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Epic Poker Charity Tournament Benefiting Prevent Cancer Foundation

Topics: December Charity Event, Epic Poker League

The third Epic Poker League Charity Event brought out 77 charitable individuals ranging from League Members to professional poker players of varying levels to people who were simply looking to have some fun for a great cause. The $240 tournament with $100 rebuys and add-ons raised $48,000 for Bad Beat on Cancer, an initiative of the Prevent Cancer Foundation. Phil Gordon helped to start it almost ten years ago, and to date they’ve helped to raise $3.8 million for the charity.

Before announcing the shuffle up and deal, Phil Gordon shared some some information about the organization and what they do to help cancer prevention research. He then thanked those in attendance and the poker world in general.

“Thank you to all the great players who have come here tonight to support us,” said Gordon.

A healthy amount of the Epic Poker League Membership was in attendance for the charity event. This group included David Williams, Carlos Mortensen, Michael Mizrachi, Christian Harder, Allen Kessler, Eric Froelich, Brock Parker, Isaac Baron, David Singer, John Phan, Chris Klodnicki, Will Failla, Justin Young, Jason DeWitt, Eric Baldwin, Rep Porter, David Baker, McLean Karr, Hoyt Corkins, Mike Watson, Noah Schwartz, Vanessa Rousso, William Reynolds, Allen Bari, Brandon Cantu, Dwyte Pilgrim, Lee Markholt, Brian Rast, Dan Shak, Matt Glantz, JJ Liu, Andy Bloch, Peter Jetten, David Steicke, and Sam Trickett.

Trickett sat down with a $5,000 brick, and before the end of the rebuy period that entire stack and Trickett himself had each exited the tournament room. He was not alone in his generosity, as many of the players went all-in blind on multiple occasions to fire off more rebuys.

When it came down to the actual winners, ten fortunate players found their way to the final table. Thanks to the generosity of Epic Poker Editor-in-Chief Michael Craig, who won a pair of Skull Candy headphones in a raffle but donated them back to the event, everyone who made the final table was able to take something home. Here’s what they were competing for:

1st: $1500 Epic Poker League Pro/Am Seat and Winner’s Bracelet by GOOD ART HLYWD
2nd: $1500 Epic Poker League Pro/Am Seat
3rd: $1500 Epic Poker League Pro/Am Seat
4th: A Palms Getaway
5th: Tickets to Any Cirque du Soleil Show (Except O)
6th: Tickets to American Idol
7th: Tickets to a taping Ellen
8th: Lord Griffon & Smoak Cosmetics
9th: Tickets to Brad Garrett
10th: A pair of Skull Candy Aviator Headphones

Seven Epic Poker League cardholders made the final ten, including Commissioner Annie Duke. She was the first player to go, however, as her 66 went down in flames to Marissa Chien’s K9. Shak was the next to go, losing a three-way all-in with KJ against Watson’s A7 and Glantz’s TT when Watson rivered two-pair.

Coming off of a fourth place finish at the WSOP Main Event, Matt Giannetti made a deep run in this tournament as well. Neither he nor Schwartz would hit a pair, but Schwartz’s QJ was superior to Giannetti’s J7. We then lost our third card-holding member as Steicke’s 89 was crushed by Glantz’s AK when the flush came on the turn. Schwartz happily claimed the sixth place prize of American Idol tickets soon after, as his KJ was crushed by Chien’s AA.

Jay “WhoJedi” Newnum kept the streak of Epic employees making deep runs alive. The head of the Live Updates team looked to be in prime position to pick up a key pot when he turned trip aces with A3 but Chien rivered a fourth club to complete her flush with K5 to cripple him. Newnum would be eliminated on the next hand by Harder in a hand that also crippled Glantz. Glantz continued the pattern on the next hand, going out in fourth place as Harder was crippled and Chien got all of their chips.

Watson knocked Harder out in third place, but they would both leave with a seat in the next Epic Poker Pro/Am. The additional prize of the winner’s bracelet would belong to Chien, as she made a straight with 36 to best Watson and capture the title, joining the ranks of Andy Frankenberger and Michael Craig as Epic Poker League Season One Charity Events.