Ivey vs Tiltware - War of the Roses reloaded?

When I first heard about the press release from FullTilt, commenting on the actions taken by one of their flagships and probably the most recognized poker player right now, it immediately reminded me of a typical marriage and the movie The War of the Roses from 1989. I am just unsure right now who Michael Douglas is and who is taking the role of Kathleen Turner - well, let's just take a look at the two press releases.

Here is a full copy of Phil Ivey’s Press Release:

"For many years, I have been proud to call myself a poker player. This great sport has taken me to places I only imagined going and I have been blessed with much success. It is therefore with deep regret that I believe I am compelled to release the following statement.


I am deeply disappointed and embarrassed that Full Tilt players have not been paid money they are owed. I am equally embarrassed that as a result many players cannot compete in tournaments and have suffered economic harm. I am not playing in the World Series of Poker as I do not believe it is fair that I compete when others cannot. I am doing everything I can to seek a solution to the problem as quickly as possible.


My name and reputation have been dragged through the mud, through the inactivity and indecision of others and on behalf of all poker players I refuse to remain silent any longer. I have electronically filed a lawsuit against Tiltware related to the unsettled player accounts. As I am sure the public can imagine, this was not an easy decision for me.


I whole heartedly refuse to accept non-action as to repayment of players funds and I am angered that people who have supported me throughout my career have been treated so poorly.


I sincerely hope this statement will ignite those capable of resolving the problems into immediate action and would like to clarify that until a solution is reached that cements the security of all players, both US and International, I will, as I have for the last six weeks, dedicate the entirety of my time and efforts to finding a solution for those who have been wronged by the painfully slow process of repayment."

So far so good, he wants to stand up for the players and won't play until they got their money back. Now if you want take a closer look at the lawsuit which was filed in the District Court of Clark County, Nevada - you can check it out here: Ivey Complaint - You can also follow @oskargarcia on twitter, as he uploaded the copy of the lawsuit.


In a nutshell: Phil Ivey is asking for $150 Mio and the immediate reactions in poker communities and from the Pro's have been very mixed to say the least. Some still believe that he really wants to help players to get their funds back, Pro's such as Mike Matusow and Andrew Robl already commented via twitter or their blogs and highlighted the selfishness of this move.

Let's take a look at the statement from Tiltware from last night:

"Contrary to his sanctimonious public statements, Phil Ivey’s meritless lawsuit is about helping just one player – himself. In an effort to further enrich himself at the expense of others, Mr. Ivey appears to have timed his lawsuit to thwart pending deals with several parties that would put money back in players’ pockets. In fact, Mr. Ivey has been invited -- and has declined -- to take actions that could assist the company in these efforts, including paying back a large sum of money he owes the site. Tiltware doubts Mr. Ivey’s frivolous and self-serving lawsuit will ever get to court. But if it does, the company looks forward to presenting facts demonstrating that Mr. Ivey is putting his own narrow financial interests ahead of the players he professes to help."

I think Tiltware has taken the role of Kathleen Turner ... I am not 100% sure, but very similar to the movie this can get really ugly and I am not sure if Phil Ivey has done himself a favor because the lawsuits back and forth can only damage the reputation of everyone involved. And if that is really in the best interest of the poker players? FullTilt is trying to raise money to pay back the players because most of their bank accounts are still frozen by the DoJ ... guess they will have to raise more money soon for lawyers as well.

One thing is outstanding and kinda obvious as well though ... FullTilt should really take a closer look on their public relations, because so far they have issued quite a few statements regarding the status of the repayment of player funds, but rhe communication itself was pretty poor and we still have no idea at all what and when it will happen.

To be continued ...