala. The National Poker Series, hosted on PokerBaazi.com ended on a high note as we witnessed exponential audience participation which crossed our anticipated mark and unveiled some hidden gems and marvels who excel in the game of poker. Moreover, the success of the series is a testament of our efforts towards pivoting the perception of poker in India as a skill-based game that provides an opportunity to challenge the human mind. I would also like to acknowledge the dedication and diligence that has gone behind by our teams to ensure the success of this tournament. As we conclude the debut-edition of NPS, we are already geared up to start planning for the next season and bring some exciting opportunities to the table.

Talking about his victory and experience,NPS Podium Gold Medalist Mohammad Azhar Tak from Nagaur, Rajasthansaid,This edition of NPS has been more than participating in just one or two events. The main event is my third victory and the toughest one so far, where I took the field down. Its one of my greatest feats that I have been going after since a very long time. NPS has been a great experience and I have secured the first position for the Vegas package. Moreover, it is unreal to believe that I will be representing India internationally. I am looking forward to my trip to Vegas, where I plan to discover all things poker.

The series witnessed some nail-biting poker tables and scaled new heights by throwing open the platform for one-and-all to try their hand at the game of poker. Furthermore, the NPS Podium Finishers, the players with the most valuable medal hauls across the series,Mohammad Azhar Tak (Nagaur, Rajasthan),Ankit Wadhawan (Chandigarh, Punjab) andKritagya Sharma (New Delhi) who won the gold, silver, and bronze medals,will be representing India at an international platform in one of the biggest poker events of the world to be conducted in Las Vegas.

The Leaderboard:

Top 3 main-event champions:

Gold: Mohammad Azhar Tak from Nagaur, Rajasthan

Silver: Ashwani Vishwakarma from Satna, Madhya Pradesh

Bronze: Player under the name of Thing_again from Mumbai, Maharashtra

Winners for Golden Rush Tournament:

Gold: Vivek Bajaj from Ranchi, Jharkhand

Silver: Player under the name of neha94 from Jaipur, Rajasthan

Bronze: Sumit Sapra from Zirakpur, Mohali, Punjab

Top 3 Podium Finishers:

Gold: Mohammad Azhar Tak from Nagaur, Rajasthan

Silver: Ankit Wadhawan from Chandigarh, Punjab

Bronze: Kritagya Sharma from New Delhi

Read more here:

PokerBaazis National Poker Series witnesses participation of 83,793 entries across the 15 days tournament - Animation Xpress

July 04, 2021Chad Holloway

PokerNews is known throughout the world for our industry-leading live updates for both live and online events. In fact, right now we're offering various updates right here.

Over the years, weve captured memorable hands, many of which have become a part of poker history. In this new column, we will bring you some of the biggest hands of the week as reported in the PokerNews Live Updates.

Remember, if youre playing an event PokerNews is covering, you can get in the updates via the MyStack App. You can download the app for iPhone or Android now to get started. Then, create a new PokerNews account or update your current one to start updating your status immediately. Your followers can see all the live action that you're involved in.

Click here to download the My Stack app for iPhone, or click here to download the My Stack app for Android.

This past week, PokerNews was offering live updates from the $10,000 buy-in, $10,000,000 GTD Wynn Millions, which saw Andrew Moreno top a 1,328-entry field to win $1,460,106 in prize money.

Throughout the tournament, there were some memorable hands including a brutal cooler involving Bryn Kenney and Alex Foxen, as well as Ari Engel winning with straight flush over straight flush.

In between, there were some other interesting hands reported in our live updates blog. Here's a look at some highlights.

On Day 1a of the Wynn Millions, it took just one hand for the first player to fall. It happened in Level 1 (100/100/100) when Maria Konnikova raised to 300 only to have Tony Wasaya three-bet to 1,300. Arthur Morris called, Konnikova folded, and it was heads-up action to a rainbow flop.

Wasaya continued for 7,000, Morris called, and the appeared on the turn, which put out a potential flush draw.

Wasaya bet 13,000 and then snap-called when Morris raised all in.

Tony Wasaya: Arthur Morris:

Morris had flopped a set and cracked aces after the river bricked. Just like that, the first player fell in the 2021 Wynn Millions.

In the same level, there was heads-up action between Daniel Negreanu from the cutoff and Walter Enlow on the button with a completed board of showing.

A series of raises saw Negreanu move all in and Enlow called off his stack holding slightly less then Negreanu.

Negreanu quickly rolled over the nuts and Enlow tossed into the muck. With that, Negreanu doubled and was off to a great start. Unfortunately for him, it was only downhill from there.

In the very next level, there was four-way action that saw a flop and Nitis Udornpim continued for 1,500. Negreanu raised to 5,500 and all three opponents called bringing the turn.

Action was checked to the player in middle position who fired out 1,600 and Negreanu raised all in. Action folded to Udornpim who came over the top and isolated.

Nitis Udornpim: Daniel Negreanu:

Negreanu was ahead after flopping a set of fives but a completed the board on the river, giving Udornpim a better full house and sent Negreanu to the rebuy desk.

On Day 1b, Negreanu was back at it but continued to struggle. In Level 7 (400/800/800), 2017 WSOP champ Scott Blumstein raised to 1,800 from middle position only to have Negreanu three-bet jam for 11,800 a couple spots over. Action folded back to Blumstein, who opted to fold. Negreanu then let slip a smile and showed the .

In the very next hand, Negreanu raised to 1,600 from the hijack and Wyoming's Ryan Remington called from the button. The player in the small blind called, as did the big, and it was four-way action to a flop of .

Two checks saw Negreanu continue for 5,500, Remington called, and the other two players got out of the way. After the dealer burned and turned the , Negreanu jammed and action was on Remington.

"That was a good card for me," he said before making the call.

Ryan Remington: Daniel Negreanu:

Indeed, the turn gave Remington a diamond flush draw, but Negreanu was ahead with a pair and heart flush draw. Unfortunately for "Kid Poker," the river was the to pair Remington.

Negreanu would try again and eventually found his footing; in fact, he wound up finishing 114th in the tournament for $27,099.

Also on Day 1b, it was Level 8 (500/1,000/1,000) when Sergio Aido raised to 2,500 from the button and then called when Chan three-bet to 7,500 from the small blind.

On the two-diamond flop, Chan continued for 10,000 and Aido called to see the turn.

Chan moved all in for his last 15,000 or so and Aido called.

Johnny Chan: Sergio Aido:

Aido was out in front with two pair while Chan had both straight and flush draws. Unfortunately for the two-time WSOP Main Event champ, the river was a brick and he was eliminated from the tournament.

Continue reading here:

Hands of the Week: Negreanu Struggles in Wynn Millions; Johnny Chan's Bustout - PokerNews.com