As you may have already heard, Google has been in talks to buy the local reviews website, Yelp.  These negotiations show that Google wants a bigger piece of the Local Search game and Yelp is now a formidable player.  However, negotiations have gone south.  On Sunday, December 20th, TechCrunch reported that Yelp walked away from the deal and speculated that another buyer – Apple or Microsoft – offered something better.  On Monday, December 21st, the New York Times reported that it was Google who walked away because of a lack of transparency from Yelp.  It seems that Yelp tried bluffing Google by saying that there was another buyer, when there wasn’t one, in an attempt to drive up Google’s offer.  Google called their bluff and now it appears that the deal is dead.  I guess neither side will have a new partnership to toast in the New Year.