by Michael Vu

Willie Tann Imposter Facebook Scam

There are fake poker pros among us, especially on Internet social networking sites. The latest victim to be impersonated is none other than UK poker legend Willie Tann. Someone created a Facebook account using Tann’s good name in order to scam online users for small sums of money.

The imposter would ask his online friends for player transfers, loans or money trades on various poker sites. Little did they know they were being scammed because these are people who became friends with an online player they thought was the real Willie Tann, a popular British player and a longtime member of the UK gambling scene.

A member of a prominent online poker forum says he questioned the user in chat and confirmed the person behind the account was not who he was pretending to be (http://www.thehendonmob.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=33790 ). “When I told him I knew he wasn’t the real Willie, he immediately blocked me,” he said. “This guy is after your account details, guys, so be careful even if he is offering to put money into your account to play a competition.”

According to PokerNews, it was the vigilance of members on the Internet poker forums that made people aware of the situation (http://uk.pokernews.com/news/2010/02/willie-tann-imposter-on-facebook.htm-5566.htm ). It appears the account has since been deleted from Facebook.

2010 Winter Olympic Medalists Play Poker

After a successful Olympics in Vancouver, Apolo Anton Ohno became the most decorated American Winter Olympian of all time. In addition to being a champion short track speed skater, he is apparently a decent poker player. Ohno revealed a penchant for gambling in a short Q&A with fans on his official Twitter page.

User @AB1004 tweeted the question “Do you have a hidden talent that would shock/amaze people? :)” (http://twitter.com/AB1004/status/9491591574 )

@ApoloOhno’s response: “I’m a hustler on the poker table and roulette calls my name, lol!” (http://twitter.com/ApoloOhno/status/9491632735 )

Another U.S. speed skater, J.R. Celski, is also an avid poker fan. After Celski received a Bronze medal behind Ohno in a short track event, Poker News Daily (http://www.pokernewsdaily.com/poker-player-j-r-celski-medals-olympic-short-track-event-8353/ ) pointed to a magazine article that described the 19-year-old athlete as “a serious poker player.”

Other American Olympic athletes known to enjoy poker include snowboarder Hannah Teter, who won a silver medal in the women’s halfpipe, and 2010 men’s figure skating champion Evan Lysacek (http://cakepoker.com/blog/En/post/Olympic-Medalist-Apolo-Ohno-Plays-Poker-612.aspx ).

ZeeJustin and DrPill Accuse Each Other of Account Sharing

Justin “ZeeJustin” Bonomo and online Swedish player “DrPill” accused one another of account sharing during a session on Full Tilt. Bonomo seemed certain in his suggestion that DrPill and the mysterious Isildur1 are actually playing on each other’s accounts.

The chat transcripts were posted and dissected over on the TwoPlusTwo forum (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showpost.php?p=16931999&postcount=3341 ):

DrPill: btw

DrPill: hpow did my friends &&%% feel?

DrPill: u asked me to let him play

DrPill: [Isildur1] took 550k from you

DrPill: wos it nice?

ZeeJustin: yes, in fact let him know I’d like to play again

DrPill: he will distroy you

ZeeJustin: id enjoy some more

DrPill: yeah i CAN SEE THAT

ZeeJustin: if you want to play higher, or play more tables, just let me know

ZeeJustin: you or “your friend”

DrPill: hahaha

DrPill: your funny

ZeeJustin: not joking

ZeeJustin: just tell me when and where

DrPill: your cool

Apparently, ZeeJustin and Isildur1 played a session previously where Bonomo lost around half a million. DrPill felt like rubbing it in when Bonomo called him out on not only being friends but also sharing accounts with Isildur1.

DrPill: btw how did u know we are friends

DrPill: brogski told you?

ZeeJustin: everyone knows you two share accounts

DrPill: lol we dont share

ZeeJustin: its so obvious which one of you is playing

DrPill: yeah yeah

ZeeJustin: pretty clever to tell him to 2.5x on your account

DrPill: let isac play for you or maybe stake you vs us

ZeeJustin: that way no one will figure it out!

DrPill: yeah yeah

ZeeJustin: isaac and i have never played on the others’ accounts

ZeeJustin: and never will

ZeeJustin: when you play us, you know who you are playing

DrPill: samehere

DrPill laughed off the accusation and threw one right back by implying that Bonomo does the same thing and plays together with Isaac “luvtheWNBA” Haxton. It is unclear if any of these allegations are true but neither Bonomo or DrPill is letting this get in the way of playing each other.

Trishelle Cannatella Storms off ‘Poker2Nite’ Set

Reality television star and Absolute Poker sponsored pro Trishelle Cannatella made the final table of the 2010 WPT Celebrity Invitational at the Commerce Casino. Going into the final table play fourth in chips, Cannatella sat down for an interview with Joe Sebok and Scott Huff on Poker2Nite. Before shooting the segment, however, the former Real World: Las Vegas cast member stormed off the set.

According to various Twitter posts from the involved parties, something went down.

@Poker2Nite tweeted “Wow. @trishellec just walked off the set. Something @joesebok said?” (https://twitter.com/Poker2Nite/status/9848916608 )

Cannatella acknowledged the event and responded by tweeting that Sebok was “Such a jerk face!! ;)” (https://twitter.com/TrishelleC/status/9849500915 )

The Poker2Nite host tweeted his apology: “omg! I’m sorry! Didn’t mean it!” (https://twitter.com/joesebok/status/9850294461 )

Though the interview wasn’t taped for the show, somebody on set had a camera rolling and captured video of the incident, which was posted on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOjEog1DENY ). The following is a transcript and summary of what happened in the video:

Sebok: “You look so nice but you’re kind of dressed a little modest today.”

Cannatella: “What do you mean by that?”

Sebok: “I mean, I don’t know, you didn’t really dress modestly on the Real World, right? Vegas… (laughs)”

Cannatella: “Why would you say that?”

Sebok: “No, I mean I’m just saying…”

Cannatella: “Really?”

Sebok: “No, I’m not insinuating, I’m just saying… You know you wore a little – you showed a little more on the Real World!”

Cannatella: “Whatever. If you’re gonna act like that…” (removes mic)

Sebok: “What the…”

Canatella: “I can’t do this with your dumb beard and crappy poker show! ” (leaves set)

Sebok: “Wow! (laughs) Maybe she’d be more comfortable if we did it in a hot tub or something?”

Even though she had some weak comebacks for Sebok, Cannatella ironically won her WPT seat by taking down the Trash Talk Championship, a charity poker tournament at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. She finished third in the 2010 WPT Celebrity Invitational for $20,000.

Tattoo Prop Betting at the Commerce

A “last longer” prop bet between Gavin Smith, Jeff Madsen and Joe Sebok will scar the latter two for life. One night of drinking led to the three players betting on getting tattoos based on their performance in the 2010 WPT L.A. Poker Classic (http://www.pokernewsdaily.com/gavin-smith-wins-face-tattoo-prop-bet-over-jeff-madsen-joe-sebok-8628/ ).

The first person eliminated from the tournament was Sebok, and he must now get tattooed with the faces of both other players on his body. On his official Twitter feed, Sebok congratulated his opponents (https://twitter.com/joesebok/status/9708554698 ): “Fair victory for @olegsmith, w/ @jeffmadsenobv’s bust. One thing is certain; I shall never drink alcohol w/ EITHER of these clowns again...”

Smith was the only player to make it to Day 2 of the tournament and he gloated about the win with an update to his Twitter page (https://twitter.com/oleGSmith/status/9707522213 ): “No tatties for ole Gsmith. Madsen and Sebok can’t say the same!”

There was a rumor floating around the Commerce that suggested Gavin would allow the players to buy out of the bet for $20,000. Sebok tweeted that was not an option he was willing to consider (https://twitter.com/joesebok/status/9708253806 ): “The ONLY thing worse than losing this bet and getting these fools’ ugly faces on my body is PAYING them to not do it. Hell no…”

For being the second person eliminated, Madsen will only tattoo Gavin’s face on his body. Madsen even solicited ideas from his followers on Twitter (https://twitter.com/JeffMadsenobv/status/9712982608 ): “It’s OK, I will happily memorialize Gavin forever…Any suggestions on the theme of the tat?”

Days after losing, Sebok confirmed that he did not buy out of the bet and stated his plans for the impending ink scars: “I will, sadly, be getting the tattoos...and then at some later date covering them up with a bigger and cooler tattoo...sigh” (https://twitter.com/joesebok/status/9814725914 ).

Negreanu Reveals Why He Won’t Eat Meat

In a recent blog entry, Daniel Negreanu revealed why he is a strict vegetarian (http://www.fullcontactpoker.com/poker-journal.php?subaction=showfull&id=1264894845 ). The PokerStars Team Pro is not only trying to stay healthy, but also win a lifelong prop bet he made with Ted Forrest.

“Last year I was looking to bulk up a bit, and I gained 15 lbs. This year I’m less interested in any of that,” wrote Daniel. “I am done gaining weight. I’m 158 lbs. now and I can’t get to 170 lbs. or I’ll lose a prop bet to Ted Forrest that I made about ten years ago. I laid him 20-1 odds that I’d never weight 170 lbs. ever in my life... and the next day I went vegetarian!”

Negreanu admits to wanting to gain the weight last year, but now fears losing the bet and is working to reverse the trend.

“Haha, easy peasy, right? We shall see, but it means more cardio which I enjoy anyway, and also lighter weights and more reps.”

Since their lifelong bet was made around a decade ago, Forrest presumably paid him some sum which must be paid back 20-1 should Daniel ever exceed the agreed upon weight.

Dwan Blogs About His Nemesis ‘Isildur1’ and the Durrrr Challenge

It seemed that with the appearance of “Isildur1” at the high-stakes tables and Tom Dwan’s multi-million-dollar losses to him that “durrrr” might have met his match. It would have been a really good end to 2009 had the last few months not brought such devastating losses for the young poker pro. In a rare post on his official blog, Dwan acknowledged his performance and results over the last year (http://www.durrrr.com/blog/2010/02/08/a-long-year-in-recap-and-isildur-part-1/ ).

“I played a ton of poker in 2009, and unfortunately the results weren’t too great, mainly because of the last few months,” said Dwan. “There was a new player to the online scene, and Isildur has caused quite a stir.

“Isildur won about $7 million straight, and then lost about $7 million straight. I have a decent idea what huge swings feel like, but Isildur’s swings were extra crazy.”

However, since the rise and fall of Isildur, Dwan’s Million Dollar Online Challenge has seen some really good action. Since our last update Dwan has practically doubled his lead against fellow Team Full Tilt Pro Patrik Antonius. Dwan is now way ahead in the Challenge (up $1,414,551) after 22,874 of the 50K required hands. If he stays ahead or Antonius forfeits, Dwan will keep his winnings plus earn an additional $500k for winning the challenge (http://www.durrrrchallenge.com).

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