JOKERS WILD WITH APRIL FOOLS PRANKS

Poker News Daily, like others in the poker media, concocted several news stories to fake out readers. The faux topics were published on April 1 and put into a single post that included misleading headlines such as “2010 WSOP Cancelled Due to Economic Concerns” and “Tiffany Michelle Secretly Carrying Phil Ivey’s Baby.”

Full Tilt Poker got in on the fun by announcing Tom “durrrr” Dwan was slated to appear in the sequel to Rounders. According to the article, sources in Hollywood confirmed Miramax purchased the screenplay and Dwan would be playing a key role. An anonymous studio employee supposedly said the film will focus on the world of online poker and durrrr would appear in an intense early scene. “All I can say is that a misclick is involved. A huge misclick.”

Read about other foolish bluffs the poker world tried to pull AFTER THE JUMP...

Lex “RaSzi” Veldhuis and Evelyn Ng changed their status updates on Facebook from “In a Relationship with” to “Engaged to.” The couple let everyone in on the joke later in the day when Evelyn posted the following on her wall: “ok calls from friends and relatives have prompted us to reveal early that Lex and I are NOT engaged, it was an April Fool's Day joke. Sorry everyone!”

On his official blog, Daniel Negreanu issued what could be called the Kid Poker Million Dollar Challenge. Daniel wrote of his plan for a heads-up No Limit Hold’Em challenge with those he refers to as “The Big Three” – Tom Dwan, Patrik Antonius, and Phil Ivey.

“I will play one at a time, and guarantee that I will play each of them for a million, even if I lose the first two,” Daniel blogged. “I've already secured a private room at the Aria casino at the City Center to house these matches, and I've already talked to all three guys and they all agreed to play (surprise, surprise.)”

Negreanu proceeded with details on the order of matches, when the first will begin, and how long each should last before revealing the façade. “I've decided to join the bandwagon and say a hearty ‘April Fools’ to you all,” explained Negreanu. “I ain't playing any of those three guys heads up at no limit hold'em!”

The dominant news story of the day involved unmasking the identity of mysterious online player, “Isildur1.” The Cake Poker blog was first to reveal that Isildur1 was none other than former NHL player and PokerStars sponsored pro, Mats Sundin. PokerListings coincidentally supported that claim by translating a video interview with Sundin. The fake translation was more amusing than it was convincing and with two websites covering the same story it seemed almost likely to be true.

Jeff Madsen used Twitter to deliver his April Fool's prank 24 hours early. According to Madsen, he would be paid $50K by an anonymous bettor if he moved to Israel up until the WSOP without a phone or contact with friends. Even Poker News Daily was fooled and published an interview where he discussed the details of the faux prop bet and what was believed to be his impending move to the Middle East. He held up the charade for almost the whole month before he let the truth come out in a tweet with this Photoshopped OBV pic below. Well played, sir. WP.

DWAN'S WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER IN IVEY PROP BET

During filming for High Stakes Poker Season 6, Phil Ivey and Tom Dwan made an interesting million dollar prop bet. For the entire year of 2010, Ivey would not be able to eat “anything that moves.” Negotiations of the vegetarian wager took up the majority of the fourth episode with Ivey and Dwan discussing terms and amounts ranging from $5 million to $500,000.

The bet ended up being $1 million for one year and according to a recent interview with Dwan, it’s already ended. “It’s settled. He couldn’t handle it,” Dwan told a Danish poker magazine. Ivey was unable to keep up a diet without meat, fish and poultry so he reportedly bought out of the bet after only three weeks.

During negotiations for the original wager, Phil “the Unabomber” Laak made a sidebet on Ivey for $6,000, which Dwan also won. "It was always a good bet,” said Dwan. “I was pretty sure that [Ivey] could not go the distance."

Supposedly it was a piece of chicken that cost Ivey the bet but Dwan was okay with a buyout and they settled for $150,000. Even if Ivey couldn't resist the craving to Double Down on some KFC, that's one spensive case of the munchies!

ISILDUR1 PLANS AND CANCELS TELEVISED APPEARANCE

Matchroom Sport and PartyPoker's Big Game IV began filming in London this weekend. Before the event, Tony G extended the following invitation on his official Party Poker blog:

“Isildur1 – get over to the UK for April 11-13th for the PartyPoker.com Big Game IV at Les Ambassadeurs in London. I will pay for your flights, I will pay for your hotel – I will even stake you totally for the 48-hour cash game. I want to experience the chance to see your brilliant online game in the live environment.”

Since the announcement was made early this month, a spokesman for PartyPoker had to re-confirm the news: "Please note this is not an April fool, Isildur1 has joined the line-up!"

"It was important to me that Isildur1 made his first major TV appearance on one of our shows," said Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn. "Tony and I have worked hard to ensure this happened and we are delighted to welcome him to The PartyPoker.com Big Game IV. Even without an identity, Isildur1 has become the biggest name in poker within six months of high stakes online action. Quite simply, this will be the most hotly anticipated poker show of all time."

More on the appearance of "Isildur1" and what Tony G really thinks, AFTER THE JUMP...

“Isildur1” would not reveal himself to the poker world at the Big Game IV, even though he was offered the choice to remain anonymous for his participation. Tony G even agreed to lend him a Kermit the Frog mask which he wore at a previously televised Matchroom event.

“I am happy to get a special Isildur1 mask made for you just for the special occasion,” offered Tony. “We will protect your anonymity at all costs if this is what you would prefer.”

The spotlight surrounding this game was too much for the young Swede and he backed out right before the weekend of the event. Tony G broke the news by posting an SMS message he received from "Isildur1" on his blog. The text reads “Sry for not coming, take care bud.”

"Eddie Hearn, the event organiser and Managing Director of Matchroom Sport, personally spoke to Isildur1 and his manager and confirmed this to be the case," explains Tony. There was a 50/50 backing deal, higher stakes agreed upon, and all expenses paid for the online player's participation.

"It has left a bad taste in my mouth," complained G. "What you have to understand is that he reached out to me first and asked and then agreed to play. As far as I am concerned I am washing my hands with him and moving on."

A few months ago, Tony G revealed on his personal blog that "Isildur1" is none other than Viktor Blom. This is widely believed to be true even though an international poker magazine has confirmed otherwise. Another poker media source disputed this argument saying there is more than one Viktor Blom in Sweden and the wrong one was contacted.

PoKeRaZZo will have more on the "Isildur1" saga as it develops.

JEFF GARZA SPITS IN PLAYER'S FACE AT PCA

Some very ugly business came out of the 2010 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) tournament in the Bahamas. During a $5,000 side tournament two online pros had an altercation that resulted in one of them being escorted out by security. After busting from the event, Jeff “ActionJeff” Garza (pictured left) spit in the face of another player on the tournament floor.

Read details of the incident AFTER THE JUMP...

Garza posted on PocketFives that he made eye contact with Bryn Kenney (pictured right) as he was leaving and just the smirk on his face provoked their argument. “I walked up to him and said something along the lines of ‘don't look at me you thieving piece of shit’ and nudge him with my shoulder.”

Kenney stood up from the table and there was shouting and shoving when the tournament staff called security. “[Bryn] said something along the lines of, 'if I wasn't playing poker, give me one good reason’… So I gave him that good reason.”

According to Garza, there are some personal issues with Bryn Kenney that were reignited before the PCA. Neither player is hesitating to air their dirty laundry all over the internet and both continue to argue and exchange words through the most popular poker forums. Kenney confirmed the spitting incident and posted exactly why he thinks Garza has a problem with him.

“The only thing I did wrong was when he was in like $60k makeup I was losing a lot during the series and the 12k or whatever I owed him I couldn’t give him right then since I was getting killed. Nothing else I have ever done to him was even close to in the wrong,” Kenney wrote.

The two players exchanged stakes and backings a number of times and it’s not entirely clear who owes money to whom. What is clear is that these arguments have become very personal and could soon get out of hand. Garza claims Kenney has threatened him through instant messages and is taking the situation very seriously.

“Of course, I have the screenshots of both times Bryn threatened to kill me, and have contacted the police,” wrote Garza. “I did warn him that if his ‘boys’ decide to gang up on me and assault me, I will be armed.”

Hopefully the two young pros can set aside their differences and not let this situation spiral out of control and in the way of their futures.

[Images via WPT]

R.I.P. AMIR VAHEDI (1961-2010)

On January 8, 2010 World Series of Poker bracelet winner Amir Vahedi died in a Las Vegas hotel room. Poker pro Mark Seif first confirmed the news of Amir’s passing on his personal blog.

“Amir was in his room at the Golden Nugget when he collapsed,” Seif wrote. “The preliminary findings were that all of Amir’s vital organs appeared healthy, and there were no signs of disease or injury. The family confirmed that Amir was diabetic, but do not know if diabetes played a role in his death. They are awaiting toxicology reports.”

The poker community was saddened by the loss with many pro players expressing their sadness and offering condolences via Twitter.

“I was sad to hear about the passing of Amir...he loved his family very much and he will be missed.” – Scotty Nguyen

“We will miss Amir Vahedi. He represented Doylesroom for a year or so, was a great guy, willing to do anything that was asked of him...RIP” – Doyle Brunson

“Amir Vahedi was one of the good guys. I'm very sad.” – Howard Lederer

Daniel Negreanu remembered Vahedi with a few words in a post on his blog. “He was a dedicated father and worked very hard to try and support his family, hustling in all kinds of tournaments with buy ins as big as $10,000, and even as low as $100,” wrote Negreanu. “I was shocked to hear that he'd passed, and I'm saddened for his family. Poker lost a good guy yesterday, Amir Vahedi will be missed by many.”

Vahedi was 48 years old and is survived by his two brothers, two sisters, two daughters and his son. He was laid to rest January 15, 2010 at Forrest Lawn Memorial in Hollywood Hills, California.

[Image via Flickr]

BILLIONAIRE ANDY BEAL SPOTTED AT BELLAGIO POKER ROOM

A member of a popular internet forum recently broke the news that Andy Beal was back in Vegas and seen playing in Bobby’s Room. According to TwoPlusTwo user BCT, he arrived at the Bellagio poker room and noticed Beal when he looked over at the high stakes tables. “Eli Elezra and Jen Harman arrive and a game starts. Nothing out of the ordinary here except that Andy Beal (100% confirmed him) was in the game again. I'm pretty certain that it is his first time back since the last time taking on the Corporation."

For those unfamiliar with Beal and the Corporation, one need only look to Michael Craig’s retelling of the matches in his book “The Professor, The Banker, and The Suicide King.” The story follows series of matches between 2001-06 in which Beal, a billionaire banker, took on the Corporation, a group of professional poker players who pooled their money to play him heads-up Limit Hold’em at the stakes he wanted. At the highest point in the game the blinds were $100,000/$200,000 and the swings between Beal and the Corporation were sometimes upwards of more than $10 million per match. The Banker conceded defeat to the Corporation after losing $16.6 million to Phil Ivey in February of 2006.

Speculation is rampant as to whether or not there are talks of future high stakes battles with Beal. Some even suggested the possibility of a new corporation formed with successful online pros. A forum poster pointed out there was a banker’s convention in Vegas that weekend. Beal was likely only in town for business and probably playing for fun.

[Image via Forbes]