*** Micon makes WSOP Final Table ***

(from the WSOP update webpage for HORSE 1500 - Event 31....)

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:13:40
Micon Getting People All Riled Up

Razz: Micon: Opponent: Opponent:

Bryan Micon is known for having the ability get under his opponents' skin. He's at it again at Table 186.

After completing his ace on third street and being called in two spots, Micon caught the best board on fourth street. One of his opponents was at the opposite end of the table and Micon couldn't see what card that opponent had caught. When the dealer gave Micon first action, he seemed surprised.

"Oh, is that a pair?" he asked, pointing at his opponent's deuces. "Great. In that case, I bet."

These two little statements sent the player with the pair of deuces into a tizzy.

"You're so lucky," he started berating Micon. "I had the best hand. You keep raising so much and you're so lucky. 'Is that a pair?'" he added sarcastically. "Quack, quack, quack. I bet you $100 I had the best hand."

Micon collected the pot and said that he believed his opponent but did not open his hand.


(That's our Micon...)

Traffic at NWP up?

I stumbled across a website called quantcast.com which estimates number of people visiting any website...so i tried NWP and got this:




quantcast.com data seems to indicate traffic building for the site recently...so the gloomy posts put up lately about how NWP dying doesn't square with the data at quantcast...

also, the demographics according to summary page have some interesting ideas about the audience...83% male, 89% white, 59% no college, 66% in the 18-34 year old age group, and over half earn less than $30k per year, and are most likely to also visit pokerstars.com

http://www.quantcast.com/neverwinpoker.com#summary

is the above believable? are there other sites like this and what do they say about NWP?

2/5 +EV Show was Outstanding

Despite the technical difficulties and last minute addition of Dustin, Todd Wittelles (sp?) put out a great show on Limit Hold Em last night and imho anyone looking to excel at that form of poker ought to give it a listen a few times over.

Todd obviously put in a lot of thought and time to producing this show, and the content and organization throughtout carried the day--overcoming the minor problems of the technical difficulties and Dustin's frequent interruptions while Todd was speaking.

Re: the Small Stakes portion of the program: What was new and different, and what makes the show outstanding I think, was the discussion of a playing style Todd called "backdoor equity" (or something like that): a style of play different than the tight agressive play. I don't think I have heard/read much discussion of this style of play in limit hold em, and it makes the program worth listening to for a small stakes limit hold em player.

The during middle limit and high limit portions of the program both Todd and Dustin give insights and share knowledge they have learned in their year of experience--that's also quality stuff.

Really, its quite evident that the elements are available at NWP to put together high quality material on poker...particularly Todd's ability and williness to plan, organize and articulate the material.

Now for my humble opion re: the problems with the broadcast and what can be done to make improve the show

1 - the technical difficulties that resulted in bad sound levels and dead air -- those are unavoidable given the inexperience with the equipment and the low budget nature of the show...with experience and perhaps with some added staffing those can be overcome (particularly if the program can win sponsorship). I am willing to be patient and overlook this.

2 - find a format that works for Dustin. Dustin kept breaking in on Todd during the show, and while it's really great to have him on the show and his input was welcome, his interruptions were annoying to me. It was as if he was eager to help out, but didn't know how or when to contribute, although he has considerable knowledge to share. I can't fault Todd for that problem, as he undoubtedly planned and organized the show as him doing a solo show and then Dustin was a last minute add. So i think it is too much to ask of anyone adapt at the last minute to a late add like that. Dustin is welcome, but i realize he is not one to sit down and plan out a show....what i think would work with him would be for Todd to organize the show and set the agenda, and to introduce new topics by posing a question to Dustin and then having Todd state his ideas. (Todd can tell Dustin beforehand what Todd will say so Dustin has some idea of what point Todd is driving at). I think if Dustin's knows he has a turn to speak he will be less likely to interrupt...Perhaps that idea can be taken a step farther, by inviting members of the audience to call in, answer the question Todd puts out, get Dustin's expert opinion, then Todd's analysis, then thank the caller and reward him with a buy-in to the next NWP tourney?

3 - define loose/tight etc with some statistics for those of us that play online with tracker software? a small point, but it could reduce the ambiguity some

I hope this +EV program continues on, and given Dustin's & Todd's experience with poker that shows are done on Hold Em limit and No Limit as well as other forms of poker--such as Stud, Omaha, Razz, Draw, Badugi, etc...

Online Poker Grows 2008 with Poker Stars leading market

interesting article re: 2008 poker industry growth

http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/artic...-growth-in-2008.

cliff notes: despite online ban the industry grew 14% in 2008 when measuring number of seats occupied at tables (that is rake generating play), Poker Stars leading with 38% market share, FullTilt growing too...and Cake as well (undoubtedly NWP helping there, i first heard of Cake here); UB & Abs down