It looks like poker in bars and restaurants has a chance to become "above board" activity in the state of New York. State Senator John Sabini has introduced a bill that would expressly legalize poker for businesses that are licensed by the state alcohol beverage control law, provided that these businesses apply for a new "social poker" license.

The bill would allow for poker games with a buy-in of no more than $50, with prizes of value allowed to be given away to the winners (with a $100 cap on cash winnings). The bill is only in its initial stages, so any concrete results are a long way off - but at least they're talking.

Station Casinos, operator of six Las Vegas area casinos (soon to be seven), is seeing its "locals strategy" pay off in a big way. The company is in such good financial shape that executives are considering expansion to as many as four additional locations in the city. Station's stock jumped 43% in 2004, and has compounded at an annual rate of nearly 23% each year since 1995 - putting the company in prime position to continue its growth.

The company primarily caters to local Las Vegas area residents, with locations strategically placed on the outskirts of the metro area. By doing this, Station is able to market a more "laid back" atmosphere for its guests. And with the recent announcement of a new poker room at Green Valley Ranch, the company now has poker at each property. Any expansion would most likely mean even more locations for poker afficionados, and that is always a good thing.

For our readers in the UK...the World Poker Tour Season 3 will debut this Sunday on Challenge (Sky Digital Channel 121). Sure, you have to wait extra months to see what all of us in the United States see only a few months late, but it's better than nothing!

On the flip side of things, you get to see a lot of extra poker that never see the light of day over here - like the Pacific Poker UK Open and the Party Poker Euro Open. Then there's the fact that you've now got TWO dedicated poker channels...

So we don't feel too sorry that you have to wait a little bit to see Tony G getting drunk at the Grand Prix de Paris.

Gimmick city, baby!

An online operation by the name of Tigergaming Poker is touting a 14 cent buy-in World Series of Poker satellite tournament. Sure, it's seven stages long, but it does make for a successful press release.

As I have no experience whatsoever with Tigergaming, I cannot vouch for anything having to do with the site, but I'm sure they're going to attract some attention with a number like that. They got me to click on the hack press release...mission accomplished.

Looks like the Plaza's scheduled $50,000 No-Limit Hold'em tournament did go off, although it turned out to be perhaps the world's most-expensive Sit & Go in the end.

The Plaza had planned to have a $50,000 buy-in event as part of their "World Poker Classic" event. However, turnout at the various events during the Classic were somewhat disappointing, and many began to doubt whether the Plaza would even have any people to pull off the big time final event. Turns out, they did manage to find 11 people to play - and that turned the event into a one-table tournament, winner-takes-all.

PokerNews.com has more on the event, which was won by Randy Lewis of Las Vegas. He took home all $550,000 for his efforts (Plaza took ZERO juice on the event...very nice).

We are currently working through a few hiccups in the "Top Contributors" star system here on pPlayer, but rest assured...we're aware of it.

A few of you have noticed that, while comments are showing up just fine - the ranking system is not updating.

We're on it...

David Sklansky has not only openly countered Daniel Negreanu's offer today on 2+2, but he's also issued an open challenge "to anybody who criticized me on any of the threads involving this subject." The deal:  "10% rebate (to Sklansky), play for $10,000. Eight or Better Stud. 150-300, $25 ante, $50 bring in. No media publicity."

Very nice.

The hilarity then ensues as the 2+2ers fight and scratch over who's going to play him, what $10,000 means to Negreanu, and how easily they could beat Sklansky, etc. The thread is still very new, so I expect the "counter offer" post to grow to over 100 responses by the end of the day.

Challenge or no challenge, you've got to give Sklansky props for stoking the fire and assuring that his own message board continues to be one of the most entertaining stops on the web. The 2+2 brethren can hardly contain themselves whenever Sklansky chimes in on anything. (More here.)

Connecticut's Paul Darden is having a very nice week of poker. The tournament pro has managed to score two wins at the Mirage Poker Showdown in the past few days.

Last Thursday, Darden beat out 91 players to take home the $1500 Omaha Hi Lo 8 event and a cool $52,962. Then, on Tuesday of this week, he followed that up with a win in the $2500 Limit Hold'em event - which paid him $32,980 more.

This comes on the heels of a win at the Plaza Classic in April (Limit Hold'em), and a $300,000 5th place score at the PartyPoker Million in March. At this rate, Darden is on pace to have an outstanding 2005. The rest of the field in the WPT Event at the Mirage better be aware that this man is running hot. It's freeroll city at this point...

Steve Wynn, who is attempting to land one of two casino licenses up for grabs in Singapore, recently shot some strong words in the direction of the local government. Wynn recently was quoted as saying that the local authorities were tossing "thunderbolts of wisdom from the top of Mount Olympus" over the details of the proposals officially submitted. Wynn is concerned that the government is attempting to exert too much control over the projects.

That comment has drawn a strong rebuke from the Prime Minister of Singapore. Lee Hsien Loong told the Straits Times newspaper,  "If after you have built it, you have got flashing lights and dancing girls on the facade, and next door to that you have banks and the banking and the financial center, I'm not sure we will feel happy about it."

Mr. Loong is obviously not familiar with Wynn's trademark design. When Steve Wynn is involved, there's not much chance of dancing girls on the facade.

However, the above evidence of Wynn sporting a 70's mustache may end up being a factor for officials making the final decision...

Boyd Gaming's resort project on the South Las Vegas Strip - now nearly half finished - is seen as a milestone in the history of Las Vegas. The development, which will have more than 2,000 rooms when finished, is seen by many as the first step in extending the Las Vegas gaming environment more than 5 miles further south than Mandalay Bay. The Casino City Times has more.

Las Vegas continues to amaze even me. There has seemingly been an endless demand for new growth over the past 16 or so years, and it shows absolutely no signs of stopping. To think that we're now moving beyond the "airport area" and further south...such an idea would be considered ridiculous just a few years ago. I can still remember being at the Hacienda and thinking it was way out in the sticks - because it was way out in the sticks, relatively speaking.

As part of our ongoing look into the ranks of the professional poker world, let's take a look at 5 Quick Hits on top tournament player Chip Jett:

1. Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, Jett got his start in Las Vegas by becoming a casino dealer. That career path has proven very effective in the poker world.

2. Is known for a somewhat unorthodox limp-trap style that has proven successful despite being a bit out of the mainstream with regard to the popular poker authors of the time.

3. Has appeared on two World Poker Tour Final Tables, earning over $276,000.

4. Scored an impressive 19 major event cashes in 2003, in his first full year on the tournament scene.

5. Two biggest wins to date: 2003 Jack Binion World Poker Open $2000 NLHE ($129,589), 2003 California State Poker Championship $5000 NLHE Main Event ($214,700) - interestingly, the latter event was won by Ben Affleck in 2004.

In the latest edition of Card Player, Mike Sexton has an overview of an upcoming book on the life and death of Stu Ungar - One of a Kind: The Rise and Fall of Stuey "The Kid" Ungar, The World's Greatest Poker Player. Sexton had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with Ungar, and was one of three people asked to speak at the funeral of the poker legend. In the article, Sexton gives us a sampling of the information that Phil "Doc" Earle shared with the book's author, Nolan Dalla.

According to Earle, Ungar had "an above-genius IQ. His brain was wired differently than 99.9999 percent of the rest of us. In my opinion, it was similar to the brains of Mozart and Leonhard Euler, the 18th-century Swiss mathematician who did calculations instantly, with ease, and without apparent thought."

Read more here.

Tonight's World Poker Tour is another repeat, this time of the Bicycle Casino's Legends of Poker that originally aired in early March. The event took place in August of 2004 and it features a memorable performance by perhaps the greatest of all-time, Doyle Brunson. Others at the final table: Joe Awada, Tom Lee, Lee Watkinson, Grant Helling, and Pete Lawson.

A fresh offering of WPT will air next Wednesday with the LA Poker Classic.

It appears the plan to bring two state-operated (yes) casinos to Minnesota is all but dead, as Governor Tim Pawlenty backed out of a hearing on Tuesday that would have moved his casino proposal forward. Facing almost certain loss on a vote, Pawlenty essentially closed-up shop on the issue by not attending the hearing. Proponents are insisting that the bill has not been "killed," but support within state government appears to be wavering.

Pawlenty's proposal called for the State Lottery to enter into two public-private partnerships to operate casinos at the Canterbury Park racetrack. The governor's staff had estimated that the casino deal would bring in an additional $200 million each year to help support the state's budget.

Phil Hellmuth has proven himself to be an astute businessman, essentially creating a brand out of his own brash poker image. Books, DVDs, camps, clothing - Phil's got it all. Now, thanks to MSNBC by way of the Dallas Business Journal, we get to see a different side of his game.

The Dallas Business Journal is reporting that Hellmuth is among the investors who have injected a fresh round of cash into an upstart Dallas security company, Digital Witness, LLC. But it's not just any security company. Digital Witness is seen as being on the cutting-edge of new security technology, and the man behind the business is well known for his entrepreneurial plays - having parlayed his last start-up into a $450 million sale.

So when you see him on the verge of full explosion sometime during the months of June and July, know that - when it's all said and done - Phil is going to be ok. He's got things on point, as the R&R crew might say.