Olivier Busquet sides with Colman over Poker’s Old Guard

Pete - Tuesday, November 25, 2014, Written by- Tuesday, November 25, 2014, Live poker

Considering that they are extremely close friends – Olivier Busquet mentored Dan Colman on his road to poker stardom – it comes as no real surprise that the pair have similarly negative views when it comes to some of the games older (and often more controversial) generation of stars.

Colman recently launched a verbal tirade in the direction of Phil Hellmuth on the forums of 2+2, claiming that the 13-time WSOP bracelet winner should held responsible until proven innocent for his involvement with and promotion of Ultimate Bet – a company that stole millions from the poker community – rather than hailed as a forefather of the game.

And now Busquet has chimed in with his own – far more general - assault on poker’s old guard, claiming that they should be thankful to the community, rather than the other way around:

“It genuinely shocks me that people are so convinced by the myth that certain people’s personalities played an important role in the growth of poker.”

“Not saying general dynamic of having “stars” didn’t contribute, saying it wasn’t big & the individuals were place holders easily replaceable.” Tweeted Busquet.

“The idea that current pros ‘owe’ some past group of pros for paving the way or growing the game is just nonsense.”

“If anyone should be thankful it’s pros who were at the right place at the right unique time & made money w/out having to be good at poker.”

Steve Wolansky takes down 2014 Borgata FPOC

Florida native Steve Wolansky has added to what’s been a breakout year career wise in 2014 – he won his first WSOP bracelet back in June – by taking down the recent Borgata Fall Poker Open Championship (FPOC) for a career best $330,887 pay day.

Wolansky beat a field of 548 players who each anted up the $2,500 buy-in for a shot at glory, and managed to battle through a tough final table that included fellow WSOP bracelet winner Paul Volpe.

Volpe and chip leader Larry Abrams looked in good shape to see heads up play when the final table began, but it was Wolansky and Taylor von Kriegenbergh who stayed the course.

Wolansky held the lead going into heads-up, and von Kriegenbergh didn’t look like recovering until the very last hand of the match.

On a flop of 9s-7c-5c, von Kriegenbergh held Ac-4c for the nut flush draw, which was ahead of Wolansky’s 10s-8s for an open ended straight draw. The As hit the turn to improve both players, and the Ks spiked on the river to give Wolansky a winning flush, and another big title.