Adelaide isn’t exactly known as the nexus of poker, but it has bred some top players. Let’s have a look at one of the best to have come out of the SA capital, James Obst.
Starting out as a teenage chess champion, Obst began playing at the (illegal) age of 14 online. Because he had no access to a credit card at the time, he got other players to transfer him small amounts to get his bankroll going. By grinding it out and building his bankroll gradually.
He eventually made a name for himself by winning a $10 rebuy tournament, taking out the first prize of $17, 000. From there on it was on to bigger and better things, making 5th place at last year's $100, 000
challenge at the Aussie Millions. His career winning to date exceed $2.4 million.
One interesting fact about his career is that another online player snitched on him when he was 17 years old (due to his underage status) and Obst was banned from online play for a year. Keeping his cool until he could play again, Obst used this time offline to focus on his studies, health and his other obligations. This left him free to get back into poker full time by the time he was 18.
James was invited to join Team Victory at the popular site Victory Poker in 2010, a testament to his skill level. His contemporaries in the Victory Poker stable include Antonio Esfandiari and Danny Wong.
A true Adelaide Crows supporter, James’s online handle is “Andy McLeod” after Andrew McLeod, one of the greatest indigenous players of all time and also considered by some to be the best Crows player of all time.
Being a hometown boy at heart, James still resides in Adelaide to this day.
Archie Raweed is a content writer at pokie.com.au, where he tries his best to cover the latest in the Australian pokies scene. In between articles, he likes to fit in a few hands of poker both online and offline.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Friday, May 18, 2012
Internet Poker Is Less Aggressive Than Casino Gambling [Guest Post]
One of the great things about gambling online is how much more relaxed it can be. The feeling of winning some money in the comfort of your own home is something that can tempt a lot of people, and because of the large amount of competition between internet gambling sites there are large numbers of relatively cheap places to play anything from bingo to poker.
Many sites offer large bonuses when people first sign up to play; quite often this can extend to free bets, and games free of charge if you're browsing through poker and bingo sites. Because of this it really does feel like the ball is in your court to a much greater extent than if you walk into your local bookmakers or bingo hall.
In fact, due to the large amounts of online providers, you can quite easily find a social site which is regularly used by many like-minded people. There are so many different niches; often filled by the same operators in order to gain as many customers as possible; you're bound to find a place to make some friends.
Another advantage of internet gambling is that it's convenient. Though you can lose your money in an instant if you don't place sensible bets online or in traditional brick and mortar bookies, the journey there and back can be so long that it leaves a black cloud over your day, and the opening hours can be difficult to work with depending on your job. It's quick and easy to find a good online bingo room, or a fast poker iGame, and as other people can't see you the pressure to lose your money quickly just isn't there.
Online gambling can be relaxed and social, and a few pence can easily last you an entire evening if you're less bothered about winning big and more bothered about having a chat and passing the time doing something fun.
Attitudes to online gambling are changing; even countries that are traditionally harsh with gambling, like the United States, are coming around to the idea of online poker and betting. In some States gambling is still illegal, but that looks to be changing soon in places like Illinois, and the United Kingdom is one of the few places where gambling in various forms really is part of our cultural heritage, so you really have nothing at all to worry about when you are visiting online poker and bingo rooms.
Stephen has played poker with friends from being a teenager, but is new to the world of online poker. He joined iGame last month and is enjoying the experience.
In fact, due to the large amounts of online providers, you can quite easily find a social site which is regularly used by many like-minded people. There are so many different niches; often filled by the same operators in order to gain as many customers as possible; you're bound to find a place to make some friends.
Another advantage of internet gambling is that it's convenient. Though you can lose your money in an instant if you don't place sensible bets online or in traditional brick and mortar bookies, the journey there and back can be so long that it leaves a black cloud over your day, and the opening hours can be difficult to work with depending on your job. It's quick and easy to find a good online bingo room, or a fast poker iGame, and as other people can't see you the pressure to lose your money quickly just isn't there.
Online gambling can be relaxed and social, and a few pence can easily last you an entire evening if you're less bothered about winning big and more bothered about having a chat and passing the time doing something fun.
Attitudes to online gambling are changing; even countries that are traditionally harsh with gambling, like the United States, are coming around to the idea of online poker and betting. In some States gambling is still illegal, but that looks to be changing soon in places like Illinois, and the United Kingdom is one of the few places where gambling in various forms really is part of our cultural heritage, so you really have nothing at all to worry about when you are visiting online poker and bingo rooms.
Stephen has played poker with friends from being a teenager, but is new to the world of online poker. He joined iGame last month and is enjoying the experience.
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