The World Series of Poker November Nine are actually determined, and can come straight back in four months to compete for a $7.68M first prize. (Image: casino.org exclusive)
The World Series of Poker Main Event has reached the November Nine, and even though the competition might not have the star power it had hoped for, there is no shortage of poker talent or interesting story lines at the table that is final.
The final elimination of the WSOP took place in the early morning hours on Wednesday, leaving simply nine players still in contention for the biggest title in tournament poker.
The most player that is notable in the industry on Tuesday night was easily Daniel Negreanu. The six-time bracelet winner had no time before made a Main Event final table, even though he was on a short stack for a lot of the afternoon, Negreanu seemed to be marching towards a likely November Nine appearance.
Negreanu Falls Just Shy of Final Table
But with simply 11 players remaining into the tournament, Negreanu was once again all-in with his competition life on the line. This time, he was up against chip leader Joseph McKeehen, who had a gutshot straight draw against Negreanu’s top pair on the flop. The turn gave McKeehen much more outs, and when he made their right regarding the river, the fans in attendance had been stunned to discover that one of poker’s most popular players had been eliminated so close to the table that is final.
Negreanu’s exit threatened to take the full life out of the Amazon Room, which was packed with spectators using in the ultimate two tables of action. But nearly the entire rail stayed to see just what would happen when the field was reduced to ten players.
The November Nine was finally set when Alexander Turyansky was eliminated by McKeehen after several close calls. This time around, it was a coin flip that resulted in the elimination, as McKeehen’s pocket queens were able to keep up against Truyansky’s AK.
The tournament paused and the November Nine began their celebrations with Turyansky’s ouster. Each player had now clinched the ninth destination prize of just over $1 million, a sum these people were able to take home for the time being while they wait for the final dining table to be played out later on this 12 months.
McKeehen May Have Chip Lead
The heading that is favorite November will soon be McKeehen. With over 63 million in his stack, he has about one-third of all of the potato chips in play. He also has some WSOP success in their past: he completed second in last 12 months’s Monster Stack competition, and has additionally won two WSOP Circuit tournaments.
In second place is Israel’s Zvi Stern, who comes into the table that is final just under 30 million in potato chips. He will be followed by Neil Blumenfield and Pierre Neuville, the 2 oldest players in the industry. In reality, Neuville, at age 72, is the earliest player ever to reach the November Nine, and has nearly $2.2 million in career tournament earnings.
In fifth place is Max Steinberg, truly the only bracelet winner in the group. Today, Steinberg is focused mostly on playing daily fantasy recreations, and actually won his Main Event chair for a satellite held by DraftKings.
The two youngest players in the November Nine, Tom Cannuli and Joshua Beckley, are both from brand New Jersey, and enter into the table that is final sixth and 7th roles. Finally, Patrick Chan and Federico Butteroni are nearly tied for the shortest stack, with each having about 6.2 million to try out with whenever tournament resumes.
The Main Event will resume on November 8, having a winner scheduled to be determined on November 10. The players will be contending for a prize that is top of7,680,021.
Court Documents Reveal Targets Of AMF Amaya Probe
Amaya’s David Baazov, whose records and communications were seized by the AMF in December, has said his company has nothing to hide. (Image: reviewjournal.com)
New light is tossed in the ongoing securities fraud investigation centered on Amaya Inc and the trading of its stock in the lead up to its acquisition of PokerStars.
The removal of the book ban on a search warrant filed by Quebec financial regulator Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) reveals a better picture of this people targeted by the investigation.
The document, which was cleared for book with a Quebec court last week reveals that the AMF seized the computer systems, e-mails, and phone records of three Amaya officials, including its ceo, David Baazov, and chief financial officer, Daniel Sebag, if the company’s Montreal offices were raided in December 2014.
A senior administrator, a broker and a broker’s associate at Canaccord Genuity Corp, Amaya’s deal adviser, had been additionally a target of the probe, in accordance with the document, as were 15 brokers at the Montreal branch of economic adviser Manulife Securities, which was in a roundabout way included in the acquisition procedure.
According to an affidavit that was released from a book ban in June, the AMF was alerted to alleged irregularities by two whistleblowers, one of who had been a Manulife worker.
Identities Revealed
While names have been redacted from the document that is newest, the world and Mail newspaper has revealed the identities two of this Canaccord employees under scrutiny as Stuart Raftus, CEO of its wide range management product, and broker Peter Kirby.
According to your newly published warrant, the AMF is additionally examining the dubious trading of Amaya stock by more than 40 Canaccord clients. a world and Mail source claims that the majority that is vast of clients had been Kirby’s.
‘The research reveals that one individuals in possession of privileged information transmitted that information to people that are several’ composed the AMF into the affidavit. ‘ These people then took advantageous asset of that information and traded on Amaya stocks.’
Suspicious Trading
Amaya has traded on Toronto Stock exchange since 2013, and its shares had done unspectacularly until the start of might 2014, just weeks before the surprise announcement of its leveraged takeover of the Oldford Group, the owner of PokerStars.
Into the weeks before the news of the deal broke, its share costs very nearly doubled, shooting up 14 per cent in one single day alone.
Amaya has consistently denied any wrongdoing, and emphasizes that the AMF has made no allegation about any Amaya member of staff.
‘we would state that the investigation that we anticipated given that there was a historical stock run-up in advance,’ said David Baazov recently for us is something. ‘ I think the AMF is considering something that they should be looking into and seeking into exactly what has led to that stock run-up.
‘We have no evidence to believe that there’s any wrongdoing by any officer, director, or employees and we’re cooperating with the investigation.’
Macau Could Soften Casino Smoking Ban
Macau casinos are hoping that the government that is local relieve a proposed smoking ban on casino floors. (Image: AP Picture)
Macau casinos might be having a year that is rough but that doesn’t suggest they are down and out.
There’s playpokiesfree.com still a lot of money flowing through the casinos of this territory that is chinese meaning every piece of good news is cause for celebration for people who have their eye regarding the Macau gaming industry.
This is exactly why stocks for casino operators in Hong Kong surged in trading, as word spread that the Macau government might be pulling back somewhat on their plan to ban smoking on mass market gaming floors monday.
The move will be a coup that is huge casino owners, as there have been worries that business could continue to tumble if smoking spaces were prohibited in the gambling halls.
Smoking Could Be Allowed if Health Concerns Met
According to Macau Business, the us government are amenable to smoking that is keeping in place should the casinos be able to prove that the heath of employees and clients had been protected from any harm the smoke might cause.
‘ Some legislators appear very confident about establishing smoking lounges that can scientifically and effectively prevent the health of gaming workers and tourists from being impacted by tobacco,’ said Secretary of Social Affairs and Culture Alexis Tam Chon Weng.
That could be a pull right back from the word that is initial of Macau’s federal government, which would have banned both cigarette smoking lounges and smoking in VIP areas.
Many industry officials feared that such a move would happen another blow to gambling profits, which have already been suffering being a result of a corruption crackdown by the Chinese government.
Junkets Threatened Pullout if Ban Implemented
The gambling enterprises weren’t the only people predicting trouble if a full smoking ban was placed into effect, either.
The Macau Junket Operations Association threatened to avoid servicing Macau casinos if a ban was put in place that could cut into their VIP that is critical business.
Association president Kwok Chi Chung said that most VIP gamblers were also smokers, and also as such, Macau’s VIP gaming spaces would lose much of their client base in cases where a full ban were to go into impact.
Analysts are predicting a hit to your market if the smoking ban is implemented.
According to a research commissioned by the city’s casino operators and later cited by Deutsche Bank AG, VIP gamblers would cut their trips to Macau by 17 percent and likely stay for less time once they did see if they were not permitted to smoke in casinos.
Based on Bloomberg.com, Wynn Macau, Sands Asia, and Galaxy Entertainment all saw their stock prices increase by about five percent after the story of a loosening that is potential of restrictions broke.
Still, it is unclear just how effortless it shall be for casinos to receive exemptions with regards to their smoking spaces. In fact, despite the story, it isn’t even sure that there will be any changes that are substantive the bill at all.
The Macau Legislative Assembly overwhelmingly approved the first reading associated with the anti-smoking bill, approving it by a vote that is 26-2.
That would suggest that no modifications must be manufactured in order to secure passage that is final of legislation, and there’s no word as to exactly just how many legislators wish to start to see the ban language softened.
Even when the ban is eased, there’s no guarantee it would provide relief to ultimately Macau’s casinos.
There are a selection of issues plaguing the regional gambling industry, including a sluggish Chinese economy, the continued anti-corruption campaign from Beijing, and what seems to be too much gambling supply even for the seemingly endless need for gaming in Macau.