LOS ANGELES, California – (PRESS RELEASE) -- Joe Hachem, the 2005 World Series of Poker champion, signed an agreement with PokerStars.com, the world's largest tournament poker site. Hachem, who won the record $7.5 million top prize at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas in July, will represent PokerStars.com as a sponsored poker player and ambassador.The signing of Hachem gives PokerStars.com a triple crown. Currently, 2003 WSOP champion Chris Moneymaker and 2004 WSOP champion Greg Raymer both serve exclusively as PokerStars.com representatives. The addition of Hachem means that PokerStars.com has locked up the last three poker author, is also a part of Team PokerStars.Joseph Hachem, age 39, was born in Lebanon. He emigrated to Australia as a child, and now lives in Melbourne with his wife and four children. He has played actively at PokerStars.com since 2001. In the past four years, Hachem has entered hundreds of poker tournaments at PokerStars.com and has played many thousands of poker hands.
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October 31, 2005 - Camp Fire USA, Texoma Council is hosting a "Texas Hold 'Em for Texoma Youth" poker night Nov. 12. The fundraiser will be held at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 2027 South Austin Avenue in Denison."This is something new for us as a fundraiser," said Sandra Ashby, Camp Administrator." Poker is very popular and it sounds like it will be a lot of fun. We hope the public will join us for our first annual Texas Hold Em for Texas Youth' poker night. Not only will it be a fun night, but it will benefit the area's children as well. You just can't lose by being a part of this!"All poker proceeds from the $50 buy-in will benefit Camp Fire USA's youth programs such as "Baby Think It Over," club programming and outdoor education for Texoma youth. Participants must be 21 years old.Registration begins at 6 p.m. Games begin at 7 p.m., and prizes are guaranteed to the top three finishers.Refreshments will be served.To register or for more information regarding this poker event call the Camp Fire USA office at (903) 465-2790.
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October 28, 2005

MASHANTUCKET--The American poker craze is far from over. Just ask Foxwoods Resort Casino.Foxwoods officials announced Wednesday the casino will expand and upgrade its poker room with a nearly 50 percent increase in poker tables. The expansion, which will bring the table total to 114, is scheduled to open next spring. The announcement comes as the casino begins hosting the World Poker Finals today, where diehard gamblers and hopeful poker players already have begun signing up for buy-in satellite tournaments. Foxwoods hosts televised poker tournament events with million-dollar stakes each year, in addition to its smaller weekly tournaments. Kathy Raymond, director of poker operations, said Foxwoods has been discussing a poker expansion for "a while," after observing the growth of the poker industry. The poker room will increase by one-third after it trades floor space with 650 slot machines directly below it.On weekends, the poker room's 76, 10-seat tables are at about 100 percent capacity, Mark Rathbun, poker room day shift manager, said. Weekday capacity runs about 85 percent. In a typical 8-hour work shift, Rathbun sees about 2,000 players in the poker room.The new smoke-free room and tables will be designed to accommodate more players and ease game sign-up lines. New poker tables will include technological upgrades such as LED table components, automatic card shufflers and electronic seat monitoring system to speed the seat turnover rate.Foxwoods is now the only poker venue in New England, casino officials said. Mohegan Sun replaced its 39 poker tables with slot machines in 2003.
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(PRESS RELEASE) -- Grand Banks Casino is pleased to announce Steve C. as the Winner of $25,000 on Video Poker.
Steve C. won the $25,000 on the Joker Poker game at Grand Banks Casino with a Royal Flush of Spades.
Placing a $25 bet (with odds of 1000 to 1), Steve C. received an average hand with an Ace of Spades. He held on the Ace and one by one, as if by magic, the 10, J, Q and then K of spades appeared on his screen. Steve C. shares his excitement: "When I started to play that day, my second hand was a Diamond Royal Flush with a Joker. Approximately two hours later, I was shocked to see another natural Royal Flush!"
I will continue to play whether I win or lose," exclaimed Steve C. "I've been in collection law for the past thirty years and I've represented all the casinos in Atlantic City.
Video poker made its entry to the casino in the seventies and is today one of the most popular forms of gambling.
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ANTIGUA, Oct. 24 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ - World Poker Exchange, one of the world's fastest growing online poker sites, announces sponsorship of the 2006 Worldpx College Shootout tournament at 219 American schools, as part of its initiative to continue recognition of emerging poker talent.The 399 winners who move through the ranks of poker competition will vie for more than $90,000 in cash and prizes including a mini Cooper, spring break trips for two, scholarships, Dell (TM) computers, and iPod Nanos.Preliminaries begin Jan. 16, and entrants may register at Collegeshootout.com. Participants must be 18 years of age and enrolled in an American institution of higher learning.On-site registrations begin Oct. 24 as Worldpx tournament representatives promote the poker tournament on 219 school campuses across the nation to conduct sign-ups. Additionally, potential poker competitors can play for free and practice on the Worldpx.net site until the actual start of the preliminaries.
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October 20, 2005

There's going to be an international poker conference in the Bahamas this winter. It will focus on interactive poker business. The conference is scheduled to take place from December 8th to 9th.This poker event will feature a lineup full of heavy hitters from the gambling world. The World Poker Tour's founder and CEO Steven Lipscomb will be there as a speaker. The WPT has had a big impact on the poker boom so Steve has some good knowledge to share.Party Gaming, Sportingbet, the Bicycle Casino and several other gambling related companies will be participating in this conference. The conference will cover a wide range of poker related topics. Some of the topics expected to be covered relate to legal issues, technology, marketing, and mergers.
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October 18, 2005 -- Newlywed ASHTON KUTCHER treated himself to a poker lesson with top poker player ANNIE DUKE as he and his new bride DEMI MOORE made their first official public appearance since their marriage (24SEP05) at a Las Vegas, Nevada auction. The actor bid $14,000 for a private poker session with Duke at the uBid.com online celebrity auction, which took place at the Empire Ballroom. Kutcher felt compelled to attend the event with his new wife when he learned all the proceeds from the auction was going to aid the ongoing Hurricane Katrina relief effort. Due to his love for poker Kutcher has been mentioned as one of the leading candidates to play the role of Phil Hellmuth Jr. in the movie depicting the life of the erstwhile cheesehead turned poker pro. Hellmuth's life story - up to the age of 24 - was optioned in Hollywood.
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