Jan
4
by Chad Holloway
On December 18, 2010 I had the opportunity to attend Phil Hellmuth’s Hold’em with HospiceCare Poker Charity Event in Madison, Wisconsin. I live about 45 minutes north of the venue so it was a perfect fit. I was really excited to attend a poker event that was designed to raise money for a great cause in HospiceCare:
As the flyer states: “Since 1978, HospiceCare Inc. has worked to bring exceptional end-of-life care to patients and their families. We serve more than 650 patients each day throughout south central Wisconsin. HospiceCare’s goals, such as enhancing the quality of our services and expanding our reach to all those who need us, are supported by Phil Hellmuth’s Hold’em with HospiceCare.”
I arrived early and grabbed my media pass (I was officially working for PokerNews.com). I headed up to the penthouse area and was immediately impressed with the set up. There were about three dozen poker tables, a silent auction, a VIP area, full bars, a buffet, and plenty of room to move around and socialize. As I made my way into the room, 2009 Player of the Year Eric Baldwin said hello to me. He is from Wisconsin and it was great to see him out supporting a great cause. Other notable poker names in attendance, many of whom hail from Wisconsin, included: Mark “PokerHo” Kroon and Gary “Debo34” Debanardi, Shawn Rice, David Plastik, Dixon Ruecker, Jon Green, Morgan Machina, and 1998 WSOP Main Event fourth-place finisher Dewey Weum.
Aside from poker personalities, the event drew a plethora of celebrities, both national and local. They included Olympic gold medalist speed skater Casey Fitzrandolph, PGA professional Jerry Kelly, NASCAR professional Matt Kenseth, radio personalities Johnny Danger & Van Edwards, NBC-15 News Anchors Leigh Mills & Charlie Shortino, former UW Badgers football head coach Barry Alvarez, and former Madison mayor Paul Soglin (he actually announced his candidacy—officially—for the office yet again, meaning he was going to run for the office in the next election). In addition to all the poker pros and celebs, a few hundred poker players and aficionados bought a ticket to play in the event.
I had the chance to play but didn’t do too well. In the first hand, I looked down at two black nines, the same hand Hellmuth won the 1989 World Series of Poker Main Event with, and ended up losing a decent-sized pot. Too bad, I thought doubling up with Hellmuth’s hand in his tournament would have been somehow ironic. Speaking of Hellmuth, I got to play with Phil Hellmuth Sr., who sat to my immediate right for much of the tournament. He went on to make the final table while I busted about two hours in.
The eventual tournament winner was actually Mark “P0ker H0" Kroon! Pretty amazing that an established pro cleared the minefield of amateurs. In addition, Darren Berg won a custom-made autographed poker table; Art Luetke won a 2-year lease on a Zimbrick Honda Accord LX; and Joe Anderson won a seat to the 2011 World Series of Poker Main Event. While the official number hasn’t been release, approximately $140,000 was raised for the patients and families served by HospiceCare Inc. Clearly this was a fun and successful event.
In other news, I will be heading to the PCA tournament in the Bahamas January 7-17th, 2010. I wish I was playing but instead will be reporting for PokerNews. Oh well, getting the chance to leave Wisconsin in the winter for the Bahamas is a dream come true, no matter the capacity! I’ll be staying at the Atlantis Resort in Nassau and that place looks simply amazing. I’m really looking forward to seeing some big poker names down there and hanging out in the Caribbean. I’m not sure if the Unabomber will be there, but if so I’ll be sure to grab some pictures. In the meantime, you can follow me on Twitter @ChadAHolloway . . . I’ll be updating live from the Caribbean! In the meantime, have a Happy New Year!