Poker News

Annie Duke Launches MyMixedNuts.com

Poker players looking for a last-minute present this Christmas season can check out MyMixedNuts.com, a custom, mail order trail mix company brought to life by Poker News Daily Guest Columnist and “Celebrity Apprentice” runner-up Annie Duke.

MyMixedNuts.com allows customers – poker players and non-poker players alike – to choose from a wide variety of fresh ingredients to create the ultimate bag of trail mix. Ingredients available in the “Seeds and Nuts” section of the site’s store include almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts, soy nuts, sunflower seeds, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, and pecans. In the “Dry Goods” department, poker players craving foodstuffs like apples, apricots, bananas, blueberries, cherries, coconut, cranberries, dates, figs, ginger, goji berries, mango, orange peel, papaya, pineapple, and raisins will go home happy.

When Poker News Daily visited the site, we went straight to the “Goodies” section, where we could add “healthy” items like chocolate covered fruit, chocolate chips, malt balls, jelly beans, licorice, pretzels, M&Ms, Reese’s Pieces, and sesame seeds. Each trail mix ingredient varies in price and is measured by the ounce, ranging primarily between about $0.50 and $1.50. An easy-to-use front-end interface allows trail mix aficionados to create their ultimate concoction from the comfort of their couches.

A variety of pre-made mixes can be purchased for those who do not wish to create their own. “Annie’s Mix,” which includes raw cashews, raisins, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and banana chips, runs $12.99 for a 14-ounce bag, with $1 of every purchase going to Ante Up for Africa, a charity she founded along with actor Don Cheadle and Norman Epstein. Gummy fans can purchase a pre-made mix called “Gummy Delicious,” which contains sunny bears, dark chocolate chips, sour cherries, roasted and salted almonds, raw macadamia nuts, and golden raisins. This tasty treat will set you back $14.99. Sunny bears, by the way, are vegetarian and organic versions of the traditional junk food item.

Duke told Poker News Daily that when she used to purchase trail mix from the grocery store, she’d pick through it, tossing out components that did not sit well with her and leading to the idea to launch MyMixedNuts.com. Duke teamed up with “Apprentice” producer Ryan Simpkins and boyfriend Joe Reitman, with Simpkins’ mother handling the day-to-day operations of the site. Text found on MyMixedNuts.com explains, “You would understand that his mom must be supremely qualified to handle nutcases, so Annie and Joe were sold on the idea. Susan would handle each order with care and love.”

Free shipping is available for orders that surpass $40 and the site accepts PayPal, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. It became a reality in recent days and will seek to make its mark on the made-to-order food world. Poker players looking for a memorable Christmas gift, New Years’ treat, or Valentine’s Day present can even get their loved ones a Mix of the Month Club subscription or a copy of the latest Land of Fruit and Nuts newsletter.

Duke is a sponsored pro of UB.com, joining top-tier names like 11-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth, “Poker2Nite” host Joe Sebok, and 2009 CardPlayer Player of the Year winner Eric “basebaldy” Baldwin, who joined the site on Tuesday. UB.com happily accepts players from the United States and makes its home on the CEREUS Network along with its sister site, Absolute Poker.

Duke finished as the runner-up on “Celebrity Apprentice” to comedian Joan Rivers, who compared the poker pro to Hitler on several occasions. Nevertheless, Duke helped raise well over $700,000 for Refugees International and will now put her business acumen to good use with MyMixedNuts.com.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Poker News Daily.

PokerStars Ante Up for Africa Airs on CBS Sports

On Saturday afternoon, CBS Sports aired the second of two episodes of the PokerStars.net Ante Up for Africa tournament that played out during the European Poker Tour (EPT) Monte Carlo festivities.

Kara Scott served as the host of the event as it played out on the CBS Sports Spectacular broadcast. The nine-handed final table began with Daniel Negreanu holding a commanding chip lead with 151,100, well ahead of the 49,000 stack of EPT founder John Duthie. Alexander Armstrong and David Tuckman had the call of the event, which featured on-screen card backs with Ante Up for Africa logos and player names shown alongside their native country’s flag.

In the night’s first elimination, Teddy Sheringham raised with K-Q of clubs and rugby player Sebastien Chabal shoved with A-9. Team PokerStars Pro member Luca Pagano pushed over the top and Sheringham quickly folded. The flop came 4-J-2 and a running 10-8 gave Pagano a flush in the hand. Chabal was out in ninth and told Scott, “I’m disappointed because I wanted to win the whole thing. I’m happy, had a great time, and made some great friends.”

Meanwhile, Duthie hit the rails in eighth place after shoving pre-flop with A-K. Poker pro Tony G made the call with pocket jacks and turned a third jack. Duthie was drawing dead to the river and hit the exits. French journalist, writer, and presenter Patrick Chene was eliminated in seventh place at the hands of Dario Minieri’s A-J. Despite having a new arsenal of chips, Minieri folded to a re-raise by new Betclick pro Isabelle Mercier holding pocket eights. Minieri was getting 2:1 to call and Mercier held A-J for what would have been a coin flip situation.

Pagano was ousted after pushing pre-flop for 23,000 chips. Minieri called from the big blind at a discount holding J-3. The board ran out 2-A-3-J-J, giving Minieri a boat. The hand moved Minieri to second on the PokerStars.net Ante Up for Africa leaderboard, with Negreanu now the tournament’s short stack. Negreanu was sent to the rails at the hands of Mercier, who won a coin flip with pocket eights against K-Q. Negreanu told CBS cameras, “I was the chip leader and I seemed to be dominating and all of a sudden, the blinds went up and I folded and folded like a little wimp.”

Tony G was ousted in fourth place holding Q-6 against A-8 after an eight-high flop. Observing the action was “Heroes” star James Kyson Lee, who told Scott, “There are a lot of people here from all different fields. It’s great that we’re able to come together, do something fun, and raise awareness for Ante Up for Africa.” Norman Epstein, Full Tilt Poker pro Don Cheadle, and Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Annie Duke founded the charity in 2006. It is the centerpiece of an annual $5,000 buy-in gala during the World Series of Poker (WSOP), which aired in 2009 on ESPN.

Mercier and Sheringham both doubled up at the expense of Minieri, who was ultimately eliminated after running pocket tens into Mercier’s pocket queens. Mercier promptly doubled up with K-4 against Sheringham’s A-5 after the flop came 4-J-J. Then, the former member of Team PokerStars Pro called Sheringham’s all-in with A-2. Sheringham turned over 10-4 and the board ran out 6-8-Q-J-10 with four diamonds. Mercier’s deuce of diamonds was the only card of the suit held by either player and Mercier took down the inaugural Ante Up for Africa event in Monte Carlo.

Over €250,000 was raised for the Ante Up for Africa charity in Monte Carlo and no prize money was doled out to players. Instead, Mercier, who battled through a field of 43 runners, claimed a crystal trophy in the shape of a PokerStars logo.

Ante Up for Africa Monte Carlo Event to Air on CBS Sports

For the next two weekends, CBS will air the PokerStars Ante Up for Africa Monte Carlo tournament. The show will air on Saturday, September 19th from 1:30pm to 2:30pm ET and on Saturday, September 26th from 2:00pm to 3:00pm ET.

Both shows will air prior to college football. Vanessa Rousso, a member of Team PokerStars Pro, commented in a press release distributed by the online poker site on Friday, “Each year at the World Series of Poker, I make it a point to play in Ante Up for Africa. It’s amazing that PokerStars hosted the event in Monte Carlo to help a worthy cause and bring some fun to the table during one of their biggest events of the year.” In this author’s home market, the show does not air on September 19th, but rather only the 26th. Viewers are encouraged to check their local listings for details, as college football dates, times, and channels vary by market.

The tournament took place in April in the storied European principality during the Monte Carlo Grand Final festivities. The casino is the host venue for the end-of-season European Poker Tour (EPT) event and attracted a star-studded lineup of celebrities and poker players for the Ante Up for Africa contest. Among those in attendance were St. Louis rapper Nelly, singer Christina Milian, The Dream, “Heroes” actor James Kyson Lee, “Sex in the City” actor Jason Lewis, Good Charlotte band member Joel Madden, U.K. presenter Kirsty Gallacher, rapper Bruno “Kool Shen” Lopes, F1 racer Nico Rosberg, Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina, and rugby players Sebastien Chabal and Mike Tindall.

Representing Team PokerStars Pro were Rousso, 2004 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event Champion Greg Raymer, 2005 Champion Joe Hachem, 2008 Champion Peter Eastgate, Italian poker pro Dario Minieri, Victor Ramdin, and Caesars Cup Captain Daniel Negreanu. The €4,000 buy-in tournament generated more than €260,000 for the Ante Up for Africa charity, which raises money and awareness for victims of the crisis in Darfur. A total of €160,000 was raised through tournament buy-ins, while PokerStars generously kicked in an additional €100,000.

Among those prizes awarded were a trip to the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure in 2010. The tournament, which is held annually in the Bahamas, serves as the lone Western Hemisphere stop on the EPT circuit. A tournament summary distributed by the world’s largest online poker site offered the following insight into the ongoing Darfur crisis: “More than 400,000 people have died and more than four million have lost their homes in Darfur since the conflict began. To date, Ante Up For Africa has raised close to $2 million for the cause.”

Ante Up for Africa was founded in 2006 by “Celebrity Apprentice” runner-up Annie Duke, Full Tilt Poker pro Don Cheadle, and Norman Epstein. An annual $5,000 buy-in tournament is held to benefit the charity during the WSOP in Las Vegas. This year, the spectacle came to life on cable station ESPN and featured Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Sarah Silverman, Charles Barkley, and Jason Alexander. Representing the poker world were the likes of Chris Ferguson, Howard Lederer, and Phil Hellmuth, who served as the event’s emcee. This year’s gala raised more than $600,000.

In August, the Full Tilt Online Poker Series (FTOPS) featured a fundraiser for Ante Up for Africa in the form of a $120 buy-in tournament. A total of 2,367 players bought into the event, which was won by “warren_ace1.” Full Tilt donated the entire $20 entry fee to Ante Up for Africa.

CBS to air Ante Up For Africa Monte Carlo

Two one-hour shows featuring action from the star-studded event to benefit Darfur are set to air on the US network Today [Sept. 19] at 1:30 p.m. EST and Saturday, Sept. 26 at 2 p.m. EST, leading into its popular college football coverage.

Modelled on the World Series of Poker's Ante Up For Africa event created by Don Cheadle, Annie Duke and Norman Epstein, the $6,000 buy-in event saw stars from the worlds of television, sports and music take on a host top poker professionals.

Celebrities including Christina Milian, Nelly, Joel Madden, Jason Lewis, James Lee, and Boris Becker were joined by Team PokerStars Pros Daniel Negreanu, Joe Hachem and Vanessa Rousso on the felt.

Former Team PokerStars Pro Isabelle Mercier actually won the tournament defeating English football legend Teddy Sheringham heads-up.

All of the prize money was donated to help fund the work of charities that provide aid and assistance to the humanitarian efforts in Darfur.

"Each year at the World Series of Poker, I make a point to play in Ante Up for Africa," said Rousso.

"It's amazing that PokerStars hosted the event in Monte Carlo to help a worthy cause and bring some fun to the table during one of their biggest events of the year."

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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.

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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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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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

“Boosted J” Inks Deal With Full Tilt Poker

After an excellent performance at the World Poker Tour’s first stop of their eighth season at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, longtime online professional Justin “Boosted J” Smith has signed a deal to be a Full Tilt Poker sponsored professional.

Smith, who finished third at the Bellagio Cup behind runner up Faraz “The-Toilet” Jaka and eventual champion Alexandre “allingomes” Gomes, has a long history of success in the online game and has recently been transferring those skills over to the live poker world. At the most recent World Series of Poker, “Boosted J” finished with a highly respectable five cashes with his best finish an eighth place final table in the $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo World Championship. After his debut at the World Series of Poker Europe last year, Smith has earned almost $700,000 in live tournaments and has earned much more in the online game.

Although a young player that has been weaned on the online game, Justin has shown a propensity for all the disciplines of poker. In fact, his five cashes at the World Series ranged across the board, including Pot Limit Omaha, Seven Card Stud, Lowball and heads up Texas Hold’em. Befitting of his skills in multiple games and his new status as a sponsored Full Tilt pro, Smith has three tables of high stakes (one $1000/$2000 and two $400/$800) Mixed Game tables named in his honor.

“Boosted J” will have to drop his famous online moniker in exchange for seeing his real name in red on Full Tilt alongside perhaps the best stable of poker players in the game today. The “Friends of Full Tilt” encompass such notable celebrities as “Ocean’s Eleven” star Don Cheadle, Ultimate Fighting Championship ring announcer Bruce Buffer, “Poker After Dark” announcer Ali Nejad and author Jim McManus. There are also other levels of poker superstardom on Full Tilt Poker.

Full Tilt boasts one of the best poker training crews in CardRunners, made up of 2007 Online Player of the Year Isaac Baron, recent $25,000 Full Tilt Heads Up Poker Champion David Benefield and Taylor Caby (just to name a few). For those interested in international players, Full Tilt is the home of “The Hendon Mob,” the legendary English crew consisting of the Boatman brothers, Barny and Ross, as well as Joe Beevers and Ram Vaswani. When it comes to the Full Tilt sponsored pros, “Boosted J” will join the ranks including such players as Gavin Smith, 2008 WSOP Women’s Champion Svetlana Gromenkova and Chip and Karina Jett.

Finally, there are the players that are recognized as “Team Full Tilt.” The players who make up this group comprise thirteen of the finest players nowadays. Their combination of 36 WSOP bracelets is unequaled on any other online site and their resumes speak for themselves. Some of the players who make up “Team Full Tilt” include former World Champion Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, defending WSOP-Europe champion John Juanda and 2009 “November Nine” member Phil Ivey.

Congratulations to Justin on his new status as a Full Tilt pro and good luck on both the virtual as well as the physical poker tables worldwide.

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 …

FTOPS XIII Schedule Announced; $19 Million Guaranteed

The thirteenth installment of the Full Tilt Online Poker Series (FTOPS) has been announced and will kick off on August 5th. FTOPS XIII consists of 25 events, culminating in a $535 buy-in $2.5 million guaranteed prize pool tournament on August 16th.

In a major change from FTOPS XII, MiniFTOPS events will not occur until September. Each MiniFTOPS event carries a buy-in that is one-tenth of its FTOPS counterpart and the festivities begin on September 9th. A variety of games will grace the FTOPS XIII schedule, including Hold’em, Omaha, Stud, HORSE, and Razz. Heads-up, short-handed, full ring, and knockout tournaments will all be played. Last time out, Full Tilt Poker member Pocketownage420 took home $432,000 for winning the FTOPS XII Main Event. The runner-up, azzabentonaces, received a healthy $262,000 consolation prize and the top five players cashed for at least six figures.

FTOPS XIII also features an Ante Up for Africa tournament, a $120 buy-in charity event. Ante Up for Africa Co-Founder Don Cheadle is a Full Tilt pro and at least $100,000 will be in the prize pool. Full Tilt will donate the entire $20 entry fee to charity. The 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Ante Up for Africa tournament attracted 137 runners and generated over $300,000 for its beneficiary organizations.

Without further adieu, here is the schedule for FTOPS XIII:

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

Thursday, August 6th at 2:00pm ET
Event #2: $322 No Limit Hold’em 4x Shootout Six-Max
$250,000 Guaranteed

Thursday, August 6th at 9:00pm ET
Event #3: $216 Omaha Eight or Better
$200,000 Guaranteed

Friday, August 7th at 2:00pm ET
Event #4: $216 No Limit Hold’em Cubed (One Rebuy Plus One Add-On)
$500,000 Guaranteed

Friday, August 7th at 9:00pm ET
Event #5: $216 Stud
$100,000 Guaranteed

Saturday, August 8th at 2:00pm ET
Event #6: $535 Pot Limit Omaha Six-Max
$350,000 Guaranteed

Saturday, August 8th at 4:00pm ET
Event #7: $109 No Limit Hold’em with Rebuys
$500,000 Guaranteed

Sunday, August 9th at 2:00pm ET
Event #8: $256 No Limit Hold’em Knockout Six-Max
$750,000 Guaranteed

Sunday, August 9th at 4:00pm ET
Event #9: $535 No Limit Hold’em Heads-Up
$500,000 Guaranteed

Sunday, August 9th at 6:00pm ET
Event #10: $322 No Limit Hold’em
$1.5 Million Guaranteed

Monday, August 10th at 2:00pm ET
Event #11: $216 Half Pot Limit Hold’em, Half Pot Limit Omaha
$200,000 Guaranteed

Monday, August 10th at 9:00pm ET
Event #12: $1,060 No Limit Hold’em Ante from Start
$1.5 Million Guaranteed

Tuesday, August 11th at 2:00pm ET
Event #13: $322 No Limit Hold’em 3x Shootout
$200,000 Guaranteed

Tuesday, August 11th at 9:00pm ET
Event #14: $535 HORSE
$300,000 Guaranteed

Tuesday, August 11th at 9:00pm ET
Event #15: $216 No Limit Hold’em Six-Max Turbo
$500,000 Guaranteed

Wednesday, August 12th at 2:00pm ET
Event #16: $256 Pot Limit Omaha Eight or Better Knockout
$200,000 Guaranteed

Wednesday, August 12th at 9:00pm ET
Event #17: $322 No Limit Hold’em Six-Max Rebuy
$1 Million Guaranteed

Thursday, August 13th at 2:00pm ET
Event #18: $216 Pot Limit Omaha Heads-Up
$150,000 Guaranteed

Thursday, August 13th at 9:00pm ET
Event #19: $216 Limit Hold’em Six-Max
$150,000 Guaranteed

Friday, August 14th at 2:00pm ET
Event #20: $216 No Limit Hold’em Six-Max
$400,000 Guaranteed

Friday, August 14th at 9:00pm ET
Event #21: $322 Razz
$150,000 Guaranteed

Saturday, August 15th at 2:00pm ET
Event #22: $2,620 No Limit Hold’em Six-Max Two-Day Event
$2 Million Guaranteed

Saturday, August 15th at 3:00pm ET
FTOPS Ante Up for Africa
$120 No Limit Hold’em Six-Max Ante from Start
$100,000 Guaranteed

Saturday, August 15th at 4:00pm ET
Event #23: $109 Pot Limit Omaha with Rebuys
$350,000 Guaranteed

Sunday, August 16th at 2:00pm ET
Event #24: $129 No Limit Hold’em Knockout
$750,000 Guaranteed

Sunday, August 16th at 6:00pm ET
FTOPS XIII Main Event
$2.5 Million Guaranteed

All players who reach a final table in an FTOPS XIII tournament will receive a commemorative jacket. Winners receive a gold FTOPS jersey and an avatar to don while battling on the virtual felts of the world’s second largest online poker site. The FTOPS XIII leader board champion will take home $7,500 worth of buy-ins to FTOPS XIV tournaments. Visit Full Tilt Poker for more information.

Ante Up for Africa — Raising Awareness

The third annual _Ante Up for Africa_ charity poker tournament was co-hosted by Don Cheadle and Annie Duke at the _World Series of Poker_ on Thursday, July 2, and many celebrities, athletes, and poker players bought in to the $5,000 no-limit hold’em …

WSOP Q and A — Don Cheadle

Don Cheadle was present at the Rio on July 2, 2009 as the co-host of the third annual Ante …

Stars ante up for Africa again at 2009 WSOP

Media outlets from all over the world jam packed the red carpet as the Rio Convention Center became the center of the universe for both the celebrity world and the poker world Thursday.

Lots of big names flew into town for the event, which is in its third year on the WSOP schedule.

Actor Don Cheadle and Annie Duke are officially hosting and it appears the 2009 Ante Up For Africa is the biggest one yet.

"When we first conceived of the charity, we were thinking we'd just do a little event and raise like 20 or 30 thousand dollars," said Duke. "But (WSOP Commissioner) Jeffrey Pollack had a vision for this event that we didn't have and he made us part of the World Series of Poker.

"It's an amazing platform where not only are poker players involved here, at one place at one time, but media is also focused on poker this time of year right before the Main Event. It's so exciting to see everyone come out."

138 players from the worlds of poker, entertainment and sports descended on the Amazon Room for the $5k event, won by John Hennigan in 2008.

Hennigan was back in the field to try to defend his title, along with celebrities including Ben Affleck, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Mike Tyson.

"I don't really think I'm going to do well but it's for a good cause," said Tyson. "It's nice to be able to participate, play poker and raise awareness."

Plenty of poker pros also came out for the event, including Phil Hellmuth, Howard Lederer, Jennifer Harman, Mike Matusow, Mike Caro, Andy Bloch, Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, and Tiffany Michelle.

"Everybody who's an amateur poker player thinks it's exciting to play with professional poker players, but as a professional poker player it's exciting to sit down and play with celebrities," Michelle said.

With the $5k buy in, the tournament netted a prize pool of $670,680, with a first-place prize of $177,730.

However, Hennigan donated his entire winner's share to charity last year and it's expected that today's winner will do the same.

Other celebrities in the field included Sarah Silverman, Jennifer Tilly, Brad Garrett, Nelly and a poker icon ever since his role in Rounders, Matt Damon.

"More people that come up to me on the street, if they say 'I love you in....', and it's a guy between the age of 18 and 40, I can guarantee you he's going to say Rounders."

With such an eclectic field, there's no telling who might come away with the title.

"All these bracelet winners, all these final table winners," said Nelly. "I don't think I'm going to think about it, because if I think about it I'm going to make the wrong moves.

"Their mind control at this point is much superior to mine."

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Ante Up For Africa: Red Carpet

Card Player TV talks to Ante Up For Africa Hosts Don Cheadle and Annie Duke, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Sarah Silverman and more on the red carpet.

Alex Bolotin Wins Ante Up for Africa Poker Tournament

Actors, comedians, athletes, poker professionals, and a host of other celebrities were on hand yesterday at the Rio \for the third-annual Ante Up for Africa charity poker tournament. The $5,000 event attracted some of the biggest names in Hollywood, with stars like Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Don Cheadle, Sarah Silverman

Ante Up For Africa charity event takes place today

The 3rd Annual Ante Up For Africa charity tournament takes place today with organisers hoping to raise upwards of $2m for the relief effort in Darfur. Annie Duke and Oscar nominated actor Don Cheadle will host the $5,000 buy in tournament with Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and a host of other celebrities expected to play. The pros will be represented by amongst others Howard Lederer, Andy Bloch and Phil Hellmuth.

Damon, Affleck return for Ante Up for Africa

Heading the list again this year are AUFA staples Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, who will be joined by a who's who of sports and entertainment.

Some of the biggest names announced as of last week:

Annie Duke, Don Cheadle, Brad Garrett, Cedric The Entertainer, Charles Barkley, Danny Masterson, Hank Azaria, Herschel Walker, Jason Alexander, Kenny Smith, Marlon Wayans, Montel Williams, Reggie Miller, Tia Carrere, Sarah Silverman, Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, Cheryl Hines, Mekhi Phifer, Rob Schneider, Howard Lederer, Andy Bloch, Tiffany Michelle, Erik Seidel and Phil Hellmuth.

The $5,000 buy-in event is also open to the public, meaning anyone over the age of 21 can jump in and play No-Limit Hold'em against some of the world's biggest celebrities and poker players for a six-figure first-place prize.

In addition to playing for the cash prizes awarded at the event, all proceeds from the event go to the ENOUGH project and Refugees International, who raise awareness and provide aid to the survivors of Darfur.

At the first AUFA, the two players reaching heads-up play, Dan Shak and Brandon Moran, decided to donate the entire amount of both first and second-place prizes to the charity.

This generous act may have started a tradition as 2008's AUFA winner, poker pro John Hennigan, donated 100% of his $136,860 prize to the charity.

With a fast-paced structure, the entire tournament should be wrapped up in approximately 5 hours, making for an action-heavy event guaranteed to keep the spectators entertained.

Head to the Rio to register, or show up on the day to watch and hang out - the event is open to spcetators.

ABOUT ANTE UP FOR AFRICA

Ante Up For Africa (AUFA) is a non-profit organization founded in 2006 by Don Cheadle, Annie Duke and Norman Epstein.

The organization is dedicated to raising money and awareness for Africans in need, and to date Ante Up For Africa has raised close to $2 million for the cause and has donated to organizations such as Not On Our Watch (NOOW), ENOUGH and The International Rescue Committee.

For more information, visit AnteUpForAfrica.org.

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Bodog Opens 2009 WSOP Ante Up for Africa Betting

Online poker room, sports book, and casino Bodog has opened up betting lines for the Ante Up for Africa event held as part of the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP). The tournament kicks off on July 2nd and is expected to last five hours.

The event will become part of ESPN’s coverage of the 2009 WSOP, joining the $40,000 buy-in tournament commemorating the Series’ 40th running, the Champions Invitational, and the Main Event. Viewers can tune into ESPN on Tuesday, August 11th to catch all of the action from the Ante Up for Africa fundraiser. The charity was founded by “Celebrity Apprentice” runner-up Annie Duke, actor Don Cheadle, and Norman Epstein to generate money and awareness for victims of the crisis in Darfur. It raised over $2 million in its first two years after being founded in 2006. Duke raised over $730,000 for Refugees International on “Celebrity Apprentice” after finishing second in the reality series to comedian Joan Rivers.

Bodog asks potential bettors, “Which Celebrity will last longest in the 2009 Ante Up for Africa Tournament starting on July 2nd?” Leading the way at the time of writing is Cheadle, who is going off at 7:1 odds. The “Oceans Eleven” and “Crash” actor is a sponsored pro of Full Tilt Poker after signing with the site last month. “Rounders” star Matt Damon sits at 9:1 odds, tied with “Seinfeld” actor Jason Alexander. The 1998 film “Rounders” turned many of today’s established superstars onto the game of poker. Alexander took 10th in the inaugural Ante Up for Africa charity tournament in 2007, cashing for $12,000 in the $5,000 buy-in event.

Basketball legends Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith are both fetching 10:1 odds. Barkley played in last year’s running of the Ante Up for Africa event and was the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 1993 as a member of the Phoenix Suns. The Auburn University alum was an 11-time NBA All-Star. Smith graduated from the University of North Carolina and won back-to-back championships in 1994 and 1995 with the Houston Rockets. Smith and Barkley are both NBA analysts for cable station TNT.

Montel Williams, Hank Azaria, and Casey Affleck are each going off at 8:1. At one point, Williams was the chip leader of the 2007 WSOP Main Event, but fell by the wayside on Day 2. Azaria voices several characters on “The Simpsons” animated series, including Apu, Moe, Chief Wiggum, and Duffman. Affleck also lent his name to the “Oceans Eleven” franchise and finished ninth in the Ante Up for Africa tournament last year for $16,000, an event ultimately won by John “World” Hennigan.

Two former “Celebrity Apprentice” contestants are available for betting. Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker, whose suggestion to Rivers that she use celebrity impersonators on the show’s final task may have propelled the talk show host to victory, is going off at 9:1. Dennis Rodman, who was fired after a boardroom that centered on his alcohol abuse, is fetching 10:1 odds. Rodman won five NBA titles as a member of the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls.

“Everybody Loves Raymond” actor Brad Garrett has 9:1 odds on his head. Garrett was a former winner on “Celebrity Poker Showdown” after defeating his original table, which included Curt Schilling, Catherine O’Hara, Sara Rue, and fellow “Everybody Loves Raymond” star Ray Romano. He then defeated Jason Alexander, Bonnie Hunt, Colin Quinn, and Malcolm-Jamal Warner in the season finale. Former NBA star Reggie Miller is also generating 9:1 odds. Joining him are actress Sarah Silverman and comedian Marlon Wayans.

Other celebrities slated to appear in the 2009 Ante Up for Africa event during the 2009 WSOP include Ben Affleck, Mekhi Phifer, Cedric The Entertainer, Tia Carrere, Danny Masterson, Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, Cheryl Hines, and Rob Schneider. Representing the poker world will be Phil Hellmuth, Howard Lederer, Tiffany Michelle, Andy Bloch, and Erik Seidel. More participants are expected to be announced.

Leonardo DiCaprio to Star in Online Poker Movie

Move over, “Titanic,” there’s a new sheriff in town. Hollywood heartthrob Leonardo DiCaprio will star in an untitled film about internet gambling outfits in Costa Rica, according to the Hollywood Reporter and Entertainment Weekly.

The screenplay will be written by Brian Koppelman and David Levien, who both served in the same capacity in the 1998 film “Rounders,” which turned many of today’s poker prodigies onto the game. According to the Internet Movie Database (IMDB), “Rounders” marked the first official writing credits for Koppelman and Levien. The duo has also teamed up with DiCaprio to bring “Beat the Reaper” to the big screen. The film, which will be released next year, has the following plot according to IMDB: “ER doctor Peter Brown’s life is turned upside down when he crosses paths with a mobster who appears to know him from his former life as a hitman.”

No release date has been given for DiCaprio’s online poker movie. An article on MTV.com noted that DiCaprio’s plate is quite full: “DiCaprio has an enormous list of films in pre-production. For the time being, at least, he’ll be working on Christopher Nolan’s ‘Inception.’ Whenever he’s finished with that, he will probably have developed five more projects.” IMDB notes that DiCaprio has 21 films in development.

Whether the film will focus on online poker, casinos, or sports betting remains to be seen and various websites pitch the movie in several different ways. Tokwiro-owned online poker rooms Ultimate Bet and Absolute Poker are both based in San Jose, the Central American country’s capital city. A report by CBS News program “60 Minutes” identified the offices of the sites as being located in a “strip mall.” Both Ultimate Bet and Absolute Poker comprise the CEREUS Network, which was formed in November.

Action Poker, the flagship site of the network of the same name, has offices in Costa Rica. Joining the site in the tropical nation is Doyle’s Room, which opened the 2009 calendar year by jumping to the USA-friendly Cake Poker Network. Ten-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Doyle Brunson, whose “Texas Dolly” moniker has made him one of the industry’s foremost faces, is the site’s namesake. Also holding a presence in Costa Rica is PokerStars, the world’s largest online poker site. According to PokerScout.com, which ranks online poker site traffic, PokerStars has a seven day running average of 22,000 cash game players. It happily accepts customers from the United States.

“Rounders” starred Edward Norton and Matt Damon. The movie was released five years before Chris Moneymaker became a household after the Tennessee accountant defeated Sammy Farha in the 2003 WSOP Main Event. Since then, Koppelman and Levien have kept their love for poker alive, teaming up for ESPN’s short-lived series “Tilt,” which starred Michael Madsen as Don “The Matador” Everest. “Tilt” premiered in 2005, ran for one season, and featured appearances by poker superstars including Phil Hellmuth, Daniel Negreanu, Erik Seidel, and T.J. Cloutier. Negreanu is fresh off a cameo in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine.”

Finally, Koppelman and Levien wrote “Oceans Thirteen,” which came out in 2007. It was the third installment of the franchise, which stars Damon, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Andy Garcia, and Julia Roberts. “Oceans Thirteen” returned to its roots in Las Vegas as the team sought revenge on casino owner Willy Blank (played by Al Pacino). The movie also stars Don Cheadle, who founded Ante Up for Africa along with Norman Epstein and “Celebrity Apprentice” runner-up Annie Duke.

We’ll have more information for you on DiCaprio’s online gambling movie as it becomes available right here on Poker News Daily.

WSOP To Offer Players Ability To Help Charities

Over the past five years, poker players have stepped to the forefront for a variety of charitable causes. Online tournaments have raised funds to assist the victims of the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia, the Nevada Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and other deserving organizations. The Heartland Poker Tour makes contributions to the Disabled American Veterans. There is even an organization – founded by Poker News Daily guest columnist Mike Sexton, tournament directors Linda Johnson and Jan Fisher and philanthropist Lisa Tenner – called Poker Gives, that focuses on using poker to assist in fundraising for charities. Now the World Series of Poker will step up and take poker philanthropy to the next level.

For the first time in its forty year history, the WSOP will offer players who cash during each event on this summer’s schedule the opportunity to donate part of their winnings to an organization that the WSOP has aligned itself with. All that a winning player has to do is to ask the payout clerk to leave one percent of their winnings to the Nevada Cancer Institute and the WSOP will arrange to transfer the funds to the Institute. As with many charitable donations, they are tax-deductible and contributors will receive a letter from NVCI for accounting purposes.

During the run of the tournament schedule, a special VIP lounge will be set up for players who pay a membership fee to be able to use the room. The “Aces Club” will be donating a large portion of each membership taken for access to the room to the Nevada Cancer Institute. As of press time, there are still memberships available and anyone who wishes to access the “Aces Club” should visit the area during the first few days of the WSOP.

One of the most popular fundraisers during the last few years at the World Series has been the “Queens of Heart” that play during the Ladies’ Championship Event. Featuring such players as former WSOP Ladies’ Champion Jennifer Tilly, poker professional Kristy Gazes and actresses Mimi Rogers and Cheryl Hines, the team has raised large amounts of money for women’s causes over the past few years. This year, the WSOP has created a special line of poker clothing for women, available at the Rio and on their website, WSOP Shop. The proceeds from sales of the “Queens of Heart” merchandise will go to the Nevada Cancer Institute, continuing the tradition the team has driven while playing on the felt.

There will be two special charitable tournaments during the run of the WSOP. “Ante Up For Africa” – the cause promoted by actor Don Cheadle and poker professional Annie Duke – will be back for their third annual event. The $5,000 buy in No Limit Hold’em tournament is open to anyone 21 years or older and this year, for the first time, will be a part of the ESPN broadcasts of the WSOP. For the Media Charity Event this year, the players who reach the final table will have donations made in their name to the Nevada Cancer Institute.

Finally, the Championship Event of the World Series will also have a way for players to make their mark in a charitable way. Poker pro Phil Gordon’s charitable cause “Bad Beat On Cancer” and the Nevada Cancer Institute will both benefit from players who donate, much like earlier in the tournament schedule, one percent of their winnings to charity. All contributions are tax deductible and will benefit research into the cure for one of mankind’s worst diseases.

With the WSOP adding in this charitable aspect to their poker schedule, the poker world is once again proving that, while there may be no charity at the poker table, there is a charitable heart inside all who play the game.

Celebrity Apprentice to Return Mid-Season, Retain 9:00pm ET Time Slot

NBC’s hit reality show, Celebrity Apprentice, will return mid-season in 2010, according to a recent article that appeared in the Chicago Tribune. The show’s second season, and eighth overall, saw poker pro Annie Duke reach the finals and square off against comedian Joan Rivers.

The finale of Celebrity Apprentice, which played out on Sunday, May 10th, averaged 8.73 million viewers, according to TV Guide. It ran against stiff competition, as the season finale of CBS’ Amazing Race aired from 8:00pm to 9:00pm ET and drew 10.43 million. Lawyers Tammy and Victor earned the “W” on that show’s 14th installment. Also airing during the first of three hours of the Celebrity Apprentice season finale was Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, which generated 8.2 million viewers. During the 9:00pm ET hour, the Donald Trump-led reality series had to contend against both Cold Case and Desperate Housewives. The two shows saw 11.78 and 12.13 million viewers, respectively, tune in.

The final hour of Celebrity Apprentice, which included about a half-hour of live programming from New York City, attracted an audience of 10.24 million. It “trumped” the season finales of The Unit and Brothers and Sisters, outdrawing both shows by at least 500,000. Celebrity Apprentice ran during the season from 9:00pm to 11:00pm ET, being truncated to one hour on just one occasion, which was for the series premiere of Southland, a drama from the creators of E.R. According to the Tribune, Dateline NBC will occupy the 7:00pm to 8:00pm ET time slot in early 2010. It will be followed by The Marriage Ref, which airs from 8:00pm to 9:00pm ET. Celebrity Apprentice will then be beamed into homes around the country for two hours.

In its Fall 2009 schedule, NBC will air Sunday Night Football in the time slot previously occupied by Celebrity Apprentice. Its pre-game show, Football Night in America, will run from 7:00pm to 8:20pm ET, with kickoff of the feature game occurring shortly thereafter. Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth will have the call every Sunday. Collinsworth replaces football legend John Madden, who recently retired. Celebrity Apprentice fans may also have to wait until after the 2010 Winter Olympics, which will emanate from Vancouver and air between February 12th and 28th.

Duke raised over $730,000 for her charity, Refugees International, during NBC’s second season of Celebrity Apprentice. She raised $460,000 in the final episode alone, which challenged Duke and Rivers to hold a silent auction featuring celebrity experiences prior to a performance of the Cirque du Soleil show Wintuk. The task also entailed incorporating the event’s corporate sponsor, Kodak. In the end, the two finalists were judged on five criteria, with Rivers winning Kodak integration, celebrities in attendance, and overall guest experience. Duke won by a 3:1 margin in money raised and also won charity incorporation.

In a recently blog, 10-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Doyle Brunson remarked, “The Celebrity Apprentice is over. What a joke! If Donald Trump was really hiring someone, who do you think he would pick? I think that when Joan Rivers threatened to not come back, Trump assured her she would be the winner.” Time will only tell if the third installment of Celebrity Apprentice will feature a poker player. Duke is one of several to appear on a major reality series. In 2007, Bodog Poker pro Jean-Robert Bellande appeared on CBS’ Survivor: China. Bellande was the eighth person voted out and became the second member of the jury. In Survivor, ousted contestants choose the winner of the $1 million first place prize. Flight attendant Todd Herzog took down Survivor: China, besting Courtney Yates and Amanda Kimmel in a three-way final tribal council.

Duke will re-enter the poker spotlight during the 2009 WSOP, which kicks off next week from the Rio in Las Vegas. A $5,000 buy-in charity poker tournament benefiting Ante Up for Africa will take place on July 2nd in the Amazon Room and be televised by ESPN. Celebrity Apprentice contestants Dennis Rodman and Herschel Walker are both confirmed to appear in the event, which raises money for the victims of the crisis in Darfur. Ante Up for Africa was founded in 2006 by Duke, actor Don Cheadle, and Norman Epstein.

Phil Hellmuth, Annie Duke Featured in Deal Me In Poker Book

Eleven-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth and Celebrity Apprentice runner up Annie Duke are two of 20 poker pros that tell their stories in “Deal Me In,” a brand new book available at PokerBrat.com.

The publication was released commemorating the 20th anniversary of Hellmuth’s WSOP Main Event win in 1989. Then, he was just 24 years-old and became the youngest winner ever of the world’s most prestigious poker tournament. Last year, Danish poker pro Peter Eastgate shattered Hellmuth’s mark, defeating Ivan Demidov heads-up and pocketing $9.1 million at the age of 22. Hellmuth last won a bracelet in 2007, besting the field in a $1,500 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament for $637,000 and defeating Andy Philachack heads-up. Each story told by a poker legend in “Deal Me In” chronicles anecdotes and milestone moments as they’ve climbed the ladder.

Duke is fresh off finishing as the runner up to comedian Joan Rivers on NBC’s hit reality series Celebrity Apprentice. In the process, the Ultimate Bet pro and top female poker player raised well over $700,000 for her chosen charity, Refugees International. Together with actor Don Cheadle and Norman Epstein, Duke founded Ante Up for Africa in 2006. The organization raised over $2 million in its first two years for the victims of the crisis in Darfur. Duke’s lone bracelet win came in 2004, when she grabbed the “W” in a $2,000 buy-in Omaha High-Low Eight or Better tournament for $137,000, besting Ronald Graham heads-up. Duke won the inaugural WSOP Tournament of Champions in 2004, defeating Hellmuth and taking home $2 million.

About the brand new book, Hellmuth commented in a press release distributed on Monday, “Each chapter takes you behind the scenes into the early lives of poker’s biggest names. They cover their humble beginnings, the obstacles they overcame, the demons they faced, and ultimately the success they enjoyed. Deal Me In is packed with the musings of poker’s most colorful characters, surprising and insightful stories, plus inside poker tips.” Hellmuth was the ringleader behind “Deal Me In” coming to fruition. The 308 page book that includes 154 photos is available on his website, PokerBrat.com, for $24.95. Appropriately, Phil’s House Publishing, Inc. released it.

Hellmuth owns the record for the most number of WSOP in the money finishes with 69, edging out Men “The Master” Nguyen’s tally of 62. A bevy of poker legends appear in “Deal Me In” sharing their stories about the WSOP and other high-stakes events, including Doyle Brunson, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey, Johnny Chan, Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, Carlos Mortensen, Chau Giang, Jennifer Harman, Allen Cunningham, Howard Lederer, Erik Seidel, Chad Brown, David “Devilfish” Ulliott, Layne Flack, and new Expekt Poker pro Scotty Nguyen.

CardPlayer Magazine reviewed “Deal Me In” and proclaimed, “A page-turner about the world’s most powerful poker players and their hardscrabble journeys from the backgammon games of Manhattan, the taverns of Wisconsin, the back alleys of Saigon, and the pubs of England. Unforgettable stories and valuable tips, Deal Me In is about dreaming big and the will to succeed.”

Also included in the publication are three of the game’s rising stars. Headlining the group is 2007 WSOP Europe Main Event Champion Annette “Annette_15” Obrestad, a card-carrying member of Team Betfair. Obrestad is the youngest bracelet winner ever and earned $2 million for her efforts in the 2007 event. Also profiled in the book is Tom “durrrr” Dwan, who is currently battling in the Million Dollar Challenge against Patrik Antonius. Dwan is a regular on shows like “High Stakes Poker” and competed in the National Heads-Up Poker Championship. The third young gun chronicled is Eastgate, the number two money winner in WSOP history behind Jamie Gold.

Paris Hilton Versus Mike Sexton on Party Poker

PartyPoker, the world’s second largest online poker site or network that does not accept U.S. players, may host a heads-up match between heiress Paris Hilton and World Poker Tour (WPT) Host Mike Sexton. The winner will take home a brand new Bentley.

In 2006, PartyPoker, which is owned and operated by the publicly traded firm Party Gaming, offered Hilton a chance to recoup a Bentley that she allegedly lost in a game of poker. The luxury car in question was a Continental GT, but Hilton failed to take the then-world’s largest online poker room up on its offer. Hilton quickly became the centerpiece of the poker world, albeit for a brief time period. A statement released by PartyPoker this week recalled, “We challenge her to take us up on the offer. Three years is a long time in show business and we’re sure she’d jump at it now - it is a simple offer for the former ‘Simple Life’ star. Following the original offer in 2006, the likes of Clonie Gowen also made public challenges to the heiress, but so far Paris has resisted.”

Apparently, it’s déjà vu all over again for the hotel heiress. She reportedly had her new Bentley vandalized; PartyPoker stated that egg throwing was to blame. Now, the online poker site has quickly jumped back into the spotlight, with the longtime WPT Host challenging the reality star to a heads-up game with a Bentley on the line. We’d like to think that Hilton’s reaction was, “That’s hot.” PartyPoker’s Warren Lush told Poker News Daily what format the heads-up match may take: “The Paris Hilton challenge nearly happened last time and with what happened to her recently, we thought it was right to reiterate our offer. If she decides to accept, the format will be a heads-up tournament, but we are open to discussion about a definitive structure.” The name of the game would be No Limit Texas Hold’em and no deadline has been given for Hilton to respond.

Hilton played in the 2009 WPT Celebrity Invitational at the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles. The tournament, which played out in February, raised money for The Vine Group. The beneficiary organization’s ambassador at the event was none other than actor Mekhi Phifer, who welcomed Hollywood’s elite including Vince Vaughn, Jason Alexander, Ben Affleck, Mena Suvari, Don Cheadle, Jon Favreau, Ricki Lake, Ray Romano, and Brad Garrett. The tournament was ultimately won by poker pro Freddy Deeb and raised $77,000 for The Vine Group.

Hilton may be best remembered for her leading role on “The Simple Life,” a reality series that also starred Nicole Richie, daughter of music legend Lionel Richie. The show aired on Fox and E! before vanishing from television airwaves two years ago. Season 1 of the show sent the duo to rural Arkansas, far away from their regular celebrity lifestyles. During Season 2, Hilton and Richie hit the road across the United States and found themselves as interns for Season 3. The fourth season of “The Simple Life” featured the subtitle “Til Death Do Us Part.” The fifth and final season sent the pair to summer camp.

Sexton, the voice of the WPT alongside Vince Van Patten, re-signed with PartyPoker as its ambassador at the end of April. A World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner, Sexton also took down the first $10,000 buy-in poker tournament ever held at Foxwoods (which occurred in 1992) and was the first American to win the Euro Finals of Poker. Sexton will represent the popular online poker site at live tournaments around the world and serve as the host of PartyPoker’s suite at the Rio for the 2009 WSOP, which starts in two weeks. He’ll also be regularly contributing to PartyPoker’s blog. Sexton is a monthly Guest Columnist right here on Poker News Daily. His most recent entry reviews the Season VII WPT Championship.

President of Refugees International Reacts to Celebrity Apprentice Contributions

During the course of NBC’s hit reality show Celebrity Apprentice, World Series of Poker bracelet winner Annie Duke played for Refugees International, an organization she works closely with through her own charity, Ante Up for Africa. As a result, Refugees International earned over $700,000 throughout the 11 week season and met its fundraising goal for 2008.

Kenneth Bacon, President of Refugees International, sat down with Poker News Daily to discuss his reaction to show host Donald Trump hiring comedian Joan Rivers and the outpouring of support from the poker community.

Poker News Daily: Thank you for joining us. Share your thoughts on the ending of Celebrity Apprentice.

Bacon: I was certain that Annie was going to win and was shocked when Donald Trump fired her. The series is designed to test contestants for their entrepreneurial energy and effectiveness, which Annie demonstrated throughout the entire series. From my standpoint, both Annie and Refugees International were winners. Sixteen contestants started the second season of Celebrity Apprentice and the $700,000 Annie raised is substantially more than any of the others won for their charities. More importantly, in the final episode, Annie raised $465,725 for Refugees International during her auction, while Joan raised $150,830 for her charity. I was there with Annie throughout the planning for the silent auction and she did a fantastic job. Annie is smart, committed, and passionate about her causes. She is also a great organizer. That was clear throughout the series. We are extremely glad to have her on our team.

PND: Refugees International received over $700,000 from Celebrity Apprentice in an amazing showing. Talk about what that means to the organization.

Bacon: $700,000 is a huge amount of money for Refugees International. With this money, we can continue to save lives by witnessing firsthand the struggles faced by refugees in places like Sudan, Congo, Iraq, Pakistan, and Somalia and find solutions to their plight. Right now, representatives from Refugees International are in Chad getting ready to travel to the border with Darfur, one of the most remote and undeveloped places in the world. Next month, they will come back to Washington and demand more action to protect and assist Darfur’s refugees, who live in sprawling  camps, completely dependent on international agencies for food, water, and shelter. The money that Annie raised makes this work possible.

Let me put the amount in perspective: Over the last three years, Refugees International has spent less than $700,000 on our efforts to help displaced Iraqis, who comprise 20% of Iraq’s population. That money has generated several hundred million dollars of increased assistance for displaced Iraqis, worldwide publicity to their problems, and changes in U.S. and Iraqi policies. That is the leverage of advocacy.

PND: How did your relationship with Annie Duke begin?

Bacon: Annie was drawn to Refugees International because of her interest in Africa, particularly Darfur. In 2006, Annie, Don Cheadle, and Norman Epstein founded Ante Up for Africa, a poker event that has raised about $2 million to help end or alleviate suffering in the Darfur region of Sudan. Ante Up for Africa will work closely with Refugees International during its next event on July 2nd. As Annie wrote in a blog on our site, she chose to work with us because “organizations like Refugees International affect lasting change. Governments can do more to help refugees in Africa and around the world, but that’s not going to happen without pressure.”

PND: When you heard that you had a chance to spread the word about Refugees International on Celebrity Apprentice, what were your thoughts?

Bacon: We were thrilled. Nationwide publicity like this is impossible for us to get with our budget. The amount of time devoted to our organization during the final episode and “The More You Know” ad that Annie filmed were great moments for us. A world without refugees is a more peaceful and prosperous one, something that everyone in the U.S. and beyond benefits from. The more people who know about the plight of refugees, the more they will be motivated to act.

PND: On Celebrity Apprentice, Duke noted that raising $700,000 helped Refugees International reach its 2008 fundraising goal. What is your fundraising goal for 2009?

Bacon: In 2009, we hope to raise $4.6 million to support our lifesaving work. This will support efforts to help the people of Congo, Afghanistan, Iraq, Burma, Colombia, Somalia, and Sudan and will enable our staff to travel to these regions to understand the needs of the displaced better.

PND: Talk about the outpouring of support from the poker community during Celebrity Apprentice.

Bacon: The poker community has been fantastic. Throughout the Celebrity Apprentice series, Annie stressed how generous professional poker players are and we certainly witnessed that. Over the last few months, we have been privileged to work with Annie and many of her friends who are well-known in the poker world. Two pros - Howard Lederer (Annie’s brother) and Phil Hellmuth - were the biggest contributors at the celebrity silent auction featured in the last episode. Many of Annie’s friends flew across the country that night to help raise money for Refugees International. Many more contributed during the auction of Ivanka Trump’s jewelry in Episode 8, where we received $245,000. In addition, Annie’s friends in the poker community have launched a campaign on Twitter to match the $250,000 prize that Joan Rivers won. We can’t thank them enough.

PND: What outreach activities does Refugees International have planned in the coming year?

Bacon: Refugees International will soon be releasing a short video directed by Matt Dillon calling for more assistance to displaced people in South Sudan, where people are attempting to rebuild their lives after 21 years of civil war. In an area larger than the state of Texas, there are only 10 miles of paved road.  Providing access to clean water, education, and health care there are all major issues. We will also be releasing reports on the needs of displaced people from Darfur, Colombia, Iraq, and Pakistan following trips to these areas.

PND: Piers Morgan and Trace Adkins, the finalists from Celebrity Apprentice Season 1, revealed that their charities have seen long-term growth as a result of the reality series. What residual effect from Celebrity Apprentice do you expect?

Bacon: The number of people who know about Refugees International’s work since Celebrity Apprentice has skyrocketed and people are continuing to send us donations in support of Annie. After the finale, the number of visits to our website tripled. Clearly, more people are learning about the struggles faced by refugees around the world. We hope that this translates into more lifesaving assistance and protection for the nearly 42 million people uprooted by conflict around the world.

WSOP Ante Up for Africa Celebrities Announced

The third annual Ante Up for Africa fundraiser will kick off on July 2nd from the Rio in Las Vegas as part of the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) festivities. This week, Harrah’s officials announced a bevy of celebrities and poker players who are slated to attend.

Ante Up for Africa was founded in 2006 by Celebrity Apprentice runner up Annie Duke, “Crash” actor Don Cheadle, and Norman Epstein. Since then, the organization has raised over $2 million for victims of the crisis in Darfur. On Celebrity Apprentice, which wrapped up on Sunday night with comedian Joan Rivers becoming its champion, Duke played for Refugees International, an organization that works closely with her own charity. Last year’s $5,000 buy-in Ante Up for Africa tournament held during the WSOP was won by John “World” Hennigan, a two-time bracelet winner and former World Poker Tour (WPT) champion.

Due to Nevada gaming laws, direct donations to Ante Up for Africa from its charity tournament are prohibited. Consequently, players who finish in the money typically donate half, or sometimes all, of their earnings to the organization. Joining Hennigan at the final table last year were Michael Degusta, Dan Shak, Phil Hellmuth, Matt Calhoun, Jerry Cantrell, Jordanna Schutz, Ray Romano, and Casey Affleck. In 2007, Shak became the inaugural champion of the Ante Up for Africa charity event, defeating Brandon Moran.

This year, several contestants from NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice will hit the felts in Las Vegas on July 2nd when the Ante Up for Africa tournament begins, as Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker and NBA bad boy Dennis Rodman will participate. Both appeared on the finale of the reality series; Rodman teamed up with Duke, while Walker provided invaluable support to Rivers. Also slated to appear from the world of sports are Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Reggie Miller, who is the former star of the NBA’s Indiana Pacers. Celebrities confirmed to participate are “Rounders” actor Matt Damon, “Seinfeld” star Jason Alexander, talk show host Montel Williams, “Simpsons” voice Hank Azaria, “Everybody Loves Raymond” star Brad Garrett, comedian Marlon Wayans, actress Sarah Silverman, and “Oceans 11” co-star Casey Affleck.

Several high-profile poker players have also signed up for the charity tournament. Subject to availability, the list includes Duke’s brother, Howard Lederer. The Full Tilt Poker pro recently donated $100,000 during Celebrity Apprentice and is a two-time WSOP bracelet winner. Lederer owns over $1.2 million in earnings from WSOP felts and has battled on televised poker programming like GSN’s “High Stakes Poker” and NBC’s “Poker After Dark.” Former MIT Blackjack Team member and current Team Full Tilt pro Andy Bloch will also appear, as will eight-time WSOP bracelet winner Erik Seidel. The latter paid $5,000 for a single cupcake on the very first episode of Celebrity Apprentice Season 2.

Also slated to appear is Phil Hellmuth, Duke’s sidekick on Ultimate Bet. Hellmuth owns a record 11 WSOP bracelets and recently saw his reign as youngest Main Event Champion come to an end when Peter Eastgate took home the title in 2008 at the tender age of 22. Hellmuth, Bloch, Seidel, Lederer, and others will attend an Ante Up for Africa party at the PURE nightclub, which is located at Caesars Palace and is home to the selection festivities for the National Heads-Up Poker Championship.

The charity poker tournament will air on ESPN on Tuesday, August 11th from 8:00pm ET to 10:00pm ET. It is one of four events that will comprise the cable station’s coverage of the 2009 WSOP, joining the $40,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament commemorating the 40th running of the WSOP, the Champions Invitational, and the $10,000 buy-in Main Event. The Ante Up for Africa tournament is scheduled to run for five hours and is open to the public free of charge. This time, it will be held inside the Amazon Room; previously, it had taken place across the hall in the Brasilia Ballroom.