Here’s a round-up from the week on PokerStars Blog…

• UFC KO Poker Series kicks off Sunday
• $94K Sunday Storm win for “byqu”
• Eight of the best poker audiobooks
• Mike Leah enjoys #babyrungood
• SCOOP winner interviews
• WSOP Bracelet winners

UFC KO Poker Series kicks off Sunday

A brand new poker series, with a brand new look, begins on PokerStars this Sunday (23 June).

The 68-tournament UFC KO Poker Series lets you play poker like you would fight in the UFC–with knockouts–and all tables will look like they’ve been lifted straight from the Octagon.

You’ll win money for every person you knockout, and you could win an exclusive trip to California for UFC 241. Find out how here.

The week-long series culminates in a $109 buy-in, $1.5M Gtd Main Event on Sunday 30 June. Check out the full schedule here.

PokerStars Ambassadors and Twitch superstars Lex Veldhuis, Ben Spragg and Fintan Hand will also be battling it out throughout the series to see who can eliminate the most players. Read all about that here.

Three Team Pros will each try to score more KOs than the other during the UFC KO Poker Series next week

$94K Sunday Storm win for “byqu”

Last Sunday saw the 8th anniversary $11 Sunday Storm get an incredible 128,865 entries. There could only be one winner though, and luckily Fintan “easywithaces” Hand was on…hand…to capture “byqu”s winning moment live on his Twitch stream.

Let's hear it for UK player 'Byqu' who turned $11 into a mighty $94,581.03 by taking down the 8th Anniversary #SundayStorm. 🍾 🥳 🤑@EasyWithAces caught the winning moment. ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/B8kHLfTaRU

— PokerStars (@PokerStars) June 18, 2019

Eight of the best poker audiobooks

Whatever you’re doing this summer–whether it’s grinding at the tables or tanning on the beach–you’ll need something to listen to.

This week we highlighted eight of the best poker audiobooks out there right now.

Take a look at the best poker audiobooks here.

By the way, the audio version of PokerStars Blog’s own Martin Harris’ new book Poker & Pop Culture is one of those featured. The book is now officially available, and this week we shared an excerpt from his book as well — check it out here.

Mike Leah enjoys #babyrungood

Mike “goleafsgoeh” Leah has worked hard at the poker tables for years and it shows in his long resumé. The Canadian pro has won $7.8 million in live tournaments since 2006 and another $3.4 million online, including $2.3 million on PokerStars. But nothing in all those experiences quite prepared him for the run he’s enjoyed the last few weeks.

From two SCOOP titles in 2019 to winning $79K in the Deal jackpot, we spoke to Leah to discuss his baby run good.

Read that article here.

Mike Leah: #babyrungood is real, and it’s spectacular

SCOOP winner interviews

Mike Leah wasn’t the only SCOOP champion we caught up with this week.

First we spoke with Vicent “gordon0410” Bosca to discuss his million-dollar 2019 so far, which has seen him final table the PCA Main Event, and win both Turbo Series and SCOOP titles.

Vicent Bosca plays at EPT Monte Carlo in spring 2019

We also talked to Jacobo “jakobgold” Montoya about his enormous win the $1,050 Medium Main Event for $688K, his largest career score to date.

WSOP Bracelet winners

Here’s a look at some of the World Series of Poker 2019 winners this week:

WSOP Photography by pokerphotoarchive.com

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The poker players of Brazil turned in a dominant performance at this year’s Spring Championship of Online Poker. They won 36 titles in all, 17 more than any other country, and none of them was bigger than the victory claimed by the player known as “Jack Wastes” on the final day of the series.

He turned $109 into $315,955, outlasting a field of 33,987 players over two days to win this year’s SCOOP-Low Main Event.

It was a stunning moment for the grinder from south of Rio de Janeiro, who told us by email this week that he’s always been “a simple guy with a simple lifestyle.”

The man from south of Rio

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do with your time when you’re not playing poker.

Well, my name is Jean Fillipe, I’m 30 years old and from Brazil. I live alone in a small city south of Rio de Janeiro. My most remarkable characteristic is an obsession with information. I like to watch documentaries, read scientific articles and such things, trying to spend my time off from poker gathering knowledge from diverse areas.

When and how did you first get into playing poker, and what’s your regular game?

I think it was back in 2005/2006 when I just started studying engineering. I have played professionally since the end of 2017. I play all NLHE MTTs ranging from $0-$33.

What was the rest of SCOOP like for you prior to the main event?

I played some micros and some $22-$55 events. My only event above these limits was the low Main Event. My most remarkable results — excluding the Main Event of course! — were a 117th place finish out of 12,655 entries in Event #61-L ($22 NLHE) and 248th out of 58,565 entries in #1-L ($2.20 Phase).

The Main Event featured a large field and a slow structure. How did the early stages of the tournament go for you?

Mainly I tried to avoid doubtful spots. I finished Day 1 with something like 2.6 million chips, already very happy by having made it so far.

Did you feel that you were executing any part of your game plan particularly well?

Yes, I had a solid game plan by using bet sizes that are usually seen as “value heavy” by players at my average buy-in against mid- and high-stakes regulars and players I judged that were better post-flop than me. This way, I could finish hands early on the flop, avoiding too much post–flop play against them.

Did you have any close calls along the way where you nearly busted from the tournament? At what point of the final table, or the event itself, did you think you had a good chance of winning? What was the heads-up match like?

Not really, I lost with a pair of queens pre-flop against nines for about 30 blinds, when there were like 60 players left. That left me with about 17 blinds behind, which was a tough moment. The closest was when I joined the final table short-stacked. I called in a blind-vs.-blind situation with my tournament life on the line with no eliminations yet.

This wasn’t just any tournament win — it was a SCOOP Main Event. How did you react when you finished heads-up play? What was life like for you in the days afterward — how long did it take to “come down” from the win?

I was shocked with no reaction for some minutes, then I raised my hands to thank God and cried when remembered all the tough moments, the choices, the doubts. Normally outside the online life, I always was a simple guy with a simple lifestyle. It took a week to figure out what I had achieved with this win.

What does a win of this magnitude mean for you, both as a poker player and in your life away from the poker table?

I will keep playing the games which I played, when I feel it has come the time to try higher stakes I’ll do it. I plan to play some live tournaments, though I prefer online games. It means the beginning of a new life in every aspect, I’m very confident in my new projects on and off poker.

Brazil has a very passionate base of poker players and led all other countries in victories during this year’s SCOOP. What do you think it is about poker that captivates Brazilians so much? And how does it feel to be at the forefront of this recent wave of success?

Hard to tell, it is an intense passion, you learn to play and right after fall in love with poker. I’m pretty happy obviously, it was 36 SCOOP titles for Brazil in this edition. I’m very proud of having my name remembered on the history of this series and I hope to be able to use this success to help the community to grow even more.

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Risk, aggression, flexibility, unpredictable moves… poker and the UFC feel like cousins separated by nothing but sanctioned violence.

Alright, maybe that’s an overstatement. But there’s a certain mentality needed to succeed at a poker table or in the Octagon.

So, when it comes to the poker table, who is your UFC equivalent?

Henry Cejudo

Henry Cejudo is an Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling. He’s also a Golden Gloves boxer, and now the UFC strawweight and bantamweight champion.

Cejudo is one of the freaks you come across in life with the ability to seemingly succeed at anything they try.

Likewise, we all know the poker player who can crush PLO, NLH, RAZZ… they’d probably sit down and school you at Oxford Stud.

So if you’re crushing the competition across a variety of games and chomping at the bit to find somewhere to play a game of H.O.R.S.E., you may be on your way to becoming poker’s Henry Cejudo.

Nate Diaz

Nate Diaz (and his brother Nick) like to taunt and talk during their fights. Whether they’re in control or taking shots, a Diaz brother tries to stay in your head.

Likewise, if you’re a poker Diaz, you never stop the table talk.

Just picked up a massive pot? You’re talking.

Just got caught with your hand in the cookie jar making an ill-timed bluff? Doesn’t matter, you’re still talking.

Folded 30 straight hands because you don’t feel like playing? That’s cool, because you’re still letting people know what you think at every opportunity.

Luckily, if you’re truly a Poker Diaz, you’ve got the skills to back up the talk when you decide to get in the game.

Jon Jones

Jon Jones is arguably the greatest fighter to ever step in the Octagon. So, if your UFC poker equivalent is Jones, you’ve got serious talent.

Unfortunately, while your game at the table seems to always run good, you just can’t get it together in your day-to-day personal life.

One minute you’re coasting through a game with your bluffs always drawing folds. You’re making the right laydowns at the right time, value betting like a champ and walking away with a nice boost to your bankroll.

The next day, you’ve crashed your car, staked the wrong friend in a high stakes game and your bank account has taken a hit because you invested in some guy you barely know’s start-up business. And it never really started up.

If only you could get it together away from the table, you’d be on easy street.

Georges St. Pierre

If you’re a Poker GSP, you’re a rock. In fact, some might even call you a nit and claim you’re a boring dance partner at the table.

It’s not that you’re really nitty, though. You’re just disciplined and nobody can push you off the gameplan you put together over years of hard work and studying.

Like GSP, you don’t care what people think of your style because it works. You’re not likely to take unnecessary risks and you’d rather simply lean on that old tight aggressive style, waiting for your moments to really make the most of your best spots.

Sure, some people might think you’re boring. But you know success is rooted in sticking to the plan.

Johnny Walker

If you’re a Poker Johnny Walker, first off congrats on the Pokerstars Ambassador role.

This is a player who isn’t planning to stick around the table too long. A Johnny Walker type might look like a maniac, but he’s at the table to make money and go party.

Walker has only seen a decision once in 20 professional fights and 15 of those fights ended in the first round. But a 17-3 record shows it’s working out well for him.

So to do the Walker thing at the poker table means you’re coming in fast and hard. You’re getting into a lot of pots and getting in bed nice and early. You’re sleeping the easy sleep of a man who made a nice profit in a short time.

Unfortunately, your exuberance after big wins can lead you to suffer a shoulder injury while doing the worm.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME JOHNNY WALKER?!@JohnnyWalkerMMA #UFC235 pic.twitter.com/PkrgEuerKZ

— UFC (@ufc) March 3, 2019

Royce Gracie

A poker Royce Gracie is getting up there in age. And maybe all the young kids chuckle at the old-school one-dimensional style you used to bring to the table.

But before their fancy internet and data visualization, and talk about EV and game theory, you were paving the way. You were grinding out a living in dimly lit casinos and helping build up the early days of deeper strategic thinking.

So, sure, these new-wave kids wouldn’t be scared to face you. But at least you get the satisfaction of knowing you’re the only reason they’re playing the game to begin with.

Daniel Cormier

Like a sub-six foot heavyweight UFC champion, a Poker Cormier doesn’t “look the part” when his sit down at the table.

Some might dismiss you for your unassuming “dad bod” and friendly smile. But behind the facade, you’re a wealth of skill and knowledge.

You’ve been destroying dudes since you were a kid and you have all the trophies and money to prove it.

In fact, your river of knowledge flows so deep you’re the guy who gets the call when it’s time to analyze the game in new and interesting ways.

Also, while you’re down to take all the chips at any size table, you’re still up for having a good time and a bit of a laugh at your own expense.

Poker & Pop Culture: Telling the Story of America’s Favorite Card Game by PokerStars Blog’s own Martin Harris is now officially available. To mark the occasion, we’re sharing another excerpt from this detailed history of poker and the game’s portrayal in movies, on television, in magazines and books, in music, in paintings, and in other areas of popular culture.

Anthony Holden, author of Big Deal and Bigger Deal, has described the book as “a thorough, well-informed and highly entertaining exploration of the cultural riches bred by poker, explaining why the game remains so quintessentially American while growing ever more universal.”

The book covers poker’s origins and early history all of the way through to the present, describing how it was first played on steamboats and saloons, in Civil War encampments, and eventually in clubs, private homes, casinos, and on the computer. It discusses the many ways poker has intersected with other areas of American life including business, sports, entertainment, politics, and warfare. The book also comprehensively considers the significance of poker’s portrayal in “mainstream” cultural productions. To give an example of the book’s scope, Harris discusses around 130 different films, 40 television series, and 50 songs that involve poker in some fashion — and that’s only in a few of the chapters!

The following excerpt comes from the chapter titled “Poker in the Movies,” appearing in the section covering comedies in which poker is featured. Coming after a discussion of several W.C. Fields films, the focus here turns toward how poker’s presentation in such comic settings is often light-hearted and non-judgmental of the game (unlike is the case in westerns or dramas).

from “Poker in the Movies”

Poker Neither Good Nor Evil

Just as My Little Chickadee’s exaggeration of various western tropes pokes fun at the genre and at idealized versions of the Old West, W.C. Fields’ many farcical scenes of cheating at poker similarly serve to diminish unreasonable fears about the game. Such scenes make poker appear more a context for harmless laughs than for real danger. There are many other examples of film comedies treating poker in a similarly playful way, not necessarily casting moral judgment one way or another.

The Lady Eve (1941) mixes romance and slapstick while telling the story of a father-daughter con artist team, “Colonel” Harrington (Charles Coburn) and Jean (Barbara Stanwyck), who on a transatlantic ocean liner target the naïve wealthy son of a brewery magnate, Charles Pike (Henry Fonda). After setting up their mark with an evening of bridge, they play poker the next night where the father uses his ability to “deal fifths” (sav- ing the top four cards) and multiple extra decks hidden on his person to help win thousands from Charles. But Barbara falls in love with their victim, and she starts cheating for him by replacing her father’s four-of-a-kind hands with poor ones. The fact is, Charles, himself an avid poker player (he calls himself an “expert”) with seemingly unlimited means, cannot be hurt that greatly by the game, nor can the film’s many twists and turns avoid ending with Jean and Charles happily together.

Charles Coburn, Barbara Stanwyck, and Henry Fonda in The Lady Eve (1941)

Charles Coburn also stars in the comedy Has Anybody Seen My Gal? (1952), this time as a character who actually uses poker for “good” (so to speak). Coburn plays an elderly millionaire bachelor wishing to leave his estate to the descendants of a woman he had loved when younger, but who married someone else. He visits the family under a different name in order to get to know them before making them his beneficiaries, and one of the good deeds he performs on their behalf is to win money in a poker game to help one of the sons pay off a gambling debt.

In Roman Holiday (1953), Gregory Peck’s character Joe Bradley, an American reporter working in Italy, is introduced sitting at a poker table. At first it seems he’s playing for significant sums, with bets of “500” and “1,000,” but when the winner rakes in the pot he mentions it adds up to ten bucks — they’re playing with Italian lira, not U.S. dollars. Joe’s poker playing hardly reflects badly on him, other than to signify a kind of mundane existence preceding the higher “stakes” of the romantic adventure he soon falls into with Audrey Hepburn’s wayward princess.

Peck also stars in the romantic comedy Designing Woman (1957) as a sportswriter named Mike somewhat mismatched with a clothes designer named Marilla played by Lauren Bacall. The pair’s differences are highlighted when Mike hosts his regular poker game on the same night Marilla has invited a group of theater friends to perform a play in the neighboring room. While a contrast is vaguely drawn suggesting poker to be a less refined recreation than the dramatic arts, there’s no special judgment made against the game….

Such moral neutrality about poker in film comedies probably reaches a kind of apotheosis in Oh God! You Devil (1984) in which George Burns, starring as God in the third installment of the series, plays a hand of five-card draw for a person’s soul against the devil, also played by Burns. The devil is dealt two pair, then improves to a full house on the draw while God draws two cards to his three to a straight flush. Then God puts in a big raise involving all the souls of those on his “list” (i.e., who have chosen him, not the devil). “If I lose, they’re all fair game for you,” God explains. “If I win, you can’t touch them, ever, even if they ask for you.” “Too rich for me,” the devil says as gives up his hand, then cringes when God shows he’s bluffed with ten-high. “Why did I fold?!” cries the devil. “I put the fear of me in you,” God cracks.

It’s clear enough that while individuals may choose good or evil, poker in and of itself is neither.

*** BOOK SIGNING: For anyone at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas,

Martin Harris will be signing copies of Poker & Pop Culture today, Friday, June 21 at 5:00 p.m. 

at the D&B Poker booth in the Rio hallway! ***

Poker & Pop Culture: Telling the Story of America’s Favorite Card Game is available in paperback, as an e-book, and (soon) as an audio book at D&B Poker.

D&B Publishing (using the imprint D&B Poker) was created by Dan Addelman and Byron Jacobs 15 years ago. Since then it has become one of the leading publishers of poker books with titles by Phil Hellmuth, Jonathan Little, Mike Sexton, Chris Moorman, Dr. Patricia Cardner, Lance Bradley, Greg Raymer and more, all of which are available at D&B Poker.

Headlines from the weekend…

• PANIC.PLAYER wins UFC KO milly
• Andras “probirs” Nemeth takes down UFC KO High Roller
• Nick Petrangelo and Thomas Muehloecker win HRC titles
• All the big results from the UFC KO Poker Series
• Top 5 results from the High Roller Club

PANIC.PLAYER WINS UFC KO SUNDAY MILLION ($98K)

The UFC KO Poker Series kicked off yesterday, but the largest event of the day wouldn’t finish until the following morning.

Greece’s “PANIC.PLAYER” came out on top after one of the longest Sunday Millions in recent memory (13,858 entries, 15 hours and 42 minutes of action). For the win, PANIC.PLAYER won $73,579 plus $24,509 in bounties, following a heads-up deal with “1pante” who locked up $73,579 plus $11,493.

This amazing victory now marks PANIC.PLAYER’s largest career cash to date, the previous one being from a SCOOP win in a $27 event for $49K back in 2015. It’s also worth noting that PANIC.PLAYER came close to winning two UFC KO Poker Series events on the opening day, as they also finished sixth in event 05 ($215 NLHE) for $5,019.

ANDRAS “probirs” NEMETH WINS UFC KO HIGH ROLLER

The second biggest winner of Day 1 of the UFC KO series was a very familiar face: Hungary’s Andras “probirs” Nemeth.

Andras “probirs” Nemeth

Currently ranked second in the world (according to PocketFives), Nemeth took down his title in event 02: the $530 High Roller, winning $36,227 plus $31,121 in bounties. That tournament got 872 entries to create a $436K prize pool.

Nemeth now has just under $12.8M in online earnings.

PETRANGELO AND MUEHLOECKER WIN HRC TITLES

Outside of the UFC KO Poker Series, the High Roller Club was where the big money was at.

Nick “caecilius” Petrangelo

Nick “caecilius” Petrangelo grabbed himself a title, finishing first in the $2,100 Sunday High Roller for $38,381. The tournament had 79 runners and a $158K prize pool.

Thomas “WushuTM” Muehloecker was also in the winner’s circle, taking down the $530 Sunday 500 for $19,387. Muehlocker outlasted a final table which included Canada’s “p0cket00″ (2nd – $15,210) and Super High Roller regular Dominik ‘Bounatirou” Nitsche (4th – $8,941).

Thomas “WushuTM” Muehloecker

BIGGEST RESULTS FROM THE UFC KO POKER SERIES

TOP 5 RESULTS FROM THE HIGH ROLLER CLUB

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Monday marks the first day of results in the UFC KO Poker Series. So, what happened on Day 1?

• tomakgchm leads the KO competition, tied with Marusia1980 with 36.
• Lex Veldhuis leads Team Pros with 32 KOs
• Spraggy survives opening day one relatively unscathed

The Team Pro KO KOntest

Three Twitch streaming PokerStars Ambassadors are competing in what we’re calling the UFC KO Series challenge.

It involves Fintan Hand, Lex Veldhsui and Ben Spragg and the player with the most KOs by the end of the series will win a genuine UFC replica belt and bragging rights (no cash value).

Perhaps of more interest is the $1,000 they’ll also collect for a freeroll among their Twitch community next week.

That’s all to come.

For now, the latest standings are below. We of course remain impartial for the duration of the competition.

Above the belt for Lex

How things look based on Total KOs:

Lex Veldhuis: 32

Fintan Hand: 18

Ben Spragg: 6

Belt high for Fintan

How things stand based on average KOs per event:

Fintan Hand: 6 per event

Lex Veldhuis: 4 per event

Ben Spragg: 2 per event

So close for Spraggy

Finally, how things stand if you remove Fintan Hand and Lex Veldhuis from the competition:

Ben Spragg

So something for all three to play for.

Day 1 of the UFC KO Poker Series is complete. Take part all week on PokerStars

Don’t forget that trip to UFC 241 we’re giving away

You might remember there’s a UFC 241 package to the winner of the overall KO contest. Each package is made up of flights, hotel and two tickets to Anaheim, California, for a night to remember this August.

Here’s how things stand.

Remember there are two other opportunities to win a UFC 241 package. And you don’t have to top the KO table to win.

Score three KOs this week in UFC KO Series events and you’ll win entry into a special All-In Shootout next week. The winner will be on their way to Anaheim.

A third package will be given away in another All-In Shootout. This time for players who then go on to KO a further three opponents.

The UFC KO Series for Monday

Event 14: 11:00 (Regular) $22 PLO, $20K Gtd

Event 15: 12:30 (Regular) $530 NLHE [High Roller], $100K Gtd

Event 16: 13:00 (Regular) $11 NLHE, $100K Gtd

Event 17: 14:45 (Regular) $109 NLHE, $80K Gtd

Event 18: 15:30 (Regular) $22 NLHE, $100K Gtd

Event 19: 17:00 (Turbo) $1,050 NLHE [Turbo, Daily Cooldown SE], $100K Gtd

Event 20: 18:00 (Hyper) $55 NLHE [Hyper-Turbo, Progressive Total KO], $75K Gtd

Find more details on the UFC KO Poker Series homepage.

That makes another seven events, with $575,000 guaranteed. To say nothing of thousands of KOs.

So remember to keep on punching. And aim for Spraggy.

It’s a knockout… in more ways than one.

While you guys are knocking each other out in the UFC KO Poker Series, we thought we’d delve into the archives to unearth our most brutal KOs from the live felt.

What do we mean by ‘brutal’? Well, if it was at a crucial stage, for high stakes, or made you mouth that elongated ‘oooooh’ sound, then it’s pretty darn brutal.

We’ve whittled it down to eight quarter finalists, but it’s up to you to decide upon the most painful example of poker savagery via seven daily Twitter polls.

But first, you need to see the destruction derby with your own eyes. So, it’s time to bring on the opening match in the bracket.

Double KO! With the final table looming, this incredible hand from Monte Carlo saw three players move all with aces, kings and queens, providing Adrian Mateos with a pile of chips that would ultimately lead to an EPT title. His opponents, meanwhile, were left with empty stacks and angry emails to the Poker Gods.

It’s 2013 in the Bahamas and Vanessa Selbst and Sean Deeb lock horns on the final table of the $25,000 High Roller. As an 87% favourite, Deeb is odds-on to amass a huge stack and become the favourite to capture the title. Easy, right? Those with an aversion to horror stories, look away now.

Now you’ve taken a measurement on your KO-meter, it’s time to cast your vote on our @PokerStars Twitter channel. Which hand made you truly wince with empathy? Who did you want to hug the most? Which one deserves to proceed to the semi-finals and re-enter the gladiatorial theatre? It’s up to you.

🗣️ Let the Brutal KO tournament begin! Which KO packs more punch? 👊💥 Watch the first quarter-final via @PokerStarsBlog at https://t.co/YF4XSVjZwL then vote below. #UFCPokerStars

— PokerStars (@PokerStars) June 24, 2019

The winner will be announced tomorrow, followed by the second quarter final.

Don’t forget you can deliver your own knockouts in the UFC KO Poker Series. With over $10 million in guarantees and three UFC 241 packages up for grabs, it’s surely time to don those gloves and step into the poker octagon.

Day 2 of the UFC KO Poker Series. The headlines today…

• Lex Veldhuis holds onto his Team Pro KO Challenge lead
• Experts confirm “It’s not a typo”: Spraggy closing in on second place
• DSmunichlife leads the overall standings

The Team Pro KO KOntest

With something like 20 events played the KO leader boards are starting to stretch out, and not just in the overall standings. But there is still room for surprises in the Team Pro KO race.

The standings based on Total KOs:

Lex Veldhuis: 32 (-)

Fintan Hand: 24 (+6)

Ben Spragg: 23 (+17)

Note: We spotted it too. We have double checked. Multiple times. The Spraggy figure is correct.

How things stand based on average KOs per event:

Fintan Hand: 4.8 (5 events played)

Lex Veldhuis: 4 (8 events played)

Ben Spragg: 3.3 (7 events played)

Finally, the standings if you count only odd-numbered events:

Lex Veldhuis: 14

Ben Spragg: 11

Fintan Hand: 4

Note: We may have just accidentally uncovered a winning strategy for the Spraggy campaign.

The people want answers.

The latest on who will win one of three UFC 241 packages

There’s a UFC 241 package to the winner of the overall KO contest (as well as two other packages to be awarded in All-In Shoot Outs).

Each package is made up of flights, hotel and two tickets to Anaheim, California, for a night to remember this August.

Here’s how things stand on Tuesday morning: DSmunichlife is out to a good lead.

Remember there are two other opportunities to win a UFC 241 package. And you don’t have to top the KO table to win.

Score three KOs this week in UFC KO Series events and you’ll win entry into a special All-In Shootout next week. The winner will be on their way to Anaheim.

A third package will be given away in another All-In Shootout. This time for players who then go on to KO a further three opponents.

UFC KO Series events to play on Tuesday

Seven more events today with $775,000 of guaranteed prize money and thousands of KOs to pick up along the way.

11:00 ET. Event 21: $109 NLHE, $100K Gtd

12:30 ET. Event 22: $530 NLHE [High Roller], $125K Gtd

13:00 ET. Event 23: $11 NLHE, $75K Gtd

14:45 ET. Event 24: $215 NLHE, $150K Gtd

15:30 ET. Event 25: $55 NLHE, $125K Gtd

17:00 ET. Event 26: $1,050 NLHE [Turbo, Daily Cooldown SE], $100K Gtd

18:00 ET. Event 27: $109 NLHE [Hyper-Turbo], $100K Gtd

Events in bold are odd-numbered events. Spraggy, play these.

For details on the series, more events, and how to take part, check out the UFC KO Poker Series homepage.

Poker is a game with many attractions. The game’s rich and colorful history and the many stories poker has produced has helped make it a favorite pastime for me and millions of others. The social aspect of the game has also always been a big draw for me, too, making poker a game that uniquely satisfies what might seem contradictory urges to seek both competition and camaraderie.

I just returned from a trip to Las Vegas where I was able to experience both of those pleasures poker provides, getting to learn and think more about poker’s history while also sharing meaningful time with others who are similarly devoted to the game.

Recently I published a book about poker titled Poker & Pop Culture: Telling the Story of America’s Favorite Card Game. The book chronicles the history of poker as it has been played over the last two centuries, especially in the United States. It also reviews how poker has been portrayed in various “mainstream” contexts such as popular film, television, art, fiction, drama, music, and elsewhere.

While working on the book I had the good fortune to receive a fellowship to spend time looking through the Special Collections at the Center for Gaming Research at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Each year the Center awards a few Eadington Fellowships in Gaming Research, so named for Dr. William R. Eadington (1946-2013), the economist and pioneer of the academic study of gambling, and I was lucky enough to be one of the recipients for the 2018-19 academic year.

Last fall I spent the first part of my fellowship conducting research there to help me with several different parts of my book. I then went back to UNLV this month to complete the fellowship, including delivering a talk at the Center where I chose to present my project and also share with the audience how I went about using the Special Collections.

UNLV Center for Gaming Research

Anyone with an interest in the history of gambling and/or poker should consider giving the Center for Gaming Research a visit. There visitors will find books, articles, manuscripts, photos, videos, and other items documenting the history of gambling in Nevada as well as all over the world, materials related the economics and regulation of the gambling industry, studies regarding the psychological, social, and political effects of gambling, and lots of primary documents and information concerning particular casinos throughout the world.

You can peruse the Special Collections via their online catalogue, and anyone can visit the Center to look at items from the collections on the premises.

As I mentioned during my talk, I ended up using material from the collections to supplement my research in several different chapters in Poker & Pop Culture.

For the chapters “Poker in Print” (about early references to poker) and “Poker on the Bookshelf” (about poker strategy books from the 19th to 21st centuries), I consulted dozens of titles from the Collections, including several of the many editions of Hoyle’s Games. Searches for those items also clued me in to several stories and novels I’d end up discussing in the chapter “Poker in Literature,” too.

For the “Poker in the Movies” chapter I consulted some early drafts of screenplays for The Cincinnati Kid, California Split, and The Sting. And for “Poker on Television” I was able to find another script of a 1950 televised drama (performed live) that centered on a complicated multi-way hand of five-card stud — possibly the first detailed fictional poker hand presented on TV.

Poker & Pop Culture

My chapter on “Poker in Casinos” includes a lot about the birth of Las Vegas as a gambling capital as well as Atlantic City and elsewhere. The collections helped me a great deal there as well, including providing a lot of statistical information that enabled me to discuss poker’s place in the larger scheme of casino culture as it developed from the mid-20th century to today.

The talk was great fun. Special thanks to Jennifer Shahade who snapped that above photo of me behind the podium looking professorial. I ended up spending more time in the Collections delving deeper into some of the WSOP-related material Jack Binion donated some time ago (some of which I plan to share here soon).

A few days later I had another chance to talk about Poker & Pop Culture, this time before a different audience — the Wednesday Poker Discussion Group.

The WPDG has a long history, dating back around 20 or 25 years or so according to those I asked. I actually visited the WPDG once before just over 10 years ago when they were meeting at Binion’s Horseshoe. They now meet Wednesday afternoons at Ricardo’s, a Mexican restaurant on West Flamingo.

I started my talk last week recalling my earlier visit and how they had discussed a hand of $2/$5 one of the group had recently played. The group is a great place for that sort of thing — for poker players to discuss hands played, recent tournaments, and anything else related to the game. They bring in guests frequently as well — authors, players, and others affiliated with the game — which I imagine brings some nice variety to the meetings.

For the group I gave a quick introduction of myself and the book, then invited them to ask questions or share thoughts about the various chapters and sections in Poker & Pop Culture (I’d created a handout listing everything in the book).

Talking with the Wednesday Poker Discussion Group

We discussed movies and television shows and how they tend to depict poker, including how the representation of the game often differs from reality. We talked about various issues such as the historical development of the game (from “straight poker” with no draw to draw poker to stud to hold’em), the history of U.S. presidents playing poker, how women’s participation in poker has evolved and has been portrayed over the years, online poker and its future prospects in America, and a lot more.

It was a more wide-ranging discussion than we had at UNLV where my time was somewhat limited. In fact, by the time I said goodbye nearly two hours had passed. Like happens at a great poker game where the conversation is engaging and the laughs frequent, the time just flew by.

If you are in Las Vegas for the WSOP or any other time of year and your interest in poker extends beyond just playing the game to curiosity about its history and/or a desire to talk poker with friendly, like-minded people, I have a couple of recommendations for you. As I mentioned, anyone can visit the Center for Gaming Research and take a look at the Special Collections. And the Wednesday Poker Discussion Group is open to visitors as well.

My thanks to both for the invitations and for having “dealt me in.”

The action continues…

‘Sick’ is an overused term in poker, but for our eight contenders it’s perfectly apt. To mark the UFC KO Poker Series, we’ve dug into the basement to find our most merciless KOs, and boy, some of these are painful.

Yesterday a three-way dance featuring aces, kings and queens became the first semi-finalist, but who will be joining them?

This is where you come in.

All you have to do is watch the two clips below and answer one question: which KO was the most brutal? Then simply cast your vote on our @PokerStars Twitter channel.

First up, a rare sighting of a Royal Flush from the 2016 PCA. At the turn of what had quickly become a monster pot, Paul Tedeschi was doing cartwheels inside with a set of queens, but the river had other ideas…

Also vying for a spot in the final four is the original ‘Death by Quads!’ hand, featuring Russian Pro Vitaly Lunkin. The occasion was EPT Barcelona; the year was 2013; the flop was ruthless.

Have your eyes recovered? If so, then it’s time to click some buttons and tell us which hand deserves to advance to the next stage.

Are you not entertained?! 😮🌪 Time for some more brutality…
Watch today’s pair of merciless KOs at https://t.co/lmtVXglSPT then vote on your fave below. #UFCPokerStars

— PokerStars (@PokerStars) June 25, 2019

Don’t forget that you can get involved with some sick knockout action yourself, as well as pick up one of the three UFC 241 packages up for grabs.

The starting bell rang on Sunday for the first UFC KO Poker Series, with a 68-event schedule of all Progressive KO tournaments. It’s a full week of action with prizes for every knockout, three UFC 241 travel packages up for grabs, and a $1.5 million guaranteed prize pool in next weekend’s Main Event.

If you’ve never tried Progressive KO tournaments before, fear not. PokerStars School has the lowdown on everything you need to succeed in this exciting tournament format, plus a chance to win a ticket to try it out for free.

This week:

• Why you should play Progressive KO tournaments
• Play the UFC KO Poker Series for free!
• Adapting to small-stakes NLHE

Progressive KOs – why to play them and how

The final table of the 2019 WSOP Super Turbo Bounty

The UFC KO Poker Series schedule consists entirely of Progressive KO tournaments. If you’ve never played this tournament format before, it can sound intimidating enough to avoid in favor of more familiar games. From reduced variance and an exhilarating late game to feelings of empowerment and less painful bustouts, there are loads of good reasons to give Progressive KO tournaments a shot.

Progressive KO tournaments play a little differently in certain spots, mostly related to the size of the bounty on your head, but Pete Clarke’s latest strategy piece makes it easy for newcomers to adjust to these differences. Boost your understanding of Progressive KO tournament strategy with these tips and start knocking out your opponents today.

Win an $11 UFC KO Poker Series ticket!

There’s no better way to try out your newfound Progressive KO knowledge than jumping into the UFC KO Poker Series. PokerStars School’s latest promotion can help you do that for free.

Entering couldn’t be simpler. All you have to do is look over the series schedule and then leave a comment saying which events you’d like to play. It’s literally that easy. Enter the contest here by June 26th — the 10 winners will be chosen on June 28th.

Adapting to micro-stakes NLHE cash games

Can’t score a free ticket to the KO series? There’s always the option of sitting down at the micro-stakes cash game tables and winning your buy-in there — but don’t just waltz in and expect all that shiny theory you’ve been studying to earn you max value.

Even Jason Mercier would miss value at the micro-stakes tables if he didn’t adjust by using exploitative strategies

“A lot of the training material out there will teach you the foundations of conventionally solid play,” says Pete Clarke. “You will learn about how to build bluffing ranges on the river; use blockers to choose a specific bet-size; and how to develop a solid 4-Bet range in a late position pre-flop battle. The problem is that such technical game theory ideas miss the mark somewhat at the smaller stakes, where the average player starts his or her poker journey.”

What you need are exploitative strategies you can rely on at these stakes — and that’s exactly what Clarke provides with his Three Tips for Adapting to 2NL and 5NL Cash. Click through and apply these tips to your game to stop missing out on all the extra value micro-stakes players leave on the table.

Other new PokerStars School content you might enjoy

• Question of the Week: How would you play this hand by xflixx?
• Strategy: Heads-up: The power of position
• Theory and Concepts: Counting Outs and the Rule of 2 and 4
• Mindset: Three Poker Reasoning Traps to Avoid

WSOP photography by pokerphotoarchive.com

Open a PokerStars account today and start learning from PokerStars School. Click here to get started, and then click here to register for PokerStars School.

Day 3 of the UFC KO Poker Series. Today’s headlines…

• Another 11 KOs for Veldhuis takes his total to 43
• Hand takes day off – but still ahead of Spraggy
• Confirmed: Spraggy cursed by alphabetical order

The Team Pro KO KOntest

Three days in and there’s daylight between Lex Veldhuis and the others. Meanwhile there’s 11 letters of the alphabet between Fintan Hand and Ben Spragg.

While Hand took yesterday off, Spraggy went hell for leather in Event 21. His total KOs for the day: 1

What effect did all this have on the leader board?

The standings based on Total KOs:

Lex Veldhuis: 43 (+11)

Fintan Hand: 24 (-)

Ben Spragg: 24 (+1)

How things stand based on average KOs per event:

Fintan Hand: 4.8 (5 played)

Lex Veldhuis: 3.9 (11 played)

Ben Spragg: 3 (8 played)

Finally, the standings if Ben Spragg’s name was actually Spen Bragg

Lex Veldhuis: 43 (+19)

Spen Bragg: 24 (+1)

Fintan Hand: 24 (-)

Will anything go Spraggy’s way? Would we say if it did?

Latest overall standings (with a UFC 241 package to the winner)

Remember there are three UFC 241 packages to be won during the UFC KO Poker Series.

Each package is made up of flights, hotel and two tickets to Anaheim, California, for a UFC night to remember this August.

One of those will go to the overall KO winner. Right now that’s dans170’.

How do you win one of the other two packages?

Simple.

Score three KOs this week in UFC KO Series events and you’ll win entry into a special All-In Shootout next week. The winner will be on their way to Anaheim.

A third package will be given away in another All-In Shootout. This time for players who then go on to KO a further three opponents.

That’s two chances to win and you only need three KOs. So that’s Spraggy and two more.

UFC KO Series for Wednesday

There are seven more events on the schedule today with $700,000 in guaranteed prize pools. Take your pick from the following:

11:00 ET. Event 28: $22 NLHE, $100K Gtd

12:30 ET. Event 29: $530 NLHE [High Roller], $125K Gtd

13:00 ET. Event 30: $55 NLHE, $150K Gtd

14:45 ET. Event 31: $109 NLHE, $100K Gtd

15:30 ET. Event 32: $22 PLO, $25K Gtd

17:00 ET. Event 33: $1,050 NLHE [Turbo, Daily Cooldown SE], $100K Gtd

18:00 ET. Event 34: $55 NLHE [Hyper-Turbo, Progressive Total KO], $100K Gtd

That’s all for today. Don’t forget you can follow along on Twitter by keeping an eye on @LexVeldhuis, @EasyWithAces and @Spraggy.

Learn more about the series, including details of other events, and how to win your seat for just a few dollars, on the UFC KO Poker Series homepage.

Competition in all its forms is defined by moments. Poker and the UFC are no different. Fans of both remember the times we were thrilled, excited or blown away by the action at the table or in the Octagon.

In the spirit of our continuing look at the overlap between the UFC and poker, let’s take a look at how some moments can produce similar feelings on the felt or inside the cage.

The ultimate upset

When an underdog pulls off a massive upset, it becomes a defining moment not only for the individual, but for the sport.

That legendary 2003 win in the World Series of Poker main event by Chris Moneymaker was unlikely in many ways.

Moneymaker turned an $86 satellite buy-in to one of the most iconic moments in poker history. To do so he defeated WSOP bracelet winner, and all-around “respected” player Sam Farha heads-up. It was a win worth $2.5 million.

Sure one has gloves, but both require a similar skill set.

The UFC doesn’t exactly have a “satellite” system in place for winning a shot at a championship. Not without climbing your way up the rankings. Except that is in 2006, when the UFC used their Ultimate Fighter television show to award title shots in two divisions to veterans whose time in the Octagon had only been marginally successful.

One of those men was Matt Serra. He’d compiled an 8-4 record in MMA and a 4-4 record in the UFC. Serra was a talented enough grappler, but his biggest claim to fame coming into the reality show was being the victim of a highlight reel spinning backfist knockout against Shonie Carter.

Serra managed to win the welterweight tournament — getting revenge against Carter along the way — earning himself a six-figure UFC contract as well as a six-figure sponsorship deal.

But the real prize was a shot at welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre. He’s considered the greatest welterweight fighter in MMA history, and one of the best fighters to ever step into the Octagon.

Given Serra’s disadvantages seemingly everywhere and a bit of a “skip the line” path to take on GSP, he was a massive underdog. As in, a +850 underdog.

This story makes no sense if Serra didn’t buck the odds and turn his “satellite” to a title shot into a championship. And that’s exactly what happened as he scored a first-round knockout to become the UFC welterweight champion.

Adding to all the absurdity of the moment, Serra had never scored a knockout as a professional prior to stopping the greatest fighter in the history of the weight class.

The ultimate bad beat

Bad beat stories are a dime a dozen and we’ve all heard plenty enough to last a lifetime. But sometimes the beats are so bad the story transcends your run of the mill “my aces got cracked by fours” and into something truly nausea-inducing.

Take, for example, this hand from the EPT super high roller in Barcelona.

Sven Reichard has Olivies Busquet has kings full of eights after the flop and is greater than 99% to win the hand only to see Busquet hit runner runner aces after going all in.

The bad beats in massive tournaments where you lose to the less than 1%? Those are the ones it’s ok to shout about from a mountain top.

Similarly, at UFC Fight Night 139, “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung was literally one second from winning his main event fight with Yair Rodriguez by at least a split decision when this happened:

1 second left… No better way to go out on the 25th Anniversary! pic.twitter.com/aGg1Z0bAeO

— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) November 11, 2018

Rodriguez threw a wild upward angled elbow as he ducked down, dropping Jung to the canvas as the referee waived off the fight just as the horn sounded.

One second was all that separated Jung from celebrating a huge main event victory, and lying unconscious on the canvas — all following one of the greatest knockouts in UFC history.

The ultimate double champ

Winning one EPT main event is the kind of incredible memory that only so many can claim. But winning two? That was unheard of.

Until Victoria Coren Mitchell.

Coren Mitchell won the European Poker Tour London main event in 2006 and continued a successful career at the tables. That was before once again she found herself heads up playing for a EPT main event championship at European Poker Tour San Remo in 2014.

With the win, Coren Mitchell became the first person to ever win two EPT main events and cemented her place in poker history.

While “double champs” or “champ champs” have happened a handful of times in UFC history, no woman had ever held championships in two divisions.

Until Amanda Nunes.

Nunes’ story is almost as unlikely as Coren Mitchell’s.

Nunes picked up the UFC bantamweight championship at UFC 200 with a rear-naked choke victory over Miesha Tate, one of the most famous female mixed martial artists in history. But it was her first defense where she’d meet the woman who finally got the UFC to embrace women in the Octagon.

Ronda Rousey was looking to recapture the championship she’d lost after a shocking head-kick knockout against Holly Holm and Nunes was the woman standing in her way. Rousey spent years building her legacy of dominance, before eventually being named the world’s most dominant athlete.

Despite being an underdog to one of the few mainstream mega-stars in UFC history, Nunes knocked out Rousey in just 48 seconds.

She then defeated Valentina Shevchenko, who is now the UFC flyweight champ. And then Raquel Pennington. All before moving up in weight to face off with featherweight champ Cris Cyborg.

If any woman could rival Rousey’s previous claims as the most dominant woman in mixed martial arts, it was Cyborg. In fact, Cyborg had won 20 straight fights following a loss in her pro debut before stepping into the cage with Nunes.

As Cyborg was the bigger, more feared fighter, she was also the betting favorite.

Understandably, it took Nunes more time to deal with Cyborg than it did Rousey.

Instead of scoring the knockout in 48 seconds, it took her 51 to score the knockout of Cyborg and become a two-division champ.

These women know how to make history.

Let’s get it on!

The search continues for the best (or worst?) KO to ever grace the PokerStars live felt, and the fun part is that you get to crown the Champion.

Every day we’re running head-to-head Twitter polls of some of poker’s most brutal moments, and today’s quarter final pair are no exception.

This first hand, for example, is enough to make even the driest eyes water. From way back in 2012, two players moved all in with A-K during the Super High Roller at EPT Barcelona. Everyone loves a chop pot, right? Erm…

Their opponent is from more recent times; this year, in fact, as we reflect on a nasty bad beat at a crucial, high-stakes moment: the PSPC final table. Aces might be the preflop nuts, but they were about to become a lot less nutty…

You know the score by now: watch the videos above from behind your fingers, then let us know which you think is the most barbaric by casting your vote below:

Gladiators… ready! 📢 More KO barbarism for your viewing pleasure.
Watch today’s hands at https://t.co/L52IG5ZcC4 then vote below on the most gruesome 🤕 #UFCPokerStars

— PokerStars (@PokerStars) June 26, 2019

The winner of the poll will be the third KO to advance to the semi-finals. Yesterday the Royal Flush River pipped Death by Quads by 56% to 44%, meaning they’ll take on the Aces, Kings, Queens hand for a spot in the final.

The action is picking up pace, as it is with our UFC KO Poker Series in which there are three UFC 241 packages on offer. If you haven’t got involved yet, then get your gloves on and take a step into the poker octagon.

Here at the PokerStars Blog, we do not breed our bloggers. We know there are so many out there who need homes, and it would be cruel to leave them out on the street when we have the space and heart to care for them here. We believe in the blogger rescue effort, and with one notable exception, we are a no-kill shelter (and re: the exception, that guy had it coming).

We all remember the day we brought Jack Stanton home. We cleaned him up and tried to make him feel at home. Despite his complete inability to check into a hotel on his own and a curious street habit of dipping his pizza crust in mayonnaise, we knew he would be just fine at home with us.

And he was. The kids loved him. He only wet on the floor once (okay twice, but that second time was after a really long night at the bar). And it turned out, just as we suspected, the kid could write better than he could play poker.

But, I’m here to tell you folks, not every blogger rescue story has a happy ending. Today is a shining example of that. We’re all heartbroken here at PokerStars Blog headquarters after learning Stanton has abandoned his laptop (under the guise of “it needs repairs”) and made off for Madrid to…I can hardly write it…play poker.

Today, we got the first evidence and proof of life from Madrid. There he was, staring–as is his wont–into space with a starting stack in front of him. Playing poker…or at least sitting behind chips like he was going to play. He tells a story of winning a qualifier to the EPT Open in Madrid, and–despite no record of this in our files–requesting the time off to go play.

We would appreciate anyone who sees him (and we mean anyone), to do the following:

1. Slowroll him one time and say, “The PokerStars Bloggers who are still working say hello.”
2. Give him a list of five things (that aren’t mayonnaise) that a sane person would use as dip for his pizza crust
3. Tell him good luck from us…I guess (sigh).

In all seriousness, we hope Jack does well at EPT Open Madrid. He’s playing today, and we hope he can cash for enough to get his laptop fixed but not so much he decides to not come back to his Pokerstars Blog home.

Good luck, Jack. And remember: they always have it.

Your category is GAME SHOWS. Here’s the answer.

This Jeopardy! champion known for going “all in” on Daily Doubles recently put his chips in the middle in a major poker tournament series.

The correct response? James Holzhauer, a.k.a. “Jeopardy James.”

It was only a few weeks ago we were watching Holzhauer, a professional sports bettor, win a remarkable 32 straight games on the popular quiz show Jeopardy!

By the time Holzhauer was finally defeated in a close one by Emma Boettcher, a librarian from Chicago, he had amassed $2,464,216 in winnings on the show. That meant he just barely missed breaking the all-time record set by Ken Jennings who won $2,522,700 million on Jeopardy! back in 2004.

It took Jennings more than twice as many shows to win just over what Holzhauer did, as Jennings won 74 straight games. One big reason for Holzhauer’s high win rate was his aggressive strategy in the game that saw him answer high-dollar items early and often double his total by betting all he had whenever answering a “Daily Double.”

Poker players enjoyed watching Holzhauer’s “big stack” approach to the game, likening it to strategy sometimes employed in tournaments. Put that together with the fact that Holzhauer lives in Las Vegas, it wasn’t all that surprising to see him turn up this week at the World Series of Poker where he played in a couple of events.

Holzhauer took part in both the $1,500 buy-in Super Turbo Bounty No-Limit Hold’em event as well as the $1,000 Tag Team No-Limit Hold’em event.

According to the WSOP’s Seth Palansky, in the Super Turbo Bounty event Holzhauer managed to spin his chips up to more than triple the starting stack, but was knocked out in Level 15.

That’s when Holzhauer got most of his stack in the middle with pocket sevens versus an opponent’s pocket fives, but unfortunately watched a five come among the community cards to leave him with crumbs. He’d get it in good again shortly thereafter with K-J versus K-T, but a ten on board sent the 35-year-old to the rail.

“I’ll take Pocket Pairs for $1,500, Alex”

His exit came with about 450 players still in the event, and as only the top 281 cashed that meant Holzhauer went away without a cash.

“I didn’t expect to last this long,” said Holzhauer afterwards. “That’s poker.”

Holzhauer knows of what he speaks, having played a lot of online poker back when a college student at the University of Illinois.

Soon after Holzhauer joined Poker Hall of Famer Mike Sexton with whom he partnered for the Tag Team event. However it wasn’t that long after that Sexton reported via Twitter he “lost 2 races in a row” and the pair were ousted on Day 1.

Holzhauer had pledged to donate half of his winnings to Project 150, a Vegas-based non-profit organization that provides homeless and disadvantaged high school youths school supplies, food, clothing, and other items.

Holzhauer had already donated $10,000 to the charity last month, and his appearance at the WSOP this week helped publicize the organization even further. So even if sevens turned out to be less than lucky for Holzhauer this week, his participation was certainly a net positive for many.

WSOP photography by pokerphotoarchive.com.

Day 4 of the UFC KO Poker Series. Here are the latest headlines…

• Fintan Hand smashes it. Takes lead
• Quiet day for Lex
• And we ask: Is compassion to blame for Spraggy’s KO drought?

The Team Pro KO KOntest

One man knew he had a big day in store, even before the data base had churned out the latest results.

And it was no wonder Fintan Hand was knocking on the door asking for results.

Smugness is a powerful thing.

We can report a new leader in the KO standings.

Fintan Hand is now in top spot after sending 24 players to the rail since yesterday. An act of ruthlessness that doubled his KO tally form the previous day.

He’s going to be unbearable.

The standings based on Total KOs:

Fintan Hand: 48 (+24)

Lex Veldhuis: 43 (-)

Ben Spragg: 24 (-)

With no confirmation yet of events played, we’re erring on the side of caution when accounting for the performances yesterday of Lex Veldhuis and Ben Spragg.

In Lex’s case, we’re assuming it was a rest day.

But with Spraggy we’re assuming he has lost his killer instinct.

It’s speculation, but we now wonder whether compassion has made him reluctant to deliver that fatal blow.

Having witnesses so many eliminations (many of which were his own), has he now found himself unable to capitalize on man’s inhumanity to man?

Or was he just rubbish yesterday?

Only he can say.

All we do know is that their scores didn’t change last night. And at least one player today will be reminding them of that.

At least one player will enjoy it while it lasts…

Latest overall standings (with a UFC 241 package to the winner)

While the Team Pro with the most KOs will earn $1,000 to be played for among their Twitch communities, there are other even bigger prizes to be won during the UFC KO Poker Series.

As we’ve been reminding you all week, there are three UFC 241 packages to be won during the UFC KO Poker Series.

Each package is made up of flights, hotel and two tickets to Anaheim, California, for a UFC night to remember this August.

One of which will be going to the player with the most KOs. Who is that player?

Well, the giant data machine is still churning out those results, so they will appear here later today.

Check back for results later today.

How do you win one of the other two packages?

Simple.

Score three KOs this week in UFC KO Series events and you’ll win entry into a special All-In Shootout next week. The winner will be on their way to Anaheim.

A third package will be given away in another All-In Shootout. This time for players who then go on to KO a further three opponents.

What’s coming up in the UFC KO Series for Thursday?

Another seven events roll up today with $850,000 guaranteed and several thousand KOs.

11:00 ET. Event 35: $109 NLHE, $100K Gtd

12:30 ET. Event 36: $530 NLHE [High Roller], $125K Gtd

13:00 ET. Event 37: $11 NLHE, $75K Gtd

14:45 ET. Event 38: $215 NLHE, $200K Gtd

15:30 ET. Event 39: $55 NLHE, $125K Gtd

17:00 ET. Event 40: $1,050 NLHE [Turbo, Daily Cooldown SE], $100K Gtd

18:00 ET. Event 41: $109 NLHE [Hyper-Turbo], $125K Gtd

Don’t forget you can follow along on Twitter by keeping an eye on @LexVeldhuis, @EasyWithAces and @Spraggy.

Learn more about the series, including details of other events, and how to win your seat for just a few dollars, on the UFC KO Poker Series homepage.

Here at PokerStars Blog we’ve been occasionally looking in at the goings-on in Spain this week at the EPT Open Madrid festival. There the €1,100 Main Event moved into its second and last Day 1 flight on Thursday, culminating an exciting 22-event series.

In between checking the progress of our intrepid colleague Jack Stanton — a.k.a. Poker’s Jack Stanton — who won an entry into the Main, we received news of a happy reunion taking place involving three other familiar faces from the PokerStars Players No-Limit Hold’em Championship that played out earlier this year.

No less than three of the more than 300 Platinum Pass winners found themselves at the same EPT Open Madrid Main Event table, a moment chronicled and shared by one of them, UK player Asif Warris.

From the Bahamas to Madrid: Asif, Samir, and Ramon together again

The amiable Asif (in the foreground) won his Platinum Pass after winning the 2018 Persistence Award at year’s end, a suitable recognition after his having tried many other avenues toward securing the entry.

Meanwhile Samir Akhoulou of Germany (in Seat 1) won his Platinum Pass at the Belgian Poker Championship in the Crazy Pineapple Hand Challenge.

And of course everyone knows Ramon Colillas, especially in Spain. The Barcelona-based player (in what looks like Seat 4, actually) secured his Platinum Pass to play in the PSPC in January after finishing first on the Campeonato de España de Poker Leaderboard. At the time the $30K package was three times as much as Colillas had ever won in a poker tournament.

He’d go on to win the PSPC and $5.1 million top prize, catapulting him to fourth on the Spaniards’ all-time money list and landing him a spot on Team PokerStars as well.

Good vibes to our PP friends and everyone else at EPT Open Madrid! Also, let us know if you happen to spot Jack.

Two more KOs go heads-up…

With just one semi-final spot up for grabs, it’s time to let our final pair of hands duke it out.

And today we have two heavyweights looking to win the title of most gut-wrenching KO to grace the PokerStars live felt.

The first features a familiar face, Jason Somerville, who met a grizzly demise in the inaugural PSPC. All in with Ad-8d vs. Ac-7h on a 7d-Td-9d flop, Jason was almost certain to double up with his flopped nut flush. That was until the turn and river got involved…

In the other corner stands a formidable opponent in the form of this nasty hand from EPT Barcelona 2016. Fatima de Melo was in the commentary booth to watch the action unfold: a cruel board that first teased, and then delivered a jab, reverse for a shocking KO.

Both are disgraceful, but which gets you vote? Make your choice in today’s daily poll below.

Sick bags at the ready. 🤮 Two more horrible hands are battling it out for a semi-final place. Watch them here: https://t.co/MiyNRpP99n then cast your vote below. #UFCPokerStars

— PokerStars (@PokerStars) June 27, 2019

Join us again tomorrow for the first semi-final between an aces/kings/queens three-way dance and a full house evicted by a Royal Flush. A battle not to be missed.

In the meantime, why not deliver some brutal KOs of your own in our UFC KO Poker Series? The poker octagon awaits…