The 2009 Ante Up For Africa Celebrity-Charity Poker Tournament on Thursday, July 2 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas gives
you this special opportunity as the only event of its kind where the general public can participate. This No-Limit Hold’em poker tournament has an entry fee of $5,000, and puts you side-by-side with Hollywood hotshots, superstar athletes and poker professionals, battling it out in a unique charity tournament where you can walk away with a six-figure payday and contribute to a great cause too. Celebrities and athletes all over are gearing up to return and will join poker’s most notable players to raise public awareness and funds to support the victims of the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, Sudan, at the 3rd annual Ante Up For Africa (AUFA) tournament during the 2009 World Series of Poker®. This year Ante Up For Africa will host an exclusive party for the players and stars at PURE, one of Vegas’ hottest night clubs. The 3rd Annual Ante Up For Africa Tournament will be televised on ESPN on Tuesday, August 11 from 8-10 PM ET. “It is an honor and very exciting to have ESPN turn the cameras on for our event,” said Annie Duke. “This will make great strides in raising awareness about this ongoing crisis.” Among those confirmed to participate, subject to availability, are: Cheadle, Matt Damon, Jason Alexander, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, Montel Williams, Herschel Walker, Hank Azaria, Brad Garrett, Reggie Miller, Marlon Wayans, Sarah Silverman and Casey Affleck, with many more in the process of being confirmed and expressing their interest to play. Also playing, subject to availability, will be poker professionals Howard Lederer, Andy Bloch, Erik Seidel and Phil Hellmuth, with many more to be confirmed in the coming weeks. The tournament will feature a fast-paced structure designed to complete the competition within five hours. Seating for the tournament is open to anyone age 21 or older. Players can register in person at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, or online up to two weeks prior to the event at under the registration tab.
This event, as is every World Series of Poker tournament, is open to the public for viewing and admission is free. The event will take place in the famed Amazon Ballroom in the Rio Convention Center, just one day prior to the start of the WSOP Main Event, the game’s most prestigious event.