The tournament series is the ultimate grind, as action runs from noon until 3-4 a.m. most days. Many poker writers who cover the entire series end up burned out, weary, and looking for ways to escape. (Need proof? Head on over to the Tao of Poker blog, and read Dr. Pauly’s first-hand account.)

So here at Casino City, we take an alternative approach. We pick a couple key events and cover them with wall-to-wall reporting. (I’ll be heading out later this week for the $50,000 Poker Players Championship, while my colleagues Vin Narayanan and Dan Igo will be on hand for the Main Event). But for the rest of the Series, we let WSOP Media Director Nolan Dalla fill us in on the action.

Dalla is the author of One of a Kind: The Rise and Fall of Stuey “The Kid” Ungar, the World’s Greatest Poker Player. And he bends over backwards to help the poker media cover the continually growing series. He is universally loved by poker pros and journalists alike for his affable attitude and his remarkably descriptive tournament summaries. He’s the Grantland Rice of poker.

Which brings us to today’s top-10 list. Last year, we published our first annual tribute to Dalla’s writings. Today, we continue that tradition, giving you the top-10 snippets from his write-ups from the first 40 bracelet events of 2011.

10) Event #9 – A “professional”
The 16th-place finisher was Sean Snyder, from San Diego, Calif. When asked details about his background by the media, Snyder called himself a “professional losing player.” He also insisted his favorite poker player is “Bill Frist,” which is an inside joke to all of those who have been involved in the online poker scene since 2006.

9) Event #9 – Perrins wins WSOP bracelet after unconventional lessons
Before taking his tournament seat, Perrins had to familiarize himself with some rules and basic strategy of the game. Since there aren’t too many tutorials out there on mastering No-Limit Deuce-to-Seven Lowball, he turned to a place where virtually no one else goes to learn new poker: YouTube.

That’s right, YouTube – the site famous for music videos, pranks, and pet tricks.

Apparently, Perrins found a YouTube link that must have included some pretty good material. He watched what he estimated to be a total of 30 minutes of video about lowball single-draw basics. A short time later, he owned a WSOP gold bracelet.

Sick. Amazing. Absurd. Ridiculous….take your pick of adjectives. But the reality is – the best single-word description would be IMPRESSIVE.

Indeed, sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.

Event #21 – ElkY takes a title
Indeed, up until this moment, Grospellier had earned more than $7 million in live poker tournaments on four different continents — all in just eight years. He’d won multiple European Poker Tour titles and owned a World Poker Tour victory. In the poker world, however, his prior victories were the equivalent of going into a fancy steakhouse and being served a vegetarian meal. The juicy porterhouse of this game is a WSOP gold bracelet.

Finally, Grospellier’s voracious appetite was satisfied with all the trimmings. It was a meal served the right temperature — well done.

7) Event #8 – Padraig Parkinson’s take on the Brits
There was at least one cantankerous bystander in the crowd, cheering on the American. Even though he did not personally know the eventual winner, longtime poker veteran Padraig Parkinson — who is originally from Dublin, Ireland — was thrilled to see a non-Brit finally win the title.

“Every time I hear them play ‘God Save the Queen’ at the bracelet ceremony, I have to leave the room,” he snapped. “I’ve never gotten so much exercise.”

6) Event #11 – Anyone got a spare?
Lind had a 2-to-1 chip lead at one point when play was heads-up. But his final opponent proved just as tough and caught a wind of cards that ended up winning the tournament. Lind’s consolation prize for finishing second amounted to $287,554, which for a player with as much talent and ambition as Lind was like being given the keys to a red Ferrari with a flat tire.

5) Event #38 – The Ukrainian invasion
It’s becoming clearly apparent there is a seismic shift going on in the poker world. While the United States enjoys enormous advantages in terms of overall WSOP numbers due to being the host nation, the fact is other nations are disproportionally ahead of all the rest in terms of accomplishments. It’s also now clear that the Ukraine is one of those nations which continues to mature as a poker market.

That’s a scary prospect – unless you happen to be Ukrainian.

4) Event #11 – Russian mining school
Prior to taking up the game full-time last year, Zhukov graduated from Moscow Mining University where he studied geology. Zhukov must have learned something at the mining school. He appears to be using his formal education to maximum benefit. He came to this year’s WSOP seeking to find gold and cash, and ended up uncovering a treasure chest.

3) Event #24 – Nolan collects on a bet with Gavin Smith
“Are you kidding me? You’ve never heard of Guelph?” whined Gavin Smith when queried about his hometown. “Guelph is a Mecca that has created a lot of poker talent and if you use my quote in the official report, I’ll give you $100.”

Bad beat, Gavin. Time to pay up.

2) Event #40 – Nolan is not convinced
The fourth-place finisher was Carter Gill, from Madras, Ore. He claims to be a 24-year-old hand model.

1) Event #29 – The Edsel of poker
A hushed debate has persisted for quite some time as to whether the person coronated as the official “World Poker Champion” should be decided upon based solely on one’s mastery of a single game. After all, poker is a potpourri of many different card games.

Texas Hold’em may very well be the “Cadillac of poker games.” But the fact is — many Mercedes, Jaguars and Lexus cars idle in our poker parking lot, as well. Poker even has a few Edsels and AMC Pacers. So many different poker variants are played now in virtually all regions of the world that it’s next to impossible to keep track of all the quirks and peculiarities of every game.

Standard rules, such as a flush beats a straight, no longer necessarily apply. Now, there are games where the worst hand wins. Other games aim to create a hodgepodge of low cards of mixed suits. It’s become tougher to figure out than the tax code.

Some 17 casinos from Tunica down to Natchez started to shut their doors last April and during the closure period they collected only $41 million in May compared with $107.8 million a year ago and $101.8 in April this year.

It was a bad hit worsened by the bad economy and credit to the casinos that mustered their forces as soon as they had access to their buildings and re-opened a lot quicker than anticipated. But if our state’s casinos are anything, they are resilient and get things done in a hurry when revenue is on the line. Things are returning to normal as far as visitors are concerned but it may be some time before solid revenue increases can be expected.

One announcement recently affects two of the biggest players in the stat; BOYD GAMING has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire IP CASINO RESORT SPA in Biloxi from IMPERIAL PALACE, LLC of Mississippi and KEY LARGO, LLC for the tidy sum of $278 million in cash. Boyd Gaming, owner of SAM’S TOWN CASINO in Tunica, has indicated it will additionally invest about $44 million in certain capital improvement projects at IP which overlooks the scenic Back Bay.

And Boyd said it will continue to be aggressive in acquisitions according to KEITH SMITH, president and chief executive officer…”this is another important step toward achieving our strategic goal of significantly strengthening our balance sheet. We will continue to look for additional acquisitions that are complementary to our current operations, deliver a solid return to our shareholder and are precede appropriately.”

IP has made considerable progress since it brought aboard two Tunica casino executives, JOHN LUCAS and BRADLEY RHINES. They rejuvenated the operation in 2005 and built up its value making it an attractive buyout. Boyd is owner and operator of 16 gaming entertainment properties in six states.

Last summer the GEYSER FALLS water theme park at PEARL RIVER RESORT closed for repairs and updates disappointing a lot of young folks who were set for a summer of fun as this pearl of an attraction on the Choctaw reservation just northeast of Jackson, MS. But the park is back in watery business and retains it claim as the best water park in the southeast. Dad can play golf on the Augusta-like courses at DANCING RABBIT GOLF CLUB and mom and the kids can lounge in a cabana or on the white sandy beaches under the palms or tryout a lazy river and 12 different water slides. Makes for a great family destination trip this summer. www.pearlriverresort.com.

“Trust everyone but in the end cut the cards.”

“It’s been really popular with our Blackjack players and a number have already made the switch,” said Mike Crenshaw, Pala’s vice president of casino operations.

To start, players place equal bets on two betting positions. The dealer then deals two separate blackjack hands. The player then has the option of playing the hands as they were dealt, or switching the second card from each hand. Switching may only occur after the dealer has checked for a natural blackjack. The dealer then proceeds with the game following house rules for blackjack.

Doubling down and splitting are allowed, even after a switch is made. Blackjacks pay even money and if the dealer makes a hard 22, all remaining bets push.

Another addition is the Super Match bonus bet, which features multiple payouts. At Pala, Super Match bonus wagers can be made from $1 to $25 and if a player receives a pair or better from any of the initial four cards, the bet is paid according to the posted pay table. A pair pays 1/1; three-of-a-kind, 5/1; two pair, 7/1, and four-of-a-kind, 50/1.

Both new and regular players will get birthday bonuses to mark the occasion. Beginning 1st October, new players will get an extra $10 credited to their accounts and regular players (that have deposited at least $50 prior to 1st September) will receive $50 free birthday money.

“What would really make this a birthday to remember,” said Ondrej Tuma of Slotland, “Is if someone hit our jackpot during our birthday celebration week!”

The Slotland.com progressive jackpot is currently over $150K. Throughout its history, this jackpot has been well known not only for its frequency but its regularity. It is hit, on average, about every six weeks and the last big win was $80K on 14th July. Although it has gone to $200K, it seldom gets this high before it’s won. Sensing it has to be due for a win, a lot of regular Slotland players will be spending a few extra minutes at their favourite games next week hoping to be Slotland’s next six-figure winner.

Slotland was a pioneer back in the early days of online casinos and was one of the first to offer real money casino games on mobile phones. By constantly developing new and better games, they’ve kept that pioneering spirit alive. The newest addition is the Reel Riot, a kitchy single payline game with stunningly animated traditional fruit machine symbols.

Slotland.com currently features ten unique slot machines and five video poker games. Four of the most popular online slot machines and two video poker games are also available on mobile phones and PDAs. All of Slotland’s slot machines give players the option of placing a maximum bet for a chance at the progressive jackpot.

This time, The Virtual Casino raises the bar one more time by completely re-inventing itself. In the search for continuously improving quality, The Virtual Casino website has been re-launched with a stunning brand new design, new enhancements and the addition of new games to show players The Virtual Casino’s commitment to them and their expectations.

The Virtual Casino’s site face-lift offers players a more user-friendly experience, easier site navigation and much cleaner site design. Players will be able to get to where they want to go in the simplest of forms as the site features can be accessed wherever players happen to be on the site.

The Virtual Casino’s new revamped website also includes popular online casino games such as Blackjack, Roulette, Keno, Video Poker, Slot Machines and many more. The featured casino games also include all the newest Real Series Video Slots such as Year of Fortune and Mayan Queen, both including the desired Progressive Jackpots.

New and bigger promotions have also been added to give players a chance at playing a lot longer and win higher payouts. As a matter of fact, valid for this month only, there is a very special celebratory promotion to welcome players to come in and re-discover the new TheVirtualCasino.com.

Besides investing in the re-designing and improvement of the site and its features, The Virtual Casino’s customer support has also been improved. By being available 24/7 via phone, email and through its live chat support, The Virtual Casino’s Customer Support department’s service has been improved from procuring Customer Satisfaction to achieving Customer Delight.

With its brand new website, The Virtual Casino gives out a message to the whole industry that it is coming stronger than ever before. Exciting with the understanding that players do not settle for mediocrity but they are rather always searching for a continuous quality growth, The Virtual Casino is here to stay.

If you’ve never played online keno before, it is pretty much akin to playing a video keno machine in a brick ‘n mortar casino. In that case, I suppose you could say that playing online Blackjack is equivalent to wagering at a video Blackjack machine. Didn’t know there was such a thing as video Blackjack did ya? Neither do most people.

In actuality, online casino gambling had it’s beginning in land-based casinos with the advent of video betting machines, which fittingly included Keno. Unless you are playing at a live dealer online casino with live video feeds, online gambling will always be dictated by software Random Number Generators (RNG’s) – You know, the source code microchip you’ve always heard about determining whether a slot machine will be tight or loose.

That said, if you were wondering whether or not online keno will deliver a lower Casinos Edge than traditional brick ‘n mortar casino video keno machines, or whether number patterns can be more accurately gauged to help dictate number picks, the answer is no. In fact, they can’t be accurately gauged at all.

The reason I bring this up is because I recently came across an article in which a novice gambler had posed whether certain numbers could come up more often on a video keno machine, citing an example of a gambler who continuously played a keno machine for eight hours and had determined that certain numbers were coming up more often than others – evidenced by the fact that he was up $250.

The article went on to rightfully explain there was no merit in this player’s system, and that no matter how hard you try, there is no surefire way to predict which numbers are more likely to come up at online keno. All numbers have an equal chance of coming up, and that a winning streak is no more than just that – a winning streak, also known as good luck.

Not to discourage anybody from playing Keno, because the reality is that it is a fun lottery game that never seems to get old, online keno is not something that requires much skill. Albeit the chance of winning a huge jackpot is very slim, there is a chance, nonetheless.

Sport Minister Svilen Neikov ordered the probe last Wednesday after the numbers 4, 15, 23, 24, 35 and 42 were selected by a machine — in a different order — on consecutive draws televised live on September 6 and September 10, reports Associated Press.

The commission appointed by Neikov’s ministry to investigate said Thursday it found no evidence of fraud or manipulation.

Lottery officials called the repeat draws a freak coincidence — the odds are 1 in 4 million, according to mathematicians — and insisted it was impossible to tamper with the lottery machine.

No one won the September 6 draw, but 18 people guessed correctly in the Sept. 10 contest and each received 10 164 leva (Euro 5 150) in prize money.

In a brief filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission this morning the operator of the Venetian and Palazzo and three resorts in Macau said the timing and terms of the initial public offering are still to be determined.

In a note to investors, JPMorgan gaming analyst Joe Greff said Las Vegas Sands could raise up to $2 billion by offering up to 30 percent equity in its Macau casinos to back the IPO. Last week, Las Vegas Sands’ lenders in Macau gave the company some relief in its loan covenants, which is paving way for the Hong Kong listing.

“This is the first important step in a path to improved liquidity and increased financial flexibility,” Greff told investors.

Las Vegas Sands has said proceeds from the IPO would be used to resume construction of the company’s hotel-casino projects on Macau’s Cotai Strip region, which were halted last November due to financing issues.

The Jackpot Hunter prizes are as follows:

$50,000 gold jackpot ($55+ buy-in tournaments)

$20,000 silver jackpot ($12 – $54 buy-in tournaments)

$10,000 bronze jackpot ($3 to $11 buy-in tournaments)

There’s only one jackpot at each level so players have to move fast! Once a player has won five consecutive STT’s at a particular buy-in they should e-mail jackpot@partypoker.com. The first person to e-mail in will secure the jackpot.

A PartyPoker.com spokesman said: “How hard is it to win five consecutive single table tournaments in a row? With the introduction of the Jackpot Hunter, we’re sure it will not be too long until we find out!”

Cash game promotion ‘The Genius’ continues and the countdown is on to the closing 15 millionth hand which pays out $50,000. Estimates suggest this could happen this Thursday. Six players on a 10 CENT/25 CENT CASH GAME TABLE each won over $16,000 when the 10 millionth $100k genius hand hit last Thursday! The promotion, which started on Monday 6th July, involves PartyPoker.com squaring the pot of every 50,000th hand that’s played on cash tables to create mind-blowing jackpots, from a minimum of $250 up to a staggering $5,000. Better still, everyone involved in the hand will get an equal share of the payout, the winner will also take the original pot. In addition, every millionth hand during The Genius will have a guaranteed $10,000 prize pool. All the players dealt into these special Genius hands will share these fantastic cash prizes.

The promotion runs for 15 million hands, counted from 12.00 ET on Monday 6th July. The details are as follows:

If a Genius hand hits on a table where the pot stands at $70, PartyPoker.com will square it to give all the players an equal share of $4,900: $70 X $70 = $4,900

If a Genius hand hits on a table where the pot stands at $20, PartyPoker.com will square it to give all the players an equal share of $400: $20 x $20 = $400

If a Genius hand hits on a table where the pot stands at $8, PartyPoker.com will give all the players an equal share of $250

The Post.ie reports that the case was heard in the Irish High Court last month after two Irish bookies, Seamus Mulvaney and Ellen Martin, launched libel proceedings against The Sporting Exchange Ltd, parent group of Betfair. The duo claimed that members on Betfair’s forum published defamatory comments about them.

Betfair argued that the 2003 Irish regulations implementing the 2001 European E-Commerce Directive, a law designed primarily to shield Internet Service Providers from liability arising from 3rd party content, protected it from the consequences of its forum users posting defamatory comments on its forums.

The High Court supported Betfair’s defence – and this is important – despite a clause in the directive that excluded gambling activities from protection. In noting that the message board was not part of the cpompanys core betting activities, the judge in the case, Mr Justice Frank Clarke said: “It follows that the gambling exclusion does not prevent Betfair from placing reliance on the E-Commerce Directive as a defence in these proceedings.”

The judge also found that a chat room was an ‘‘information society service’’ for the purpose of the regulations, so Betfair qualified as a ‘‘relevant service provider’’. Betfair was therefore entitled to the protection of the regulations, provided it could establish that it was unaware of the alleged defamation and took prompt action once the matter was brought to its attention.

Feidhlimidh Wrafter, one of Betfair’s legal team, said after the decision was handed down: “That’s really what the judgment’s saying, that gambling companies that operate a chatroom are now considered to be protected by the EU directive. It’s on appeal but it’s certainly a judgment that we’re very pleased with and we think it’s the right one.”

The High Court judge hearing the case found that Betfair was an intermediary service provider and therefore had limited liability because its chatroom was not core to the company’s main betting business. Betfair stored third party information on its servers and could therefore be defined as acting as a host in terms of the E-Commerce Directive, Mr Justice Frank Clarke ruled.

The plaintiffs are taking the case on appeal, and the ruling must therefore be regarded as a preliminary measure that simply confirms that the E-Commerce directive is an acceptable defence. Betfair will still have to show that it was unaware of the chatroom comments, and that it acted with reasonable alacrity in removing the defamatory material as soon as it became aware of its existence.

The case is likely to run on for over a year, given the full rolls in the Supreme Court where the appeal has been lodged.