01 Jan 12

2011: Shock, Scandal, Success

In this editorial, Sam Miranda offers some final words on what has been a turbulent year for poker. Find out more here.

Pius Heinz's triumph hit the mainstream German press

Put mildly, it’s been a year of transition. Put bluntly, it’s been a year of shock. Poker in 2011 has been as frenetic and unpredictable as ever.

In online poker’s primeval stage, it didn't take much to raise eyebrows - news of a new website, or a big freeroll tournament. Now, poker possesses a global appeal and a showbiz culture that would fuel even the most extravagant of gossip magazines.

It’s not just the action on the felt that gets thrust under a microscope, but all the other trappings – from player controversy to legislation wranglings.

More Than Just Black Friday

For many, Black Friday and the subsequent loss of funds casts an impregnable shadow over 2011. Bad news always carries more resonance than good news.

This shouldn’t, however, stop us from a balanced critique. On the one hand, poker has suffered the ignominy of Black Friday, the Epic Poker League debacles and the "Girah" scandal. On the other, it has developed a blueprint for expansion in the form of Facebook poker, mobile poker and the booming Asian market.

Then there’s the regulation of European markets. Most people back universal regulation, but segregated player pools and player taxation makes us wonder whether current attempts at regulation are a poisoned chalice.

Amidst all the despair and vitriol directed to the Full Tilt management, it’s easy to forget that the saga could be the decisive turning point for online poker in America. Was it the cataclysmic blow-up needed for the American government to realise that online poker needs legalising and regulating? With deals such as those between MGM Resorts and Bwin being agreed, it suggests that reform is in the pipeline.

The Full Tilt saga has certainly soured the mood across the pond. Gone are the days of Phil Ivey sitting on a Railbird Heaven with a stack of $1 million, along with the world’s flagship poker show – GSN’s High Stakes Poker. However, American pain doesn’t mean poker in Europe is on the wane. Pius Heinz’s WSOP Main Event triumph made national headlines in Germany, and the WPT continues to concentrate its efforts on expansion and synchronization with other tours.

Poker Personalities, Need For Cutting Edge News

2011 has also been the year of poker personalities. Erik Seidel joined the pantheon of poker greats by topping the all time money list, whereas the likes of Ben Lamb and Sam Trickett emerged as two of the finest tournament players. Negreanu chirped, Tony G bullied and ElkY...got knocked out. Just when we thought there was a lull at the nosebleed stakes, Isildur1 returned to crush for $1.5 million.

Finally, a word on news coverage. Tournament reporting will always be a backbone of poker news. But tournament news is so often rudimentary and short-lived, especially if there are several unknown players at the final table.

There’s a need to acknowledge poker’s status as a multi-layered, global phenomenon and practice more cutting edge, investigative journalism. This is what we’ve tried to deliver with our coverage of the Full Tilt saga, changes in European gambling legislation and the Girah scandal.

With that in mind, roll on 2012.