Poker News

WSOP Ratings Up Across the Board

Six weeks of World Series of Poker (WSOP) coverage have broadcast on ESPN and the dip in ratings the cable sports network saw with the airing of the preliminary events does not appear to be carrying over to the all-important Main Event coverage. ESPN is reporting gains in all categories and demographics from this time last year, most importantly in the coveted 18-49 year old male audience.

The two hour-long episodes that aired on Tuesday September 1st each posted solid numbers with 901,103 households tuning in for the first episode which airs from 8PM-9PM ET and 1,010,258 households viewing hour number two from 9PM-10PM. The two episodes, which centered on action from Day 2A of the Main Event, earned .91 and 1.02 ratings for each episode.

The numbers are also in for the overall performance of the WSOP coverage based on its first twelve episodes and six weeks on the air. Despite the lackluster start to the 2009 season, WSOP coverage is up in every major category. Poker News Daily spoke with ESPN media representative George McNeilly and he summed up the key places in which the WSOP is making big strides. “Through six weeks, WSOP is showing positive gains in all categories over 2008 (Households, Viewers, and all Demos),” he explained. “[Key demographics] males ages 18-49 and males ages 25-54 continue to be significant contributors to WSOP’s high ratings up to this point.”

The number of men between the ages of 18-49 watching the WSOP coverage is up 13% from 2008 and the number of 18-34 year old and 25-54 old men are up 8% and 17% respectively. On average, 777,039 households tune in to each episode of 2009 coverage, an 11% increase over the 697,787 that were watching this time last year. Household ratings made a comparable jump from 2008 to 2009 as well, up to .79 from .73.

The most recent episodes of WSOP coverage boasted a feature table lineup that included former World Series of Poker Main Event winner and PokerStars Pro Greg Raymer as well as award-winning actor and poker enthusiast Jason Alexander of “Seinfeld” fame. With a number of deep runs from actors and famous pokers alike in this year’s Main Event, there will be even more televised tables packed to the hilt with recognizable faces. Some of the people expected appear on the feature table in the coming weeks include Full Tilt Pro Phil Ivey, Antonio Esfandiari, Dennis Phillips, former Main Event winners Joe Hachem and Peter Eastgate and Pokerroad’s Joe Sebok. The two hours of WSOP coverage airing on Tuesday will focus on Day 2B of this year’s Main Event.

For now, it appears that ESPN’s strategy to cut down on the preliminary events and spend more time covering the Main Event is working out for them. While it is still too early to tell for sure, the jump in ratings from the episodes featuring $40,000 anniversary Hold’em event, the Champions Invitational and Ante Up For Africa to the Main Event coverage suggests the network might be on to something.

Two new episodes of 2009 WSOP coverage will continue to air on Tuesdays from 8PM-10PM ET from now until November when the final nine players still in the Main Event will reconvene to play down to a champion.

Annie Duke to Host Charity Tournament in California

Poker professional Annie Duke, who has been at the forefront of the usage of poker for charitable means, will add to her philanthropic outlets when she hosts a charity poker tournament at the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles to benefit the Decision Education Foundation in November.

The tournament, which will play out on November 19th at 7:00pm Pacific Time, is a $300+$30 buy-in No Limit Texas Hold’em event with unlimited $100 rebuys during the first hour and a $100 add-on at the first break. Duke, a Poker News Daily Guest Columnist, will be the host of the tournament that is being held during the schedule of events for the inaugural Open at Commerce from November 6th to 22nd.

With the tournament being held near Hollywood, it is expected that there will be a celebrity-laden field in attendance. “We’ve already had confirmations from several pro players and a couple of celebrities,” Lisa Wheeler, the event organizer, confirmed to Poker News Daily. “Some of Annie’s friends from Ultimate Bet are going to be a part of the tournament. Actress Shannon Elizabeth has already confirmed and so has comedian Brad Garrett. This is only the beginning and there will be more to come!”

The tournament will have all the pomp and circumstance of a major awards show in Hollywood, befitting of its play at the jewel of California poker in the Commerce Casino. Activities will include a red carpet walk, a Commerce Casino hosted cocktail party, and silent and live auctions. The tournament itself will be officiated by one of the top tournament directors around, Matt Savage, and all proceeds raised will benefit the Decision Education Foundation.

The Decision Education Foundation is an organization that has been established to improve the lives of young people by empowering them with effective decision skills. The work of the Foundation crosses the nation from Pennsylvania to California, attempting to provide teachers with the tools to help young people acquire, appreciate, and apply the fundamentals of good decision-making.

The Decision Education Foundation is an important philanthropy for Duke. She is a member of the Board of Directors for the organization in addition to her other charitable and philanthropic work. As many may remember, Annie raised $730,000 through her second place effort on this year’s “Celebrity Apprentice” for Refugees International and continues to attempt to assist with the plight of refugees through Ante Up For Africa, an organization she co-founded along with “Crash” actor Don Cheadle.

Stay tuned to Poker News Daily as more information comes available regarding this and other charitable events in the coming months.

Play in Annie Duke’s Ante Up For Africa tournament

If you’ve wanted to help Annie Duke and Don Cheadle’s Ante Up For Africa charity but haven’t been able to make it to Vegas or Monte Carlo then their latest tournament could be the perfect opportunity. The next Ante Up For Africa event is an online $1+$10 tournament on Ultimatebet.com at 7pm UK time on Saturday 5th September 2009.

Annie Duke Recalls Her Memories Of Late President Of Refugees International

In her most recent blog on her home site Ultimate Bet, poker professional Annie Duke remembers the contributions and life of Ken Bacon, the president of Refugees International, who passed away from an aggressive melanoma that spread into his brain
on August 15th.

As many may remember, Annie – a guest columnist here at Poker News Daily – played for Refugees International during her appearance on “Celebrity Apprentice” earlier this year. Through her efforts on the show, Refugees International, which assists refugee situations around the globe (much like Duke’s main charitable effort, Ante Up For Africa, focuses on refugee relief efforts in Darfur) was the receiver of the $700,000 that Annie raised through “Celebrity Apprentice” and further fundraising following her runner-up finish. In her blog on Ultimate Bet, Duke remembered the man who had a profound effect on her charitable efforts.

“This week is a sad one for me”, Annie admits in the Ultimate Bet blog before telling readers of Bacon’s passing. “I met Ken Bacon in October (2008) during the filming of “Celebrity Apprentice.” Because Ante Up for Africa was in the process of becoming a 501(c)3 while “Apprentice” was filming, I couldn’t play directly for my own charity. So I played for RI, which is aligned in its mission with the mission of AUFA. At my first meeting with Ken, I presented him with a $245K check from winning a task on Celebrity Apprentice… to say his reaction was reserved would be a drastic understatement. I was a little taken aback until I figured out the he was just an incredible sincere individual. We ended up chatting for a very long time about the issues in Sudan and Darfur and I could see the passion and real commitment to the issue that this man had.”

“Ken brought a passion to the cause that I hope to emulate”, Annie finishes in her blog post. “We should all be so lucky to have someone like Ken Bacon fighting for us and the things we believe in. I am truly lucky to have known him, if even for such a brief time. I am certainly a better person for the time I got with him.”

“Ken’s death is an enormous loss to his family, his friends, and Refugees International. All of us here will miss his leadership, his kindness, and his quiet passion”, said Joel Charny, who was named acting president of Refugees International following Bacon’s passing. “He never stopped looking for new ways to bring attention to the millions of people who have been uprooted by violence and conflict. The world’s most vulnerable people have lost one of their most tireless advocates.” Megan Fowler, the director of communications at Refugees International, commented that the members of the organization “were committed to honoring Ken’s legacy through continuing his work around the world.”

Ken Bacon was named president of Refugees International in 2001 and he was a tireless worker in the continuing battle against refugee crises. Under Mr. Bacon’s leadership, Refugees International doubled in size and grew from an organization that largely sounded the alarm on the latest refugee crisis to a program built on sustained advocacy to transform unwieldy and often ineffective international systems. During his tenure, the organization successfully advocated for increased protection and assistance for displaced people in places like Darfur and Iraq, where he focused much of his own work, as well as in Afghanistan, Burma, the DR Congo, Colombia, and Thailand. Mr. Bacon also launched new advocacy programs on peacekeeping and statelessness.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family has designated Refugees International for memorial contributions in honor of Ken Bacon. Refugees International has also created a memorial page, featuring comments and photos of Mr. Bacon’s efforts on behalf of Refugees International, in honor of the work performed by Mr. Bacon during his tenure as president of the organization. Poker News Daily wishes to pass along their condolences to Mr. Bacon’s family, friends and Refugees International at this trying time.

FTOPS Guarantees $5.7 Million this Weekend on Full Tilt Poker

At least $5.7 million will be on the line this weekend as part of the 13th Full Tilt Online Poker Series (FTOPS). The $535 buy-in Main Event caps off the festivities and comes with a $2.5 million guaranteed prize pool.

The Main Event kicks off on Sunday at 6:00pm ET and will be hosted by Gus Hansen, one of the premier members of Team Full Tilt. Last time out, the FTOPS Main Event drew a whopping 4,581 runners and shelled out $432,400 to its winner, Pocketownage420. Others who made the final table included azzabentonaces (second place for $262,500), iDubDeuce (third place for $170,000), Hartwith (fourth place for $132,500), nickeltwenty (fifth place for $100,000), -NinG- (sixth place for $75,000), RonFezBuddy (seventh place for $57,500), baDONKaD0NK88 (eighth place for $43,750), and oiltrader (ninth place for $32,500). The top 648 players finished in the money, with 18 banking at least five-figures.

Kicking off this afternoon at 2:00pm ET is the $2,620 buy-in FTOPS Two-Day Event, which boasts a $2 million guaranteed purse. The challenging tournament is hosted by Patrik Antonius and will pause tonight when Level 17 has concluded or when the final two tables remain, whichever comes first. Then, the action resumes on Sunday at 2:00pm ET and will play down to a winner.

2007 Ultimate Bet Aruba Poker Classic winner Travis “TravestyFund” Rice grabbed the win in the FTOPS XII Two-Day Event, earning $460,000. Others in the top nine last time out included Claws of Gix (second place for $290,000), BickleAce (third place for $215,000), GnightMoon (fourth place for $165,000), CiegoBoY (fifth place for $125,000), marlin5555 (sixth place for $90,000), pzyclone (seventh place for $60,000), HaiducF (eighth place for $46,800), and phat_cat1 (ninth place for $34,000). The FTOPS XIII Two-Day Event will be played in a six-max format.

Kicking off today at 3:00pm ET is the first-ever FTOPS Ante Up for Africa event. The tournament, which is hosted by Ante Up for Africa Co-Founder Don Cheadle, will set players back $120. Full Tilt will donate the entire $20 entry fee to charity; Matt Damon and Mekhi Phifer are two of the celebrities scheduled to play. Ultimate Bet pro Annie Duke and Norman Epstein also co-founded the organization, which raises money and awareness for victims of the crisis in Darfur. The Ante Up for Africa charity poker tournament comes with a $100,000 guaranteed prize pool and features an ante from the start format.

The final event to play out this weekend is a $129 buy-in No Limit Hold’em Knockout tournament, the 24th on the FTOPS XIII schedule. Erica Schoenberg will host the high-stakes bounty contest, which kicks off tomorrow at 2:00pm ET and features at least $750,000 up for grabs. A $256 buy-in No Limit Hold’em Knockout Six-Max event last Sunday drew a crowd of 4,644 runners, the second largest FTOPS XIII field. In the end, mikeyG16 walked away $177,000 richer for his efforts.

In September, the MiniFTOPS festivities will take place on the world’s second largest online poker site. The tournaments are similar to their high-stakes FTOPS counterparts, but come with one-tenth of the buy-in. The MiniFTOPS Main Event takes place on September 20th at 5:00pm ET and carries a $500,000 guaranteed prize pool. During FTOPS XII, MiniFTOPS tournaments were held concurrently with traditional events, causing many players to gravitate towards the smaller buy-ins. Consequently, a bevy of overlays occurred in the high-stakes FTOPS tournaments.

Full Tilt Poker brings back Sit and Go Madness next weekend, August 21st to 23rd. More than $125,000 in cash and prizes, which includes a $50,000 freeroll, will be on the line during the 48 hour affair.

Ante Up For Africa goes online

Actor Don Cheadle is hosting a charity tournament to raise funds for Ante Up For Africa as a part of FTOPS XIII on Full Tilt Poker Aug. 15 at 1 p.m. ET.

The $100+$20 No-Limit Hold'em Six-Max tournament will have a guaranteed prize pool of $100k, but the entire $20 buy-in fee from every entry will go to aiding the humanitarian crisis in Darfur.

Cheadle co-founded the World Series of Poker's Ante Up for Africa event with Annie Duke and Norman Epstein in 2007.

To date it has raised $2.5 million for Darfur, including $600k from a star-studded event at the 2009 WSOP last month.

Actor Matt Damon, who has played every WSOP Ante Up For Africa tournament so far, has already committed to play Saturday.

Hundreds of thousands have been killed and millions driven from their homes in the humanitarian crisis taking place in Darfur.

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2009 WSOP Ante Up for Africa Recap

ESPN’s third week of 2009 WSOP coverage aired last night with the Ante Up for Africa event. Dozens of celebrities and poker pros showed up for this event.

Ante Up for Africa Poker Event Features Hollywood Invasion

On Tuesday night, cable station ESPN featured action from the Ante Up for Africa charity tournament held during the 2009 World Series of Poker. The final table aired for just 30 minutes in a unique telecast.

The two-hour show opened with a montage of celebrities taking part in the event, including “Rounders” actor Matt Damon, “Pearl Harbor” actor Ben Affleck, and comedian Sarah Silverman. A total of 137 players took to the felts, with the feature table during ESPN’s first hour headlined by basketball Hall of Fame member Charles Barkley, whose association with gambling was highlighted on several occasions throughout the episode by ESPN commentator Norman Chad. Comments included “Don’t say blackjack around Charles” and “Charles is probably wondering if he can double down on the flop.” Joining Barkley at the feature table were 2008 WSOP November Nine member Ylon Schwartz, “Seinfeld” actor Jason Alexander, and “Celebrity Apprentice” candidate Herschel Walker.

Highlights from around the field included Ultimate Bet Star Player Tiffany Michelle besting Damon in a hand holding pocket sevens. After Affleck’s pocket fives ran into a flop of 4-6-K, Chad remarked, “That’s a worse flop for Ben than ‘Gigli.’” Ante Up for Africa emcee Phil Hellmuth and Nelly then sang the St. Louis rapper’s hit song “#1” and the recurring “40th Annual Memories” relived Howard Lederer’s first bracelet win. Lederer’s sister, Annie Duke, was featured heavily during the segment and, together with actor Don Cheadle, the “Celebrity Apprentice” runner-up co-hosted the Ante Up for Africa event.

The Jack Link’s Beef Jerky Wild Card Hand featured Walker calling the big blind with unknown cards, Alexander calling with K-10, and Barkley checking his option with pocket eights. The flop came J-Q-6 and the action checked around to see a king fall on the turn. Alexander led out for 700, Barkley folded, and Walker made the call. The river was another queen. Alexander checked, Walker put out a small bet of 600, and Alexander made the call. Walker flipped up A-Q for trips and scooped the pot.

Damon recalled the public’s reaction to the movie “Rounders,” which was released in 1998 and also featured Edward Norton, John Malkovich, and John Turturro: “When it first came out, it was a bomb. It kind of hurt my feelings.” Chad revealed that 2003 WSOP Main Event Champion Chris Moneymaker got his start in poker after watching the film. Damon’s lifelong friend, Affleck, was ousted from the Ante Up for Africa event holding pocket sixes after Jennifer Harman hit a flush on the river. Affleck signed autographs for fans on the rail and headed to the feature table to support Damon.

Barkley doubled up with 8-7 against A-Q after filling his straight on the river, leaving ESPN commentators to note, “That was like a three-pointer at the buzzer to win the game.” The end of the first episode featured Barkley hitting the rails holding 8-6 of diamonds despite flopping a flush draw.

The second episode aired at 9:00pm ET. This time around, feature table personalities included Damon and Erik Seidel, whose runner-up performance to Johnny Chan in the 1998 WSOP Main Event was featured prominently in the movie “Rounders.” The Wild Card Hand saw Damon raise to 10,000 pre-flop with A-7. Seidel pushed over the top all-in holding unknown cards and Damon tanked before finally releasing his hand. Seidel turned over pocket sixes and told Damon, “I think you probably made the right choice.” Seidel eventually sent Damon packing with A-J against pocket tens when the actor inopportunely shoved on an ace-high flop.

“The Nuts,” which had featured 40th Annual Trivia the past two weeks, recapped Chad’s red carpet interviews. Chad joked to Mike Matusow that money should be pooled for Mike Tyson, who was in attendance for the event, to punch Hellmuth. Matusow commented, “I will throw an extra $5,000 to the charity if he connects.” Chad also interviewed Damon and Affleck to divulge who really wrote “Good Will Hunting” and asked the latter if he could beat Chad’s record of three marriages. Chad’s final interview was with Sasquatch, the mascot of Jack Link’s Beef Jerky. Chad referred to the furry animal as co-host Lon McEachern.

The final table featured 18 WSOP bracelets, with Seidel owning eight of them. The nine-handed spectacle did not air until 30 minutes remained in the second ESPN episode of the night, reflecting the desire by producers to show the paths of celebrities in attendance during this unique charity tournament. The final table lacked strategy, with a multitude of three-way all-ins panning out with players unable to cover their blinds. Alex Bolotin eventually emerged as the 2009 Ante Up for Africa champion and pocketed $176,000. Over $360,000 was raised for the victims of the crisis in Darfur. On the turbo structure, Chad quipped, “Bolotin is the Ante Up for Africa all-in champion.”

Next week at 8:00pm ET, ESPN will kick off its 24 hours of coverage of the 2009 WSOP Main Event.

Ante Up For Africa raises $600k

Ante Up For Africa released the official numbers from its WSOP charity tournament Monday and it appears the non-profit organization will be donating $600,000 to three Darfur-related charities.

"The crisis in Darfur is not over and we're grateful to all who participate in Ante Up For Africa to make these donations possible and hope that many more people will join us in the future," said actor Don Cheadle, who founded Ante Up For Africa with poker player Annie Duke and Norman Epstein.

A ton of Hollywood, sports and poker celebrities turned out for the $5k buy-in event including Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Sarah Silverman, Jason Alexander, Mike Tyson, Charles Barkley, and Montel Williams.

In the end it was poker professional Alex Bolotin who outlasted 136 others to take the title.

ESPN will debut its coverage of the event Tuesday night Aug. 11 at 8 p.m.

Of the $600,000 raised, half will be donated to the Darfur Peace & Development Organization, a Darfuri-led non-governmental organization that provides aid to those in need in Darfur and the refugee camps.

The donation will allow the organization to continue the Women's Center in the Kassab refugee camp in North Darfur and provide the money necessary to complete the construction of El Fasher High School for war-affected teens.

A $150,000 donation will also be made to Refugees International, an organization that advocates for lifesaving assistance and protection for displaced people.

Refugees International has earmarked the money to conduct assessment missions in South Sudan.

And finally, another $150,000 donation will be made to the Enough Project at the Center for American Progress, which is working to build a permanent constituency to prevent genocide and crimes against humanity in Darfur.

"When we started Ante Up, we had no idea that so many people would respond and participate to combat the devastation in Darfur," said Duke.

"It reaffirms our belief in humanity and drives us to do more for people in need."

Hundreds of thousands have been killed and millions driven from their homes in the humanitarian crisis taking place in Darfur, located in Western Sudan.

Ante Up For Africa has raised $2.5 million for the cause since launching in 2007 and contributions have gone to leading aid organizations to relieve suffering as well as fund advocacy on behalf of people affected by the violence.

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Poker News in Brief: Aug. 3-9, 2009

As part of our ongoing News in Brief feature we've compiled a list of stories that didn't quite make the front page this week but are worth mentioning to hardcore poker fans.

This week sees an infamous golfer/poker player give up his case against the USGA, a new way to transfer money between sites and Doyle Brunson and Daniel Negreanu making their picks for the Poker Hall of Fame.

Brunson, Negreanu pick Sexton for Poker Hall of Fame

The nominees for this year's poker hall of fame include Phil Ivey, Tom Dwan, Barry Greenstein, Dan Harrington, Tom McEvoy, Men Nguyen, Scotty Nguyen, Eric Seidel, Daniel Negreanu and Mike Sexton.

Both Doyle Brunson and Negreanu have come out overwhelmingly in favor of Sexton as their number one pick.

It's hard to argue with their logic as Sexton has been around at the highest levels of poker for many years and has, perhaps more importantly, been one of the best ambassadors for poker in history.

You can check out Brunson's post here while Negreanu's is here.

SendMyChips opens site-to-site transfers

It's an idea that's been around for a long time but SendMyChips.com appears to have finally solved the challenge of getting money from one poker site to a competing one.

The site currently works with Full Tilt Poker, Absolute Poker, Cake Poker and Ultimate Bet, although it does charge a fee to get money from one site to the other.

The service is already endorsed by several well-known pros, most notably Dave Colclough, Marc Goodwin and Paul Jackson.

Apparently the company also works with results tracker SharkScope.com to provide a credibility check to prevent fraud. The more history a player has the more they can transfer using SendMyChips.com.

Dusty "Leatherass" Schmidt withdraws USGA lawsuit

Online poker player and amateur golfer Dusty "Leatherass" Schmidt got into some serious trouble with the United States Golf Association when he offered a $1 million challenge to anyone that would play him in eight 9-hole golf matches and 10 heads-up poker matches back in March.

USGA didn't take kindly to Schmidt offering to play golf for money and promptly revoked his amateur status.

Schmidt responded by filing a lawsuit against the USGA, which he finally decided to drop this week, according to a story with the Associated Press.

Now that Schmidt has dropped the lawsuit he apparently going to work on his game and attempt to play some professional events.

More poker programming?

Poker seems to be making an all-out assault on television lately. We've already seen the premiere of Face the Ace, ESPN's Inside Deal and 2 Months 2 Million will debut next week, but Pokerati is reporting that even more poker TV shows may be in the works.

According to a Craigslist ad that was sent to Pokerati there will be four poker shows filmed at Binions Casino, Las Vegas, and they are currently recruiting hosts, writers and production crew. You can check out the complete ad for yourself here.

FTOPS XIII begins

With the sheer number of FTOPS even it's getting harder and harder to keep track of them all.

Nonetheless FTOPS XIII started on Wednesday with a $200+$16 No-Limit Hold'em event hosted by Russian super poker player Vitaly Lunkin. The eventual winner was DeceptionPT who grabbed $107,518 for first place.

Like most online series held by Full Tilt, FTOPS XIII will offer an extensive schedule with more than 25 events and $18 million in guaranteed prize money. There is even a special Ante Up for Africa event hosted by Don Cheadle.

For a complete look at the schedule go to Full Tilt Poker.

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WSOP on ESPN Ratings Down 8% After Two Weeks

Poker News Daily has learned that ESPN’s coverage of the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) has experienced an 8% dip in television ratings through two weeks to 0.72. Last year, the mark was 0.78.

In addition to ratings seeing an 8% slide, household impressions also fell, albeit a modest 5%. The total number of household impressions through two weeks of the 2009 WSOP was 714,904, compared with last year’s tally of 750,315. Four one-hour episodes have aired so far, with 26 more comprising coverage of the Ante Up for Africa charity tournament and the prestigious $10,000 buy-in Main Event.

ESPN media contact George McNeilly told Poker News Daily that, despite the ratings slip, he remained optimistic: “These are very small declines and we’re just four telecasts into the season. We have almost 30 more episodes to go, so it’s way too early to start drawing any conclusions. One interesting trend we are watching is how ratings are flat among men 25 to 54, which bodes well for the rest of the season.”

Figures released after the July 28th kickoff telecast revealed that viewers were up 2% among men age 18 to 34. The number of viewers age 25 to 54 was up a commanding 16% after the first episode of the 2009 WSOP debuted on ESPN and the number of viewers age 18 to 49 was on par with the 2008 broadcast. The first telecast of the 2009 WSOP on ESPN featured the $40,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament commemorating the 40th running of the WSOP. In the end, Vitaly Lunkin dominated the 201 player field en route to a $1.9 million first place prize. He defeated Isaac Haxton heads-up in a star-studded final table that also included Greg Raymer, Ted Forrest, Justin “ZeeJustin” Bonomo, and Alec “traheho” Torelli.

On August 4th, the weekly Tuesday timeslot saw the WSOP Champions Invitational come to life. In one of the first non-bracelet events ever broadcast by ESPN, the Champions Invitational featured 20 former Main Event winners take to the felts. The unconventional 10-handed final table saw 1983 champ Tom McEvoy come out on top, taking home a vintage red 1970 Corvette Stingray and the Binion Cup. McEvoy defeated 2002 Main Event winner Robert Vakonyi heads-up in a final table that also included Peter Eastgate, Carlos Mortensen, Doyle Brunson, Huck Seed, and Dan Harrington.

Next week, the Ante Up for Africa charity poker tournament will headline ESPN coverage and begins at 8:00pm ET. The gala featured a veritable “who’s who” of the celebrity world, including “Rounders” star Matt Damon, “Pearl Harbor” actor Ben Affleck, “Celebrity Apprentice” candidate Herschel Walker, “Seinfeld’ star Jason Alexander, “Everybody Loves Raymond” star Brad Garrett, rapper Nelly, and legendary boxer Mike Tyson. The latter has developed a cult following stemming from his cameo in the blockbuster hit “The Hangover.” Tyson did not bring his tiger to the red carpet.

Poker stars who turned out to the charity event included Ante Up for Africa co-founder Annie Duke, Greg Raymer, Erik Seidel, Howard Lederer, Chris Ferguson, Jennifer Harman, Joe Hachem, Jason Mercier, and Andy Bloch. ESPN Coordinating Producer Jamie Horowitz told Poker News Daily what makes airing the charity gala unique: “We are excited to present a different type of poker tournament. In the Ante Up For Africa event, the story is more about the journey (the celebrities, the stars, and the pros) than the destination.”

Twenty-four hours of coverage of the 2009 WSOP Main Event will air on ESPN beginning on August 18th. The Main Event final table is scheduled to air on November 10th beginning at 9:00pm ET. Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest WSOP news.

WPT Marrakech satellites under way

The WPT is making its African debut in October and you can qualify for the historic event courtesy of Titan Poker which is hosting satellites every Wednesday at 9.30pm UK time.

$19.000.000 Guaranteed NOW at Full Tilt Poker

Already the 13th FTOPS just started at Full Tilt Poker. There’s total of 19 million dollars in guarantees and it will run until August 16th when the Main Event starts.

Join now for the tournament series: Download Full Tilt Poker

Unlike in FTOPS XII, MiniFTOPS will not run at the same time, instead the MiniFTOPS events will be held between September 9th and 20th. The MiniFTOPS Main Event has a $55 buy-in and $500.000 guaranteed prize pool.

The FTOPS XII Main Event was won by Pocketownage who beat almost 4600 players to a $432.000 payday.

The biggest change this year is the Ante up for Africa charity poker tournament. This event will raise funds for the crisis in Darfur. It will take place on Saturday, August 15th. The tournament has a $120 buy-in and $20 is donated to charity and it has a $100.000 guaranteed prize pool.

One of the more interesting tournaments has always been the Two-day Event. This year’s Two-day tournament is Event #22. It has a $2620 buy-in and at least a $2 million prize pool. The tournament is Once again in a six-max format and the first day pauses after level 17 or when there’s two tables left. Everyone starts with 300 big blinds and the levels go up in every 30 minutes.

Full FTOPS XIII schedule. All times are Eastern:

August 5th
9:00pm: Event #1: $216 No Limit Hold’em, $1 Million Guaranteed

August 6th
2:00pm: Event #2: $322 No Limit Hold’em 4x Shootout Six-Max, $250,000 Guaranteed
9:00pm: Event #3: $216 Omaha Eight or Better, $200,000 Guaranteed

August 7th
2:00pm: Event #4: $216 No Limit Hold’em Cubed, $500,000 Guaranteed
9:00pm: Event #5: $216 Stud, $100,000 Guaranteed

August 8th
2:00pm: Event #6: $535 Pot Limit Omaha Six-Max, $350,000 Guaranteed
4:00pm: Event #7: $109 No Limit Hold’em with Rebuys, $500,000 Guaranteed

August 9th
2:00pm: Event #8: $256 No Limit Hold’em Knockout Six-Max, $750,000 Guaranteed
4:00pm: Event #9: $535 No Limit Hold’em Heads-Up, $500,000 Guaranteed
6:00pm: Event #10: $322 No Limit Hold’em, $1.5 Million Guaranteed

August 10th
2:00pm: Event #11: $216 Half Pot Limit Hold’em, Half Pot Limit Omaha, $200,000 Guaranteed
9:00pm: Event #12: $1,060 No Limit Hold’em Ante from Start, $1.5 Million Guaranteed

August 11th
2:00pm: Event #13: $322 No Limit Hold’em 3x Shootout, $200,000 Guaranteed
9:00pm: Event #14: $535 HORSE, $300,000 Guaranteed
9:00pm: Event #15: $216 No Limit Hold’em Six-Max Turbo, $500,000 Guaranteed

August 12th
2:00pm: Event #16: $256 Pot Limit Omaha Eight or Better Knockout, $200,000 Guaranteed
9:00pm: Event #17: $322 No Limit Hold’em Six-Max Rebuy, $1 Million Guaranteed

August 13th
2:00pm: Event #18: $216 Pot Limit Omaha Heads-Up, $150,000 Guaranteed
9:00pm: Event #19: $216 Limit Hold’em Six-Max, $150,000 Guaranteed

August 14th
2:00pm: Event #20: $216 No Limit Hold’em Six-Max, $400,000 Guaranteed
9:00pm: Event #21: $322 Razz, $150,000 Guaranteed

August 15th
2:00pm: Event #22: $2,620 No Limit Hold’em Six-Max Two-Day, $2 Million Guaranteed
3:00pm: FTOPS Ante Up for Africa, $120 No Limit Hold’em Six-Max Ante from Start, $100,000 Guaranteed
4:00pm: Event #23: $109 Pot Limit Omaha with Rebuys, $350,000 Guaranteed

August 16th
2:00pm: Event #24: $129 No Limit Hold’em Knockout, $750,000 Guaranteed
6:00pm: FTOPS XIII Main Event, $2.5 Million Guaranteed

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Tom McEvoy Trumps WSOP Champions Invitational Field on ESPN

Tuesday night saw the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Champions Invitational play out on ESPN. A rather subdued final table competed for a vintage 1970 Corvette and the title of “Champion of Champions.”

The taking of the now-storied photo of 20 former WSOP Main Event champions kicked off the ESPN telecast on Tuesday and the final table began with an unconventional 10 players taking to the felts. Up for grabs was a red 1970 Corvette Stingray that formerly appeared in the Imperial Palace car collection. The WSOP Champions Invitational winner would also take home the Binion Cup, an oversized trophy with the inscription, “The Champion of Champions. The 40th Annual World Series of Poker ‘Champions Invitational’ Winner in Honor of Poker’s First Family.” The cup also bore the date that the final table played out, June 1st, 2009.

1989 Main Event Champion Phil Hellmuth came armed to the final table with a stack of 1,125, or just 1% of the chips in play. In fact, he held just three chips, which promptly went into the middle with 10-5 of spades against Carlos Mortensen’s pocket twos. The flop came 4-Q-J with no spades, but an ace on the turn gave Hellmuth a gutshot straight draw. Needing a 10, 5, or 3 to fall on the river to double up, Hellmuth watched as an 8 hit. Hellmuth holds the record for the most number of WSOP bracelets won with 11.

2008 Main Event Champion Peter Eastgate’s exit in ninth place meant that the two youngest winners of the $10,000 buy-in feature tournament had been eliminated. Eastgate’s 8-7 ran into “Action” Dan Harrington’s pocket aces and an open-ended straight draw on the flop failed to materialize. A bevy of poker authors remained in the final eight players, including Tom McEvoy (“Championship Hold’em”), Doyle Brunson (“Super System” Volumes I and II), and Harrington (“Harrington on Hold’em”).

Eastgate’s departure set up the first Jack Link’s Beef Jerky Wild Card Hand. The cards of one player are not revealed, leaving the viewing audience and ESPN announcers Lon McEachern and Norman Chad to guess what they may hold. Harrington raised to 1,800 with A-Q of diamonds and Mortensen made the call after his cards were obscured by the logo for the popular beef jerky brand. The flop came 3-3-8 and the action went check-check. A four fell on the turn and the action again went check-check. The river was a nine. Mortensen bet out 2,500 and Harrington called. Mortensen sheepishly turned over 6-7 of clubs for what Chad called “squadoosh.”

Watching the action in the WSOP Champions Invitational were several notable poker pros. “The Mad Genius of Poker” Mike Caro looked on as Brunson called all-in on a draw. Chad quipped, “He’s priced in, but he’s calling off all of his chips on a draw. I don’t remember that being mentioned in ‘Super System’ 1 or 2.” Brunson’s draw never hit and he was ousted from the televised table. McEvoy celebrated his elimination of Brunson with poker pro Kathy Liebert, who railed him throughout the finale.

The first installment of ESPN’s “40th Annual Memories” vignette was a tribute to Stu Ungar featuring comments by Joe Hachem, Howard Lederer, and Steve Zolotow. Ungar died in 1998 after winning 10 of 32 $5,000 buy-in events he had entered. Then, Berry Johnston, who won the 1986 Main Event, busted in seventh place. The 73 year-old has cashed in every WSOP since 1982, when he took third in the Main Event for $104,000.

“The Nuts” once again featured 40th Annual WSOP Trivia. Lederer, Jennifer Harman, and Bodog pro David Williams participated this week, answering questions from three categories: “2008,” “Poker Feats,” and “Is Poker a Sport?” In the end, Harman advanced to the next round, joining Adam Schoenfeld, who won last week. Huck Seed’s exit in sixth place and Mortensen’s departure in fifth rounded out the first of two one-hour episodes on Tuesday night.

The “40th Annual Memories” in the second installment of the WSOP on ESPN, which aired at 9:00pm ET, focused on Harrington’s back-to-back Main Event final tables in 2003 and 2004 after winning the feature tournament in 1995. Harrington took third in the former for $650,000 and finished fourth in 2004 for $1.5 million. A quiet Harrington remained in contention in the Champions Invitational.

The second Wild Card Hand featured McEvoy raising to 3,000 with unknown cards. 2002 Main Event Champion Robert Varkonyi called from the big blind with A-5 of clubs. The flop came 10-4-A. Varkonyi bet out 5,000 and McEvoy called immediately to see a queen fall on the turn. Varkonyi checked, McEvoy bet 12,000, and Varkonyi folded. Chad commented, “I originally thought Tom had pocket eights. Now, I think he had pocket fours and flopped a set.” Instead, McEvoy held A-6 offsuit.

I can’t recall very many three-handed final tables as silent as the one that took to the felts on Tuesday night. The survivors represented Main Event champions from the last three decades: Varkonyi (2002), Harrington (1995), and McEvoy (1983). McEvoy’s K-Q of diamonds finally sent Harrington to the rails in third and, in the final hand of the WSOP Champions Invitational, McEvoy turned a 10-high straight to take down the title. He told Chad following his monumental win, “I hadn’t won much lately and I think I was losing some respect from my peers… I was just determined that I was going to win it and I did.”

Tune into ESPN next Tuesday night at 8:00pm ET for the $5,000 buy-in Ante Up for Africa charity poker tournament.

FTOPS XIII Starts Wednesday

The Full Tilt Online Poker Series (FTOPS) returns on Wednesday for its 13th installment. This time around, the recurring tournament series boasts $19 million in guarantees and runs through August 16th.

Unlike FTOPS XII, MiniFTOPS events will not occur concurrently with their high-stakes counterparts this time around. Instead, MiniFTOPS XIII events will take place between September 9th and 20th on the virtual felts of the world’s second largest online poker site. The MiniFTOPS XIII Main Event is a $55 buy-in, $500,000 guaranteed prize pool tournament.

The high-dollar FTOPS XII Main Event was won by Pocketownage420, who barreled through a field of nearly 4,600 players en route to a $432,000 payday. Heads-up, he defeated azzabentonaces in a final table that also included iDubDeuce (third place for $170,000), Hartwith (fourth place for $132,000), and nickeltwenty (fifth place for $100,000).

One of the most visible additions to the FTOPS XIII schedule is the Ante Up for Africa charity poker tournament. The event, which raises money and awareness for the crisis in Darfur, will take place on Saturday, August 15th at 15:00 ET. Full Tilt Poker pro Don Cheadle co-founded Ante Up for Africa three years ago along with Ultimate Bet front woman Annie Duke and Norman Epstein. The tournament boasts a $120 buy-in, with the $20 entry fee donated entirely to charity. The FTOPS Ante Up for Africa tournament also includes a healthy $100,000 guaranteed prize pool.

Also one of the highlights of each FTOPS schedule is the Two-Day Event. Last year, Full Tilt Poker member Grndhg25 pocketed $400,000 for taking down the multi-day extravaganza. This year’s Two-Day tournament is Event #22 and features a $2,620 buy-in and at least a $2 million purse. It will once again be played in a six-max format and crowns a champion on Sunday afternoon, August 16th. The first day of play pauses after Level 17 or when two tables remain, whichever occurs first. Each player starts with 300 big blinds and the price of poker increases every 30 minutes.

Here is the full FTOPS XIII schedule. All times are Eastern:

August 5th
9:00pm: Event #1: $216 No Limit Hold’em, $1 Million Guaranteed

August 6th
2:00pm: Event #2: $322 No Limit Hold’em 4x Shootout Six-Max, $250,000 Guaranteed
9:00pm: Event #3: $216 Omaha Eight or Better, $200,000 Guaranteed

August 7th
2:00pm: Event #4: $216 No Limit Hold’em Cubed, $500,000 Guaranteed
9:00pm: Event #5: $216 Stud, $100,000 Guaranteed

August 8th
2:00pm: Event #6: $535 Pot Limit Omaha Six-Max, $350,000 Guaranteed
4:00pm: Event #7: $109 No Limit Hold’em with Rebuys, $500,000 Guaranteed

August 9th
2:00pm: Event #8: $256 No Limit Hold’em Knockout Six-Max, $750,000 Guaranteed
4:00pm: Event #9: $535 No Limit Hold’em Heads-Up, $500,000 Guaranteed
6:00pm: Event #10: $322 No Limit Hold’em, $1.5 Million Guaranteed

August 10th
2:00pm: Event #11: $216 Half Pot Limit Hold’em, Half Pot Limit Omaha, $200,000 Guaranteed
9:00pm: Event #12: $1,060 No Limit Hold’em Ante from Start, $1.5 Million Guaranteed

August 11th
2:00pm: Event #13: $322 No Limit Hold’em 3x Shootout, $200,000 Guaranteed
9:00pm: Event #14: $535 HORSE, $300,000 Guaranteed
9:00pm: Event #15: $216 No Limit Hold’em Six-Max Turbo, $500,000 Guaranteed

August 12th
2:00pm: Event #16: $256 Pot Limit Omaha Eight or Better Knockout, $200,000 Guaranteed
9:00pm: Event #17: $322 No Limit Hold’em Six-Max Rebuy, $1 Million Guaranteed

August 13th
2:00pm: Event #18: $216 Pot Limit Omaha Heads-Up, $150,000 Guaranteed
9:00pm: Event #19: $216 Limit Hold’em Six-Max, $150,000 Guaranteed

August 14th
2:00pm: Event #20: $216 No Limit Hold’em Six-Max, $400,000 Guaranteed
9:00pm: Event #21: $322 Razz, $150,000 Guaranteed

August 15th
2:00pm: Event #22: $2,620 No Limit Hold’em Six-Max Two-Day, $2 Million Guaranteed
3:00pm: FTOPS Ante Up for Africa, $120 No Limit Hold’em Six-Max Ante from Start, $100,000 Guaranteed
4:00pm: Event #23: $109 Pot Limit Omaha with Rebuys, $350,000 Guaranteed

August 16th
2:00pm: Event #24: $129 No Limit Hold’em Knockout, $750,000 Guaranteed
6:00pm: FTOPS XIII Main Event, $2.5 Million Guaranteed

ESPN 2009 WSOP Ratings Fall 4%

The 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) debuted on cable station ESPN on Tuesday with a $40,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament commemorating the 40th running of the prestigious series. In the end, ratings fell by 4%, but were up in several key demographics.

In 2008, the WSOP on ESPN began airing one week earlier than this year’s festivities. Nevertheless, ratings in 2009 were off by 4% for the premier episode and household impressions were down 2%, according to ESPN Media Contact George McNeilly. However, numbers for two key demographics increased year over year, an encouraging sign for the Bristol-based cable network. McNeilly told Poker News Daily that viewers were up 2% among men ages 18 to 34. In addition, the number of men ages 25 to 54 who tuned into the 2009 WSOP on ESPN grew by an astonishing 16%. Meanwhile, in men ages 18 to 49, the number of viewers was on par with last season’s telecast. Six players at the $40,000 buy-in tournament’s final table were in their 20s, with 2004 WSOP Main Event Champion Greg Raymer serving as its elder statesman at 44 years-old.

Despite overall ratings being down, McNeilly remains optimistic about the remainder of the 2009 WSOP on ESPN schedule. He commented, “We have a long season of outstanding events and great storylines to go.” Last year, the finale of the 2008 WSOP Main Event, which occurred after a 117 day delay at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, turned in a 1.9 rating, up 46% from the rating that conclusion of the 2007 Main Event received (1.3). The latter tournament featured Jerry Yang defeating Tuan Lam. In total, pushing the final table of the Main Event back to coincide with its television broadcast paid off. Instead of viewers asking how a player won, they were left wondering who would win poker’s most prestigious title.

In 2008, the average rating for the 32 episodes that made up the WSOP broadcast was 0.9. That figure represents 919,000 households and 1.55 million viewers, which were up 13% and 15%, respectively, in comparison to 2007 figures. Next Tuesday, the WSOP Champions Invitational will air. The invite-only tournament attracted 20 former Main Event winners to the Rio to battle for a vintage Corvette from the Imperial Palace car collection and the Binion Cup. The tournament’s final nine include Dan Harrington (1995 Main Event Champion), Carlos Mortensen (2001), Huck Seed (1996), Tom McEvoy (1983), and Doyle Brunson (1976 and 1977). The spectacle kicks off at 8:00pm ET on ESPN and runs for two hours.

ESPN’s poker offering will also include the annual Ante Up for Africa charity tournament. The $5,000 buy-in event that raises money and awareness for the crisis in Darfur will pan out on television screens around the country on August 11th at 8:00pm ET. The tournament featured a “who’s who” of the celebrity world, including Mike Tyson, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Sarah Silverman, Doug Benson, Nelly, and Jason Alexander, whose “Seinfeld” reunion on HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm” later this year has been the talk of the television industry.

ESPN will air 24 hours of the 2009 WSOP Main Event between August 18th and November 3rd. On November 10th, the conclusion of the $10,000 buy-in feature tournament will play out, with chip leader Darvin Moon taking on a final table that also includes Full Tilt Poker pro and 2009 two-time bracelet winner Phil Ivey and controversial CardPlayer Magazine Editor Jeff Shulman. The latter has threatened to trash his bracelet should he win due to an ongoing rift with Harrah’s, which owns the rights to the WSOP. Other members of the November Nine are James Akenhead, Kevin Schaffel, Steven Begleiter, Eric Buchman, Joe Cada, and Antoine Saout.

ESPN to launch a new Poker show

ESPN will be offering more poker coverage than just the $40.000 No-Limit Hold’em, Ante up for Africa and the Main Event this year as they will broadcast totally new web-only poker show called the ESPN Inside Deal. The show is presented by PokerStars and will have its debut on August 4 on espn.com.

-Moneymaker on the move

Chris Moneymaker will be the first guest on the show which will give the poker fans a behind the scenes look at poker lifestyle and the whole poker scene. Other confirmed guests will include Daniel Negreanu and Joe Hachem.

The show is hosted by ESPN The Magazine’s Laura Lane, professional player and ESPN.com columnist Bernard Lee and ESPN.com poker editor Andrew Feldman.

During the three months of the series, fans will be able to see the completion of the WSOP Main Event final table. There will be interviews and analyzes of each member of the November Nine as well. Fans will have the opportunity to participate in the show by submitting questions to their favorite pro players. Fans will also have an exclusive chance to participate in a sweepstakes where one winner will experience the November Nine in a unique way.

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ESPN to launch a new Poker show

2009 WSOP on ESPN Debuts Tuesday

Tonight marks the return of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) on ESPN. At 8:00pm ET, the network will air the $40,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament commemorating the 40th running of the WSOP.

A star-studded final table will take to the felts in the event, which was the second on the 2009 WSOP schedule. It attracted 201 entrants and, as has been heavily touted in commercials for the program, generated a $7.7 million prize pool. The final table features some of the top names in live and online poker. Here’s how the chip stacks will look when final table play in Event #2 of the 2009 WSOP kicks off on ESPN this evening:

1. Isaac Haxton - 5,955,000
2. Vitaly Lunkin - 4,565,000
3. Lex Veldhuis - 3,805,000
4. Greg Raymer - 3,345,000
5. Alec Torelli - 2,340,000
6. Justin Bonomo - 1,685,000
7. Dani Stern - 1,300,000
8. Noah Schwartz - 660,000
9. Ted Forrest - 560,000

Lunkin won a $1,500 buy-in No Limit Hold’em event during the 2008 WSOP and banked $628,000, defeating Brett Kimes heads-up. Raymer won the 2004 WSOP Main Event, becoming the third amateur in a row to take down the feature $10,000 buy-in tournament. Torelli, who recently signed with the Cake Poker Network site Doyle’s Room, is fresh off a fourth place showing at the World Poker Tour’s (WPT) Bellagio Cup V for $271,000. Bonomo is a Bodog pro making his third WSOP final table appearance. Forrest owns five bracelets and was famously shut out of the Main Event this year after Day 1D sold out at over 2,800 runners. Finally, Stern will compete as part of G4’s “2 Months, $2 Million,” a poker reality show that debuts on August 16th.

With the all-star cast lined up for the final table of the kickoff WSOP on ESPN event, show producer Jamie Horowitz commented in a conference call last week, “This is the most excited I’ve ever been for a season of the WSOP, not just because we get to kick it off with new events we’ve never done before, but also because we’re doing a record number of hours of [the Main Event] this year.” In fact, ESPN will broadcast 24 hours of the world’s most prestigious poker tournament. The final table will take place on November 10th and air just hours later on the Worldwide Leader in Sports.

Tuesday is once again poker night on ESPN. Here’s the schedule for when you can tune in to catch the action in high-definition. All times are Eastern:

July 28th from 8:00pm to 10:00pm: $40,000 Special Anniversary Tournament
August 4th from 8:00pm to 10:00pm: WSOP Champions Invitational
August 11th from 8:00pm to 10:00pm: Ante Up for Africa Charity Tournament
August 18th to September 22nd from 8:00pm to 10:00pm: WSOP Main Event
September 29th from 8:00pm to 11:00pm: WSOP Main Event
October 6th from 10:00pm to 11:00pm: WSOP Main Event
October 13th to November 3rd from 9:00pm to 11:00pm: WSOP Main Event
November 10th from 9:00pm to 11:30pm: WSOP Main Event Final Table

This year’s November Nine, who comprise the final table of the Main Event, include two brand name pros, Full Tilt Poker’s Phil Ivey and CardPlayer Editor Jeff Shulman. Ivey has already won two bracelets at the 2009 WSOP, while Shulman threatened to throw his piece of hardware in the garbage if he won. Horowitz explained the allure of this year’s group: “It’s long been discussed in the modern era of poker if a pro could win the Main Event. Having Phil Ivey as part of our November Nine has added a new level of interest to poker. There’s an elevated sense of excitement for this season.”

Ivey is ESPN poker commentator Norman Chad’s perennial pick to win the $10,000 buy-in Main Event. He explained to reporters why Ivey has become one of the industry’s staples: “Anytime you’re playing with a pro, there’s going to be a sense of intimidation, but there’s some mystical magical quality about Phil Ivey that actually elevates him above the rest. He has an amazing table presence that’s unequaled in the game.” Chad told Poker News Daily on the Ante Up for Africa red carpet that he expected Ivey to win the charity tournament as well.

We’ll look forward to seeing the $40,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament commemorating the 40th running of the WSOP unfold tonight on ESPN and ESPN HD.

Biggest Surprises of National Poker Week

National Poker Week attracted 33 State Directors from the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) plus a throng of the game’s elite to Washington, DC. In the end, over 100 meetings were held on Capitol Hill. Poker News Daily was on-hand for the festivities and reviews several of the surprises of National Poker Week.

Prepare to Meet with Aides

If poker players take the time to visit their Congressmen, they should be prepared to meet with staff members. Being a Congressman means running frenetically between meetings, votes, and other pressing matters. Although conferencing with constituents is important, Congressmen have a full plate. Staffers are extremely influential, a point echoed by lawmakers like Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL) and former three-term Senator Alfonse D’Amato (R-NY) during National Poker Week. Congressmen regularly defer to aides for insight on both critical issues and those that may not receive front-page headlines. Therefore, don’t be discouraged meeting with Congressional staffs.

Poker Really is a Game of Skill

A study by Cigital and PokerStars performed in December studied 103 million cash game hands on the world’s most popular online poker site. The results revealed that 75% of pots did not go to showdown. Instead, the process of betting and bluffing took down hands. It’s one thing for industry representatives to say that poker is a game of skill; it’s completely different to hear the sentiment from an American lawmaker. Congressmen Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA), for example, told online poker forum PocketFives.com in an interview, “Poker is a sport of skill. If you don’t believe that, you need to watch some of the tournaments on television and understand that these are very talented people. They can win a hand with a lot worse cards than anybody else. It is a game of skill and not just what cards fall.” Well said.

Importance of Personal Stories

When you meet with Congressmen or their aides, be sure to share your personal story. This was the number one point emphasized by the PPA. The rationale behind sharing your personal story is breaking the stereotype that poker players are shady individuals, far from being law-abiding citizens. Instead, poker players are students, housewives, firefighters, soldiers, doctors, and teachers. They’re just like you and me. Formulate your personal story prior to calling, e-mailing, or visiting your Congressmen. While knowledge of the issue is of paramount importance, it was surprising to learn that the personal story is even more critical.

Generosity Makes the World Go Round

Poker players are an extremely generous group. Churches, synagogues, and other institutions around the world regularly employ poker tournaments as fundraising vehicles. The turnout at the PPA’s charity event was extremely impressive. Some of the world’s top pros were in attendance, including “Celebrity Apprentice” runner-up Annie Duke, who came armed with a fistful of $100 bills in order to rebuy wounded warriors at her table. 2004 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event Champion Greg Raymer imparted knowledge of the game to his tablemates and Howard Lederer (Duke’s brother) tried to out-rebuy his sibling. Generosity really is a quality of poker players. I’ve seen it first-hand.

Poker’s Role Models

The roster of pros that turned out to the PPA’s Fly-In as part of National Poker Week was truly impressive. In addition to Raymer, Duke, and Lederer, the movement to legalize and regulate online poker in the United States also attracted “The First Lady of Poker” Linda Johnson, Women in Poker Hall of Fame member Jan Fisher, former MIT Blackjack Team member Andy Bloch, online poker star Jordan “iMsoLucky0” Morgan, PokerXFactor instructor Chris “Fox” Wallace, and Team PokerStars Pro member Dennis Phillips. Even talk show host and poker veteran Montel Williams turned out, fresh off a trip to Africa.

I’m an economics major, so I’m familiar with opportunity cost. These pros came to Washington, DC voluntarily to help advance the game in the United States. There are plenty of opportunities they passed up in order to attend. My hat is off to each of them. They are truly poker’s role models.

Montel Williams Interview with Poker News Daily

At the recent Poker Players Alliance (PPA) charity tournament benefiting the USO of Metropolitan Washington, talk show host Montel Williams was among those in attendance. A former chip leader of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event in years past, Williams has a wealth of poker experience under his belt on the world’s biggest stage.

Montel Williams is the principal face behind his own MS Foundation after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. As a result, he is passionate about fundraising and created the Foundation in 2000 “to provide financial assistance to select organizations and institutions conducting the most current research, to raise national awareness about MS, and to educate the public,” according to its website. The Foundation orchestrates walkathons, bikeathons, and horse rides, among other fundraising endeavors. Poker News Daily caught up to this wildly successful celebrity to talk about his involvement with National Poker Week.

Poker News Daily: You were one of the celebrities in attendance at the Ante Up for Africa charity poker tournament held during the 2009 WSOP, joining the likes of Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Jason Alexander. Can you tell us about it?

Williams: I played in it all three years it’s been held. It’s a great event. I played in it two days before I went to Africa myself. I just got back from Kenya in a project with Feed the Children. Annie Duke was telling me that they raised $400,000 at this year’s event, which is over the top because it provides services and necessary aid to a lot of people who are suffering from depression and poverty that we can’t even imagine.

PND: Your presence at the USO of Metropolitan Washington charity tournament was well-received. Can you talk about why you’re here tonight?

Williams: A lot of people who play poker know that I’m a poker player. I’m not a novice. I’ve been playing poker for almost 20 years. I led the WSOP Main Event myself. Right now, I have my own online casino internationally. It’s called the ITPL, or International Team Poker League, under Playtech. Because we take no money from U.S. URLs, I’m allowed to make money. It’s ridiculous. I can bring back my money, but the only money I have to pay taxes on is what I bring in America. The rest of it is mine. That’s ignorant. Why can’t we do this here in the United States?

ESPN loves Ivey

"This is the most excited I've ever been," said ESPN coordinating producer Jamie Horowitz. "There are new events we've never televised before and a record number of hours of the Main Event."

Coverage will begin Tuesday, July 28, at 8 p.m. ET with the final table of the 2009 WSOP $40,000 40th anniversary event featuring 2004 Main Event champ Greg Raymer, 2008 WSOP bracelet winner Vitaly Lunkin and a series of top young pros.

Running every Tuesday from July 28 through November 10, the coverage will also feature action from the WSOP Champions Invitational, the star-studded Ante Up for Africa charity tournament and, for the first time ever, 24 hours of Main Event footage.

"That was the most common comment from fans," Horowitz said. "More Main Event; it's what they want."

ESPN's coverage will culminate with the final table of the Main Event airing November 10 and Host Norman Chad said he is particularly pleased with the November Nine lineup that will contest for the title this year.

"Each final table is like a snowflake; they're all different and I love them all," he said. "But if you've got the greatest player in the world and you have a logger, whose whole business is lumber and logs, at the same final table; Phil Ivey and Darvin Moon are the Main Event in a nutshell."

Last year's delayed final table created an unparalleled level of interest and ESPN saw ratings for the Main Event final jump by 50 per cent.

Horowitz believes the presence of Ivey may have a similar effect.

"It's long been discussed in the modern era of poker; could a pro ever win the Main Event?" he said.

"Having Phil Ivey as a part of our November Nine has added a new level of interest in poker. It's an elevated sense of excitement for this season."

Chad could not agree more.

"There's an air of him unequalled by the other pros," he said. "There's some mystical, magical quality that actually elevates him above the rest. He has an amazing table presence unequalled in the game."

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London Clubs International launches new charity campaign

Casino group London Clubs International has launched a new charity campaign aimed at helping people living in South African townships. Players at each of LCI’s ten UK casinos have been challenged to fill a 40-foot shipping container with clean second hand clothing for adults and children, books, sports kit and equipment and art and crafts materials.

Ante Up for Africa — Chat with an Activist for Change: John Prendergast

The Full Tilt Suite that served as the green room at the _Ante Up for Africa_ charity poker tournament was packed with a collection of famous actors, athletes, and poker players an hour before the event on July 2, 2009. The two hosts, Don Cheadle and …

Warren Zackey Leads as 2009 WSOP Main Event Day Six Begins

Playing as if they had a plane to catch, the 407 players who came back for Day Five of the Main Event of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) wasted little time in whittling the field to fewer than 200 players.

The plan on Sunday was for the players, already guaranteed a payday of at least $27,469, to play for five two-hour levels or down to 175, whichever came first. After the carnage on Saturday - where the field went from 789 players to 407 - it was thought the field would be more deliberate as the money moved up. That was not the case, as the battle cry of “all in and a call” was heard immediately on the first hand and echoed throughout the Amazon Room frequently as the afternoon wore on.

The actual statistics from Sunday were mind-boggling with the stakes being played for. Over three levels of poker, the field was chopped from the 407 who walked through the doors Sunday afternoon to 185 players. This breaks down to a player being eliminated every 90 seconds, an unheard of casualty rate for a prestigious tournament.

Even with the significant number of departures, the notable players who remain in the tournament are perhaps the strongest in several years. Making a run reminiscent of Greg Raymer’s performance in the 2005 WSOP Main Event, defending champion Peter Eastgate is still in contention. Despite being down to the felt in the early going of this year’s WSOP Main Event, Eastgate has been able to pull himself up and will enter Day Six with 927,000 in chips.

Fellow former World Champion Joe Hachem is also demonstrating his skills in large field poker, as he is the only other former Main Event champion still in the running. He will start off Day Six with 540,000 in chips. Those former World Champions who didn’t make it through Sunday’s carnage were Bobby Baldwin (352nd) and Dan Harrington (252nd).

Along with Eastgate, another member of the “November Nine” is making a run at returning to this year’s final table. Dennis Phillips, who finished third last year, is over one million in chips as today’s play starts. Phillips is scheduled to be in St. Louis this evening for a charity event at Lumiere Place (his home casino) in conjunction with the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, which occurs tomorrow night. With $8.5 million on the line, Phillips may not be able to make his event this evening!

Others in the field include Day Three chip leader Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier, Joe Sebok, Antonio “The Magician” Esfandiari, and Fabrice Soulier. Phil Ivey, who has consistently been around the top of the leaderboard, has 1.38 million in chips.

2007 WSOP Player of the Year Tom Schneider, who has had a miserable run at the 2009 WSOP (one cash), has altered his fortunes and charged to the top of the leaderboard. Stacked with 3.17 million in chips (good for sixth place), Schneider is poised for a potential run at being among the next “November Nine.” Noah “Exclusive” Boeken, the young professional from the Netherlands, is keeping pace with Schneider and is just outside the Top 10 with 2.34 million (12th place).

Leading the pack is South Africa’s Warren Zackey, who has pulled 4.87 million in chips in front of him over the first five days. A plumbing supply salesman from Johannesburg who earned his way to his first WSOP with a second place finish in the All Africa Championship, Zackey admits he hasn’t done anything special to reach this moment in his poker career. “I got some really good hands,” Warren understated. “I tripled up on the first day and I doubled up again and again (over the next two days). I think I started with 730,000 today and then went up from there.”

With his wife in the Rio with him and his children keeping track through the internet back in Johannesburg, Zackey is not letting his run at the WSOP Main Event go to his head. When asked if he would drop his sales job if he won the title, Warren commented, “No. I have a family. I’d go back to it.” He also has a solid strategy for today’s action, saying, “I am going to take it easy unless I get some decent cards.”

Day Six will kick off at Noon Pacific Time and it could be a significantly longer affair. The plan is to work down to the final 63 players and, with the larger stacks, play could last deep into the night. Poker News Daily will be on site and have a complete recap of the action as the next “November Nine” is determined later this week.

Rumor Has It

Most of you probably don’t know this, but the Poker News Daily you are reading right now is actually Poker News Daily version 2.x (I would say 2.0, but that’s not quite accurate – the site has undergone some changes in recent months). Version 1.0 was launched back in 2005, ran for a couple years, and then was folded into another website. I wrote a lot of news articles for the original PND and even got a gig writing for a now defunct poker magazine as a result of my work.

I didn’t consider myself a “journalist” or a “reporter” though, as I didn’t uncover most of the news about which I wrote – I would comb other news sources, conduct further research on the topics, sometimes contribute my own insight, and write my own story. Sometimes, though, I was able to break a story. The hard part about that was getting it written and posted quickly, before any other news outlets could scoop me. It would have been easy to not properly verify facts in order to post a juicy story, but fortunately, I avoided the temptation to cut corners and turn PND into a rumor mill.

Recently, a well-respected poker blog/news site posted an article about how poker player Adam Richardson (known as “Admo” online) “stiffed” Ante Up For Africa by not donating a single penny of his more than $100,000 prize after he came in second in the charity tournament at the World Series of Poker. The “news” was largely reported in the form of an e-mail to various members of the poker media. The e-mail, from someone named “Hunter,” stated that Richardson left with all of his prize money, refusing to donate even after he was asked. According to the e-mail, he was also supposedly rude to other players during the tournament.

Richardson has since responded, saying that none of that is true. I’m not going to go into all the details, but Richardson said that he did have a plan to donate anywhere from 50 to 100 percent of his winnings to Ante Up, but wished to speak with Annie Duke first about some questions he had about the charity before determining the exact amount. He did not leave the Rio with the money. He left his winnings in the cage until he was able to determine exactly what he was going to do with the money.

Richardson has been very forthcoming with status reports on what was going on with this “scandal”, and I tend to believe his story. Regardless of whether or not I believe him, though, it was in very bad form for the website to make that e-mail public. Sure, the person who posted it (who is a good guy, by the way) did tack on a disclaimer at the end which stated that he had not confirmed the veracity of the e-mail, but that really doesn’t matter. It’s one thing to do this with something minor, like, “Rumor has it that Full Tilt Poker might be adding some new cash games”, but when you are spreading a rumor that can destroy someone’s reputation, that’s just irresponsible.

Don’t get me wrong, I can understand the desire to get that story up as fast as possible because hey, it is an interesting story, if true. But there is no way I would have done that when I was writing news items for PND. If I really wanted to post it, I would have attempted to contact Richardson to get his side of the story. Then, maybe I would have posted the story with complete information. Even then, though, I might not have done it because if he did actually take the money and run, it’s not like that wasn’t allowed. There was no rule stating that a player was required to donate any winnings to Ante Up For Africa. Of course, if someone knowingly enters a charity tournament and doesn’t give back any of their winnings, I would have to agree that the person needs to take a close look at his ethical leanings, but you know what? That’s not news. It’s not my place to broadcast the perfectly allowable decision by somebody in a poker tournament.

Now, even if I wrote what one would consider a blog, as opposed to a straight-up news site, I still wouldn’t write anything about what Richardson did or did not do until I had all the facts straight. It may be a bit cliché, but I like to try to live my life by the “Golden Rule”, which states, “Do unto others as you would have done unto you.” What if I was in Richardson’s place? How would I feel if someone smeared by reputation in the name of news and page views?

While it seems that most people do believe Richardson, some still disagree with the way he went about his business when it came to donating his winnings. But that’s another discussion entirely. I am proud that Poker News Daily does not feed the rumor machine and that the writers here take care in the news articles they post. After all, we wouldn’t want to become the Poker National Enquirer now, would we?

Poker Superstars Walk the Red Carpet at WSOP Ante Up for Africa

The 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Ante Up for Africa tournament was chalk full of poker’s top names, including Phil Hellmuth, Andy Bloch, and Howard Lederer. Poker News Daily was on the scene as the game’s elite made their way into the charity poker tournament.

Eleven-Time WSOP Bracelet Holder Phil Hellmuth

On the cast of celebrities in attendance:
“I love it. The bigger the better. It’s such a great event. Look at all of the media here. To have all of this media tuned onto charity and poker is fabulous. I’ve emceed almost every Ante Up for Africa, whether it’s been in Europe or here in Las Vegas. It’s great to raise $1 million in one night.”

Ultimate Bet Star Player Tiffany Michelle

On the tournament as a break from the WSOP grind:
“As a professional poker player, it’s exciting to sit down and play with celebrities. There are bragging rights to say, ‘I knocked Montel Williams out.’ It’s a lot of fun. As professional poker players, we get so sucked into bad beats and being stuck in casinos all day. To remember that there’s another world beyond ours means a lot.”

On the marriage between charity and poker:
“There are a lot of people who have skills. They can go overseas and work with the Red Cross. Sitting in Las Vegas or Los Angeles, if you don’t feel like you have nursing skills or political skills, you can donate money. It’s something that we throw around like crazy. We’ll spend a few thousand dollars on a table at a club or we could be potentially winning millions of dollars. I love that the WSOP is behind this event, but also Annie [Duke] and Don [Cheadle]. It’s probably one of the most fun charity events I’ve ever played in.”

Team PokerStars Pro Member Humberto Brenes

On turning out for Ante Up for Africa:
“I feel good and today is more relaxed. I’ve played for the last 30 days here in tournaments with thousands of people.”

Former MIT Blackjack Team Member Andy Bloch

On being among Hollywood’s elite:
“This event was great a couple of years ago when Annie [Duke] got the idea. She was able to bring in A-list celebrities and lots of money to the event. Every year, it seems to grow and get better. This year, with the television coverage they’re going to have of the event, I’m really looking forward to not just raising money, but also raising a lot of awareness.”

2009 WSOP Dual Bracelet Winner Greg “FBT” Mueller

On whether the Ante Up for Africa event is a good break from the WSOP:
“It’s fun. It’s a lot of crazy and exciting people. Ante Up for Africa is a great cause and I’m always happy to donate to good causes, especially when things are going well.”

Full Tilt Poker Pro Jennifer Harman

On the Ante Up for Africa atmosphere:
“It is a wild event. It’s nice to see people come out and support this cause. It shows that poker is a way of giving and we all really love that part of it.”

On her fundraiser for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals:
“That went really well and we raised about $150,000. The most important thing is raising awareness and we did that. I did another charity event for the National Kidney Foundation in Reno and it had the largest turnout ever for a poker tournament in Reno history. I’m proud to be part of the giving and to help people in this world.”

Professional Poker Player Barry Greenstein

On being surrounded by celebrities:
“It’s pretty interesting. It shows you how much poker is a part of everyday life. These people play poker around the kitchen table like the rest of us. They’re happy to come out and make fools of themselves for a good cause.”

On celebrities’ games:
“Some are better than others. I’m not really intimidated by anyone’s game, professional or amateur. I’m certainly not thinking, ‘That guy is coming from Hollywood and he’s really going to show me some moves.’”

Professional Poker Player Robert Williamson III

On lending his name to the Ante Up for Africa tournament:
“With the WSOP being such an international tournament, it’s only right that we champion such a great cause. It’s shining a spotlight on an international catastrophe that needs more exposure and attention. It’s a fantastic event to be involved with. I look forward to many more years of supporting it.”

On whether he’d raise Mike Tyson’s blind if they were seated at the same table:
“He may be a champion boxer, but I’m one of the champions on the green felt. He’s going to have to call me down because I’ll be moving on him. I know he’s an aggressor too, so it should be an interesting match.”

2005 WSOP Main Event Champion Joe Hachem

On how important his attendance is:
“I think being at this sort of charity event with the amount of publicity it’s getting is fantastic.”

Bracelet Winner Howard Lederer

On the WSOP Main Event’s longstanding appeal:
“It’s the original event. It’s the most important poker tournament of the year. It’s the tournament everyone thinks about. It’s just a poker tournament, but the history, anticipation, and money make it something way beyond that. Everyone who sits down in the Main Event is connecting in some way with everyone who has ever played and that’s electrifying.”

ESPN Announcer Norman Chad

On sitting next to Allen Cunningham in a WSOP Stud tournament:
“When I play in a tournament and sit next to someone like Allen Cunningham, it’s a thrill. You know that they’re the best in the world. I would never yell out, ‘It’s Allen Cunningham’ because he’s such a quiet and classy guy.”

On ESPN covering the Ante Up for Africa event:
“It’s tremendous. It can do a lot of good for this cause. To have this for two hours on ESPN - we know we’re going to be able to raise so much more money than we would have otherwise.”

On his pick to win the Ante Up for Africa event:
“Even though he doesn’t speak to me, I’m going to say Phil Ivey. He’s the best poker player in the world. I expect him to win the Main Event every year and I expect him to win this.”

On his future:
“You never know. Things change, but this has been like an angel dropping out of the sky for me. It’s great work and it’s fun work. I’d love to do it as long as I can.”

Full Tilt FTOPS XIII Schedule

FTOPS XIII (Full Tilt Online Poker Series) is coming soon!

The action starts on Wednesday August 5th and continues until the Main Event on the 18th, there are 26 events, all hosted by a professional poker player. There is a guaranteed prize pool of $16m+ and super cool Full Tilt merchandise to be won.

New for this Series is Ante Up for Africa, you can play poker for a good cause in the charity tournament where all fees are being donated direct to the charity dedicated to easing the crisis in Darfur. Buy in direct for $120 or satellite in from just $1 or 50FTP’s. Nice one Full Tilt Poker!

Satellites are running NOW for FTOPS XIII, go into the lobby click Tournaments and then FTOPS to see the satellites on offer at the moment.

The Satellite Challenge is running again, try and win as many entries as you can and Full Tilt will credit you with the cost of the buy in for every double entry you win. Win more entries than any one else and you will be win the price of two buy ins, second place gets one extra credit.

The Bouncebackabilty Freeroll is back again, exclusively for those players who finished on the bubble, this freeroll is on Saturday August 22nd at 8.00pm UK time (3pm New York). The generous prize is a seat at the Main Event of FTOPS XIV.

On the final table, in any of the events, every player will be given a cool FTOPS jacket. The victors of each event also get a FTOPS jersey and an exclusive gold avatar to be used whilst playing online at Full Tilt Poker.

Enjoy FTOPS XIII, here is the schedule:-

Event	UK	New York	Host	Game	Guarantee
1	Thursday August 6th 2.00am	Wednesday August 5th 9.00pm	TBA	$200 + $16 NL Hold ‘em	$1million
2	Thursday August 6th 7.00pm	Thursday August 6th 2.00pm	TBA	$300 + $22NL Hold ‘em 4 x shootout 6 max	$250,000
3	Friday August 7th 2.00am	Thursday August 6th 9.00pm	TBA	$200 + $16 Omaha/8	$200,000
4	Friday August 7th 7.00pm	Friday August 7th 2.00pm	TBA	$200 + $16 NL Hold ‘em1 rebuy and 1 add-on	$500,000
5	Saturday August 8th 2.00am	Friday August 7th 9.00pm	TBA	$200 + $16 Stud	$100,000
6	Saturday August 8th 7.00pm	Saturday August 8th 2.00pm	TBA	$500 + $35 PL Omaha6-Max	$350,000
7	Saturday August 8th 9.00pm	Saturday August 8th 4.00pm	TBA	$100 + $9 NL Hold ‘emRebuy	$500,000
8	Sunday August 9th 7.00pm	Sunday August 9th 2.00pm	TBA	$240 + $16 NL Hold ‘emKnockout 6-max	$750,000
9	Sunday August 9th 9.00pm	Sunday August 9th 4.00pm	TBA	$500 + $35 NL Hold ‘emHeads Up	$500,000
10	Sunday August 9th 11.00pm	Sunday August 9th 6.00pm	TBA	$300 + $22 NL Hold ‘em	$1,5million
11	Monday August 10th 7.00pm	Monday August 10th 2.00pm	TBA	$200 + $16 HA	$200,000
12	Tuesday August 11th 2.00am	Monday August 10th 9.00pm	TBA	$1,000 + $60 NL Hold Ante From Start	$1,5million
13	Tuesday August 11th 7.00pm	Tuesday August 11th 2.00pm	TBA	$300 + $22 NL Hold ‘em4xShootout	$200,000
14	Wednesday August 12th 2.00am	Tuesday August 11th 9.00pm	TBA	$500 + $35 HORSE	$300,000
15	Wednesday August 12th 2.00am	Tuesday August 11th 9.00pm	TBA	$200 + $16 NL Hold ‘emTurbo	$500,000
16	Wednesday August 12th 9.00pm	Wednesday August 12th 2.00pm	TBA	$200 + $16 HA (half PL Hold ‘em, half PL Omaha)	$200,000
17	Thursday August 13th 2.00am	Wednesday August 12th 9.00pm	TBA	$300 + $22 NL Hold ‘em 6-max Rebuy	$1million
18	Thursday August 13th 7.00pm	Thursday August 13th 2.00pm	TBA	$200 + $16 PL Omaha Heads Up	$150,000
19	Friday August 14th 2.00am	Thursday August 13th 9.00pm	TBA	$300 + $22 Limit Hold’em	$150,000
20	Friday August 14th 7.00pm	Friday August 14th 2.00pm	TBA	$200 + $16 NL Hold ‘em	$400,000
21	Saturday August 15th 2.00am	Friday August 14th 9.00pm	TBA	$300 + $22 Razz	$150,000
22	Saturday August 15th 7.00pm	Saturday August 15th 2.00pm	TBA	$2,500 + $120 NL Hold ‘em 2 Day Event	$2million
FTOPS Ante Up for Africa	Saturday August 15th 8.00pm	Saturday August 15th 3.00pm	Don Cheadle	$100 + $20 No Limit Hold’em Ante from Start	$100,000
23	Saturday August 15th 9.00pm	Saturday August 15th 4.00pm	TBA	$100 + $9 PL Omaha Rebuy	$350,000
24	Sunday August 16th 7.00pm	Sunday August 16th 2.00pm	TBA	$120 + $9 NL Hold ‘em Knockout	$750,000
Main Event	Sunday Auguts 16th 11.00pm	Sunday August 16th 6.00pm	TBA	$500 + $35 NL Hold ‘em	$2,5million

If you’re not already a loyal player at Full Tilt Poker then get signed up now and join in the top promotions that Full Tilt excel in bringing their players. Remember to use our Full Tilt Bonus Code FTPGOLD for a sign up bonus up to $600 plus entry into exclusive weekly freerolls - see our Full Tilt Referral Code page for more details.

Good luck at the tables!

Mike Tyson, Matt Damon Speak on WSOP Ante Up for Africa Red Carpet

Poker News Daily had a front row view for the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Ante Up for Africa red carpet. Featuring a veritable “who’s who” of Hollywood’s elite, the $5,000 buy-in charity poker tournament raised well over $300,000 for refugees of the crisis in Darfur. Here’s what Hollywood had to say.

NBA Legend Kenny Smith

On Charles Barkley’s poker game: “It’s just like his golf game. Last year, he was the third or fourth person to get eliminated right off the bat in this event, so he was terrible. I think he’s a little restless and aggressive, which leads to early exits or big wins.”

On whether he has a last longer bet with Charles Barkley: “I’ve got to get that going. He’s too reckless. A two and a three and he’s all-in. I’m not going to be that silly. I think I’ll beat him.”

On his poker background: “I don’t play a lot, but I have fun with it more than anything else. When I come to Las Vegas, I’ll play blackjack before I play poker, but my parents used to play poker growing up. They’d have little poker parties, so I got to play at the adult table.”

“Best Week Ever” Host Doug Benson

On whether he’s having the best week ever: “I am. It hasn’t been a great week for celebrities in general, but getting to come to this event is exciting.”

On other celebrities in attendance: “I’ve only seen people here on the red carpet, so I don’t know who else is inside, but my friend Sarah Silverman is here as is my new friend Mike Tyson… I didn’t say a word to him. I’m too terrified. There are also a lot of great poker players. I’ve seen Mike Matusow and Phil Hellmuth so far. I’d love to knock either of them out. It’d be hilarious.”

Former Heavyweight Champion Mike Tyson

On his prospects: “I don’t know if I’m going to do well, but I’m here for a good cause. I’m here to help raise a lot of money and awareness.”

Comedian Sarah Silverman

On participating in the Ante Up for Africa charity tournament: “It’s really important to raise money and awareness. People need to be aware and understand that this is a genocide. People hear about the Holocaust in school and say that it could never happen. We’re letting it happen now. Someone has to do something and, to be honest, I have no idea what, but it has to end. There are people living in the scariest nightmare you could ever imagine. We have the power to be the best country and help. If this were happening in England or France, it would be taken care of.

“Rounders” Actor Matt Damon

On being recognized from “Rounders”: “It depends on what city I’m in. If I’m here in Las Vegas, it’s mostly ‘Rounders.’ If someone says, ‘I loved you in’ and it’s a guy between the ages of 18 and 40, I can guarantee you he’ll say ‘Rounders.’”

On raising money for Ante Up for Africa: “They’ve raised over $2 million so far and we know where the money is going. The ENOUGH Project is fantastic. There’s a lot of transparency there, so we know where the money goes. It’s a terrific cause to give to and hopefully it’s making a difference.”

Rapper Nelly

On facing professional poker players: “I don’t want to think too hard. If I get in a hand with a pro or a bracelet winner, I’m not going to think about it. If I think about it, I’m going to make the wrong move, so I’m just going to play. Their mind control at this game is far more superior to mine.”

Alex Bolotin wins Ante Up For Africa charity event

137 players bought in for the third annual Ante Up For Africa Charity Event but in the end it was Alex Bolotin who emerged victorious. The winner donated half of his $176,000 winnings to the ENOUGH Project and International Rescue Committee, a gesture that was repeated by virtually all the players who made the money.

Hachem, Lisandro star in WSOP Main Event

While many of poker's biggest superstars have been chewed up and spit out of the Main Event's early levels over the past few years, barely registering enough time for patched-up glamour shots, several showed some staying power today.

2005 Main Event champion Joe Hachem was certainly one of them, getting his stack up to a healthy 75k by the time five levels of play were through and the day was done.

"The last few years, day ones have been pretty frustrating for me, so it's a nice feeling to be able to play some poker, not just come back to Day 2 looking to double up," Hachem told PokerListings as he bagged his chips.

"My whole persona coming in was different. I just wanted to play, not carry the whole world on my shoulders, all the expectations and all that bullshit.

"I made a few hands, took a few bad beats, but overall things went pretty smoothly."

Hachem said the experience of winning the Main Event in 2005 proved invaluable once again today.

"It's like anything else in life," he said. "Having the experience of having done this before and winning it all is huge. You just don't get overwhelmed by the whole thing. Now I just take it day by day."

Despite his good fortunes, the Team PokerStars Pro was upstaged by another Aussie today as Jeffrey Lisandro continued his all out assault on the 2009 WSOP.

Having won three bracelets already this year, Lisandro climbed the leader board early and stayed there, bagging close to 150k in chips for a spot in the top ten when play wrapped.

"I'm just trying to play some real poker," he told PokerListings. "I'm not doing anything out of this world."

Having the kind of World Series most players only dream of, Lisandro said he's more than satisfied with the way things are going in the Main Event and beyond.

"I'm just trying to play good solid poker," he said. "I'm pretty happy with the way I'm playing. I can't complain. I'm playing really well."

Other big names with big stacks who survived Day 1c included Justin Bonomo, 2009 WSOP bracelet winner Marc Naalden, WPT title holder and 2009 PokerStars PCA finalist Kevin Saul, 2009 Ante Up for Africa champ Alex Bolotin and four-time WPT final tablist Amnon Filippi.

While 11-time WSOP gold bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth made a huge splash today, entering the room dressed like Spartacus and surrounded by a harem of body painted and toga clad models, he will return for Day 2b Wednesday with less than the 30k starting stack.

The 2009 WSOP Main Event continues Monday at 12 p.m. PT with the final day one and PokerListings will have comprehensive coverage in our Live Updates, News and TV sections.

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