Binion's Gambling Hall and Hotel in downtown Las Vegas and Poker
Player Newspaper have come up with an innovative international poker
championship which is sure to catch the imagination of the poker community,
organizing a clash between poker dealers from companies around the
world.
A company spokesman said that the inspiration for the championship
lies in the fact that many of today's top poker pros - Johnny Chan,
Scott Fischman, Mike Matusow and Layne Flack to name a few - started
out as dealers and developed their love of the game and their skills
from that very useful base, which offers a unique opportunity to study
the tricks of the trade used by the world's ace players.
It prompted Binions and Poker Player Newspaper to set up an inaugural
series of events which will take place at Binion's over the 24-28
September this year under the banner "World Poker Dealer Championships".
Each event will carry a $1,000 buy-in, covering several poker forms
including Limit Hold'Em, No-Limit Hold'Em, Omaha Hi/Lo and 7-Card
Stud.
Competitors are in line for some major cash prizes - the organizers
say that 97 percent of the entry fees in the prize pool will be allocated
to the four games scheduled.
Poker Player Newspaper publisher Stanley Sludikoff emphasized that
the event would be exclusive and international: "All casinos
and public card rooms worldwide are invited to send one official representative
for each game," he said. "They must be currently working
at the club and have been a dealer there for at least six months."
It will be a good publicity opportunity for the casinos that send
their dealers to compete, too - players will compete "for the
honor of their clubs" and will be allowed to wear the uniforms
and name badges of their employers. It is hoped that the championship
will have sufficient impact to warrant making it an annual competition.