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Los Angeles Edges New York In Seven In Strat-O-Matic Simulation

Tommy Edman had a series-best .435 average, hit two home runs and drove in six runs, Teoscar Hernandez plated seven and Mookie Betts had 10 hits as Los Angeles topped New York, four games to three, as Strat-O-Matic (@strat-o-matic), the market leader in sports simulation games, simulated the championship series which begins tonight.

In the decisive Game Seven, Hernandez’s single plated Betts with the go-ahead run that gave L.A. a 2-1 edge. The hosts would add another in the bottom of the sixth on a solo home run by Will Smith, and on a bullpen day, Blake Treinen pitched two perfect innings, fanning four, as the last of eight Los Angeles pitchers in the game, for his third save of the series.

Los Angeles rallied from a 3-1 series deficit, getting five-inning starts from Jack Flaherty and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Games Five and Six to send it to the winner-take-all contest in L.A. 

Betts hit .370 in the seven games with a home run and seven RBI. In the battle between probable league MVPs, New York’s Aaron Judge (.346, two home runs, three RBI) and Shohei Ohtani (.231, two HR, six RBI) were fairly even, while Giancarlo Stanton had three home runs and drove in six in the series.

Game 1

New York……. 1 0 1  0 0 1  0 0 0  –  3  6  4

Los Angeles…. 0 0 1  0 2 0  1 0    –  4  7  0

WP: Vesia; LP: Hill; SV: Treinen

HR: Soto, Stanton

Game 2

New York……. 0 3 2  1 4 1  0 0 2  – 13 15  0

Los Angeles…. 0 0 2  0 2 0  0 0 0  –  4  8  0

WP: Leiter; LP: Yamamoto

HR: Wells, Chisholm, Volpe, Rizzo, T. Hernandez

Game 3

Los Angeles…. 1 2 0  0 0 0  1 0 0  –  4  7  0

New York……. 1 0 0  0 0 3  0 0 1  –  5  8  0

WP: Weaver; LP: Kopech

HR: Edman, Judge

Game 4

Los Angeles…. 0 0 0  0 0 0  1 0 0  –  1  4  2

New York……. 2 0 0  0 0 0  4 1    –  7  7  0

WP: Gil; LP: Brasier

HR: T. Hernandez, Soto

Game 5

Los Angeles…. 0 0 2  0 3 0  0 0 0  –  5  8  0

New York……. 0 0 0  1 0 0  1 0 2  –  4  5  1

WP: Flaherty; LP: Cole; SV: Treinen

HR: Ohtani 2, Wells 2, Stanton

Game 6

New York……. 0 1 0  0 0 0  0 0 0  –  1  8  0

Los Angeles…. 3 1 0  0 0 1  0 2    –  7 11  0

WP: Yamamoto; LP: Rodon

HR: Stanton, Betts, Edman

Game 7

New York……. 1 0 0  0 0 0  0 0 0  –  1  2  0

Los Angeles…. 1 0 1  0 0 1  0 0    –  3  7  0

WP: Banda; LP: Schmidt; SV: Treinen

HR: Judge, Smith

This Year’s White Sox Fall to ‘62 Mets In Strat-O-Matic ‘Worst Team Ever’ Simulation

A current 21-game losing streak has put this year’s Chicago White Sox (27-88, .235 winning percentage through Monday) on a pace for an even poorer record than the famed 1962 New York Mets, who at 40-120 (.250) are acknowledged by many as the worst team in modern Major League Baseball history. So how would the 2024 ChiSox fare against Marvelous Marv Throneberry, Felix Mantilla and the rest of Casey Stengel’s expansion Amazins?

Strat-O-Matic (@strat-o-matic), the market leader in sports simulation games, decided to put that to the test today, simulating a seven-game series between the two lowly squads. And the battle came down to Game 7, where Jay Hook pitched a complete game and Sammy Taylor hit a grand slam in the fourth inning for a 7-5 Mets win.

The 2024 White Sox, further depleted by trade deadline deals that sent away Michael Kopech, Tommy Pham, Eloy Jimenez, Tanner Banks and Paul DeJong, all starters or key “contributors,” are on a pace to finish 38-124 based on their record to date. But Strat-O-Matic also decided to simulate the rest of this season with their current roster, and has the final record tabbed at 41-121.

In the ‘62 Mets series simulation, Chicago pitching, which has recorded an A.L.-worst 4.88 ERA, allowing the most walks (451), second most home runs (147) and fourth most hits (977) in actual MLB play to date, permitted 60 runs in the seven games for a 7.28 ERA that included 13 home runs and 41 walks. The ChiSox’s top hitter against New York was Luis Robert Jr., who hit .448 with two home runs and four RBI. Andrew Benintendi checked in at .316 with a home run and six RBI in the series.

Chicago won the first two games of the series and led, three games to two, but lost, 18-3 and 7-5 in the last two contests in New York.

Game 1

Chicago……. 2 0 1  1 2 0  0 0 0  1 –  7 14  2

New York…… 0 1 0  4 0 0  0 1 0  0 –  6  9  1

WP: Ellard; LP: Daviault; SV: Kuhl

HR: Robert Jr., Vaughn, Thomas

Game 2

Chicago……. 0 0 2  0 0 1  0 5 0  –  8 11  1

New York…… 0 1 3  0 0 0  0 2 0  –  6  8  0

WP: Anderson; LP: Jackson; SV: Kuhl

HR: Vargas, Mantilla, Thomas 2, Hickman

Game 3

New York…… 0 0 1  0 0 0  0 4 0  1 –  6 11  2

Chicago……. 0 0 0  0 1 2  0 2 0  0 –  5  8  0

WP: Mackenzie; LP: Brebbia

HR: Fletcher

Game 4

New York…… 1 0 0  0 3 1  2 0 0  –  7  9  3

Chicago……. 0 0 0  0 0 1  0 0 2  –  3  7  2

WP: Miller; LP: Martin

HR: Mantilla

Game 5

New York…… 0 7 0  0 0 0  1 0 2  – 10 12  0

Chicago……. 2 0 0  6 0 0  3 4    – 15 14  2

WP: Shuster; LP: Mackenzie

HR: Hodges, Robert Jr., Sosa

Game 6

Chicago……. 0 0 0  0 0 0  0 0 3  –  3  7  0

New York…… 0 0 6  1 0 1  010    – 18 17  2

WP: Jackson; LP: Flexen

HR: Vaughn, Mantilla 2, Thomas 2, Throneberry

Game 7

Chicago……. 3 0 0  1 0 1  0 0 0  –  5  7  1

New York…… 0 1 1  4 0 0  1 0    –  7  8  2

WP: Hook; LP: Cannon

HR: Benintendi, Lee, Taylor

Strat-O-Matic Opening Day At Glen Head, N.Y. Headquarters A Big Hit For Fans

They began lining up at 2 a.m. At least that’s the reported time that the first guest appeared at Strat-O-Matic Headquarters on Railroad Avenue, in the shadow of the Glen Head Long Island Rail Road stop. The first of what grew to more than 200 hearty souls braved near-freezing temperatures Friday in order to be among those to get ahold of the new baseball season cards fresh out of the warehouse.

In what has become an annual tradition, gamers from across the country – and sometimes other parts of the world – gather outside the blue-gray offices, not only to pick up the new season game and other items, but to meet friends old and new who share a love for the game that has been such an important part of their lives.

By all accounts, Bret Sypniewski traveled the farthest, getting into his customized white cargo van and traversing the country all the way from Las Vegas, where he took orders of his own for upwards of 30 games from friends and competitors at the various tournaments that he’s participated in regularly since retirement.

“It took me about 10 days, I took the scenic route,” said the affable Sypniewski, who has played the game for more than 35 years, a time frame that seemed to match many of the Opening Day participants. “I enjoy the tournaments, playing face to face, getting to interact with people while we play.”

Sypniewski made the Strat-O-Matic visit the fulcrum of a trip that included stops in Lubbock, Texas, for some hiking and a Texas Tech Red Raiders basketball game, another in Lexington, Kentucky, for a UK game and various other activities. His diverse interests match the variety of Strat-O-Matic baseball seasons that he enjoys playing.

“I enjoy playing the 1911-1930 teams, but I’m picking up the new season and 1984,” he added. “I like the old time stuff, I learn a lot about the players.”

Another highlight for Opening Day attendees is meeting the Strat-O-Matic founder and creator, Hal Richman, who enjoys hearing fans talk about the decades of enjoyment that the game has brought them.

Strat-O-Matic Chief Content Officer John Garcia presided over the Opening Day ceremonies, which included the induction of three members into the Strat-O-Matic Hall of Fame, including former major leaguer and noted SOM enthusiast Keith Hernandez, longtime game tester Larry Foster and Strat-O-Matic Forum editor Dan Patterson.

Garcia and CEO Adam Richman also raffled off some unique items, including test cards from last year’s 1933-1983 All-Star baseball set, a game autographed by Hal Richman, a subscription to the pending release of Baseball Max, currently in beta, and more.

CSG Grades Iconic 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle Card Valued at Over $2 Million

Certified Sports Guaranty® (CSG®) is thrilled to announce that it has just certified two examples of the iconic 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle card, one of them valued at more than $2 million! Graded CSG 8, it is the most valuable card that CSG has certified since it launched in early 2021.

Fewer than 20 are graded higher out of about 2,000 in the world, including one that sold for $12.6 million in August 2022, setting a record for most expensive sports card at auction.

“It was an honor to authenticate and grade what is one of the most valuable cards in the hobby,” said Andy Broome, Vice President of CSG. “This resounding affirmation from the collecting world follows CSG’s monumental efforts to quickly become one of the market’s leading third-party authentication, grading and encapsulation services. We look forward to seeing more cards of this caliber.”

In addition to the Type 1 example graded CSG 8, CSG also certified a Type 2 example CSG 4.5. A card with that grade would be expected to sell for about $100,000 at auction.

On its certification label, CSG attributes the type of the Mickey Mantle #311 card. Minor differences, such as the direction of the seams on the baseball on the back of the card, distinguish the two types. To learn more about the differences, click here or watch the video below.

The Mantle card stands at the pinnacle of the sports collecting world for many reasons. In 1952, Mantle’s All-Star career had just begun, and the world of sports cards was being revolutionized by a newcomer known as Topps Chewing Gum, Inc. Topps’ ambitious 1952 set is widely considered to have set the framework for modern sports cards. Unfortunately, it did not sell well, resulting in an inglorious fate for high-numbered cards like the #311 Mickey Mantle. Legend has it that New York City-based Topps loaded unsold cases of these cards onto a barge and sent them to a watery grave.

Mantle played for the New York Yankees from 1951 to 1968, when they won seven World Series championships. He won the Triple Crown in 1956 (leading in batting average, home runs and RBIs) and the Gold Glove Award in 1962. Many consider the Hall of Famer to be the best switch hitter in history.

Increasingly, collectors are turning to CSG to certify some of the greatest sports cards in the hobby. CSG also holds the distinction of being the fastest third-party grading service to certify more than 1 million cards. Among the great cards that CSG has graded are:

· multiple high-grade examples of the 1986-87 Fleer #57 Michael Jordan rookie card
· a 1952 Topps #261 Willie Mays card graded CSG 8 worth well over $100,000
· a 2003-04 Topps Chrome Refractor #111 LeBron James graded CSG Gem Mint 10 that realized $98,100 in a March 2021 flash auction through PWCC
· a c.1922 Romeo and Julieta Cigars Jose Mendez graded CSG 2.5 that sold for $19,470 at a Hake’s sale in March 2022
· a 1977 Futbol #11 Diego Maradona graded CSG 4

Backed by the same senior management team behind the industry’s leading collectibles certification services (Numismatic Guaranty Company™, Paper Money Guaranty® and Certified Guaranty Company®), CSG has leveraged world-class expertise, advanced technology, innovation and operational excellence to quickly have the second-largest capacity of any third-party sports card grading service. Online tools such as Verify CSG Certification, the CSG Population Report and the CSG Registry give collectors and dealers free access to a large amount of helpful information that benefits the collecting community.

For the latest company updates and to see a variety of fantastic cards, follow CSG on social media and sign up for our monthly CSG Score eNewsletter.

Verdict In: Judge’s 62nd Largest Topps NOW Run Ever

Aaron Judge’s A.L. record setting home run display was not just a boon to the Yankees — and his impending free agency. It was also a big hit with collectors, as the Topps NOW card depicting his historic 62nd blast of the season enticed fans to purchase 91,685 of the base card, the most ever in the seven-year history of Topps NOW, which depicts the greatest moments and milestones from Major League Baseball almost as soon as they happen, with physical cards limited to the number ordered within 48 hours of issue.

And it wasn’t just the final bomb that appealed to fans as they bore witness to greatness: home runs #61 (29,523) and 60 (21,490) and two base cards shared with former league homer champs Roger Maris (19,741) and Babe Ruth (13,804) set the precedent, rounding out five of the top six sellers of the 2022 season. Albert Pujols’s 700th career shot (third most, 28,898) was the only other card to top 10,000 in sales.

In all, the five top Judge cards accounted for a total of 176,243 cards issued, more than half of all the base cards (330,699) produced through the regular season (112 individual cards).

Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani (qualifying as pitcher and hitter, 7th, 7331 cards; and reaching 200K strikeouts, 10th, 4381), the Mets’ Francisco Alvarez (debut, 8th, 6005) and Seattle’s Julio Rodriguez (sets rookie HR record, 9th, 5449) rounded out the top 10 for 2022.

Fans can continue to purchase Topps NOW cards throughout the MLB playoffs at https://www.topps.com/toppsnow.

2022 Top Ten

  1. Aaron Judge, 62nd home run, 91,685
  2. Aaron Judge, 61st home run,29,523
  3. Albert Pujols, 700th career home run, 28,898
  4. Aaron Judge, 60th home run, 21,490
  5. Aaron Judge and Roger Maris, 61 home runs, 19,741
  6. Aaron Judge and Babe Ruth, 60 home runs, 13,804
  7. Shohei Ohtani, qualifying as pitcher and hitter, 7331
  8. Francisco Alvarez, debut, 6005
  9. Julio Rodriguez, sets rookie HR recorded, 5449
  10. Shohei Ohtani, 200K strikeouts, 4381

Art by DJ Skee, Gregory Siff Features All-Stars In New Limited Topps Set

DJ Skee and Gregory Siff, whose amazing artwork has graced numerous Topps baseball cards, take to the canvas again for the limited 2022 MLB All-Star Game set, available now through Thursday at 2 p.m. ET at https://www.topps.com/cards-collectibles/online-brands/2022-mlb-all-star-game.html.

The collection, limited to 2,500, includes rare and new foil parallels numbered to /499 and down, using eye-popping rainbow foil, cracked ice foil and lava foil technology.

Featuring four of MLB’s biggest stars seen through the eyes Skee and Siff, the Topps 2022 MLB All-Star Art Collection includes American League All-Stars Mike Trout and Aaron Judge and National League All-Stars Mookie Betts and Pete Alonso in the four player checklist of this limited edition release.

cover images: Aaron Judge by Gregory Siff, Mookie Betts by DJ Skee

$ 3 Million Collection: Baseball Cards Not Only Hot Commodity: Now It’s Pokémon

Sports trading cards aren’t the only memorabilia skyrocketing in value. Heritage Auctions has put a Pokémon card collection, valued at an estimated $3 million, on the auction block July 24-25.  This is potentially the largest sale of a non-sports card lot in US history.

Bart Kiser, had a love affair with Pokémon which was almost as big as the love he had for his children, earning him the nickname “Rad Dad.” So much so, that he gifted his massive collection to his children on Christmas morning 1999. Some 20 years later that collection will be up for grabs, expected to attract spirited bidding.

Kiser passed in 2018 but the colorful cards depicting “pocket monsters” will remind his now adult children again of his Pokémon passion and generosity.

His son Matt Kiser and Joe Maddalena, Executive VP at Heritage Auctions, are available to the media on mutually convenient times and dates to discuss the Bart Kiser Collection.

Highlights from the Rad Dad Collection offered at auction includes sealed box sets such as a Pokémon Japanese Base Set Sealed Booster Box (Media Factory, 1996) released only in Japan (est. $40,000). These boxes were released in Japan on Oct. 20, 1996, which was a little over two years before the English version. English versions of these boxes came with 36 card packs but Japanese versions came with 60 packs.

A Pokémon Unlimited Edition Base Set Booster Box (Wizards of the Coast) remains sealed since 1999, the year the set was released (est. $20,000). It includes 36 booster packs, each with 11 cards, for a total of 396 cards. The cards have never been touched and they are all likely gem mint condition.

Bart Kiser obtained a rare Pokémon First Edition Jungle Set Sealed Booster Box (Wizards of the Coast, 1999) (est. $15,000). This was the second set of the mega-popular Pokémon Trading Card Game, released on June 16, 1999. The set included a total of 64 cards and it was the first set to include copies of the holographic cards in non-holographic form.

Sports Illustrated, Topps Team for a 70th Anniversary Card Set Featuring Classic Baseball Covers

Sports industry titans, Sports Illustrated and Topps, come together to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the first Topps baseball cards with a new series launching March 16. With a total of 70 cards in the special edition set, each one will depict one of the most memorable Sports Illustratedbaseball covers ever printed. Two new cards will be offered per week, printed on demand and available for only seven days. Following a similar way in which TOPPS NOW products are made available, the 70th Anniversary cards will be printed exclusively to meet demand. Fans and collectors will be able to view and purchase the cards as they are released week to week on https://www.topps.com/cards-collectibles/online-brands/sports-illustrated.html.

Among the initial card offerings are legendary covers featuring Mike Trout (August 27, 2012), Duke Snider (June 27, 1955), Larry Walker (June 11, 2001), Kirby Puckett (April 6, 1992), Vladimir Guerrero Sr. (May 1, 2000), Boston Red Sox (November 10, 2004), Greg Maddux (August 14, 1995), Mookie Betts (October 28, 2020), Derek Jeter (June 21, 1999), and Stan Musial/Ted Williams (July 8, 1957).

“Millions of baseball fans know and love both Topps and Sports Illustrated, and we’re proud to be able to bring these two iconic names together in this highly collectible product,” said Jeff Heckman, Global Director of E-commerce, Topps. “The amazing photography from nearly seven decades ofSports Illustrated covers has provided works of art that can also be cherished as collectible cards to help relive great memories.”

“For both baseball fans and collectors, Topps and Sports Illustrated rank as two of the most venerable brands in sports,” said Michael Sherman, VP Media Brands, Authentic Brands Group, owner of Sports Illustrated. “We’re thrilled to continue building the brand’s legacy in the booming collectibles space and help commemorate Topps’ 70th anniversary with so many of Sports Illustrated’s historic covers.”

Topps To Create Special Box Set Featuring College Football Superstar Trevor Lawrence In Partnership

Having just completed one of the most decorated careers in college football history and weeks away from the likely No. 1 selection in the pro draft, Trevor Lawrencehas signed on with Topps in a landmark deal that will see the winningest starting quarterback in Clemson history featured in an exclusive box set of cards scheduled for release in April. The set will be created in collaboration with Trevor’s brother and sister-in-law Chase and Brooke Lawrence, professional artists who will create exclusive artwork of the decorated 2018 national champion and first quarterback ever to win three ACC Championship Games.

The series will include 50 cards, including autographs on select pieces and will feature a mix of oil paintings and digital depictions crafted by Chase and Brooke (https://bclawrence.art). To create the exclusive artwork, Chase and Brooke took inspiration from psychedelic period pieces from the 1960’s-70’s as well as classic comic book and graphic novel illustrations.

“Trevor Lawrence is one of the most popular and visible players in college football in years and we can’t wait to capture his talent and personality in this set,” said Jeff Heckman, Global Director of Ecommerce. “We look forward to revealing the unique designs that Chase and Brooke will develop, and we think football fans across the country will love the series.”

“I’m excited to be working with Topps on this really unique set,” said Lawrence. “Chase and Brooke are extremely talented artists and it’s special to collaborate with them on these custom designs.”

Lawrence completed 231 of 234 passes (69.2%) for 3153 yards and 24 touchdowns this past year, finishing second in the Heisman Trophy balloting as he led Clemson to the national championship game. In his storied three-year career, he completed 758-of-1138 career passes (66.6 %) for 10,098 yards with 90 touchdowns and 17 interceptions for a pass efficiency rating for 164.26 in 2,237 snaps over 40 career games (36 starts).

Daniel Negreanu on Phil Hellmuth: Quit Disrespecting the Young GTO Pros

Phil Hellmuth doesn’t think the younger GTO-minded pros are all that great compared to him, and Daniel Negreanu is fed up with the disrespect. The two poker superstars will soon face each other heads-up on PokerGo’s show, High Stakes Duel. And it appears there is some bad blood boiling between the competitors leading up to the match.

Daniel Negreanu would like to teach a Masterclass in heads-up poker to Phil Hellmuth. (Image: masterclass.com)

The Poker Hall of Famers have a lengthy relationship, one that has been mostly cordial. Hellmuth even attended Negreanu’s wedding in 2019, but occasionally they feud publicly, mostly over Hellmuth’s ego.

On the felt, they’ve competed against each other hundreds of times in high-stakes cash games and tournaments. They’ve both appeared numerous times on the popular televised shows such as Poker After Dark and High Stakes Poker. But they’ve never faced off in a heads-up only format. So, it’s anyone’s guess who will come out victorious. We can all make our predictions, and we’ll find out who is right once the match takes place, although a date hasn’t yet been set.

Hellmuth vs. Negreanu; Whose Reputation is Most on the Line?

Phil Hellmuth vs. Daniel Negreanu is finally going to happen on PokerGo’s show, High Stakes Feud. Both players want to win. Only one can. But one player, at least from a public perception standpoint, needs this victory more than the other.

Phil Hellmuth vs. Daniel Negreanu, the match poker has always wanted, is officially on. (Image YouTube)

Following Negreanu’s $1.2 million loss in a 25,000-hand heads-up challenge to Doug Polk, Hellmuth piled on his pal, claiming “DNegs” played poorly. Of course, Negreanu wasn’t just going to sit back and take it from the self-proclaimed best no-limit hold’em player ever. So, he offered up a heads-up challenge to the “Poker Brat.”

On the Poker Central podcast, No Gamble No Future, the GGPoker ambassador announced the match is on. But this one, unlike Polk vs. Negreanu, won’t take place on the internet. Instead, it will be played at the PokerGo Studio in Las Vegas. And, yes, hole cards will be up, so you’ll get to see all the tight laydowns Hellmuth makes.

Snoop Dogg, Futura, Ron English Among Artists In ‘Project70’ Series Throughout 2021, Launching Today

On the heels of its overwhelmingly successful Project 2020, Topps today unveiled the first cards in Project70, a new series which celebrates the 70th anniversary of the first Topps baseball set in a comprehensive program featuring 51 premier artists and designers from around the world each creating 20 cards of their own player and card year design choice. The set commemorates both the initial year of 1951 and the 70 years that it has produced baseball cards, with three new issues daily, each available for 70 hours. Similar to its Topps NOW and Project 2020 products, Topps will print only the number of each card ordered in that time frame.

The set features premium, thick trading cards encased in a protective plastic case, as well as several premium offerings. Each day’s new pieces are available at http://www.topps.com/project70.

The creators selected to participate comprise a diverse group that includes the likes of rap musician Snoop Dogg, graffiti artist Futura, pop artist Ron English, jeweler Ben Baller, painter Greg ‘Craola’ Simkins, comic and album artist Alex Pardee, sneaker artist The Shoe Surgeon, designer Sophia Chang and many more. Nineteen of the 20 artists from Project 2020, including Baller, Chang, Gregory Siff, Fucci, Mister Cartoon and others return for Project70.

In contrast to Project 2020, in which artists were assigned specific player cards to interpret, Project70 allows each creator to choose any player and card design from the last seven decades.

“Project70 is one of our most ambitious sets ever, celebrating 70 years of Topps baseball cards in a contemporary way,” said Jeff Heckman, Global Director of Ecommerce. “Giving these creators the freedom to select the players and designs they want to interpret as they see fit means we will have very different cards from these uniquely and diversely talented individuals.

“We can’t wait to see what their fertile minds will produce, and we know that collectors and baseball fans share that anticipation,” Heckman added.

In addition to the base units, Topps is randomly inserting a limited number of rainbow foil parallel cards, numbered to 70, plus a foil numbered 1/1 Gold Frame for each card, into print runs. Collectors who purchase all 20 cards from an artist will also receive a gold-stamped bonus print featuring all 20 Project70 cards from that artist.

The artists contributing to Project70 include:

Action Bronson, musician, New York
Alex Pardee, comics/apparel, Los Angeles
*Andrew Thiele, art/design, New York
*Ben Baller, jeweler, Los Angeles
*Blake Jamieson, pop art/portraits, New York
Blue the Great, painting, Los Angeles
Bobby Hundreds, illustrator/writer/photographer, Los Angeles
Brittney Palmer, model/artist, Los Angeles
CES, graffiti, Bronx, New York
Chinatown Market, streetwear, Los Angeles
Chuck Styles, fine art, Philadelphia
Claw Money, public art, New York
Distortedd, illustrations, Philadelphia
DJ Skee, artist/TV host, Los Angeles
*Don C, streetwear, Chicago
*Efdot, murals, New York
*Ermsy, cartoons, UK and Paris
*Fucci, pop painting, Montreal and Toronto
FUTURA, graffiti, New York
Greg “Craola” Simkins, surrealism, Los Angeles
*Gregory Siff, painting, Brooklyn and Los Angeles
Infinite Archives, contemporary art, fashion
*Jacob Rochester, pop art, Los Angeles
Jeff Staple, graphic and fashion designer, New York
*JK5, tattoo, Brooklyn
Jonas Never, murals, Los Angeles
*Joshua Vides, stencils, Los Angeles
*Keith Shore, creative design, Philadelphia
*King Saladeen, murals, Philadelphia
Lauren Taylor, mixed media, Vancouver
Matt McCormick, multimedia, Los Angeles
*Matt Taylor, poster design, U.K.
Mikael B, graffiti, impressions, Copenhagen
Mimsbandz, wristband art, Los Angeles
*Mister Cartoon, tattoos, Los Angeles
Morning Breath, graphics, apparel, San Francisco, New York
*Naturel, murals, Washington D.C.
New York Nico, filmmaker, New York
*Oldmanalan, streetwear, Sacramento
POSE, pop artist, Chicago
Quiccs, toy design, Manila
Risk, sculpture, graffiti, Los Angeles
Ron English, pop art, filmmaker, Jersey City, N.J.
Sean Wotherspoon, streetwear, Richmond, Va.
The Shoe Surgeon, streetwear, Los Angeles
Snoop Dogg, rap musician, Los Angeles
SoleFly, streetwear, Miami
*Sophia Chang, design, New York
Toy Tokyo, pop art/toys, New York
*Tyson Beck, logo art, Adelaide, Australia
UNDEFEATED

Atlantic City Gambler Hits Tropicana’s $1.1 Million Poker Jackpot

Long-time Atlantic City gambler Frank Nagy won a $1.1 million progressive poker jackpot at The Tropicana on February 13.

Long-time gambler Frank Nagy has won a record-setting progressive jackpot worth $1.1 million. (Image: Twitter/Tropicana AC)

Nagy made the necessary $5 side bet in order to qualify for the progressive jackpot which broke the $1 million mark earlier this month.

With his bet locked in at the four card poker table, he was duly dealt a royal flush. Within a matter of seconds, he’d won Caesars Entertainment’s biggest ever poker jackpot.

Hellmuth, Negreanu, Polk, Tony G Tangled in Proposed Heads-Up Challenges

Phil Hellmuth challenging Doug Polk to a heads-up match sparked a chain reaction of potential heads-up competitions, although we may never get to see any of them.

There’s virtually no way Phil Hellmuth and Doug Polk will actually play. (Image: YouTube)

Polk recently finished off a beatdown of Daniel Negreanu in a 25,000-hand heads-up match. He won $1.2 million at $200/$400 stakes, completely obliterating his rival. Afterwards, the “Poker Brat” popped off, criticizing Negreanu’s play. The 15-time bracelet champion, in the same interview with PokerGo, said he challenged Polk to some heads-up poker.

Polk, however, claimed in a tweet that the offer was unreasonable, so he turned it down. He also has said numerous times recently that he has no interest in playing new challenges, even if Negreanu asked for a rematch, although he hasn’t officially said he’d for sure turn down the offer. Just don’t expect him to play as he’s made it clear he no longer enjoys poker.

Caesars Sweepstakes a Positive Sign for 2021 WSOP

Caesars Entertainment started a sweepstakes offering a lucky winner airfare, a hotel stay and a seat in the 2021 Main Event, a good sign the company intends to hold a live World Series of Poker this year.

This could be the first positive sign of a 2021 WSOP: Caesars is offering a promotion on the WSOP.com website giving one winner a prize package that includes a Main Event seat. (Image: WSOP.com)

The Ultimate Poker Champion Experience sweepstakes, available to enter for free here, began Monday and runs through April 30. U.S. residents aged 21 years and up can participate. Caesars will draw a winner on May 6.

Restrictions Reduced as COVID Cases Decline

How to Avoid ‘Winner’s Tilt’ and Other Hidden Perils of Poker Success

Most of us are familiar with the risks of losing: discouragement, depletion of our bankroll, and tilt come to mind. We might be less familiar with the risks of winning.

Sometimes in poker it’s all too easy to win a battle while losing the war. (Image: Business Insider)

Yes, winning carries its own set of perils that are perhaps even more dangerous than the risks of losing because they are less visible and, thereby, more pernicious.

Risk of Winning #1: Complacency

Aditya Wadhwani Stars in Netflix Show ‘The Big Day,’ Raises Profile of Poker in India

Aditya Wadhwani, one of India’s top poker commentators, players, and TV producers is the subject of a new Netflix show about weddings.

Indian poker player Aditya Wadhwani and his wife Gayeti Singh are the subjects of a new Netflix show called The Big Day. (Image: Sunil Jagdish)

Although he doesn’t have the same profile as broadcasters such as the WSOP’s Lon McEachern, Wadhwani is well-known to poker players in India.

As such, his appearance on The Big Day has got people talking about more than his wedding.

Dwan, Ivey, and Iverson Line Up for WPT Spring Festival Main Event

The World Poker Tour’s (WPT) first ever mobile-only tournament series is drawing to a close but not before the game’s elite assemble for the main event.

Phil Ivey and Tom Dwan will be among the players taking part in the WPT Spring Festival main event on Poker King. (Image: Poker King)

In conjunction with Asian mobile operator Poker King, the WPT will host its $300 main event from tomorrow.

As well as a $1.5 million guarantee, those anteing up can try to take $230 bounties from Tom Dwan, Phil Ivey, and NBA legend Allen Iverson.

PokerStars to Party in Southern Europe with €15 Million Carnaval Series

PokerStars is looking to reassert its dominance in the Southern European poker market a month after Winamax made waves with a record-setting series.

PokerStars is aiming to reassert its dominance in the Southern European poker market with a €15 million Carnaval series. (Image: Ecotrans)

Liquidity sharing pacts between France, Spain, and Portugal have made Southern Europe a lucrative market in recent years. PokerStars has been the dominant force since connecting the three regions in 2018.

However, Winamax applied some pressure to its local rival when it hosted a €20 million MTT series in January. In response, PokerStars has hit back with a multi-million-Euro event of its own.

Tony G Challenges Phil Hellmuth as Pros Line Up to Take Down the Poker Brat

Tony G wants a piece of Phil Hellmuth. Just four weeks after ending his political career, G is back in the game and taking aim at one of his old sparring partners.

Tony G is the latest player to call out Phil Hellmuth as heads-up fever takes hold. (Image: YouTube/WPT)

With everyone taking potshots at Hellmuth right now, including Daniel Negreanu, the loudmouth Lithuanian wants to dance.

Tony’s tweet comes at a time when high-profile heads-up battles are becoming the norm. However, for a match between two of the game’s best talkers to happen, it has to take place on TV.