Sorry, Phil – there’s a new era dawning.

This past year has been one of the roughest for poker as a whole.

But alongside all the bad, poker has proven resilient as evidenced by increased live tournament attendance and record breaking numbers at the World Series of Poker.

Today, let’s take a look forward at some things you can expect for poker in the United States in 2012.

1) More Live Poker Series

With the shutdown of PokerStars, Full Tilt and Ultimate Bet for US players, many former online players have been forced to move into live play.

This has caused a noticeable increase in live poker events.

New tours such as the DeepStacks Poker Tour and the Native American Poker Tour have already begun to crop up.

Expect more of the same in 2012.

Tours will not be the only growth in live poker.

Many live venues will look to capitalize and increase the number of live tournament offerings through 2012.

2) Social Media and Subscription Sites Will Continue to Grow

While the recent Zynga IPO may have been less spectacular than hoped, the outlook for social media poker sites and subscription poker sites will continue to grow in 2012.

As players look for a safe alternative to real-money poker and others look for a way to gamble without the legal risks, social media and subscription sites will carve their own nitch.

Don’t be surprised to see certain sites target online and live pros in their endeavors.

Also, look for some sites to get creative with their promotions.

A seat to the 2012 WSOP Main Event for free on a social poker site?

It’s not outside the realm of possibility.

3) Nevada Goes Online – More Will Follow

Nevada will become the first state in the US to run legalized intrastate online poker starting in 2012.

Once this starts, progress will be slow but there should be more states to follow.

Iowa looks promising after the State Legislature’s study of the game and we wouldn’t be surprised if at least one other state jumps online by the end of 2012.

4) Live Poker Sponsorships Trend Again

The Jamie Gold Poker Room is regularly made fun of by Poker Junkie blogger Compncards, but it may just be the first in a trend of live poker room sponsorships that you may see coming.

With the options for US online poker site sponsorship dwindling, pros are going to get a deal where they can.

Expect some of these deals to have online components with them, especially in Nevada once sites go online.

5) Groupe Bernard Tapie Will Become the New UB

Now that it appears the GBT will officially take over the assets of Full Tilt Poker, expect them to either be online or close to it by May or June 2012 at worst.

At that point, expect many naysayers to mark the “New Full Tilt” as the “UB for 2012.”

Many will be slow to trust a company with the history of Full Tilt, even under new management.

Expect the rumors to fly and different accusations to be made by various players even as players return to the site.

The new Full Tilt will have to watch closely as every software glitch and every abnormality will be heavily scrutinized.

Also, expect the new Full Tilt to be in the top 4 online poker sites by the end of 2012.

6) Younger Pros Will Dominate

For years, the younger pros by and large did not really step up their live game because online poker was so much more profitable.

Since moving is not an option for many of these pros, they are going to start moving to live venues.

What this means for the live “old timers” is that they are likely to be replaced soon by young guns.

Many older players have a hard time transitioning to playing online and adjusting their styles.

Now that they will see this all the time, the ones that fail to adequately adjust will become like Tom McEvoy and Dan Harrington – good poker players that the game has passed by.

as seen on pokerjunkie.com

Why the change?
CCG and the hosting charities depend on the email list and players checking the site for tournament information and directions, and most importantly for getting players to the events.  Unfortunately, less and less players are registering for the newsletter, and therefore the events become less profitable. (Which means lower prize pools, less juicy cash games, and longer wait times between sit n go’s).

What do I need to do as a player?
Check to make sure you receive the weekly newsletter, and be able to show your newsletter on your phone, or with a printed copy. The coupons on the bottom of the email will now only be good for each weekend, you will not be able to carry over your coupon from week to week.

What if I do not have an email address?
In this day and age everyone should have an email address, but we understand if you do not have a computer, or cannot read, or choose to communicate via smoke signal or carrier pigeon. CCG has many outlets for you to pre-register, and we have more on the way. Here are a few ways that you can register and receive your bonus with out an email address:

Full Tilt Poker released a statement on Tuesday regarding its problems paying back players after the April 15th DOJ seizure.

Poker Junkie Blogger compncards gives his insights on the statement below.

From the statement:

“As is obvious from the events that have transpired since April 15th, Full Tilt Poker was not prepared for the far-reaching, US government enforcement effort of Black Friday.”

First and foremost, this failure lies on Full Tilt’s management. When you knowingly and blatantly violate U.S. law, at some point you have to setup a backup plan and a worst-case scenario plan.

It is clear to me that neither was created, or if they were, they were executed much in the same way as their business relations since April 15th.

“The events of Black Friday came on the heels of prior government enforcement activities and significant theft.

“Over the two years preceding Black Friday, the US government seized approximately $115M of player funds located in U.S. banks.

“While we believed that offering peer-to-peer online poker did not violate any federal laws – a belief supported by many solid and well-reasoned legal opinions – the DOJ took a different view.”

Hooked on Phonics is a great program for those incapable of comprehending the written word. If I point a gun at you and say I will point the trigger if you don’t move, you will move.

When the U.S. Government states that processing online gambling transactions is illegal and you will be prosecuted if you violate the law, you need to not process those transactions.

Fire your lawyers.

“In addition, as was widely reported, a key payment processor stole approximately $42M from Full Tilt Poker.

“Until April 15th, Full Tilt Poker had always covered these losses so that no player was ever affected. Finally, during late 2010 and early 2011, Full Tilt Poker experienced unprecedented issues with some of its third-party processors that greatly contributed to its financial problems.

“While the company was on its way to addressing the problems caused by these processors, Full Tilt Poker never anticipated that the DOJ would proceed as it did by seizing our global domain name and shutting down the site worldwide.”

Firstly, the DOJ did not shut down the site worldwide. That happened after the AGCC suspended your license.

In regards to payment processors screwing you out of money, what did you expect? You were processing payments illegally.

Did you really think your operators were going to be honest, hardworking people?

“Over the last four months, Full Tilt Poker has been actively exploring opportunities with outside investors in order to stabilize the company and pay back our players.

“At least six of those groups, including hedge funds, operators of other internet businesses and individual investors, have visited Dublin to inspect the operation. We have recently engaged an additional financial advisor through an investment banking group to assist us in our search for an infusion of cash as well as a new management team to restore the site and repay players.

“While any deal of this nature is necessarily complex given the current regulatory environment, our players should know that Full Tilt Poker is fully committed to paying them back in full and restoring confidence in our operations.”

Six groups? And yet none have bitten? Shouldn’t that be a bit of a sign?

What is stopping these groups from pulling the trigger? Also, what evidence do we really have of these groups other than the so-called “European investors.”

What your players know is that you are a company that has consistently dodged answering any and all questions for months now.

Your handling of the whole situation has been an exercise in how to perform a clusterfuck.

Your players no longer have any confidence in your company due to the fact that they have not been paid.

Even when, or rather I should say if, you are able to pay us back, good luck in getting anywhere near where you were before this happened.

This concludes Full Tilt’s current “blowing smoke up your ass” session.

as seen on http://www.pokerjunkie.com/pokerjunkie-editorial-full-tilt-poker-blows-more-smoke?pjc=widget:rss

Narrowing the highlights down was almost an impossible task, but if we had to pick just five, these are them.

1. Maria Ho Takes Second-Largest Female Cash Ever in $5k NL Hold’em

Maria Ho became the first woman of the 2011 WSOP to make a final table when she made the final of Event #4, $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em.

She ultimately made it to heads-up play against Allen Bari but had a huge chip disadvantage to overcome as she started down 11.1 million cips to 1.8 million chips.

Ho managed a quick double-up to 4 million, but never got any closer. She’d ultimately fall to Bari to give him his first bracelet, but she still took away $540,020.

This was the second-largest cash ever for a woman in an open WSOP event.

2. Jason Mercier Wins Second Career Bracelet

Jason Mercier is clearly one of the most dominant tournament players in the world.

However, Mercier had only three career WSOP final-table appearances and two were at the WSOP Europe.

That changed this year when Mercier made three final tables at the 2011 WSOP including the $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Six-Handed Event.

This was the first year that the WSOP spread six-handed PLO and the final table didn’t disappoint as Mercier and David Chiu started the final table as the chip leaders.

Mercier ultimately made it heads-up with Hans Winzeler. Winzeler put up quite a fight, but the experience of Mercier proved too much.

Mercier took his second career bracelet, and second in Omaha. His first bracelet in 2009 was in the $1,500 PLO Event.

Mercier also took home $619,575 for his win.

3. Bertrand Grospellier Finally Breaks Through for First Bracelet

Bertrand Grospellier was one of the best players in the game today without a bracelet heading into the 2011 WSOP.

With over $8 million in career earnings as well as a WPT and EPT title, the bracelet was the one thing missing from his resume.

That all changed in the $10k Stud World Championship.

Against a stacked final table that included Maxwell Troy, Chad Brown, Chris Tryba, Alexander Kostritsyn and John Hennigan, ElkY came out on top for his first bracelet.

One of the more amazing facts about his win is this was his first-ever Stud tournament.

Suffice it to say that the game has quickly grown on him.

4. Cancer Survivor David Diaz Wins $1,500 Triple Chance Event

For many, a WSOP bracelet victory would be the biggest win of their life.

For David Diaz, it is all a part of a lifetime freeroll.

Diaz was born in Honduras and was diagnosed with cancer when he was four years old. For most, that would be a death sentence.

Diaz hit the equivalent of a one outer when his aunt and uncle brought him to the United States and sent him to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in Memphis.

At that time, St. Jude’s was the only hospital that treated childhood cancer. Diaz responded to treatment and put his own bad beat on cancer.

Diaz’s victory in the $1,500 Triple Chance NL event was easily the largest of his five-year professional career.

He took home over $352,000 along with the bracelet.

5. Ben Lamb Makes the 2011 WSOP November Nine

Ben Lamb had already had a career year at the 2011 WSOP heading into the Main Event.

He had cashed four times with three final tables, including his first bracelet win in the $10k PLO Championship.

Lamb held the chip lead or was in the top ten in chips every day except one during the eight days of play.

Ultimately, Lamb made the final table of the 2011 WSOP Main Event and will start the final table 5th in chips.

Lamb already has overtaken Hellmuth for the Player of the Year lead, meaning Hellmuth must make a final table in Europe to even have a shot at Player of the Year.

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Check out the 5 Worst Moments from the 2011 WSOP.

As seen on http://www.pokerjunkie.com/5-best-moments-from-the-2011-world-series-of-poker

These are five of the true lowlights:

1. Phil Ivey Sits Out Entire 2011 WSOP

Phil Ivey announced on the first day of the 2011 WSOP that he was sitting out the entire series due to Full Tilt not paying back US players.

Ivey then filed a lawsuit against Full Tilt Poker for $150 million that essentially seemed like a ploy for him to get out of his non-compete agreement.

As the series plodded along, Full Tilt had its gaming license suspended and decided to go into negotiations with “European investors” that prompted Ivey to drop his suit.

However, Ivey decided to stay in Ireland and work with Full Tilt on the deal as opposed coming back to Vegas to try and improve on his eight WSOP bracelets.

Say what you will about Ivey’s genuine intentions in all this, when the world’s best poker player doesn’t play in the showcase poker series of the year, some of its luster is lost.

2. James Bord Threatens John Juanda During $25k Heads-Up Championship

On Day 1 of the $25k Heads-Up Championship, James Bord started running his mouth to John Juanda and the “conversation” continued after Bord lost his match.

When Juanda asked him what the problem was, Bord reportedly proceeded to call Juanda a thieving prick, a disgrace and a fake and disgusting human being.

Finally, Bord told him that if he saw him outside, he was going to beat his ass.

Floor and security personnel were brought into it and the two had to be removed from the room as security sorted things out.

3. Darcourt Doesn’t Want to Show

Photo: Pokernews

In a huge hand with Matt Gianetti on Day 6 of the Main Event, Darcourt folded on a flop of Js-3h-3c after Gianetti three-bet.

Darcourt tried to slide the cards to the muck, but the TV producer told the dealer to hold the cards.

Darcourt told the producer that he refused to show and this sparked a debate.

Floor staff came over and told him that he signed a contract to comply with TV production crews.

Darcourt defiantly told them to show him said contract.

The floor then threatened Darcourt with a penalty and Darcourt told them to give him the penalty.

After a few minutes, Darcourt calmed down enough to finally show his cards and then he stormed off.

It should be noted that weeks ahead of time a release was sent by the WSOP stating that players will have to sign a release agreeing to cooperate with the TV crews at all times.

If players did not want to do so, the WSOP’s response was that they “should not play the Main Event.”

4. Carter Gill Makes Day 2 of Main Event and Gets Banned From Caesars’ Properties

Photo: Pokerlistings

Carter Gill made it through Day 1c of the Main Event with around 50k in chips.

In the time between Day 1c and Day 2, Gill went and got himself banned from all Caesars’ properties, which includes the Rio.

The skinny of the story is that he got into an altercation with his girlfriend and threw her clothes out of the window.

Tournament Director Jack Effel told Gill that his hands were tied in the matter and Gill’s stack was blinded off.

I’ll take clothes tossing for $10k, Alex.

5. Treatment of Jonathan Epstein by Rio Floor Staff at Ladies Event Final

Photo: Pokerlistings

It was no surprise that fans at the final table of the $1k Ladies Event acted rudely and consistently jeered Jonathan Epstein for making the final table.

After all, he is a man playing in a women’s event.

However, the floor staff that ran the event that day clearly acted unprofessional towards Epstein.

In past events, fans would be forbidden to jeer and boo players. That was not even attempted.

When the final table was made, the floor announced “Good luck everyone” before looking at Epstein and stating “not everyone.”

A few more random, demeaning cracks were directed Epstein’s way and when he busted from the event the same floorman joined in with the crowd as they sung “Hey, Hey, Goodbye” as Epstein departed.

While that type of behavior was expected from the fans, floor staff usually try and rise above such antics.

While Epstein’s choice to play the Ladies Event may not be a popular one, he was still a customer of the Rio, Caesars and the WSOP and should have been treated professionally by staff.

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Check out the 5 Best Moments from the 2011 WSOP.

As seen on http://www.pokerjunkie.com/5-worst-moments-from-the-2011-world-series-of-poker