If you know of Jamie Gold, it may be because of his $12 million win at the WSOP -- or his subsequent $6 million loss when he had to give up half of it. But you may not know that he, like a lot of big poker pros, is a philanthropist as well.

Gold gets a kick out of his charity work. Not only does he get to give back, something he feels he is called to do, a sort of “thank you” to the universe for the great life he’s had, but he also gets to meet all sorts of interesting people while doing his charity work. And of course, play a lot of poker.

One of the interesting folks he has met from poker charity is US TV show host Montel Williams, a former Marine-turned-daytime TV host. Williams himself has shown up at the WSOP a few times, but Gold encountered him when asked to help host a Multiple Sclerosis charity tournament … which Gold won… and immediately pledged back the first place prize. “It’s not all about poker” Gold has been heard to say.

Having put on more than a dozen (and on his way to more than a score) of charity events since his fantastic victory at the 2006 World Series of Poker main event, Jamie still has plenty of time left over to play poker in all sorts of venues, including TV poker shows where he draws a lot of attention because so many people think his run at the WSOP was a fluke.

But he really does know how to play poker very well -- he was trained by Johnny Chan, after all. And he’s done a bit of training himself. For example he has hosted a celebrity poker game for Sir Richard Branson (twice), who Jamie says he taught how to play (and that he played very well).

Jamie Gold’s heart of Gold will continue to drive him to do good -- according to him he’s raised more than a million dollars for good causes -- and poker fans will be there to watch.

Do yourself some good and join Full Tilt Poker!

The twelfth event of Poker Stars Spring Championship of Online Poker will be a Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo. Read on for the scoop on this SCOOP event.

Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo is like kryptonite to Hold’em-only players- so beware!  The game will run April 7 at 16:30 (4:30) at the following stakes and prize pools:

Low  $22.00  $25,000
Med  $215.00  $50,000
High  $2,100.00  $150,000
As with any Hi/Lo game, this poker variant will result in more than one winner each pot, except when one player manages to sweep both the hi and the lo. Seven card stud has its own strategies to employ, as does hi/lo – so this game is for experts only.

Satellites are running now, so click here to sign up with Poker Stars to qualify for SCOOP!

The eleventh event of Poker Stars Spring Championship of Online Poker will be a mixed hold’em tournament. Read on for the scoop on this SCOOP event.

Mixed Hold’em is a mixed bag – switching limit types every round!  The game will run April 7 at 14:30 (2:30) at the following stakes and prize pools:

Low  $33.00  $50,000
Med  $320.00  $300,000
High  $3,150.00  $800,000

Mixed Hold’em came out of the HORSE craze, but instead of switching games every blind level, this games style switches limit types. One round you are playing Fixed Limit, next level you are playing No Limit, and back and forth you go. It is vitally important to change your strategy as the limits change.

Satellites are running now, so click here to sign up with Poker Stars to qualify for SCOOP!

The tenth event of Poker Stars Spring Championship of Online Poker will be a No Limit Heads up match play game. Read on for the scoop on this SCOOP event.

Heads up – the purest form of poker!  The game will run April 6 at 16:30 (4:30) at the following stakes and prize pools:

Low  $16.50  $50,000
Med  $162.00  $300,000
High  $1,575.00  $500,000

Heads Up poker is great for those who love to really get to know their opponent.  The time spent setting up bluffs, sending out false signals as to your playing style and reading your opponent’s tells really pays off. Enjoy!

Satellites are running now, so click here to sign up with Poker Stars to qualify for SCOOP!

The ninth event of Poker Stars Spring Championship of Online Poker will be a Fixed Limit Triple Draw game. Read on for the scoop on this SCOOP event.

Triple Draw is a relatively new game – think you have what it takes?  The game will run April 6 at 14:30 (2:30) at the following stakes and prize pools:

Low  $22.00  $25,000
Med  $215.00  $100,000
High  $2,100.00  $200,000

Triple Draw is a wild game. Probability calculation goes out the window with three different draw phases, and tons of betting rounds. Not a game for the faint of heart! If you want to give it a try for the first time, SCOOP’s low stake alternative is for you.

Satellites are running now, so click here to sign up with Poker Stars to qualify for SCOOP!

Here we go, four more chances to move up the ladder and put a $5,000 Vegas Dream Prize Package in your pocket! (Figuratively speaking, of course. Unless you have really big pockets.)

The Vegas Dream parties from Ladbrokes are going to rock in Vegas, and you could be one of the lucky few to get an invite. You might pay a lot to attend, but you don’t have to – you can try your luck at these satellites. Rebuys and Highstack qualifiers run on March 11th – as you can see in the image to the right (and a sneak peek at a few for the 12th as well.)

Go into Tournament, then Offline Events, then Satellites, and there you go. Win one of these and you get a seat in the next Vegas Dream Daily, which kicks off on the 12th.

Good luck – and don’t forget, if you are new to Ladbrokes, you can sign up with this link – use bonus code MAXIMUMBONUS and claim a deposit bonus up to $1000!

Full Tilt Poker has done it again with a new, exciting approach to online poker – the Poker Matrix! Take on the same players at four different tables – at the same time.

The Matrix, despite the marketing material that apes the popular movie trilogy of the same name, refers to an actual matrix of poker tables – four at once – where you play against the same group at each table, all at the same time. This way you can learn how Player A handles drawing to a big hand while under pressure, and then apply that knowledge on three other games on the same player! Of course, they can do the same to you…

You earn Matrix Points based on how you do – how many players you outlast, how many players you knock out, your final rank – and are paid out on how many points you have. If you can win all four Matrix tables you become the DOMINATRIX and sweep the entire prize pool!

Check out the images to the right- you can see that the games start cheap, but they also soar to over two grand, so all players can find their comfort zone. Go to Real Money, SNG, then Matrix to find your poison.

Sign up with Full Tilt Poker, use the bonus code MAXIMUMBONUS, and score a huge $600 deposit match!

The eighth event of Poker Stars Spring Championship of Online Poker will be a No Limit Hold’em, two day affair.. Read on for the scoop on this SCOOP event.

Two days to play, just like the live events!  The game will run April 5 at 16:30 (4:30) at the following stakes and prize pools:

Low  $33.00  $250,000
Med  $320.00  $1,500,000
High  $3,150.00  $3,000,000

Ah, the ubiquitous No Limit Hold’em – you know you love it! As this game will run over two days, it gives the deep runners a chance to rest, think, and come back to the table for a better finishing run. Three million dollars for the high stakes prize pool!

Satellites are running now, so click here to sign up with Poker Stars to qualify for SCOOP!

Here it comes – a massive Spring Championship of Online Poker event, Poker Star’s event 7, HORSE! Don’t be scared off from the $10k buy in,however – there are always satellites, and don’t forget there will be two cheaper HORSE events running as well!

The game will run April 5 at 14:30 (2:30) at the following stakes and prize pools:
 
Low   $109.00  $250,000
Med  $1,050.00  $500,000
High  $10,300.00  $750,000

HORSE is, as you likely know, a combo poker game, with five different games being played, rotating to a new one each level. Hold’em, Omaha, Razz, Stud, and Omaha Eight or better.

The trick is – for those of us that are good at one or two games, but not five – to play very conservatively during those levels where we are out of our element, in order to save up those chips to really let them have it during the rounds we are good at.

Satellites are running now, so click here to sign up with Poker Stars to qualify for SCOOP!

Its Daylight Savings Time in the United States today, which means the Americans are an hour grumpier than normal (the clock is moved up one hour). This may not mean much to you in your home country, but it could affect your games at Poker Stars. Read on.

The crew over at Poker Stars decided to move five of their major events so that they will play one hour later than before for just this week, so as to accommodate those players who may have missed out otherwise.

The events are the Warm-Up, the $200k, the Million, the 500 and the 2nd Chance MTTs.

Remember, this is this week only. Stars has a nice notice on their homepage to help you keep this in mind.

Good luck, and if you are not yet a member of Poker Stars, sign up now using bonus code STARS50 to get a $50 sign up bonus.