Jump to content

Card Player

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the player in a card game, see card player.

Card Player
Editor-in-ChiefJulio Rodriguez
CategoriesPoker
FrequencyBiweekly
FounderJune Field
First issueOctober 1988
CompanyCard Player Media
CountryUnited States
Based inLas Vegas
LanguageEnglish
Websitewww.cardplayer.com
ISSN1089-2044

Card Player, also known as The Gambling Authority, is an industry-leading publication and web portal specializing in poker media, poker strategy and poker tournament coverage. The media company is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada.[1]

History and Profile

[edit]

Card Player Magazine was founded in 1988 by WSOP bracelet winner June Field. “I wanted a media vehicle that would be a reliable source for advertisers and readers alike…one they could turn to and find out what’s happening, where it’s happening, and who is making it happen," said Field. "Our slogan was, 'the magazine for those who play to win.'”[2]

In 1993, the company was sold to Poker Hall of Famer and "First Lady of Poker" Linda Johnson.[3] "When I first took over the magazine, poker was legal only in Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Montana, and California. I was very fortunate that poker began to expand all over the country," recalled Johnson. "My two business partners, Denny Axel and Scott Rogers, and I decided that we should turn the magazine... into a glossy, color publication. Everything kicked off from there."[4]

In 1998, it was acquired by Seattle businessman turned two-time bracelet winner Barry Shulman,[5] who directed the expansion of CardPlayer.com, which to that point only existed to sell magazine subscriptions. "I came down to Vegas in the early '90s to retire... but I wasn't meant to be retired," Shulman said. "It wasn't for sale. I just muscled my way in there. It was clear to me that poker was going to boom. Crystal clear."[6]

With the introduction of online poker, the invention of the hole-card camera for televised poker broadcasts, and the effect of the Moneymaker Boom, Card Player established itself as the industry's largest informational resource. The site is known for it's news (poker and gambling) and features, strategy guides, comprehensive player database, tournament schedules and results, poker odds calculator,[7] and poker school.

Card Player Media was sold in 2024.[8] Julio Rodriguez serves as Publisher and Editor-in-Chief.

Card Player Magazine publishes 26 issues annually, with a new issue every two weeks. An issue typically consists of feature articles, tournament reports, and columns. Feature articles are usually in-depth profiles of prominent players on the tournament circuit. Tournament reports are made up of the richest and most prestigious poker events. Each issue also has a selection of strategy columns coming from a stable of acclaimed poker players and authors which includes former world champions.

The magazine has a monthly circulation of approximately 300,000. It is available in print for subscribers, or for free in the majority of cardrooms in the United States. Each issue is also published online, and past issues can be viewed in the magazine's archive. Other variations of the magazine over the years have included Card Player Europe, and a short-lived Card Player College edition.

In 2008, Card Player Media launched SpadeClub.com, an online poker website. Members of SpadeClub paid a monthly subscription fee to enter into a variety of free poker tournaments.[9] SpadeClub ceased operations and migrated all users into Zen Gaming in September 2010.[10]

Card Player Media has content licensing agreements with media partners Card Player Bulgaria (magazine and website), Card Player Polska (Poland), Card Player Italia (Italy), Pokerilehti (Finland & Estonia), Poker (Card Player France), Card Player Deutsch (Germany), Poker Magazine (Sweden), Card Player.fi (Finland website), Card Player South Africa (South Africa), Card Player Espana (Spain), Card Player Brasil (Brazil) and Card Player Latin America, which publishes Card Player Argentina+Uruguay.

Player of the Year Award

[edit]

Card Player is also well known for its prestigious Player of the Year award. Started in 1997, it goes to the player who has the most outstanding tournament results throughout the year. Players are awarded points for final-table finishes in major events. Points are adjusted based on the size of the buy-in, as well as the number of entrants.[11]

Men Nguyen (1997, 2001, 2003, 2005) has the most POY titles, having finished atop the leaderboard in four out of the first nine years of the award's existence. Four players have won twice, including David Pham (2000, 2007), Poker Hall of Famer Daniel Negreanu (2004, 2013), Stephen Chidwick (2019, 2022), and Adrian Mateos (2017, 2024).[12]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Stephen Blake Mettee; Michelle Doland; Doris Hall (December 2005). The American Directory of Writer's Guidelines. Quill Driver Books. p. 98. ISBN 978-1-884956-51-5. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
  2. ^ "June Field - womeninpokerhalloffame.com". June 11, 2024. Retrieved June 20, 2025.
  3. ^ "Linda Johnson". Poker Tournament Directors Association. Retrieved June 20, 2025.
  4. ^ "Card Player Celebrates 20 Years - Card Player Poker Magazine - Oct 31, 2008". Card Player. Retrieved June 20, 2025.
  5. ^ Jim Ruymen (July 26, 2004). "Poker's growing stakes". NBC News. Reuters. Retrieved November 23, 2008.
  6. ^ "Poker Stories Podcast: Two-Time WSOP Bracelet Winner And Card Player CEO Barry Shulman - Poker News". Card Player. Retrieved June 20, 2025.
  7. ^ "Texas Hold'em Odds Calculator". Card Player. Retrieved June 20, 2025.
  8. ^ "In the Last Year, One SEO Company Bought PokerScout, CardPlayer and PokerStrategy. Here's Why". pokerindustrypro.com. April 8, 2025. Retrieved June 20, 2025.
  9. ^ prime816 (May 17, 2008). "Jeff Haney checks out an online poker site for average Joes that's poised to debut, with the owner planning to get rich quick". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved October 14, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ Cypra, Dan (September 16, 2010). "SpadeClub Ceases Operations, Sends Players to ZEN Entertainment Network". Poker News Daily. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  11. ^ "Poker Player of the Year Scoring Criteria". Card Player. Retrieved June 20, 2025.
  12. ^ "Adrian Mateos Wins 2024 Card Player Player Of The Year Race - Poker News". Card Player. Retrieved June 20, 2025.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Card_Player&oldid=1296557058"