Stars Come Out for Charity Tournament
With all the glitz, glamour, and flair of a Hollywood gala, the chic Palms Casino in Las Vegas rolled out the red carpet, literally. The hoopla was for the purpose of honoring the guests invited to participate in the Legends Celebrity Invitational Charity Poker Tournament. About a hundred fans craned their necks over the myriad media members present to get a glimpse at the celebrities participating in this very worthwhile cause. Scores more waited inside for a chance to see the celebs pass through throngs on their way to the registration area.
Those invited included many stars of the television, motion picture, and entertainment industries, as well as sports legends and professional poker players. Each paid $2,500 to participate. In all, approximately 140 people sat down at the somewhat hallucinogenic felt, characteristic of the tables in The Palms, to compete for the modest prize money. The majority of the buy-ins went to charity. Primary beneficiaries were the charities of football greats Dan Marino and John Elway, and baseball's Roger Clemens, all of whom were in attendance.
The Dan Marino Foundation helps kids with developmental disabilities, such as autism, and chronic illnesses. The John Elway Heroes Foundation benefits members of our community, such as those in our military returning from Iraq, and others involved in defending our country's freedoms and improving society, by recognizing the sacrifices that they make in doing so. The Roger Clemens Foundation aids in providing financial support for children's charities, especially for those children who are underprivileged or at risk, or who have special needs.
The event was hosted by top poker professional Jennifer Harman Traniello. Twenty other high-profile poker pros participated and mingled with the stars from the entertainment and sports world. In addition to Jennifer and her husband, Marco, notable poker pros attending were Doyle Brunson, Mike Sexton, Hoyt Corkins, Todd Brunson, Patrik Antonius, Carlos Mortensen, Chau Giang, Johnny Chan, David Benyamine, Phil Ivey, Eli Elezra, David Grey, Gus Hansen, Erick Lindgren, and David Oppenheim.
Jennifer recruited many of these players while playing with them in "The Big Game" at the Bellagio. Asked why they were attending this function when there were so many potentially lucrative tourist-filled cash games taking place in Las Vegas during Super Bowl weekend, everyone said they were there because Jennifer asked them to be. Doyle Brunson summed it up well when he stated that Jennifer was like a daughter to him. Harman clearly commands great respect among her peers.
Celebrities attending included actresses Cindy Margolis and Jenny McCarthy, television stars Alison Janney and Richard Schiff of the West Wing, Gordon Clapp and Bill Brochtrup of NYPD Blue, Kate Walsh of Grey's Anatomy, and William Devane of 24. Hollywood actor Joe Mantegna was present, as well as many former NFL, MLB, and NHL players.
When the tournament got down to the final table, two pros, Mike Sexton and Eli Elezra, were still in the hunt. With no rail to keep spectators away from the table, guests were standing five-deep around the players, watching the proceedings, while John Elway took a seat near the players to sweat the action. The event paid four places, with $25,000 going to the winner. Sexton was knocked out before getting into the money, but Elezra finished 4th, receiving $2,500, which he promptly handed over to John Elway as a donation to his charity. The tournament winner, Loron Rustom, a friend of the Maloof family, owners of The Palms, also donated $4,000 of the $25,000 first prize money.
The real winners in this event, however, were the charities and those who are beneficiaries of those charities. Charity poker events such as this are becoming an increasingly popular way to raise awareness of different charitable causes as well as generating funds for them. They are also good for poker's image, as the public sees the pros they're familiar with from televised tournaments showing support for charities by participating in these events. Often, too, they donate some or all of their winnings to the charities, as Elezra did. Expect more events like this in the future, with even more pro players and celebrities participating. They are win-win situations for everyone involved.
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