Proving that poker on television is anything but dead, NBC’s Poker After Dark returns for a fifth season beginning Monday night with “Close But No Cigar” week. Each of the six players in this week’s episode has made the final table of the World Series of Poker Main Event but come up short in their pursuit of the game’s most storied title.

Andy Black, Lee Watkinson, Dewey Tomko, David Williams, Allen Cunningham, and Mike Matusow all put up $20,000 to chase the winner take all prize of $120,000. Three of the players, Black, Watkinson and Tomko are all making their PAD debut while the other three players have a mixed record.

Williams has one win in three appearances, Cunningham has a single win in two appearances and Matusow will be looking for his first win after going away empty-handed in his first 10 times on the show.

The match will begin airing on NBC Monday at 2:05 AM and will continue for five consecutive nights in the same time slot. A special program called the “Director’s Cut” will air late night Saturday at 1 AM, right after Saturday Night Live.

PokerStars had a big weekend and one event was big enough to put the world’s largest online poker operator into the Guinness Book of World Records. A sold-out field of 35,000 players entered the $10 + $1 buy-in tournament on Sunday to give PokerStars the record for largest online poker tournament.

The 35,000 player tournament took 9.5 hours to complete with “Stan34powa” finishing in first place to take home the $30,000 first place prize out of the $500,000 guaranteed prize pool. Due to concerns over server limitations the field was capped at 35,000 meaning the tournament was guaranteed to have an overlay of $150,000.  

The previous record holder can’t be too upset though. In July of 2007 PokerStars had a field of 20,000 players in their regularly scheduled Sunday Hundred Grand. The event was the centrepiece of “World Record Week” at PokerStars which also included the largest ever Sunday Warm-Up event (5,836 players) and largest ever Sunday Million (16,260 players).

“No other site brings the level of excitement, skill, and challenge that poker players crave,” said Team PokerStars Pro Daniel Negreanu. “The Sunday tournaments on PokerStars provide an unrivalled opportunity to prove your poker prowess with a lucrative prize pool that matches the highest level of competition.”

PokerStars’ attempt at shattering a world record paid off big time for the online poker giant, but “lp_SakiSaki” might have been the biggest benefactor. On a Sunday when they were attempting to break the record for the biggest poker tournament ever in a $10 + $1 tournament, PokerStars upped the ante on their normal schedule and bumped the guarantee in the Sunday Million from the normal $1.5 million to $2.5 million. Despite the 66% increase in guaranteed prize money there was no overlay as 16,260 players crammed their way into the tournament to generate a prize pool of $3,252,000.

Here are the final table results from the last set of the Sunday Majors of 2008:

PokerStars Sunday Million Special - $2.5 Million Guaranteed ($200 + 15)
Entrants: 16,260
Prizepool: $3,252,000

1.       lp_SakiSaki - $331,378.80
2.       Beufford - $227,640

3.       MauryFishant - $162,600

4.       k0rt - $130,080

5.       manifest23 - $97,560

6.       salmor - $73,170

7.       AAmerican - $50,406

8.       La_Alvarado - $32,520

9.       kharak - $22,764

PokerStars Sunday Second Chance ($200 + $15)
Entrants: 1,605
Prizepool: $321,000

1.       Patrolman35 - $57,780
2.       FangdenRaab - $41,730

3.       hookembaby83 - $32,100

4.       markysals11 - $24,075

5.       sweetluvin7 - $16,852.50

6.       1BigAceHole - $13,642.50

7.       machado28 - $10,432.50

8.       evamarie777 - $7,222.50

9.       droniko - $4,494

PokerStars Sunday Warm-Up Special - $1 Million Guaranteed ($200 + $15)
Entrants: 5,836
Prizepool: $1,167,200

1.       Hr_Herman - $147,067.20
2.       Andy McLEOD - $101,546.40

3.       totaloser - $68,864.80

4.       Iceman1278 - $57,192.80

5.       zmeyer - $45,520.80

6.       Tehanu - $33,848.80

7.       69CANA69 - $22,176.80

8.       groengras - $14,006.40

9.       KKgeoroAA - $8,170.40

Full Tilt Poker $750,000 Guaranteed ($200 + $16)
Entrants: 3,905
Prizepool: $781,000

1.       jochee - $138,276.05
2.       KipsterDK - $83,567

3.       Tulsa Tony - $54,670

4.       TheTotalPkg - $43,111.20

5.       Jasonrisc - $32,333.40

6.       Wonky - $23,976.70

7.       mc4chess - $17,963

8.       NewBornBaby - $14,058

9.       StarMaker - $10,465.40

Full Tilt Poker Sunday Mulligan ($200 + $16)
Entrants: 1,170
Prizepool: $234,000

1.       Ezmann - $52,650
2.       Vortex2099 - $33,345

3.       drunk mashimaro - $24,687

4.       this is punny - $19,305

5.       DarkHorse19 - $14,625

6.       CzarBushov - $10,530

7.       PostflopAction - $7,020

8.       uuhhhicall - $5,265

9.       KUZZ11 - $3,744

Full Tilt Poker Sunday Brawl ($240 + $16)
Entrants: 2,057
Prizepool: $411,400

1.       Griffendore - $83,905.03
2.       luckyshades - $54,304.80

3.       USCphildo - $40,317.20

4.       DG101 - $30,443.60

5.       KAFFEPUNCH - $21,392.80

6.       Kameleont - $13,987.60
7.       jedsampson20 - $9,462.20
8.       XavierCalcada - $6,582.40
9.       joenguyenn - $4,936.80

The day after Christmas might be the best day of the season for one lucky BLUFF reader. On Friday at 2:30 pm EST BLUFF will be hosting a freeroll for an all expenses paid package to the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure Boot Camp worth $4,500.

The package includes airfare and hotel at the luxurious Atlantis resort in Nassau, Bahamas.

To register for the freeroll simply launch the PokerStars software and look under the Tournaments-Private tab. The password for the event is “Rousso”. This No Limit Hold’em tournament is open ONLY to BLUFF readers.

The quarterly $500 +$35 buy-in $1 million guaranteed on Full Tilt Poker stole the show Sunday as the longest running and most hotly contested of the Sunday Majors. With 2,194 players pushing the prize pool to $1,097,000 it was “UFman2″ who came out on top to take home the $201,848 first place prize - the largest prize awarded Sunday.

At least one online poker superstar got ridiculously close to winning a major on Sunday. Annette “Annette_15″ Obrestad managed to outlast 1,202 other players in Full Tilt Poker’s Sunday Mulligan to get heads-up with “topnoodle”. After two lead changes however Obrestad was finally eliminated giving topnoodle the $52,976 first place prize.

Here are the final table results for every Sunday Major:

Full Tilt Poker $1 Million Guaranteed ($500 + $35)
Entrants: 2,194
Prizepool: $1,097,000

1.       UFman2 - $201,848

2.       Gator93 - $123,961

3.       bellbop - $81,178

4.       All4non - $64,723

5.       Elephant - $49,365

6.       smfit29 - $35,323.40

7.       l4z3j4ck - $25,779.50

8.       S00tedj0kers89 - $20,294.50

9.       Jimbostar - $15,358

Full Tilt Poker Sunday Mulligan ($200 + $16)
Entrants: 1,204
Prizepool: $240,800

1.       topnoodle - $52,976

2.       Annette_15 - $33,712

3.       GimmeDa1time - $24,802.40

4.       perky264 - $19,565

5.       SONASAM - $19,565

6.       kleath - $10,836

7.       jae_rod811 - $7,224

8.       UMWolverines - $5,418

9.       Cmoney3 - $3,852.80

Full Tilt Poker Sunday Brawl ($240 + $16)
Entrants: 1,937
Prizepool: $387,400

1.       busto_soon - $79,804.40

2.       Calimaty - $52,686.40

3.       takerjs - $39,127.40

4.       Kool Kyle - $30,604.60

5.       american soul - $22,856.60

6.       PLUSizeHoneY - $15,883.40

7.       thechemist83 - $9,685

8.       FlawlessV1ctory - $6,585.80

9.       the_burrito - $4,648.80

PokerStars Sunday Million
Entrants: 8, 015
Prizepool $1,603,000

1.       KopplarJocke - $196,367.50

2.       crazylarry43 - $132,407.80

3.       phil steve - $89,768

4.       vuki - $72,936.50

5.       DFGBOYS - $56,906.50

6.       dstrung - $40,876.50

7.       gladik - $28,052

8.       tAAggart - $18,434.50

9.       mezyoureyez - $11,221

PokerStars Sunday Warm-Up
Entrants: 3,837
Prizepool: $767,400

1.       snowking_85 - $99,762

2.       jas21 - $69,066

3.       dan82mur - $46,044

4.       ael1979 - $38,370

5.       OGSHIPIT - $30,696

6.       cadillacsa - $23,022

7.       AhKhQhJh10h - $15,348

8.       eitishoo - $9,592.50

9.       liverdracon - $6,599.64

PokerStars Sunday Second Chance ($200 + $15)
Entrants: 1,246
Prizepool: $269,200

1.       bdybldngpkr - $48,886.72

2.       donnysack - $35,534.40

3.       gerard95 - $26,920

4.       el kudos - $20,190

5.       icaredr1 - $14,133

6.       coxquinn - $11,441

7.       Squirrely1 - $8,749

8.       shipshipit - $6,057

9.       tsza1 - $3,768.80

David Chino Rheem

David "Chino" Rheem

Only six weeks after being bounced from the World Series of Poker Main Event final table in dramatic fashion David “Chino” Rheem has helped alleviate the pain of that defeat by winning the World Poker Tour’s Doyle Brunson Five Diamond Poker Classic.

Rheem battled with eventual runner-up Justin Young for 151 hands before finally eliminating him to capture his first WPT title and the $1,538,730 first place prize. When heads-up play began Young actually had the chip lead with 14,100,000 chips to Rheem’s 8,185,000, but over the next few hours Rheem battled back to eliminate Young.

The win puts Rheem’s winnings for 2008 over the $3 million mark. Young earned $936,760 for his runner-up finish. He ends the year with 19 cashes and nine final table appearances.

Coming in third was Evan McNiff who walked away with $540,440. McNiff was eliminated by Rheem one hand after Rheem crippled him when his A-J was outrun by the A-9 of the eventual champion.  Steve Sung, who started the day in the lead, was sent home in fourth place collecting $396,206 for his efforts.

Amnon Filippi was eliminated in fifth and Hoyt Corkins finished sixth. The next stop for the WPT is the Southern Poker Championship at Beau Rivage in Biloxi Mississippi.

WPT Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic Final Table Payouts

1. David “Chino” Rheem - $1,538,730
2. Justin Young - $936,760
3. Evan McNiff - $540,440
4. Steve Sung - $396,206
5. Amnon Filippi - $288,235
6. Hoyt Corkins - $216,175

The last World Poker Tour event of the year now has a final table and it’s full of some of the game’s most aggressive young players and one good ol’ Alabama cowboy.

Steve Sung will unbag his chips Friday afternoon and count out 5,885,000 chips - good enough for the chip lead over the five other players, including two of his good friends David “Chino” Rheem and Amnon Filippi. Rheem starts the day with the third largest chip stack with 4,240,000 while Filippi is in fourth with 2,750,000.

Sitting between Sung and Rheem is Evan McNiff with 4,805,000. McNiff turned to live play earlier this season and has recorded five cashes for a total of $84,190 in earnings. This will mark his first final table since Event #4 ($2,000 No Limit Hold’em) of the Wynn Classic last February.

Justin Young, who has recorded 18 cashes so far this year, is in fifth with 2,410,000 chips. He’s just ahead of the Alabama Cowboy Hoyt Corkins who has the shortest stack at 2,295,000.

The biggest name left however is probably Rheem. As a member of the November Nine the 28-year-old poker pro has spent most of the year in the poker spotlight. On top of making the final table in the World Series of Poker Main Event, he also finished 5th in Event #4 ($5,000 Mixed Hold’em).

The action on Thursday saw 12 players eliminated including another player with ties to the November Nine. Joe McGowan who, along with Roy Winston, coached eventual third place finisher Dennis Phillips busted out on the TV bubble in seventh.

WPT Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic Final Table Chip Counts

1. Steve Sung - 5,885,000
2. Evan McNiff - 4,805,000
3. Chino Rheem - 4,240,000
4. Amnon Filippi - 2,750,000
5. Justin Young - 2,410,000
6. Hoyt Corkins - 2,295,000

After 348 days of play there are only a handful of competitors left in the running for BLUFF Magazine Player-of-the-Year award and only one event left for those players to earn points towards the race.

The Trump Poker Classic Main Event, to be held at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City December 28 - 30, will be the final event for which points will be awarded. The 2008 race is proving to be one of the closest of all time with at least five players within striking distance of current leader John Phan.

“It’s only fitting that some of the best players in poker chase this title down right down to the final days of the year,” said Eric Morris, BLUFF Magazine publisher. “Whether it’s John Phan or any of the players chasing him, they’ll have had to earn it with impressive results over the entire year.”

Phan currently leads the race with 1,214.08 points. Right behind him is David Pham and Bertrand Grsopellier with 1,148.05 and 1,114.32 points respectively. Three other players, Men Nguyen, Michael Binger and Toto Leonidas could also wrestle the award away from the double-bracelet winner Phan with a deep finish in Atlantic City.

The field of 497 players who started the World Poker Tour’s Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic at the Bellagio earlier this week have been whittled down to only two tables. While most of Las Vegas was watching the snowstorm outside, Ben Straate put on a storm of his own inside the Bellagio.

Straate sits at the top of the leaderboard with 3,197,000 chips and leads Brett Richey, who is in second, by over 1 million chips. Evan McNiff, who held the chip lead when the players unbagged their chips finished the day in fourth with 1,532,000. Sandwiched in between McNiff and Richey is Justin Young with 1,807,000.

While those players names may not be on the tips of every poker fans tongues, the rest of the field is full of players they know quite well. Mike Matusow sits in fifth (1,435,000), Amnon Filippi is in seventh (1,374,000), Steve Sung is right behind him in eighth (1,359,000) and Robert Mizrachi is in ninth (1,266,000).

Also still in the field are Hoyt Corkins in 10^th (1,251,000), David “Chino” Rheem in 11^th (1,200,000) and Clonie Gowen in 12^th (1,049,000). Two former WPT champions are also still in contention but will have their work cut out for them if they hope to taste victory again. Nick Schulman is in 16^th place with 480,000 and the shortest remaining stack is Martin De Knijff with only 298,000.

The final 18 players will begin play on Thursday and play until the final six players who will make up the WPT TV final table remain. The TV taping is scheduled for Friday at the Bellagio.

Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic Chip Counts

1. Ben Straate - 3,197,000
2. Brett Richey - 2,164,000
3. Justin Young - 1,807,000
4. Evan McNiff - 1,532,000
5. Mike Matusow - 1,435,000
6. Jack M. Wu - 1,412,000
7. Amnon Filippi - 1,374,000
8. Steve Sung - 1,359,000
9. Robert Mizrachi - 1,266,000
10. Hoyt Corkins - 1,251,000
11. David Rheem - 1,200,000
12. Clonie Gowen - 1,049,000
13. Tom Pniak - 1,041,000
14. William Klein - 999,000
15. Benjamin Tollerene - 492,000
16. Nick Schulman - 480,000
17. Joe McGowan - 420,000
18. Martin DeKnijff - 298,000

The New Year will bring about a new concept from the WSOP Academy. After focusing on using the best tournament players in the world to teach the game at seminars across the United States, the WSOP Academy will now also be teaching cash game play.

Beginning with a two-day event at Harrah’s Atlantic City on January 24 - 25, the Academy will now be teaching the intricacies and nuances of cash game, specifically No Limit Hold’em. Camp attendees will be enjoy in-depth seminars, live play workshops, video analysis and a cash game competition, all taught by some of the world’s top cash game poker players.

“The WSOP Academy has successfully helped players make it to the final table and win bracelets by teaching tournament strategy, but to become an overall winning poker player you must also become a consistent cash game player,” said Brandon Rosen of Post Oak Productions, the company that produces the WSOP Academy. “Your cash game skills and results will likely determine your success and more importantly, your longevity as a poker player. With this in mind, we created the Cash Game Academy.”

The second Cash Game Academy will be held in Las Vegas at Caesars Palace on Feb. 7 - 8. Mark Seif, Paul Wasicka and Alex Outhred will be the among the instructors scheduled for the first event while Michael Gracz will replace Wasicka for the Las Vegas event.

A Cash Game Competition will be hosted on day two of each event giving players the opportunity to compete against each other with the player who makes the most correct decisions and shows bankroll management skills during the event taking home an all-expense trip to Caesars Palace Las Vegas for the WSOP Academy Tournament of Champions just prior to the Main Event of the 2009 World Series of Poker.

Evan McNiff is a household name only in the McNiff household, but if his performance on Day 2 of the World Poker Tour’s Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic is a sign of things to come then poker fans will soon know him quite well.

McNiff finished the day as the only player to crack the 1 million chip mark with 1,035,000. The closest player to McNiff is November Niner David “Chino” Rheem who has 905,000. A total of 55 players will return to the Bellagio on Wednesday in pursuit of the $1,538,730 first place prize and the last title of 2008.

The top ten includes Steve Sung (787,000) in fourth, Nick Schulman (720,000) in fifth and Hoyt Corkins (681,000) in seventh. Other big names in contention include Dutch Boyd, Antonio Esfandiari and Victor Ramdin.

David Benyamine is the only player left in the field who still has a shot at the 2008 BLUFF Magazine Player-of-the-Year award. The cash game specialist would need to win the event and collect the available 400 POY points to pass current leader John Phan.

Top 10 Remaining Chip Counts

1. Evan McNiff - 1,035,000
2. David “Chino” Rheem - 905,000
3. Jack Wu - 847,000
4. Steve Sung - 787,000
5. Nick Schulman - 720,000
6. Arthur Azen - 700,000
7. Hoyt Corkins - 681,000
8. Ben Straate - 645,000
9. Daniel O’Brien - 632,000
10. Abraham Masseri - 591,000

Phil Hellmuth has 11 World Series of Poker bracelets but has never won a World Poker Tour event. After Day 2 of the Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Classic though the “Poker Brat” in position to break that futility streak.

Hellmuth sits in seventh spot with 412,800 chips which is 140,100 behind overall leader Justin Young. Monday’s play saw the Day 1a and 1b field combined into one group. The 376 players who started the day would be only 139 by the end of the day.

Hellmuth isn’t the only poker superstar who went to bed Monday dreaming of a WPT title. Tuan Le (480,000) sits in fourth, Kido Pham (445,000) sits in fifth and Clonie Gowen (430,000) is just ahead of Hellmuth in sixth place.

The hot play of Gowen wasn’t the only reason she made headlines Monday. Gowen, who is currently suing Full Tilt Poker for $40 million, was seated at the same table as Howard Lederer, one of the defendants in the lawsuit.

David Benyamine, Barry Greenstein, Antonio Esfandiari and Dutch Boyd are all in the top twenty. The total field of 497 players each paying the $15,000 buy-in created a prize pool of $7,231,350 with the eventual champion taking home $1,538,730.

Action will continue for five more levels on Tuesday beginning at Noon PT.

Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic Top 10 Chip Counts

1. Justin Young - 552,900
2. Chuck Kelley - 540,900
3. Evan McNiff - 485,300
4. Tuan Le - 480,000
5. Kido Pham - 445,000
6. Clonie Gowen - 430,000
7. Phil Hellmuth - 412,800
8. Joe McGowan - 346,800
9. Scott Bohlman - 342,400
10. Scott Dorin - 338,900

Anurag Dikshit, one of the founders of PartyPoker, is reportedly set to plead guilty in Southern District Court to a violation of the Wire Act Tuesday in New York and will pay a fine of $300 million US.

Dikshit is the only one of the three co-founders of what was once the world’s largest online poker operator to work directly with the Department of Justice. The other co-founders, Ruth Parasol and Russ DeLeon, have not been in contact with the DoJ in regards to their involvement.

Given his willingness to work directly with authorities it’s believed he’ll receive a favorable sentencing. Dikshit has not made a plea bargain and the maximum sentence he could receive is two years. Many legal analysts have long argued that the Wire Act pertains only to sports betting and does not cover poker. The 1961 act reads as follows:

“Whoever being engaged in the business of betting or wagering knowingly uses a wire communication facility for the transmission in interstate or foreign commerce of bets or wagers or information assisting in the placing of bets or wagers on any sporting event or contest, or for the transmission of a wire communication which entitles the recipient to receive money or credit as a result of bets or wagers, or for information assisting in the placing of bets or wagers, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.”

The ruling could give the DoJ the necessary footing to expand their enforcement of the Wire Act to include other online poker operators, including those still accepting American players.

Dikshit still owns 27% of PartyGaming stock but will not have to divest himself of any interest in the company. Parasol and DeLeon, who are husband and wife, each own 13% of the company’s stock.

PartyGaming (LON:PRTY) officials are expected to make a formal announcement Tuesday morning in London.

The holiday season is in full swing but online poker players are still making Sunday their day. With the exception of the Full Tilt Poker $750,000 Guaranteed every one of the Sunday Majors met the guaranteed amount. The biggest winner came from Brazil as “opis/sp” took down the Sunday Million on PokerStars, pocketing $152,006.84 after a three-way chop. Here’s the rest of the final table action from Sunday:

PokerStars Sunday Million ($200 + $15)
Entrants: 7,549
Prizepool: $1,509,800

1.       opis/sp - $185,705.40
2.       CHI01 - $125,766.34
3.       jdballer40 - $84,548.80
4.       drpossjr25 - $69,450.80
5.       Eeedz - $54,352.80
6.       TommyE79 - $39,254.80
7.       5fish - $26,421.50
8.       Mighty Horse - $17,362.70
9.       AvelonSalheb - $10,568.60

PokerStars Sunday Warm-Up ($200 + $15)
Entrants: 3,899
Prizepool: $779,800

1.       mmmbillski - $101,374
2.       suckedoutagn - $70,182
3.       D1rtyR1v3r - $46,788
4.       riddup - $38,990
5.       Mi||a.TiMe - $31,192
6.       mortens22 - $23,394
7.       yokerface - $15,596
8.       DenyoDeluxXe - $9,747.50
9.       Hidalgo18 - $6,706

PokerStars Sunday Second Chance ($200 + $15)
Entrants: 1,347
Prizepool:  $269,400

1.       g0lfa - $48,923.04
2.       moneytaker85 - $35,560.80
3.       HomeGuard69 - $26,940
4.       brett004 - 20,205
5.       cswindhizzie - $14,143.50
6.       bbbbb33 - $11,449.50
7.       coryward - $8,755.50
8.       spectrefax - $6,061.50
9.       katrin27 - $3,771.60

Full Tilt Poker $750,000 Guaranteed ($200 + $16)
Entrants: 3,485
Prizepool: $750,000 ($3,000 overlay)

1.       dudetronic - $132,787.50
2.       skullkicker - $80,250
3.       oldist - $52,500
4.       rusostreet - $41,400
5.       czares - $31,050
6.       shAAAArk - $23,025
7.       smfit29 - $17,250
8.       The Yid - $13,500
9.       Bbuddy4brkfst - $10,050

Full Tilt Poker Sunday Brawl ($240 + $16)
Entrants: 1,944
Prizepool: $388,800

Full Tilt Poker Sunday Mulligan ($200 + $16)
Entrants: 1,084
Prizepool: $216,800

1.       H n F R Mangos - $48,780
2.       cwm1981 - $31,436
3.       jAbAthenuts - $23,306
4.       cuzitsdelicious - $17,886
5.       rsxpunk - $13,550
6.       IBetANickel - $9,756
7.       Margin of Error - $6,504
8.       cmdnst - $4,878
9.       pojai - $3,468.80