Poker Legend Erik Seidel On Mike Sexton
Final Table Set At PartyPoker.com Sports Stars Challenge IV
Poker legend Erik Seidel’s endorsement of Mike Sexton for induction into Poker’s Hall of Fame.
“Next up should be Mike Sexton. He has some impressive accomplishments as a player, he won the Tournament of Champions in 06', the European Heads Up, and is one of the leaders in WSOP cashes including one bracelet. If I'm not mistaken he also won the 1st 10k event at Foxwoods as well. I can't think of anyone though who has contributed more to the growth of the game then Mike and that's why he should be the next inductee. As the WPT's announcer he is the guy who introduced no limit poker to millions of people, and who explained it in a way that drew them in and got them interested. I meet people all the time who don't even play poker but watch the WPT because he manages to keep it exciting for everyone. People can tell his enthusiasm is real, Mike loves poker and fortunately is able to translate that for the viewer. He deserves huge credit too for the growth of the online game. As a consultant for PartyPoker he helped the online game get started and helped Party create the biggest poker site in the world. Party was just another poker site until Mike's commercials on the WPT started running, then overnight the numbers doubled, tripled and very quickly they became the largest site poker has ever seen. He is one of the best ambassadors poker has ever seen and I hope he is on deck for admission in 09’.”
You can vote for Mike now at: http://www.worldseriesofpoker.com/pokerhalloffame/halloffamevoting.asp
London – 1st June 2009 – The final table is set at the http://www.partypoker.com Sports Stars Challenge in London. Sports stars, both past and present, have taken their seats in the hope of being crowned the ultimate sporting poker champion in the strongest and most international line-up to date. For the first time in the Matchroom Sport organised event’s history there were heats for motorsport professionals, top golfers and an online qualifier element. Live reporting can be found at: http://www.matchroompokerforum.co.uk
The final table features three online qualifiers in the form Scott O’Reilly, Jason Brennan and Paresh Patel. They join England rugby union star Henry Paul, Germany’s European Championship football winner Thomas Helmer, Irish boxing legend Dave ‘Boy’ McAuley and popular French golfer Jean Van De Velde.
O’Reilly is a member of PartyPoker.com’s VIP club http://www.palladiumlounge.com and came through a high octane motorsport heat that featured F1 icons Giancarlo Fisichella and Jacques Villeneueve. Previously he ran deep in the WSOP Main Event in 2006 winning over $165,000 as a PartyPoker.com qualifier. Jason Brennan, a 34-year old unemployed road builder from Holloway, London found his way to the final table after chinning darts legend Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor in his heat. Paresh Patel is 42 years-old from Blackpool and got to play with football heroes and took out French World Cup winner Frank Leboeuf heads-up in his heat.
A PartyPoker.com spokesman said: “ 140,000 people overall took part in the special Sports Stars Challenge freerolls online and three players have made the final table. A number of the sports stars have shown they have real game when it comes to poker with Ronald De Boer and Giancarlo Fisichella, in particular, showing solid aggressive games. Both were unlucky not to make the final table.”
Amongst the other sports stars who were knocked out in the heat stages included 2008 European Ryder Cup team member Graeme McDowell and Sam Torrance. Footballers included Romania’s Florin Radiciou and Denmark and Liverpool legend Jan Molby. The boxing tear-up featured Germany’s former unbeaten World Champion Sven Ottke, while the rugby heat didn’t prove fruitful for union’s former France and Wasps captain Raphael Ibanez.
PartyPoker.com players had the chance to win a seat through a freeroll in the sports heat of their choice. The sports were football (two heats), rugby (union and league combined), motorsport, boxing, darts and golf.
The winner of Sports Stars Challenge I was former rugby union star Austin Healey, while the second instalment saw victory for Irish snooker champion Ken Doherty. Last year’s winner was television presenter Kara Scott, who used the tournament as the starting point for a breakthrough successful year on the circuit that also included big cashes at the WSOP Main Event and Irish Open. Scott won £20,000 after defeating Manchester United football legend Norman Whiteside heads-up. There is no presenter heat in the new format this year.
The winner of each of the seven heats will take their seat at the final table, where seven players will battle it out until one of them walks away with the title. Each player sits down with 2,000 chips with the heat winner getting £7,000. The overall winner receives £20,000 with second getting £10,000 and third receiving £5,000.
Coverage of the event will be aired in the UK later this year on Sky Sports and then distributed internationally. Jesse May leads the commentary.
PARTYPOKER.COM SPORTS STARS CHALLENGE IV FINAL TABLE – London – 29th May – 1st June
SEAT 1 – JEAN VAN DE VELDE (GOLF)
SEAT 2 – DAVE MCAULEY (BOXING)
SEAT 3 – JASON BRENNAN (ONLINE QUALIFIER DARTS)
SEAT 4 – HENRY PAUL (RUGBY)
SEAT 5 – THOMAS HELMER (FOOTBALL)
SEAT 6 – PARESH PATEL (ONLINE QUALIFIER FOOTBALL)
SEAT 7 – SCOTT O’REILLY (ONLINE QUALIFIER MOTORSPORT)
World Series of Poker”®, “WSOP®” and “WSOPE”® are registered trade marks of Harrah’s License Company LLC. No license, affiliation, sponsorship, or endorsement is claimed, or should be inferred from the use of these trademarks here. PartyGaming is not licensed by or otherwise affiliated with Harrah’s License Company LLC or the World Series of Poker®, in any way.
For more information e-mail Warren Lush warrenl@partygaming.com +34656236600
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