Epic Poker League
Encyclopedia
The Epic Poker League is a series of poker tournaments begun in 2011 by Federated Sports + Gaming. Former World Series of Poker
commissioner Jeffrey Pollack
will serve as Executive Chairman, professional poker player Annie Duke
will serve as Commissioner, and Matt Savage
will be Tournament Director. All events will take place at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada
. Season One will air on CBS
and Velocity Network.
The League is exclusionary in that it is only open to poker players who have met certain qualification criteria for multi-million dollar lifetime earnings, multiple wins and/or cashes at high level tournaments, and maintain adherence to a specifically defined Code of Conduct.
NOTE: 2 year A and B cards are equal, simply denote the route to the card
While David Rheem
won the first event on August 12, 2011, his membership in the league was placed on probation one week later in light of chronic financial irresponsibility. League rules prohibit membership to any players in violation of state or federal law, as well as players demonstrating chronic financial irresponsibility.
On September 20, 2011, the Epic Poker League voted to suspend the membership of Howard Lederer
(brother of league Commissioner Annie Duke
) and deny membership to eligible member Chris Ferguson
, after the U.S. Justice Department
filed a motion to amend a civil complaint, alleging that the two players and other directors of the poker website Full Tilt Poker
were running a Ponzi scheme
that paid out $444 million of customer money to themselves and the firm's owners. The League will monitor the legal action to determine any future renewal of membership.
The season will culminate in a League Championship in February 2012, which will feature the top 27 money winners from the first four tournaments.
World Series of Poker
The World Series of Poker is a world-renowned series of poker tournaments held annually in Las Vegas and, since 2005, sponsored by Harrah's Entertainment...
commissioner Jeffrey Pollack
Jeffrey Pollack
Pollack has been named to Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal of "40 Under 40" and twice to The Sporting News 100. He has also won two Emmy Awards. Pollack is married, and resides in both Los Angeles and Las Vegas...
will serve as Executive Chairman, professional poker player Annie Duke
Annie Duke
Annie Duke is a professional poker player and author who won a bracelet in the 2004 World Series of Poker $2,000 Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better Event and was the winner of the 2004 World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions, where she earned the Winner-Take-All prize of $2,000,000...
will serve as Commissioner, and Matt Savage
Matt Savage (poker)
Matt Savage is an American poker tournament director. He has officiated at a number of televised poker and gambling events, including the World Series of Poker , Bay 101's Shooting Star stop on the World Poker Tour, Poker Dome Challenge and King of Vegas.In 2001, along with Linda Johnson, Jan...
will be Tournament Director. All events will take place at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. Season One will air on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
and Velocity Network.
The League is exclusionary in that it is only open to poker players who have met certain qualification criteria for multi-million dollar lifetime earnings, multiple wins and/or cashes at high level tournaments, and maintain adherence to a specifically defined Code of Conduct.
Membership Card
According to league requirements, players can earn either a 5-year, 3-year, or 2-year membership in the League. Players must achieve a combination of minimum lifetime earnings (adjusted for inflation) plus a minimum number of titles (overall winner) in major tournaments plus a minimum number of cashes in major tournaments.| Length of Membership |
Adjusted Lifetime Earnings |
+ Major Titles |
+ Major Cashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 year card | $4,000,000 | 3 | 9 |
| 3 year card | $2,500,000 | 1 | 9 |
| 2 year A card | $2,000,000 | 1 | 6 |
| 2 year B card | $1,250,000 | 0 | 9 |
NOTE: 2 year A and B cards are equal, simply denote the route to the card
Non-Member Participation
While Epic Poker League is exclusionary in that it is only open to poker players who have met certain qualification criteria, a series of qualifying events are marketed and publicized to the non-member general public, in an effort to draw increased tournament play to the Palms Poker Room. Each tournament series will begin with a Pro-Am tournament. In addition to the players who have a membership card, the final 9 finishers of each Pro-Am will win entry into that tournament's Main Event.Code of Conduct Requirements
The Epic Poker League has set standards for conduct, dress, and behaviour. Conduct requirements stretch back to 2008 (but no further) when examining a request to obtain - or maintain - membership.While David Rheem
David Rheem
Chino Rheem is a poker player from Los Angeles, California, and a reputed welcher. In November 2008, Rheem finished in seventh place at the 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event, cashing for $1,772,650. He went out of this event on to Peter Eastgate's with Eastgate flopping a pair of queens on a...
won the first event on August 12, 2011, his membership in the league was placed on probation one week later in light of chronic financial irresponsibility. League rules prohibit membership to any players in violation of state or federal law, as well as players demonstrating chronic financial irresponsibility.
On September 20, 2011, the Epic Poker League voted to suspend the membership of Howard Lederer
Howard Lederer
Howard Henry Lederer is an American professional poker player and brother of poker professional Annie Duke, and author and poet Katy Lederer. On September 20, 2011, the U.S...
(brother of league Commissioner Annie Duke
Annie Duke
Annie Duke is a professional poker player and author who won a bracelet in the 2004 World Series of Poker $2,000 Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better Event and was the winner of the 2004 World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions, where she earned the Winner-Take-All prize of $2,000,000...
) and deny membership to eligible member Chris Ferguson
Chris Ferguson
Christopher Philip Ferguson is an American professional poker player. He has won five World Series of Poker events, including the 2000 WSOP Main Event, and the 2008 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship. On September 20, 2011, the U.S...
, after the U.S. Justice Department
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
filed a motion to amend a civil complaint, alleging that the two players and other directors of the poker website Full Tilt Poker
Full Tilt Poker
Full Tilt Poker is an online poker card room that opened in June 2004 with the involvement of poker professionals Howard Lederer, Phil Ivey, Andy Bloch, Mike Matusow, Jennifer Harman and Chris Ferguson...
were running a Ponzi scheme
Ponzi scheme
A Ponzi scheme is a fraudulent investment operation that pays returns to its investors from their own money or the money paid by subsequent investors, rather than from any actual profit earned by the individual or organization running the operation...
that paid out $444 million of customer money to themselves and the firm's owners. The League will monitor the legal action to determine any future renewal of membership.
Event schedule
Season One of the Epic Poker League began in August 2011 with the first of four tournament series.The season will culminate in a League Championship in February 2012, which will feature the top 27 money winners from the first four tournaments.
Tournament Series One: $20,000 6-Max No Limit Hold'em
- 4-Day Event: August 9-August 12
- Buy-in: $20,000
- Number of Entries: 137
- Total Prize Pool: $3,140,000
- Number of Payouts: 18
- Winning Hand:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | David Rheem David Rheem Chino Rheem is a poker player from Los Angeles, California, and a reputed welcher. In November 2008, Rheem finished in seventh place at the 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event, cashing for $1,772,650. He went out of this event on to Peter Eastgate's with Eastgate flopping a pair of queens on a... |
$1,000,000 |
| 2nd | Erik Seidel Erik Seidel Erik Seidel is an American professional poker player from Las Vegas, Nevada who has won eight World Series of Poker bracelets and a World Poker Tour title.In 2010, he was inducted as a member of the Poker Hall of Fame.-Early life:... |
$604,330 |
| 3rd | Jason Mercier Jason Mercier Jason Mercier is an American professional poker player from Hollywood, Florida. He has won two World Series of Poker bracelets and one European Poker Tour title... |
$360,970 |
| 4th | Hasan Habib Hasan Habib Hasan Habib is a Pakistani American professional poker player.During his early years in Pakistan, Habib was the Pakistan 14-and-under National Tennis Champion. Habib went to America at the age of 18 to study business at the University of Redlands. He also once owned a nationwide chain of video... |
$237,560 |
| 5th | Gavin Smith Gavin Smith Gavin Smith is a Canadian professional poker player who won the World Poker Tour's Season IV Mirage Poker Showdown Championship event and the WPT Season IV Player of the Year award in 2005, then at the 2010 World Series of Poker he won the $2,500 Mixed Hold'em event along with his first... |
$154,260 |
| 6th | Huck Seed Huck Seed Huckleberry Seed is an American professional poker player best known for winning the main event of the 1996 World Series of Poker.-Early Life:... |
$107,980 |
Tournament Series Two: $20,000 8-Max No Limit Hold'em
- 4-Day Event: September 6-9
- Buy-in: $20,000
- Number of Entries: 97
- Total Prize Pool: $2,301,200
- Number of Payouts: 12
- Winning Hand:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Mike McDonald Michael McDonald (poker player) Mike McDonald is Canadian poker player. McDonald is the youngest person to win an event on the European Poker Tour and the youngest person to win an event on the Epic Poker League .... |
$782,410 |
| 2nd | David Steicke David Steicke David Paul Steicke is a poker player based in Hong Kong. When the Asian Pacific Poker Tour brought poker to nearby Macau for the first time in November 2007, he placed third in the US$15,000 High Roller no limit Texas hold 'em event, winning US$110,592.Steicke has gained a reputation as an expert... |
$506,260 |
| 3rd | Fabrice Soulier Fabrice Soulier Fabrice Soulier is a professional poker player with over $3.2 Million in live poker tournament winnings and won his first bracelet in the 2011 World Series of Poker $10,000 H.O.R.S.E... |
$299,160 |
| 4th | Erik Seidel Erik Seidel Erik Seidel is an American professional poker player from Las Vegas, Nevada who has won eight World Series of Poker bracelets and a World Poker Tour title.In 2010, he was inducted as a member of the Poker Hall of Fame.-Early life:... |
$184,100 |
| 5th | Nam Le | $126,570 |
| 6th | Isaac Baron Isaac Baron Isaac Baron an American professional poker player from Menlo Park, California. He was the winner of the first Card Player Magazine Online Poker Player of the Year Award in 2007.-Online poker:... |
$92,050 |
| 7th | Sean Getzwiller | $69,040 |
| 8th | Dutch Boyd | $57,530 |
Tournament Series Three: $20,000 Heads Up No Limit Hold'em
- 4-Day Event: December 14-17
- Buy-in: $20,000
- Number of Entries:
- Total Prize Pool:
- Number of Payouts:
- Winning Hand:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | TBD | TBD |
| 2nd | TBD | TBD |
| SF | TBD | TBD |
| SF | TBD | TBD |
| QF | TBD | TBD |
| QF | TBD | TBD |
| QF | TBD | TBD |
| QF | TBD | TBD |
Tournament Series Four: $20,000 Mix Max No Limit Hold'em
- 4-Day Event: February 9-12
- Buy-in: $20,000
- Number of Entries:
- Total Prize Pool:
- Number of Payouts:
- Winning Hand:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | TBD | TBD |
| 2nd | TBD | TBD |
| 3rd | TBD | TBD |
| 4th | TBD | TBD |
| 5th | TBD | TBD |
| 6th | TBD | TBD |
| 7th | TBD | TBD |
| 8th | TBD | TBD |
League Championship: $1,000,000 Freeroll
- 2-Day Event: February 13-14
- Buy-in: Freeroll
- Number of Entries: 27
- Total Prize Pool: $1,000,000
- Number of Payouts:
- Winning Hand:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | TBD | TBD |
| 2nd | TBD | TBD |
| 3rd | TBD | TBD |
| 4th | TBD | TBD |
| 5th | TBD | TBD |
| 6th | TBD | TBD |