At the end of the day, his favorite thing to pick up is a hand of cards ... and a couple of poker chips.

Friday, August 19th, 2005

Known as 'The Big Dog' on the World Series of Poker circuit, Galella won a quarter of million dollars as winner of the Treasure Island Open in Las Vegas earlier this year and has played against professionals like Phil "The Unabomber" Laak, Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, Chris Moneymaker and Humberto Brenes. He's only been playing cards seriously for a year but has already picked up sponsorship from Big Dogs sportswear. Born and raised in NEPA, Galella's poker-faced ambition is tempered only by family devotion - despite suggestions to go pro, this No Limit Texas Hold'em wiz plans to play only the major events - for now - so he can be home for weekends with his daughter.

What was the World Series like?
It took place this year at the Rio in Las Vegas and when I first went into the convention hall area, I was in awe. All the people and the tables upon tables upon tables - I couldn't believe the amount of people playing poker. And from all over the world. When I looked at the top players in each event and I saw my (name), my wife and I were laughing because we saw one from Denmark, this guy's from Japan, this guy's from Hawaii, there's quite a few from Las Vegas, California, Belgium, and then there's Tom Galella, Scranton, Pa.

You pay a certain amount to enter?
There is a buy-in, depending upon the event. I play No Limit Hold'em. That's the grandpa of all poker. It's been around forever but in the last couple of years it's really gotten big. The Treasure Island event was a $10,000 buy-in. I scraped together money for that and luckily enough I came home with some money.

So there's a big risk.
There is if you're taking cash money out of your pocket. Now I have Big Dogs sportswear as sponsorship. When you enter a major event, ESPN wants you to fill out a profile sheet and they want a poker name, a nickname. I figured, "I'm wearing a Big Dogs shirt, I'll go in as The Big Dog. Why not?" So the name caught on and people started to know my name and when we came home from our vacation after the World Series and I got a call offering me sponsorship. So what they do is they pay 75 percent of the buy-in and I just have to wear their apparel and send them five percent of the take. So with a $10,000 buy-in, I only have to come up with $25,000. (Poker's) so big now, you don't have to win to make yourself a lot of money. Cindy Violette from Atlantic City came into money six times out of eight events and she made herself almost a million dollars - without winning an event.

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Pay Per View Poker, Live at the Bike!

Friday, August 19th, 2005

Watch real money, real cash, real people - Finally, REAL poker, LIVE from the floor of the Bicycle Casino in Bell Gardens, CA. Also catch poker superstars and celebrities battling it out in real cash games just like you do or want to. You`ll have access to hundreds of hours of poker playing footage to match strategies or learn some new ones. Or come down and play in the game, then watch your play at home.

Now you can analyze your own moves. Learn what you do well and where you can improve - all on your own time, away from the table and before your next winning session As a BONUS - We have included Howard Lederer's video on Limit Hold'em strategies. This Early Bird Special won`t last: watch as much as you want and as often as you want for only $14.95 per month. Rating: TV-14

2004 World Series of Poker Now Availbale On DVD!

Wednesday, August 17th, 2005

No Limit Texas Hold'em has become the hottest card game in the history of poker. Whether it is being played at home on a computer at one of many online poker rooms, in the living room with buddies or at the casino, No Limit Hold'em has reached an unprecedented status and is quickly becoming a sport in its own right. Everyone wants a piece of the action where a regular Joe can buy into a $40 game on their home computer and advance all the way to the final table at the prestigious event in Las Vegas to win more money than they ever dreamed of.

I have been attending the World Series of Poker for the past few years now. The first time I went there were less than 500 people playing, the following year 839, the next year 2576 and this past July there was a record number of 5619 players competing in the $10,000 main event. Over half the competitors won their seat through some sort of online tournament, making it the biggest turnout in the history of the game.

This three-disc set contains ESPN’s final 10 programs from the 2004 WSOP telecast with chapter stops set up at each round, allowing the viewer to get right into the high stakes action. At each WSOP event ESPN sets up their own table that is surrounded by cameras, giving access to every bluff, every tell, and every bad beat that comes with the swings of playing No Limit Hold'em.

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Chartwell Launches PokerNexus.com; A Poker Community Ready to Compete in Today's Market

Tuesday, August 16th, 2005

CALGARY, ALBERTA - Chartwell Technology Inc. (TSX:CWH - News), a leading provider of gaming software systems to the online and remote gaming industry is pleased to announce the launch of PokerNexus, Chartwell's community poker offering www.pokernexus.com.

Subsequent to our announced acquisition of Micropower Corporation in May, the integrated poker team has completed the development and launch of the Chartwell poker community with all of the features, functionality and back-end tool-set that are required to compete in today's poker environment. Initially launched with two European clients, Chartwell will grow its community with the addition of a number of new European clients prior to the Company's fiscal year-end.

PokerNexus is a network of independent online poker rooms managed by Eliteclub Management N.V. which is the exclusive provider of services to Chartwell licensees wishing to use the Chartwell poker solution. Each member of the network retains full control and confidentiality of their own players and data allowing them to utilize existing payment systems and guaranteeing a completely secure environment for their players. Managed and supported by poker players and experienced gaming operators, PokerNexus is the most independent poker network available today.

"The acquisition of Micropower met two key objectives of our poker strategy", states Darold Parken, President and CEO of Chartwell. "By adding advanced poker software and a greatly expanded poker team, we have enabled the Company to launch a feature-rich, scalable product that meets the needs of all of our clients. Success for Chartwell in the online poker industry requires this new technology platform built on a unique business model with which our clients can capitalize on this exciting gaming segment. We are confident that our new poker community launch provides the perfect environment for success. We anticipate poker related revenues to be a substantial contributor to Chartwell's over-all revenue in the years to follow."

Poker is the fastest growing segment of the online gaming industry in the past two years with monthly online player participation averaging 1.8 million. Current estimates by Global Betting and Gaming Consultants (GBGC) have the poker industry yielding approximately $1.5 billion in annual revenues and strong growth is predicted.

Hollywood Celebrities Come Out in Support of Full Tilt Poker and Bluff Magazine's Charity Poker Tournament and Auction at Wynn Las Vegas

Monday, August 15th, 2005

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Full Tilt Poker and Bluff Magazine anted up for a good cause at their Wynn Las Vegas Charity Gala and Celebrity Poker Tournament July 5, 2005, raising over $100,000 for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas. Held at the La Bete Nightclub in the prestigious Wynn Las Vegas, the stars came out to test their skills against the pros and bid on rare poker memorabilia.

The lavish event -- the first of it's kind at La Bete, brought out Las Vegas business and political elite, world renown poker pros, as well as celebrity poker players willing to put their skills and their money up for a worthy cause.

Team Full Tilt, the world renown poker pros behind fulltiltpoker.com lead the way at the charity poker tournament and were joined by poker luminaries Daniel Negreanu, Poker Ambassador at the Wynn Las Vegas, Dutch poker phenomenon Marcel Luske, Annie Duke and others. Rounding out the table were notable Hollywood celebrities including, Ron Livingston (Sex and the City), Nicholas Gonzales (The OC), Jennifer Tilly (Liar Liar), Joe Reitman (The Perfect Storm), Erik Palladino (ER), Omaroso Manigault Stallworth (The Apprentice), Comedian, David Brenner and others.

Items auctioned off included an autographed poker table signed by Team Full Tilt -- one of only three in the world, autographed Full Tilt Poker basketball jerseys, and private lessons from the pros. In addition to the $100,100 raised during the auction for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas, Full Tilt Poker donated another $23,000 that was split between the winners of each table for the charity of their choice. Actor Erik Gonzales (ER), who won the final table, took home $10,000, the lion's share of $23,000 for his charity, the orphanage Friends of El Faro. During the course of the evening, Full Tilt Poker raised and donated close to $125,000 benefiting various charities.

"Being able to support these worthy causes was the icing on the cake that topped off a wonderful evening. We are happy to have played a part in helping others and look forward to doing more," said Tiltware LLC CEO, Raymond Bitar.