Caesars Palace 'Mega Stack Series' + Ladbrokes sign Jon Kalmar + PAD4

Harrahs announces Caesars Palace 'Mega Stack Series'

During the World Series of Poker there are already numerous other poker tournaments being organized by other Hotel-Casinos in Las Vegas. Now Caesars Palace has decided to join in on the fun with the announcement of its Mega Stack Series. With the growing popularity of deep stack tournaments and the success of events like the Deep Stack Extravaganza at the Venetian, Harrahs has decided to increase the competition in this market segment by introducing their own deep stack tournament series.

The secret behind the success of deep stack tournaments is easily explained. Tournament buy-ins are usually kept low, starting stacks are high and blind levels are long, thus giving players enough elbowroom to try out some moves and create some action. That this kind of tournament structure is appealing to many poker players is not surprising, and now Harrahs has also caught onto the trend.

Between June 1st and July 9th 2008, Caesars palace will be running 43 Events, culminating with a three day Mega Championship with a $1000 +$60 buy-in, starting on July 7th. The other tournaments will have buy-ins as low as $200 +$25, starting stacks of at least 5,000 chips (except for two that will start with 2,500) and 50 minute blind levels. At the start of each event, players also have the option of a $10/2,500–chips "staff bonus" add-on.

The complete schedule for the Mega Stack Series:

Date Buy-in Event Starting Chips Add-On/Staff Bonus
6/1 $500 + $40 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 12,500 $10 / 2,500 Chips
6/2 $200 + $25 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 5,000 $10 / 2,500 Chips
6/3 $300 + $30 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 10,000
6/3 $200 + $25 Seniors No Limit / 50 + / 3PM 5,000
6/4 $200 + $25 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 5,000
6/5 $200 + $25 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 5,000
6/6 $300 + $30 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 10,000
6/7 $300 + $30 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 10,000
6/8 $500 + $40 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 12,500
6/9 $200 + $25 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 5,000
6/10 $300 + $30 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 10,000
6/10 $200 + $25 Omaha 8 or Better / 3:00 PM 2,500
6/11 $200 + $25 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 5,000
6/12 $200 + $25 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 5,000
6/13 $300 + $30 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 10,000
6/14 $300 + $30 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 10,000
6/15 $500 + $40 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 12,500
6/16 $200 + $25 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 5,000
6/17 $300 + $30 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 10,000
6/17 $200 + $25 P.L.O. / 3:00 PM 5,000
6/18 $200 + $25 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 5,000
6/19 $200 + $25 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 5,000
6/20 $300 + $30 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 10,000
6/21 $300 + $30 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 10,000
6/22 $500 + $40 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 12,500
6/23 $200 + $25 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 5,000
6/24 $300 + $30 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 10,000
6/24 $200 + $25 Limit / 3:00 PM 2,500
6/25 $200 + $25 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 5,000
6/26 $200 + $25 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 5,000
6/27 $300 + $30 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 10,000
6/28 $300 + $30 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 10,000
6/29 $500 + $40 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 12,500
6/30 $200 + $25 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 5,000
7/1 $200 + $25 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 5,000
7/2 $200 + $25 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 5,000
7/3 $200 + $25 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 5,000
7/4 $300 + $30 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 10,000
7/5 $300 + $30 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 10,000
7/6 $500 + $40 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 12,500
7/7 $1000 + $60 Mega Championship / 12:00 Noon 25,000
7/8 (Day Two Mega Championship) / 2:00 PM
7/8 $200 + $25 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 5,000
7/9 (Mega Championship Final Table) No Limit / 2:00 PM
7/9 $200 + $25 No Limit / 12:00 Noon 5,000

Ladbrokes Poker Signs Jonathan Kalmar


Ladbrokes Poker have announced that they have signed a sponsorship deal with 34 year old British poker player Jonathan Kalmar. Kalmar had already been part of Team Ladbrokes online, and will now represent Ladbrokes Poker at live tournaments.

Most of you will probably know Kalmar for his 5th place finish at the 2007 WSOP main event, where he won $1,255,069, and while that was his best tourney result to date, it definitely wasn't his only result worth mentioning. His tournament results include a 3rd place at the Ladbrokes Poker Cruise main event in 2006, 10th place at the EPT Irish Masters in 2005, a number of WSOP cashes and just recently, 21st place in the WPT $25k Championship Event.

"I'm thrilled; I can't wait to take up my role of Ladbrokes Poker pro in an official capacity! I'm raring to go. As part of Team Ladbrokes in 2006 I came 82nd in the main event and then finished in 5th last year. Let's hope I continue to improve upon my performance," said Kalmar, who will play online at Ladbrokes Poker as "skalie".

Exciting Changes in Poker After Dark Season 4


The new season of Poker After Dark (PAD4), the first episode of which will air in the U.S in the week of July 14, will contain "exciting changes", according to NBC. The most exciting of these is probably that players will no longer only play 6-handed winner-take-all freezeouts, but will also play heads-up matches and cash games. One of these heads-up matches will feature the four winners of NBC's National Heads-Up Poker Championship: Chris Ferguson, Paul Wasicka, Phil Hellmuth and Ted Forrest in a double-elimination mini-tournament.

But also the freezeout matches will bring some interesting line-ups. Some of these include the "Brilliant Minds" match with some of Pokers greatest mathematicians: Andy Bloch, Brandon Adams, Chris Ferguson, Bill Chen, Jimmy Warren and David Sklansky, the "Dream Match" with online qualifier Paul Featherstone playing against five of his favorite players: Mike Sexton, Jennifer Harman, Phil Hellmuth, Mike Matusow and Gavin Smith, and the "Nets vs. Vets" featuring the three internet pros Tom 'drrrr' Dwan, Brian 'sbrugby' Townsend, and Andrew 'good2cu' Robl against veteran pros and former World Champions Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, and Huck Seed

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