LuckyHog.com has re-launched with a new network provider after having problems with Dynamic Gaming Systems. This is the second provider that LuckyHog.com has had to change, after they had problems with First FutureBet Gaming Systems last year. The company will once again honor all player accounts.

LuckyHog.com wasn’t the only company that had problems with Dynamic Gaming Systems, but most companies disappeared and left their customers high and dry. At LuckyHog.com players, will get back every cent of real money once they download the new software. Unfortunately no promo monies will transfer.

The owners of the site have certainly proven that customers can trust them to treat their customers fairly. The first software switch cost them tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket. They are offering a 100% sign-up bonus for new accounts, up to $100. And a 200% bonus for any deposits over $100, up to $1000.

It’s tough to say how the WPTL is going to change poker for women. There are enough high-profile female poker stars to make a great league, but I fear that the best female players in the world will not be interested in this tour. The best female players are competing and earning at the top levels with the men. Why would they go play for smaller prize pools and less prestige?

Until stakes become comparable with the WPT (which is unlikely to ever happen) this league will serve as minor league to the big show. It will provide female players with the opportunity to become organized and to achieve things like charity assistance and player’s rights for women.

I don’t see it becoming a premier tour or television show, but it will be an opportunity for young female players to display their abilities and pick up some sponsorship.

High stakes poker players are known to bet exuberant amounts of money on prop bets. Stars like Daniel Negreanu and Gavin Smith live their lives from one game to the next, betting all the way. The newest craze among this elite group is Wii. The most skill-demanding video game has even been a tool to win a WSOP main event entry last July. Paul Wasicka was the first to write about gathering a bunch of poker pros who had to play Wii bowling, with the winner getting a WSOP main event buy-in worth $10,000.

It was never announced who won the buy-in, but it appears that it wasn’t Wasicka. It’s not the traditional type of satellite, but when you have the kind of cash these guys have it’s no big deal. You would think that Wii would run with this, and promote a tournament for these pros themselves.

The NBA does tend to harp upon its charity work. But the work needs to be done, and it speaks well for both the players and the less athletic who spend their time and money to help others.

It doesn’t hurt to throw a poker game in there, too. Phoenix Suns forward Shawn Marion will be hosting the Hearts & Helmets Charity Poker Tournament in Scottsdale on Jan. 30. The $1,000 ticket price gets you access to some pretty swank auctions, but the big draw is the chance to play poker with athletes like Marion, Jermaine Dye and various members of the Suns and the San Antonio Spurs.

The tournament is hoping to raise $1 million for charities like the Brad Pitt-sponsored Global Green USA project to rebuild New Orleans, and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Plus, the event is being held at a private location that will only be disclosed upon registration. Go to www.allinforacause.com for more information.

L.A. is hot! After a tough day in the Commerce Casino poker room you can relax at the pool.

If you are a regular online poker player and you’re itching to try your hand at a land casino tournament one of the best places to hone your chops is the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles, California. As every tournament poker player knows it’s important to get as much experience in as possible. Fortunately, the Commerce Casino has a wide array of tournaments happening at any point in the year:

The L.A. Poker Classic: Jan. 26-Feb. 25
World Poker Tour Invitational: Feb. 23-24
The Professional Poker Tour: February
Heavenly Hold’em: May 2-18, 2008
Daily Poker Tournaments
California State Poker Championship: TBD
Holiday Bonus: TBD

So…you’ve gathered a few friends together to play some poker. Or maybe you’ve settled down for the night in front of your computer to play in your first online poker tournament. Whatever the case may be, in the game of poker there are many basic strategies that you need to get down before you can even begin to hope to win your first game of Texas Hold’em. Let’s start with knowing when to bet…

In Texas Holdem (or any poker game) when you lay down a bet you’re telling the rest of players at your table that you either:

a) have the best hand and you’re willing to bet money on it. Or
b) have a crappy hand and you’ll fold if you are forced to lay some money down.

Most players bet when they have a good hand and most don’t bet if they don’t have a good hand. But that kind of thinking is what separates the beginners from the more experienced poker players. A good hand might not be good enough against someone else who has a great hand, for example. And if you don’t have the better hand are you prepared to bluff? Good poker players are always trying to perfect their poker face and they’d rather be cunning or deceptive than typical or boring.

So…rather than being a typcial poker player — bet when you’re good and ready to take out everyone else at your table by convincing them that you’ve got the best hand.

Keep in mind that when it comes to playing poker, you’re always trying to better your game. Check out this poker strategy site for more tips on how to become a better Texas Holdem player.

Over the last couple of months poker pro Phil Ivey has had a tough go of things. He dropped out of the WPT Doyle Brunson Classic just three spots short of the money. And then back at Full Tilt Poker headquarters Ivey lost two massive Omaha pots to Finnish online competitor Ilari “Ziigmund” Sahamies. Still, according to many of his peers, Phil Ivey is the world’s best player. Here’s why:

Born Feb. 1, 1976 in Riverside, Calif., Phil Ivey’s accomplishments include three bracelets at the 2002 World Series of Poker, tying Phil Hellmuth Jr and Ted Forrest for the most wins in a single year. Ivey also has WSOP bracelets in Pot Limit Omaha from 2000 and 2005. In 2000, he was the first player to beat Amarillo Slim heads-up.

Ivey also won the $1,000,000 first prize at the Monte Carlo Millions tournament on Nov. 20, 2005 and then a day later he took home another $600,000 for finishing first at “The FullTiltPoker.Net Invitational Live from Monte Carlo”.

To date Phil Ivey’s tournament winnings total more than $8 million.

1. The Borgata Winter Open, Jan. 15 to 31. There will be 13 events with a $10,000 Main Event.

2. The Aussie Millions, Jan. 5 to 20 at the Crown Casino in Melbourne.

3. WSOP Harrah’s New Orleans, May 9-21. They’ll have 10 events including the $5000 Main Event.

4. WPT L.A. Poker Classic, Jan. 24 to Mar. 3. There will be 30 events including the $10,000 Main Event.

5. WPT Bay 101 in San Jose March 10-14 will also have a $10,000 Main Event.

6. WPT World Championship in Las Vegas on April 19-25 will have a $25,000 Main Event.

7. EPT Grand Final Monte Carlo Bay Resort April 12-17 will have a 10,000 Euro buy-in.

8. WSOP Las Vegas May 30 – July 17 will have 55 events this year.

9. PokerStars Caribbean Poker Adventure Atlantis, Bahamas, Jan. 5-10.

10. EPT Scandinavian Open Casino Copenhagen, Denmark, February 19-23.