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Today in the 3-Bet we find Phil Ivey forging ahead in the face of a $9.6m lawsuit from Borgata, Michael Phelps finds poker just can't quite hold his attention like Olympic-level swimming and ana amateur gets his big shot - and big brick - on Poker Night in America.
1) Ivey Carries On, Bulks Up
The big story that broke before the weekend was of course the Borgata's $9.6m lawsuit against poker legend Phil Ivey. The casino claims Ivey and a companion engaged in "edge sorting" at its Baccarat tables over four occasions in 2012, walking away with close to $10m.
Ivey, currently involved in a similar lawsuit with Crockfords Casino in London over the same tactics (this time as plantiff rather than defendant), likely did use his now-infamous advantage but clearly feels it's on the casino to protect its games.
How has IVey responded? Pretty much like any unfazeable poker legend would - "working smart" in the gym in Macau, as he posted on Instagram, and, we imagine, earning some back-up cake in the Macau Punto Banco pits.
2) Phelps Back in the Pool, Tests Waters for Olympic Return
We had high hopes Michael Phelps would trade in his speedos for a PokerStars patch and some upside-down Marcel Luske shades when he retired from swimming post-London but, alas, it seems our dream will have to wait awhile.
The impact a guy like that could have on poker as a full-timer is, well, likely immeasurable.Still we aren't really that disappointed one of the world's great athletes is returning to his arena of choice, competitive swimming, as his coach Bob Bowman told the Associated Press today.
Phelps will compete at a swim meet for the first time since the 2012 London Games in Mesa, Arizona, late this month, Bowman says, with an eye for a possible run at the Rio Olympics in 2016:
"I think he's just going to test the waters a little bit and see how it goes," Bowman said. "I wouldn't say it's a full-fledged comeback ...
"I think he's just really enjoying it. He enjoys the training and being physically fit. He just kind of wants to see where he's at."
Where he's at is probably back to being one of the greatest athletes ever. Poker's loss is the world's gain, we guess, so we won't feel too bad about it. We know who our money's on for the Olympics, too.
3) Gene Drubetskoy Gets Shot of a Lifetime, Coolered on Poker Night
We've shared our excitement for the in-development Poker Night in America before but one aspect we haven't really explored is the awesome aspect of a local amatuer getting a crack to play in the big game.
On its latest stop last month in Baltimore the lucky amateur to get his big moment under the lights was Gene Drubetskoy, a 33-year-old mortgage consultant.
Picked via audtion to play in the game with pros Greg Merson, Gavin Smith, Matt Glantz and more Drubetskoy really got his money's worth, a new article on the Washington Post reveals.
From plopping down a $10k brick of $20s (it was all the bank had) to trading barbs with Ole G. Smith to finally, unfortunately, getting felted with KK it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience Drubetskoy says:
"It’s my dream to have an opportunity to play with these guys and sit with the best. I mean, it’s like if you play a sport, you always wonder if you are good enough to be one of the best and play with the pros.”
Even better his wife was super cool with it and encouraged him to buy-in for the full $10k.
