Vinny Lecavalier charity poker tournament is Monday
... and I'll be defending Ante Up!'s honor again this year, though with a much different strategy than last year. Obviously, with one comped sponsor entry and no rebuy bullets, you're not going to see me in a pot from any position except the button, cut-off or big blind with anything less than QQ. And I'll be ready to push it all in with any hand that I'm willing to put money in the pot with. It's a longshot, but it's just fun to play.
Here are the details, if anyone wants to play or just swing by the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa and watch. (Last year, they kept people out of the part of the poker room where the tournament was held, but you could rubberneck the outer tables). Festivities begin at 6 p.m., and cards are in the air at 8 p.m. Cost to play is $550, with unlimited $100 rebuys for one hour. Top prize is $10,000, and you get a bounty prize for knocking out any of the celebrities.
Daniel Negreanu is a tentative celebrity, pending his success in the WPT event at Foxwoods.
Here are the other celebrities playing:
- Lightning players: Dave Andreychuk, Marc Denis, Chris Gratton, Paul Ranger, Brad Richards, Andre Roy, Marty St. Louis, Tim Taylor and, of course, Vinny Lecavalier.
- Pro athletes: Mike Alstott (Bucs), John Bale (Royals), Mardy Fish (tennis), Matt Geiger (ex-NBA) and Winky Wright (boxing)
- Entertainment stars: Julie Cialini (Playboy Playmate), Stacey Gardner (Deal or No Deal briefcase toter) and Robin Zander (Cheap Trick and fellow Safety Harborian)
- SCOTT
Christopher Cosenza is co-host of the longest running poker podcast on the planet, Ante Up! He started playing poker seriously in 2003 and his favorite players are Phil Ivey and Kenna James, though he tends to act like Phil Hellmuth if you make a bad play against him.
Scott Long, Ante Up!'s other co-host, is the author of the monthly Bet on It column in tbt*. He began gambling way too young (don't tell the fuzz!) and in the seventh grade, named his state "Gambleland" for a school project (State Animal? Loan shark, of course).
Anyone:
I need help hosting a charity Texas Hold 'em poker tournament. All profit for any activity through my company sponsored group goes to All Children's Hospital.
We are a registered charity group with a tax ID number. Our group has donated over $75,000 to All Children's Hospital. We are very passionate about this charity.
We have held 2 previous poker tournaments with good success. This year is different because we lost the one person on our committee (to a better job opportunity) that knew the poker tournament ins and outs. We have no other person on our committee that has any experience with this type of fund raiser.
I would appreciate any guidance and help with setting up our third annual tournament. Again, we are a very passionate group and whole heartedly support All Children's Hospital. Please help us in our continued effort to support this amazing cause.
Sincerely,
Kimberly LaMaster
Treasurer, All Children's Hospital Charity.
Posted by: Kimberly LaMaster | January 03, 2008 at 10:57 PM
Kimberly,
Can you tell me specifically what you are looking for here? Feel free to email me at cosenza@sptimes.com
Posted by: Chris Cosenza | January 04, 2008 at 11:20 AM