Poker still Poker?: To Chop or not to chop

The question in the title "Poker still Poker" refers to the recent twenty-three way chop of the Foxwoods $400 deepstack event prize pool.  We've all played in tourney's either online or in brick and mortar games/casinos where when it gets down to the final table or fewer we decide on whether to chop/split up the prize pool or not. Even then, does poker still remain poker. I mean the whole reason for playing is to win and the reason to win is for the most money, but when you divi it up can you still retain that drive or do people tend to "gamble" more knowing that they're at least getting paid a certain amount, after all isn't that what the pay out structure is for anyway. Personally I do not like to chop even though I can certainly understand why one would want to do so when a tournament turns into to much of a turbo style tourney, but that's also the reason why I typically chose not to play turbo's.  Don't get me wrong I'll play turbo's, just not as often and even when I play a turbo I don't play to chop. I play to win, hey a bracelet is nice but it's not the same bracelet if you chop. As a Shakespear said at his poker table  " to Chop or not to Chop, that is the question!"  any answers?

Cigar Aficionado and UB/Absolute Poker Idea

Any cigar lovers out there who like playing poker or poker players who love cigars this is an idea you'll like.

Ever play on UB or Absolute Poker you'll know they hold MTT's and SNG's for some cool prizes and trips, like their Anthrax Ticket giveaway and the steps  WPT 5 Diamond Classic Package. So we pitched them an idea for Cigar Aficionado's "Big Smoke" to be a package. Part of the idea :
Package 1: a "Big Smoke" Evenings on the 12 or 13th (tickets are $240 per night)

Package 2: the "Complete Weekend Program" which includes: Saturday and Sunday "Big Smoke" Seminars, Saturday lunch, one "Big Smoke" evening (either Fri. or Sat.) and tickets for that are worth about $550.

Could offer these via MTT's or SNG's

Rat Pack Poker news brief!

Ladies and Gents it has happened, the iPhone is getting real money poker but wait...it's not for the U.S. SwitchPoker.com is a real money poker site that can be played via the iPhone's browser, however it is not for US players...so really what's the point. Now on to other news

• Cake Poker Network adds Poker King to it's line up. Poker King offers some cool things like Online Live Dealer, Keno, Slots, a SportsBook but this is for the Asia market, don't know that it's available to the US but still and Online Live Dearler..that's intriguing.
• Scotty Nguyen who skipped the WSOPE in lieu of his very own poker tour let players around the US play in tourneys and against him for reasonable buy in.
• In a funny news brief. It was rumored that the new "hot poker couple" was Scott Montgomery and Annette Obrestad..mmm we'll just change that to "poker couple" eh.
• Poor Gus Hansen lost about  $1.5million in a week online via Full Tilt's high stakes poker tables

Theres a quick look at some poker news with more to come!