May is set to be an active month for players, despite of the coronavirus pandemic getting in the way of the WSOP.

The poker industry is typically at its most vivid in between May and July thanks to the WSOP. With hundreds of gamers making the trip to Las Vegas in search of a bracelet, task comes to a head over the summer.

COVID-19 has forced everybody to transform their plans this year but Partypoker is ensuring players have something to do. Together with the forthcoming digital WPT, it has introduced dates for the inaugural Super High Stakes Bowl (SHSB) Online Series.

SHR Bowl to Create More Online Action

The event represents an additional link-up with Poker Central and is the latest live tournament series go virtual.

In maintaining with the Super High Roller Bowl’s typical layout, the 28 MTTs will cost in between $10K and $100K. Each one will certainly span two days and also the action will start from May 23 to June 1, just after the WPT Online Series concludes.

On top of a $20 million guarantee, the top performer over 27 events will be declared the “champion.” That accolade carries with it a free ticket for the $100,000+$2,000 Super High Roller Bowl Online main event.

The full schedule is yet to be determined, but an April 27 press release has confirmed main event will feature a $3 million guarantee. Blinds will increase every 30 minutes and players will start with 300 big blinds.

For all other Super High Roller Bowl Online events, blinds will increase every 12 or 15 minutes depending on when the tournament starts. Additionally, re-entries will be available in all events (except the main event) until the end of level 12.

Turning the Super High Roller Bowl into an online affair is part of the latest trend in poker. Although “trend” suggests operators have a choice, the recent innovations have been successful.

Coronavirus Hurts but Poker Will Survive

The coronavirus pandemic initially threatened to crush major poker events. But by collaborating with online operators, the WSOP, WPT, Poker Central and others have found ways around the problem.

Live venues and staff may still be reeling from the current crisis. The industry as a whole, however, is maintaining a degree of strength.

The new wave of online festivals will, most likely, mark the rest of 2020. Unibet Poker’s tournament team said as much in a recent statement. Not wanting to play with uncertainty, Nataly Sopacuaperu said all Unibet live events will now take place online.

This commitment to a 2020 without any offline action could soon be matched by other organizations. Indeed, if the Super High Roller Bowl Online Series is a success, it will serve as another indication that players are happy to try online alternatives.

If the world is changing, poker is changing with it. That’s a positive message for players and a sign that major events can and will be staged online during and, potentially, after coronavirus.

After 2,945 players were whittled down to just one in the €1,100/$1,185 main event, Pablo Brito Silva took home a top prize worth €462,099/$504,777.

That prize was the second-biggest of Silva’s career. More significantly, it $176,000 more than 2019 Irish Poker Open winner Weijie Zheng took home.

IPO Healthier than Ever Despite Coronavirus

Although the organizers had their hands forced due to the coronavirus, the decision to go digital proved positive.

Traditionally, the Irish Poker Open takes place at Dublin’s Citywest Hotel. Bouncing back from a lull in recent years, records were broken in 2019. Thanks to four starting flights and a $1.1 million guarantee, 1,807 entries anted up last year.

Organizers were hoping to parlay that turning into even more success this year until coronavirus threw a spanner in the works. Undeterred, the team partnered with Partypoker to create an online equivalent.

That move made the Irish Poker Open more accessible. The end result was almost 1,100 more buy-ins than in 2019. What’s more, the $1.1 million guarantee was virtually trebled.

Those numbers clearly focused the minds of those involved, as some of poker’s best made deep runs. The final day saw 51 return players return to action, including top pros Tom Middleton and Parker Talbot.

In the end, however, it was Silva who took gold. Rising up through the ranks on Sunday, he took control after Sihao Zhang, who started the day as chip leader, crashed out in third.

Dramatic Finish to Remarkable Event

The heads-up battle between Silva and Andras Nemeth was both enthralling and, sometimes, bemusing for those watching. Audacious bluffs and questionable bet sizing made for a dramatic finish to an all-round remarkable event.

Silva eventually clinched the Irish Poker Open title with 9♥7♣. After a flurry of bets and calls, both players watched the board roll out J♣8♦4♣T♦.

Nemeth moved all-in with J♦T♣ and was immediately called by Silva with a straight.

With two pair, Nemeth needed a jack or a 10 on the river to stay alive. However, the 3♥ sent the final pot to Silva and brought the tournament to an end.

2020 Irish Poker Open Main Event Result

1. Pablo Brito Silva – $504,777
2. Andras Nemeth – $352,793
3. Sihao Zhang – $227,891
4. Eduardo Silva – $150,676
5. Gerard Finlay – $104,325
6. Tom Middleton – $71,294
7. Parker Talbot – $45,647
8. Shaun Conroy – $31,500

The online version of the Irish Poker Open will go down as a triumph for all involved. Silva followed up his recent Partypoker Live Millions win with another major title. For Partypoker and the Irish Poker Open, the event was a triumph of innovation.

This begs the question: will there be more online MTTs like this in the future? Although coronavirus has created exceptional circumstances, the interest in this year’s event can’t be ignored.

While a complete move away from live events might be a mistake, the two companies could revolutionize the Irish Poker Open if they can find a way to offer more hybrid events in 2021. What’s more, they could spark a new trend across the industry as a whole.

Phil Galfond, for the very first time in 35 days, has finished a session in the Galfond Challenge with an overall lead. If you counted him out back in February, you may have done so too soon.

Don’t call it a comeback, he’s been here for many years (if you don’t get that reference, you clearly weren’t a 90s kid). Galfond routed in February by EUR900,000 to the opposition, “VeniVidi1993.” Both on the internet pros are playing 25,000 hands of Pot-Limit Omaha at Run it Once, the texas hold’em site started by Galfond. At the end of the suit, the loser is to pay the winner a six-figure side bet.

Just one month ago, it appeared the former Full Tilt Poker legend was down for the 10-count. My, how things have changed in the past month.

Galfond Challenge is the Best Thing in Poker Right Now

If you have not been complying with the Galfond Challenge, you’re missing out on a traditional. “VeniVidi1993,” a player whose genuine name and also place is unknown to the public, was pushing a EUR1 million revenue at EUR100/EUR200 stakes in February. Galfond needed a break to regroup and decide if he ought to even continue the obstacle.

Few might have criticized him for throwing in the towel. Other than Gus Hansen (who lost over $20 million online), what sort of masochistic freak would certainly intend to rest there playing on the internet casino poker, taking a defeating day after day, losing millions. However Galfond stayed positive in his video game and rejected to surrender.

He reentered the Galfond Challenge in early March and has actually dominated the suit ever since. On Monday, he lastly finished in the black.

Galfond Takes the Lead

More than 3,000 fans watched the Galfond Challenge on the Run it Once Twitch channel on Monday. Throughout that session, Galfond turned a EUR121,486 earnings, his fourth most rewarding day in the competition. And with that said, Galfond currently holds the overall lead (+EUR81,064), the first time in 35 sessions that he’s completed ahead on the whole.

The talented PLO gamers have actually currently played 22,097 hands in 35 sessions. With simply 2,903 hands continuing to be, “VeniVidi1993” is now a big underdog for the very first time. It’s practically unsubstantiated the turn-around we’ve seen in this contest provided exactly how deep in the hole Galfond was midway with the obstacle. Yet there’s a lot variation in Pot-Limit Omaha that streaks aren’t unusual, as we have actually seen in this back-and-forth high-stakes fight.

Galfond’s lead definitely isn’t overwhelming. “VeniVidi1993” trails by the equivalent of 4 buy-ins, and also there are lots of hands left to play for him to reclaim the lead as well as win the Galfond Challenge. But the casino poker fans on social networks sure won’t be favoring it to occur.

You can watch tomorrow’s stream live in its entirety on the Run it Once Twitch channel beginning at 11 am ET.

Casino sites are surrounded the world, and there are no sports to view, not to mention bank on. While there are plenty of online casino poker alternatives to maintain you at work, some of us are jonesing for the intense lights of Vegas or the sweat that includes a high-stakes roll of the dice. As opposed to see every episode of The Workplace for the nine time, right here are some films you can stream free of charge to assist relieve the unavoidable monotony that comes with social distancing.

10. The Cooler
William H. Macy plays an unusual character in Wayne Kramer’s movie. Macy is the ‘cooler’ of the title – a man whose luck is so bad that casinos employ him to stand at the table of punters on hot streaks. Without fail, their luck changes and the casino’s house edge is restored. However, when the cooler’s own fortunes change he suddenly finds himself being the lucky charm of every gambler in Vegas – much to the chagrin of the casinos that employ him. A fun premise that’s backed up by a superb central performance, this is a great insight into casino gambling superstitions and the concept of luck.

9. Seabiscuit
Though not focused on online gambling or casino gambling, Seabiscuit tells the charming story of a jockey’s, a trainer’s and a horse’s rise from rags to riches. Jeff Bridges plays a depressed individual down on his luck but with one possible redeeming feature in his life; Seabiscuit, an apparently useless horse found by a cowboy trainer (Chris Cooper). Tobey Maguire plays the unlikely jockey who goes on to steer Seabiscuit to numerous victories in one of the great underdog stories of the twentieth century. This is about as stirring a true story as you’ll find anywhere.

8. Rounders
Featuring a youthful Matt Damon, Rounders is the tale of an entrepreneur who pays for his university fees by winning at the poker table. The film is full of famous faces, with John Malkovich and Edward Norton also making appearances. The movie’s showdown culminates in a dazzling high stakes game, with Malkovich playing the irrepressible poker baron that Damon must try and defeat. The film is carried along by brilliant performances – Norton, in particular, is spectacular – and authentic depictions of poker strategy and table banter that few other gambling movies render so successfully.

7. The Gambler
Aptly named, The Gambler tells the story of a university professor (played by a compelling James Caan), who has an addiction for casino gambling. As the film continues, we see Caan’s character plunge into self-destruction and his mental state become increasingly precarious. As his borrowing becomes steadily worse and his need for thrills threatens to endanger his life, the film builds to a steady crescendo and brilliant climax. This is one for the gambling purists, who will be able to identify regularly with the character on screen. It also serves as a pretty severe warning against addiction – of any kind.

6. The Cincinnati Kid
Another film with a host of good performances, The Cincinnati Kid, starring Steve McQueen, tells the story of an up-and-coming gambler who pits his wits against the high roller of the day, Lancey Howard. Played with verve by Edward G. Howard, Lancey agrees to take on McQueen, seeing as the Kid had made his name only in backroom games with little serious competition. The Kid is further hampered by a series of distractions – not least a beautiful girl – which threaten to topple his chances. The film culminates with both players raising their stakes and, in an exciting finale, one of them thrillingly coming out on top.

5. 21
Based on a remarkable true story, 21 is a modern classic of the casino gambling movies genre. Set in the era before online gambling had set down its stall, this is the tale of a maths professor (Kevin Spacey) training up a group of talented students to count cards in the major casinos on the Vegas strip. What follows is a thrilling tale of adrenaline-fuelled trickery, betrayal and hedonism that wouldn’t be believable if it hadn’t actually happened. Anyone out there with even a passing interest in casino gambling, blackjack and card counting will enjoy this exciting ride.

4. The Hustler
A classic any way you look at it, The Hustler is a tale set in an era when online gambling was about as close in reality to mankind living on Mars. Paul Newman’s “Fast” Eddie Felson is the upstart with an attitude trying to pit his pool skills against the legend that was Minnesota Fats. A chastening experience soon sees him out of pocket and down on his luck, and only the ruthless mentoring of manager Bert Gordon can take him anywhere near where he once was. This is one of those gambling movies with its heart right in the origins of the pool-halls and backrooms that US gambling was built on.

3. The Sting
The star duo of Paul Newman and Robert Redford – who combined so successfully over the course of their careers – play two con men, one a beginner and the other a professional. Together they target a high-flying criminal boss who loves a good gamble and who is after Redford’s character from the outset for a previous swindle. Gambling movies rarely have as many twists and turns as you’ll find here, as the ‘long con’ gets ever more complicated and the danger levels for both protagonists reaches a crescendo. Finally, a dramatic denouement provides an ample payoff for a truly nail-biting, suspense-filled thriller.

2. Casino Royale
There are two versions of Ian Fleming’s story, but without doubt the most accomplished is director Martin Campbell’s take, starring Daniel Craig. Set at breakneck speed, the story follows James Bond as he takes on another villainous figure, this time in the form of the poker-playing, torture-inflicting Le Chiffre. The most memorable scene in the movie – and one of the most unforgettable scenes in recent film history – centres on an incredible showdown at the felt in Monte Carlo when Bond takes on his adversary in an all-or-nothing game. The pace is furious, Eva Green is sumptuous and the poker – simply jaw-dropping.

1. Casino
Perhaps the most famous of all gambling movies and a sweeping classic that’s on most film buffs’ Top Ten All Time Favourites lists, Casino is the epic tale of mob-controlled casino gambling in Vegas. Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci star, the first as a casino owner with mafia ties and the latter as a psychotic enforcer whose increasingly erratic behaviour starts to threaten both their lives. Throw into the mix the seductive charms of Sharon Stone, some towering support performances and some of the most harrowing and memorable scenes in film history, and you have the perfect combination for a classic great.

David “Doc” Sands is the very first prominent poker player to announce he’s contracted COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus). The high-stakes poker pro shared details on Twitter concerning his existing problem.

Sands ensured his fans that he’s doing great and also will fully recuperate. At 35-year-old, he isn’t in a high-risk demographic for severe problems because of COVID-19. That is especially true offered he is healthy and balanced as well as states he does not have any type of pre-existing problems.

Sands in Good Spirits

Sands absolutely isn’t panicking, in spite of his positive COVID-19 examination outcome. Instead, he continues to be in good spirits as well as shared some details regarding the virus with his Twitter fans. In the 13-post thread, Sands gave some wonderful insight on what it resembles to have coronavirus. He also described the symptoms that led him to seek a test.

According to the CDC, common symptoms of COVID-19 include a cough, fever, and in more severe cases, difficulty breathing. Forbes, however, reports that nearly half of coronavirus patients studied experienced abdominal pain and/or diarrhea as an early symptom.

Sands, in his Twitter thread, said he felt fatigued on Monday and soon developed a severe headache. By Tuesday, he still had a bad headache and a slight cough. On Thursday, the symptoms remained, so he sought a coronavirus test. He said he received the news on Saturday that he tested positive.

The high-stakes poker player is unsure of how he contracted the coronavirus. He said he’s taken numerous precautions, such as washing his hands regularly and avoiding touching his face to prevent catching the virus.

Sands says he will remain in quarantine until he receives “a negative test result back from my doctor.”

Many other high-profile poker players including Phil Hellmuth, Phil Galfond, and Erik Seidel wished Sands well and a speedy recovery.

“I called my Dr. on Tuesday, but he said I didn’t need to get tested since I had been isolated with my family … and hadn’t come in contact with anyone known to have the virus.”

Coronavirus Impact on the Young and Healthy

Sands is only one of over 300,000 people worldwide to have contracted the coronavirus. But he’s yet another example of a young and apparently healthy individual who isn’t experiencing severe conditions from the virus.

Although millennials (and younger) are not immune to catching the coronavirus — or even dying from it — approximately 80% of the known deaths in the world have been age 50 and above. Those with pre-existing health conditions, regardless of age, are also at risk.

Sands, however, said he doesn’t have any health conditions and, at age 35, isn’t a high-risk patient. He said he works out four times a week, rarely drinks, and doesn’t smoke.

So although Sands is unlikely to die or become seriously ill based on coronavirus studies, it just goes to show that few are immune from catching the virus. Stay safe out there, folks.

With live poker pausing, what far better method to get your betting fix on than binge-watching some amusing YouTube casino poker content? There are countless online poker networks to choose from, but none more fascinating than the 10 on this checklist.

I recently offered you a checklist of 10 methods to kill time while self-quarantining. Once you’ve taken my advice as well as played some online poker, caught up on your favorite Netflix shows, and all the other recommendations I gave, every poker gamer need to begin binge-watching the unbelievable YouTube poker content out there.

There’s something– or several things– for each type of poker player on YouTube. And our sector has some extremely skilled content producers who create useful as well as fascinating video clips. If you’re looking for a method to be captivated this next month or more, have a look at these experienced content manufacturers. I have included my preferred video clip from each network, so you can obtain a suggestion of the type of material you’ll find from that video clip creator.

(Please note: rankings are completely random and aren’t based on best to worst)

1. Andrew Neeme

Andrew Neeme isn’t the O.G. of poker vlogging, but he’s arguably the G.O.A.T. and one of the earliest poker vloggers. The Las Vegas-based, mid-stakes grinder has been producing high-quality YouTube poker content since 2016. Over the past four years, he’s eclipsed the 140,000-subscriber mark, and for good reason — his vlogs are well produced and the man behind the camera (Neeme) always has a positive, upbeat attitude, and does a phenomenal job analyzing hands he played.

2. Brad Owen

You can’t include Andrew Neeme without his sidekick Brad Owen. The dynamic YouTube poker duo are the two most popular poker vloggers, with over 330,000 combined subscribers. Their meet-up games all around the world attract large crowds and will be missed during the coronavirus shutdown. But you can and should still binge-watch Owen’s channel in the meantime. His goofy, dry sense of humor is hysterical, and his videos can become addictive.

(Bonus drinking game idea: every time Brad refers to pocket jacks as “jiggitties,” take a shot and yell, “please, for the love of God, stop saying that!”)

3. Joey Ingram

“What’s up, Papi?” Joey Ingram’s hard work in publicly investigating Mike Postle last fall is worthy of Poker Hall of Fame consideration. If not for his due diligence, we may never have known just how likely it was that Postle cheated during Stones Live streams. But “Papi” has done far more incredible work than just investigate an alleged cheater. His Poker Life Podcast features some of the best interviews in poker, and he’s outed other wrongdoers in poker. My recommendation is to check out some of his old interviews with Barry Greenstein, a recent one with Mike “Timex” McDonald about his take on coronavirus betting, and my all-time favorite guest on his show, Bill Perkins.

4. Doug Polk

What’s up guys, Doug Polk here. Polk retired from poker over a year ago and recently announced he is done creating YouTube poker content. But since his channel, which has 286,000 subscribers, remains online, you can still binge-watch the heck out of it. Polk has a unique sense of humor and I’ve always respected his willingness to stand up for what he believes in, even though I don’t always agree with what he says. What I like most about his channel is viewers can learn some poker strategy and laugh at the same time.

5. Marle Cordeiro

My only knock on Marle Cordeiro’s YouTube poker channel is that she doesn’t post often enough. In fact, it’s been a couple months since her last uploaded clip, which is a shame. But her limited selection of poker vlogs are highly entertaining, and most of us have plenty of time to watch them these days. Her strong point is her raunchy sense of humor, which is right up my alley. If you’re looking for some laughs and pick up on sarcasm well, this is the channel for you.

6. Ryan Depaulo

Ryan Depaulo doesn’t have the poker community street cred of Neeme and Owen, but he’s arguably the funniest YouTube poker vlogger out there. Depaulo has chosen a unique poker vlogging niche — the degenerate gambler angle — and it suits him perfectly. He’ll make you laugh, he’ll make you consider calling 1-800-BETS-OFF for him, and he’ll make you a little bit jealous of his degen lifestyle. Depaulo has racked up over 46,000 subscribers in just two years of vlogging on YouTube, and he deserves more.

7. Daniel Negreanu

There’s a solid chance the 2020 WSOP will be canceled, so if you’re looking to get in your WSOP fix, check out Daniel Negreanu’s YouTube poker channel. His daily vlogs each year during the series are a national treasure, and truly one of the top highlights at the World Series of Poker. Negreanu posts a vlog every day during the WSOP, and you simply can’t beat the production quality.

8. Live at the Bike

If you’ve never watched Live at the Bike, a cash game show from the Bicycle Casino in Los Angeles, you may not be familiar with Garrett Adelstein, and that’s a shame, because he’s one of the most skilled and interesting high-stakes pros in the world. Live at the Bike, which streams weeknights, has a good mix of low to high-stakes games with players who are more entertaining than most high rollers you’ll find in other games.

9. Jonathan Little

Now that you likely have plenty of extra time on your hands, you might as well sharpen your poker skills. And that means studying, studying, and studying some more. Jonathan Little’s YouTube poker channel is one of the best free poker strategy resources out there. Little is a two-time WPT champion with over $7 million in live tournament cashes, and a proven online poker winner. So, who better to learn from? What makes his channel among the best is he explains poker strategy in an easy-to-learn manner and always has a positive attitude.

10. Liv Boeree

Like Doug Polk, Liv Boeree has mostly moved on from the game of poker. But she’s still producing some high-quality content, albeit on mostly non-poker related subjects, such as the coronavirus video above. Boeree only posts once or twice a month, but she has enough content on her channel to keep you entertained for a while during your self-quarantine period. The former PokerStars ambassador tackles all sorts of interesting topics such as the coronavirus and science, and provides a unique perspective and plenty of facts and statistics to back up her arguments.