On April 1st, Full Tilt Poker Pro Howard Lederer and his wife, Suzie, will host the April Fools Charity Poker Tournament benefiting the Las Vegas Springs Reserve. The event takes place at the Hard Rock in Sin City and features a multitude of brand name poker pros.
The charity festivities kick off at 2:30pm local time with check-in and snacks to get players in the mood to raise money for the Las Vegas Springs Reserve. At 3:00pm, the $230 buy-in tournament will begin, with all of its proceeds going to charity. Its emcee is none other than Matt Savage, who is in the midst of conducting the last day of play in the World Poker Tour (WPT) Bay 101 Shooting Star tournament in San Jose. Savage is one of the world’s foremost ambassadors of the game and a co-founder of the Tournament Directors’ Association along with David Lamb, Poker News Daily columnist Linda Johnson, and Jan Fisher. Savage told Poker News Daily, “Howard and Suzie have done so much for me and the game of poker. I am proud to be involved in such a great cause and it should be a great event!”
The big winner will take home a $10,000 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event seat, a Curtis & Company watch, and a custom crystal trophy from Legacy Alliance. The buy-in to the prestigious Main Event is sponsored by grocer Whole Foods. In addition, prizes will be distributed to the top ten finishers. A silent action is slated to occur and all patrons will take home gifts in eco-friendly bags. The latter represents the goal of the Las Vegas Springs Reserve, which is a “non-gaming cultural and historical attraction that offers an entertaining, educational, and recreational gathering place for people of all ages,” according to the event’s website.
A bevy of Full Tilt Poker pros are scheduled to appear and help support the cause of one of their co-workers. Andy Bloch, who headlines the debut of Full Tilt’s Friday Night Fights Main Event this evening against Gus Hansen, is scheduled to be in attendance at the Hard Rock. Bloch has over $4 million in career tournament earnings to his name and has also worked closely with the Poker Players Alliance (PPA), the major lobbying voice for the poker industry.
Joining Bloch will be eight-time WSOP bracelet winner Erik Seidel, who was recently spotted on NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice” paying $5,000 for a cupcake. The act of generosity was a result of the efforts of Poker News Daily columnist Annie Duke, a contestant on the show. Perry Friedman, who purchased a wedding dress from Duke’s team last week for $10,000, will be in the field as well. “Celebrity Apprentice” enters its fourth week on Sunday, when it airs at 9:00pm ET.
Ultimate Bet Star Player Tiffany Michelle will lend her name to the fundraising efforts. The last woman standing in the 2008 WSOP Main Event, Michelle took 17th place in the tournament for $334,000. The last woman standing in the 2007 WSOP Main Event will also be in attendance. Maria Ho, who grabbed 38th place for $237,000 in the most prestigious poker tournament in the world that year, will head to the Hard Rock on April Fools Day. Ho has not posted a WSOP in the money finish since 2007.
Also appearing will be 2008 WSOP HORSE Championship winner Scotty Nguyen, two-time bracelet winner Jeff Madsen, Lacey Jones, “Cowboy” Kenna James, Chip and Karina Jett, Lee Watkinson, and David Grey. Fresh off a highly successful fundraising event in Reno that raised $111,000 for the National Kidney Foundation, Jennifer Harman will come armed to the Hard Rock with her husband, Marco Traniello. On April 17th, she’ll serve as the face of an annual fundraiser benefiting the Nevada Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals at the Venetian.
The event is sponsored by Patrόn Tequila, Whole Foods, Curtis & Company, U.S. Airways, Full Tilt Poker, Life’s a Bluff, WSOP Academy, CardPlayer, and Triumph Sports. It’s a production of Lisa Wheeler and GreasieWheels, who have organized a variety of successful charity poker tournaments.
Players who wish to throw their hats into the ring are encouraged to e-mail info@aprilfoolscpt.com. The Hard Rock Poker Lounge is located at 4455 Paradise Road in Las Vegas.
