You don’t have to enter the World Series of Poker to enjoy it. You don’t have to win it to learn about ways that all the players can be winners by donating to charity. And you don’t have to pay a penny to go to the Rio and watch this huge event. Right now, the 2010 WSOP at the Rio is one of the best deals in town. Visit the main room just to see the players who have come from all over the world and put up $10,000 for a chance at riches and stardom. Some have won their seats through tournaments, others saved for years. For a few, the entry amount is more like petty cash. They all want the coveted bracelets.
You can read the statistics about who is advancing and who has been knocked out in any of the many poker sites, so let me tell you about some other aspects of the World Series of Poker.
The excitement is there with featured tables, limited access lounges, poker items for sale, and some interesting onlookers. Go down one of the many hallways until you find a room with vendors.
It was there that I discovered Photo Poker Chips. Dennis Quon made a chip for me with my photo on it which can be used as a card cover or mounted for display. One of my favorite items there was the Wheel-R-Dealer, a great idea for people with manual dexterity issues. Just a touch of the finger shoots the cards out. It will speed up the game of poker or any other card game you play.
There were beautiful poker pens, a booth with Phil Hellmuth signing autographs and selling his “Poker Brat” merchandise, and a display of some poker related art work by Michael Godard.
Vendor are not the only ones with booths. In the hallway, I met women running a booth for the “Prevent Cancer Foundation.” Jan Bresch Mahrer, the Executive VP and COO told me that they are urging players to commit 1% of their WSOP winnings to the Foundation which works to prevent cancer.
The Foundation was started during the 2003 WSOP by Phil Gordon and Rafe Furst as a drive to help fund cancer prevention research and education. Both had lost loved ones to cancer. Since that time, Bad Beat on Cancer, BBoC, has raised more than $2 million for cancer prevention research and early detection and has grown to include other poker tournaments, leagues and home games.
I learned that many of the pros have pledged one percent of their winning for life, including but not limited to Phil Hellmuth, Jr., Paul Wasicka, Andy Bloch, Annie Duke, Phil Ivey, Howard Lederer, Chris Ferguson, and Dennis Phillips. Like I said, you don’t have to win the tournament to be a winner.
If you are in Las Vegas now or will be here in the next few weeks, stop by the Rio to watch the best poker players in the world as they ante up. Bring your sharpie and they’ll be happy to sign a hat a shirt, or a playing card for you.
Story by Dianne R. Davis. Photos by Burt Davis
Dianne R. Davis has been writing as long as she can remember. She is a columnist/photographer for Judy Thorburn’s www.lasvegasroundtheclock.com and for the Vegas Voice newspaper. Dianne is a reporter on Anthem Alive on Sun City Anthem’s own Channel 99, specializing in entertainment. She can be contacted at DianneRD@aol.com.
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