PokerStars crowns first WCOOP Badugi champion

(PRESS RELEASE) -- Wondering what Badugi is? Well PokerStars made history last week when it crowned its first WCOOP Badugi champion . Raymond "raydavis77" Davis's name will be inked into the record books after winning $21,432 and the gold bracelet. The game, which involves four card hands of different suits, became available on PokerStars earlier this year after some gentle urging from the likes of Team PokerStars Pro Barry Greenstein. No novelty event it attracted 376 players creating a $112,800 prize pool from which Team PokerStars Pros Vicky Coren (36th), Katja Thater (22nd) and Daniel Negreanu (21st) each took a share. Check out other WCOOP results on the championship's webpage. WCOOP events continue through until September 20 with the 2-day $10 million guaranteed Main Event.

NEW CHAMP IN CATALONIA
The EPT Barcelona main event came to a thrilling conclusion last week when 20 year old Carter Phillips, from North Carolina, defeated British pro Marc Goodwin to the second title of the season and €850,000. Phillips, who plays under the name "BdyBldngpkr," on PokerStars.com, took the honours after five days of play. 478 players arrived at Casino Barcelona, each paying €8,000 to create a total prize pool of $3,382,000. The tour now heads back home to London, where the 16 event London festival kicks off on 30th September with a £20,000 high roller event.

DANZER HITS GOLD IN WCOOP
He wears a suit and a silk scarf when playing live, who knows what he wears to play in the comfort of his own home, but George Danzer , a member of Team PokerStars PRO Germany can buy all the silk scarves he wants after winning event 19 of the World Championship of Online Poker, a $320 buy-in pot limit Omaha 6-max tournament . Along with his first WCOOP gold bracelet Danzer won $109,545, his share of a 654,000 prize pool created by a total field of 976 players, after outlasting the rest after 14 hours 21 minutes of play. For all WCOOP results so far check out the results page.

APPROPRIATE FOOTWEAR REQUIRED
PokerStars is the headline sponsor of poker tours in Europe, Asia and Pacific, Latin America and beyond but the latest addition is played about three inches off the ground – theoretically at least. The High Heels Poker Tour (HHPT) now has the world's largest poker school on board - PokerStars.net. Founded in 2007 the HHPT was created to empower women, who make up 25 per cent of poker players, to become poker champions, offering the best environment for women to learn the game. PokerStars will support the tour's growing calendar of tournaments, the next of which take place in Florida. Prize money, competition and friendships will be up for grabs with the grand final taking place at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventurein January.

DOORS OPEN IN HALL OF FAME
The poker world has drawn up its list, candidates it considers worthy of the highest honour in the game, with three distinguished members of Team PokerStars PRO nominated to become the latest member of the Poker Hall of Fame. Barry Greenstein, Tom McEvoy and Kid Poker himself Daniel Negreanu are three of the nine, each having changed the game of poker in some way over the course of their careers. Hall of Fame judges will consider various factors, including their record against top competition, respect from peers and their longevity. Ballots will be issued in the coming weeks with inductees honoured in a special ceremony during the 2009 World Series final table in November.

WINTER ON THE BALTICS
PokerStars.com has announced the PokerStars Baltic Festival will take place in Tallinn, capital of Estonia next month. Starting on the 28th, the four day event will unite players from the Nordic countries and Baltic States for festival of poker at the luxurious Swissôtel in Tallinn. The buy-in for the main event will be €1,100 with a prize pool expected to be worth hundreds of thousands of Euros; another superlative PokerStars event standing alongside the PCA in the Bahamas and EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo. Needless to say satellites for this popular winter stop will be run on PokerStars for as little as $2.20 with a full list of events released soon.