Game Of Gold puzzle ($1000 prize for correct answer)

Nothing much new here as all 16 are still enjoying the holiday break.
Daniel Negreanu did announce that he will not be trying to win POY at the 2024 WSOP.
This gives Arieh & Williams (maybe even Ho) a shot at #1.

These early results don't mean much because it's all NLH.
I think it just means that none of these 6 are going to finish last and Jason Koon's cash was big enough to ensure him at least a middle position.

"Negraneua won a tourney this year. Does it count/matter?

No. The current PokerGo series does not qualify (all flop games).

Any updates?

no need, that other guy determined himself the winner remember 😀

Nope.
The Wynn did start a series on the 8th so there may be something there when HM updates the results.

We have a new cash!
Olga Iermolcheva using her PokerStars ID of "alfaromea" has finished 751st for $324 in one of the New Year series NLH tournaments.
Changes nothing!

NEWS FLASH:
Josh Arieh has tweeted that he's headed to Florida to play the Main Event of the LHPO.
If he can cash he'll be the 7th player to ensure that he/she does not come dead last!

NEWS FLASH II (from Seminole Hard Rock):

Josh Arieh has survived Day 1A and is on to Day 2 on Sunday.
BUT, Maria Ho has also survived Day 1A and is on to Day 2 on Sunday.
ALSO, Maria Ho has already cashed in event #30

Now we have action!

Josh Arieh at the Lucky Hearts Main Event

Maria Ho at the Lucky Hearts Main Event

thanks to the Seminole Hard Rock for great coverage of their Lucky Hearts series

They're in the money now at Seminole Hard Rock.
No word on whether Maria and Josh made it.

Oh, it's so exciting!

Josh made the money.
No word about Maria so she probably didn't.

yes, Josh Arieh cashed and Maria Ho didn't
updated standings but nothing really matters here because all these cashes are NLH

You must think I've forgotten this competition. Nope, just nothing happening.
On the 28th (when PokerGo has their mixed game series) we might see some action.

Daniel Negreanu cashes twice here at the PokerGo Mixed Game series.
The others who can play mixed games (Arieh, Ho, Williams) are nowhere to be seen.
If you didn't have Negreanu as your #1 pick, you're in big trouble.

Negreanu has now cashed in the PokerGo Dealer's Choice.
That pretty much locks him in as the 1st place finisher.
I checked all the entries that had Negreanu 1st. Just one. Me.

Current standings: Negreanu has an big lead

I know it's all but over but I'm still doing the stats.
Maria Ho got cash #4 at the Wynn but it was another NLH so no change there.
Daniel Cates showed up in Rio (the city not the casino) cashing in an Omaholic tournament.

Another update with almost nothing changing.
Daniel Negreanu remains the only player to cash in something other than NLH.
CORRECTION: Daniel Cates cash was in Omaha.
But how are these people doing in the Summer In Vegas pools you ask.

Daniel Negreanu and Daniel Cates are both on Team Daniel.
Jason Koon is on Team Jason.
Fedor Holz is on Team Fedor.
Olga Iermolcheva is on Team Ukraine.

David Williams & Kyna England look like 100% certain to not make any team.
Not enough players for there to be a Team Maria yet.
Maria is 3 cashes behind the players on Team Taiwan.
There is a Team Josh but Josh Arieh is not on it. He needs a big cash or a non-NLH cash.

We have about 40 days left for players to make a team (or drop off a team).

Remember, entries for Summer In Vegas and Summer In Vegas II are free. There are prizes!

Another cash for Olga and Kyna.
This probably gets Olga back on Team Ukraine (Summer In Vegas). She's off, she's on, she's off, she's on - probably have to wait right to the end of the pre-season to see if she makes it.
But there's no change here - these cashes are NLH so they have no affect.

Josh Arieh got his 2nd cash but again it was NLH so it changes nothing.
Daniel Negreanu leads by over 4000 positions and he has about a 99.99% chance of winning.
Nobody picked Daniel Negreanu (except me) so there will be no winner.
So.....

If everyone agrees,
a) lets kill this pool (nobody can win except me and it will save me 100s of hours of doing the stats.
b) let's kill the 1 year competition pool (I'm way ahead in that and nobody is chasing me)
c) I'll pay out the charities who have live entries in the 1 year competition. Wikipedia has $175 and Doctors Without Borders has $75. However, I'll throw in an additional $100 for Doctors Without Borders because they have Yuval Bronhstein and he's on a tear (might finish higher than this current 4th).

and for saving me 100s of hours of stats (to make room for the endless Summer In Vegas stats that are coming up soon) I'll..............
give everyone who entered here a free entry in the 25K/ODB pool!

But it must be unanimous - if anyone wants this to continue, it will be played to it's conclusion on October 31st.
So, let me know if you don't want this deal - I'll wait a week to see if anyone opts out of the deal.

yeah man it's up to you

OK. Week's up.
You've all won a free entry into the 25K/ODB charity pool!
There were 37 entries there so with you 11, that will make it 48.
I'll just make the charity Doctors Without Borders to start with but you can change the charity to any other that you wish.
You're all getting computer quick-picks but you are allowed to change any of your players as well.
Last day to make changes is May 19th ("cards are in the air" on the 20th).
Your teams will show up in the thread for 25K Fantasy/ODB.
In addition I'll be sending US$175 to both Wikipedia and Doctors Without Borders to complete my 1 year competition pool.