Monthly Archives: August 2021

SPRINGFIELD MGM Springfield made the Gaming Commission's planned discussion on Thursday about the absence of poker at the western Massachusetts casino an easy one.

While poker will return to MGM Springfield, the casino will bring the popular card game back at a reduced capacity. Players can expect about 10 to 12 tables instead of the 28 that used to populate the casino's poker room.

"So, really, I think our first statement is that poker will be returning to MGM Springfield," Daniel Miller, the casino's compliance director said right off the top. "We have plans that it will come back in Q4 of this year."

The state's two casinos MGM Springfield and Encore Boston Harbor were freed of nearly all COVID-19 restrictions and resumed mostly normal operations in late May without offering poker, which had been prohibited by the commission when regulators first allowed the casinos to reopen under health and safety restrictions last year. This spring, the Gaming Commission began to take notice of the 10-fold increase in complaints about the lack of legal poker in the Bay State.

Both casinos said they would make decisions about the future of poker by the end of the year.

"Where previously we had made the statement that we would make a decision on it by the end of the year. We have at least made that decision and we will move forward with a plan on how to return it within that quarter," Miller said, rounding out what ended up being a discussion of less than two minutes.

While poker will return to MGM Springfield, the casino will bring the popular card game back at a reduced capacity. Players can expect about 10 to 12 tables instead of the 28 that used to populate the casino's poker room, Miller said.

"We have listened to our poker players and also our previous dealers that want this back as an option at our casino, and we want to provide it to them," he said.

Encore Boston Harbor told the Gaming Commission in late July that a reintroduction of poker would require the casino to close other table games because it cannot find enough people to hire as dealers. An Encore executive also said the former poker room is now filled with "some of our highest-performing slot machines."

"Based on current market conditions and the resulting need to prioritize space, Encore Boston Harbor will not be bringing back live poker at this time. If and when poker should return to Encore, it will likely be at a reduced capacity," an Encore spokesperson said in July.

Poker is different from many other games in that gamblers play against (and win money from or lose it to) each other rather than the casino. Instead of the casino generating revenue by winning a game, as it usually does, casinos generally profit off poker by claiming a rake, or a percentage of cash game pots and tournament entry fees.

Poker rooms at casinos are "somewhat notorious for their inability to produce competitive levels of profit per square foot," researcher Anthony Lucas wrote in a paper published in the UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal in 2013. Around the country, other operators have decided not to offer poker at this time, Bruce Band, the assistant director of the commission's Investigations and Enforcement Bureau and chief of the Gaming Agents Division, told commissioners last month.

July produced a record $27 million in gaming taxes and fees for the state.

Even without poker, Encore Boston Harbor raked in a record-high $59.07 million in gaming revenue in July and MGM Springfield had its best month since before Encore opened in June 2019, counting $23.71 million in gaming revenue. Combined with $12.95 million in monthly revenue at Plainridge Park Casino, July produced a record $27 million in gaming taxes and fees for the state.

On Thursday, Band provided the Gaming Commission with an update on the number of gaming positions offered at each of the three licensees.

Plainridge Park Casino currently has 910 active slot machines, he said. MGM Springfield is operating 1,609 slot machines, 52 table games and 15 stadium gaming seats, which allow gamblers to play blackjack, roulette, and variations of baccarat on computer screens, but with live dealers.

At Encore Boston Harbor, gamblers have their pick of 2,608 slot machines, 180 table games and 53 stadium gaming seats, Band said.

Read the rest here:

Letting the chips fall: Poker will return to MGM Springfield by year's end - Berkshire Eagle

Colin A. Young| State House News Service

MGM Springfield made the Gaming Commission's planned discussion on Thursday about the absence of poker at the western Massachusetts casino an easy one.

"So, really, I think our first statement is that poker will be returning to MGM Springfield," Daniel Miller, the casino's compliance director said right off the top. "We have plans that it will come back in Q4 of this year."

The state's two casinos -- MGM Springfield and Encore Boston Harbor -- were freed of nearly all COVID-19 restrictions and resumed mostly normal operations in late May without offering poker, which had been prohibited by the commission when regulators first allowed the casinos to reopen under health and safety restrictions last year. This spring, the Gaming Commission began to take notice of the 10-fold increase in complaints about the lack of legal poker in the Bay State.

Both casinos said they would make decisions about the future of poker by the end of the year.

"Where previously we had made the statement that we would make a decision on it by the end of the year. We have at least made that decision and we will move forward with a plan on how to return it within that quarter," Miller said, rounding out what ended up being a discussion of less than two minutes.

More: Players complain about absence of poker at Massachusetts casinos

More: Massachusetts state representatives approve sports betting

While poker will return to MGM Springfield, the casino will bring the popular card game back at a reduced capacity. Players can expect about 10 to 12 tables instead of the 28 that used to populate the casino's poker room, Miller said.

"We have listened to our poker players and also our previous dealers that want this back as an option at our casino, and we want to provide it to them," he said.

Encore Boston Harbor told the Gaming Commission in late July that a reintroduction of poker would require the casino to close other table games because it cannot find enough people to hire as dealers. An Encore executive also said the former poker room is now filled with "some of our highest-performing slot machines."

"Based on current market conditions and the resulting need to prioritize space, Encore Boston Harbor will not be bringing back live poker at this time. If and when poker should return to Encore, it will likely be at a reduced capacity," an Encore spokesperson said in July.

Poker is different from many other games in that gamblers play against (and win money from or lose it to) each other rather than the casino. Instead of the casino generating revenue by winning a game, as it usually does, casinos generally profit off poker by claiming a rake, or a percentage of cash game pots and tournament entry fees.

Poker rooms at casinos are "somewhat notorious for their inability to produce competitive levels of profit per square foot," researcher Anthony Lucas wrote in a paper published in the UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal in 2013. Around the country, other operators have decided not to offer poker at this time, Bruce Band, the assistant director of the commission's Investigations and Enforcement Bureau and chief of the Gaming Agents Division, told commissioners last month.

Even without poker, Encore Boston Harbor raked in a record-high $59.07 million in gaming revenue in July and MGM Springfield had its best month since before Encore opened in June 2019, counting $23.71 million in gaming revenue. Combined with $12.95 million in monthly revenue at Plainridge Park Casino, July produced a record $27 million in gaming taxes and fees for the state.

On Thursday, Band provided the Gaming Commission with an update on the number of gaming positions currently offered at each of the three licensees.

Plainridge Park Casino currently has 910 active slot machines, he said. MGM Springfield is operating 1,609 slot machines, 52 table games and 15 stadium gaming seats, which allow gamblers to play blackjack, roulette, and variations of baccarat on computer screens, but with live dealers.

At Encore Boston Harbor, gamblers have their pick of 2,608 slot machines, 180 table games and 53 stadium gaming seats, Band said.

Read the original here:

Poker returning to MGM casino this year; return to Encore not imminent - The Patriot Ledger

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (SHNS) MGM Springfield made the Gaming Commissions planned discussion on Thursday about the absence of poker at the western Massachusetts casino an easy one.

So, really, I think our first statement is that poker will be returning to MGM Springfield, Daniel Miller, the casinos compliance director said right off the top. We have plans that it will come back in Q4 of this year.

The states two casinos MGM Springfield and Encore Boston Harbor were freed of nearly all COVID-19 restrictions and resumed mostly normal operations in late May without offering poker, which had been prohibited by the commission when regulators first allowed the casinos to reopen under health and safety restrictions last year. This spring, the Gaming Commission began to take notice of the 10-fold increase in complaints about the lack of legal poker in the Bay State.

Both casinos said they would make decisions about the future of poker by the end of the year.

Where previously we had made the statement that we would make a decision on it by the end of the year. We have at least made that decision and we will move forward with a plan on how to return it within that quarter, Miller said, rounding out what ended up being a discussion of less than two minutes.

While poker will return to MGM Springfield, the casino will bring the popular card game back at a reduced capacity. Players can expect about 10 to 12 tables instead of the 28 that used to populate the casinos poker room, Miller said.

We have listened to our poker players and also our previous dealers that want this back as an option at our casino, and we want to provide it to them, he said.

Encore Boston Harbortold the Gaming Commissionin late July that a reintroduction of poker would require the casino to close other table games because it cannot find enough people to hire as dealers. An Encore executive also said the former poker room is now filled with some of our highest-performing slot machines.

Based on current market conditions and the resulting need to prioritize space, Encore Boston Harbor will not be bringing back live poker at this time. If and when poker should return to Encore, it will likely be at a reduced capacity, an Encore spokesperson said in July.

Poker is different from many other games in that gamblers play against (and win money from or lose it to) each other rather than the casino. Instead of the casino generating revenue by winning a game, as it usually does, casinos generally profit off poker by claiming a rake, or a percentage of cash game pots and tournament entry fees.

Poker rooms at casinos are somewhat notorious for their inability to produce competitive levels of profit per square foot, researcher Anthony Lucas wrote in apaperpublished in the UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal in 2013. Around the country, other operators have decided not to offer poker at this time, Bruce Band, the assistant director of the commissions Investigations and Enforcement Bureau and chief of the Gaming Agents Division, told commissioners last month.

Even without poker, Encore Boston Harborraked ina record-high $59.07 million in gaming revenue in July and MGM Springfield had its best month since before Encore opened in June 2019, counting $23.71 million in gaming revenue. Combined with $12.95 million in monthly revenue at Plainridge Park Casino, July produced a record $27 million in gaming taxes and fees for the state.

On Thursday, Band provided the Gaming Commission with an update on the number of gaming positions currently offered at each of the three licensees.

Plainridge Park Casino currently has 910 active slot machines, he said. MGM Springfield is operating 1,609 slot machines, 52 table games and 15 stadium gaming seats, which allow gamblers to play blackjack, roulette, and variations of baccarat on computer screens, but with live dealers.

At Encore Boston Harbor, gamblers have their pick of 2,608 slot machines, 180 table games and 53 stadium gaming seats, Band said.

Read more:

Poker returning to MGM Springfield by end of year - WWLP.com

August 18, 2021Will Shillibier

The 2003 WSOP Main Event champion Chris Moneymaker has announced that he will not be attending the 2021 World Series of Poker.

In a tweet, the Poker Hall of Famer stated as one of his reasons that he did not want to bring the virus home, with his nine-year-old child unable to be vaccinated.

Many poker players and fans were quick to commiserate, including three-time WSOP bracelet winner David Bach.

Pokernews reached out to the former Main Event champion to ask him about how he came to his decision, one that he admits he hated to make.

"I decided to skip the WSOP Main Event when I learned that even vaccinated people could shed the virus," said Moneymaker. "If I go to the WSOP I will most certainly be exposed to the virus."

Moneymaker cashed twice at the 2019 World Series of Poker, including a 687th place finish in the Main Event - the first time Moneymaker had cashed in the Main Event since his 2003 win.

"I was looking forward to live poker in general," said Moneymaker. "Before the Delta variant, I started to play live locally again and added some stops live to my schedule. That is all gone for the foreseeable future."

WSOP 2021: Read Phil Ivey's Top WSOP Tips

"If you are not vaccinated [...] I cannot handle that kind of stupidity"

We asked Moneymaker whether he had anything to say to those who were hesitant to wear masks or were reluctant to get vaccinated against the virus. Moneymaker did not mince his words.

"If you are not vaccinated or don't wear a mask at this point, there is nothing I can say to you. I will probably just not speak to you anymore as I can not handle that kind of stupidity."

Moneymaker has since said that he would love to see the World Series of Poker go forward, and that he would love to play in it. In fact, he finished his tweet with the hashtag #nextyearihope.

However, while the rest of the poker community hopes to write their name into poker folklore, this is just one name they will have to go without for 2021 at least.

There's still plenty of time for you to lock up a seat to the 2021 WSOP Main Event with ClubGG

WSOP Main Event Stage 1 Satellites are already underway with players just three stages away from locking up their $10,000 seat.

Click here for more details or head to ClubGG to sign up now!

See the original post here:

WSOP 2021: Former Champ Chris Moneymaker Set to Miss This Year's WSOP - PokerNews.com

The NSW state government has issued a call for community feedback on the impacts of reforms it implemented in 2018 around the use of poker machines in high risk areas.

The reforms, described as the most significant changes to NSW gambling regulation in a decade, included a cap on the number of gaming machines allowed in higher-risk areas and new measures to target potential harms in more localised areas, plus implementation of a leasing scheme for small clubs and hotels to lease, rather than sell, their Gaming Machine Entitlements (GMEs) to other clubs and hotels. The latter initiative was designed to allow operators to go pokies-free while staying economically viable.

In a statement, the state government said Liquor & Gaming NSW was now conducting a formal evaluation of the reforms, including feedback from the public and interested stakeholders, which it says will help shape future policy directions.

These areas were capped three years ago to ensure no additional machines could be moved into these areas, and we want to see how effective they have been in reducing gambling harms, said John Tansey, Executive Director Policy & Strategy for Better Regulation Division.

The NSW Government is keen to hear from the community, so we are conducting a survey to help inform our evaluation. We will also be inviting venue operators with GMEs to complete a separate online survey.

The 96,000 poker machines in NSW represents almost half of the national total.

Follow this link:

NSW Government to study effectiveness of 2018 poker machine reforms - IAG - Inside Asian Gaming

Calculating the odds of a hand is something that a few people have dedicated their entire lives to..

The motivation for being able to calculate the odds of a poker hand are huge. If someone was able to know the odds of their hand, they would be able to maximise their winning potential and bring losing odds to almost negligible levels.

Out of all the techniques and tactics, there seem to only be a few methods that truly allow you to have a chance of calculating the odds. Forget about all the fad techniques that dont work, and dont waste your time with them.

In this article, we will be discussing some of the simple methods that actually work, as well as the reasons behind their functionality.

Play The Right Game

Due to the wide variety of games that are available to be played on sites like GGPoker Ireland for example, there seems to be quite a lot of confusion about which poker games are the best for each individual.

This leads to the majority of people opting to play their favourite game, which is completely fine. Although, for people who want to have the best odds possible of winning, this is not the best route to go down.

There are a few games that give a slight advantage to the player compared to the majority of other poker games. If you happen to only play the games that fall under the category, you automatically increase the odds of winning by 1-2%. This might not sound like a significant change, but over the long term, this can make you come out on top more often than not.

So, just by opting to play the right games, you are already calculating the odds of winning, even if thats just by a few percent.

Stack The Odds In Your Favour

There are a variety of small changes to the way you play poker that when added up, can make an enormous difference.

Simple things like just playing smart and not being overly risky can drastically increase your odds. We know this sounds simple, but this is one of the easiest and quickest ways to increase your odds that very few people employ.

This is because of the fact that emotions tend to get involved when playing poker. So, instead of playing emotionally, try to separate yourself and think logically.

Theres also a plethora of other factors that affect your odds such as whether you should be playing online or real-world poker if you should be playing with certain players who you know are good at the game, or even just know when to call it quits and accept your losses or when to carry on.

All of these small and seemingly insignificant changes may appear to do next to nothing at first, but over time it will allow you to have a massive advantage over the average poker player.

Conclusion

By using the techniques we have told you about in this article, you will be able to drastically increase the chances of you winning a hand in poker.

Unfortunately, there is no sure-fire way to calculate the odds of a hand. If there was, poker would not long be a viable game to be played as people would just know the best calls almost immediately.

However, the simple knowledge we have given to you will allow you to have a slight advantage over your competitors. In the long-term, the tips we have told you will make a substantial difference in your overall win to loss rate.

Have fun.

Read the rest here:

Poker: How To Calculate The Odds of Your Hand - Euro Weekly News

Everton boss Rafael Benitez played his cards close to his chest when asked about the future of James Rodriguez and Moise Kean.

The pair have been linked with a Goodison Park exit all summer but remain at the club. Colombia international James has been mentioned in connection with Atletico Madrid. There was confusion earlier this week when he appeared to post a cryptic message about the Spanish club.

However, the former Real Madrid man soon put those rumours to bed. He did not play in the Merseysiders opening Premier League victory over Southampton.

The South American is still isolating and will miss Saturdays trip to Elland Road to face Leeds United. Italy forward Kean spent last season on loan with Paris Saint-Germain.

Where next for Robert Lewandowski Man City, Liverpool, Real Madrid or staying at Bayern Munich?

The 21-year-old has been linked with a summer switch to Inter Milan. He too missed the victory over Saints but is back in the squad for the West Yorkshire outing.

Benitez was asked about the duo at Fridays press conference. And, toeing the club line, the Spaniard gave little away.

Until the end of August, until the last day, the last minute, (there will be) a lot of speculation, he said. We have to keep working with the players that are here and available, and that is it, the only thing that I can say.

And when asked specifically about James, he was equally as vague.

Until August 31, yes hes in my plans, he added.

Kean made 29 Premier League appearances but only six starts in his first season with Everton. He was given the nod at Parc des Princes on 22 occasions last term, with 26 total Ligue 1 outings.

And the man with nine Italy caps responded in style. He bagged 13 league goals and 17 in all competitions, proving he is the real deal at the top level.

Now back wearing blue, he may play some part this weekend despite talk of a loan to the San Siro, per Tuttomercatoweb.

Still we have some issues, but Moise Kean is the one that is coming back at the moment, Benitez continued. Until August 31 we have to be sure the players give everything, and then after that we will know exactly which is in our squad and then we will concentrate on that.

At the moment he has been training these days, he was OK, and he is another option we have up front, so Im happy with the idea that he can give us a hand if it is necessary.

Ben Godfrey, Andre Gomes, Jean-Philippe Gbamin and Gylfi Sigurdsson were the others not in the squad for the Southampton game. They will not feature against Leeds.

READ MORE: Last transfer priority revealed as Southampton line up Everton starlet

Originally posted here:

Benitez stays poker-faced but key duo remain in Everton 'plans' - Teamtalk.com

Leisha Hailey stars in The L Word: Generation QPhoto: Liz Morris/Showtime

Were just all a bunch of fuck-ups, Shane McCutcheonwho has pivoted from hairstylist to bar owner to, now, poker hostwisely observes near the end of Lean On Me. Its funny because its true. The characters of The L Word: Generation Q are messy, chaotic, self-sabotaging fuckups, and their mistakes are the fuel the show runs on. Lean On Me is an assemblage of intense argumentsbetween friends, between lovers. Theres a lot of fighting, a lot of tears. But for all the big emotions its steeped in, Lean On Me feels more plot-driven than character-driven a lot of the time.

The episode picks up immediately after Finleys wedding crasher moment. Danis rightfully furious and unraveling, and the blocking between her and Sophie makes it clear that shes just on the edge of violence. Indeed, she ends up decking Finley in the eye right before the smash to the title card. Its an appropriately dramatic reaction to last weeks cliffhanger, and Lean On Me reckons with the consequences of this cursed love triangle. Whereas that part of the narrative was a weak spot in the premiere, its weightier and more developed here. The Dani/Finley/Sophie conflict allows all three characters to be messy.

Micah finally sticks it to Jose, calling him out for being a liar and a cheater. He says he never wants to make anyone feel the way Dani feels, and while its satisfying to watch Micah tell him off, the attempts to tie it back to the Dani/Sophie storyline are a little too pat. Micah does suggest at one point that his experience with Jose opened his eyes to the reality that things are sometimes more complicated than they seem, but he just drops that line and then moves on. We dont really get to see those complications or the ramifications of that realization. It feels significant, and yet its just dropped in like a neat little platitude. I do love that this friend group all has clearly defined dynamics and roles. Micah is clearly the friend who gets at the heart of your feelings, basically offering friendship therapy. But sometimes that also makes it so that we dont get enough actual character development of Micah. Instead, hes just being used as emotional exposition for other characters. Micahs blossoming friendship with Maribel, however, does feel like a Micah storyline that actually gives him agency and texture. The scenes between them stand out even as they just happen at the periphery, like when he and Maribel are sorting through the wedding gifts. Their chemistry is palpable. Theres a slice-of-life quality to their interactions by which I mean theyre acting like real people with real feelings instead of just saying things to service the plot. Too often in Lean On Me, the characters do the latter.

Speaking of chemistry, Lean On Me delivers a sex scene thats immediately worthy of The L Words hall of fame. Following their somewhat awkward but ultimately fun first date last episode, Gigi and Bette have apparently been getting to know each other a little more. That means having a candid and real conversation about racist microaggressions in the workplace. And that also means having very good sex that is so defined by the fact that they both want control. Their sex scene manages to be funny and hot all at once. Their control issues are on full display in the best way. Its a much needed break from people fighting. I dont think Bette and Gigi are a good romantic match, but thats part of what makes this particular pairing so fun. Sexual compatibility and romantic compatibility dont always go hand-in-hand. Bette and Gigi do have a lot in common and are exactly the kind of people who would, well, date themselves.

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Theres a lot of fun in the poker sequence also, especially since it smashes together the two generations of characters in a way that actually makes sense (Im less convinced that Bette and Dani are close enough for Bette to bring her sympathy Tartine after the not-wedding). Theres a lot happening at once here, and some of it works quite well, especially when the writing acknowledges these characters complexity. They arent wholly defined by their past actions, and they shouldnt be. When they all start talking about the mistakes theyve made, Tess suggests people can grow, and points toward her friendship with Shane as proof of that. Every person as this table has, at some point, made unhealthy, hurtful choices in their relationships. Sometimes repeatedly. But theyre also trying to learn from their mistakes. Theres that interesting mess.

The messy parts of peoples lives are always the most relatable, Shane says when Alice complains about the notes she has been given to add some realness and grit to her book. Again, its this show in a nutshell. The mess makes Generation Q compulsively watchable. But theres also a difference between mess/drama thats still rooted in emotional truth and mess/drama thats just plot-driven or conflict for the sake of conflict. The writing shouldnt feel literally messy, but it often does, especially when it comes to some of the Nat and Alice scenes in this episode, which Ill get into later. This episode brims with interpersonal tension and relationship conflict, but it also is occasionally too facile about it.

At poker night, Bettes full of ire for Sophie, but someone finally speaks up to bring up her own history of cheating. Bette admits she cheated on Tina 17 years ago and still lives with the regret. Her hypocrisy is acknowledged, but the writing just barely scratches the surface of it, which is the recurring problem holding Lean On Me back. Every time the writing inches toward deeper emotional truth, it pulls back. There are gaps in the character work. Dani, Finley, and Sophies conflict is the most fully fleshed out and dynamic storyline in the episode, because all three are given distinct points of view that are at odds with one another. Thats solid storytelling, giving weight and meaning to all three of their experiences and heightening the stakes. Its the good kind of messthe mess thats authentic and layered and captivating. Some of the attempts to connect the other subplots to it fall flat. Micahs realization that some relationship situations are not as straightforward as they seem, Bettes hypocrisy in her treatment of Sophie as a villain, and Tesss assertion that people can grow and change are all examples of where the episode hints at complex, character-driven writing without fully diving in.

Anyone who has watched the original series will find it weird that no one mentions all the other things Bette did, like cheat on and gaslight a different girlfriend who was not Tina. Hell, Alice was personally affected by Bettes cheating back in the day, and shes silent here! Generation Qs relationship with the original series is a tricky thing to pin down. There are some intentional callbacks and references to the past. Even the fact that were doing a whole poker plotline reminisces of Papi and Catherine from the original seriesthough none of the original characters observe this. At times, these characters seem to have amnesia about their own pasts. Its a mostly forgivable offense, because on the one hand, there are certainly viewers who didnt watch the original, so not everyone is going to trip over these moments. Generation Q is not beholden to the past and, in fact, should work toward undoing some of the missteps of the original series. On the other hand, thats six whole seasons of character development that a lot of viewers indeed will remember and butt up against. Not once do any characters mention Shanes disastrous wedding day from the original series when reacting to Dani and Sophies disastrous wedding day. There are clear parallels from some of these characters pasts that could add layers and cogent emotional stakes to events in the present. Collapsing Bettes personal history of infidelity and relationship mistakes into a couple simple lines not only feels off from the perspective of someone who has seen the original series but also just simplifies the conversation in the present. The dynamics of this poker group are fascinating, and yet the scene ultimately ends up feeling like a game of poker itselfall easily defined stakes and little emotional depth.

Meanwhile, when it comes to Nat and Alice, the writers and characters seem to have forgotten things that literally happened in the first season of this show. Nats clearly wrestling with something internally throughout the episode. She attempts to discuss open communication and nonmonogamy but gets completely shut down by Alice. When they do finally have a real conversation, Nat and Alice both throw around a bunch of wild words that overgeneralize and strip away any depth or nuance.

Problems fester in a relationship when they go unaddressed. We see this in Dani and Sophies arc but also in Nat and Alices. Attempting to maintain a status quo can be seriously detrimental to a relationship. Alice can hear Nat crying to herself in the bathroom, and yet Nat still makes up a ridiculous lie. Nats talking about open communication, but she also struggles to say what she wants, because theres vulnerability in that. Its easy to pretend everything is great in a relationship when in reality the relationship is just sort of fine. People get comfortable. People are scared of change. People are scared of loss. Thats why Sophie couldnt bring herself to tell Dani the truth and thereby made things worse by continually lying instead of confronting her mistake head-on when it first happened. Thats why shes reeling in the face of losing Dani, desperate to do anything to make it work. But Dani gets to the heart of the matter when she tells Sophieonce they finally have a face-to-face conversation near the end of the episodethat she simply wouldnt be able to trust her ever again.

For Nat and Alice, the situation is much different, but theyre still dealing with serious cracks in the foundation of their relationship. Nat is unhappy but also too scared of losing Alice to really talk about her feelings. Alice is bulldozing over everything Nat says. Shes not just refusing to write into the mess of her life in her booksomething her bumbling and endearing editor Tom is hoping to fixbut also attempting to sanitize her actual life. She and Nat are both avoiding their feelings here. Relationships are hard, and life is messy. Alice needs to be more honest with herself off the page.

All that said though, Nat and Alices arc here frustrates on a lot of levels. It really is a redux of Nat and Alices storyline last season, which is particularly confusing, because if Nat has been struggling with feelings that she might want to practice polyamory, it doesnt totally make sense that this wouldnt have come up when she and Alice were trying out the throuple thing with Gigi. Alices conflation of polyamory with cheating perplexes, but even more confusing is the way Nat tries to draw a direct comparison between being poly and bisexuality. She even goes so far as to pressure Alice into admitting she thinks about guys, which is a very common and biphobic stereotype! And yet, Nat emerges from this scene unscathed. Sure, this reflects the reality that a lot of biphobia exists in the queer community as well as the reality that there are a lot of misconceptions about polyamory out there, and yet theres no self-awareness or interrogation here at all. Nat just casually throws out some pretty harmful assumptions about Alices bisexuality, and thats that. All of the dialogue in this scene between them is so stilted and strange, almost like theyre quoting bad relationship advice articles. Nat says she has a lot of clients who are polyamorous, but shes wildly bad at talking about it. And the fact that Alice associates polyamory with bad people gets thrown out so offhandedly, too. Its all a messand not in the good way.

Finley, Shane, and Tess discussing Finleys problems is similarly stiff and odd. Shane attempts to relate the situation to her marriage and eventual divorce with Quiara, but the comparison doesnt track. Tesss clarification only muddles things further. All three characters seem to be talking about different things entirely. Theres a lot of abstract musing on relationships, patterns, and consequences, but its all unconnected and doesnt ultimately mean anything. And thats where Lean On Me really struggles. The stakes are technically there for a lot of these storylines, but theyre also oversimplified and, sometimes, muddled.

Tess opens up to Shane about her mother having MS and then expects Shane to share something, too. And Shane chooses to share that shes in a tight money spot because Quiara got everything in the divorce. What?! Thats not character development or compelling storytelling. Thats just a plot anecdote. It isnt actual vulnerability, and it doesnt touch on any of the emotional stakes or contexts this episode is mired in. Sure, Shanes known for being closed off, but twisting this scene into just a vehicle for poker night to actually happen feels so hollow. Theres an opportunity for depth here, and instead the scene just blows past it. For what its worth, Jamie Clayton and Kate Moennig have so much chemistry together that they save the scene from just feeling like filler.

Lean On Mes most compelling character work happens when the writing complicates certain aspects of the characters personalities. Finley is the resident class clown, but there are real consequences for that here. Her jokes dont land. Theyre clearly a coping mechanism. Shes self-effacing when talking to Micah and Maribel, but thats not the same as actual accountability. Just when it seems possible that she and Sophie could work together, she tries to make a joke, and everything falls apart. She cant charm her way out of any of this. In a similar way, Danis ambitious, goal-driven personality has consequences, too. Shes treating the unraveling of her life as a challenge to defeat rather than actually sitting in her emotions. She insists shes fine. She wants to beat this. But its not something to beat. Its her actual life, which has just been shattered by a betrayal. Its similar to how Bette sees Tinas engagement to Carrie as having lost a competition. But thats not how love works, and its also the exact reason why Tina chose Carrie instead of returning to Bette. Bettes competitiveness has consequences. Danis obviously suffering because of other peoples choiceswhich is why it can be so hard to heal from betrayalbut shes making things so much worse for herself by pretending to be fine. Again, these characters love to self-sabotage.

We finally see how very not fine Dani is when she has a small breakdown while running, reminiscing on her relationship and its abrupt demise, shown through well executed flashback and set to Drivers License by Olivia Rodrigo, which takes the cake for best needledrop of the episode. Danis quite literally running away from her own feelings. Theres a heavy-handedness there, but it works.

In fact, Generation Q often thrives in its more heavy-handed, operatic moments, because these moments usually marry the shows comedy with its drama. Take, for example, Dani filming a video of herself flushing her ring down the toilet to send to Sophie. Its over-the-top of course, but its also tonally coherent, tapping into the intense emotions Danis feeling and the absurdity of the position she has been put in. Its also another example of her putting up a wall. Here she is, dramatically filming a video instead of actually grappling with her feelings. Its funny, but its also real. The best character work of Lean On Me lives in moments like that, where humor and drama work together instead of undermining each other.

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The L Word: Generation Q goes all-in on queer poker night, but the stakes are all over the place - The A.V. Club

Granit Xhakas agent played a clever poker game this summer to convince Arsenal to give him a new contract.

Thats according to Andreas Bni, Deputy Editor-in-Chief Sport of the Blick Group, who has covered how the Switzerland star came to extend his deal at the Emirates.

Xhaka was heavily linked with a move away from Arsenal this summer, with Roma keen to sign him after Jose Mourinho made him a priority signing.

It appeared a move would happen, with reports over several weeks indicating that it was likely, particularly when the midfielder agreed on terms with the Italian side.

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However, the two clubs could not agree on a transfer fee and in a shock move, Arsenal elected to hand Xhaka a new one-year deal to extend his contract until 2024.

The logic behind the move has been questioned by many, but Bni says it was a case of his agent using the situation to his advantage.

You have to put yourself in his shoes, he told Blick.

Hes 29, has two years left on his contract at Arsenal, then Roma comes along, gives him a five-year contract, and Jose Mourinho tells him all day long what a great guy he is.

That you want to stay at Arsenal at all costs is unlikely, if first something like that. Then came his adviser and used that cleverly.

Xhakas adviser, Jose Nogueira, clearly laid the situation out. Arsenal came to study it because Granit has a very high standing in the club, although he had a lot of drama with the fans.

The result: Granit signed for four years, much better paid than before; a clever move.

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Agent played 'clever poker game' to secure new Arsenal contract for client - Player now 'much better paid' - Sport Witness