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Washington and this tiny Caribbean country will not resolve their dispute over Internet gambling by a Friday deadline, according to Antigua and Barbuda’s attorney in the trade battle.

Antigua and Barbuda accuses the U.S. of crippling its lucrative gambling industry by banning Americans from placing online bets with gambling operators, including those based in the twin-island country of 70,000 inhabitants.

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New Hampshire legislators have passed a new tax on Texas Hold ‘Em and other poker games being run by charities.

The legislation raises the maximum bet from $2 to $4.

A 3% tax would apply in tournaments where the playing chips had no monetary value. A 10% tax would apply if the chips had a monetary value.

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excerpt:

COLONIE — In a nondescript building wedged in a small strip mall along Everett Road, the Sons of Caesar social club offers more than just companionship for its “members.”

It’s a haven for poker players, with house dealers shuffling the cards and players from as far away as Syracuse eager for a piece of the action, according to players.

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excerpt:

Persistence is often a good thing, and it can produce beneficial results when it’s aimed in the right direction.

There’s a great scene in the 1994 classic movie “The Shawshank Redemption” where Tim Robbins plays the protagonist “Andy Dufresne.” Dufresne is given the charge of renovating the prison library, and the warden gives him permission to write letters to government officials for funding for new books and materials.

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The Poker Players Alliance is at the WSOP this year hoping to turn you into an advocate for the game, ready to wield your vote like a check-raise to stop any attempt in Washington to stifle your right to play poker.

In between all the hustle and bustle of tournament coverage, I had the opportunity this weekend to catch up with PPA Executive Director John Pappas and ask him about his organization’s new voter registration campaign and its efforts to change Congress’ mind on the issues surrounding the legality of the game.

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The first two events of the 2008 World Series of Poker did not go as well as expected for Greg Raymer.

After describing how he pushed most or all of his chips into the pot as a solid favorite several times, only to watch his opponent outdraw him, Raymer explained why he figures his luck will change as the six-week poker extravaganza progresses at the Rio.

Only Raymer doesn’t use terms like “luck.”

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excerpt:

Sen. Ted Stevens plays in his native Alaska’s fishing camps.

Rep. Charlie Rangel deals with his buddies from the block back in New York.

Rep. Joe Barton heads north from Dallas on I-35 to Oklahoma’s Indian reservations.

Rep. Duncan Hunter runs nickel/dime/quarter games on Capitol Hill.

And long before he launched his bid for the White House, then-Illinois state Sen. Barack Obama dealt in lawmakers and lobbyists during the long legislative sessions in Springfield.

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