Kristy's on a Rush

It's been a good few weeks for Kristy. In May, she finished 29th at the Mirage Poker Showdown's Championship tournament, picking up a check for nearly $17,000. A couple of weeks later - and a couple of miles down the road - Kristy cashed again, taking home more than $13,000 at the Mandalay Bay Poker Championship.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

* 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