The Partouche Poker Blog

So Nice!

2008-05-13T06:59:00.000-07:00

We were treated royally that Saturday at the Palais de la Méditerranée in Nice, where the sun and players met for the fourth Super Satellite. From 2pm poker was played non-stop. Roland Rozel won out of more than 400 players and gave a wonderful performance.

Players received a warm welcome and the organisation was perfect. There could not have been a better start to the tournament in Nice, which is located on the English Promenade facing the Mediterranean Sea. What can one say about the big room reserved for the tournament then? Well it is quite simply one of the most beautiful rooms seen today, with a refined atmosphere and a Harlequin décor. All of these elements made for a wonderful day of poker! And it has been like this since the beginning of the Tour…

407 players took their places around the tables. Amongst them were some of the best poker players, such as Valérie Damidot, Estelle Denis, Virgine Efira, Alice Taglioni, Raymond Domenech and Fabrice Soulier. Partouche Poker Tour regulars such as Remy Biechel winner at Saint-Amand and François Tardieu winner at Lyon Vert came to try their luck in the extra tournament which took place at 9.30pm. It had 210 players and was brilliantly won by Jean-Pierre Lacombe (15,200 €) against Frédéric Brunet and Rachid Ben Rezkallah.

The structure of the Super Satellite was the same as the preceding ones: 5,000 chips and blinds of 25 and 50 at the beginning with increases every 25 minutes. And just like the PPT stops before, the crazy pace was a bit too rough for a number of players. So by one o’clock, 42 players were already knocked out.

Valérie Damidot, Virginie Efira and Fabrice Soulier were knocked out of the tournament early, but Estelle Denis, Raymond Domenech and particularly Alice Taglioni gave very good performances. Raymond Domenech left in 150^th place, followed quickly by his companion Estelle Denis. According to Alice Taglioni, she messed up several goes. There was no luck for the gorgeous actress who had already showed off her talent at the first Super Satellite in Saint-Amand. Some players stood out by the number of chips they had, such as Richard Loufrani with 40,000 chips and Jean-Paul Pasqualini with 33,000.

At first in this Super Satellite there was a real race between the main players in terms of chip count. Their names? Pierre Zurcher (170,000), Arthur

Canadas

(115,000) and William Saad (90,000). These three players shared the position of chip leader, even though they did not make it to the final table. The final table of the final 8 players was also full of talent: Sébastien Defrance, Roland Rozel, Marc Lindorfer, Bernard Grafouillere, Yuefang Jiang, Jean-Baptiste Cazaruc, Stéphane Blacas and David Bagnard. The final was won by Roland Rozel with Yuefang Jiang coming second. Well done!

So to conclude, this fourth Super Satellite was a success on all levels, from the welcome to the final table, and we had an amazing day of poker. The Palais de la Méditerranée was a dream venue in which to organise this fourth PPT stop in April. The next tournament is on the 24^th May in Aix-en-Provence. So come along, it will be great!

FINAL RANKING FOR THE NICE SUPER SATELLITE

Here is the final list of qualifiers for the Partouche Poker Tour Main Event. Out of 407 participants at this fourth Super Satellite in Nice, 40 have won a ticket for the Grand Final in Cannes. The prizepool was 50,000 euros and the winner was Roland Rozel who won 15,000 euros. The other 39 players split the rest of the prizepool. Final ranking for the Nice Super Satellite with prizepool details:

1.Rozel Roland 15 000 euros
2. Jiang Yuefang 6 000
3. Defrance Sébastien 3 500
4. Lindorfer Marc 3 000
5. Pagnard David 2 500
6. Graffouillere Bernard 2 000
7. Blacas Stéphane 1 000
8. Cazaruc Jean-Baptiste 1 000
9. Bedrossian Franck 500
10. Canadas Arthur 500
11. Mansour Vincent 500
12. Srikah Hassan 500
13. Zurcher Pierre 500
14. Albert Laurent 500
15. Lopes Da Silva Carlos Manuel 500
16. Saad William 500
17. Goletto Stéphane 500
18. Clementi Claudio 500
19. Tsan Sap-Nhi 500
20. Aouizerat William 500
21. Kessas Benjamen 500
22. Larrouy Emile 500
23. Fernandes Brito Francis 500
24. Maisonneuve Sébastien 500
25. Barrière Pierre 500
26. Barret Yannick 500
27. Olive stéphane 500
28. Caffiaux Alfred 500
29. Lacharme Patrick 500
30. Slavicek Boris 500
31. Allion Fabrice 500
32. Muleta Patrick 500
33. Roperto Ludovic 500
34. Zeroual Fouad 500
35. Arnaudies Sébastien 500
36. Brizon Jean-Michel 500
37. Achab Sofiane 500
38. M’Jot Youssef 500
39. Flessia Cécile 500
40. Prados Antonio 500

NUMBER OF QUALIFIERS PER CASINO

1. Nice Palais de la Méditerranée 5
2. Le Lydia 3
3. Palm Beach Cannes 3
4. Saint-Amand les Eaux 3
5. Arcachon 2
6. Beaulieu 2
7. Juan les Pins 2
8. La Grande Motte 2
9. Le Lyon Vert 2
10. Aix-en-Provence 1
11. Bandol 1
12. Divonne 1
13. La Ciotat 1
14. Forges-les-Eaux 1
15. Le Pharaon de Lyon 1
16. Palavas 1
17. Pornichet 1
18. Royat 1
19. Salies de Béarn 1

Saturday's menu: POKER!

2008-04-17T07:42:00.000-07:00

This Saturday it's poker in Nice. It is the Partouche Poker Tour's fourth Super Satellite of 2008 and the Palais de la Méditerranée is also organising an extra tournament for 180 players at 8.30pm. And this is not all, because there will also be 4 cash game tables from 4pm. What an impressive plan!

It will be a weekend of fun in Nice! This Saturday at 4pm the Partouche Poker Tour's fourth Super Satellite will begin. An intense and physical tournament that will give 10% of the best players a place in the Main Event in Cannes. The structure of the tournament has not really changed from previous PPT stops: 5,000 chips and blinds of 25 and 50 at the beginning and increasing every 25 minutes. The tournament is scheduled to begin at 4pm and registration closes at 3pm. Along side this main event will be an extra tournament for 180 players. It will start at 9.30pm at the Espace Méditerranée Level -1. It is already possible to register. Like the Palais Méditerranée it has the reputation of looking after its guests with 4 cash game tables available from 4pm in the traditional games room on the 1^st floor. Buy-in fees of 500, 1,000 and 2,000 euros. There will be competition in Nice!

Summary of the poker event in Nice

Saturday 19^th April 2008

Super Satellite in Nice: registration: 1,075 € payable at the venue, in Partouche casinos or at the Group’s head office – 141 rue de Saussure, 75017 Paris. Tournament scheduled to begin at 4pm.

Extra tournament: at the Espace Méditerranée Level- 1. 180 players, begins 9.30pm. Registration: 250 € + 35 € payable at the venue.

4 Texas hold’em tables: located in the traditional games room on the 1^st floor. Open from 4pm, buy-in fees of 500 €, 1,000 € and 2,000 €.

The PPT goes to Nice!

2008-04-10T01:59:00.000-07:00

Guess what has resumed its tour around France to bring you another fantastic tournament? With 6 days until the Super Satellite in Nice, the Palais de la Méditerranée is getting ready for the fourth Super Satellite of the 2008 Partouche Poker Tour! Hundreds of Texas hold'em players are coming from all over France and even Europe. Let the show begin!

Nice is the antepenultimate stop of the Partouche Poker Tour, one of the last Super Satellites where you can qualify directly for the Main Event in Cannes. It will be a major event taking place in a unique location: the Palais de la Méditerranée; a true poker leader in France. Having already obtained 7 places for the Grand Final at the Palm Beach, this hotel in Nice has already proved, that in terms of poker, its resident players have no need to envy other players in France. Furthermore the players from Nice are formidable card players, we witnessed their great performance at the Divonne-les-Bains Super Satellite where there were 5 qualifying players for Cannes from Nice. This Saturday is in their terrain and we are expecting a similar performance.

So who will dare to challenge these kings of Texas hold’em at the Palais Méditerranée? Who will accompany the 33 qualifiers from Saint-Amand, the 34 from Divonne and the 43 from Lyon Vert to the Main Event in Cannes? Who will try their luck to win the million euros promised to the winner of PPT2008. Find out on Saturday!

To participate in the Nice Super Satellite, nothing could be simpler. You can:

* Satellite fee: 125 euros
* Super Satellite fee: 1,075 euros

A tribute to the best henchmen

2008-04-09T05:15:00.000-07:00

Whether they are short, tall, slim or well built, the Partouche Poker Tour croupiers all have one thing in common: they are all good - even excellent! They show a great knowledge of the game and fantastic stamina during the tournaments. As we are half way through the Tour, it is only right to pay homage to them.

There are 60 croupiers per Super Satellite at the Partouche Poker Tour who come from all over France simply for the love of Texas hold’em. From Saint-Amand to Lyon, the Partouche Poker Tour croupiers have all worked hard during the different stops, with hardly any mishaps. Ten or so million hands were dealt and millions of flops laid out by the real experts. There are many people who envy these “made in Partouche” henchmen. Each week the croupiers come around the PPT tables to please the players with their love for poker, constant smiles and reliable hands. Well done again ladies and gentlemen and see you soon in Nice!

Aurélien Gallen: “Show stamina!”

Trained croupier, Aurélien Gallen is today head of the game. That is to say he watches the tables and sorts out conflicts between the players. A perfect master of Texas hold’em is therefore required so that “everything works like clockwork”. We met him during the last Super Satellite at Lyon Vert where he spoke about the difficulties but also the beauty of being a croupier.

Hello Aurélien, what qualities are needed to be a good croupier?
One must have stamina above all else! To work at a tournament until 5.30am, concentrate with the PPT the next day, work at a second side tournament and then have a meeting on the Monday, one needs to be very tough. All the croupiers must therefore be congratulated for this work which demands a lot of effort. A good knowledge of the game is also obviously crucial.

All the croupiers present here are all obviously able to deal with such a job…
Of course, the PPT croupiers are carefully chosen. They are all capable of working at such an event and of handling the stress and the amount of work. A croupier can deal between 300 and 500 hands during one tournament. That requires a lot of concentration and a certain physical condition.

I assume participating in the Partouche Poker Tour must be a great achievement…
It is very special given that the Super Satellites are such great events. Not all the croupiers in France get a chance to participate in such a tournament. That is why we are happy to come back each month. It is also an opportunity to meet up with colleagues. Relationships are made. But aside from that, it is always a real pleasure to do a good job and see people happy and pleased with us.

A little word about the players?
The majority of the players are very polite, but some, particularly in cash games, can be rude. If a croupier has the misfortune to deal one hand badly out of 200, some players will not hesitate to throw their cards in his face. This is not very nice behaviour to watch, but even worse to endure. I think a good poker player must stay dignified whatever the situation.

Fabrice Tiozzo: “I would love to one day participate in the Partouche Poker Tour!”

2008-03-31T01:54:00.000-07:00

1.85m and 80kg, 50 professional fights in 18 years of his career of which 48 were victories, Fabrice Tiozzo was one of the terrors of the ring before hung up his gloves in 2006. The World champion of boxing was at the Lyon Vert Casino for the Partouche Poker Tour’s third Super Satellite. A very “punchy” tournament, he told us.

Hello Fabrice, what gives us the honour of your visit to this magnificent Lyon Vert Casino?

It is simple, one hears a lot about poker at the moment. I have watched it a lot on TV but I don’t really know how to play. Some friends are participating in this Lyon Vert Super Satellite, so it was a good opportunity to come and see how such an event works. And I have to say it was worth the trip.

Do you occasionally play poker?

I have not played it at all, but I know the rules. It will take me time to learn before I start playing. Because if I sat at a table now, the players would only have one thought: to liquidate me.

But don’t the atmosphere and the setting make you want to learn quicker?

Of course! I like it! But as I already said, if I start now, I will massacre myself. It would be better to get a good amount of practice and preparation first. Then when I am finally ready, I can jump into the big ring.

You speak of practice and of preparation like you did when you were a boxer, do you see similarities between poker and boxing?

No because in boxing you can’t bluff (laughs). They are two different things but both are just as admirable.

Is there a chance that we will one day see you around a Partouche Poker Tour table?

Yes I think so. If I go somewhere nowadays, it is because it interests me! But I never go into things blind. I came here to soak up the atmosphere, see how it all works. I am taking my time and then we’ll see.

In any case we hope you take part one day!

Yes so do I, because it would be really fun. Poker is a great game and I think I could be quite good at it, especially in the psychological and bluffing departments. I am a very good bluffer. Even when I lie, I am telling the truth! (Laughs)

Thank you Fabrice.

François Tardieu: “Partouche is the leader when it comes to organising Poker in France”

2008-03-31T01:43:00.000-07:00

François Tardieu, winner of the Side Event and Super Satellite at Lyon, has taken part in one of the best poker hold’em experiences. He looks back over this emotionally intense and varied weekend in Lyon. It was a weekend that the Maestro is not ready to forget and we understand why…

So François, how do you feel after Lyon where you won two tournaments in 48 hours?

Exhausted…having played more than 20 hours over the two days. But I am also particularly satisfied with my successful performances. Having said that, I have to admit, for future participants, that I never had AA or KK during the two days. So one must always be patient and opportunistic and never give up hope.

What does it mean to you to win your first big poker tournament, especially coming from a backgammon background?

I was already on a final table at the European Poker Master in the Aviation Club de France where I finished 7^th. At the time I had less experience and felt like I failed. Then I understood that it could be possible to win first place if I worked on my game a bit more. Which I did at Lyon with a little help from luck. That does not mean that I cannot improve more. On the contrary, I count on improving my game.

Did your backgammon experience help you during the weekend?

After the dinner break, my chip count was quite low. I knew however from experience, particularly in Backgammon, that the most desperate cases are never fully lost and one has to always do one’s best to have luck on one’s side. That is what I did.

“I sometimes play close to 100 tournaments each week”

Which of these games do you play most at the moment? And which one do you prefer?

The games I like are chess, backgammon and poker. I have played these games now for 20 years. I like chess for its purity and beauty, backgammon for its challenge and ability overcome chance with technique and finally poker for the strategic combinations and the human dimension.

It must have taken a huge amount of concentration and endurance to win two tournaments in a row? What is your secret? And according to you, what are the qualities one needs to win this type of tournament?

Many qualities are needed to win a poker tournament. They are not that different to those needed to win other tournaments. I would say that one needs discipline, patience, a big capacity to think under pressure, a bit of maths, a good memory, good control of one’s emotions and lots of other things. I certainly don’t claim to have mastered all of these qualities, but I have been improving them during the many competitions I have participated in over the years.

How did you find the events at the Pharaon and the Lyon Vert?

Well organised and the staff were friendly and competent, particularly Maxime Masquelier who directed these events personally. All of that makes Groupe Partouche the leader when it comes to organising poker in France and I am sure they will have even more success in the future. The structure of the Super Satellite was quite appropriate although there could have been an extra level at the beginning, which would have meant the event would have started and hour earlier. Having said this, I am sure that the Main Event in Cannes, which lasts several days, will be of a standard that will put the biggest international tournaments to shame.

At what moment did you think that the Super Satellite could be yours?

When there were only 42 players left for 41 qualifying places, I has an Ace and King of hearts with a good chip count, I waited a bit to be sure I has my ticket for Cannes and then I went all in. It paid off, I won and I became the chip leader. I then said that I would not fold again even though I knew the fragility of being the chip leader in a tournament.

You gave us a great chip leader demonstration on the final table. You gave the impression of always being in control. Was it really that way in your head?

I went onto the final table calmly. I definitely had a little advantage since I sometimes play close to 100 tournaments each week, so I know some little tricks. But at the showdown without the cards there is nothing one can do…a little bit of luck helped things.

“it was nothing personal”

Did you feel at the time that the other players at the table got annoyed with you?

It was not like that, it was nothing personal. I just play the game that seems right to me in the moment. There was an atmosphere of fair play around the table, despite everyone being tired.

You came to Lyon for Cannes after your failure at Saint-Amand. If you would have lost again, would you have tried again at the next Super Satellite?

It was effectively my second try. Being relatively headstrong I would have without a doubt tried a third time if I thought I had a good chance of qualifying.

Now on to the Main Event in Cannes with its 2,000,000 Euro prize pool, how will you prepare?

The event in Cannes is over 4 days, so I think I will simply prepare my physical condition. If I have the chance to win a bit in this tournament, it would be a shame to fail because I loose energy or concentration.

Do you want to add anything else François?

I want to congratulate the other qualifiers of this stop, as well as all the players who showed a great spirit and fair play whilst staying competitive.

Thank you François and well done again!

Lyon-Tardieu, it's all over, everyone is out!

2008-03-20T09:28:00.000-07:00

It was brief and intense but great. François Tardieu gave a good lesson in poker as he got rid of his opponents round by round at the final table. Playing his role as the chip leader to semi-perfection, the backgammon champion never gave his opponents a chance. This is how it went…

François Tardieu’s victory at the final table had everyone in agreement; the backgammon champion was certainly the best player that night. Blinds of 20,000 and 40,000, a 4,000 ante and three players remaining with more than 300,000 chips: François Tardieu, Aurélien Angenieux with 364,000 and Bruno Balvay with 325,000. Cédric Torrent, from Casino de Plouescat, had the least with only 85,000 chips and was knocked out first by a flush from Yves Enderli. It was a great poker moment. Enderli went all in , 174,000 with , Cédric Torrent followed with . Final table : . Torrent was out. Then François Tardieu became active. When Christian Venturini went all in at 144,000 with , Tardieu had . The pot went up to 567,000. the table deal brought nothing and Tardieu eliminated Christian Venturini. At Rémy Mougel’s go to beat the Grand Tardieu. He went all in at 173,000 with but was knocked out by the Maestro with . Tardieu won the bet with a pair or 10s . Mougel was out.

Hurricane Tardieu

“To the next!” said Tardieu with his giant stack of chips. Rotger and his few chips had no other choice but continue. After Tardieu raised 120,000 with , Laurent Rotger completed his bet by adding . A pair of kings at the Flop against a pair of 8s at the Turn . It was over for Rotger. Hurricane Tardieu took all the chips in his path and carried on around the table. He accumulated close to 1,000,000 chips. Next victim was Yves Enderli. Same story: big raise from Tardieu of 150,000 with , Enderli with went all in at 160,000. Tardieu lined himself up and got a pair of 3s at the flop . Enderli was out…

Tardieu had so many chips he didn’t know where to put them: “I don’t know anymore how much I have”. Then Aurélien Angénieux, who had let pass the hand before, went all in without looking at his next cards. Tardieu had . Angenieux put down his cards , the table had an Ace . Angenieux was out.

The Maestro brings about the coup de grace

Bruno Balvay was trembling trembled at his go; Tardieu had more that 90% of the chips. The blinds rose again from 40,000 to 80,000. Discovering a pair of 7s , Tardieu did not pussyfoot. He went all in and was called by Balvay with . The table was dealt : . A full house for Tardieu. The Maestro accepted his win of a place at the Main Event gracefully. Patience, boldness, talent and a bit of success allowed the master Tardieu to win both the Side Event at the Pharaon and the Super Satellite at Lyon Vert. We respect you Master Tardieu!

Lyon makes its mark on the Partouche Poker Tour

2008-03-17T03:47:00.000-07:00

After the enormous success of the weekend of poker at Lyon, Lyon has become without a doubt the Texas hold’em capital of France. The two tournaments, at Pharaon and Lyon Vert, were full. The Super Satellite had a record number of 415 participants. The star of the weekend was none other than the backgammon champion François Tardieu, winner of the Pharaon tournament and the Super Satellite the following day. He gave a fantastic performance…

The whole Texas hold’em family was together this weekend at Lyon, with a record number of 415 participants. The structure of the tournament was the same as at the previous PPT stops. Blinds of 25 and 50, 5,000 chips per player to begin with and blinds increasing every 25 minutes. The organisation of the Lyon Vert Super Satellite was quite simply amazing. Set in one of the most beautiful casinos in France the show took place in two magnificent rooms each with different atmospheres. What more could one ask for?

16.00, the players were all there. It was an opportunity to meet some familiar people such as Robert Cohen, François Tardieu, Michel Cohen, Paul Testud or even Alexander Dreyfus and also guests such as Fabrice Tiozzo. With a prestigious venue, great people and perfect organisation, one could not have dreamed of a better start to this long and beautiful night of poker hold’em. Like the previous stops, the tone was competitive to start with. Players were very aggressive and after just a few minutes eliminated players were already wandering the halls. An hour after the tournament started, 50 players had already been knocked out and were waiting for the Side Event for 200 players to start. Due to the incredible crowds, the Side Event raised its limit to 230 players. The winner of the Side Event was Morgan Alarson. Congratulations!

Lyon Vert was also a chance to see the most extravagant poker players in France, such as Fabrice Allion. 18.30, the dinner break interrupted the tournament. 263 players were still in the tournament, but François Tardieu was not leading with only 5,600 chips compared to an average chip count of 8,000. The chip leader was none other than Paul Testud, who qualified in Nice at the Palais de la Méditerranée. He had 22,000 chips and was way ahead of the other ten leading players who each had between 10,000 and 15,000 chips.
The meal revitalised some players, but threw others…After just 8 short minutes of play, 25 players were eliminated. The level of the game and the increase of the blinds from 300 to 600 were to blame, pushing the most vulnerable players to go all in. 21.30, round 10, blinds were 600 and 1,200, the ante was 100 and the average player chip count was 19,951. Three people were in the lead: the indisputable Paul Testud with 84,000 chips, Cédric Torrent of Plouescat with 62,000 chips and Hervé Mulatero of Bandol with 55,000. Paul Testud was ahead due to an amazing move that allowed him to win an important pot of 35,000 chips. He went all in with a 6 and a 2 in his hand against an Ace and a 5 in his opponent’s hand, the flop brought him luck: 3, 4, 5. A straight allowed him a few minutes to relax before returning to the table. At this stage of the tournament, there were only 100 players left.

At 23.00, the frantic pace was replaced by a round of close observation. The players were all keeping one eye on their opponents and their chip counts and another on the screens displaying the tournament statistics. They were waiting for the slightest mistake. Because of the importance of the blinds for some (2,000 and 4,000), it was not surprising to see good hands thrown away. Many spectators crowded around the tables, waiting for players to get knocked out. When an all-in was announced, the spectators quivered at the unveiling of the River. It was a tense atmosphere that one would expect at a big tournament, but it was also friendly. Such is the charm of the Partouche Poker Tour.

00.30, when the speaker announced two players had gone all in, the other 40 stopped playing. A heavy silence descended. The spectators held their breath until they learnt that the 42^nd player had been knocked out. The silence was pierced by a thunder of applauds when a three of a kind of two was acquired at the River. Relief was felt by the 41 happy players who were still in the game. The speaker announced that they were going to Cannes and then there was a break, both events were celebrated wholeheartedly. What a great atmosphere at Lyon! We have never heard so much noise!

From then on, the players were more relaxed. And very quickly, the names of the 8 finalists were known. The biggest excitement was the absence of Paul Testud. He was at the same table as François Tardieu, which was very unnerving and he was knocked out by the Maestro. A real shock that Tardieu won with AK against A2, the table bringing nothing. Tardieu considerably increased his amount of chips. Testud came in 10^th place according to him, followed by Remy Amandola. The 8 Lyon Vert finalists were: Aurélien Angenieux, François Tardieu, Bruno Balvay, Remy Mougel, Laurent Rotger, Yves Enderli, Cédric Torrent and Christian Venturini. The rest of the story you know, François Tardieu won both the Pharaon tournament and the Lyon Vert Super Satellite. He gave a great performance, which was a particularly amazing return after his disappointment in Saint-Amand where he didn’t manage to qualify. The Maestro left Lyon with more than 20,000 euros in his pocket and a place worth 8,500 euros for the Main event in Cannes. What a great weekend…

And as well as Elsa Fayer and François Tardieu, many thanks and congratulations goes to the whole Partouche Poker Tour team, without whom the success of the Super Satellite would not have been possible. Well done also to Maxime Masquelier made it all run smoothly, to the setting up and dismantling team and the technicians who did a colossal amount of work, to the hostesses, to the croupiers, to the catering team, to the directors and to everyone at the Pharaon and the Lyon Vert who gave us two magical evenings, and of course to our fellow journalists. We miss Lyon already…Well done everyone!

LYON VERT SUPER SATELLITE 15^TH MARCH 2008

Here is the final list of the qualifiers for the Partouche Poker Tour Main Event. Out of the 415 participants of this third Super Satellite at Lyon Vert, 41 have won a ticket for the Grand Final in Cannes. The prize pool was 50,000 euros and the winner François Tardieu won 15,000 euros. The other 40 players split the rest of the prize pool.

1. TARDIEU François 15,000 euros
2. BALVAY Bruno 6,000 euros
3. ANGENIEUX Aurélien 3,500 euros
4. ENDERLI Yves 3,000 euros
5. ROTGER Laurent 2,500 euros
6. MOUGEL Rémy 1,500 euros
7. VENTURINI Christian 1,000 euros
8. TORRENT Cédric 1,000 euros
9. AMANDOLA Rémy 500 euros
10. TESTUD Paul 500 euros
11. VICENTE Nicolas 500 euros
12. VANDEVOORDE Vincent 500 euros
13. GRAND MOURSEL Jean-Pierre 500 euros
14. LOZES Georges 500 euros
15. LE CORRE MAUREL Fabrice 500 euros
16. LEVIGNE Norbert 500 euros
17. DE MATOS Thierry 500 euros
18. BONNEVILLE Samuel 500 euros
19. AUNET Yoan 500 euros
20. POPPER Robert 500 euros
21. POURPRIX Sylvain 500 euros
22. GRANGER Thierry 500 euros
23. DAIKHA Toufik 500 euros
24. GOURIER Alain 500 euros
25. CONQUI Stéphan 500 euros
26. PASQUIER Frédéric 500 euros
27. CHARIL Pierre 500 euros
28. BRIAND Sébastien 500 euros
29. BISMUTH Kevin 500 euros
30. THOMAS Jean-Marc 500 euros
31. MILLE Gerald 500 euros
32. MOUSSONNE Marc 500 euros
33. PLAZA Jean Manuel 500 euros
34. MONTURY Jean 500 euros
35. JACQUES Cédric 500 euros
36. LASSERIE Alain 500 euros
37. DUPLOUY Hervé 500 euros
38. MEBARKI Abdelkader 500 euros
39. ROSSI Cédric 500 euros
40. DEBUE David 500 euros
41. AZZOUZI Zakaria 500 euros

NUMBER OF QUALIFIERS FROM EACH CASINO

1. Le Lyon Vert 11
2. Palm Beach Cannes 3
3. Saint-Galmier 3
4. Divonne 2
5. La Grande Motte 2
6. Le Lydia 2
7. Lyon Pharaon 2
8. Andernos 1
9. Bandol 1
10. Beaulieu 1
11. Berck-sur-Mer 1
12. Boulogne sur Mer 1
13. Cabourg 1
14. Hyères 1
15. Juan les Pins 1
16. Nice Palais de la Méditerranée 1
17. Palavas 1
18. Plouescat 1
19. Saint-Amand les Eaux 1

A third stop organised by the hands of a pro!

2008-03-14T04:35:00.000-07:00

Paul-Eric Schulmann, responsible for poker at the Lyon Vert casino, was present at the first two Partouche Poker Tour stops so that he could organise this third Super Satellite as well as possible. We tracked him down and interviewed him at Divonne about the preparation of Lyon event.

Hello Paul-Eric, how have you prepared for the Lyon Vert Super Satellite?
I went to Saint-Amand-les-Eaux in January and then Divonne-les-Bains. At Saint-Amand, I spent time with the Communications Director. He oversaw the external side of the event and I experienced the internal workings at the heart of the tournament. I took my whole team to Divonne, from the guys responsible for the meals to the sales people and from the communications team to the head of security. We were all there to meet the heads of the different services and how the event should be organised. We are going to try and make this stop as good as the previous ones.

From Saint-Amand to Divonne, we have seen the success increase each time...
I don't see it that way. Saint-Amand was also a great success! And it was even more difficult being the first tournament of the PPT. As for the Divonne Super Satellite, it was remarkably well organised. In fact, it is just in terms of participation numbers that the success is increasing. At Saint-Amand there were 334 players and at Divonne 347, we hope to surpass 400 at Lyon Vert. That would be amazing.

Lyon is the champion of football, but poker?
It is for sure Lyon is the champion of football. But we are doing everything possible to make the Lyon Vert Super Satellite an enormous success that will brings together the whole region to give the best possible image of our casino. From the infrastructure to the catering, it must all be working perfectly. So I reiterate if this stop is as good as the previous ones, it will be fabulous!

Lyon Vert attacks!

2008-03-13T08:27:00.000-07:00

We could not have imagined a better place than the Lyon Vert casino to host this third Partouche Poker Tour Super Satellite. Located in Tour de Salvagny, in a unique and prestigious setting, the Lyon Vert is extremely comfortable and we could not have asked for a more appropriate environment in which to continue the PPT.

Paris, London, New York, Tokyo…all the biggest cities have a major monument. And so do the biggest casinos…it is called the Partouche Poker Tour! The Lyon Vert casino will be the third casino of this PPT to host the biggest European Texas hold’em tournament of the year. From the dazzling organisation of the poker room to the diverse activities and entertainment, this stop has been designed to give players a magical experience that will equal that of the previous stops. The Lyon Vert also has special and prestigious restaurants which serve delicious food and will you want to extend your stay. Put simply, the Lyon Vert will make you roar with pleasure!

THE LYON VERT

Venue Info:
The Lyon Vert – 200, Avenue du Casino 69890 – La Tour de Salvagny – +33 (0) 4 78 87 02 70
To go to the casino’s site click here

Where to eat?
Restaurant La Rotonde: the chef of this starred gastronomic restaurant, Philippe Gauvreau, offers a refined and seasonal menu.

Restaurant Le Baccara: a restaurant with elegant decor and a quiet atmosphere, located in the traditional games room.

Restaurant La Cascade: a brasserie with a warm and friendly atmosphere, located in the centre of the slot machine room.

Where to relax?
Bar La Cascade: A few meters from the casino, the 4* luxury hotel Pavillon de la rotonde has a spa of 900 m2 and a landscaped park. Enhance your stay with luxury and well being.

THE PHARAON

The Pharaon will host one of the two Side Events for 200 players on Friday at 21.00, where you will get a chance to discover the other casino in Lyon in an Egyptian atmosphere.

Venue Info:
The Pharaon - 70, Quai Charles de Gaulle 69006 – Lyon – +33 (0) 4 78 17 53 53
To go to the casino’s site click here

Where to eat?
Restaurant La Vallée des Rois: the Vallée des Rois has an easy-going atmosphere and is open everyday, located in the centre of the slot machine room.

Restaurant des jeux traditionnels: the restaurant of the traditional games will transport you into the magical world of gaming tables and Egyptian frescos.

Where to relax?
The traditional games bar and the slot machine bar

Where to stay in Lyon?
Le Pavillon de la Rotonde****L
3, avenue du Casino
69260 Charbonnières-les-bains
Tel : +33 (0) 4 78 87 79 79
Email : contact@pavillon-rotonde.com

Hôtel Park Inn***
2, allée du levant
69890 La Tour de Salvagny
Tel : +33 (0) 4 78 87 29 87

Hôtel Beaulieu**
19, avenue Général De Gaulles
69260 Charbonnières-les-bains
Tel : +33 (0) 4 78 87 12 04
Fax : +33 (0) 4 78 87 00 62

A great program!

2008-03-13T08:22:00.000-07:00

Poker hold’em beginners, Lyon is your territory this weekend! The third Partouche Poker Tour Super Satellite of the season is going to take place in the Lyon Vert Casino in Tour de Salvagny. Lyon and Partouche are celebrating this event as they should, by holding two extra tournaments with 200 players in each. So there are now three good reasons to spend your weekend in Lyon.

The weekend is almost here and so it time for you to plan your weekend. On Friday 14^th March at 9pm there will be an exceptional tournament with 200 players at the Pharaon in Lyon. This will be an ideal opportunity to practice your poker skills before the Texas hold’em event of the month begins: the Lyon Vert Super Satellite! It all starts at 4pm on Saturday; registration is expected to finish at 3pm. At the time this article went to press, there were already 320 players registered and many more are expected. So to the joy of poker lovers a record crowd for Lyon is expected. Like at the previous stops, everything will be organised down to the smallest details for the comfort of the players and for those who only think about poker. There will be breaks every 2 hours with a dinner break of an hour and a half. For players eliminated early, there will be a second side event for 200 players at 9pm in the same casino (Lyon Vert). Note that to participate in the two tournaments of 200 players, you need to get to the venue in advance of half an hour before the beginning of the competition. A word of advice: be on time, places are limited!

1 tournament at Pharaon on Friday 14^th March at 9pm
1 Super Satellite at the Lyon Vert Casino on Saturday 15^th March at 4pm
1 tournament at the Lyon Vert Casino on Saturday 15^th March at 9pm

Participation fee for the tournaments is: 250 euros + 35 euros. 200 players expected.
Fee for the Super Satellite is: 1,075 euros

This weekend, Lyon is the king of poker!

The art of bluffing

2008-03-12T09:19:00.000-07:00

What does a player who never bluffs and a player who bluffs all the time have in common? They will both have a hard time winning a tournament. Bluffing involves timing, calculating and control. It is a weapon which can be as fatal for the person being bluffed as for the bluffer.

“Liars only win one thing, that they are never believed, even when they tell the truth”. Bluffing is one of the most difficult techniques to master, but is often the first term mentioned by a beginner when they start playing poker. It is not however until one has played many games that one starts to enjoy this art and use it well. Bluffing is a technique that steers one’s opponent into making a mistake and folding even though they have the best hand. There are two types of buffs. A total bluff; where one deceives one’s opponent with a very weak hand, giving them no chance to win the move. And a semi-bluff; which consists of playing with a low value hand, but that has the potential to improve.

How to bluff

There are many factors that effect bluffing, like timing for example. Bluffing is a weapon that must not be used in haste or without thinking about it. The more you use it, the more it looses its value. It must therefore be used sparingly and only to win pots whose value are worth it. Measuring the risk is vital at a poker table. A player must also not bluff time and time again in front of the same players: “one can beat a thousand people one time, but not beat one person a thousand times…” The amount one raises by is also an important consideration. If a player finds himself making a total bluff and he does not make a big enough raise, there will be a chance he will be called by another player and consequently loose the pot.

Don’t forget that one’s position at the table is also very important. If one is the last to speak in the pre-flop phase, and few of the other players have folded, one will be an ideal position to win the pot. This is quite a successful technique, but one needs to make a significant raise to put off the other players. It is inadvisable to bluff if more that two players are after you. Don’t try your luck either against players who will go all in no matter what. Of course, it is all relative and each situation is different. That is the beauty and complexity of the game.

Acting

Maintaining one’s composure when bluffing is also hard to master. When a player finds himself making a total bluff, his emotions can betray him. Being a good actor is therefore strongly recommended. The main difficulty is to not look like you are bluffing. Your opponents will always keep one eye on you, as they look out for the slightest hint that you are bluffing from the way you act. It is important to always act like a player who has good cards. Be equally careful of being pushed into bluffing. Some of your opponents will do anything to make you bluff. And like Maurice Chapelan said “pretending to believe a lie is an exquisite lie”. In poker, it is a delight…

Guess what’s back?

2008-03-11T09:52:00.000-07:00

Five weeks after the Divonne les Bains Super Satellite, the Partouche Poker Tour heads to Lyon for the third Super Satellite of the season.

The Partouche Poker Tour is back on its tour of France and heading to Lyon and the prestigious Lyon Vert Casino at Tour de Salvagny. The whole PPT team are as expected already there and are ready to prepare for the third Super Satellite of the season. After the resounding success of the first two stages at Saint-Amand and Divonne, we are expecting an exciting and long evening of poker in one of the most beautiful casinos in France. The stake is the same as usual - a prize pool of 50,000 euros given to the best players of the night as well as a ticket for the Main Event in Cannes worth 8,500 euros. A Main Event which, let me remind you, has a prize of 2,000,000 euros! So come along everyone, you have until Saturday to register to participate in the biggest Texas hold’em tournament ever organised in Europe! “A unique experience, a life experience” agree the 681 players present at the two first stages.

* To register for the Lyon Vert Super Satellite you need to:
- register directly at a Partouche casino or at the Partouche Groupe’s head office: 141 bis rue de Saussure-Paris 75017, 9am-6pm.
- register by telephone (ask for Mme Grenand) on + 33 (0) 4 78 87 11 56, 9am-6pm until Friday 14th March 2008.
- go directly to the venue at the Lyon Vert Casino in Tour Salvagny

* Registration for the Lyon Vert Super Satellite via the internet and satellites is now closed. To participate in the next Super Satellites, you need to:
- win one of the Satellite tournaments held in the 41 poker rooms of Partouche’s casinos (see the list of tournaments at www.partouchepokertour.fr).
- register directly at www.partouchepokertour.fr, on the page “Online registration”.

Satellite participation fee: 125€
Super Satellite participation fee: 1,075€
Main Event in Cannes participation fee: 8,500€

Weekend of fun in Lyon!

2008-03-11T02:22:00.000-07:00

Poker and tournament amateurs, Lyon is for you! Just before the third Partouche Poker Tour Super Satellite at the Lyon Vert casino on the 15th March, Partouche is organising two Texas hold'em tournaments with 200 players in each. The Partouche Poker Tour and two big Texas hold'em tournaments equals three major events which will be more popular than football! When Partouche bets, everyone folds!

1 tournament at Pharaon Friday 21.00
1 tournament at Lyon Vert casino Saturday 21.00
Fee: 250+35, 200 players expected.

To register, go to the relevant casino up to half an hour before the tournament begins. But hurry up, there will not be enough places for everyone!

Hey there!

2008-03-06T05:43:00.000-08:00

Here are the dates you have been waiting for! The first three Partouche Poker Tour Super Satellites are to be broadcast on Eurosport. So Texas hold'em lovers, grab your remote controls! You will able to at last see the biggest ever tournament organised in Europe, listen to commentaries by the beautiful Elsa Fayer, analyse the performances of the best players such as Remy Biechel or Azzedine Yessad and of course enjoy all the magic of Texas hold'em... That just about sums it up!

Super Satellite in Saint-Amand-les-Eaux:
04/04/2008 : 21.00-24.00
11/04/2008 : 21.00-24.00

Super Satellite in Divonne-les-Bains :
18/04/2008 : 21.00-24.00
09/05/2008 : 21.00-24.00

Super Satellite in Lyon :
16/05/2008 : 21.00-24.00
30/05/2008 : 21.00-24.00

How to relax at the Poker table

2008-03-05T03:31:00.000-08:00

It is difficult to remain calm in all situations around the poker table. However, all players strive to find an effective solution. Massages, walkmans or personal good luck charms are all good ways to make one feel more comfortable, but in the end, everyone gets nervous.

Woody Allen once said: "as long as man is mortal, he will never relax". This quote makes sense at the poker table: "as long as a player can loose, he will never relax". Whether professionals or amateurs, players have all at one time or another cracked under the pressure. This is what happens in tournaments, games or even just one's turn; poker creates intense emotions that man cannot always control. And even if some players brag about having the "poker face", that does not stop them boiling over inside. That is why at the Partouche Poker Tour Super Satellites, many players came with their good luck charm and others with advice from the biggest poker stars that they found on the internet, in magazines or DVDs. It was not rare to come across clones of stars such as Phil Laak. All of these methods are good to try to relax and ignore all the things that could disturb one's concentration. But the stake was so big…that it was all in vain.

"When one is nervous, it never ends well" Remy Biechel

This is a true statement and some players do appear to be relaxed. For example, François Tardieu is chilled out and is used to big international backgammon tournaments, the Divonne-les-Bains finalist Eddy Glaude is always smiling, and the winner of the Saint-Amand Super Satellite Remy Biechel also seems relaxed. For the latter, the pleasure of playing is his only way of escaping the pressure. That and his walkman: “I am relaxed simply because I enjoy playing. It is not obvious, but when one participates in a tournament feeling nervous, it never ends well. So one does what it takes to relax. For that, I have my walkman which isolates me when I am not feeling so great or when I want to block out the taunts of certain players who are always either unhappy or too happy. I turn up the volume and become calm immediately. This is what I did last year at Cannes [where he came 4th]. I took my walkman and was sleepy for 20 minutes at a table. The funniest thing was that I still observed what was going on around me. Sometimes if nothing much is happening, I leave the table to have a rest. It is that simple.”

“Snapping is bad for one’s health”

If Remy takes such precautions, it is because he know that staying calm in a tournament is the key to one’s success, even if 12 hours of intense competition can seem long. But the more one rushes, the less one is on top of things: “I have already seen people crack when they have one or two bad losses. You see them end up eliminating themselves by calling when they should really fold. They literally snap!” This is a perfect demonstration of what one must not do. To avoid this, at Divonne, certain players close to snapping asked the PPT masseuses to relieve their stress. That is why we say that poker is a one of the most violent sports in the world…and why a Zen attitude is recommended to help one win. One rarely hears of the best players weeping over losses, excluding some exceptions like Tony G from Lithuania. But as the well know proverb goes: “When a tree falls, one hears it, when a forest grows, not a sound”. Champions understand this…

The Maestro's opinion

2008-03-04T02:06:00.000-08:00

At the first Super Satellite at Saint-Amand, the backgammon champion François Tardieu tells us about his view of poker and its similarities with backgammon - mainly bluffing!

Backgammon has no more secrets for François Tardieu. This is because the French champion and triple European champion who is considered one of the best backgammon players in the world, participated in the first Super Satellite of the Partouche Poker Tour. Although he has played poker for twenty years, François Tardieu has never jumped into the deep end. The PPT was the ideal launch pad: "2,000,000 euros could not be missed!" he exclaimed a little after his elimination. But although the stake is still important to the "maestro", so is enjoying the game: "One can relax at the poker table, something that is not always possible in real life. In poker you can lie, hide things and pretend. Everything that is forbidden or frowned upon in real life, is considered "good play" in poker. This is what makes it interesting". And when we asked him what the similarities between backgammon and poker are, the "maestro" replied: "there are numerous similarities between the two disciplines. For example, the ability to concentrate for a long time, to observe or to have a good memory. One equally learns lots about the psychological dimension of others and of oneself. In backgammon, like in poker, one can manipulate one’s opponents if they are not already controlling you. Over time, one improves, one acquires wisdom and experience and one learns a lot from one's mistakes. In fact, the only difference is that with poker, one is not obliged to have good cards to win". François Tardieu will be at the Casino le Lyon Vert on the 15^th March where he will try his luck at the third Super Satellite of the season.

Poker is all about position!

2008-02-27T03:00:00.000-08:00

Every detail counts in Texas Hold'em. One's position at the table and whether one is the first or the last player to speak dramatically changes one's game and strategy. Read on for an explanation.

All players know that their position around a poker table is crucial for deciding whether to raise or not or to bluff or not and for analysing the enthusiasm of other players. One understands the term “position” as a player’s place in relation to the button, i.e. the dealer. Players measure their position by the people on their right, for example, those on their left have a better position than them. In hold’em poker the player who speaks last has the best position, because he has time to analyse what is going on around him and to make his decision and adapt his strategy after everyone has had their go. The player who has to go first has the worst position, because he has to make his decision with no information.

In poker, although a risk may pay out, it can also be one’s downfall

The reason that the majority of players like to be one of the last to speak, is because these positions allow them to collect as much information as possible on their opponents, their game and their tactics. In this case, it is always easier to play an intermediate hand like for example. The player can either take a chance at winning the pot by raising, or call hoping to improve his hand from the table. On the other hand, if the player finds himself in the first position with same hand and his 7 opponents are behind him, he must absolutely realise that there are 7 potential threats likely to raise or even go all in. In poker, although a risk may pay out, it can also be one’s downfall. So the first to speak must, generally speaking, only play when he has a strong hand at the risk of loosing his chips. His scope for manoeuvre is therefore limited.

Drawing is best for players

Of course everything is relative, and everything depends on the context. If the first player to speak raises by a lot, although he shouldn’t as the first, everyone will think that he has a good hand. This is why it is harder to work out if he is bluffing or not. Another important factor is one’s the position relative to certain players. If one finds an aggressive player to one’s left, raising will not pressure or scare him into a battle for the strongest hand. It is the same for players who are too cautious, who, impressed by your zeal, will have a tendency to fold two out of three times.

The importance of one’s position is therefore crucial. A good position allows players to know their opponents, their game tactics and their strategy at specific moments. In poker it is better to know before thinking.

Dr Glaude's prescription

2008-02-27T02:54:00.000-08:00

Coming to Divonne for the first time, Eddy Laurent Glaude had no idea that he would qualify for the Main Event in Cannes. During his night at the hotel, the 32 year old doctor concentrated like never before to fulfil his dream, ending in fourth place. A showman was born at Divonne!

If he manipulates the cards like he does the surgical knife, you would say that Eddy Laurent Glaude is a formidable doctor. Because in terms of poker at the Super Satellite, the doc. proved that he had no reason to be jealous of the better players. With sun glasses, a hoodie and a broad smile, one would have thought that this showman was used to tournaments with their spotlights and camera flashes. He said: “it was awesome but scary! The spotlights, the photos, the camera men and the crowds, I did not think that it would have media coverage. It was mind-blowing!” That is why at this second Super Satellite of the PPT he was surprised that: “at the breaks, I compared my bets with those of the others and was amazed to see that I was always in the middle and surprised that I was still in the game. I enjoyed each moment and shared them with my friends. I called everyone, my family, my girlfriend and my friends”. It is the emotions of the game, that this poker enthusiast loves most, except of course the strategic dimension: “When you are completely bluffing and you win the pot, it rocks and particularly as you do not have to show your bluffs. It is really exciting. It is what I like about poker.”

" A performance that will always be remembered! "

The doc. is a born competitor. When he first saw the poster for the PPT at Pharaon, he only had one thought: to qualify for Cannes! After two Satellites and a Super Satellite, this dream has been fulfilled. This frequenter of the Parisian circle and big amateur tournaments, finds the money in tournaments is more satisfying and the game more interesting than cash games: “I by far prefer the atmosphere and style of the game that one finds at tournaments. At Divonne for example, when the 35th player was knocked out, everyone shook hands, very happy to have won something concrete. It was amazing. The game is also more serious and more strategic in tournaments, seeing that everyone starts with the same amount of chips. It is for this reason that a winning performance in a tournament will always be remembered.” His performance will certainly be remembered by all the card enthusiasts who were at Divonne. And as for his style, his kindness and his capacity to perform to the crowd, Eddy Laurent Glaude showed that he has everything we like in a poker player. That is why we are already impatient to see the showman at Cannes next September!

* Eddy Laurent was keen to say a big hello to his supportive friends Susanne, Vincent, Samy, Gary, Raphäel, Anthony, Sylvain and his other poker friends from Lille, without whom he would never have made it this far. This is what makes a champion!

Azeddine Yessad: “A great event for poker!”

2008-02-21T08:26:00.000-08:00

54 year old Azeddine Yessad, restaurateur from Grenoble and great amateur card player, has played poker for "some time now". His love affair with Texas Hold'em reached a peak a year ago in Divonne-les-Bains. He finds this version of poke simple and pleasant to play and it has led him to discover the world of casinos. One year later, he is back in Divonne for the Partouche Poker Tour Super Satellite. Calm, tranquil and patient as usual, Azeddine Yessad dreams about his beautiful victory. These are the words of a wise man:

Hello Azeddine, how have you been since your beautiful victory in the Super Satellite at Divonne?
Very well thank you. I am very happy that I experienced such a great moment. I mad it to the end out of 347 players; that is not bad [smiles]. That Super Satellite was a great event for poker and also for me. I came with about ten friends who suggested I register. Today, I do not regret it one bit. They were eliminated, some even came close to the end, but they will try again in Lyon on the 15th March.

How did you find that Super Satellite?
It was my first tournament and I have to say I am smitten! It was really very nice, comfortable and well organised from beginning to end. The breaks were good and important for the players. The Partouche Poker Tour team always took care of its players, particularly with the dinner buffet that was spectacular. I’ll say it again; it really was a great event for poker and for the players. I met people that I hadn’t seen for ages, and got to know others that I didn’t know before. We had a good laugh, ate well and played well…we really had a lot of fun.

And the level of play?
I found the level of play very high. There were some very tough players, particularly at the final table. For example I found Samir Chaib [his final opponent] very good. He played seriously until the end, except maybe for the last move where he thought I was bluffing, but I wasn’t…After that, he lost a bit of clarity due to tiredness. I on the other hand was exhausted [laughs].

At what moment did you think that this tournament could be yours?
There was not a particular moment. But I said to myself at one specific point that maybe I should concentrate. It is for sure this that helped me get to the end. I remember that I got up to speak to a player behind me and when I came back to the table, I saw that my hand was a queen and an eight of diamonds. But the croupier said to me “too late”, so I folded…the flop was dealt with 3 diamonds including a king and an ace. Three players went all in and I had the best hand. It was a reminder about fate…

Now it is Cannes and its mythical Palm Beach!
I like poker and what I want most is to have fun. I registered for Divonne to have fun and play cards, it was that simple. But it is true that when there were only 100 players left, I said “why not?”. Now I will go to Cannes with the same mentality. That is to say calmly, and then we will see if I play well.

Calmly ok, but there are 2,000,000 euros to be won! What would you do with this much money?
[Dreaming] It is true that it is a lot of money. I would give some of it to the associations that I have supported since I stared. Then I think I would use the rest to travel a lot.

These women who are gaining chips!

2008-02-15T07:59:00.000-08:00

For many men, playing poker against a woman is far from fun. Too unpredictable, too cautious, sometimes even too charming; women players use everything they can to beat their appointments. It's a woman's world now!

For those of you who still think that poker is a man’s game, invite a woman to play with you and you will not be disappointed…Even if there have not yet been enough women to really break into the middle of the poker scene, they have over time become as experienced and capable as men. The reasons for this are multiple, for example the explosion of the poker hold’em phenomenon, the opening of women only tournaments and the media’s promotion of American female players such as Jennifer Woods or even Kathy Liebert as well as the coaches of the Hollywood stars such as the actor James Woods. Women have in the past won a tournament called “the battle of the sexes”. This is proof that even in poker, ladies and kings do not always get on well.

Partouche Poker Tour has its princesses

In France, there are still no international “poker ladies” like Shannon Elizabeth or Liz Lieu, but their presence as talented players in the Partouche Poker Tour is helping to counter balance this. At the first Super Satellite of the season in Pasino de Saint-Amand-les-Eaux, there were certain women who brilliantly stood out, such as the gorgeous actress Alice Taglioni who gave one of the best female performances of the tournament and who was only eliminated just before reaching one of the qualifying places. The Swiss woman Margareth Kuno became the first female player to qualify for Cannes finishing 26th at the Super Satellite in Divonne after a superb run. Of course there are not as many female players as there are male. 9 out of 334 players at Saint-Armand and 6 out of 347 players at Divonne. But this did not stop them from lighting up the evening with wins that were each more spectacular than the last. When watching them play, one might wonder if it is the female nature in general that helps their poker talent. Whether it is bluffing, intuition or prudence; they have formidable skills.

“The majority of “winning” players are not effected by the physical appearance of their opponents” - Liz Lieu

So formidable are these female players that men don’t loose in the same way against them. This is a problem in the unmerciful world of poker: do women just play differently or do men insist on reading them differently? Both questions can be answered. But in this Valentines period, the gorgeous and talented Liz Lieu thinks that certain men play differently against women and it is these men that sometime make bad decisions. In an interview with our colleagues from pokernews, she adds that male players will do anything to eliminate female players before they take their money. According to the American champion, this is an error: “From my observations, I have noticed that the majority of “winning” players are not affected by the physical appearance of their opponents, no matter what their sex, age or race is. But if the fact that you are a woman gives you an advantage, grab it!”

They are ready for anything!

According to Liz Lieu, some men insist on playing differently against women. Various testimonies from players, taken throughout the tournament, claim that this is because men and women play the game differently. According to these testimonies, women place more importance on intuition than men do. Some even take big risks, often after the flop, where they will persuade themselves that on the Turn or the River a combination will arise to make them win. They also equally claim that women will do anything to win a game; they have the use of their charm and can be more tolerant and restrained. In effect, despite that there are more men in the cruel world of poker than women, the women feel like they are at home around the table. So good are they that they can take the taunts and jibes of other players better and do not unnecessarily loose their chips under the pressure of “if you don’t have it, leave the table!” Female players never get worn down.

INTERVIEW
Margareth Kuno, the iron woman!

Margareth Kuno is the first woman in the Partouche Poker Tour to qualify for the Main Event in Cannes. This Swiss woman, originally from Hungary, finished 26th out of 347 participants after a magnificent run. In her first big tournament, Margareth has proved that women have a place around the poker table. Unassuming and mysterious, she talks about her very first time.

Hi Margareth, so how does it feel to be the first female player to win a place for the Main Event in Cannes?
I am very proud to have got this far. It proves that all other women can also get here. I am also extremely happy to go to Cannes! It was my main aim for my first big tournament. I have never been there so I am very excited to explore the town and the Palm Beach.

As your first big tournament, how have you found this Super Satellite at Divonne-les-Bains?
Very exciting and very nerve wracking! I heard about Partouche Poker Tour on the radio and I said that I would participate in it. I registered for a satellite tournament in Divonne and I qualified, it was as simple as that. Next I found myself here in this huge room, it was really awesome.

How long have you played poker for?
I started to play closed poker privately with friends about 5 years ago. I started to play Texas hold’em only a year ago. The first time that I played for money, I had such an adrenaline rush and really strong feelings, things that I had never experienced before. I liked it straight away.

And how much adrenaline will you have at the Main Event in Cannes? 2,000,000 are in play!
Olalla…I don’t want to think about it (laughs).

CLOSE UP:
Margareth Kuno was knocked out by one of the seven Divonne Super Satellite finalists, Jonathan Khalifa. They found themselves locked in a game between just the two of them where at the end Jonathan Khalifa had the last word. This is what happened:

The blinds were 6,000 and 12,000. Margareth had no more chips and had no other option than to go all in with . Everyone folded except Jonathan Khalifa, the chipleader at the table. “The man of aces” as Margareth likes to call him, put down . Several matches had already been played in the past between the two young players, all in good humor, but this ultimate head to head ended this love affaire.

The Flop:
Khalifa had a pair. But Kuno could still get a flush.
The Turn and the River:
The Turn and the River gave Jonathan Khalifa a full house. The man from Casino le Pharaon in Lyon eliminated the last women left in the Divonne Super Satellite with an impressive full house.

Divonne-les-Bains, another success for the PPT!

2008-02-13T05:22:00.000-08:00

The excitement at Divonne is all over! The second Super Satellite of the season was an event worthy to be part of the largest tournament in the world. Seamless organisation, an outstanding welcome, superb décor and talented players: a perfect location for this long and beautiful evening of Poker to take place. Azeddine Yessad, the winner of the stage, is passionate about cards and football. It is green surfaces that he knows!

The sixth Partouche Poker Tour has made the Alps tremble and the Mont Blanc fade and rightly so; the size of this super satellite is simply enormous. After the success of Saint-Armand-les-Eaux, Divonne-les-Bains has confirmed that the Partouche Poker Tour is the definitely the European poker event of the year. This amazing night of poker was filled with joy, tears, screaming and laughter. What a treat for Texas hold’em amateurs! Divonne-les-Bains also beat the participation record of Saint-Armand with a total of 347 registered players. It could not have started better.

The participants streamed into the room that had been reserved for the Partouche Poker Tour, to Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York”. Each player was invited to take their place around one of the 37 tables. Along the side of the huge room, a giant screen was set up to keep players updated with the tournament’s progress. The croupiers stood by ready, waiting for the master of ceremonies Numa Benhamou to start it all off. No sooner had this been done than the cards were dealt… and the sound of chips clicking echoed around the room. It was 4pm.

“the speed of a derby race”

From the beginning, the tone was set: the players wanted to fight as soon as possible! The blows followed one another and the all in bets flew in every sense of the word. Like at Saint-Amand-les Eaux, the players teased each other, showing off their regional poker skills and their home casino respectively. 275 of the players there had qualified through satellite tournaments and they teased each other continually. A good war, as one says. Between Divonne-les-Bains and Lyon Vert, Palavas and Nice, the matches took on the appearance of a derby race. Poker is more than just a game, it has become a sport! An inter-casino tournament was even born. Each player wanted to prove to the next that their town is the best in terms of poker. It was not rare to hear “look, he is not the only one left from Palavas. It is about honour!” At 5pm, there were only 318 participants left. As for the unhappy losers, they consoled themselves at the 5 cash game tables in the Grand Casino.

At 6pm, certain players had already differentiated themselves from the rest by the size of their all in bets. This was the case with David Tavernier at table 25, Frank Mihalic at table 23, Samir Chaib at table 12 and Thierry Bourdoulous at table 11. The break for dinner began and again Divonne did itself proud with the sumptuousness and refinement of its dishes. A huge buffet was provided for the players with exquisite savoury dishes from the four corners of the world and only good tastes. After the royal feast, the tournament continued. Pepped up, the participants continued their struggle, always more aggressively. With all in bet after all in bet and from bad beats to bad beats, the losers continued to add up until the Prize Pool was displayed on the giant screen. A sign that everyone’s desire, to know who has qualified for Cannes, was approaching quickly.

Standing Ovation!

12.30am. The 35th player left to thunderous applause. There was a collective sigh of relief…The final group had been formed. The chip leader, and one of the seven future finalists, Philippe Olivier had 179,000 chips. One would have thought, therefore, that the players would play without raising and that discussions would become shorter. This was not the case. The losers left the tables in dribs and drabs. It was only an hour an a half later at 3am that the seven finalists were known: Yann Reytier, Philippe Olivier, Eddy Glaude, Jonathan Khalifa, Samir Chaib, Azeddine Yessad and Massimo Confortin. And finally it was the eldest of the group, Azeddine Yessad, who emerged brilliantly as the winner to end a fantastic and emotional final. The second Super Satellite drew to a close with applause from a large audience. The standing ovation was not reserved only for the finalists, but also for the Partouche Poker Tour team, lead by its project manager Maxime Masquelier, who worked throughout the night to have the best tournament possible. And it paid off….I am looking forward to the next Super Satellite in Lyon Vert on the 15th March.

* A big thank you to croupier Geoffrey Doco for his priceless help. See you soon Geoffrey!

DIVONNE SUPER SATELLITE 9TH FEBRUARY 2008

Here is the definitive list of qualifying players for the Main event of the Partouche Poker Tour. Out of the 347 players of the second Super Satellite in Divonne-les-Bains, 34 won a place in the Grand Final in Cannes. The Prize pool was 50,000 euros and the winner Azeddine Yessad won 15,000 euros. The 33 other players split the rest of the Prize pool.

1 YESSAAD Azeddine 15.000 euros

2 CHAIB Samir Allaoua 7.000 euros

3 REYTIER Yann Claude 4.000 euros

4 GLAUDE Eddy Laurent 3.000 euros

5 OLIVIER Philippe Maurice 2.000 euros

6 KHALIFA Jonathan Isaa 2.000 euros

7 CONFORTIN Massimo 1.500 euros

8 VEILLON Frédéric Rémy 1.500 euros

9 FARDEL Thierry Michel Junior 1.000 euros

10 POPOT Frédéric 1.000 euros

11 GARROUMA Adil 500 euros

12 VERGNAUD Adrien 500 euros

13 COLOMBERO Michel Julien Alfred 500 euros

14 ANNEN Cédric 500 euros

15 PAULO Sergio 500 euros

16 KOSKAS Eric 500 euros

17 HIGGINSON David Graham 500 euros

18 PIERRARD Julien Paul 500 euros

19 ORENGO Alain 500 euros

20 SZTANDERA Jacques 500 euros

21 LASSERRE Marc 500 euros

22 ROCHAT Frédéric Henri 500 euros

23 ROY Alain Emile Bernard 500 euros

24 VIGIER Mathieu 500 euros

25 ULRICH Omar Geronimo 500 euros

26 KUNO Margareth 500 euros

27 SITHIDEJ Thavisak 500 euros

28 MESSINA Fabrice 500 euros

29 BAVEREL Patrice Jean 500 euros

30 SCHUHL Patrick David 500 euros

31 ANGLERAUD Jean Luc 500 euros

32 ZUNINO Philippe 500 euros

33 COHENDET Robin 500 euros

34 CARTILLIER Mickael 500 euros

5 days before Divonne!

2008-02-04T01:37:00.000-08:00

The Mont Blanc is already a fading image next to the Partouche Poker Tour…Since the great success of the first super satellite at Saint-Amand-les Eaux, we have been looking forward to following PPT on its tour around France. After the north, the magnificent casino at Divonne-les-Bains in the east will welcome the second super satellite of the season.

An air of folly called the Partouche Poker Tour is blowing through the Alps. There will be huge poker evening with no less than 300 players attending, coming from the four corners of France, Switzerland and even Europe. Whether they are professionals, semi-professionals, aficionados, beginners or simply curious, they know that Divonne-les-Bains is one of the five stepping stones left that can send them directly to the Main Event in Cannes and to a 2,000,000 euros prize. What a unique opportunity.

If online registration has closed, interested players can go directly to the venue until Saturday or to the Partouche head office until Friday (141 bis rue de Saussure – Paris 17ème from 9am to 6pm). They can also register themselves in all the other group Partouche casinos. The participation fee is 1,075 euros. At the end, a prize pool of 50,000 euros will be split between the best players (10% of participants). And of course, they will also be registered directly for the biggest poker event in France, the Main Event in Cannes. So who will join Remy Biechel and his 32 sidekicks from Saint-Armand-les Eaux on the huge red carpet at the Palm Beach? If you dream of it, don’t let this opportunity pass!

* Please note that 5 cash game tables, from 100 euros to 2,000 euros, will be available to clients from 5pm to 4am!