Bankroll Challenge Woes for Doug Polk and Rampage Poker Doug Polk and Ethan “Rampage” Yau suffer Bankroll Challenge setbacks in pursuit of 6- and 7-figure goals.

It has been a tough old time recently for the ever-popular ‘Bankroll Challenges’ with both Doug Polk and Ethan “Rampage” Yau suffering setbacks in pursuit of 6- and 7-figure goals. Bankroll challenges have been part and parcel of poker for at least two decades now, players looking to turn next to nothing into a significant something, cheered on by their fans on social media. Back in 2006, Chris “Jesus” Ferguson took 18 months to go from literally zero playing online freerolls to his $10,000 target.

ACR and Pads Poker Declare Nacho Barbero Innocent of RTA Both Americas Cardroom and Patrick Leonard have found Nacho Barbero “not guilty” of using RTA-help during a recent online tournament.

Both Americas Cardroom and Patrick Leonard have found Nacho Barbero “not guilty” of using RTA-help during a recent online tournament. Nacho plays more like a malfunctioned bot than a gto guy checking hands. I remember the old bots who would be programmed to fold to min 3bs and you could min 3b them from the bb and get 60% folds 🙂 https://t.co/omQeYGLNIMpic.twitter.com/o2QdZHv40x — Patrick Leonard 🫡 (@padspoker) February 3, 2025

Top 5 Poker Cheating Scandals of 2024 It’s that time of year when we look back at the past 12 months – the good and the bad! – and today the focus is on the (alleged says my lawyer!) bad guys of poker.

It’s that time of year when we look back at what we all went through over the past 12 months – the good and the bad! – and today the focus is on the (“alleged” says my lawyer!) bad guys of poker and their attempts to cheat the rest of us! 5 Marked cards at the WSOP We start with a simple but very brazen cheating attempt from this year’s World Series of Poker – card marking, one of the oldest cheats in the book!

ACR Poker Purges Four Bots with Huge stacks from the $12.6 Million Venom ACR Poker has purged four AI bots wielding big stacks from the $12.6 Venom tournament. The $230000 worth of buy-ins will now be redistributed.

ACR Poker has purged four AI bots wielding big stacks from the $12.6 Venom tournament. The unethical accounts were sitting with $230,000 worth of buy-ins which will now be redistributed automatically throughout the field. Recap of bots banned mid Venom:Withia – 23 starting stacksVerucasalt5 – 10 starting stacksMReGoR – 32 starting stacksacquiton – 27 starting stacksThats $230k worth of buy ins (ignoring rake).Now if I hopefully understand this correctly, this money is already being…

PokerOK CEO Ivan Bryksin Declares War on Poker Stables The CEO of Russian poker skin PokerOK Ivan Bryksin has declared war on the stables that he feels are ruining the game for recreational players.

The CEO of Russian poker skin PokerOK, Ivan Bryksin, has declared war on the stables that he feels are ruining the game for recreational players. Bryksin stated this week that stables are “hands down, the greatest threat to the purity, integrity and equality of poker today”. Poker stables, or “funds” as they are sometimes referred to, back groups of players financially and often include a training school element, utilizing the latest techniques and technologies to improve their “horses” chances of winning.

Francesco Garofalo GGMillions DQ sees $1.1million refunded GGPoker have been praised for their anti-cheating measures after refunding $1.1million following the DQ of one of their biggest online event winners

GGPoker have been praised for their anti-cheating measures after refunding $1.1million following their disqualification of Francesco “forzaitalia” Garofalo from one of their biggest online events… The shock news was met with delight by English pro Patrick Leonard, who woke up to an unexpected six-figure bankroll boost… Wow just woke up to this. I think my biggest security refund previously was at most $2k. It’s a beautiful day to have a beautiful day I guess!

PokerStars and Bwin ordered to repay more than €400000 player losses In a recent ruling both PokerStars and Bwin have been ordered to refund more than €40000 to losing players in the Netherlands.

In a remarkable ruling that could have implications for thousands of online poker players, both PokerStars and Bwin have been ordered to refund losing players in the Netherlands. This week’s Dutch court ruling found that the two online gaming companies had been illegally offering games from 2006 to 2021 and therefore the €hundreds of thousands lost by two gamblers were null and void. According to reports in De Telegraaf newspaper, a man from Almelo lost €217,000 on PokerStars, across a mix of poker, casino games and sportsbetting.

Allen Kessler Slammed for $5million Freeroll Complaint Allen Kessler has been slammed on Twitter/X for complaining about a $5million freeroll with $1million going to the winner

In a “you couldn’t make this up” moment, the incorrigible Allen Kessler has somehow found a way to complain about being given a free shot at a $5million prizepool with $1million going to the winner. And it didn’t go unnoticed… pic.twitter.com/fhbfWdj1KR — Barry Carter (@Barry_Carter) December 13, 2024 In what can best be described as a facepalm moment, Kessler’s negativity clashed with almost everyone else at the WPT World Championship festival in Vegas.

Jon “Apestyles” Van Fleet Doing $10K to $100K Bankroll Challenge on WPT Global WPT Global ambassador Jon “Apestyles” Van Fleet is doing a $10k to $100k bankroll challenge. If he fails his beard will be shaved off!

WPT Global ambassador Jon “Apestyles” Van Fleet has tweeted about doing a $10k to $100k bankroll challenge. If he fails, his beard will be shaved off! Apestyles is one of poker’s true legends. With tens of millions of dollars worth of tournament winnings, you’d have to say that if anyone can do this, he certainly can. I’ve decided I’m doing a 10k to 100k by May challenge on @wpt_global cash games.

Hand of the Week: Linus Loeliger and Michael Addamo Clash in GGPoker High-Stakes Cash Game Linus Loeliger and Michael Addamo two of the greatest poker players alive have clashed in an extraordinary hand on GGPoker.

Linus Loeliger and Michael Addamo, two of the greatest poker players alive, have clashed in an extraordinary hand on GGPoker. The pair were grinding in a $200/$400 game that played with a $100 ante to boost the action. Hand of the Week Action Preflop: Michael Addamo kicks off the action by raising to $880 with K♦6♦ in the hijack. Linus Loeliger flat calls on the button with 5♠3♠ and an unknown player with the handle BTC200K-FORSURE and a Chinese flag calls in the big blind.

Doug Polk Takes to Mainstream Media to Defend Poker from Unfair Tax Doug Polk has appeared on mainstream media new outlet New Nation to stick up for poker in the midst of unpopular gambling law changes.

Right now, the American gambling community is in a state of bewilderment about the prospective effects of a new version of the country’s gambling laws. Put simply, if everything continues down the path the government intends, the number of professional poker players in the United States will reduce massively. Possibly to the point of making the game unprofitable for all but a few. The issue is really all about one point — from next year, gamblers will only be able to write off 90% of their losses.

Frankie C Challenges Martin Kabrhel to Heads-Up Match Frank Frankie C Cucchiara has brazenly challenged high-stakes poker star Martin Kabrhel to a heads-up match apparently agreeing to play for $1000000 if he can get the money.

The Czech player is one of those names who consistently finds his way into the poker media for various reasons, often being a bit of a nuisance, but there’s no denying he’s a great poker player. Having Martin Kabrhel’s scalp on his record would make Frankie C a player of note, without a doubt. Who Is Frankie C? The 26-year-old poker content creator is a relatively new face on the scene and known for being the partner of Kitty Kuo.

Doug Polk Sells Upswing Poker to ClubWPT Gold Doug Polk has announced the sale of Upswing Poker to sweepstakes operator ClubWPT gold for an undisclosed fee.

Aftermore than nine years of operating the leading training site with his friend Ryan Fee, Polk will be handing over the keys of Upswing Poker to its new owner, while promising a bright future for the outfit. A Decade of Upswing Poker It was all the way back in 2016 that Doug Polk was encouraged to consider starting a poker training site by Ryan Fee. The training space has previously been dominated by classic sites Card Runners and Deucescracked, but their massive, over-sized libraries left novice players scrambling around, wondering where to start.

A Spotlight on Nuisance Players in Live Poker TV poker has always provided us with polarising characters but has some of the more recent nuisance behaviour gone too far? Are we risking harm to the game if nothing is done?

Will Kassouf Good, old fashioned live poker is supposed to be a blend of strategy and psychological warfare. It’s not supposed to be over-the-top trash TV. When the show becomes more about player behaviour than the actual poker, we should know that change is needed. What we witnessed during the WSOP 2025 exceeded anything we have seen before. Maybe the cameras amplify disruptive tactics, focusing the viewer’s attention on the negative, but the level of sheer annoyance indicated on social media was at a greater height than in previous years.

The 2025 World Series of Poker in Numbers This summer’s World Series of Poker saw players fork out a total of $529million in buy-ins but how much of that went in rake? The answer — a healthy $47million!

2025 WSOP Main Event (Courtesy of WSOP) Nearly one quarter of a million entries graced the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas this summer as GGPoker took over the running of the WSOP for the very first time. The result was a slew of records broken, including almost everything money related. There were 100 bracelet events this year, one up on last year’s 99 gold bracelets awarded, and that produced and extra 17,361 in total entries over last year’s figure.

The Taxman Takes $9million from Main Event Final Table Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi may well have won the $10million top prize but he will only get to keep $6million of it as the taxman takes his bite!

(Courtesy of WSOP/Rachel Kay Winter) “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes,” said Benjamin Franklin (allegedly!) and for Michael Mizrachi, the 100,000 $100 bills bearing Franklin’s image he won this week won’t all be his to keep. Every year, Russ Fox of Clayton Financial and Tax of Las Vegas, gives us the breakdown of just how much the winner and his fellow final tablists have to give up to the taxman.

$1million Chip Dumping Allegations Mar WSOP Victory Jesse Yaginuma pulled back a 10-1 chip deficit to land WSOP gold and a $1milllion bonus but has sparked claims of a chip dumping deal.

Jesse Yaginuma and James Carroll (courtesy of WSOP) The grand finale to Event #53: $1,500 Millionaire Maker saw both heads-up players – Jesse Yaginuma and James Carroll – lock up $1million payouts, with $250k and the bracelet still to play for. Yaginuma, however, was in line to pick up a ClubWPT Gold promotional bonus of another $1million, having qualified by bagging one of the sweepstakes-style online site’s Gold Rush tickets.

JokerStars Scammer Banned from Club for RFID Cheating JokerStars Poker Room in Houston Texas has uncovered a brazen cheating scam involving RFID cards and a hidden card reader.

(pic courtesy of JokerStars Poker Room FB) No, not the slang name for online giants PokerStars, but rather a poker club in Houston, Texas – JokerStars Poker Room – which has uncovered a cheating scam involving RFID cards and a hidden card reader. The bare-faced attempt to cheat a highstakes poker knight at the social poker venue was revealed by PokerNews this week, when three players – former club employee Carlito, and two of his guests, Marcelo and Ivan – were caught on camera following a security review.

Chaos Erupts Near WSOP Venues as Gunman Opens Fire on Las Vegas Strip Two people have been shot dead after a gunman opened fire near the Bellagio fountains on the Las Vegas Strip last night.

Police officers were patrolling in the area on Las Vegas Boulevard at around 10:40 p.m. local time and rushed to the scene upon hearing gunfire. A Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department statement said: “On June 8, 2025, at approximately 10.40pm, LVMPD officers were on routine patrol in the 3600 block of South Las Vegas Boulevard when they heard gunfire coming from the west side of the street. “The officers immediately ran toward the area where the gunfire was heard and located two individuals suffering from apparent gunshot wounds.

Phil Hellmuth Lets Fans Decide – Play or Boycott 2025 WSOP Main Event? Phil Hellmuth has put it to his fans to decide whether he plays the 2025 World Series of Poker Main Event or goes ahead with his one-man boycott.

Phil Hellmuth has put it to his fans to decide whether he plays the 2025 World Series of Poker Main Event or goes ahead with his one-man boycott. Phil Hellmuth – Photo Credit: Hayley Hochstetler The Poker Brat owns a record 17 WSOP gold bracelets and has played in every main event since, but he recently announced that the gruelling format was too much for him now and he would be giving this year’s edition a miss.

Alleged Angleshooter Alexander Shevliakov responds to Accusations The player accused of angle-shooting at last weeks EPT has responded claiming there were “no angles no tricks just an unfortunate sequence in a high-pressure spot.”

The player at the centre of the EPT Monte Carlo Main Event angle-shooting controversy has responded this week, claiming there were “no angles, no tricks, just an unfortunate sequence in a high-pressure spot.” Hi, my name is Alexander Shevliakov, and this is my message regarding the AKs hand against Jamil Wakil. I held off posting this immediately because I wanted to speak privately with Jamil first and give him the full version.

Eric Persson Defeats Doug Polk in “Code Doug” Challenge Finale Doug Polk has failed to save face by beating his nemesis Eric Persson in a heads-up match to end his “Code Doug” Challenge after coming close to ending up in the red for his overall result.

Doug Polk has failed to save face by beating his nemesis Eric Persson in a heads-up match to end his “Code Doug” Challenge after coming close to ending up in the red for his overall result. After a rollercoaster of a month where the Upswing Poker founder set out to win $100,000 to give away, Polk found himself in the hole for tens of thousands, wondering if he was going to end up with egg on his face.

Matt Berkey’s Only Friends Podcast to End After three years and 700 episodes Matt Berkey’s Only Friends podcast has unexpectedly lost its home and will likely shut down at the end of April.

After three years and 700 episodes, Matt Berkey’s Only Friends podcast has unexpectedly lost its home and will likely shut down at the end of April. Earlier this week, fans tuned in to hear all about the return of Nik Airball to Hustler Casino Live, and instead got the bad news that Berkey’s landlord had given 30 days notice for them to exit the premises. Matt Berkey has been a polarising figure for some in the poker community, but you can’t knock the effort that he has put in to show up every day — yes really, every day — to generate discussion about the most pressing matters in poker.

Highstakes Colluder Jinlong Hu Cashes Twice at Triton Series A known cheater has cashed twice at the ongoing Triton Poker stop in Jeju. Chinese pro Jinlong Hu was recently issued a formal warning for collusion

A known cheater has cashed twice at the ongoing Triton Poker stop in Jeju. Chinese pro Jinlong Hu was recently issued a formal warning for collusion at the U Series of Poker in Vietnam. Jinlong Hu Collusion Hu has cashed twice in the past week at Triton Jeju in South Korea, picking up more than $100,000 in prizemoney. However, a 2plus2 forum poster was quick to point out that just two months ago Hu and another Chinese player had their heads-up battle halted for collusion.