The pair had been raising money for the cause prior, but knew they had hit the jackpot when they came up with the idea to ask poker players to give one percent of their winnings to the foundation as a tax-deductable donation.

Since 2003, participation in the initiative has only grown and to date over $3.2 million has been raised for the Prevent Cancer foundation, proving just how charitable the poker community is.

Some of the more notable names on the pledge list this year include Phil Ivey, Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, Annie Duke, Chris Moneymaker, Andy Block, Phil Hellmuth, Adam Levy, Phil Gordon and Toby Maguire.

“Poker players lead very lucky lifestyles, so it is good to give back when you can,” said Adam Levy, an accomplished Ultimate Bet pro.

It is clear many share Levy’s generous outlook with 94 players already listed on the Prevent Cancer Foundation’s pledge list.

“It’s important for all of us to realize that there is a lot of people in unfortunate situations… a lot of us have relatives or might even have cancer ourselves,” said Andy Bloch, Full Tilt pro and former member of the MIT blackjack team.

“I didn’t go to school thinking I was going to be a poker player; I thought maybe I’d be an engineer or a lawyer. I wanted to help save the world and this is one way I can do that by still being a poker player.”

Prevent Cancer‘s CEO Jan Bresch Mahrer mentioned how impressed she was with the players.

“I think it’s terrific because poker players are not known for their philanthropic endeavors but in reality they are very philanthropic,” she said. “They go out of their way for us.”

Players at the 2010 World Series of Poker aren’t the only one’s contributing to this worthy cause. By building awareness through the use of social media tools, such as Twitter and MySpace, there are now weekly events on Full Tilt, home games and tournaments all benefitting the cause.

However, if you are looking to spot a do-gooder on the tournament floor who has already donated they’re wearing a green 1% pledge badge.

With files from Crecia Page and Geoff Fisk

The 2010 WSOP continues through July 17. For comprehensive coverage of the WSOP tune in to PokerListings’ Live Updates and News.

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Pros Put Bad Beat on Cancer is a post from: Poker Chip Talk

The tournament marks the second to last event on the 2010 WSOP calendar and has predictably drawn a crowd of celebrities, pro poker players and curious railbirds.  

Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, Shannon Elizabeth, David Alan Grier, Evander Holyfield and Montel Williams headline the list of celebrities who’ve made an appearance.

Brad Garrett, best known for his role on the TV show Everybody Loves Raymond, is keeping the Pavillion Room lively with his play-by-play and one-liners.  

“Phil Gordon everyone,” Garrett said introducing the poker player and announcer. “Only one person clapped for you, Phil, I think it might be your mom.”

“Shannon Elizabeth, who looks great in women’s clothing, is playing today,” Garrett deadpanned.

Much of the buzz in the room involved Phil Ivey’s early exit for the tournament. David Alan Grier took credit for the knockout. “I gave it to him right on the chin!” Grier said. “All in and all out, baby.” Then Grier admitted he wasn’t actually in the hand at all and has a tendency to embellish.

Crowd favorite Matt Damon has managed to stick around and double up a couple of times. One of those double ups found Damon coming from behind in the hand and rivering a full house on his opponent. “That’s what happens when you’re Matt Damon, ladies and gentleman,” Garrett quipped. “If you’re Brad Garrett, then you’re in a cab by now.”

Players can donate whatever portion of their earnings they choose to charity, but at least 50% is standard. Last year John Hennigan won the tournament and donated all of his winnings to charity. Upon recognizing Hennigan for last year’s donation, Garrett was overcome with kindness. “I’m going to kiss Howard Lederer because of your generosity,” Garrett said before making good on his act of man love.

There were 80 players who put up the $5k buy in for today’s event. Annie Duke, Phil Ivey and Montel Williams were some of the first players to be knocked out.

More information on the charity led by Cheadle and Duke is available at http://anteupforafrica.org.

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Actors, Athletes and Amateurs Unite For Africa at WSOP is a post from: Poker Chip Talk

We saw a bracelet champion crowned in $1.5k Limit Hold’em Shootout, while Tom Dwan absolutely destroyed Day 2 of the $10k PLO Championship.

Here’s a look around the day:

Event 52 – $25k No-Limit Hold’em Six-Max

Friday’s most popular tournament was the $25k Six-Max, as several big names were around the table to sweat the action on Day 3.

Frank Kassela’s monster 2010 WSOP continues, as the two-time bracelet winner is at the final table with a chance to lock up Player of the Year honors.

Kassela comes back second in chips, trailing chip leader Dan Kelly, who sits at 5.9 million.

Just 18 places paid out in the event, but it was a big payday for all that did make it, with Carlos Mortensen and Justin Bonomo finishing 17th and 18th, with both taking home $58,699.

The final table commences at 3 p.m. Saturday.

Event 53 – $1.5k Limit Shootout

Brendan Taylor survived a long final table, taking home the bracelet and $184,950 for first place.

Only the strong can survive in the grueling $1.5k Shootout, and the final eight came back to the Rio Thursday with Terrence Chan amongst the contenders.

Chan’s luck didn’t last long on Day 3, as the Canadian pro was the first bustout of the day, finishing eighth for $12,961. Jonathan “Fiery Justice” Little busted in third place to take home $73,218.

Ben Yu finished second and takes home $114,484.

Event 54 – $1k No-Limit Hold’em

The total came in at 3,844 entrants for the final $1k Championship of the WSOP 2010, and the format has been an attendance winner no doubt.

Antoine Saout, Kathy Leibert and Theo Tran and Phil Ivey were amongst the Day 1b casualties in a chaotic day in the Pavilion Room.

A total of 602 players return to the Pavilion Room for Day 2, which commences at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

British pro James Dempsey will begin Day 2 as the chip leader, and $570,960 is the announced first-place prize.

Event 55 – $10k Pot-Limit Omaha Championship

Tom “durrrr” Dwan, Phil Hellmuth and Nenad Medic were amongst the notables atop the chip leader board as Day 2 came to a close.

In reality the day was all about durrrr who tormented his opponents all day long and finished with 910,000 chips, nearly twice what his closest competitor had. Because Dwan has numerous bracelet bets, there will be an intense amount of interest in what transpires tomorrow.

This event is the final $10k Championship before the Main Event, and first place receives $780,599.

33 players return at 3 p.m. Saturday.

Event 56 – $2.5k No-Limit Hold’em

The final 2010 bracelet event before the Main Event began Friday, with 1,952 players coming out for $2.5k No-Limit Hold’em.

Plenty of familiar faces were in the crowd on Day 1, including Phil Ivey, Theo Tran and Sorel Mizzi.

By the end of the day only 585 players remained with Shannon Elizabeth, David Williams and Daniel Negreanu were amongst the Day 1 casualties.

Mark Newhouse and Jamie Gold were among the end of day chip leaders.

Players come back for Day 2 at 3 p.m. Saturday.

To view how the day played out in more detail as well as see blogs, news and videos from the Series, click through to PokerListings WSOP 2010 coverage.

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6-Max Mania – Day 36 WSOP Recap is a post from: Poker Chip Talk

Excluding the 2009 WSOP 40th Anniversary Commemorative Tournament, which was a one-time $40k event, the $25k Six-Handed No-Limit Championship is now the highest buy-in No-limit Hold’em event in WSOP history.

According to Barry Greenstein, who sits on the Poker Players Committee, the high-end event is here to stay.

PL.com caught up with Greenstein, who was amongst the chip leaders when the event went on Day 2′s first 20-minute break.

“It got a good turnout, and you could say this is the toughest field arguably,” Greenstein said.

“Those good online players who’ve made a lot of money and play a lot of six-max, this is their world championship.”

191 players registered for the event, with first prize a massive $1,315,518.

Not surprisingly, the field is as tough as it gets, with Greenstein, Phil Ivey, Erik Seidel, Frank Kassela, Daniel Negreanu and Carlos Mortensen all still in contention for 18 money spots on Day 2.

“We’ve often talked about having a bigger No-limit tournament,” Greenstein said. “Some people think the $10k Main Event is antiquated, that it’s not enough for a championship.”

“The WPT Championship has a bigger buy-in. Even the EPT Championship, because of the Euro, has a bigger buy-in.”

Greenstein went on to explain the motivation for the Players Committee to create the $25k Six-Handed Championship.

“We didn’t want to have something replace the Main Event, like be a bigger buy-in No-Limit,” Greenstein said. “We’ve intentionally not done that.”

“This was a nice compromise, where we had a different event, a six-max event, and then it made sense to increase the buy-in.”

The 2010 WSOP continues through July 17. For comprehensive coverage of the $25k 6-Max No-Limit event tune in to PokerListings’ Live Updates and News.

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$25k 6-Max Event Debuts at WSOP is a post from: Poker Chip Talk

Event 49 – $1.5k No-Limit Hold’em

Three tables returned to play to the bracelet here – and although there were fears this could play out deep into the night, the bracelet was decided relatively early as a quick-fire final played out.

In the early hours of the morning it was Taylor Larkin and Michael Linn who faced off, Linn ultimately besting Larkin to win his first WSOP bracelet and the $609,453 first-prize money.

Event 50 – $5k Pot-Limit Omaha

Another bracelet was scheduled to be handed out today, and so it was. The day began at a fast rate although once the play became short-handed caution prevailed and the players seemed to have reached an impasse. There were some fireworks from the rail though with security having to close a portion of the final table in a bid to keep the peace between the warring fans.

Eventually the poker impasse was broken, Chance Kornuth and Kevin Boudreau storming through to the heads up where ultimately Kornuth prevailed in front of his rowdy rail to take down the bracelet and the $508,090 first-prize money in what was a very strong field.

Event 51 – $3k Triple Chance

With 175 players remaining for Day 2, it seemed unlikely we would be able to play down to a final table – but the whirlwind pace that characterized Day 1 play was back in force and they almost managed it.

The field was shredded in 10 firebrand levels with players like Gavin Griffin and James Akenhead making deep runs – though neither managed to survive the day.

Instead, the 12 players who did make it through will be headed by Jon Eaton at the top of the chip counts when they return tomorrow  with Tommy Vedes hot on his shoulder in 2nd.

They’ll be back at 2.30 p.m. to play it out for the bracelet and claim the $559,371 first-prize money.

Event 52 – $25k No-Limit Hold’em Six-Max

Day 1 of the $25k NLHE Six-Handed event is in the books and 78 players will return for Day 2 – meaning 113 of the original 191 registrants will wake up $25k poorer tomorrow.

This event proved a huge favorite amongst both the seasoned vets like Phil Ivey and Daniel Negreanu and the online whiz kids like Phil Galfond and Tom “durrrr” Dwan.

Considering the players were given healthy stacks of 75k, there was a surprising rate of attrition – the sheer aggression the players generated causing a number of casualties before the end of the day.

When they finally bagged and tagged the chips, Philipp Gruissem was the man out in front, although Daniel Negreanu, Sam Trickett and Isaac Haxton also had fine days and will present a worthy challenge when they reconvene for Day 2 at 2.30 p.m.

Event 53 – $1.5k Limit Shootout

No one would suggest the Limit Shootout format was the sexiest of the events on the schedule but 548 Limit specialists and bracelet-hunters showed up to battle for the title.

By the end of the day, there were plenty of familiar faces amongst the winners, including Yevgeniy Timoshenko, Barry Shulman, Chau Giang and Marcel Luske.

Those players and the other winners will return tomorrow to continue battling along the path to crown the latest braceleted champion.

To view how the day played out in more detail as well as see blogs, news and videos from the Series, click through to PokerListings WSOP 2010 coverage.

WSOP Live!

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Two New Champs Crowned at Red-Hot WSOP: Day 34 Recap is a post from: Poker Chip Talk