Newz Forum: OTHER: POKER: World Poker Open kicks off

The tenth stop on the World Poker Tour kicked-off this week at the Horseshoe Gold Strike casinos in Tunica, Mississippi. 512 players turned out for a $5,120,000 total prize pool, a $1,664,950 increase over last year's event that drew 367 players.

The winner of this year's $10,000 buy-in event will take home $1,511,282 and will advance to the WPT World Championship when the Tour's season culminates at Bellagio in April 2005. The World Poker Tour is the highest rated series in the history of the Travel Channel.

Season Three's total prize pool has already topped the $30 million mark at $39,339,510, an $18,782,614 increase over Season Two stops to date. The high stakes World Poker Tour tournaments are attracting an increasing the number of players at every stop on the Tour. Averaging a "poker millionaire a month," this season's prize pool is anticipated to reach $70 million.

Many recognisable faces were spotted at the tables, including the likes of Chris Bigler, Doyle Brunson, Gus Hansen, Kathy Liebert, Carlos Mortenson, and Daniel Negreanu. The public is invited to be a part of the WPT Final Table television audience when the World Poker Open concludes in Tunica on Thursday, January 27 in the Grand Ballroom of the HorseShoe/Gold Strike casino. Admission is free and taping begins at 4:00pm.

The eleventh stop of the World Poker Tour’s 16-tournament season will be the L.A. Poker Classic from February 18-22 at Commerce Casino in Los Angeles, CA. The World Poker Tour Invitational, a celebrity-pro invite only tournament, will directly follow from Feb. 23-24. For a complete WPT tournament schedule and casino contacts, please visit www.worldpokertour.com.

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