Carlos Mortensen Wins 2007 WPT Championship

Carlos Mortensen added an impressive double double to his poker resume, taking down the nearly $4 million first prize in the 2007 WPT Championship tournament. Already a WSOP Main Event winner, Mortensen became the first player to ever win both a WSOP Main Event and a WPT championship. And he did it in impressive fashion, fighting back from substantial chip deficits at various points to finally take down the heads-up battle with Kirk Morrison. (Don’t feel too badly for Morrison, though, who took home just over $2 million for his second place finish.)

With the 2007 WPT event in the books, most eyes in the poker world are now turning to the World Series of Poker, which kicks off in June. Players and pundits alike are curious to see what effect the UIGEA has on poker’s crown tournament jewel, as speculation has been pretty rampant as far as the number of entries to this year’s Main Event, and whether it will eclipse 2006 or fall vastly short.

Stan Weiss Wins 2006 Mirage Poker Showdown

Stan Weiss outlasted Harry Demetriou in a marathon heads-up battle to take home first place at the 2006 WPT Mirage Poker Showdown. Weiss collected $1,294,755 and a seat in the WPT Championship for his efforts, with Demetriou pocketing a cool $673,272 for his second place finish.

Devin Porter finished third ($332,937), David Williams fourth ( $221,958), Steve Frederick fifth ($166,469), and Robert Mizrachi sixth ($129,476).

Weiss is from Nashville, Tennessee, and won his seat in the event through a $50 satellite, becoming the latest poker millionaire to parlay an inexpensive satellite entry into many, many dollars.

Sabina Gadecki Named New WPT Hostess

Actress and model Sabina Gadecki has been named the new hostess for Season 5 of the WPT, taking over for Courtney Friel. Friel had replaced Shana Hiatt for Season 4, but failed to make much of an impression on viewers and fans.

Gadecki is a relative unknown at the moment, and is reportedly a native of Poland and active as both a model and actress in New York.

WPT Mirage Poker Showdown Down to Final Table

The final table is set for the 2006 WPT Mirage Poker Showdown, with six players remaining in the chase for the $1,294,755 first prize.

Below are the final six players, along with approximate chip counts:

Stan Weiss – $2,400,000
Robert Mizrachi – $2,000,000
Devin Porter – $965,000
David Williams – $920,000
Harry Demetriou – $820,000
Steve Frederick – $550,000

WPT Expands to Canada

The World Poker Tour (WPT) Tour has announced plans for its first stop north of the border at the Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort. The WPT has selected Canada’s luxurious new gaming hotspot as the site of its third annual North American Poker Championship, scheduled for October 25-29, 2006.

The Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort has more than 3,000 slot machines, 150 gaming tables and a poker room, as well as a 368-room luxury hotel, spa and fitness facility, a 1,500-seat showroom, amd 30,000 square feet of convention, conference and meeting spaces.

“By staging the North American Poker Championship in this beautiful Canadian casino, we put out the welcome mat for all poker enthusiasts in Canada and truly lay down the gauntlet to see who can reign supreme on the continent,” said Steve Lipscomb, CEO and founder of WPT Enterprises, Inc. “We are thrilled to welcome the Niagara Fallsview to the WPT family and look forward to an inspiring and exciting event that will attract players from both sides of the border.”