Sounds unlikely? Maybe. But people can always break the rules, right? And the major players in the poker world can do whatever they want to create attractions. They are out to prove that they can make history.

Now come July 1st, a one of a kind boxing action will take place in the Wanderlei Silva gym near the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas where the 40th World Series of Poker (WSOP) is happening. The event titled “Rumble in Rio” is organized by three poker sites – PokerNews.com, PokerBattle and UltimateBet.

And take note, the boxing match is not between two male professional boxing players but between two women. The match is between UltimateBet spokesplayer Liv Boeree and video hostess of PokerNews Melissa Castello. Both ladies play poker.

Olivia or Liv Boeree, for some of you who don’t know yet, is a professional poker player and TV presenter from the United Kingdom. She won the European Ladies Championship in 2008, placed 49th at the Aruba Poker Classic in October 2008 and won in two events during the World Series of Poker in the same year. This woman also has a regular column in several poker related magazines. Melissa Castello, meanwhile, is a broadcast journalist in the U.S. now working for PokerNews.

The event between the two light flyweights will only have three rounds timed at three minutes each. “Rumble in Rio” will be done all for charity. From the proceeds of the match, $1,000 will be donated to charity selected by the winner while $500 will go to a philanthropic project to be selected by the runner-up.

Poker fans should not miss this new “All In: The Poker Movie.” This may not be the usual movie with a plot that you’re used to watching but it’s actually a documentary that will most probably help you get a better understanding of the poker industry.

Directed by Douglas Tirola, the docu film premiered last June 11 at the Palms Casino Resort’s Brenden Palms Theater as part of the CineVegas film festival. The premiere also timed with the ongoing World Series of Poker at the nearby Rio Hotel.

The movie features commentaries from numerous well known poker players and celebrities such as Hollywood actor Matt Damon and boxing champ Evander Holyfield as well as collections of poker archive footage and references from film and TV. Although it has its own flaws, many poker experts believe the movie succeeded in its goal of providing balanced and detailed information on the industry and how poker has become a favorite past time of Americans.

The film is two hours long but worth watching especially by people interested in learning about poker. It shows how the popular card game began and how the playing cards now used in the game were invented. You will see then the early beginnings of the game and the triumphs of the early gamblers. Film and television references of the game make up a major part of the movie but online poker gets its share of the limelight as well.

Overall, the movie proves one thing – that poker is part of the American society and it does not discriminate between the less known and the more famous players.

For many years, the famous poker game has attracted numerous people of varied background. Apart from celebrities, the popular casino card game has also encouraged athletes to try their hands in playing poker.

The latest sports star to join the poker world is a tennis legend. This guy is from Germany with a name you’ve heard many times in the past as he aced his way to the top rankings of the world of tennis after defeating his opponents in various international tournaments such as the Wimbledon. He’s none other than former World No. 1 Boris Becker.

So what’s Becker doing in the poker world? The tennis champ is the man to beat in a heads-up challenge match sponsored by Poker Stars. The person who gets past the series of qualifying games will face the German legend in a poker battleship game that will give away $5,000. Several lucky qualifiers will also get two tickets for the opening day of the 2009 Wimbledon tournament scheduled in London.

Every day until June 15, Poker Stars run several free qualifiers at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. U.K. time. In addition, $1 and $5 multi table qualifiers are held daily at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. respectively. Those who in the daily events will advance to the weekly final and winners of each weekly final will get the rare chance of playing with Boris Becker on June 21 in London.

On a positive note, Becker is getting married on June 12 this year in St. Moritz, Switzerlnd to a Dutch model Sharlely Kerssenberg.

If you think that major players in the poker industry focus only on tournaments and gaining profit, think again. Take the case of Bluff Europe, a widely read magazine in Europe that aims to benefit poker fans and aspiring players. This publication is distributed in the U.K., Ireland and Scandinavia.

What’s unique about Bluff Europe is its Poker Academy that tours the European continent every year to teach poker enthusiasts about the tricks and rules of the famous card game. Topics covered by the Poker Academy include the theory of poker, luck and variance, hand analysis, dealing with defeat and bankroll management. The three hours of live lectures and exercises are given by professional poker players including Phil Laak and Ian Frazer.

One great thing about these lectures is that they’re not only teaching the theory but they’re allowing you to practice what you’ve learned. And since not everybody who plays poker wins, the Poker Academy also shares tips on how to control your emotions while at play and when you lose.

Of course to make the event more exciting to the participants, a tournament is also held with a small prize for the winners. The Series I ended last May and preparations are now going on for the Series II which will start in autumn.

Taking part in this Poker Academy is sure to give any aspiring poker player a great start in learning to play the game well. With insights from the professionals themselves, this is one enriching experience worth taking.

Being a professional poker player with a name to reckon with does not give you the freedom to say whatever you want to say in front of other players, spectators and on international television. Bad mouthing is never a positive behavior and one that should not be emulated by other people.

This conduct unbecoming of a player is what prompted the World Series of Poker (WSOP) to impose stricter rules in its annual series of games. The decision to tighten sportsmanship rules came after Phil Hellmuth uttered some rude remarks to an opponent in the 2008 games after losing a large pot in the main event. His calling the other player an idiot and worst player in history was captured on television. At that time, the renowned poker champion of all time was only given a warning.

But the warning was only good for last year because for the 2009 WSOP, poker players who will display unsportsmanlike behavior will be forced to get out of the tournament. The management wants to see to it that the games to run in 50 days will proceed with every participant in a civil and courteous behavior. WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack pointed out that players have to respect the game.

There are penalties for those who don’t follow the rules. Unsporstmanlike conducts that will get penalized include taunting other players and intentionally playing hands out of turn.

The World Series of Poker is already celebrating its 40th year and for this year, two new events will be introduced. The games will take place at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino but the main event will not start until July 3.