LAS VEGAS–Sorry for the lack of updates, Party people … we’ve been hard at work getting a new site off the ground. Check it out at PokerBlog.com. Very exciting stuff, particularly if you are a uber-geeky poker blogger type like me. To be sure, a lot has been going on at the 2006 WSOP — bracelets have been won, Phil Hellmuth lost, and the rest of us have been swarming around all varieties of tables.
One of the more exciting events this year was the Ladies Event. Defending champion Jennifer Tilly has obviously done a lot to improve women’s poker, as this year’s tourney was bigger and better than the one she won last year. (Not to give away the ending, but .she didn’t pull off the “Johnny Chan” and repeat, though she did play well.) In addition to competing, Tilly served as co-captain of the Elle/PartyPoker.net Queen of Hearts Poker Team.
The Queens of Hearts team will aid in the fight against heart disease — the number one killer of women — by donating a percentage of any winnings to the American Heart Association, which will be matched by the team sponsors up to $5,000 each.
The star-studded team got together for a media dinner at Bradley Ogden in Caesar’s Palace the night before the event. Click below to see some pictures.
Legendary poker pro Maureen Feduniak and WSOP Director of Communications and Operations Gary Thompson.
Wendeen Eolis, the first woman to ever cash in the WSOP, and casino president Marilyn Wynn join in the fun.
Two other legendary poker ladies, Jan Fisher and Linda Johnson.
Team member Karina Jett and a very large bottle of champagne.
Phil Laak, Jennifer Tilly, and Elle Magazine’s Hillary Kerr.
Mark Tenner, Harrah’s Director of Sponsorship and Special Licensing Ty Stewart, and Party Poker’s pride and joy, Mike Sexton.
WSOP commissioner Jeffrey Pollack, wishing Wendeen good luck before the event.
Others on the team include co-team captain Lisa Tenner (President of Tenner and Associates, a leading figure in the world of music management, branding and marketing); Shannon Elizabeth (actress), Anne Spinetti (poker pro), Kristy Gazes (poker pro), Alison Worth (model, actress, European pro player) Susan Genard (Producer and Director of ‘Taking A Shot’), Lori Sale (Head of Global Branded Entertainment at ICM), Allyn Jaffrey Shulman (corporate counsel for Card Player Media), Jennifer Leigh (poker pro), Katie Porrello (actress, aspiring poker pro and former poker dealer), Leslie Eichner (Real Estate Developer) and Irina Cornides (Austrian poker pro).
