Local Resident Rhynie Campbell Wins Inaugural World Poker Tour(R) Turks & Caicos Classic
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Taking Texas Hold ‘Em to the exotic Turks &
Caicos Islands, World Poker Tour® (WPT) and
The Players’ Club welcomed hundreds of locals,
poker players and pros, who gathered last week on the Island of
Providenciales (Provo) in the British West Indies to take part in the
inaugural WPT Turks & Caicos Classic. Welcoming the island
visitors, The Honorable Premiere Michael Misick, or President of Turks
and Caicos, dropped by the tournament and called "Shuffle
Up & Deal” at the final table.
Hosted by The Players’ Club, the premier poker
and gaming destination in Turks and Caicos for tourists and residents
alike, the week kicked off with ongoing cash games and multiple $65,
$140, $500 and $1,080 satellite games giving players the opportunity to
parlay into a coveted $7,500 seat in the WPT main event.
Day 1 of the main event saw a field of 137 local players and top pros—including
Phil "The Unabomber”
Laak, Antonio Esfandiari, Mark Seif, Jennifer Tilly, Mike "The
Mouth” Matusow, Evelyn Ng, WPT Season IV
Player of the Year, Gavin Smith, WPT Season V Player of the Year, JC
Tran, and many more—who would battle it out
for a WPT title and the $1 million prize pool paying out the top nine
spots. After four days of play just steps from one of the top-ranked
beaches in the world, 34-year old Players’
Club Partner and local Turks & Caicos resident Rhynie Campbell emerged
the winner of the event he helped bring to his country. Campbell also
won his first WPT title, $436,675 in prize money, and a $25,000 seat in
the WPT World Championship held at the Bellagio in April 2008.
Alongside Campbell at the WPT Final Table was top pro Nam Le, who placed
sixth in his third WPT final table appearance and took home $30,000.
Coming in fifth place for $50,000 was poker circuit newcomer, Trevor
Hebert, a Vancouver native who owns a small business and teaches kids
inline skating. Fourth place and $70,000 went to Chris Smith, a high
stakes cash player with very few tournament appearances. Online player
Alan "The Usher”
Sass took third place in his first televised final table, securing
$125,000, while Montreal native Erik Cajelais left the table boasting a
second place finish and $225,000 for his fifth WPT tournament cash.
In addition to the main event, Players’ Club
held several $540 and $1,080 WPT bracelet events. Winner of the first
$540 bracelet event was Patrick White from Nyack, NY, while Tom "Captain”
Franklin, who has numerous event cashes and recently placed sixth in the
WPT final table at the Gulf Coast Poker Championship, won the WPT
bracelet in $540 event #2. Tony Kassouf of Iowa City, Iowa left with a
bracelet in $540 event #3 and Matthew Gardner clinched his first
bracelet in $540 event #4. Taking down the $1080 WP T bracelet event was
Jonathan Little, who won his first WPT title earlier this year in the
Mirage Poker Showdown.
The Turks & Caicos Classic will air on GSN in the Spring 2008 as part of
their Monday night casino lineup. For more information on WPT Season VI
schedule, the WPT Turks & Caicos Classic tournament and the
final table, visit the World Poker Tour Live Updates at www.worldpokertour.com.
ABOUT WORLD POKER TOUR:
WPT Enterprises, Inc. (Nasdaq:WPTE) is a company engaged in the creation
of internationally branded entertainment and consumer products driven by
the development, production, and marketing of televised programming
based on gaming themes. WPTE is the creator of the World Poker Tour®,
a television show based on a series of high-stakes poker tournaments
that airs on the Travel Channel in the United States and is scheduled to
begin broadcasting on GSN in early 2008. WPT is licensed for broadcast
globally. WPTE also offers real-money online gaming on its website, www.worldpokertour.com.com,
which prohibits wagers from players in the U.S. and certain other
restricted territories. WPTE currently licenses its brand to companies
in the business of poker equipment and instruction, apparel, publishing,
electronic and wireless entertainment, DVD/home entertainment, casino
games, and giftware. The company is also engaged in the sale of
corporate sponsorships. For show information, tools for improving poker
play, and other WPT news, fans may log on to www.worldpokertour.com.
WPTE is a majority owned subsidiary of Lakes Entertainment, Inc.
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