April 15, 2011 has been marked as one of those most pivotal dates in the history of online poker. Also known as Black Friday, this marks the day that the FBI, in collaboration with the Southern District of New York, had made announcements that it would be arresting the executives of the top three online poker sites. These sites include PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, and Absolute Poker. In addition, the FBI has seized their websites and placed freezes on any associated accounts. The CEOs of these companies have been charged with bank fraud, money laundering, and other illegal acts under the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.

Bradley Franzen, one of the 11 executives that has been charged, turned himself into a Manhattan FBI office and has pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the charges. Franzen has posted a bail of $200,000 on the same day he was arrested and has used his parents’ house as collateral. Franzen’s defense rests on the idea that poker is a game of skill not of luck and should is not subject to the laws concerning gambling. However, the charges that are being brought against him have to do with creating fake businesses and wiring the money to the poker companies.

Immediately after the announcement was made that these companies were under charges by the FBI, ESPN and ESPN.com has severed all ties with PokerStars and has even terminated coverage of the North American Poker Tour. The Big Game, a show on Fox, has been canceled in the mean time. Wynn Casinos and many other casinos, based in the United States, have also decided to distance themselves from these online sites. The CEOs of these companies can also possibly be extradited based on which country they live in. Furthermore, funds that are associated with these sites have been frozen for US players and there is a possibility of being completely lost.

One of the biggest changes is going to be the reduction of poker coverage on mainstream television in the United States. One of the biggest sufferers will be the World Series of Poker main event that is held using online qualifiers. Attendance is also expected to drop down to precisely 2,500 attendees from 8,000. This shutdown of the US online sites has drastically reduced the market share that is involved in online poker.

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This cheating? No way! This guy is just an alias of Phil Hellmuth or Laurens De Smet, two pure poker geniusses nobody else can compete with.

CLEAR.

NO DISCUSSION;

NICE TOURNAMENT POTRIPPER!

Mark Seif giving a great opinion on the whole Absolute Poker scandal – and even though I think he’s still taking a way too positive stance towards Absolute Poker – I still think people coming out like this is GOOD.

SEE! ONLINE POKER IS RIGGED!

Lose two sick hands and you’re dead broke poker boy!

These are all the key hands, feel free to critique!

Full Tilt Poker Game #11706627206: $11 + $0.50 Heads Up Sit & Go (87828219), Table 1 – 15/30 – No Limit Hold’em – 22:15:41 ET – 2009/04/15
Seat 1: jaygun5 (1,500)
Seat 2: mypokerblog (1,500)
mypokerblog posts the small blind of 15
jaygun5 posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to mypokerblog
mypokerblog has 15 seconds left to act
mypokerblog raises to 90
jaygun5 calls 60
*** FLOP ***
jaygun5 bets 180
mypokerblog folds
Uncalled bet of 180 returned to jaygun5
jaygun5 mucks
jaygun5 wins the pot (180)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 180 | Rake 0
Board:
Seat 1: jaygun5 (big blind) collected (180), mucked
Seat 2: mypokerblog (small blind) folded on the Flop

****

Full Tilt Poker Game #11706641928: $11 + $0.50 Heads Up Sit & Go (87828219), Table 1 – 15/30 – No Limit Hold’em – 22:16:34 ET – 2009/04/15
Seat 1: jaygun5 (1,490)
Seat 2: mypokerblog (1,510)
mypokerblog posts the small blind of 15
jaygun5 posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to mypokerblog
mypokerblog has 15 seconds left to act
mypokerblog raises to 90
jaygun5 raises to 270
mypokerblog folds
Uncalled bet of 180 returned to jaygun5
jaygun5 mucks
jaygun5 wins the pot (180)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 180 | Rake 0
Seat 1: jaygun5 (big blind) collected (180), mucked
Seat 2: mypokerblog (small blind) folded before the Flop

****

Full Tilt Poker Game #11706649957: $11 + $0.50 Heads Up Sit & Go (87828219), Table 1 – 15/30 – No Limit Hold’em – 22:17:04 ET – 2009/04/15
Seat 1: jaygun5 (1,610)
Seat 2: mypokerblog (1,390)
mypokerblog posts the small blind of 15
jaygun5 posts the big blind of 30
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to mypokerblog
mypokerblog raises to 90
jaygun5 raises to 270
mypokerblog folds
Uncalled bet of 180 returned to jaygun5
jaygun5 mucks
jaygun5 wins the pot (180)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 180 | Rake 0
Seat 1: jaygun5 (big blind) collected (180), mucked
Seat 2: mypokerblog (small blind) folded before the Flop

****

Full Tilt Poker Game #11706679976: $11 + $0.50 Heads Up Sit & Go (87828219), Table 1 – 20/40 – No Limit Hold’em – 22:18:52 ET – 2009/04/15
Seat 1: jaygun5 (1,610)
Seat 2: mypokerblog (1,390)
jaygun5 posts the small blind of 20
mypokerblog posts the big blind of 40
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to mypokerblog
jaygun5 calls 20
mypokerblog checks
*** FLOP ***
mypokerblog checks
jaygun5 bets 80
mypokerblog raises to 200
jaygun5 folds
Uncalled bet of 120 returned to mypokerblog
mypokerblog mucks
mypokerblog wins the pot (240)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 240 | Rake 0
Board:
Seat 1: jaygun5 (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 2: mypokerblog (big blind) collected (240), mucked

****

Full Tilt Poker Game #11706698860: $11 + $0.50 Heads Up Sit & Go (87828219), Table 1 – 20/40 – No Limit Hold’em – 22:20:01 ET – 2009/04/15
Seat 1: jaygun5 (1,570)
Seat 2: mypokerblog (1,430)
jaygun5 posts the small blind of 20
mypokerblog posts the big blind of 40
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to mypokerblog
jaygun5 raises to 120
mypokerblog calls 80
*** FLOP ***
mypokerblog checks
jaygun5 bets 240
mypokerblog calls 240
*** TURN ***
mypokerblog checks
jaygun5 checks
*** RIVER ***
mypokerblog bets 400
jaygun5 calls 400
*** SHOW DOWN ***
mypokerblog shows a pair of Jacks
jaygun5 shows a flush, Ace high
jaygun5 wins the pot (1,520) with a flush, Ace high
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1,520 | Rake 0
Board:
Seat 1: jaygun5 (small blind) showed and won (1,520) with a flush, Ace high
Seat 2: mypokerblog (big blind) showed and lost with a pair of Jacks

****

Full Tilt Poker Game #11706716852: $11 + $0.50 Heads Up Sit & Go (87828219), Table 1 – 20/40 – No Limit Hold’em – 22:21:06 ET – 2009/04/15
Seat 1: jaygun5 (2,330)
Seat 2: mypokerblog (670)
jaygun5 posts the small blind of 20
mypokerblog posts the big blind of 40
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to mypokerblog
jaygun5 calls 20
mypokerblog raises to 160
jaygun5 calls 120
*** FLOP ***
mypokerblog bets 510, and is all in
jaygun5 folds
Uncalled bet of 510 returned to mypokerblog
mypokerblog mucks
mypokerblog wins the pot (320)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 320 | Rake 0
Board:
Seat 1: jaygun5 (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 2: mypokerblog (big blind) collected (320), mucked

****

Full Tilt Poker Game #11706737146: $11 + $0.50 Heads Up Sit & Go (87828219), Table 1 – 25/50 – No Limit Hold’em – 22:22:20 ET – 2009/04/15
Seat 1: jaygun5 (2,195)
Seat 2: mypokerblog (805)
jaygun5 posts the small blind of 25
mypokerblog posts the big blind of 50
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to mypokerblog
jaygun5 calls 25
mypokerblog raises to 805, and is all in
jaygun5 folds
Uncalled bet of 755 returned to mypokerblog
mypokerblog mucks
mypokerblog wins the pot (100)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 100 | Rake 0
Seat 1: jaygun5 (small blind) folded before the Flop
Seat 2: mypokerblog (big blind) collected (100), mucked

****

Full Tilt Poker Game #11706740352: $11 + $0.50 Heads Up Sit & Go (87828219), Table 1 – 25/50 – No Limit Hold’em – 22:22:32 ET – 2009/04/15
Seat 1: jaygun5 (2,145)
Seat 2: mypokerblog (855)
mypokerblog posts the small blind of 25
jaygun5 posts the big blind of 50
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to mypokerblog
mypokerblog calls 25
jaygun5 checks
*** FLOP ***
jaygun5 checks
mypokerblog bets 75
jaygun5 calls 75
*** TURN ***
jaygun5 checks
mypokerblog bets 200
jaygun5 folds
Uncalled bet of 200 returned to mypokerblog
mypokerblog mucks
mypokerblog wins the pot (250)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 250 | Rake 0
Board:
Seat 1: jaygun5 (big blind) folded on the Turn
Seat 2: mypokerblog (small blind) collected (250), mucked

****

Full Tilt Poker Game #11706761301: $11 + $0.50 Heads Up Sit & Go (87828219), Table 1 – 25/50 – No Limit Hold’em – 22:23:49 ET – 2009/04/15
Seat 1: jaygun5 (1,920)
Seat 2: mypokerblog (1,080)
jaygun5 posts the small blind of 25
mypokerblog posts the big blind of 50
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to mypokerblog
jaygun5 raises to 150
mypokerblog calls 100
*** FLOP ***
mypokerblog checks
jaygun5 bets 1,770, and is all in
mypokerblog folds
Uncalled bet of 1,770 returned to jaygun5
jaygun5 mucks
jaygun5 wins the pot (300)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 300 | Rake 0
Board:
Seat 1: jaygun5 (small blind) collected (300), mucked
Seat 2: mypokerblog (big blind) folded on the Flop

****

Full Tilt Poker Game #11706766250: $11 + $0.50 Heads Up Sit & Go (87828219), Table 1 – 25/50 – No Limit Hold’em – 22:24:07 ET – 2009/04/15
Seat 1: jaygun5 (2,070)
Seat 2: mypokerblog (930)
mypokerblog posts the small blind of 25
jaygun5 posts the big blind of 50
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to mypokerblog
mypokerblog raises to 150
jaygun5 has 15 seconds left to act
jaygun5 calls 100
*** FLOP ***
jaygun5 bets 1,920, and is all in
mypokerblog folds
Uncalled bet of 1,920 returned to jaygun5
jaygun5 mucks
jaygun5 wins the pot (300)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 300 | Rake 0
Board:
Seat 1: jaygun5 (big blind) collected (300), mucked
Seat 2: mypokerblog (small blind) folded on the Flop

****

Full Tilt Poker Game #11706776570: $11 + $0.50 Heads Up Sit & Go (87828219), Table 1 – 30/60 – No Limit Hold’em – 22:24:45 ET – 2009/04/15
Seat 1: jaygun5 (2,195)
Seat 2: mypokerblog (805)
mypokerblog posts the small blind of 30
jaygun5 posts the big blind of 60
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to mypokerblog
mypokerblog raises to 180
jaygun5 calls 120
*** FLOP ***
jaygun5 checks
mypokerblog bets 360
jaygun5 folds
Uncalled bet of 360 returned to mypokerblog
mypokerblog mucks
mypokerblog wins the pot (360)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 360 | Rake 0
Board:
Seat 1: jaygun5 (big blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 2: mypokerblog (small blind) collected (360), mucked

****

Full Tilt Poker Game #11706781272: $11 + $0.50 Heads Up Sit & Go (87828219), Table 1 – 30/60 – No Limit Hold’em – 22:25:03 ET – 2009/04/15
Seat 1: jaygun5 (2,015)
Seat 2: mypokerblog (985)
jaygun5 posts the small blind of 30
mypokerblog posts the big blind of 60
The button is in seat #1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to mypokerblog
jaygun5 calls 30
mypokerblog checks
*** FLOP ***
mypokerblog checks
jaygun5 checks
*** TURN ***
mypokerblog checks
jaygun5 checks
*** RIVER ***
mypokerblog bets 120
jaygun5 calls 120
*** SHOW DOWN ***
mypokerblog shows two pair, Tens and Fours
jaygun5 shows two pair, Tens and Fours
mypokerblog ties for the pot (180) with two pair, Tens and Fours
jaygun5 ties for the pot (180) with two pair, Tens and Fours
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 360 | Rake 0
Board:
Seat 1: jaygun5 showed and won (180) with two pair, Tens and Fours
Seat 2: mypokerblog (big blind) showed and won (180) with two pair, Tens and Fours

****

Full Tilt Poker Game #11706788039: $11 + $0.50 Heads Up Sit & Go (87828219), Table 1 – 30/60 – No Limit Hold’em – 22:25:27 ET – 2009/04/15
Seat 1: jaygun5 (2,015)
Seat 2: mypokerblog (985)
mypokerblog posts the small blind of 30
jaygun5 posts the big blind of 60
The button is in seat #2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to mypokerblog
mypokerblog has 15 seconds left to act
mypokerblog raises to 210
jaygun5 raises to 2,015, and is all in
mypokerblog calls 775, and is all in
jaygun5 shows
mypokerblog shows
Uncalled bet of 1,030 returned to jaygun5
*** FLOP ***
*** TURN ***
*** RIVER ***
jaygun5 shows a pair of Eights
mypokerblog shows Ace King high
jaygun5 wins the pot (1,970) with a pair of Eights
mypokerblog: gg
mypokerblog stands up
jaygun5 stands up
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 1,970 | Rake 0
Board:
Seat 1: jaygun5 (big blind) showed and won (1,970) with a pair of Eights
Seat 2: mypokerblog (small blind) showed and lost with Ace King high