From PokerNewsDaily.com
“At 7:30pm local time on Thursday, 2006 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event Champion Jamie Gold and 2008 winner Peter Eastgate will host a 50 player charity poker tournament benefiting the Jamie Gold Foundation. The event is one of many that will take place as part of London’s Poker in the Park.
The Foundation works with a bevy of notable charities, including the Muscular Dystrophy Association/ALS Division, Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, Montel Williams MS Foundation, Sunflower Children, Covenant House, Fallen Heroes Fund, Fulfillment Fund, and the Abolish Slavery Coalition. Prizes up for grabs include a £5,200 European Poker Tour (EPT) entry, a £3,000 Unibet Open package, a Gresham Blake suit, a £1,000 Gevril Wristwatch, and chipsets and tables that are perfect for home games. Poker News Daily sat down with Gold to talk about this week’s event.
Poker News Daily: What can attendees expect at the charity poker tournament on Thursday?
Gold: This has all come together at the last minute, but we have some great support from the people running Poker in the Park. The Empire Casino, where we hold WSOP Europe, donated their space for us. We’re going to have a red carpet and even David “Devilfish” Ulliott is coming. He’s amazing and he’s a really great guitar player. He sings like Elvis.
PND: Talk about Peter Eastgate’s involvement.
Gold: The reason we became friendly is because we are both Main Event champions. He is impossible not to be friends with and, from what I can tell, he really cares. He knew that I had spent years trying to give back as much as I could. One of the things we bonded over is that he wanted to do the same. He wanted to make sure he didn’t just take the money and status for granted. He told me that if I ever needed him for anything, he’d be there.
There’s really one person who made this whole thing happen, Michael Casselli. He’s the head of Lyceum Media and Poker in the Park. He and I have been talking about doing an event together. It’s a little overwhelming because I’m not from Europe and he’s been a tremendous help.
PND: Is the 50 player maximum just a function of limited space?
Gold: The Empire Casino was kind enough to give us their space. We thought we had the whole casino, but they felt that if we had celebrities, we should have a protected area. We invited people like Daniel Craig (of “James Bond” fame). When you have people like that potentially coming, they will only allow you to be in the VIP room.
PND: One of the prizes in the charity poker tournament during Poker in the Park is a week-long poker training session by David “The Maven” Chicotsky. Talk about Chicotsky’s involvement.
Gold: Those guys are amazing, so I’m really excited. I’m in the process of making a partnership with The Maven. The things he doesn’t teach are my skills. I don’t claim to be the best in the world, but I seem to be on par with the best. I’ve only trained with them for a day, but I made two final tables during it. He’s completely changed my game.
PND: Are you considering relocating to Europe or signing with a non-U.S. online poker site?
Gold: Some of it has to do with the legalities, but I can’t deny that, with the economic situation, there’s not a lot of money being thrown around. The most lucrative deal I can make is in Europe. The two sites that take American players don’t need my help. However, my presence would help double most European sites’ numbers.
I have a powerful celebrity marketing base that could help a site do something special. I also believe strongly in my commitment to charity. I haven’t found another site in America that has the same commitment. They all care, but it’s not their number one goal, nor should it be. While I’m young, single, and healthy, now is the time I’d like to travel the world. I feel like I’m in a rare position.”
Celebrities are gambling for a cause!
This is the week when celebrities descend upon the World Series of Poker, with the Ante Up for Africa Celebrity-Charity Tournament.
The WSOP Main Event has has participants from the world of music, sports and movies and are expecting the same this year. world of music, movies, . The participation of such high-profile non-professionals playing alongside the game’s greats often brings added attention to poker.
Considering the circumstances, sometimes these celebs perform exceptionally well. Here are ten especially notable instances of celebrities making good.
1. Gabe Kaplan, 1st place ($190,000), 1980 Amarillo Slim’s Super Bowl of Poker
2. Guy Laliberte, 4th place ($696,220), 2007 World Poker Tour Championship, Five Star World Poker Classic
3. Gabe Kaplan, 3rd place ($256,519), 2004 World Poker Tour Mirage Poker Showdown
4. Jennifer Tilly, 1st place ($158,335), 2005 WSOP Ladies’ Event, No-Limit Hold’em
5. Ben Affleck, 1st place ($356,400), 2004 California State Poker Championship
6. Shannon Elizabeth, semifinalist ($125,000), 2007 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship
7. Gabe Kaplan, 6th place (no cash prize), 1980 World Series of Poker Main Event
8. Telly Savalas, 21st place ($8,080), 1992 World Series of Poker Main Event
9. Sam Simon, 329th place ($39,445), Tobey Maguire, 292nd place ($39,445) and Sully Erna, 237th place ($45,422), 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event (three-way tie)
10. Orel Hershiser, Quarterfinals ($75,000), 2008 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship
Read more from PokerNews.com
From PokerListings.com:
The 33-year-old professional poker player topped a field of 125 to take the $300,000 first prize in the three-day, $10,000 buy-in event at the Paiute Golf Resort.
“I’ve played in a lot of high-stakes poker games, but this was a whole different kind of pressure,” Garaventa said. “There were times out there when I missed shots because my hands or knees were shaking, but it’s an unbelievable rush.”
Poker personalities Daniel Negreanu, Gavin Smith, David Benyamine, Chris Ferguson and David Oppenheim joined Ray Romano, former MLB pitcher Greg Maddux and footballer Jorge Campos in teeing off in this unique event.
Negreanu, Benyamine and Oppenheim would all cash for the minimum $10,000 after winning their first round, but none of the three would survive the second day of play.
Campos took fifth place for $30,000 after busting out early on Day 3.
The World Series of Golf is open to any amateur golfer with $10,000 to spend and adds a No Limit Hold’em-style betting element to the game.
Players are given a 10,000 bank of chips and post ante at each hole. A random draw is made to determine the shooting order, with the button being given to the first player to act.
After the first round of shooting, the button can either check or bet and each successive player must match his wager (or raise) in order to stay in contention for the hole.
Following the betting round, each player still in contention hits another shot and another betting round commences.
Action continues until one player has won the hole, either by stroke count or by forcing his rivals to fold. The last player standing in his group of five wins the round and advances.
Previous champions include Mark Ewing (2007) and A.J. Johnson (2008), both of whom took $250,000 for their efforts.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA–(Marketwire - February 23, 2008) - On March 8, at 2PM, professional poker player Todd Brunson will host a $300 no-limit Texas hold’em charity poker tournament for the Leo Brien Foundation. Proceeds will benefit Camp Okizu, a retreat for children with cancer. Other confirmed participants include WSOP bracelet winners Hoyt Corkins, Cyndy “Peace, Love & Poker” Violette, Mark Seif, and two-time WPT Champion Roy “The Oracle” Winston.
Emceeing the event is celebrity tournament director and TDA founder Matt Savage.
Triumph Sports will host the silent auction. There will also be a live auction featuring poker memorabilia, an NFL jersey autographed by Joe Montana, and limited edition Life’s A Bluff original artwork.
When: Saturday, March 8, 2:00PM
Where: CMT Office Building - 590 Laurelwood Road, Santa Clara, CA 95054 (2.4 miles north of Bay 101)
The no-limit Texas hold’em poker tournament is open to the public. (Must be 21 to enter)
Recommended Donation: $300, Rebuys and Add-Ons: $100. Reserve your tournament seat now! All proceeds will benefit Camp Okizu, a retreat for children with cancer.
Review the “who’s-who” list of participants.
Get an autographed photo from Todd, along with your sponsored gift at the door. (While supplies last.)
Saturday, March 8 is shaping up to be a jam-packed day of fun. And there are more ways than one to score Karma before heading into the $10,000 WPT main event at Bay 101. At 9AM, Matt Savage will host the second annual Udayakumar Nguyen Charity Golf Match at Coyote Creek Golf Course in San Jose. Proceeds will go to the Cancer Foundation. Following a light lunch at the golf club, Matt and the gang will pack up their irons and head to Santa Clara for the Leo Brien Foundation Charity Poker Tournament hosted by Todd Brunson.
Poker players and fans are invited to participate in both activities on Saturday. Play golf with Matt and his posse that morning, and then compete against Todd and his friends in the $300 no-limit hold’em tournament directed by Matt Savage that afternoon. An opportunity like this doesn’t come around often, and Todd and Matt are leaving Las Vegas to visit the Bay Area for a limited engagement. This is your chance to play with the pros the way the pros like to play.
Wrapping up the weekend’s events, the Bay 101 is hosting the Shooting Star World Poker Tour $10,000 Championship on Monday, March 10, at 10:30AM. So pack up the clubs, put on your best poker face, and head out to Silicon Valley for all the action.
Leo Brien Foundation sponsors and supporters include Kurt Klein of GoCMT.com, Camp Okizu, EMC.com, EDS.com., Triumph Sports, Monster, Terpin Communications, Life’s A Bluff, Royal Casino Parties, and Savage Tournaments.
The Leo Brien Foundation Charity Poker Tournament Benefiting Camp Okizu is a GreasieWheels production. For more information, contact event organizer Lisa Wheeler at info@greasiewheels.com, (702) 327-7250 or William Parry at scg@greasiewheels.com. To schedule interviews with Todd Brunson and Matt Savage contact Lara Miller at lara@greasiewheels.com, (702) 379-1825.
About the Leo Brien Foundation
Leo Brien was a family man, a successful Maritime Operations executive for the Port of Oakland, and a community servant who lost his battle with cancer in June of 1997. In one of the most selfless acts, Brien donated his own bone marrow to a young mother of three who he had never met. Since his death, a non-profit organization in his name continues his spirit of charity work, including financial support for Camp Okizu. The Leo Brien Foundation is a member of the National Heritage Foundation, and is a public charity exempt from federal taxation under Sections 501(c)(3) and 509 (a)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code. As such, contributions to the Foundation receive maximum deductibility permitted under federal law. (Tax I.D.#58-2085326). For more information on the Leo Brien Foundation, visit their website at www.leobrienfoundation.com.
The National Poker League (NPL) and FundRaisers.com are joining forces to launch a unique effort appropriately coined the NPL Charity Group. The organizations announced the formation of The Charity Poker Tour to be held at every 2007 NPL World Open venue, kicking off with the upcoming Paris Open. As the first tournament of the 2007 circuit, the Paris Open will be May 13-22, 2007 with an estimated prize pool of $3.5 million euros plus $125,000 (euros) added money. The tournament is expected to reach Europe’s highest attendance where all players will also be invited to enjoy an exclusive VIP Charity Gala.
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