Team Full Tilt’s Phil Ivey wins his eighth WSOP Bracelet

Congratulations to Team Full Tilt’s Phil Ivey for winning his eighth WSOP* bracelet. Victory came in the 2010 WSOP Event #37, a $3,000 H.O.R.S.E. event, and makes Ivey the youngest player to win eight bracelets.

On the final hand of Razz, Chen committed all of his chips on fifth street with a made 7-6 low hand, while Ivey was in the lead with a made 6-5 low. Chen’s hand failed to improve and Ivey won the title, taking home the $329,840 prize money and him putting alongside Erik Seidel and Johnny Moss with eight WSOP* bracelets.

Kläser Wins $216K in WSOP Event #43

Less than a year ago, Martin Kläser was just another aspiring poker player chasing a dream. Today, he's a WSOP bracelet winner.

Kläser claimed his bracelet in Event #43, the $1.5K Pot-Limit Omaha 8-or-Better tournament after besting a field of 720 players and a final table that included Team Full Tilts Erik Seidel. Kläser entered heads-up play with a 3:1 chip lead over Casey Kastle and played an ultra-aggressive style that saw him win all but three of the 19 hands that were dealt.

This victory earned Kläser, who began playing poker professionally less than one year ago, more than $216K and his first career bracelet.

Kläser became a Full Tilt Poker pro in October 2007 after winning the Million Euro Challenge Freeroll tournament in Munich, Germany, where he defeated a 2,100 player field and earned the opportunity to play three heads-up matches against Team Full Tilt members Chris Ferguson, Gus Hansen, and Howard Lederer. After receiving coaching from Team Full Tilts Phil Ivey, Jennifer Harman and Erik Seidel, Kläser went on to win two of three matches and €350,000.

Seidel and Oppenheim reach final table of WSOP Event #14

Congratulations to Team Full Tilt's Erik Seidel and Full Tilt Poker pro David Oppenheim on making the final table of WSOP Event #14, the $10K Seven-Card Stud World Championship. Seidel, looking for his ninth gold bracelet, finished in fifth place for just over $90K. Oppenheim, who came to the final table as chip leader, was eliminated in seventh place and took home nearly $60K.

Team Full Tilt's Erik Seidel Wins at Foxwoods

Congratulations to Team Full Tilt's Erik Seidel who claimed his first World Poker Tour championship by winning the Foxwoods Poker Classic.

Seidel entered the final table as the chip leader - a position he would rarely relinquish over nearly 12 hours of intense play. After almost six hours of three-handed play, Seidel flopped trips when his pocket Jacks connected on a board of J-6-3, crippling third-place finisher Andrew Barta who busted on the next hand.

The tournament then ended after just one hand of heads-up play when Seidel's A-J out-flopped Robert Richardson's 9-7 on a board of A-K-9. A final king on the river gave Seidel top two pair and a first prize worth nearly $993,000.

Erik Seidel Takes Second Down Under

Congratulations to Team Full Tilt’s Erik Seidel on his stellar performance in the 2008 Aussie Millions Main Event. Seidel finished second and banked AU$1 million for his play.

Making his way through a record 780-player field, Seidel – an eight-time WSOP bracelet winner - avoided any major confrontations at the final table and used his tight aggressive style to get down to the final two. Heads-up play lasted nearly two hours before Seidel’s Ace-Queen failed to improve versus his opponent’s pair of Jacks, ending the tournament.

With this showing at the most prestigious event outside of North America, Seidel has proved once again that he is one of the world’s best tournament players and a true legend in the game of poker.

1 Million Reasons why E-Dog Loves Australia

Congratulations to Team Full Tilt's Erick Lindgren who pocketed a cool AU$1 million after winning the AU$100,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold 'em tournament at the Aussie Millions.

The high buy-in limited the field to 18 of the world's best pros, including Team Full Tilters Phil Ivey, John Juanda, and Erik Seidel, who collected AU$550,000 for his second-place finish.

Watch the Poker Equalizer on ESPN

Team Full Tilt Members Phil Ivey, John Juanda and Erick Lindgren Featured on the first Pro-Am Poker Equalizer on ESPN

Starting Saturday, January 6^th, ESPN will broadcast the Pro-Am Poker Equalizer, a unique tournament that features top poker professionals and celebrities from TV, movies and sports competing for $500,000 in first-place prize money.

Broadcast each weekend through February 18^th, the Pro-Am Poker Equalizer participants include many Full Tilt Poker pros, including Team Full Tilt members Phil Ivey, John Juanda, Erick Lindgren, Jennifer Harman and Erik Seidel, along with celebrities such as Shannon Elizabeth, Jason Alexander, Jose Canseco and more. The show gets its name from the fact that each celebrity player starts with 150,000 worth of chips, while their pro counterparts begin each match with just 100,000 in chips.

Find out more about the Pro-Am Poker Equalizer and view the broadcast schedule

Ferguson Wins Record Third WSOP-C Ring

Congratulations to Team Full Tilt’s Chris Ferguson on becoming the first player to win three WSOP Circuit Event Championships. Ferguson took home a Circuit ring and over $200K for his victory in the WSOP-C Lake Tahoe event.

Starting the Final Table as chip leader, Ferguson played solid poker as the field was whittled down to two players. The heads-up portion of the event, the shortest in WSOP-C history, lasted only one hand. In dramatic fashion, Ferguson flopped a set of 10s to take out his opponent’s pocket Aces and end the tournament on the spot.

With this victory, Ferguson has once again proved that he is one of the top tournament players in the world.

Full Tilt Poker’s Huck Seed wins WSOP* Tournament of Champions

Full Tilt Poker pro Huck Seed won the Tournament of Champions at the 2010 World Series of Poker. The four-time WSOP bracelet winner scooped the first prize of $500,000, edging out Team Full Tilt’s Howard Lederer for the top prize.

The Tournament of Champions made a return to the WSOP following a three-year absence. The public voted for their favorite 20 WSOP* bracelet winners, with previous Tournament of Champions winners, current Main Event champions and two sponsor exemptions making up the 27 person field.

On the final hand, Lederer move all in with Q-8 which Seed called with A-2. The board ran 7-6-6-9-A to give Seed the first-prize check of $500,000 and the title of "Champion of Champions".

Team Full Tilt’s Phil Gordon Wins 4th Annual Ante Up For Africa Tournament

Team Full Tilt’s Phil Gordon donated his first-place prize money to charity after winning the 4th Annual Ante Up For Africa poker tournament at the World Series of Poker*.

A total of 83 players entered the $5,000 buy-in tournament which has become an integral part of the World Series of Poker*. The field was littered with celebrities, but all were eliminated by the final two with Gordon playing heads up against Shannon Elizabeth.

With a fast blind structure, Gordon didn’t have to wait long for the right position and when his opponent moved all in with K-10 Gordon quickly called with Q-3. The board ran Q-6-8-A-5 and the pair of queens gave Gordon the first prize.

Ante Up For Africa is a non-profit organization which provides lifesaving assistance for people in places such as Darfur, Sudan. It was co-founded by Don Cheadle, Annie Duke and Norman Epstein and since its inception has raised over $3 million for charity.

Full Tilt Poker Pro Gavin Smith wins his first WSOP Bracelet

Gavin Smith collected his first WSOP* bracelet after winning Event #44 at the 2010 World Series of Poker*.

The $2,500 buy-in tournament began on June 24th, 2010, with 507 players and a prize pool of $1,166,100. The tournament featured 30-minute periods alternating between No-Limit and Limit Hold’em. 69 players survived Day 1, which was then whittled down to the final table of nine ahead of the third day.

The final hand saw his opponent, Danny Hannawa, raise with 10-8 and Smith reraise with A-Q. Hannawa called for the remainder of his chips but couldn’t improve as the board came down A-K-2-J-J. Smith’s two pair gave him the victory and first prize of $268,238.

Full Tilt Poker’s Scott Montgomery wins his first WSOP Bracelet

Scott Montgomery became the latest Full Tilt Poker Pro to collect a WSOP* bracelet. The Canadian won Event #36, a $1,000 No-Limit Hold’Em tournament after besting a field of 3102 entries.

Despite entering the final day with the second-shortest stack, Montgomery’s aggressive playing style soon saw him battle his way to the top. The field eventually played down to Montgomery and Mick Carlson. Montgomery dominated the heads-up play and gained an incredible chip lead. In the final hand, Carlson pushed all in with K-2 from the small blind for 825,000 chips, and Scott Montgomery called with A-7. Carlson’s hand failed to improve and Montgomery emerged victorious and claimed the winner’s check of $481,760.

This was Montgomery’s second biggest win in his career after he finished fifth in the WSOP* Main Event in 2008.

Full Tilt Poker Pro Jose Luis Velador wins second WSOP Bracelet

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker pro Jose Luis Velador for winning his second WSOP* bracelet. Velador won the 2010 WSOP Event #33, a $2,500 Pot-Limit Hold ‘em/Omaha tournament. His previous bracelet success came at the WSOP 2008, in a $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em event.

A pair of sixes was enough for Velador in the final hand as he ousted fellow Full Tilt Poker Pro David Chiu for the first prize of $260,552. With his second WSOP bracelet, Velador takes his career tournament earnings to more than $1.3 million.

Full Tilt Poker Pro Richard Ashby Wins first WSOP Bracelet

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker pro Richard Ashby for winning his first WSOP bracelet and over $140,000 in prize money. Ashby won the 2010 WSOP Event #21, a $1,500 Seven-Card Stud tournament.

Ashby reached the final table third in chips. After taking a commanding lead during heads-up play, Ashby sealed his victory when his two pair held up against his opponent’s pair of tens. With this win, he boosted his career tournament earnings to more than $800,000.

Full Tilt Poker Pro Praz Bansi Wins Second WSOP Bracelet

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker pro Praz Bansi for collecting his second WSOP bracelet and over $500,000 in prize money. Bansi won the 2010 WSOP Event #5, a $1K No-Limit Hold ‘em event featuring a field of 2,092 players.

Bansi reached the final table with only an average chip stack, but he was armed with a great deal of confidence and experience from his previous WSOP victory.

After gradually acquiring the chip-lead, Bansi sealed the victory when his A-J held up against his opponent’s A-8. With this win, he has now earned more than $2.3 million playing live tournaments around the world.

Annette "Annette_15" Obrestad signs with Full Tilt Poker

Online phenomenon Annette Obrestad is the newest Full Tilt Poker pro. Better known by her online handle "Annette_15", Obrestad is one of the most prolific and successful players in online poker history. Starting off with nothing, she turned a $9 win in a Freeroll tournament into a bankroll worth millions.

Annette_15 is also an accomplished live tournament player. She took down the inaugural World Series of Poker Europe Main Event in September 2007, becoming the youngest bracelet winner in history and winning more than $2 million – the largest score ever by a female player. Learn more about Annette_15.

Look for Annette "Annette_15" Obrestad playing online at Full Tilt Poker.

Carlos Mortensen wins WPT Hollywood Poker Open

Full Tilt Poker pro Carlos Mortensen made poker history as he won his third WPT event, the WPT Hollywood Poker Open. Carlos beat a tough field of 144 players to secure a $393,820 payday and his third WPT title.

This victory secured Mortensen the top spot on the WPT All-Time Money List and placed him alongside Team Full Tilt's Gus Hansen for most all-time WPT wins. This is the second time Mortensen has enjoyed altering the course of poker history; in 2007, he became the first ever player to have won the WSOP Main Event and a WPT Championship.

The Matador Banks $375K at LAPC

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker pro Carlos ‘The Matador’ Mortensen, who banked a total of over $375,000 at the 2010 LA Poker Classic. He cashed in three tournaments, most notably the $1,065 No-Limit Hold ‘em with rebuys tournament, where he outlasted 316 other players to take the top prize of $273,500. He made the final table of the $10K Main Event, finishing in 9th place for over $100,000. Carlos also finished 9th in the $3,085 No-Limit Hold ‘em Six-Handed tournament. This boosts The Matador’s career tournament earnings to over $9.2 million and moves him into 12th place on the All-Time Money List.

Jeff Madsen Wins 2010 Borgata Winter Poker Open

Full Tilt Poker pro Jeff Madsen won the 2010 Borgata Winter Poker Open, taking home over $625,000 for the victory. This payday brings Madsen’s career tournament earnings to more than $3 million.

The 2010 Borgata Winter Poker Open, which takes place annually in Atlantic City, attracted a total of 766 players for its $3,500 buy-in Main Event, creating a prize pool worth more than $2.5 million.

Madsen took the chip lead with seven players remaining at the final table and dominated the action thereafter, knocking out four of the final six players. Nearly even in chips with his opponent at the start of heads-up play, Madsen wore him down over time and took a 2-to-1 chip lead. The final hand came when Madsen’s K-10 held up versus his opponent’s Q-2, sealing the victory for Madsen.

Full Tilt Poker Dominates Bluff Reader’s Choice Awards

Readers of Bluff Magazine tipped their hat to Full Tilt Poker in the 5th Annual Bluff Magazine Reader’s Choice Awards. Along with multiple awards for Full Tilt Poker pros, Full Tilt Poker was voted the readers’ Favorite Online Poker Site.

Team Full Tilt’s Phil Ivey, who tops the All-Time Money List, was recognized for his incredible run in 2009. He came out on top in two categories: Top Story of 2009, which he won for making the WSOP Main Event Final Table, and Favorite Player of 2009.

Tom ‘durrrr’ Dwan’s stellar year, which included his addition to poker’s elite on Team Full Tilt, was also celebrated by the Bluff readers. The high-stakes online titan was voted Best Online Poker Player 2009.

Phil Ivey Tops the All Time Money List

Team Full Tilt’s Phil Ivey, the world’s best poker player, has moved into the top spot on poker’s All-Time Money list, which is based on tournament winnings in live events. Ivey’s $600K score for finishing second in the 2010 Aussie Millions $100K Challenge tournament brought his career tournament earnings to $12,802,783.

Following a hugely successful 2009, in which he won two WSOP bracelets and finished 7th in the WSOP Main Event, Ivey started 2010 by overtaking previous leader Daniel Negreanu at the top of the All-Time Money List. He is currently $400K ahead of Negreanu.

Mike "Timex" McDonald Takes 3rd Place at EPT Deauville

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker pro and Cardrunner Mike "Timex" McDonald for his 3rd place finish in the EPT Deauville 2010 in France. McDonald battled through a stacked field of 768 players to reach the final table and take home $295K in prize money.

McDonald has dominated the EPT in previous years, becoming the youngest person to win an EPT event when he took down the 2008 €7,700 German Open for $1.3 million. In 2009, he placed 5th in the $5K no-Limit hold ‘em event at the German Open, banking over $249K. His latest payday at the EPT Deauville brings his career tournament earnings to over $2.6 million.

Gavin Smith Wins Over $188,000 at Fallsview Classic

Full Tilt Poker pro Gavin Smith took top prize at the Fallsview Classic $2,500 buy-in event, after a grueling 19-hour final day.

The Fallsview Classic Poker Invitational, held in the Fallsview Casino in Ontario, Canada, was formerly known as the WPT North American Poker Championships. Smith, who was named the WPT World Player of the year in 2006, battled a field of 267 players to bank over $188,000. Smith has now amassed over $5 million in career tournament earnings.

James Akenhead Wins Full Tilt Poker Million VIII

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker pro James Akenhead, who won the Poker Million VIII event in London on December 4th. Akenhead built upon his success at the WSOP 2009 Main Event, where he finished 9th overall, by taking down the top prize of $500K.

The Full Tilt Poker Million is an invitational event featuring 72 players from around the globe, battling it out over five months of tournament action. Akenhead faced stiff competition at the final table, including Team Full Tilt pro and Cardrunners’ co-founder Taylor Caby and Full Tilt Poker pro Dag Martin Mikkelsen. Also at the final table were Peter Vasiliou, who qualified online at Full Tilt Poker, and Craig Wakeham, winner of Full Tilt Poker’s Poker Million – Last Chance promotion.

In a tense final hand, Akenhead’s opponent reraised all-in before the flop. Akenhead called with pocket tens. His opponent’s pocket sixes were helped by a 3-4-5 flop that offered an open-ended straight draw but still left Akenhead as the 2-1 favorite. The turn and river were blanks and Akenhead’s tens were enough to scoop the tournament victory.

The win brings his career tournament earnings to over $2.7 million. Look for James Akenhead online at Full Tilt Poker.

Full Tilt Poker Signs Tom "durrrr" Dwan to Team Full Tilt

Online phenomenon Tom Dwan is the newest addition to Team Full Tilt. Best known by his online player handle "durrrr", Dwan is one of the most prolific and successful high-stakes players in the history of online poker. He now takes his rightful place amongst the world’s most elite poker players.

Along with being an online poker powerhouse, Dwan is a flourishing star on the live poker scene. He has amassed more than $1.1 million playing live tournaments, including three WSOP cashes and one World Poker Tour final table.

Dwan increased his reputation as a fierce competitor when he recently threw down the gauntlet with the unprecedented durrrr Challenge, offering to pit $1.5 million against any opponent's $500K, playing heads-up at four tables simultaneously for 50,000 hands.

Look for Dwan in action on the high-stakes tables at Full Tilt Poker.

$5.2m for Full Tilt Poker Pros at WSOP 2009 Final Table

Congratulations to Team Full Tilt’s Phil Ivey and Full Tilt Poker pros James Akenhead and Steven Begleiter for an outstanding run in the WSOP 2009 Main Event. The trio beat out over 6,000 WSOP Main Event entrants to claim their place among the ‘November Nine’. Ivey, Akenhead and Begleiter took home a combined total of over $5.2 million in prize money.

Look for Ivey, Akenhead and Begleiter online at Full Tilt Poker.

Greg "FBT" Mueller wins 2nd bracelet at the 2009 WSOP

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker’s Greg “FBT” Mueller for winning WSOP Event #50, the $1.5K Limit Hold 'em Shootout tournament for more than $194K in prize money. He beat a field of 572 to claim his second WSOP title, just two weeks after claiming his first bracelet in Event #33, the $10K World Championship Limit Hold ‘em.

The heads-up play began with Mueller holding the chip lead. Over the next two hours, each player stole the lead back and forth. In the final hand, Naalden raised from the button and Mueller called to see a flop of 10-4-3. Mueller called Naalden’s bet and the turn showed a K. Mueller check-raised and Naalden re-raised, pushing all-in with K-2. The Jack on the river secured Mueller’s victory with K-5.  

Mueller won his second bracelet and became the fourth multiple bracelet winner of the series. His career tournament earnings now stand at over $1.7 million.

Greg Mueller wins the 2009 WSOP $10K World Championship Limit Hold ‘em event

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker pro Greg “FBT” Mueller for winning the 2009 WSOP $10K World Championship Limit Hold ‘em event. Mueller bested a field of 185 opponents, including some of the world’s best poker players, to walk away with his first WSOP bracelet and over $460K in prize money.

Mueller joined the final table of Event #33 in 5th place with just under 600,000 chips. He battled his way to the final two, securing his victory after seven hands of heads-up play. In the final hand, Mueller called his opponent’s all-in on a flop of 2-K-3, showing pocket 5’s against 10-8. The queen on the turn followed by a King on the river secured Mueller’s bracelet. This win boosts Mueller’s career tournament earnings to over $1.5 million.

Three WSOP Bracelets in Three Days for Full Tilt Poker Pros

Full Tilt Poker pros dominated WSOP Events #23, #25 and #27 this weekend at the 2009 WSOP.

Nick Schulman wins Event #23, World Championship No-Limit Deuce-to-Seven Draw

Full Tilt Poker pro Nick Schulman won the 2009 World Series of Poker Event #23 to become the new $10K No-Limit Deuce to Seven Draw World Champion. Schulman survived three tough days of play and defeated a field of 95 of the world’s best players to win his first WSOP bracelet and over $275K in prize money.

Phil Ivey wins Event #25, $25K Omaha/Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo

Team Full Tilt’s Phil Ivey took down the $25K Omaha/Seven-Card Stud Hi/Lo event to win his second 2009 WSOP event for over $220k. This is his seventh bracelet and the victory ties Phil in fourth place with Billy Baxter for All-Time Bracelet wins. To date, Ivey has cashed in 36 WSOP events and accrued over $10.8 million in career tournament earnings.

Roland de Wolfe wins Event #27, $5K Pot-Limit Omaha Hi/Lo 8-or-better

Full Tilt Poker pro Roland de Wolfe won the $5K Pot-Limit Omaha Hi/Lo 8-or-better to take home his first bracelet and prize money of more than $250K.  This victory saw Roland make his name as the second player to complete poker’s Triple Crown by winning Championship Titles in the WSOP, WPT and EPT.

Phil Ivey wins the 2009 World Series of Poker $2.5K No-Limit Deuce-to-Seven Lowball event

Congratulations to Phil Ivey for winning WSOP Event #8, the $2.5K No-Limit Deuce-to-Seven Lowball tournament. Ivey bested a field of 147 runners, which included some of the world’s best poker players, to take home over $95K in winnings and his 6th WSOP bracelet.

Ivey started the final table just over 100K in chips, making him the second shortest-stack.  After an early double up, Ivey won a massive pot and took the chip lead with five players remaining. After a few hours of action, Ivey entered heads-up play against John Monnette. The heads-up duel lasted for more than three hours and in the final hand Monnette raised and Ivey pushed all-in. Monnette made the call and both players drew only one card. Ivey’s 7-low bested Monnette’s pair of 7s and earned Ivey his victory.

Ivey’s 6th WSOP win has placed him within a group of 11 elite players with six or more WSOP bracelets. He’s in the top ten on the All Time Money List with career tournament earnings of over $10 million, and is recognized as one of the most feared cash game players today.

Vitaly Lunkin wins 2009 World Series of Poker Event #2

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker pro Vitaly Lunkin for winning his 2nd WSOP bracelet. Lunkin bested 200 players to take down the $40K buy-in Special 40th Annual No-Limit Hold ’em Event for more than $1.8 million in prize money.

In the final hand, Lunkin’s opponent went all-in on a flop of Qd-10d-8d, showing 3d-8c versus Lunkin’s As-Ah. The 7c on the turn and Ks on the river secured Lunkin’s victory, raising his career tournament earnings to over $3 million.

Lunkin won his first bracelet in the 2008 WSOP $1.5K No-Limit Hold ’em event when he beat a field of over 2,700 entrants for a $630K payday. He’s considered to be one of the top Russian players in the world.

FTOPS XII attracts record numbers

FTOPS XII awarded over $21 million in prize money and attracted more than 165,000 players, making it the most successful FTOPS to date. Seven events guaranteed at least $1 million in prize money, and the Main Event paid out a prize pool of $2.5 million.

MiniFTOPS and FTOPS Challenges debuted during FTOPS XII to great success. MiniFTOPS offered the same 25 events as FTOPS XII at 1/10th of the buy-in and FTOPS challenges awarded prizes for completing a series of in-game tasks.

Full Tilt Poker pros take down FTOPS events

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker pros Gavin Smith and Berry Johnston for becoming FTOPS champions.

Gavin took down FTOPS Event #7, a $600K guaranteed No-Limit Hold ‘em rebuy tournament, beating a field of 1,806 players to win $123,600. The $100 +$9 tournament played out over nine hours, with a total of 2850 rebuys and 1132 add-ons.

FTOPS Event #14 winner Berry Johnston defeated 516 entrants in the $500 + $35 HEROS tournament for a $69,570 payday after more than nine hours of play.

Full Tilt Poker shines at the 2009 EPT Grand Final

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker pros Dag Mikkelsen and Andrew Feldman, for their impressive final-table finishes at 2009 EPT events in Monte Carlo.

Dag Mikkelsen reached the final table of the EPT Grand Final, placing 4th for over $795K. Mikkelsen’s cash brings his career tournament earnings to over $1.1 million.

Andrew Feldman also final tabled in the EPT Monte Carlo High Roller Championship, finishing in 7th place for almost $80K. His finish brings his career tournament earnings to over $390K.

Full Tilt Poker launches Full Tilt Poker Academy

Sharpen your skills with Howard Lederer and Phil Gordon.

Full Tilt Poker Academy offers a library of multimedia features. Begin with Lessons on key strategies and techniques, view pro Sessions to watch the theories in action, then take a Challenge online at Full Tilt Poker or put your knowledge to the test with interactive Sit-N-Learns.

Full Tilt Poker Academy is free to join for anyone with a Full Tilt Poker account – sign up today and experience the best poker education available online.

Steve Brecher wins 2009 WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star

Full Tilt Poker pro Steve Brecher won the 2009 WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star event, securing his first ever WPT championship title. He beat a field of 391 players to win over $1 million in prize money and his seat at the 2009 $25K WPT Championship event this April.

Steve started the final table in 3rd place with over $2 million in chips. He battled his way through the longest WPT final table on record to play heads-up with a 2:1 chip lead against Kathy Liebert. The final hand came just 2 hours 45 minutes later after 54 heads-up hands were played.

Liebert’s pre-flop raise met a re-raise from Brecher. Liebert moved all-in with Q-10 and Brecher called with A-9. The board showed 6-6-2-2-4 and Brecher’s stronger kicker secured his victory. He walked away with his biggest tournament win to date, boosting his career tournament earnings to over $1.7 million.

Huck Seed wins 2009 National Heads-Up Championship

Full Tilt Poker pro Huck Seed is the 2009 National Heads-Up Champion. After deep runs in the four previous NHUPC tournaments, Huck defeated Vanessa Rousso 2-0 in the best-of-three final round to win one of the most prestigious titles in poker. He walked away with the NHUPC trophy and $500K in prize money, taking his career tournament earnings to more than $4.5 million.

Huck dominated Rousso throughout the first match, taking down a pot worth $100K within the first half hour. His K-J then stood against Rousso's all-in with Q-J, securing his first victory. He went on to win the second match within an hour. Both players limped pre-flop to see the 8-3-K board. The turn showed a 10, and Rousso moved all-in with J-10. Huck called with a pair of Kings. The river showed a 5 and Huck took the NHUPC title.

Huck is the third ever WSOP Main Event champion to also win the NHUPC, alongside Chris Ferguson and Phil Hellmuth. His victory on Sunday also secured his position as the most dominant heads up player in NHUPC history, with an overall record of 18 wins to 4 losses.

Full Tilt Poker Runs Strong at the LA Poker Classic

Full Tilt Poker ran strong at this year’s LAPC, with Vivek Rajkumar winning the first ever $10K Heads-Up Championship event and Chris “Jesus” Ferguson battling his way to the Main Event final table.

22 year old Vivek beat 111 contenders to become the first ever L.A. Poker Classic $10K Heads-Up Champion. In the double elimination format, players could lose one game without being knocked out of the tournament. Vivek fought hard for his tournament life after losing an early game and emerged victorious for a $350K payday, boosting his career tournament earnings to over $2.3 million. His impressive two year poker career also includes a WPT Borgata Poker Open title for $1.4 million, a win at last year’s LAPC $2.5K No-Limit Hold ‘em event for $113K, and eight WSOP cashes.

Chris also stepped up to the challenge and made his first ever WPT final table. He battled his way through the tough six days of play, making it through to the final table short stacked. His final hand of AK suited was beaten by pocket 4’s, eliminating him in 6th place for over $240K. Chris’s extraordinary list of accomplishments includes 2000 WSOP Main Event Champion, five WSOP bracelets, 2008 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold ‘em National Champion, and 2 WSOP-C rings.

You can learn more about Vivek Rajkumar and Chris Ferguson on Full Tilt Poker.

John Phan is BLUFF Magazine's 2008 Player of the Year

John Phan has added another prestigious title to his resume – “BLUFF Magazine 2008 Player of the Year”. In a close race, his string of summer successes, including two WSOP bracelets and one WPT title, held good until the end of the year. He edged out, amongst others, fellow Full Tilt Poker pro David Pham who finished in 3rd place.

John Phan wins 2008 Player of the Year Award from Card Player magazine

John Phan’s exceptional results in 2008 have led to his being named Card Player magazine’s 2008 Player of the Year.

This spectacular year included 3 major tournaments wins, 8 final tables, 14 cashes and over $2 million in prize money. Highlights included two WSOP bracelets and one WPT title. He won his first bracelet in the $3,000 No-Limit Hold ‘em event, receiving over $430K in prize money. John’s second bracelet came in the $2,500 2-7 Triple Draw event, winning over $150K and he experienced his first WPT win at the Legends of Poker tournament in August where he took home more than $1 million.

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker pros Scott Montgomery, Kelly Kim and Craig Marquis for WSOP Main Event final table finishes

When the November Nine reconvened in Las Vegas for the final table of the 2008 WSOP Main Event, Full Tilt Poker was represented by three pros.

Craig Marquis came to the final table with more than 10 million in chips and a shot at becoming the youngest Main Event champion in history. After his set of 7s lost to an opponent’s Ace-high straight, Craig finished in 9th place, earning more than $900K. Kelly Kim came to the final table as the short stack with less than 3 million in chips, but still managed to finish in 8th place after his pocket 4s failed to stand up. He earned over $1.28 million for his effort.

Starting with almost 20 million in chips, Scott Montgomery made an aggressive run in the event, before being eliminated in 5th place when his trip Aces lost to an opponent’s full house. In the end, he took home well over $3 million.

All told, the three pros from Full Tilt Poker gave impressive performances and earned a combined total of more than $5 million.

Full Tilt Poker pro Sandra Naujoks wins the 2008 CAPT Baden European Poker Championship

Newly signed Full Tilt Poker pro Sandra Naujoks won the 2008 Casinos Austria Poker Tour (CAPT) Baden European Poker Championship, taking home more than $200,000 for her victory. Battling her way through a field of 163 of Europe’s finest players, Sandra came to the final table as a short stack but was not deterred by her lack of chips. It was a tough final table that featured two WSOP bracelet winners, but Sandra stayed aggressive the whole time and managed to come out on top.

Sandra was joined at the final table by fellow Full Tilt Poker pro Stefan Rapp, who finished in 3rd place. Full Tilt Poker pro Markus Lehmann was also in action during the CAPT, and won the 2008 Best Overall Performance award for his play on the tour.

John Juanda Completes a Historic Week in London

Not content with winning the WSOP European Series 2008 Main Event in London, John Juanda continued his great play with a 2nd place finish in the EPT London £1 Million Showdown. John earned over $570,000, taking his total earnings in the first week of October to over $2 million. He now has more than $8.5 million in lifetime tournament winnings.

John Juanda Wins 4th Bracelet in European Series 2008 Main Event

John Juanda survived the longest final table in WSOP history to claim his fourth WSOP bracelet and over £865K in prize money at the European Series 2008 Main Event in London.

Juanda secured his victory by outlasting the 362 player field at this £10K buy-in event. The final table lasted a WSOP record 19 hours and 10 minutes, covering 484 hands – also a WSOP record. Juanda entered heads-up play against Russian Stanislav Alekhin, and although short stacked several times, Juanda clawed his way back. Once he drew level with Alekhin, the end came quickly.

The decisive pot came when Juanda, holding Kh-6h, raised Alekhin all-in. Alekhin called with 4s-3s, saying that he was just too tired. The flop brought Qh-Kc-7c, and the turn (9s) and river (4h) allowed Juanda to double up to approximately 6.5 million chips to Alekhin’s 740k. The end came several hands later, when Alekhin pushed all-in and was called by Juanda, who flopped trip 6s – then rivered quads – to claim victory.

This was Juanda’s fourth WSOP bracelet and his first since 2003. He now has more than $8 million in lifetime tournament winnings.

David Benyamine Wins a Bracelet

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker's David Benyamine for winning his first career bracelet in the $10K World Championship Omaha Hi/Lo 8 or Better event.

Benyamine, an Omaha specialist, defeated a star-studded final table that boasted five past WSOP bracelet winners to claim the title and the more than $535K first-place prize money. Rounding out the final table were Team Full Tilt's Mike Matusow, who finished fifth, and Full Tilt Poker's Toto Leonidas, Ram Vaswani, and David Chiu who finished fourth, seventh and eighth respectively.

Lee Watkinson and Ben Roberts Final Table the $2K PLH Event

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker pros Lee Watkinson and Ben Roberts who each reached the final table at the WSOP's $2K Pot-Limit Hold 'em tournament. Watkinson, who won his first bracelet in 2006, finished in fifth place taking home more than $63,000.

Roberts, who was in search of his first career bracelet, entered the table as a short stack and collected nearly $31,000 for his eighth-place finish.

Rob Hollink Wins WSOP Event #30

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker’s Rob Hollink on his victory in WSOP Event #30, the $10K Limit Hold 'em World Championship.

After an impressive performance in Event #19, cashing in the $1.5K Pot-Limit Omaha event, Rob finally struck gold in Event #30. From a starting field of 218 competitors, Rob worked his way to a tough final table including Team Full Tilt’s Andy Bloch. After a long day of play, he emerged the victor to claim $496K and his – and the Netherlands' – first WSOP bracelet.

Andy Bloch and David Singer Just Can't Stay Away from Final Tables

Congratulations to Team Full Tilt’s Andy Bloch and Full Tilt Poker’s David Singer who each made their second, final table appearances of the 2008 WSOP. Bloch, who finished second in Event #1, was back at the final table again in Event #30, the $10K World Championship Limit Hold ‘em tournament. He finished the event in seventh place, taking home nearly $89K in prize money.

Singer, who won his first WSOP bracelet in Event #3, returned to the final table in Event #29, where he finished fifth. Singer earned more than $112K for his performance.

Benyamine and Juanda Final Table WSOP Event #28

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker’s David Benyamine and Team Full Tilt’s John Juanda on reaching the final table in the $5K Pot-Limit Omaha with Rebuys event.

Benyamine, considered one of the best PLO players in the world, finished third in the event, earning a hefty $316,307 for his efforts. Juanda, known as more of a No-Limit Hold ‘em specialist, also had an extremely strong showing, taking sixth place and earning $154,296.

Just missing the final table was Team Full Tilt’s Chris Ferguson, who earned $69,433 for his 10th-place finish.

Kenny Tran Claims Victory in WSOP Event #25

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker's Kenny Tran for his win in WSOP Event #25, the $10K Heads-Up No-Limit Hold 'em World Championship. He worked his way to the top of the pack of 256 players - taking out eight opponents back-to-back in heads-up play – to earn almost $540K and his first WSOP bracelet.

Max Pescatori Takes Down Event #24 to Win Second Bracelet

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker's Max Pescatori on winning WSOP Event #24, the $2.5K Pot-Limit Hold 'em/Omaha event, and earning his second bracelet.

After battling through a starting field of 457 entrants, Max finally made it to the final table where he faced still more serious competition, including the likes of Team Full Tilt's Allen Cunningham. His perseverance led him to heads-up play with Kyle Kloeckner. After taking a huge chip-lead early on, Max pushed his way to the finish to take home over $246K – and his second WSOP bracelet.

Jens Voertmann Wins First WSOP Bracelet in $3K HORSE Event

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker's Jens Voertmann of Dortmund, Germany, for his victory in WSOP Event #22, the $3K HORSE event.

Jens faced over 414 competitors before reaching a pro-heavy final table, including Team Full Tilt's Jennifer Harman and Full Tilt Poker pro Steve Zolotow. He managed to endure gruelling hours of play, working his way through different games and opponents. In the end, this skill and effort paid off in the form of Jens' first bracelet and $298K.

One More Time for Mikey!

Congratulations to Team Full Tilt's Mike "the Mouth" Matusow on winning WSOP Event #18, the $5K No-Limit 2-7 Draw with Rebuys and taking home his third bracelet.

Mike worked his way to victory after facing a field of 85 tough competitors only to reach a final table made up of some poker's greatest players, including fellow Team Full Tilt member Erick Lindgren and Full Tilt Poker pro David Benyamine. As one of the final two at the table, Mike found himself heads up against Jeff Lisandro. After battling back and forth for almost two hours, Mike came out on top to claim his third bracelet and over $537K.

Mueller and Cernuto Headline Weekend Action at WSOP

It was another big weekend for Full Tilt Poker pros at the World Series of Poker. Leading the charge was Greg Mueller as he took second place in Event #11, a $5K No-Limit Hold 'em shootout, cashing for just under $300K. Team Full Tilt's John Juanda finished in seventh place, just narrowly missing out on the final table.

John Cernuto also had a big weekend, finishing third in Event #10, an Omaha/7-Card Stud Hi/Lo mixed event. "Miami" John took home more than $85K for his performance. Full Tilt Poker pros also had a strong showing at Event #8, the $10K World Championship Mixed Event, with both Eli Elezra and Jeff Madsen making the final table. Madsen finished seventh for more than $50K, and Elezra took third and over $100K in winnings. Gus Hansen and David Oppenheim both just missed the final table cut, coming in 10th and 9th respectively.

Last but certainly not least, Markus Golser took sixth place in Event #12, a $1,500 Limit Hold 'em tournament, for more than $50K. Erick Lindgren, fresh off winning his first bracelet, came in 10th place and just missed out on making his second final table of the Series.

David Singer Wins His First WSOP Bracelet

David Singer joined the ranks of poker's elite by winning his first-ever WSOP bracelet in Event #3, the $1,500 Pot-Limit Hold 'em.

Singer defeated a field of 713 players, and went into the final table as one of the short stacks before eliminating three players to leap into contention. Entering heads-up play against Jacobo Fernandez with a slight chip deficit, Singer had drawn level by the dinner break.

After the players returned it was Fernandez who surged to a commanding lead. Down but not out, Singer managed a key double-up to regain the chip lead and took the win on the very next hand when he turned a straight against Fernandez's two pair. David pocketed $214,131 for the win and adds another title to his recent $25K Heads-Up World Championship win.

Team Full Tilt's Erick Lindgren Wins WSOP Event #4

Congratulations to Erick Lindgren for capturing his first-ever WSOP bracelet in Event #4, the $5,000 Mixed Hold 'Em (Limit/No Limit).

Erick beat out a tough field of 332 and a stacked final table, which also included Team Full Tilt's Howard Lederer and Full Tilt Pro Roland de Wolfe. Although he started the heads-up match against Justin Bonomo behind in chips, Lindgren quickly gained an overwhelming chip lead and also the victory when he turned a straight against Bonomo's two pair.

Lindgren collected $374,505 for the win and his victory brings the number of bracelets won by Team Full Tilt members to 33.

Nenad Medic Wins WSOP* Event #1

Congratulations to Nenad Medic for winning his first-ever WSOP* bracelet in Event #1, the $10K buy-in Pot-Limit Hold ‘em tournament.

Medic outlasted a star-studded final table including new Team Full Tilt member Patrik Antonius and long-standing Team Full Tilter, Andy Bloch, who finished second.

Medic entered heads-up play against Bloch with a more than 2-1 chip lead, and the two heavyweights battled for almost an hour before the final hand was dealt. In the end, Bloch’s pair of 9s lost to Medic’s 5h-7h after Bloch called all-in on a board of 8h-5s-4h and Medic caught his flush on the turn.

Bloch earned $448,000 for second while Medic walked away with $794,000 and the Champion’s bracelet.

David Singer is the $25K Heads-Up World Champion

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker’s David Singer, winner of the $25K Heads-Up World Championship.

Singer, who outlasted one of the toughest fields ever assembled either live or online, collected his second-largest career payday of $560K for winning the prestigious title. Singer claimed victory after defeating Emil "whitelime" Patel in the event’s final heads-up match when his pocket 8s stood up against whitelime’s 10-3 off-suit.

Team Full Tilt’s Andy Bloch and Full Tilt Poker pro Brian Hastings also had strong performances in the event, making it all the way to the semi-final round.

David Chiu Wins the WPT World Championship

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker’s David Chiu for winning the $25K buy-in World Poker Tour World Championship in dramatic fashion.

David entered heads-up play with Team Full Tilt's Gus Hansen with a 5-1 to chip deficit, but managed to double up at two key times before finally taking the chip lead after 45 hands of play. Two hands later, his trip Aces were good enough to win the final pot of the day and the nearly $3.4 million in first-place prize money. Hansen earned more than $1.7 million for his second-place finish.

Clements and Leonidas Score Wins at Bellagio

Full Tilt Poker Pros Scott Clements and Alfred “Toto” Leonidas both claimed victories in preliminary events at the Bellagio Five Diamond World Poker Classic.

Clements won Event #4, a $5,000 No-Limit Hold 'em tournament where he outlasted a field of 106 players and defeated Ted Lawson heads up to claim the $206,280 first place prize. Leonidas took down Event #8, also a $5,000 No-Limit Hold ’em tourney, where he defeated 134 players to collect $189,400.

Both players also received a seat into the $25,000 WPT World Championship as part of their first-place prize.

Jennifer Harman Takes Third at Bay 101

Congratulations to Team Full Tilt’s Jennifer Harman for her impressive third-place finish in the final event of the Bay 101, proving yet again that she’s one of the top poker players in the world. The $10K No-Limit Hold ‘em event saw a starting field of 376 players, with Jen working her way to the final table as the last Shooting Star. After a lengthy battle to the final three, her AK fell short when she failed to improve against Brandon Cantu’s pocket 9s. However, she didn’t leave empty-handed, taking home a well earned $330K for her effort.

All Eyes on Ivey as He Conquers WPT LAPC

Congratulations to Team Full Tilt’s Phil Ivey for winning his first WPT title in the $10,000 No-Limit Hold ‘em Championship Event at the LA Poker Classic. Ivey outlasted 665 players on his way to his record-breaking eighth WPT final table appearance, and collected $1.59 million for the win plus entry into the $25,000 WPT Championship.

Ivey came into the final table as chip leader, although things started disastrously when he doubled up Charles Moore on the very first hand. As play became four-handed, Ivey stormed back by winning back-to-back monster hands against Nam Le and Quinn Do. He then eliminated Le in 4th place and Moore in 3rd place to take a 4-to-1 chip lead into heads-up play against Do. The battle ended just 15 minutes later when Do called all-in with two pair and was drawing dead to Ivey’s full house. The win puts Ivey into the top-ten all-time money list for tournament earnings.

Smith and Watkinson Make WSOP-C Rincon Final Table

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker’s Gavin Smith and Lee Watkinson, who finished 6th and 7th respectively at the recent WSOP Circuit Event in Rincon. Watkinson found himself card dead at the final table and eventually pushed all his chips in with pocket 4s, where he unfortunately ran into Smith’s pocket 10s and was sent to the rail. Don’t feel too bad for Watkinson, he still walked away from the event more than $28K richer.

Smith was the next to get sent home when his Q-T couldn’t connect on the board versus his opponent’s A-J. He made over $35K for his efforts, and this was the second straight year he’s made the final table at this event.

Max Pescatori Storms the Seas at LA Poker Classic

Full Tilt Poker’s "Italian Pirate" Max Pescatori deserves a round of congratulations for winning the $1,000 Limit Hold'em event at the LA Poker Classic. A field of 150 dedicated limit hold'em players lined up at the Commerce Casino, where Pescatori eventually defeated David "The Sailor" Demanski heads up to claim the $42,320 first-place prize.

The win for the "Italian Pirate" comes hot on the heels of a strong showing at the Aussie Millions in January, where he finished 10th in the Main Event for a $100k payday.

Erick Lindgren Takes Down FTOPS Event #9

Congratulations to Team Full Tilt’s Erick Lindgren on winning FTOPS VII Event #9 and taking home more than $290K in prize money. Lindgren bested a massive field of 5,637 players in this $300 buy-in No-Limit Hold ‘em tournament that had a total prize pool of nearly $1.7 million.

Lindgren, the host of this event, also made history by becoming the first red pro on Full Tilt Poker to claim an FTOPS crown. Check out all of the FTOPS VII tournament results and read Michael Craig’s updates on the Full Tilt Blog to find out if any of Lindgren’s fellow pros can accomplish the same feat in the remaining FTOPS VII events.

Lee Watkinson Takes Down Event 7 at Aussie Millions

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker's Lee Watkinson for taking first place in the 2008 Aussie Millions $3K Pot-Limit Omaha with Rebuys event. Lee worked his way through a tough field of veteran players, including Full Tilt Poker's Andy Black, Steve Zolotow, and Max Pescatori, to earn over $108K.

Lee made it to the final table facing an uphill battle as the short-stack. He stayed the course, sending three competitors to the rail and found himself heads-up with Tom "Durr" Dwan. With balanced chip stacks, the two dug in for what could have been a long battle. Roughly 15 minutes later, the two got all-in after the flop with Dwan showing a set of kings and Watkinson looking for straight draws. This was not to be. The turn and river both showed clubs, giving Watkinson the runner-runner flush and an Aussie Millions victory.

Howard Lederer Wins $1.25 Million at the Aussie Millions

Congratulations to Team Full Tilt's Howard "The Professor" Lederer who won the Aussie Millions prestigious $100,000 buy-in event, taking home the biggest payday of his professional career.

This exclusive tournament attracted 25 of the world's best tournament players, including Team Full Tilt's Phil Ivey, Chris Ferguson, Andy Bloch, Gus Hansen, and Allen Cunningham. Howard reached the final table as a short stack, and patiently looked for spots to accumulate chips.

Howard entered heads-up play with a 2-1 chip lead over second-place finisher Mark Teltscher, and the two battled back and forth for more than an hour before Howard made two pair with Aces and Jacks to defeat Teltscher, who held two pair with 7s and 8s. Howard's victory earned him $1.25 million, which is the largest tournament victory of his storied career.

Joe Beevers Rubs Out the Competition at the Poker Millions VI

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker's Joe Beevers who claimed one of the most prestigious titles in poker by winning the Ladbrokes Poker Millions VI.

Joe, who is also a member of the Hendon Mob, earned $1 million for his victory, which was broadcast live. Joining Joe at the final table were Team Full Tilt's Howard Lederer who finished fifth, and fellow Full Tilt Poker pro Julian Gardner, who was eliminated in third.

Poker Players Alliance Reaction to Congressional Hearing on UIGEA

On November 14th the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing to discuss the UIGEA. Reaction from the Poker Players Alliance to the testimony may be found here:
www.pokerplayersalliance.org

Individuals who testified yesterday include professional poker player Annie Duke and Michael Collopy of Aristotle, a leader in online age verification.

A Great British Victory for Joe Beevers

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker's Joe Beevers who collected nearly $183,000 for his first-place finish at the Great British Poker Tour's Grand Final tournament.

Beevers outlasted a field of 100 players, including fellow Hendon Mobster Barny Boatman who earned more than $76,000 for his third-place finish and fellow Full Tilt Poker pro Roland De Wolfe who collected more than $33,000 for finishing fifth.

David Singer Caesar's the Day

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker's David Singer who took down a cool $1 million for winning the $10,000 buy-in Caesar's Palace Classic in Las Vegas.

After the final table was whittled down to the final two players, a gruelling heads-up match took place between Singer and Kido Pham for the title. Lasting over 100 hands, Singer finally delivered a knockout blow when he was able to make a straight on the river with his A-9 versus Pham's pocket Kings on a board of 10-8-5-7-6.

Singer walked away with the title and the largest payday of his career for the win.

Mandy B Scores Big

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker Amanda "Mandy B" Baker who took home first place and more than $88,000 at the $1,000 buy-in WSOP* Circuit tournament at Caesar's Palace, Indiana.

Mandy B eliminated six of the nine players at the final table on the way to her impressive victory, and claimed the title after defeating second-place finisher Kevin Cook in just 32 hands of heads-up play.

Jennifer Harman Rides to Second in the WSOP* Europe’s HORSE Event

Congratulations to Team Full Tilt’s Jennifer Harman who claimed second place in the World Series of Poker* Europe’s £2,500 HORSE Event.

Harman worked her way through a star-studded field to reach the final table, where she faced one of the toughest final tables in recent WSOP history, including fellow Team Full Tilt member Chris Ferguson, Joe Beevers, and Alex Kravchenko, who finished fourth at the WSOP* Main Event in July.

Harman’s impressive performance in the HORSE event earned her £40,688 ($82,527) and once again showed why she is widely considered to be one of the world’s top poker players.

Chris Ferguson Finishes Fourth at the WSOP* Europe’s HORSE Event

Congratulations to Team Full Tilt’s Chris Ferguson who played his way to fourth place at the World Series of Poker* Europe’s inaugural HORSE event.

Ferguson battled his way back from a short stack at the start of the final table, taking home more than £21,650 ($42,000) for his strong performance.

Gazes Stares Down Competition at Ladies Night

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker's Kristy Gazes who claimed the title of WPT Ladies Night V Champion after defeating a star-studded final table that included defending champion JJ Liu along with Mimi Tran, Melissa Hayden, and Pam Brunson.

Gazes made quick work of the competition, grabbing the chip lead and knocking Liu out on the first hand of final-table play when her full house bested the defending champ's two-pair. Gazes never relinquished her lead, and took the title – along with a $25K entry to the WPT Championship – when her pocket Kings held up against Linda Johnson's pocket Jacks.

Kristy's victory earned her entry into an elite club of Ladies Night winners, including Team Full Tilt's Clonie Gowen, JJ Liu, Jennifer Tilly, and Isabelle Mercier.

Lederer and Beevers Reach the Poker Millions Final Table

Congratulations to Team Full Tilt's Howard Lederer and Full Tilt Poker pro and Hendon Mob member Joe Beevers for reaching the final table at the Poker Millions VI.

Lederer is the chip leader with a stack of 306,000 while Beevers is heading to his second Poker Millions final table with 202,000 chips. The final six players reconvene in London on December 21st to play on live TV for a first-place prize worth a cool $1 million.

Jerry Yang Wins 2007 WSOP Main Event

Congratulations to Friend of Full Tilt Poker Jerry Yang − the new 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event Champion.

Yang dominated final table action, eliminating seven of his eight opponents on his way to a massive $8.25 million top prize. The final hand of the tournament saw Yang catch a miracle card on the river to complete his gut-shot straight draw and knock off his last remaining competitor.

An ecstatic Yang celebrated with his friends and family after the victory, along with giving the dealer a well-deserved hug. The socially conscious Yang will donate 10% of his winnings to various charities.

Alex Kravchenko Takes Fourth in Main Event, Capping an Impressive 2007 WSOP

Congratulations to Friend of Full Tilt Poker, Alex Kravchenko, who finished fourth in the World Series of Poker Main Event, earning him $1,852,721. Alex came to the Main Event final table as the short stack, but managed to hang on until fourth place, when his A-K did not improve against eventual champion Jerry Yang’s pocket Eights.

The fourth-place finish in the Main Event completed an impressive 2007 World Series of Poker for Kravchenko, where he won more than $2 Million in total prizes and became the first Russian player ever to win a bracelet, taking first place in the $1,500 Omaha Hi/Lo event. Alex incredibly made a third final table in the $5,000 HORSE event, where he placed ninth.

Kravchenko finished fifth on the 2007 WSOP money list and ranks second on the Russian all time money list. Though he only recently burst onto the U.S. poker scene, Alex’s success at this year’s World Series of Poker comes as no surprise to his many fans, as he has been a dominant poker force in Europe for the past seven years.

Jon Kalmar is a Main Event Millionaire

Congratulation to Friend of Full Tilt Poker Jon Kalmar who posted an incredible fifth-place finish in the 2007 WSOP Main Event. Kalmar, a former punk rocker and IT consultant from Chorley, Lancashire in England, earned his entry to the Big Dance in a last chance satellite.

After battling his way to the final table, Kalmar was eliminated when his Ace-King ran into pocket Jacks and failed to improve. His solid play throughout the Main Event was good for more than $1.25 million in prize money.

Lee Childs Takes 7th at WSOP Main Event

Congratulations to Lee Childs, a Friend of Full Tilt Poker, who came in seventh at the World Series of Poker Main Event.

Childs, who quit his job a month ago to play poker full time, took home more than $700,000 for his tremendous effort. He was eliminated from play by another Friend of Full Tilt Poker − and eventual winner − Jerry Yang. Yang, holding J-8, caught an eight on the turn to knock off Childs with his hand of K-J.

"My goal when I came in to the tournament was to trust my instincts, make the right decision and hopefully not get unlucky," Childs said. "I was that close to doubling up."

Lee Watkinson Leaves the Main Event in 8th Place

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker Pro, Lee Watkinson who took home more than $585,000 for his incredible eighth-place finish at the 2007 WSOP Main Event. Watkinson's success at the Main Event marks his fourth World Series of Poker final table and his 10th cash overall.

Lee, who already has one WSOP bracelet to his name, navigated a field of 6,358 players to reach the final table, establishing himself as one of the best professionals in the game.

Philip Hilm Finishes 9th at the Main Event

Congratulations to Friend of Full Tilt Poker Philip Hilm who finished ninth at this year's WSOP Main Event. Hilm, who plays regularly on Full Tilt Poker, collected nearly $526K for his impressive performance.

Hilm, who came to the very active final table as chip leader, was involved in a number of pots before tangling with eventual winner Jerry Yang. Hilm pushed all-in with a flush draw and was eliminated from the tournament when Yang's pair of Kings held up on the river.

Jse81 Wins First $1 Million Guarantee

Congratulations to jse81 for winning our first $1M Guarantee tournament. Jse81 beat out 2,321 players to take home his share of the $1,160,500 prize pool. The first-place prize of $212,893 was the largest first-place payout of any of the popular Sunday online tournaments.

Jse81 came to the final table as the chip leader and was able to build on his already impressive online resume when his two pair held up on the river, earning him the championship. For his second-place finish, Vick12 won $130,672.

The Mouth Speaks Volumes at the Bellagio Cup III WPT Championship Event

Congratulations to Team Full Tilt’s Mike “The Mouth” Matusow on his second-place finish at The Bellagio Cup III Championship Event. Playing from a short stack for most of the tournament, Mike fought through the field of more than 500 players in this prestigious WPT event.

In final heads-up play, Mike went all-in with a straight flush draw against his opponent’s pocket queens, but failed to connect on either the turn or the river. Although we know that Mike is never satisfied with anything less than first-place, perhaps he can take comfort in the $671,320 he earned for his impressive finish.

Ram Vaswani Wins a Bracelet

Ram Vaswani notched yet another bracelet for the Full Tilt Poker pros, taking first in the $1,500 Limit Hold ‘em Shootout and winning his first World Series of Poker* championship. Vaswani looked impressive throughout, maneuvering his way through 720 players and earning $217,438 for his stellar effort.

The win adds to Vaswani’s impressive resume, which already includes three WSOP* final tables and a record three EPT final tables. Vaswani’s victory at the 2007 World Series of Poker* brings the total number bracelets for the Full Tilt Pros to an amazing 71 and earns him bragging rights over fellow Hendon Mob members Barny Boatman, Ross Boatman, and Joe Beevers.

Mizrachi Takes Home First WSOP* Bracelet

Congratulations to Robert Mizrachi for taking home his first World Series of Poker* bracelet in the $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha World Championship. Mizrachi bested a star-studded field of 314 players, which included David Chiu, Andy Bloch, Eric Froehlich, and Joe Beevers. Mizrachi’s victory gives the Full Tilt Pros yet another championship, raising our total number of bracelets to an amazing 71.

Mizrachi’s victory caps an incredible run through this year’s Series. In addition to his victory, Robert has made three final tables and has cashed in five different events. Mizrachi’s first bracelet netted him a purse of $768,889, bringing his total prize money at this year’s World Series of Poker* to more than $831,000.

Chip Jett Flies High in the $1,500 SHOE Event

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker’s Chip Jett for his third-place finish in the $1,000 SHOE event at this year’s World Series of Poker*. Jett’s performance earned him more than $55,000.

Not far behind Jett in the $1,000 SHOE event was author and Friend of Full Tilt Poker, Michael Craig. Craig finished seventh in the event, matching his performance in the $1,500 Mixed Hold ‘em (Limit/No-Limit) event. Craig’s total winnings at this year’s World Series of Poker* are now more than $38,000 – not a bad payday for this Full Tilt Poker blogger and author of such books as The Professor, the Banker, and the Suicide King.

Another Full Tilt Pro who’s hitting his stride this year is Marco Traniello. Marco took fifth in the $10,000 World Championship Pot-Limit Omaha event, eighth in the $5,000 World Championship Seven-Card Stud, and ninth in the $1,500 Pot-Limit Hold ‘em event. With total earnings of more than $190,000 and plenty of poker still to be played, Traniello is sure to be one of this year’s biggest winners.

Erica Schoenberg's Model Performance

Congratulations to Erica Schoenberg who posted an impressive third-place finish in the WSOP's* $1,500 No-Limit Hold 'em tournament.

Erica battled her way through a field of almost 2,800 players to start the final table with the second-largest chip stack. Erica took a bad beat, losing more than half her chip stack, and played short-stack poker until finally finishing third. Still, Erica managed to turn her $1,500 buy-in into more than $261,000.

David Singer Rides the HORSE − Again

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker's David Singer on making the final table of the $50,000 HORSE event at the World Series of Poker for the second year in a row.

David battled a field of 148 of the world's best players to finish in sixth place for a cool $337,440. This is on the heels of his performance in the same event last year, where his final table placement netted him more than $400,000. David has once again demonstrated how comfortable he is up on the saddle.

Half-Time at Series 2007

We're halfway through the WSOP* and the Full Tilt Poker pros are continuing to put their names on the scoreboard at this year's Series.

So far in WSOP* 2007, Team Full Tilt and the Full Tilt Poker Pros have netted an amazing $2.3 million, almost 5% of the total combined prize pools to date.

Some of the most notable finishes this year include Allen Cunningham's fifth career bracelet, second-place finishes from Phil Ivey, Gavin Smith and Greg "FBT" Mueller, as well as 15 other final-table finishes. Overall, our pros have tallied 73 combined cashes so far this year, and many of them have had multiple cashes.

It's been a great first half for our pros - and we're sure they'll keep running up the score in the second half of Series 2007.

Team Full Tilt’s Allen Cunningham Wins Fifth Bracelet

Congratulations to Team Full Tilt’s Allen Cunningham who pulled off one of the most amazing three-peats in WSOP* history, by winning his third bracelet in as many years.

Cunningham’s latest victory came in the $5,000 Pot-Limit Hold ‘em tournament where he out-battled a star-studded final table, including Jeff Lisandro and Humberto Brenes. In addition to his newest bracelet, Cunningham walked away with $487,287 in first-place prize money.

Cunningham is now one of just 16 players who own a total of five or more WSOP* bracelets, and is tied on the all-time winner’s list with fellow Team Full Tilt members Phil Ivey and Chris Ferguson, and fellow Full Tilt Poker pros Layne Flack and Berry Johnston.

Team Full Tilt’s Phil Ivey is a Seven-Card Stud

Congratulations to Team Full Tilt’s Phil Ivey for his second-place finish in the WSOP’s* $5,000 World Championship Seven-Card Stud tournament.

Ivey narrowly missed out on winning his sixth-career bracelet when he was bested by long-time Seven-Card Stud specialist Chris Reslock in heads-up play. Still, Ivey’s performance earned him a tidy $143,820 in second-place prize money.

Joining Ivey at the final table were Full Tilt Poker’s David Oppenheim who collected $93,060 for third, and Marco Traniello who made his second final-table appearance of the series and who pocketed $19,458 for eighth.

dgang and CrackU Aren’t HORSE-ing Around

Congratulations to dgang and CrackU who will be joining some of the world’s best poker players in the WSOP’s* $50K HORSE World Championship after winning their tournament entries in our recent $50K HORSE qualifier.

dgang and CrackU battled their way through a tough 102-player field to claim the two $52K prize packages to this exclusive tournament.

We wish both players the best of luck in Las Vegas.

The Onslaught Continues...

The 2007 WSOP* has only been running for five days, and the Full Tilt Poker pros are already dominating the field.

In addition to Greg Mueller and Gavin Smith’s superb second-place finishes in Event 1 and Event 4 respectively, three of our other pros have made final tables in the following events:

Event 5: $2,500 Omaha/7-Card Stud
Team Full Tilt’s Chris Ferguson – 4th place: $50,391
David Benyamine – 6th place: $ 29,708

Event 7: $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha w/Rebuys
Team Full Tilt’s John Juanda – 7th place: $107,196

Full Tilt Poker pro Andy Black also had a notable performance in Event 7, earning a respectable $40K for his 11th place finish.

For more info on all our pros’ successes, keep checking this page for updates.

Gavin Smith Scoops a Huge Payday in Event 4

Congratulations to Gavin Smith , who played his way to a $155,645 payday and a second-place finish in the $1,500 Pot Limit Hold ‘em event.

Gavin battled his way through a field of 780 players and looked to be a strong favorite going into the final table. He started heads-up play with an early chip lead over his opponent. However, a few key hands eliminated this advantage and forced him to tighten up his play. On the final hand, Gavin pushed his pre-flop advantage with a small pocket pair, but unfortunately it just couldn’t hold up against Ace-Ten suited.

Gavin wasn’t the only Full Tilt Poker Pro at the final table. He was joined by Marco Traniello, who earned $15,000 for his own final table appearance.

Congratulations again to both of these pros for their strong performance in Event 4!

Greg Mueller Blows the Series Wide Open

Congratulations to Greg "Full Blown Tilt" Mueller on his thrilling second-place finish in the first event of the 2007 World Series of Poker*.

One of the chip leaders for most of the tournament, Greg went into heads-up play with a commanding chip lead. However, his opponent hit two successive full houses to seize the lead. Crippled by these hands and steadily increasing blinds, Greg was forced to make some marginal plays, and unfortunately Lady Luck wasn't as kind as she had been to his opponent.

It wasn't all bad though – although he just missed winning his first bracelet, Greg's runner-up finish rewarded him with $328,000 for his efforts. Not a bad start to the WSOP*.

A Race For Gold

The WSOP* kicks off tomorrow, and thousands of people from around the world will soon be heading to Las Vegas to play for a bracelet of their very own.

Joining them will be more than 630 Tilters who have already won our Race for Bracelets packages, earning $2,000 each that can be used toward any WSOP preliminary event.

There are still loads of preliminary events left to register for and loads of bracelets up for grabs – so join our Race For Bracelets for your chance to go for the gold.

John_McClane17 - Part II

Whoever said sequels aren’t as good as the originals should talk to John_McClane17. One week after walking away with more than $336,000 and the FTOPS IV Main Event title, McClane found himself back on top as the winner of our first-ever FTOPS Tournament of Champions.

McClane bested a field of 35 other FTOPS champions to capture the title and a free seat at the 2007 WSOP Main Event.

We wish McClane the best of luck on completing his poker trilogy.

Yippie Kay-Ay – John_McClane17 Wins the FTOPS IV Main Event

Congratulations to John_McClane17 who lived up to the reputation of his movie namesake by outlasting 3,797 other players to claim the FTOPS IV Main Event title and more than $336,000 in prize money.

John_McClane17 secured the victory when – after about 20 minutes of heads-up play - he called his opponent’s all-in with A-7. KingDan23 turned up A-J, but John_McClane17 paired his 7 on the flop and booked the win when KingDan23 failed to improve. KingDan23 earned nearly $203,000 for his impressive second-place finish.

The Matador Grabs WPT Title and Poker History by the Horns

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker pro Carlos “The Matador” Mortensen, who rallied through three hours of gruelling heads-up play against Kirk Morrison to win the 2007 WPT Five Star World Poker Classic – making him the first player to ever win both a WPT World Championship and a WSOP* Main Event.

The chip lead would switch sides five times during the night until Morrison moved all in pre-flop with A-4 and Mortensen called with K-J suited. The flop fell 7-4-3 giving Morrison a big advantage with a pair. But a Jack on the turn and a 3 on the river meant Mortensen had a higher two pair and the victory.

Mortensen’s $3.9 million win moves him into the top-10 all-time money list and is a crowning achievement in an already impressive career. Besides winning the 2001 Main Event, Mortensen owns another World Series of Poker* bracelet, and a second WPT title.

Roland de Wolfe Finishes Second at the Irish Poker Open

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker's Roland de Wolfe who finished second at the Irish Poker Open.

de Wolfe, who was always among the leaders of the 708 player event, claimed nearly $436,000 for his performance.

JJ Liu is a Shooting Star

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker's JJ Liu who finished second at the World Poker Tour's Bay 101 Shooting Star tournament after battling through the longest final table in WPT history.

When Liu took her seat at the table, she was third in chips. When she left nine hours later, she had earned a place in poker history and $600,000 in prize money after waging a dramatic heads-up battle with eventual tournament winner, Ted Forrest.

Allen Cunningham Joins Team Full Tilt

Congratulations to Allen "Clever Piggy" Cunningham, who has become the newest member of Team Full Tilt! A Full Tilt Poker pro for the past two years, Allen has been added to Team Full Tilt in recognition of his overall poker skill and his recent accomplishments, most notably at the 2005 and 2006 World Series of Poker. Allen adds four WSOP bracelets to Team Full Tilt, bringing the team's total up to 30 bracelets.

Allen also brings one of the most recognizable faces in poker to Team Full Tilt, due to his fourth place finish in the 2006 WSOP Main Event. With his impressive finish, Allen has cemented his status among poker's elite by outlasting more than 8,800 competitors and earning more than $3.6 million.

Although only 29, Allen has been playing poker professionally for the past seven years. In that time, he has quietly earned a reputation as one of top players of his generation and has been voted the Best All-Around Player under 35 by his peers. Congratulations again to Allen - he really is a clever piggy after all!

Roland de Wolfe Devours the Competition in Dublin

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker's Roland de Wolfe who took home first place and more than 544,000 euro ($691,000) at the 5,000 euro buy-in European Poker Tour event in Dublin.

De Wolfe outlasted more than 388 entrants to claim the title and knocked seven of the final eight players out of the tournament on his way to victory. Having previously won the 2005 World Poker Tour title at the Grand Prix de Paris, de Wolfe is now the first player to win championships on both the WPT and the EPT.

Adrian Walshe Wins the Full Tilt Poker Dublin All-Star Challenge

The Full Tilt Poker Dublin All-Star Challenge came to an exciting finish on Sunday, November 19th, with a local player claiming the €85,500 ($110,000) grand prize.

Adrian Walshe, a Dublin card room regular doubled up twice in quick succession after reaching the final table, igniting his rush toward the tournament championship. Impressively, Adrian bettered a field of 76 players, including professionals such as Team Full Tilt's Howard Lederer, Mike Matusow, Clonie Gowen, and Allen Cunningham on his way to victory.

Click here for tournament results

FTOPS II Main Event Gets "Spiked" While GB2005 Climbs to the Top of Leaderboard

FTOPS II finished with a bang this past Sunday, with more than 2,400 players competing for over $1.2 million in prize money in the Main Event. When the last hand was dealt, "Spiked" staked his claim to the winner's avatar and $225,000 in first-place prize money.

Throughout FTOPS II, more than 11,000 players competed for over $2,575,000 in prize money. Other event winners from throughout the week include clown god, joskins, jmsmith799, ctx97, MrTompa, Bonaparte9, Droog567, and toreador1. Finally, consistent success throughout the series led GB2005 to the top of the FTOPS II leaderboard, earning him the title of overall series champion and his own personalized avatar.

Congratulations to all the event winners and to all the players who cashed in FTOPS II!

Phil Gordon has 600,000 More Reasons to be Thankful

Congratulations to Team Full Tilt's Phil Gordon who celebrated Thanksgiving in high style this year, taking home the Full Tilt Poker.Net Championship at Red Rock title, and $600,000 in first-place prize money.

Gordon faced tough competition in the live, televised tournament, including fellow Team Full Tilt members John Juanda and Erick Lindgren. Also finishing in the money at Red Rock were Full Tilt Poker's Roland de Wolfe and Toto Leonidas.

Sunny Days for Robert Mizrachi at the WPT

Congratulations to Full Tilt Poker's Robert Mizrachi who pocketed nearly $410,000 for his fourth-place finish at the World Poker Tour's Caribbean Adventure tournament. Mizrachi's finish is his best since May 2006, and his biggest cash prize ever.

Full Tilt Poker.net Named Editors Pick by Bluff Magazine

The editors of Bluff Magazine have honored Full Tilt Poker by naming us their pick as the best online poker room in 2006. In addition, the magazines readers awarded Full Tilt Poker prizes in six categories, including Top Software, Top Cash Games and Top Online Tournaments, in Bluff's annual Readers' Choice Awards.

The Great Dane, Gus Hansen, is King in the Land Down Under

Congratulations to Team Full Tilt's Gus Hansen, winner of the 2007 Aussie Millions Main Event. Gus outlasted 746 other players to take home the first-place prize of AU$1,500,000 (almost $1.2 million U.S.). One of the highest profile wins of his career, this first-place prize is Gus' biggest ever tournament payout.

Congratulations also go out to Full Tilt Pros Andy Black and Kristy Gazes who joined Gus at the final table, finishing in third place and seventh place, respectively. Andy took home a cool AU$700,000 for his performance, while Kristy took home AU$220,000 for her efforts.

* World Series of Poker and WSOP are trademarks of Harrah's License Company, LLC ("Harrah's"). Harrah's does not sponsor or endorse, and is not associated or affiliated with Full Tilt Poker or its products, services, promotions or tournaments