He arrived as if ready to rule his personal fiefdom, but even with the swagger 18-year-old Berardino Palmieiri was liked immediately. Too bad he didn’t stick around long enough to rule the IPT, as the PokerStars Blog reports.
Connor Drinan has won several small pots in a row, but just now it was Dzmitry Urbanovich taking down a hand.
Urbanovich opened for 65,000 and Drinan three bet to 200,000.
After some tanking, Urbanovich four bet to 415,000. Drinan quickly released.
Despite picking up 200,000 without a showdown in that hand, Urbanovich is still down a little since our last count.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
2,360,000
137,000
|
137,000 |
|
2,040,000
-137,000
|
-137,000 |
|
||
Poker and charity go hand in hand. In fact, the Global Poker Index (GPI) has even dedicated a category, Charitable Initiative of the Year, in the 14th Annual European Poker Awards, which will take place at the Hilton Hotel here in Malta on March 25. Among the four nominees in the category is Helping Hands Charity Tournament, an event that raises funds for PokerStars' charity partner, Right To Play.
According to their mission statement, Right To Play is a global charity using sport and play to educate and empower children and young people to overcome the effects of poverty, conflict and disease in disadvantaged communities around the world.
On Saturday, March 21 during the EPT Malta, Helping the Hands Charity Tournament will take place at the Portomaso Casino, which is connected to the Hilton Malta. The event will kick off at 7:30 p.m. with drinks and canapé reception, which will also offer newbies free training lessons. Then, beginning at 8:30 p.m., the €100 buy-in, invite-only tournament will begin.
"The tournament and refreshments will be on the second floor of the Hilton congress hall in the magnificent 'Grand masters suite,'" said Anna Colley of Rational Group. "If you should wish you can also participate in some poker training, we will have tables allocated for this before the tournament starts."
She went on to add: "It will be a fantastic night, with plenty of opportunity to chat and play against our Team Pros, as well as staff and well-connected figures from the local business community. There will be some great prizes to be won too."
All proceeds from the event, which will have several Team PokerStars Pros in attendance, will go toward PokerStars' goal of training 1,000 Right To Play coaches, which will bolster the 2,500 volunteer coaches who are currently changing the lives of 185,000 children all over the world. To date, through there charitable endeavors, PokerStars has raised ￡354,201 of their ￡420,000 goal, meaning they're 84% of the way there. The event in Malta will no doubt bring them much closer to their target.
The Helping Hands Charity Tournament is the latest in a long line of charity work involving Rational Group. Here's a sample of Rational Group's charitable activities over the last decade:
For those hoping to participate in the Helping Hands Charity Tournament should RSVP to: Anna Colley – [email protected]. Remember, space is limited.
To give you an idea of what the night will hold, check out this video featuring a similar charity initiative for the Quintessentially Foundation that was held last year in London.
Rich Ryan and Donnie Peters discuss the new anti-cash policy at MGM and the WSOP Colossus, and then David Williams joins the program to talk about his new Tesla, appearing on an episode of Epic Meal Time, what "NFA" means, and more.
You can subscribe to the entire iBus Media Network on iTunes here, or you can access the RSS feed here. The PokerNews family of podcasts is now available on Stitcher.
Connor Drinan opened for 70,000 from the button and Dzmitry Urbanovich just called from the big blind.
Urbanovich check called a bet of 60,000 on 
before both players checked the 
turn.
Urbanovich bet out 185,000 on the 
river.
Drinan called rather quickly, but mucked as Urbanovich showed him 
.
"Nice hand" rail bird Dominik Panka said.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,223,000
-397,000
|
-397,000 |
|
|
2,177,000
397,000
|
397,000 |
|
|
||
Dzmitry Urbanovich raised to 65,000 from the button and Connor Drinan called from the big blind. The flop came down 
and Drinan check-called 60,000.
On the turn the hit and Drinan check-folded when Urbanovich bet 120,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,620,000
-130,000
|
-130,000 |
|
|
1,780,000
130,000
|
130,000 |
|
|
||
Conor Drinan opened before the flop for 70,000, Dzmitry Urbanovich made the call.
Urbanovich checked on 
, and called the 50,000 continuation bet that followed.
Both players checked the on the turn, and Urbanovich checked a third tim after the 
hit the river.
Drinan thought for a bit, cut out some orange 25,000 chips, and tossed in a bet of 150,000.
Urbanovich casually called by tossing in a single 5,000 chip, but would soon add the other 145,000. Drinan showed 
and Urbanovich mucked.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,750,000
80,000
|
80,000 |
|
|
1,650,000
-80,000
|
-80,000 |
|
|
||
Team PokerStars Pro’s Belgian twins are taking on each other as well as the rest of the monstrous IPT Malta crowd. PokerStars Blog hears about their last longer.
Dzmitry Urbanovich raised to 65,000 and Connor Drinan called from the big blind. The flop came down 
and both players checked.
The turn was the and Drinan check-called 60,000. On the river the hit and Drinan checked again. Urbanovich bet 80,000 and Drinan called once more.
Urbanovich showed 
and with his two pair he took down this pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,670,000
-191,000
|
-191,000 |
|
|
1,730,000
190,000
|
190,000 |
|
|
||
Dzmitry Urbanovich first lost a small hand where he check called two streets with bottom pair, but ran into Connor Drinan's turned second pair.
Just now he won some back.
In a limped pot, the flop came 
and Urbanovich check called a bet of 30,000. The 
on the turn made Urbanovich check call another 60,000.
The river came the 
and Urbanovich bet out 165,000. Drinan folded instantly.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,861,000
187,000
|
187,000 |
|
|
1,540,000
-187,000
|
-187,000 |
|
|
||
