Noticias de la Academia

Welcome Tom Dwan

11 de octubre de 2009: Full Tilt Poker welcome its newest team member, Tom Dwa

A Stellar Lineup on Poker After Dark

21 de septiembre de 2009: Poker After Dark to feature a star-studded cast this week.

A Pro Tweets

9 de septiembre de 2009: Andy Bloch uses Twitter

Academy Launches Allen Cunningham Challenge

30 de julio de 2009: Earn 500 Credits as You Master the Medium Stack

Schulman vs. Matusow High-Stakes Session Added

22 de junio de 2009: $300/$600 Omaha Hi-Lo session among new Academy videos.

With more than $30,000 on the table between three players, Nick Schulman's new $300/$600 limit Omaha Hi-Lo Pro Session stands apart as the highest-stakes cash-game session added to the Full Tilt Poker Academy library yet.

And adding to the intrigue, one of Schulman's adversaries at the table is none other than Team Full Tilt's Mike "The Mouth" Matusow.

Schulman explains his thinking on every street as he goes to battle in massive pots. And for additional entertainment, he tries to interpret the chat-box ramblings of Matusow.

The Academy also added a new Pro Podcast last week, with highly respected veteran Ben Roberts demonstrating how to apply calculated aggression in pot-limit Omaha.

Keep checking the site regularly for the premieres of new videos and the release of new Academy Challenges.

Academy's Mueller Scores First Bracelet

18 de junio de 2009: "FBT" wins limit Hold 'em world championship at WSOP.

After finishing as a runner-up at the World Series of Poker in each of the past two years, Full Tilt Poker Academy contributor Greg "FBT" Mueller finally broke through with his first bracelet win at the 2009 WSOP, defeating a field of 185 top players to emerge victorious in Event #33, the $10,000 limit Hold 'em world championship.

There wasn't a soft spot in the final six, with Mueller up against Chad Brown, Daniel Alaei, Pat Pezzin, Matt Glantz, and Matt Hawrilenko. But "FBT" took down the key pots down the stretch and eliminated his last three opponents in a row to capture the title and the $460,836 that came along with it.

Antonius Makes Academy Debut

15 de junio de 2009: Patrik’s Podcast on high-stakes hand among new additions to FTPA library.

The much-anticipated Full Tilt Poker Academy debut of Patrik Antonius has arrived.

The Finnish phenom premieres with a compelling Pro Podcast in which he analyzes a key cash-game hand against David Benyamine. Look for more educational videos from Antonius in the weeks and months ahead.

The Academy also added to its ever-expanding library the second part of a two-part $10/$20 6-max no-limit Hold 'em session from Paul Wasicka. The Full Tilt Pro reveals the thinking behind every move he makes as he looks to build his bankroll at a short-handed table.

Keep checking the site regularly for the premieres of new videos and the release of new Academy Challenges.

Ivey Bags Second Bracelet of '09

14 de junio de 2009: Team Full Tilt superstar scores seventh of career, while Schulman wins his first.

Team Full Tilt's Phil Ivey has done it again, winning World Series of Poker event #25 ($2,500 Omaha Eight-Or-Better/Stud Eight-Or-Better) to move into a tie for sixth place on the all-time bracelet list.

It was Ivey's second bracelet victory in just over a week and seventh overall, and it came at a tough final table featuring the likes of Carlos Mortensen, Dutch Boyd, and Jon Turner. With the win, Ivey took home $220,538, not to mention millions of dollars more in prop bets.

In other Full Tilt Pro news, two days earlier, Full Tilt Poker Academy instructor Nick Schulman won his first career bracelet in the highly prestigious $10,000 no-limit Deuce-to-Seven single draw lowball event. For the win, Schulman pocketed $279,742.

No-Limit Tips from Wasicka, Morgan Added

8 de junio de 2009: Young online standouts contribute new videos to Academy library.

Two of the most respected young players in both online poker and the live tournament world, Paul Wasicka and Jordan Morgan, contributed new educational videos to Full Tilt Poker Academy's library last week.

In the first segment of a two-part Pro Session, Wasicka puts $2,000 of his bankroll on the line at a $10/$20 6-max no-limit Hold 'em table and explains for Academy members every strategic decision he makes. You can watch Paul adjust his aggression levels for short-handed play as he looks for the perfect spots to make moves.

In his new Pro Podcast, Morgan discusses a critical tournament hand illustrating when and how to play suited connectors to maximum effect. Knowing your opponents and paying attention to stack sizes can make all the difference in seeing a flop with a speculative hand, as Jordan explains.

Keep checking the site regularly for the premieres of new videos and the release of new Academy Challenges.

Team Full Tilt's Ivey Captures Sixth Bracelet

5 de junio de 2009: Superstar becomes youngest to win six with victory in no-limit Deuce-to-seven draw.

The $2,500 no-limit Deuce-to-seven draw lowball event at the World Series of Poker didn't have the biggest field or the most staggering prize pool. But it did have the most distinguished and decorated winner so far at the 2009 WSOP, as Team Full Tilt's Phil Ivey took down the title and a $96,367 payday.

Ivey outdueled John Monette in a grueling heads-up battle to become, at age 32, the youngest player to capture six WSOP bracelets. The event attracted a small field of 147 players, but it was a field dense with pros, including quite a few players with more experience in the game than Ivey.

"I don't play that much Deuce, so I am pretty proud that I won a bracelet in this event since I had not won this game before," Ivey said. "It really means a lot. Every time you win a bracelet, especially now, it is a major accomplishment."

Full Tilt Poker Academy instructor Erick Lindgren also cashed in the event, finishing 20th.

Full Tilt Pro Lunkin Wins WSOP $40K Event

1 de junio de 2009: Russian emerges from loaded field to capture nearly $1.9-million.

The biggest buy-in no-limit Hold 'em tournament in World Series of Poker history is over, and Full Tilt Pro Vitaly Lunkin is the champion.

Lunkin emerged from a field of 201 players, the great majority of whom are respected professionals, to win the special 40th anniversary $40,000 event, the first open-entry tournament of the 2009 WSOP. For finishing in first place, Lunkin took home $1,891,012.

This was the Russian pro's second bracelet, as he won a $1,500 event at the 2008 World Series. This brings his total tournament winnings for the past two years to more than $3-million.

New Videos from Sexton, Jett

1 de junio de 2009: Insights on both cash and tournament play added to Academy library.

A well-rounded poker player masters multiple games and understands how to adapt his play for either cash games or tournaments. In two new videos added last week to the Full Tilt Poker Academy library, the Full Tilt Pros help to make your game more diverse with a mix of tournament and cash advice in different forms of poker.

In his new Pro Podcast, Chip Jett focuses on no-limit Hold 'em tournament play. He describes the final hand of the 2003 California State Poker Championship and how a betting error from his opponent opened the door for an extraordinary action flop.

And in a new Pro Session, Paul Sexton moves up in limits from the low-stakes $1/$2 game he sat in for his previous session. He's now playing $8/$16 Stud Eight-Or-Better, where he demonstrates hands that have deceptive strength and how you can use them to get paid off.

Keep checking the site regularly for the premieres of new videos and the release of new Academy Challenges.

Academy Store Now Open!

26 de mayo de 2009: Members can spend Academy Credits on more than 50 items.

The Full Tilt Poker Academy Store has officially opened, meaning your hard-earned Academy Credits can now be redeemed for prizes and Full Tilt bonuses!

There are currently 51 items available in the Academy Store. Those items are divided into five categories: Poker Room (cards, chip sets, and a custom FTP avatar), CardRunners (membership passes), Bonuses (tournament tokens, Full Tilt Points, or straight-up cash), Books (poker strategy and non-fiction), and Gear (shirts, caps, and other household items).

Simply click here to check out everything the Academy Store has to offer, or head to the Pro Challenges page to earn additional Credits!

Razz, Stud Hi-Lo Tutorials Added

26 de mayo de 2009: Andy Bloch, Paul Sexton lend their expertise in new Academy videos.

Sixty percent of a H.O.R.S.E. competition is made up of variations on Seven-Card Stud—Razz, Stud, and Stud Eight-Or-Better. In particular, many newcomers to poker are unfamiliar with Stud/8 and Razz, which focus on making a low hand. So if you can master those games, you'll have a significant edge over the competition.

Last week, Full Tilt Poker Academy added two new videos that will help you to play those specific games better and profit more.

In his Academy debut, Paul Sexton competes in a $1/$2 Stud Eight-Or-Better Pro Session, discussing his every thought and every move while playing at the Full Tilt tables. He focuses particularly on the value of disguised hands, where opponents don't know for sure whether you're aiming to make a high hand or a low hand.

In Razz, the only hand you're looking to make is a low, and Team Full Tilt's Andy Bloch discusses the basics of the game in his latest Pro Podcast.

Keep checking the site regularly for the premieres of new videos and the release of new Academy Challenges.

Two New Limit Hold 'Em Videos Added

18 de mayo de 2009: Limit hand analysis from Adam Schoenfeld and Ali Nejad now available.

Just because you're a good no-limit Hold 'em player doesn't mean you have the chops to succeed at a limit Hold 'em table, and vice versa. The two forms of the game require different mindsets and different strategies.

And if you're looking to make the transition from no-limit to limit, two new videos added to the Academy last week should send you on your way.

Ali Nejad, who considers limit Hold 'em to be his best game, walks viewers through a six-handed $10/$20 cash game session and explains his thinking on every street.

Veteran pro Adam Schoenfeld dissects a massive pot that developed in a $15/$30 limit game in which he flopped the nut flush draw and faced difficult decisions on how to proceed.

Keep checking the site regularly for the premieres of new videos and the release of new Academy Challenges.

Academy's Harman on PAD "Dream Table"

18 de mayo de 2009: Jennifer among five pros facing amateur Ken Light for $120,000.

The "Dream Table" concept, where an amateur poker player wins a seat on NBC's Poker After Dark and selects his five "dream" opponents, has quickly become a popular theme. Everybody loves a good underdog story, after all. This week, PAD will re-air its first ever "Dream Table," with amateur Ken Light taking on five hand-picked pros for the winner-take-all, $120K prize.

Among those five stars is Full Tilt Poker Academy teacher Jennifer Harman, who authored an Academy Lesson on sizing up opponents that certainly is applicable to her efforts to read newcomer Light.

Also at the table are Team Full Tilt's Mike Matusow and fellow superstars Phil Hellmuth, Daniel Negreanu, and Scotty Nguyen.

You can catch all of the action on NBC late nights (2:05 a.m.-3:05 a.m.) from Monday to Friday, with a special "Director's Cut" airing on Saturday night.

Huck Goes for Heads-Up Title

13 de mayo de 2009: Full Tilter in final four, aims for $500K Sunday on NBC.

The National Heads-Up Poker Championship concludes this Sunday at noon EST on NBC, with Full Tilt Pro Huck Seed vying not only for $500,000 and the title, but also for recognition as the most successful player in the history of the event.

Seed's first four matches in the 2009 tournament saw him defeat Jonathan Little, Gus Hansen, Glen Chorny, and David Oppenheim. Huck's win over Oppenheim in the quarterfinals brought his career NBC Heads-Up record to 16-4, tying him with Full Tilt Poker Academy teacher Chris Ferguson at 16 wins apiece.

On Sunday's broadcast, Seed will aim for win number 17 against Sammy Farha in the semifinals. The other semifinal pits Vanessa Rousso against Bertrand Grospellier.

NBC will air both semifinals, followed immediately by the best-two-out-of-three finals, as part of a three-hour telecast.

Week Two of "Hellmuth Bash" on PAD

11 de mayo de 2009: Full Tilt's Kenny Tran looks to make moves after a quiet first week.

Last week on NBC's Poker After Dark, five dangerous poker players tried to separate Phil Hellmuth from his money in a cash game entitled "Hellmuth Bash I," but for the most part, they failed. Hellmuth was the week's biggest winner, adding approximately $150,000 to his $100,000 buy-in.

This week, in the conclusion of the first-ever two-week-long edition of PAD, they'll re-draw for seats and try again.

Among those at the table is Full Tilt Pro Kenny Tran. He had a fairly quiet first week, but admitted that was due in part to sitting immediately left of the extremely active and aggressive Tom "durrrr" Dwan. While it's usually advantageous to have an aggressive opponent on your right, Tran had little choice but to play conservatively because he rarely had an opportunity to open a pot. It will be interesting to see how the new seating affects Tran's play—as well as that of the other players at the table.

Dwan had a wild first week, losing almost half of his $250,000 buy-in early, but rebounding to finish ahead more than $100,000. Meanwhile, Antonio Esfandiari and Bob Safai had a rough go of it, each losing their entire $100,000 buy-ins and having to re-load. Like Tran, Phil Laak had a somewhat quiet first week—not in the verbal sense, of course, but in terms of his bankroll ending up a moderate amount below where it began.

You can catch all of the action from "Hellmuth Bash II" on NBC late nights (2:05 a.m.-3:05 a.m.) from Monday to Friday, with a special "Director's Cut" airing on Saturday night.

Poker Philosophy from Roberts, Winston Added

11 de mayo de 2009: Academy library expanded to include a new Pro Session and a new Podcast.

Some people play poker to make money. Others play it for fun. Full Tilt Poker Academy teachers Ben Roberts and Roy Winston use both reasons as motivation to play the game and excel at it.

The Academy added videos from both accomplished pros last week, and in those videos Roberts and Winston emphasize not only strategy, but also philosophy and love for the game.

Roberts focuses particularly on his passion for poker in his new Pro Podcast. He explains that he's never stopped enjoying the game over the course of nearly four decades of action.

Winston uses calm, poise, and a willingness to gamble to turn a profit in a $5/$10 cap no-limit Hold 'em session. This is the continuation of his Pro Session that was posted on the Academy the previous week.

Keep checking the site regularly for the premieres of new videos and the release of new Academy Challenges.

Full Tilt’s Tran on PAD Cash Game

4 de mayo de 2009: Expect action with Kenny and "durrrr" at the same high-stakes table.

This week's edition of NBC's Poker After Dark is entitled "Hellmuth Bash I." The theme, at least in theory, involves five top players trying to get the better of the legendary "Poker Brat," Phil Hellmuth.

However, the more intriguing attraction for serious poker fans may be the opportunity to see Full Tilt Pro Kenny Tran and phenom Tom "durrrr" Dwan square off. Everybody enjoys a good Hellmuth bash, but what we really love is watching aggressive, creative poker stars go at it, and they don't get any more aggressive and creative than Tran and Dwan.

Typically, the Poker After Dark format is a $20,000 buy-in, winner-take-all sit & go, but this week diverges from that format. "Hellmuth Bash I" is a no-limit cash game, with six players each buying in for a minimum of $100,000. Joining Hellmuth, Tran, and Dwan at the table are Phil Laak, Antonio Esfandiari, and Bob Safai.

You can catch all of the action on NBC late nights (2:05 a.m.-3:05 a.m.) from Monday to Friday, with a special "Director's Cut" airing on Saturday night.

No-Limit Insights from Mueller, Winston Added

4 de mayo de 2009: Academy library enriched by cash-game tips from “FBT” and “The Oracle.”

No-limit Hold 'em cash games are volatile, risky, and challenging. They're also one of the quickest ways to build your bankroll if you play them well.

Full Tilt Poker Academy added two instructional videos to its library last week, each focusing on no-limit cash game play.

WPT Champion Roy "The Oracle" Winston makes his Academy debut with a $5/$10 NLHE session, where he explains the reasoning behind every move he makes. The game he's playing has a "cap," meaning the most any player can risk in any hand is 30 big blinds.

Also, Greg "FBT" Mueller recalls a memorable hand he played in a cash-game in Australia. Facing a tough pre-flop decision in a three-way pot, FBT makes a prudent money-saving play that all poker players can learn from.

Keep checking the site regularly for the premieres of new videos and the release of new Academy Challenges.

FTOPS XII Begins Wednesday

4 de mayo de 2009: Series kicks off with $200 6-max no-limit Hold 'em event.

The Full Tilt Online Poker Series (FTOPS) returns this Wednesday, May 6, and continues through May 17, with prize-pool guarantees totaling more than $18-million.

FTOPS XII offers 25 events hosted by Full Tilt Pros, each accompanied by a MiniFTOPS event at 1/10th the buy-in of the concurrently running FTOPS event.

The opening event is a $200 + $16 6-max no-limit Hold 'em tournament hosted by Erick Lindgren, beginning Wednesday at 9 p.m. EST. Five minutes later, the cards will be in the air for the $20 + $2 MiniFTOPS event, also hosted by "E-Dog."

Satellites for entry into all events are currently running. Click here for a full schedule of events.

Serious Star Power on PAD

27 de abril de 2009: "Show Open" week features three Academy teachers vying for $120K.

If you're a regular Poker After Dark watcher, the combination of Chris Ferguson, Phil Hellmuth, Jennifer Harman, Phil Ivey, Gus Hansen, and Howard Lederer should feel awfully familiar.

On every episode from the first two seasons of the NBC late-night poker show, the opening theme-song sequence featured those six players making their way to the poker room for a high-stakes showdown.

This week, it's not just an act for the cameras. The six players from the original "show open" have each put $20,000 of real money on the line in pursuit of the $120,000 winner-take-all prize.

If you're looking to learn from these players, you can find no shortage of instructional material from Lederer, Ferguson, and Harman right here on Full Tilt Poker Academy. If you just want to watch them play, you can catch all of the action on NBC late nights (2:05 a.m.-3:05 a.m.) from Monday to Friday, with a special "Director's Cut" airing on Saturday night.

New Videos from Bloch, Nejad Available

27 de abril de 2009: Tips on limit Hold 'em and Omaha Hi-Lo added to Academy library.

For those players looking to expand their repertoire beyond no-limit Hold 'em, Full Tilt Poker Academy added a pair of informative videos last week.

Ali Nejad is best known as a poker broadcaster, but he’s also a limit poker specialist. Ali talks us through an interesting short-handed $8/$16 limit Hold ’em session, where he highlights some key strategic points that are unique to limit play.

Also, Andy Bloch discusses the concept of scooping power when selecting starting hands in Omaha Hi-Lo.

Keep checking the site regularly for the premieres of new videos and the release of new Academy Challenges.

Academy Adds New Videos, Challenges

20 de abril de 2009: Two new Pro Challenges mean more ways to earn Academy Credits.

Full Tilt Poker Academy continued its growth last week with new resources in the form of Pro Podcasts, Pro Sessions, and Pro Challenges.

The highlight of the week is the addition of two new Pro Challenges, which enable Academy members to test what they've learned in real situations at the Full Tilt tables. We've added Phil Gordon's 5 Common Hold 'em Leaks Challenge, which awards up to 300 Academy Credits to players who are able to demonstrate that they've eliminated common mistakes from their game. And we've also introduced the Guide to Sit & Gos Challenge, which focuses on sampling a variety of different types of one-table tournaments.

On the video front, the Academy has been enhanced by the third and final installment of Chip Jett's $8/$16 H.O.R.S.E. session as well as by a new Podcast in which Peter "Nordberg" Feldman relives the hand that clinched a WSOP Circuit ring for him.

Keep checking the site regularly for the premieres of new videos and the release of new Academy Challenges.

Matusow, Wasicka, Boston on Poker After Dark

20 de abril de 2009: Full Tilt Pros star in loquacious late-night action all week.

Two of Full Tilt's most talkative pros, Mike "The Mouth" Matusow and Alan Boston, are joined by one of the more silently stoic stars of the game, Academy instructor Paul Wasicka, on a week of NBC's Poker After Dark that overflows with personality clashes.

In the $120,000 winner-take-all sit & go, Matusow, Boston, and Wasicka are joined by 2006 World Series of Poker champion Jamie Gold, highly respected poker ambassador Mike Sexton, and the colorful Antonio Esfandiari. It's a diverse and talented group, and between the play and the chatter, there’s rarely a dull moment.

You can catch all of the action on NBC late nights (2:05 a.m.-3:05 a.m.) from Monday to Friday, with a special "Director's Cut" airing on Saturday night.

Three New Academy Videos Now Available

13 de abril de 2009: Hold 'em, Stud, and HORSE insights from the pros added to the site.

Two new Pro Podcasts and one new Pro Session were made available on Full Tilt Poker Academy last week. The material runs the gamut from no-limit Hold 'em to HORSE and features pros Chip Jett, Jordan Morgan, and Paul Sexton.

Jett contributes Part 2 of his three-part $8/$16 HORSE session and shows how to take down sizeable pots by exploiting "freeroll" opportunities.

Morgan delivers a Podcast demonstrating optimal play with top pair-top kicker in a heads-up situation, as he value-bets the river to maximum effect in a marginal situation.

Sexton makes his Academy debut with a Podcast explaining the sort of starting hand want to stay away from in Seven-Card Stud.

Keep checking the site regularly for the premieres of new videos and the release of new Academy Challenges.

Academy Teachers Match Minds on PAD

13 de abril de 2009: Ferguson, Bloch, Adams star in intellectual late-night poker showdown.

Knowing the math is an essential part of poker success. And you'll never see a table full of poker players who know the math better than the one formed for this week's edition of Poker After Dark.

On a week dubbed "Brilliant Minds," three Full Tilt Poker Academy teachers—Chris Ferguson, Andy Bloch, and Brandon Adams—are joined by three additional highly educated poker players—Bill Chen, Jimmy Warren, and David Sklansky—in a battle for the $120,000 winner-take-all prize.

One excellent way to learn from the sharpest minds in the game is to watch their Lessons and Sessions at the Academy (Ferguson, Bloch, and Adams have all contributed in both formats). Another way to learn from them is to watch them play. You can catch all of the action on NBC late nights (2:05 a.m.-3:05 a.m.) from Monday to Friday, with a special "Director's Cut" airing on Saturday night.

NBC Heads-Up Airs This Weekend

10 de abril de 2009: Defending champ Chris Ferguson competes in opening episode.

NBC's annual 64-player National Heads-Up Poker Championship begins airing this Sunday at noon ET, with defending champ and Full Tilt Poker Academy instructor Chris "Jesus" Ferguson among the players spotlighted at the featured table.

Ferguson won six matches in a row to claim $500,000 and the title in 2008, and this year, he’s paired in the first round against actor and poker commentator Gabe Kaplan.

Other Full Tilt Academy contributors in the single-elimination tournament include Paul Wasicka, Erick Lindgren, Howard Lederer, Allen Cunningham, Andy Bloch, and Jennifer Harman. Interestingly, Lindgren and Lederer drew each other in the first round.

The event will air on NBC over the next six Sundays.

Gordon Battles Boisterous Bunch on PAD

6 de abril de 2009: Tempers flare and chips fly on "Speak Your Mind" week.

Full Tilt Poker Academy instructor Phil Gordon found himself caught in the crossfire this week on NBC's Poker After Dark.

Six opinionated pros played for $120,000 on "Speak Your Mind" week, and the war of words between Phil Hellmuth and Cory Zeidman instantly made this match, which originally aired in January, one of the most talked-about in the show's history.

Joining Gordon, Hellmuth, and Zeidman at the table were Todd Brunson, Gabe Kaplan, and Full Tilt Pro David Grey.

You can catch all the world-class poker action and trash talk on NBC late nights (2:05 a.m.-3:05 a.m.) from Monday to Friday, with a special "Director's Cut" airing on Saturday night.

Two New Academy Videos Added

6 de abril de 2009: Material from Paul Wasicka and Ali Nejad now available.

Two new videos were added to Full Tilt Poker Academy last week, including an insightful Pro Session from one of the top money winners in tournament poker history, Paul Wasicka.

Wasicka, a World Series Main Event runner-up and an NBC Heads-Up champion, provides Part 2 of his two-part heads-up no-limit Hold 'em cash game session. The Full Tilt Pro focuses specifically on how to adjust your game optimally when playing against an opponent who is "short stacking" and looking to make an all-in gamble.

The Academy also added a Pro Podcast from poker broadcaster and highly regarded mixed-game player Ali Nejad. Ali breaks down one of the most brutal coolers in Poker After Dark history, when he landed on the wrong end of a set-over-set flop against Gabe Kaplan.

Also, two new Academy Challenges have been added since the launch of Full Tilt Poker Academy. Chris Ferguson's Bankroll Management Challenge and Howard Lederer's Mastering The Bubble Challenge are currently available, bringing the number of Challenges on the site to six.

Keep checking the site regularly for the premieres of new videos and the release of new Challenges.

Harman 2009 SPCA Benefit Announced

3 de abril de 2009: Venetian hosting third annual charity poker tourney April 17.

Full Tilt Poker Academy instructor Jennifer Harman doesn't only give back through poker education. She also gives back through charity work, and on April 17, the Venetian Poker Room in Las Vegas will host her third annual poker tournament benefiting the Nevada Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

The no-limit Hold 'em tournament features a $300 + $30 buy-in with unlimited $100 re-buys for the first hour and a one-time $100 add-on. The first place prize is a $10,000 2009 World Series of Poker Main Event seat, a Curtis & Co. World model watch, Life's A Bluff limited edition original framed art, and a crystal trophy designed by Legacy Alliance, Inc.

There will also be a silent auction.

For additional information, visit Jennifer's charity poker tournament site.

New Academy Podcasts, Sessions Added

30 de marzo de 2009: Material from Ferguson, Baker, Schoenfeld, Mueller now available.

Four new videos were added to the Full Tilt Poker Academy library last week, each offering valuable hand analysis from the pros.

Two new Pro Sessions hit the site, including the third and final segment of Chris Ferguson's heads-up match against Brandon Adams in the $25K buy-in heads-up tournament. In the video, "Jesus" explains how strategies change when the blinds rise, showing the aggression necessary to climb back into the match with a short stack.

The Academy also added a new $1/$2 no-limit Hold 'em session from Amanda Baker, in which "Mandy B" analyzes whether certain situations call for dangerous river bluffs.

Also, two new Pro Podcasts were added to the Academy. Adam Schoenfeld provides insights on limit Hold 'em play and the importance of taking the initiative, while Greg "FBT" Mueller recalls one of the most painful all-in hands of his tournament career.

Keep checking the site regularly for the premieres of new videos.

Four Full Tilters on PAD "International Week"

30 de marzo de 2009: Cunningham, Juanda, Booth, and Phan compete for $120K.

Two members of Team Full Tilt and two additional Full Tilt Pros add to the decidedly international flavor of this week's Poker After Dark match, in which six players from six different nations battle for a $120,000 winner-take-all payout.

Team Full Tilt's Allen Cunningham (USA) and John Juanda (Indonesia) are joined by Full Tilt Pros Brad Booth (Canada) and John Phan (Vietnam), as well as David Benyamine (France) and Ivan Demidov (Russia), in what promises to be a Hold 'em game played at an extremely high skill level.

This is the first Poker After Dark appearance for Demidov and Phan, while Juanda, Cunningham, and Benyamine each own one PAD victory. Booth finished second in his only previous PAD appearance, which was also an "International Week" competition.

You can catch all the action on NBC late nights (2:05 a.m.-3:05 a.m.) from Monday to Friday, with a special "Director's Cut" airing on Saturday night.

FTOPS XII Schedule Announced

25 de marzo de 2009: Series offers something for everyone, including 25 MiniFTOPS tournaments.

The Full Tilt Online Poker Series (FTOPS) returns from May 6-17, with a new twist that adds appeal for players of all skill levels and bankroll sizes.

FTOPS XII offers 25 events, all hosted by Full Tilt Pros, with prize pool guarantees totaling more than $18-million. Included among those are six events with guarantees of at least $1-million, most notably the FTOPS XII $500 + $35 Main Event on Sunday, May 17, with a prize pool of at least $2.5-million.

For those who find the buy-ins ranging from $100 to $2,500 a bit steep, for the first time ever Full Tilt offers the MiniFTOPS, 25 events running concurrently with the FTOPS events at 1/10th of the buy-in. The MiniFTOPS Main Event costs $50 to enter, with a guaranteed prize pool of $500,000.

Satellites for entry into all events are currently running.

For Full Tilt Academy members looking to hone their tournament play in preparation for FTOPS XII, we recommend watching the following Academy Lessons: Andy Bloch's Tournament Checklist, Allen Cunningham's Medium Stack Play, Erick Lindgren's The Final Table, Michael Gracz's Rebuy Tournaments Revealed (there are four re-buy events in FTOPS XII), and Michael Craig's Turbo Tournaments (there is an FTOPS turbo event on Tuesday, May 12). Also, be sure to watch Chris Ferguson's Bankroll Management lesson so you know which FTOPS or MiniFTOPS events are appropriate for your bankroll.

For a full schedule of events, visit the FTOPS XII schedule page.

Full Tilt Qualifier Battles "Dream Table" on PAD

23 de marzo de 2009: Arnold Thimons attempts to freeroll his way to $120K against top pros on NBC.

Amateur poker player Arnold Thimons won a 360-player Round 1 freeroll on Full Tilt Poker. Then he finished among the final nine out of 3,011 players in Round 2. And finally he defeated 864 other players, including pro Jordan Morgan heads-up, to earn a seat on Poker After Dark.

Now comes the easy part.

This week, NBC airs Thimons' match against his hand-selected "Dream Table," which includes Johnny Chan, Jennifer Tilly, Phil Laak, Daniel Negreanu, and Team Full Tilt's Mike Matusow.

Needless to say, it's a tall task, but considering what the 44-year-old Pennsylvania did to qualify for PAD, finishing first against these five opponents should be a relative breeze.

All of Thimons' opponents bought in for $20,000, and the six-handed table is winner-take-all for $120,000.

You can watch Thimons' underdog story unfold late nights (2:05 a.m.-3:05 a.m.) from Monday to Friday, with a special "Director's Cut" airing on Saturday night.

New Videos Added to Full Tilt Poker Academy

23 de marzo de 2009: Three Pro Podcasts, two Pro Sessions made available on the site last week.

The Full Tilt Poker Academy video library is growing more rapidly than a Patrik Antonius chip stack. Last week, a new educational video was added each day, and the same will be true this week.

Three new Pro Podcasts hit the site the week of March 16-20. Chip Jett recalled how he suckered fellow pro Kenna James into paying him off at the 2003 California State Poker Championship final table, Nick Schulman explained the benefits of limping or flat-calling with powerful hands in Razz, and Peter Feldman analyzed a hand against Gavin Smith at a WSOP Circuit event where "Nordberg" made a correct laydown on the TV bubble.

The Academy was also enriched by the addition of two new Pro Sessions. Parts 2 and 3 of Aaron Bartley's six-handed FTOPS shootout table were posted, showing the middle and late stages of the online pro's battle to cash in the event.

Full Tilt Poker Academy will add five new videos this week also, including the conclusion of Chris Ferguson's $25K heads-up match against Brandon Adams, a no-limit session from Amanda "Mandy B" Baker, and Podcasts from Adam Schoenfeld, Greg Mueller, and Ali Nejad.

Keep checking the site regularly for the premieres of new videos.

Full Tilt Pro Brecher Wins WPT Bay 101

21 de marzo de 2009: Veteran collects bounty on final hand and wins $1.025-million.

The 2009 Bay 101 Shooting Star championship came down to a pair of respected veterans, and in the end, Full Tilt Pro Steve Brecher outdueled Kathy Liebert to claim $1,025,000 and his first World Poker Tour title.

Brecher started the final table second in chips, and he entered heads-up play with a healthy chip lead after rivering a flush to bust Chris Moore in third place. Liebert, vying to become the first woman to win an open-entry WPT title, showed plenty of determination in a two-hour heads-up battle with Brecher. But in the end, she got all of her chips in the middle as an underdog, with Q-10 suited against Brecher's A-9. Five small cards filled the board, and Brecher was crowned champion.

As an added bonus, the Full Tilt Pro collected $5,000 for eliminating Liebert, who was one of the tournament's "Shooting Star" pro bounties.

Matusow, Cunningham on "Historic" Poker After Dark

16 de marzo de 2009: "The Mouth" tries to end his oh-fer on "Close But No Cigar" week.

They reached the World Series of Poker Main Event final table, but ultimately came up short. That's what the poker pros competing for $120,000 this week on NBC's Poker After Dark all have in common.

There are four Full Tilt Pros among the six men at the "Close But No Cigar" table. Of particular interest is the presence of Mike Matusow, who comes into the week still seeking his elusive first PAD title. His opponents include fellow Team Full Tilter Allen Cunningham and Full Tilt Pros Andy Black and Lee Watkinson, along with veteran Dewey Tomko and dangerous David Williams.

You can catch all of the action late nights (2:05 a.m.-3:05 a.m.) from Monday to Friday, with a special "Director’s Cut" airing on Saturday night.

Harman Raises $107K for Charity

13 de marzo de 2009: 297 players support tournament benefiting National Kidney Foundation.

Full Tilt Poker Academy instructor Jennifer Harman organized a charity tournament in Las Vegas to raise money and awareness for the National Kidney Foundation. The event, which Harman hopes will become an annual tradition, attracted 297 poker players, many of them making multiple rebuys, to raise a total of $107,000.

Harman has battled kidney disease for most of her life and has received two kidney transplants, one at age 17 and one five years ago. She intends for the money raised by the tournament to go toward free patient programs, camps for children on dialysis, patient and family assistance, and research.

The tournament was won by Bill Roberts, who said, “It’s a great cause. I was glad I could participate.”

Anyone interested in donating to the cause can go to kidneynca.org.

Cunningham, Ivey, Harman on Poker After Dark

9 de marzo de 2009: Team Full Tilt pros compete for $300K in "Mega-Match" this week.

At a special "Mega Match" featuring the highest buy-in in Poker After Dark sit & go history, Full Tilt Poker Academy instructors Allen Cunningham and Jennifer Harman, along with Team Full Tilt's Phil Ivey, all pony up $50,000 and battle for $300,000 this week on the NBC late-night poker show.

Cunningham, Harman, and Ivey are joined by David Benyamine, Barry Greenstein, and Full Tilt Pro Eli Elezra. The table was originally assembled as a high-stakes reunion of regulars from the "Big Game" at Bellagio, but due to a last-minute change, Cunningham—not a regular in the Big Game—was invited.

You can catch all of the action late nights (2:05 a.m.-3:05 a.m.) from Monday to Friday, with a special "Director's Cut" airing on Saturday night.

Full Tilt Pro Seed Wins NHUPC

8 de marzo de 2009: Huck tops Vanessa Rousso to take down NBC Heads-Up title.

Huck Seed came into the 2009 National Heads-Up Poker Championship as one of only two players to cash in all four previous years of the event. He came out of it as the winning-est player in NHUPC history.

Seed defeated Vanessa Rousso in two straight games in the best-two-out-of-three finals at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, earning $500,000 and the title. By winning six matches to prevail in the field of 64 poker superstars, Seed, a Full Tilt Pro and former WSOP Main Event champion, extended his overall Heads-Up Championship record to 18-4. That nudges him ahead of 2008 champ Chris Ferguson (16-4 overall) as the most successful player in the history of the event.

"This has always been one of my favorite tournaments of the year,” said Seed. "I\'ve played well in the past, but things especially went my way this weekend and I was able to make a run all the way to the top.”

Seed\'s path to victory included wins over Jonathan Little, Gus Hansen, Glen Chorny, David Oppenheim, Sam Farha, and finally Rousso. The event will air on NBC over six consecutive Sundays beginning April 12.

Bloch, Juanda on Poker After Dark

2 de marzo de 2009: Team Full Tilt stars compete for $120K this week on NBC.Academy instructor cashes for nearly $250K in WPT main event.

At a table titled “Poker Prowess,” Team Full Tilt’s Andy Bloch and John Juanda battle for $120,000 this week on NBC’s Poker After Dark.

Full Tilt Poker Academy instructor Bloch and 2008 WSOP-Europe champion Juanda find themselves at the table with David Williams, Annie Duke, Clonie Gowen, and Phil Laak. You can catch all of the action late nights (2:05 a.m.-3:05 a.m.) from Monday to Friday, with a special “Director’s Cut” airing on Saturday night.

Groundbreaking poker education from the minds of the Full Tilt Pros

2 de marzo de 2009: The Full Tilt Pros bring you a groundbreaking poker eduction experience.

The best poker players in the world play at Full Tilt Poker. With the launch of Full Tilt Poker Academy, they now teach there too.

The Academy combines the extraordinary poker knowledge of the professionals who make up Team Full Tilt with the educational opportunities made possible by modern multimedia development. Among the pros standing at the head of the virtual classroom are Academy Deans Howard Lederer and Phil Gordon, Chris Ferguson, Jennifer Harman, Erick Lindgren, Andy Bloch, Allen Cunningham, and many more.

“With this extraordinary line-up of teachers,” says Lederer, “the best poker education in the world is at Full Tilt Poker Academy.”

Chris Ferguson Final Tables LAPC

27 de febrero de 2009: Academy instructor cashes for nearly $250K in WPT main event.

Full Tilt Poker Academy instructor and Team Full Tilt member Chris “Jesus” Ferguson brought his considerable star power to the WPT’s L.A. Poker Classic main event final table, but the five-time WSOP bracelet winner fell short of his goal of capturing his first WPT title.

Chris entered the final table as the shortest stack and grinded it out for 66 hands before falling in sixth place. His A-K suited lost to eventual winner Cornel Cimpan’s pocket fours, spelling the end of a fantastic run for Chris. For finishing sixth out of a field of 696 players, Chris pocketed $240,538.