LAS VEGAS - The World Series of Poker Academy, poker’s premier series of instructional camps where participants learn first-hand from the world’s greatest players, will host the first annual WSOP Academy Tournament of Champions on July 1, 2009, 8:00pm PST, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

The 11-person event consists of winners from the private tournaments and cash game challenges held at WSOP Academy events over the past year. The winner of the Tournament of Champions will be awarded a $10,000 seat to the 2009 WSOP Main Event, held at the Rio All Suites Casino beginning July 3.

“We’re excited to host our first ever Tournament of Champions and have the winner represent the WSOP Academy in the richest and biggest tournament in poker, the 2009 WSOP Main Event,” said Brandon Rosen of Post Oak Productions, the company that produces the WSOP Academy. “The 11 players competing in our Tournament of Champions represent the best of the best from our WSOP Academy events, and we expect the competition to be as fierce as competing for a WSOP bracelet.”

Nine of the 11 spots at the final table have already been decided, and two more spots will be awarded during a private tournament held during the WSOP Academy’s Main Event Primer, held June 29 - July 1.

The WSOP Academy graduates who have already earned a spot at the Tournament of Champions include:

- Peter Mylenki, Apsecon, NJ (Cash Game Academy in Atlantic City)
- Tony Wind, Maplewood, MN (Cash Game Academy at Caesars Palace Las Vegas)
- Karridy Askenasy, Dallas, TX (Tournament Academy at Winstar Oklahoma)
- Laura Bryant, Upland, CA (Tournament Academy at Caesars Palace)
- Ervin “Chip” Thornhill, Boguechitto, MS (Advanced Tournament Academy at Caesars Palace, tournament no. 1)
- Jim Price, Oklahoma City, OK (Advanced Tournament Academy at Caesars Palace tournament no. 2)
- Harold Baumler, Birch Run, MI (Cash Game Academy at Caesars Palace Las Vegas)
- Gayle Swartzbaugh, Orlando, FL (Ladies Only Tournament Academy at Caesars Palace)
- Erik Benson, Portland, OR (Tournament Academy at Caesars Palace)

Unrivaled in both its level of instruction and results, the WSOP Academy has seen a number of its graduates score big at the World Series of Poker. At last year’s Main Event, graduates Aaron Keay and Allen Kennedy each walked away $135,100 richer by finishing 49th and 50th, respectively. In 2007, the WSOP Academy saw one of its graduates, Sally Anne Boyer, quickly capture the title of Ladies World Champion by outlasting 1,286 players and taking home $262,077. The following year another WSOP Academy graduate, Patty Till, went straight from the WSOP Academy to the final table of the Ladies World Championship, where she finished third and earned $73,637.

The WSOP Academy is a groundbreaking series of instructional programs featuring instruction from the best players in the game, including Phil Hellmuth, Greg Raymer, Mark Seif and Annie Duke. From sessions that focus on No-Limit Texas Holdem to special editions like the WSOP Academy’s Ladies Only Event and Cash Game Academy, the WSOP Academy offers amateur poker players of all skill levels the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn directly from the champions of the game and become champions themselves.

For more information about the WSOP Academy and the first annual WSOP Academy Tournament of Champions, please visit the WSOP Academy website.

WSOP Academy - ALUMNI

Andrew Cohen 1st - Event 1 - $500 No-Limit Hold’em Casino Employees $83,833

Deborah Gudinas 101st - Event 7 - $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em $3,581

Adam Murphy 87th - Event 13 - $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em $5,780

Tanya Murphy 104th - Event 13 - $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em $4,929

Kenny Piel 479th - Event 15 $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em $2,056

Mary Lou Morelli 3rd - Event 17 - $1,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold’em $78,132

Lisa Santy 9th - Event 17 - $1,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold’em $15,973

Amanda Cook 79th - Event 17 - $1,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold’em $2,459

Roneen Shaffer 85th - Event 17 - $1,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold’em $2,228

Rosalind Juarbe 90th - Event 17 - $1,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold’em $2,228

Stacie Boehm 110th - Event 17 - $1,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold’em $1,900

Wendy Benecke 115th - Event 17 - $1,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold’em $1,900

Linda Keenan 150th - Event 43 - $1,000 Seniors No-Limit Hold’em $2,192

Stephen Forde 115th – Event 36 - $2,000 No-Limit Hold’em $4,658

Neil Zimmet 215th – Event 39 - $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em $3075

Mark Thomas 225th - Event 43 - $1,000 Seniors No-Limit Hold’em $2,044

WSOP Academy - PROS

Greg Raymer 3rd - Event 2- $40,000 40th Annual No-Limit Holdem $774,927

Annie Duke 30th - Event 3 - $1,500 Omaha 8 or Better $6,566

Annie Duke 8th - Event 18 - $10,000 World Championship Omaha 8 or Better $58,049

Mark Gregorich 8th Event 46 - $2,500 Omaha 8 or Better $26,213

Mark Gregorich 4th Event 12 - $10,000 World Championship Mixed Event $139,159

Mark Seif 33rd Event 20 - $1,500 Pot-Limit Hold’em $4,795

Andy Bloch 13th Event 27 - $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 8 or Better- $17,495

Howard Lederer 17th Event 33 - $10,000 World Championship Limit Hold’em $27,824

Howard Lederer 12th Event 40 - $10,000 World Championship Pot-Limit Omaha $61,838

Howard Lederer 30th Event 19 - $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em Six Handed $11,839

Paul Wasicka 182nd Event 34 - $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em $2,745

Phil Hellmuth 113th - Event 34 - $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em $3,231

Phil Hellmuth 17th - Event 38 - $2,000 Limit Hold’em $8,019

We are very proud of our Alumni and Pros for their results so far at the 2009 World Series of Poker. Congratulations once again!

If you are a WSOP Academy graduate and you’ve had a recent cash that isn’t listed above please let us know!

Come by and visit the WSOP Academy at the inaugural PokerPalooza! 2009, the world’s largest poker show, taking place at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino July 2-5, 2009.

The WSOP Academy booth #106-107, will be located in the Poker Education Zone and will feature:

• WSOP Academy Mega Mystery Giveaway - win Private Lesson with a WSOP Champion
• Live Hand Analysis by WSOP Academy Instructors
• Complete your FREE Poker IQ Test
• WSOP Academy exclusive daily poker seminars on the education stage
• Ticket Holdem Showdown by the WSOP Academy – HUGE grand prize awarded daily

Admission to PokerPalooza! is free and open to anyone 21 years of age or older. Please come beat the heat and enjoy PokerPalooza!. Then stop by the tournament area and catch a glimpse of some World Series of Poker Main Event Action!

The PokerPalooza! Schedule
Thursday, July 2nd 11am - 8:30 pm
Friday, July 3rd 11am - 8:30 pm
Saturday, July 4th 11am - 8:30 pm
Sunday, July 5th 11am - 6:00 pm

We’ll see you there!

Being a part of the WSOP Academy Team is a dream for me as a poker player. Not only do I get to learn from the best poker players in the world, meet the greatest students of the game, but I get to travel and play in the juiciest games in the best poker rooms in the country.

Most recently, I was in Las Vegas managing a WSOP Academy event. Once Day 1 of the Academy was through, I was ready to play some poker.

Let me paint this picture for you…It’s a Saturday night in Las Vegas and I’m walking into the Poker Room at Caesars Palace. As I walk into the Poker Room, I can hear the riffling of poker chips grow louder and louder, the room is packed.

With the World Series of Poker in full swing and taking Las Vegas by storm, the cash games are juicy as ever and the tournaments are highly attended. While tempted by both options, I decided to play a cash game. I sat down at a $2/$5 NL table with $300.

As I decide where to sit, I have a checklist of items running through my mind. I want to play optimal cash game strategy and I want to apply all that I have learned from the WSOP Academy.

I am about to describe 3 different hands that occurred in this 1 hour cash game session. Come join me for this rollercoaster ride, free admission to all!

Hand #1:

As I’m waiting for my $300 cash to be exchanged for chips, a hand is dealt to me. I’m second to act and I peak down at 2 black aces, I announce raise and make it $25 to go. How’s that for a “welcome to the table” greeting?

The overwhelming chip leader with $1500 in play, 2 seats to my left, insta-calls and announces “you seem like an action player, I’ll give you action”. Most poker players would shrug off a comment like this, but I decided that I was going to exploit this image big time.

The flop comes: Ace of hearts, 3 of clubs and 7 of spades. Beautiful flop! Although I have flopped a set of Aces, I decided to continuation bet as I normally would with any 2 cards in that spot.
With $57 in the pot, I made a bet of $35. He couldn’t have called any faster. With $127 now in the pot, I was thinking about how I can extract the most money from him. The turn brings a 5 of hearts.
I’m going through the range of hands that he could have called the flop with. He’s either scared of the Ace and is playing passively or he could have the case Ace and I’ll get paid off.

Since I’m already pegged as an “action player”, I decide to make a weak looking bet of $50 on the turn. Before I could even finish pushing my chips forward, he goes “all in” and I snap call.
He turns over the Ace of diamonds and jack of diamonds, he’s drawing nearly dead. “Well played” he says as I gladly welcome my new stack of $600.

Hand #2:

2 hands later, an early/middle position player raises it to $15 and gets called by the button. I’m in the big blind and look down at 2 black king’s. Are you kidding me? Keep it coming dealer!
I announce raise and make it $50 straight. The original raiser min-raises to $100 and the other player folds. What a situation!

I have a lot of options, so here’s my train of thought: Since I’m out of position, I’m going to have to act first for the remainder of the hand, which could be a bit tricky. The more information I have, the better. I really need to put him on a select range of hands so I can proceed accordingly.

I ask myself: What would he be min-raising me with? Since I’m brand new to the table, I don’t have any previous player experience to bank on.

He can certainly have a wide range of hands, but I’m obviously most worried about Aces. Maybe he has the other 2 kings? Maybe he’s over playing AK or possibly queens or jacks? In case he does have Aces, I want to avoid getting all of my money in pre-flop. I decide to smooth call his raise and see what the flop brings.

I’m obviously hoping to see a flop without an Ace along with a dry textured board. The flop brings a Jack of spades, 7 of hearts and 6 of diamonds. Pheeew, no ace. So far so good.

There’s now $217 in the pot and he has me covered with about $800 in play. At this point, I’m fairly happy with my hand, but not in love with it. Since I’m first to act and he’s shown aggression, I decide I’m going to check-raise him, expecting a continuation bet.

He hums and haws and bets $200. There’s no way I can just call, so I stuck with my game plan and check raised him “all in” with my $500 behind. Before he calls, he asks “Have a set of Jacks?” I almost threw up in my mouth when he asked that because he would only ask that with Aces.

He makes the call and turns over the dreaded Aces. Without any help on the turn, I’m drawing dead to 2 remaining kings in the deck on the river. No dice, goodbye $600.

Hand #3:

I decided to take a few minute walk in order to re-gain my composure after that “cold deck” set up. I decided to sit back down and reload for another $300.

3 hands in, I have Ace King of diamonds under the gun. I make my standard raise to $25 and get called in 2 spots. The flop comes: King of clubs, 2 of diamonds and 10 of diamonds. I flopped top pair – top kicker with the nut flush draw.With 2 players to act behind, I continuation bet as usual. With $75 in the pot, I bet $50.

The same guy from the previous hand min-raises me again to $100! Unreal! The other player folds and it’s back to me. He could have a wide variety of hands here, but I have a lot of outs if he were to have certain hands that had me beat.

I decided to shove on the flop to make it seem like I was more “tilted” than I was. I was hoping he’d pay me off with a weak King or a weaker flush draw. Of course, he had flopped a set of deuces and turned the full house on the turn. It just wasn’t my day.

The moral of this story: Poker is a game of decision making. Any player can play any 2 cards the way he or she feels like.

I’m pleased that I was able to apply two concepts that stuck with me from attending the WSOP Academy Cash Game Edition: Tight Is Right in Cash Games and the importance of sizing bets properly.

LAS VEGAS - Poker players from around the world will soon descend on Las Vegas for the chance to strike it rich at the 2009 World Series of Poker Main Event, and there to improve their odds will be the World Series of Poker Academy, which is hosting its Main Event Primer this June 29 - July 1 at Caesars Palace Las Vegas.

Designed specifically to prepare players for the enormous fields in major tournaments like the WSOP Main Event, the WSOP Academy’s Main Event Primer features the most advanced curriculum on No-Limit Hold’em tournament strategy taught by a dream team roster of poker pros, including past WSOP Main Event champions Phil Hellmuth and Greg Raymer, WSOP bracelet winners Annie Duke and Mark Seif, WPT title winner Phil Gordon, poker tells expert Joe Navarro, noted poker pro and instructor Alex Outhred and many, many more.

“Like the WSOP Main Event itself, our Main Event Primer only comes around once a year and is unrivaled in its level of instruction as well as the interaction participants have with the biggest names in poker,” said Brandon Rosen of Post Oak Productions, the company that produces the WSOP Academy. “It truly is a unique opportunity to learn optimal strategy from the pros who have won it all.”

During the Main Event Primer, instructors will lead participants through three days of advanced seminars with questions and answers, video analysis of WSOP tournament footage, live hand demonstrations and private multi-table tournaments. The focus of the curriculum will be on advance concepts of No-Limit Texas Hold ‘em tournament strategy, including the advanced math of poker, advanced tournament stage strategy, pre-flop and post-flop strategy, table dynamics, intimidation and control of your opponents and heads-up strategy. Instructors will also talk specifically about tournament preparation for the Main Event and tips on qualifying via satellites.

Additionally, noted author and lecturer Joe Navarro will present an advanced poker tells seminar on decoding poker tells. After 25 years with the FBI working in the areas of counterintelligence and counterterrorism, Navarro has become one of the foremost authorities on reading the nonverbal communications that people exhibit when they are lying.

Beyond just delivering the best in poker instruction, the WSOP Academy Main Event Primer will also offer a total-immersion poker experience that gives participants the opportunity to hang out and play poker with many of the biggest names in the game and compete in two private poker tournaments. The winner of each will go on to compete for a World Series Of Poker Main Event seat at the WSOP Academy Tournament of Champions, held on the evening of July 1.

The WSOP Academy Main Event Primer is one of a number of groundbreaking instructional programs presented by the WSOP Academy throughout the year that feature instruction from the best players in the game, including Greg Raymer, Mark Seif and Annie Duke. From sessions that focus on No-Limit Texas Hold ‘em to special editions like the WSOP Academy’s Ladies Only Event and Cash Game Academy, the WSOP Academy offers amateur poker players of all skill levels the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn directly from the champions of the game and become champions themselves.

The cost of the WSOP Academy Main Event Primer is $2,499. Space is limited, and the event is expected sell out. Additional details for the Main Event Primer and all other Academy events are available at the WSOP Academy website.

Name - Angel “GiJoe” Valdez, 41, Divorced with 3 kids.

WSOP Academy Event Attended - Advanced Tournament Academy, April 4-5, 2009 at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada with instructors Alex Outhred, Gavin Griffin, Mark Gregorich, Annie Duke, Charlie Swayne, Joe Navarro, Sam Chauhan

Hometown- Riverside, CA, USA

Why did you decide to attend the WSOP Academy?
Because I was an average player and wanted to improve my game.

Describe your level of poker experience prior to attending the WSOP Academy?
I had only been playing poker for less then a year. I’ve had some success in live games in small 45 player MTT low buy-in games, but my online game was horrible.

How has the WSOP Academy changed your poker game?
Since taking the class I am doing very well playing online and I have a much more clear understanding on strategy, counter strategy and the game itself. I played a couple of live 270 player MTT’s where I finished in the top 15 but not once was I not in control or did not have a feel as to where my opponent stood. Before taking the class, I was a fish dodging sharks. Now, I don’t back down or get scared of the
them. Before they would put the heat on me and I would fold and tried to stay away from those players. Now I am much more respected by them. I’ve had players who I consider very good come up to me and say after being moved from their table “I am glad they are moving you. You are solid player and I couldn’t make a move with you here” WOW! What a compliment that was for me!!!

My online game has improved a great deal thanks to your class. I just finished 12th in a 4000 player MTT on Pokerstars. Best finish ever by far, but the thing is I was in command the whole time and all the tactics and strategies worked just like the instructors said they would.

To date, here are some of my best poker finishes:

• 1st place at Pechanga Casino $50 buy-in MTT 270 Player Texas Holdem NL tournament
• 2nd place at the Hard Rock Café and Casino $50 buy-in MTT 60 Player Texas Holdem NL Tournament
• 4th place at the Hard Rock Café and Casino $50 buy-in MTT 60 Player Texas Holdem NL Tournament
• 1st in the Legends Indian Casino $50 buy-in MTT 85 Player Texas Holdem NL Tournament
• 12th in a 4000 player MTT on Pokerstars
• Numerous top 5 finishes in 45 MTT on Pokerstars

What did you like best about WSOP Academy?
It was great meeting all of the poker pro’s, and the WSOP Academy threw a heck of an event. Caesars was a great host and the food was excellent. It was my first time playing in the Caesars Palace Poker Room) but I found it to be one of the best in Vegas so far. Your instructors were great and made themselves very friendly to interact with. They answered any questions we had and were always willing to talk poker. Even now that the class has passed, I still communicate with Alex Outhred regarding poker questions. Not many players out there can say they can email a pro and get answers. That is just awesome!

What is your most memorable experience at the WSOP Academy?
The whole event was memorable. Playing two tournaments in two nights while being surrounded by pro’s was awesome. My favorite story of all, and this might sound weird, because some might call it a night mare. It was during the live hand demonstrations. Annie Duke was the dealer and we played out our hand as we would during a real tournament. I had pocket rockets and decided to slow play them. I won the hand and a very good amount of chips and felt great. I was thinking “She’s going to tell me what a great job I did!” WRONG!! She proceeded to lecture me about my play. For what seemed like an eternity (20 min) she called me just about every Donk word in the book. If anyone has ever met Annie you know she doesn’t sugar coat the truth. I was in the Army as a younger man and had encountered several drill instructors that I thought were the devil themselves.
Annie Duke made them seem like little Angel’s! =) She made her point though and when it was all said and done she made sure I understood the PRO’S way of thinking. People have different ways of instructing to get their point across and most players would have taken that the wrong way. All the instructors at the WSOP Academy have a great passion for poker, and for teaching as well. By the way, when not talking poker, Annie Duke is one of the nicest people you will ever meet.

If you were to recommend the WSOP Academy to a friend, how would you describe the WSOP Academy?
I have recommended the Academy to my friends and will recommend it to all players who wish to advance to the next level. To me the class was like watching an episode on ESPN but you are in it. It was fun,exciting, interesting, and a great learning experience.

What additional information would you like to share about yourself?
I am currently the Coach Administrator for my kids soccer league which I also happen to be their coach. Some of my coaching duties is to referee at least one game a week for each team. Currently it’s the off season for them and I don’t know what to do with all the extra time on my hands. So being online playing poker or reading up on it keeps me busy. I did mention I have 3 kids right? lol

I was in the Army for 8 years during the first Gulf War era. I served also in the National Guard and was able to help residents in Northridge after the Earthquake. I was also called to duty during the LA Riots where I was sent to several California prisons to assist Deputy’s for riot control.

Poker Hall of Fame Nominations will be evaluated for induction based on the following criteria:

• Played poker against acknowledged top competition
• Played for high stakes
• Played consistently well, gaining the respect of peers
• Stood the test of time
• Or, for non-players, contributed to the overall growth and success of the game of poker, with indelible
positive and lasting results.

All poker enthusiasts are sure to have a handful of poker players in mind that fit these criteria. You can cast your nomination until July 2, 2009. All you have to do is go to the Poker Hall of Fame Nomination form on the World Series of Poker website, submit the name of the player you would like to nominate, along with a short 250 word description about why the player should be inducted.

Once all of the nominations are reviewed, Harrah’s will determine and then announce the Top Ten list of nominees during the 2009 World Series of Poker Main Event in July. In August, the ten nominees will be submitted to the Poker Hall of Fame Committee, and they will determine whether any additional nominees should be considered. In September, a finalist ballot will be sent to the current Hall of Famers who will each rank the nominees in order of preference and another select group of media members will help determine the finalists.

The enshrinement ceremony for the Poker Hall of Fame will take place during the World Series of Poker Main Event Final Table in November 2009.

Be part of poker history. You can cast your Poker Hall of Fame nomination online until July 2, 2009.

Are you still searching for the perfect gift for the poker loving Dad that has everything? Well, with the 2009 Poker Season in full swing, why not give him the Ultimate Poker Gift – A WSOP Academy Gift Pack.

When you order a WSOP Academy Gift Package you’ll receive a WSOP Academy Presentation Folder, a High Gloss WSOP Academy Brochure, a WSOP Academy Personalized Gift Certificate, a WSOP Academy Card Protector, a WSOP Academy Patch and an autographed photo of one of the WSOP Academy Poker Instructors.

Order by June 17, 2009 to get the complete WSOP Academy Gift Package delivered via courier just in time for Father’s Day.

Don’t delay. Order today. Let 2009 be the year that you get Dad the gift the most awesome gift ever - a spot at a WSOP Academy Intensive Poker Camp. For the poker enthusiast, the WSOP Academy is a poker experience like no other and will truly be the gift that keeps on giving.

Call us at 1 800-989-WSOP or contact us online and be sure to mention DAD2009.