Exclusive Interview with Phill Collins – One of the November Nine (English Version)

He is a specialist in online poker and has won more than three million dollars in prizes. He has worked in improving his poker when he plays live poker. Everyone knows him as «USCphildo.» On November 5, he`ll fulfill the dream of almost all players in the world of poker: to play the final table of the Main Event WSOP. With nearly a million dollars in prizes garantized, he will start fromfourth place in chips account and is undoubtedly one of the great «candidates» to win the bracelet.

Here, we are presenting you an hablandodepoker exclusive interview with Phil Collins, another November Nine.

What means to you to be a November Nine?

Being in the November Nine is a great accomplishment for anyone, but as a professional player, this is the highlight of my career and the culmination of a lot of hard work.  There is still a lot of poker to be played though.
48 hours later that moment, Are you conscious about what you`ve achieved?

 

Everything has been happening so fast that it was hard to take it all in.  The past few days I’ve been able to relax more and take in the whole experience.  I love that the final table is in November as well, because this moment will last four months.

Could you sleep the night after the tournament?

I could barely sleep during the final few days of the Main Event and the night after my heart was still racing and I couldn’t sleep well at all.  I’ve finally gotten some good sleep the last couple nights.

Which was the most important hand that let you reach to the final table at the Main Event WSOP 2011?

I played a really big pot with AK against KK all in before the flop on Day 5 that would have left me crippled, but I rivered a straight and shortly afterwards went on to take the chip lead.

Do you think you can get the bracelet y enter in the History?

I think I have a great shot at winning the bracelet and making history.  I’ve been playing the best poker of my life, and if I play my best in November I think I can win.

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Exclusive interview with Sam Holden – One of the November Nine (English Version)

Undoubtedly for those who followed the last stages of the days 6 and 7 of the Main Event was a surprise that Sam Holden, a very intelligent an curly English, with just 22 years became one of the November Nine. But he trusted in himself and still being short stack for several passages in the fight, played each hand and was able to fulfill his first dream: to pass into history and play the final table of the most important tournament in the poker world.

But his dream is just beginning, though left behind thousands of players who began this crossing. Now only eight players stand between him and the much coveted bracelet. In this exclusive interview for www.hablandodepoker.com, a site that tries to spread the poker through the word of the protagonists, we can know what a November Nine thinks. From what we perceive, he is the still not aware of how changed his life from now on.

To our loyal readers we present: Sam Holdem, a November Nine, 48 hours later of his achievement.

What means to you to be a November Nine?

It feels fantastic to be part of the November Nine. Being on the biggest stage in poker is something every poker player dreams of. The hiatus in the tournament has really made the final nine something special, and having 4 months to enjoy it is going to be a lot of. I feel incredibly fortunate to get passed so many fantastic players and therefore will definitely try to enjoy every second of being a ‘November Niner’.

 

48 hours later that moment, Are you conscious about what you`ve achieved?

It definitely hasn’t sunk I yet. I still keep thinking that it can’t be real. I’m sure once I am into the swing of these interviews and media attention it will all seem more real.

 

Could you sleep the night after the tournament?

A little, but it was very difficult! I think I have had about 5 hours sleep in the last 48 hours. I am definitely ready to sleep for a long time now though!

Which was the most important hand that let you reach to the final table at the Main Event WSOP 2011?

I was actually all in on day 2 with a pair and flush draw on the flop against a set. I made the flush on the turn wasn’t all in again until Day 6 I think so I guess that was a pretty important hand!

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Exclusive interview with Vanessa Selbst (English Version)

Vanessa Selbst has something that not everyone has: the admiration of his colleagues. She divides her time between his passions: playing poker and studying law at Yale. She achieved great results in the Series WSOP and won several tournaments. Interested in politics and various sports. We present here a great poker player, born in New Jersey, on July 9, in 1984: Vanessa Selbst in www.hablandodepoker.com You have a high prestige in the World of Poker. Many admires you. How … Read more

Biography of Vanessa Selbst (English Version)

Vanessa Selbst
http://www.pokergenio.com

Vanessa Selbst began playing poker when she was a young girl in Montclair, New Jersey, though playing sports like basketball and tennis took much of her spare time. It was until she attended college at Yale University, where she eventually graduated in 2005 with a degree in political science, that she started to take the game more seriously. She played home games with friends with players like poker pro Alex Jacob, and they introduced her to the online poker community, like the forums, that helped her hone her skills and learn more about strategy. After college, while turning into an avid poker player, she took several jobs, such as working for a non-profit organization and as a management consultant.

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Exclusive interview with Alexander Kravchenko, a monster in the World of Poker

Alex Kravchenko
Alex Kravchenko

Exclusive interview with Alexander Kravchenko, a monster in the World of Poker
 
Alexander Kravchenko is undoubtedly one of the best players in the world. Complete where you look, he has been playing poker for 14 years, not just Texas Holdem, but also in other modalities. He had great results in his career, especially he won the WSOP bracelet in 2007, in the event # 9, Omaha Hi Low. We present you a short but interesting exclusive interview to a player of the first level, days before leaving to participate in the WSOP.

How did you start in the world of poker?
I was a professional gambler – mostly blackjack against casino.

Did the fourth place in the main event in the WSOP 2007 was an inflexion point in your proffesional carrer?
No. It was just a big, maybe even a huge score, but overall it didn’t changed my career at all.

What means to you to be a PokerStars Team Pro?
I think it’s very prestigious to be a Team Pro, also they are paying me some money for this advertising.

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Alexander Kravchenko: Poker Biography (English version)

Alex Kravchenko
Alex Kravchenko

Completing his education, he became an astute businessman and quickly found success, along with the ability to invest in various businesses in Russia. But it was during his leisure time that he took up blackjack and began to frequent gaming establishments. He did well at the game and moved on to Oasis, a form of poker that was similar to Caribbean Stud.
Alexander Kravchenko’s Profile

However, he couldn’t help but notice the trend in the late 1990’s that involved poker. Kravchenko realized the level of skill that was involved and the game and quickly set about studying it. He began to play primarily hold’em in casinos, and the money he made eclipsed that from his businesses, so the focus of his energies centered on poker tournaments going forward. By 1997, he was a recognized player in local establishments, and his tournament play began to show results in 1999.

The first tournament series Kravchenko played was the Moscow International in December of 1999, and he made final tables of three events, two of them hold’em and one of them seven-card stud. By 2001, he was traveling to more events, final tabling tournaments at the Open Championships of Russia in St. Petersburg, the Vienna Spring Festival, the Austrian Masters, the Autumn Tournament in Paris, the Winter Tournament Olympia in St. Petersburg, and the Helsinki Freezeout. He claimed victories at the Olympia and the Moscow Open that year as well.

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Exclusive Interview with Dominik Nitsche for www.hablandodepoker.com (English version)

From his native Germany, the young European poker prodigy who stunned Argentina and South America in the LAPT in Mar del Plata in 2009, spoke exclusively to www.hablandodepoker.com about his life two years after that great achievement that was the inflection point in his career.

 

Dear Dominik, thanks a lot for answer our interview. It´s very important and It´s an honor tu us to make you an interview.

No problem you are welcome.

 

What do you remember about your first place in Mar del Plata two years ago?

Everything actually. I will  never forget such a big life changing win.

 

Please tell us something about you reacnh the LAPT playing satellites

Well i had quite a good record playing step 6 before. i already qualified for dortmund multiple times. So one day i was looking at the step  6s and i saw that they were running satellites to the lapt grandfinal. It was right during my holidays so i decided to go after talking to my friend Max Heinzelmann who also won a package. I actually ended up winning 5 seats and i am pretty sure i had the best winrate anyone has ever had in step 6s. i won 5 seats out of 10 tries. Thats a good return even if you do not cash in the main event.

 

What memories do you have from Argentina? Have you vissited our country on others times? Are you thinking of coming again to Argentina?

I have been to Argentina twice and i have nothing but good memories. The people are very nice even though most of them do not speak english they still try really hard to help you and make you feel welcome. The last time i have been Argentina was for the grandfinal of LAPT season 3 and i will most likely come back for any grandfinal.

 

Are you studying Spanish? Why?

It actually is one of my goals to learn spanish in the next 2-3years. this is because i spent a lot of time in spanish speaking countries and most of the people do not speak english at all so getting around and can sometimes be come quite difficult and stressful.

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Poker Black Friday – The Impact

As the fallout from Poker Black Friday continues, it’s been interesting to observe how this has impacted the online poker industry, both on poker sites that were targeted by the U.S. Department of Justice and the sites that (for now) are free from prosecution. The first and most obvious effect is a leveled out poker world since the indictments, a world where even the smallest pokers sites have gained a leg up on the competition; at least until they too have to process cashouts in front of the watchful eye of the DOJ.

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Full Tilt and PokerStars Regain .com Domain Names and Player Money is Safe

There is positive news for online poker. It was announced Wednesday that Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars had struck a deal to regain the use of their respective dot-com sites. While players from the U.S. will still not be permitted to play for real money, the rest of the world will be able to use the sites for play.
In a press release, U.S Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara said, «On April 15, this Office and the FBI took specific legal action against 11 individuals who allegedly engaged not merely in the operation of illegal gambling businesses, but in massive wire fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering, despite repeated warnings and clear notice that their conduct was illegal in the United States. No individual player accounts were ever frozen or restrained, and each implicated poker company has at all times been free to reimburse any player’s deposited funds. In fact, this Office expects the companies to return the money that U.S. players entrusted to them, and we will work with the poker companies to facilitate the return of funds to players, as today’s agreements with PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker demonstrate.»

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U.S. ONLINE POKER – PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

U.S. online poker was shaken on Friday as the U.S. Department of Justice unsealed an indictment against several industry leaders. Poker.org brings you a round-up of the events and possible consequences.
Friday witnessed one of the biggest blows to U.S. online poker unfold as the U.S. Department of Justice unsealed an indictment against several industry leaders, including market giants  PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker.

A Closer Look at Online Poker’s Black Friday

A Closer Look at Online Poker’s Black Friday

April 15, 2011, will come to be known as Black Friday in the poker community. The online poker world that we have become used to over the past decade is forever changed.
The indictments revealed by the U.S. Southern District of New York against the owners of PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker are serious. The short-term outlook for online poker is grim.
PokerStars already has stopped serving the U.S. market. I expect Full Tilt Poker and probably Absolute Poker to follow. I would not expect these sites to serve the U.S. market again until after online poker is officially legalized, licensed and regulated in the country. Even then, the chances of these sites obtaining a license have been severely impacted. Americans with money on the sites likely will get it back eventually but, as it did when the Neteller founders were indicted, it could take a while.

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JONATHAN DUHAMEL – TEAM POKERSTARS PRO

Jonathan Duhamel is from Canada, and studied Administration Finance before earning millions of dollars at the World Series of Poker*. He also worked a string of jobs while learning the game by playing against friends every day. He crushed the learning curve fast, and was soon good enough to make it as a pro. Although he probably never imaged just how big his success would prove to be.

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Biografy – JOE HACHEM

JOE HACHEM

Originally from Lebanon, Joe Hachem moved to Australia in the 1970’s and built a career as a chiropractor. Unfortunately, he developed a medical condition that affected the blood vessels in his hands, making it hard for him to continue with the physical demands of his job. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise however, as it left Joe with more time to play poker.

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ANOTHER YEAR WITH TEAM ONLINE

I am proud to announce that I have renewed with PokerStars to continue to be a Team Online Pro. I am really looking forward to remaining with PokerStars. I didn’t even give it a second thought when they asked me to continue being a team online pro when my contract was about to expire. I have considered it a privilege and an honor to promote PokerStars in any way I can. I played on there for the vast majority of my poker throughout my career so it is great to be able to represent a company that I 100% believe in. I have had a few things come across my desk that folks have asked me to endorse and the bottom line is if I don’t think it is a great product, I am not going to represent it, bottom line. So when you get literally your favorite poker room to ask you to promote them, it’s like, «Duh.» Anyway, thank you again PokerStars for this wonderful opportunity!

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