POKERNETWORK HONOUR BOARD 080426

POKERNETWORKERS DOWNUNDER PART 1 – THE TRUE BELIEVERS 080413
Pokernetwork records the meritorious service of our players Downunder to 2007 and congratulates those who have left their mark on the Australasian poker scene. 2007 has been a big year for Casino Poker, 30 years since Hobart Poker, 20 years since the first Australasian Championship at Adelaide and 10 years since the opening of Crown.
The game has changed from a back room full of Rounders to a multi million dollar, online assisted, TV promoted spectacular. What brought it on? It was certainly big money, big prizes and Casino promotion but also the Passion and determination of a number of true believers played a massive part. But for them, Live Casino Poker Tournaments may have died under the pressure of The Bandits and the high dollar per square metre table games.
When the chips were really down in the late nineties there were not too many Casinos or executives who were prepared to put their head on the block for Poker. The outstanding exceptions were Andrew McDermott, Warren Richards, Arthur Pitcher, Richard Longhurst and Sean McCreery. Thanks to them we surfed the wave that led to the present million dollar prizes. They were prodded and pounded, punched and bored by a group of passionate players who just wouldn’t let go. These were the true believers who to this day still promote poker; supported by a bunch of younger newcomers who will be the next generation of believers.
I suppose you could say that Casino Poker in Australasia started in Hobart about 1977 under the guidance of the father of Oz Casinos Aspinall Ron Hurley. That in itself is true but the Poker Industry in Australia, as we know it today, with its plethora of money and pizzazz started with Crown and the Aussie Millions 2003.
Over the thirty years of progress the backroom boys below made the difference.
PART 1 Pokernetwork Awards For service to the Australasian Poker Industry.
*Backgammon Boys, The big punting group from Melbourne and Sydney, who became tired of taking each others money at Backgammon (ran out of fish) and tackled the Federal Casinos instead. They later became the thrust of early poker tournaments. Tino Lechich, Sammy Korman, Bill Argyros, Brian MacDonald, MelHudah, Michael Sampieri.
*Billy “The Croc” Argyros* Prominent player and sports bettor since the early eighties. Well known for his commentating and reporting on poker events. He also headed up the British versus Australian Poker Ashes at Crown 2003 and 2004. Always a winner at Adelaide and Canberra and now developing his promotional talents at Crown with Pokernews.
*Bob “Doctor Bob” Crossman, PHD in Maths and early advisor to Casinos. Hero of the JK Adelaide legal challenge and longest serving player/consultant in Oz Casinos.. Won the first car at Adelaide Casino but couldn’t fit into it.
*Danny “The Rock” McDonagh, with Bendigo, our first TD and creator of Pokernetwork. He is now expanding his talents with online poker promotion.
*Darryl “The Dazzler” Lanyon, Founder of Kangaroo Club and Cards magazine. Entertainer and player of merit. Creator of Maverick and Al Capone at the table.. He was fined $1000 for having a pop gun at Crown. “That will be in cash not chips” said the Magistrate.
*David Galpin, our longest serving Poker manager at Adelaide. Veteran of the Fine Sam affair, the Mad Russian, Sammy’s ABC interview and Mike’s trial,
*Glen “Gofor” Athanassiou, enthusiast and reporter for Casinoz, Cards and the Australian Poker Association. Captain and coach of our attack on the 1999 Sexton Tournament of Champions USA.
Jimmy Siu Leader of the push in Melbourne before Crown. Prominent high roller and popular restauranteur.
*John “The Baptist” Beagle, early journalist and advisor to Federal Casinos Tasmania. Former President of Australian Casinos Association and the National Australian Gambling Association. Poker consultant and promoter with Adelaide Casino, Christchurch, Canberra and active in the establishment of the Crown Poker Room. Could sell speed to Fred Nile.
*John Parker, TD and promoter of Poker at Crown for many years and leader of the Crown TOC team 1999. He is now taking it easier at Crown.
*Crown Supervisors and dealers Granted the top peforming and best trained dealers in Australasia there are some who have been in the room since start up. All well known and respected by players. Thanks Guys. Frank Bianco, Andrew Cathery,Sally Liu, Harry Chandler, Suzie Cacciotti, Leila Sariago, Sarah Kim, Wendy Van Hoos, Patrick Bowen.
*Joe “The Judge” Meissner (APA), early Goulburn Poker Room owner Sydney and constant supporter of the game over three decades. He established the Australian Poker Association in Sydney and Adelaide. He is well know as a former World Karate Champion, challenger to Mohamed Ali and popular amateur yachtsman and gun collector.
*John “JK” Kocbek, legend of casino and club poker in Adelaide and Sydney. He is one of our veteran leaders of poker in Oz. Now pushing poker in Moscow and on the PNW Notice Board with success.
*Keith “Bendigo” Sloan, has been involved in all Australasian poker activities since Adelaide 1987. With Crown, he proposed and developed the Aussie Millions and Speed Poker until moving overseas with international poker online interests. He has had a major influence on poker as a TD and trainer in Melbourne, Canberra, Christchurch and overseas Casinos. He is arguably the main player force behind poker development in Australia.
*Lee “Final Table” Nelson, Expatriate USA and Kiwi player who has become our most consistent winner and all time Pokernetwork Champion to 2007. TV presenter with Joker Poker and author of the successful Kill Phil series he has had a major influence on Oz poker.
*Marsha Waggoner, our first player to leave Oz and try her luck in the USA. Hall of Famer in the Staes ands legend at home in Oz. She is our own Ambassador overseas, visituing each year for the Aussie Millions.
*Mel “The Taxman” Judah, the “Eminence Gris” of Oz Poker. Player at Christchurch and Hobart before the poker rush he conducted the first off Casino Melbourne Championships with Colleague Leo Boxell. He was our first WSOP bracelet winner before Gary Benson and has been a friend and advisor to all our up and coming local players over the last two decades.
*Mike “The Professor” Comer, promoted the first Australasian Poker Championship 1987 at Adelaide and with Brother Martin our first overseas tournament at Vanuatu. Since then has actively promoted Oz Poker overseas whilst engaged in international casinos. Friend of all dealers who give him a bad beat and known to have a punt on the trots. A legendary poker hero who grudgingly consented to kiss Milo’s backside after a losing wager.
Party Poker Mike Sexton for its promotion and support of the 2005 Millions.
Peter Pekoe Popular NZ multi champion at Adelaide.
Pokerstars for its pioneer support of the Aussie Millions in 2003.
*Ron Hurley, Aspinall executive given the task to open Australia’s first Casino at Hobart. He introduced formal poker tournaments in Hobart and Launceston in the seventies and eighties.
*Tony “Tony G” Guoga International promoter of Aussie poker and for his purchase and expansion of Pokernetwork into the global Pokernews group thus giving our Aussie Millions reporting the status of the WSOP.
*Val Saunders. Casino manager in UK, Adelaide, Jupiters who worked with Mike at the first championships Adelaide 1987.
And more recently the next generation “true believers” Gareth “Gaz” Edwards, Pokernews and 888, Jonny “YoYo” Vincent international poker bon vivant and iconoclast, Jonno Pittock Aussie Millions Poker Room Manager, Sarne Lightman Pokerstars, Heath Chick Pokernetwork and Sean Callender Bluff Magazine as well as the many unheralded characters, runners, sportsmen, players, supporters and Casino staff that have helped the game reach it’s current level of today.
And for the icing on the cake, Crown Casino, who, in association with Pokernetwork, gave birth to our own international event the Aussie Millions, 2003 and onwards. Without the early pioneers and the Crown multi million dollar investments, Poker would still be in the dark shadows of the illegals and clip joints.
Many of our other Casinos now follow the lead of the trail blazers and poker is established in Crown Burswood, Sky Adelaide, Sky Darwin, Star Sydney, Gold Coast and Brisbane, Canberra and Christchurch and Auckland New Zealand.
PART 2 POKERNETWORK AWARDS FOR PLAYER EXCELLENCE
For International Poker Excellence - WSOP Bracelets * Mel Judah 1989 *Gary Benson 1996 *Mel Judah 1997 Joe Hachem 2005 Mark Vos 2006 *Jeff Lisandro 2007 (Christina Pie – Ladies Event)
The Poker Millionaires USD (2007) World Money Rankings Joe ‘Hash’ Hachem - Aus USD10.530 million *Mel ‘Silver Fox’ Judah – Aus/UK USD3.023 million Kirk ‘Captain’ Morrison – NZ/USA USD2.948 million *Jeff ‘Ice Man’ Lisandro – Aus/It USD2.820 million *Antanas ‘TonyG’ Guoga – Aus USD2.721 million Lee ‘Final Table’ Nelson – NZ USD2.074 million Mark ‘Pokerbok’ Vos – Aus USD1.161 million And soon to become millionaires in 2008? Grant Levy USD999K Jamil ‘Real Deal’ Dia – NZ USD826K Emad ‘Boondy’ Tahtouh – Aus USD807K *Marsha Waggoner –Aus/USA USD802K *Mike ‘Sticky Mickey’ Guttman USD749K Michael Chrisanthopoulos USD622K *Gary ‘Bindy’ Benson USD599K Eric Assadourian USD547K *Billy ‘The Croc’ Argyros USD538K Julius Colman USD469K *Sammy ‘The Mouth’ Khouiss USD455K *Tino ‘Dice’ Lechich USD432K *Martin ‘The Doc’ Comer USD426K Van Marcus USD409K Jozef Berec USD378K *George ‘Tasmaniac’ Mamacas USD333K *Leo ‘The Mechanic’ Boxell USD326K Arul Thillai USD291K Dory Zayneh USD267K Sarah ‘Aussie Sarah’ Bilney USD233K *Sam Korman USD213K Kenny Ng USD194K Russell Davies USD182K *John Homann USD143K Zhi Hong Ma USD118K Peter Aristidou ` USD100K
2008 Pocket Fives Leaders STEVOL Stevo Leonard RKRUOK ??? Nathan Rayan Adelaide GARAGE13 Alex Dickinson Melbourne BOND18 Tony Dunst Melbourne AUSSIE JAY Jason Mellross Geelong KOCHAN Daniel Kochan Sydney ZAIGEZUNT ??? Adelaide HARRIS ??? Brisbane JUZLEARNIN ??? Adelaide BONDGIRL Celina Lin xMonsterxDongx Jonathon Karamalikis Teek 00 ??? Sydney
Past Aussie Millions Champions 2003 Peter Costa (UK) *Leo Boxell (AU) 2nd 2004 Tony Bloom (UK) *David Hatzis 4th 2005 Jamil Dia (NZ) *George Mamacas 3rd 2006 Lee Nelson (NZ) Russell Davies (Aus) 6th 2007 Gus Hansen (Den) Julius Colman (Aus) 4th 2008 Alexander Kostritsyn (Rus) Michael Chrisanthopoulos (Au) 3
PNW Rankings 2001 – 2007. Australasian Tournament Rankings Lee Nelson NZ 17,346 *Martin Comer 12,786 *Sam Khouiss 12,556 *Gary Benson 11,459 *Leo Boxell 11,436 *Michael Guttman 10,580 *John Homann 10,400 *Sam Korman 10,070 Arul Thillai 8440 *David Szetho 7853 *Mick Stanton 7240 *Fred Saliba 6810 Emad Tahtouh 6725 *Ian Schoots 6605 *Billy Argyros 6290 James Potter 5970 *Mike Ivin 5920 Jamil Dia 5910 *Steve Hegyi 5850 *Tino Lechich 5765 *John Maver 5270 Con Harach NZ 5235 Jovan Skekic 5193 *Graeme Putt 5020 Toby Atroshenko 4640 *George Mamacas 4600 *John Madaffari 4560 *Peter Mordaunt 4548 *Nick Georgoulas 4480 Eric Assadourian 4475 (Note: * = Prominent in tournaments pre 2000 *)
Top Performers by PAR 2007 Jozef Berec 3,925 Grant Levy 2,738 *Gary Benson 2,075 Eric Assadourian 2,045 Zhi Hong Ma 2,013 Peter Aristidou 1,805 *Tino Lechich 1,800 Duncan McKinnon 1,740 Van Marcus 1,735 *Billy Argyros 1,680 Julian Powell 1,680 *Martin Comer 1,543 Lee Nelson 1,508 Kenny NG 1,425 Julius Colman 1,365 Khac Trung Tran 1,360 Chul Hyon Park 1,350 Dory Zayneh 1,350 Gabriel Xiourouffa 1,313 Leo Boxell 1,273 Sam Korman 1,230 Michael Harrison-Ford 1,225 Hei Le 1,225 Stephen Topakas 1,195 Michael Guttman 1,175
Overall Champions Adelaide 1987 – 2001 1987 Brian Williams 1988 Peter Jones 1989 Bob Crossman 1990 Charles Cuschieri 1991 Ian Bobbin 1992 Peter Jones 1993 Bill Howarth 1994 James Crosby 1995 Sam Korman 1996 David Gorr 1997 Gary Benson 1998 Tony Frasca 1999 Tony Frasca 2000 Steve Micos 2001 Sam Khouiss
Individual event champions Adelaide 1987 – 2001 1987 Williams, Nicolas, Maimon, 1988 Jones /Assiotti, Pekoe, Jeffries, Saliba, Gianitsadis, 1989 Crossman, /Pederson, Focus, Debrincat, Sin, Judah, Benson, Saliba, Kostakis 1990 Cuschieri, Cabret, Korman, Lindsay, Agostini, Durbeck 1991 Bobbin, Bascalli, Micos, Maggi, Pekoe 1992 Jones, Gray, Bugiera, Homann 1993 Howarth 1994 Crosby, Pekoe, Rossinger, Martin Comer, Mulvihill, Ascensio, Argyros, Wiegard 1995 Korman, Mulvihill, Pears, Bamford, Anthony, Horowitz, Bugiera, Panagiotou 1996 Gorr, Box, Waugh 1997 Benson, Waugh 1998Frasca, Maver, Cabret, Cuschieri, Georgoulas 1999 Frasca 2000 Micos 2001 Khouiss
Overall Champions Canberra 1996 t0 2002 1996 Lisandro 1997 Argyros 1998 Ivin 1999 Georgoulas 2000 Nelson 2001 Benson 2002 Sampieri
Individual Champions Canberra 1996 to 2002 1996 Lisandro, Guy, Franco, McDonald, Ivin, 1997 Ravesi, Wu, Upton, Lisandro, Argyros 1998 Ivin, Argyros, Wise, Parker 1999 Georgoulas, Ivin, Frasca, Poulos (F), Korman, Benson 2000 Argyros, Nelson, Rosser, McDonald, Farley, Humunicki (F) 2001 Khatchadorian, Bugiera, Gray, Maver, Sam Horowitz, Georgoulas, Warrener, Marcos, Madaffari, 2002 Maver 2003 Sommerville, Tsakalos, Boxell, Benson, Madaffari
TOC Vegas Crown Team 1999 Athanassiou, Frasca, Pears, Mike and Martin Comer, Hyslop, Marino (F), Boxell, Putt, Bihari, Pie (F), Waggoner, Cuschieri, Jones, Bugiera.
Overall Champions New Zealand Christchurch 2002 to 2007 2002 Mathew Hilger UK 2003 Jamil Dia NZ 2004 Andrew Dimock NZ 2005 Constantin Harach NZ 2006 Alan Goodrum UK 2007 Eric Assadourian NZ
Overall Champion Tasmania 1983 Mike Heffernan 1985 Egal Levy
CASINOZ Mr. Poker awards for service to poker 2001 to 2005 2001 Keith Sloan, 2002, John Beagle, 2003 Danny McDonagh, 2004 John Parker, 2005 Joe Meissner.
Maurie 080505