Tonight, we have our very first Hurricane Katrina Relief tournament at PokerStars. It’s a $5.00 buy-in, with $4.99 going to the American Red Cross, and one cent going to the prize pool.
But you’re not really playing for the $1.70 or whatever is in there; you’re playing because PokerStars is matching all the entries, dollar-for-dollar, so your $5.00 is actually worth $10.00 (I’m pretty sure they’re rounding up.) You’re also playing for some awesome prizes: If you bust me, you’ll get an autographed book. If you make the final table, you’ll also get an autographed book. Other members of Team PokerStars, like Greg Raymer, Isabelle Mercier, Evlyn Ng, Chris Moneymaker, and Tom McEvoy are also giving up various prizes, and so is Lee Jones. I don’t have those details, but I’m sure Otis will.
Update! Here are the prizes for tonight:
- 1-3: autographed Chris Moneymaker biography
- 4-5: autographed Tom McEvoy books
- 6-9: autographed Evelyn Ng posters
So I don’t know about you guys, but I’m totally playing for 6th place. 😉
/Update!
If you’ve watched the news at all since Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, you’ve mostly seen images of horror coming out of New Orleans. We having seen very much from the other affected areas, but I know for a fact that they need our help just as much as anywhere else. I have permission to reprint the following e-mail, from WWdN reader David G.:
Subject: Katrina: When No One Can Hear You Scream
Wil-
South Mississippi needs help. We may not have floods and looters and dramatic helicopter footage of the dying and dead, but we still need help. I am fortunate enough to live in an area (Hattiesburg, MS) has is slowly getting to its feet through the unbelievably gracious assistance of total strangers from every state in the nation. Actually, the only place we haven’t gotten help from would be Washington, D.C. South Mississippi is a sparcely populated region, save for the gulf coast region. People are trapped in their homes, unable to leave because of the fallen trees. Some have no gas to drive fifteen miles to a “relief center”, which consists of a truck of water or ice or clothes (it’s never the same twice) in the back parking lot of a Baptist church. We don’t have the supplies or communication we need to get needed items to the people with the greatest need.
All night on the local television station, the anchors have built a living bulletin board; a phone call from someone who needs insulin, or a cancer patient running out of oxygen. Within minutes, another call comes in the word that help is on the way. But it’s not enough. We need coordination, we need expertise, we need proof that there is concern for our well-being in this, the poorest state in the nation. I don’t know why I’m writing you, but I know what we need. We in Mississippi need the WWdN army mobilized to create awareness that there exists a need for federal help, and that we will continue to cry for help until someone listens to us. I’m scared that until Brian Williams and Anderson Cooper and [shudder] Geraldo come to the Pine Belt, we will remain forgotten victims of Katrina. Please, spread the word that we need help in south Mississippi.
Thanks,
David G.
My friend Wendy is also down where Biloxi used to be, and she writes on her blog:
Let me also say two more quick things. A: if in anyway, you live close to a shelter or any place you can help-run do not walk, RUN to help–they need it. They still need it now, they will still need it in a month… and longer. If you can come, or donate anything–seriously nothing is too small. (a box of baby wipes marked Hurricane relief Biloxi, MS would be AWESOME.) and B. I am so so frightened and concerned for the people here-trying to live in unimaginable conditions-they will certainly get sick. There’s no way you can live in three feet of mud, without part of your roof, and no windows (obviously no power or water) and not get sick. When I upload pics of Helen, who hung from her house by her cable wire-and Wendy, 12, whose Aunt Niecey’s body is still missing- and the pool with the two bodies in it, at the historic birthplace of Barq’s root beer–I’m hoping you’ll get that if you’re still thinking, “I’d like to do something, but I feel so helpless… ” you’ll find a way to do anything to help.
That being said, A LOT *is* being done. Tears welled in my eyes today when I talked to Dane from Oregon who didn’t know a soul in Mississippi, but came here because like Garron from NC and Dennis from Texas, he “Got tired of watching it on TV and had to do something.” I told him, “I am so amazed you are here, this is my backyard… I had to come, but you came from so far…”
“There’s no place else I’d rather be,” he smiled at me.
When you hand someone ice and they act like you’ve handed them a million bucks.. the feeling is amazing. I am so glad I came, I don’t know how I will leave as scheduled tomorrow-but I know I will be back.
Late last night, I heard that there is over $100,000 going to the American Red Cross. It will help out people like David G., and support the efforts of Wendy and others.
I am extremely proud, and grateful to be part of this, and I just want to thank everyone who is playing, the whole crew at PokerStars for setting this up, and especially my awesome wife, Anne, who suggested that I ask PokerStars if they’d match whatever went into my “little charity tournament.” You guys are all rockstars.
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I am glad to be a part of tonight’s (and Wednesday’s) tournament to help the people who need it. I have friends in Hattiesburg MS who only had a tree fall on their carport. I know there are many, many others in MS who fared far worse. I only hope they get as much help as they need, as quickly as possible.
See you tonight!
The title of this entry comes from Wilco’s “Muzzle of Bees,” off the “A Ghost is Born” album.
I haven’t heard it in over a month, but I’ve been humming it since I woke up this morning, and when I was looking for a title, this immediately came to mind: we’re passing the sun from one tree to another, I guess.
Here’s the weird thing: I have over 3500 songs in my iTunes library, and I usually just let it shuffle play the whole library. Out of all those songs, it just started playing “Muzzle of Bees.”
The moral: my thoughts control the future. Cool.
And because my thoughts control the future: I will book the job I’m auditioning for later today, I will win a major tournament this year, and I will learn something about myself before the end of this week.
While I made a donation last week, I’m really quite pissed that I can’t play in any of these tourney’s. I wanted to at least try the $5 and/or $20 but my bank is one of those that doesn’t fund online gambling (or however you want to say it…SINNER! sheesh) and I can’t seem to get signed up with either Neteller or that other one. I’m getting error messages at both and when I try to talk to anybody, I just end up waiting forever with no response. I would much rather my $50 went to this collection than just by itself, but I’ll be there watching. GL everybody who’s gonna play!
Wil:
I don’t know if I’ll be able to get to a PC to play tonight, but if I can, I will.
I would like to donate a $1 Harrah’s New Orleans poker chip (Mardi Gras Girl) to your prizes. It seems, somehow, appropriate for a prize for a poker tournament to support hurricane relief should be from a destroyed casino.
Let me know who to send it to.
Charlie L
Portland, OR
[email protected]
I’m registered for tonight and wednesday…
I’m not as well known and have no autographed books to contribute, but I’m offering cookies, or something… to whomever knocks me out each night. I’m suposing theres already going to be a target on my arse for the name irony, and I pretty much suck at poker. *LOL*
Wil
Isn’t that create your own future thing amazing? I was hoping that somebody would hold a Katrina relief poker tournament, and you did. 😉 I’ll see you tonight, and Wednesday.
I see that the tournament begins at 9:30 on the two nights. Having only recently registered on Poker Stars, and never played in an actual on-line tournament, is that 9:30 EST or PST?? Thanks to anyone for answering this rather dumb question.
bravehrt8: If I read right at PokerStars, the time is 9:30 ET, so add or subtract the hours you need to find your local time. It will be 8:30 PM for me here in Texas (Central Time).
Which is about 2:30am GMT for anyone this side of the pond, which is unfortunately a little to late so i can’t play. But it’s an easy way to donate some moneys. GL to everyone that’s playin. (watch that river, gets me everytime!?!)
I’ll see all of the players tonight at PokerStars.net. I’m playing under the name of D-Catt.
Wil,
This is my first time commenting on your blog. I find it really awesome that after seen you way back in ST:TNG I can see what is up with your life now. What happened in New Orleans and the area is horrible and I wish I could help in any way,unfortunately, I lack the resources. But I find it comforting that people like you are helping, with whatever they can. Anyway all the best and I will keep reading your blog.
I’ll be there too. I’ll be primo_tenore and I’ve been studying No Limit Texas Hold ’em for almost 7 days now. One real benefit is that today, when I reread all of Wil’s WSOP posts from Vegas, I actually understood them! It was if I had suddenly been given the gift of speaking a new language. See you all there and “May you all flop a set.”
9:30?? I thought it started at 8:30 here on the East coast. By 9:30 there will be over 2000 players. Oh God, now I’ve started drinking way too early!
http://www.theta-g.com/rec/shatner/
I’m terribly sorry that this has nothing to do with this entry but I just saw it and immediately thought of you and WILLIAM FUCKING SHATNER. I think it’s good for a laugh, and everyone can certainly use one right now.
Good luck to all you chaps out there doing your bit.
I finally bit the bullet and bought in to the Pokerstars pay site. It’s for an excellent cause and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone at the tourney. I wonder how many former Monkeyboxers will be playing?
Look for my red star, under the nick “CANADIANS2”
Good luck everyone!
Ok – Signed up and waiting, this things going to last all night with 2200 people. Good thing I have a good supply of Merlot and Hot wings 🙂
I didn’t last very long, got stuck with this guy who kept going all in every hand. The one time I called him with pocket Q’s he had K’s. grrrrr
hey wil,
i’m currently attending the univ of missouri – columbia, and i live on the international floor here in the dorms. an old ca is currently teaching down in mississippi and is in a place that was devastated by katrina. he wrote to us and asked us if we could help in any way possible… we are currently putting on a goods drive and organizing a penny war with the rotc floor (you know how those gung-ho rotc kids can get!). and that’s just our floor… there have been tables and activities everywhere trying to raise money to send down south. mizzou has also been accepting students from new orleans who want to continue their education. i’m glad to see everyone working together like this, but i still wish i could go down myself and help out! :T
on a lighter note…
“And because my thoughts control the future: I will book the job I’m auditioning for later today, I will win a major tournament this year, and I will learn something about myself before the end of this week.”
you are too cute XD
Busted out early. I was doing well, but made a bad decision to call someone who looked like they were trying to get out of the game early (going all-in for no reason). Figured it was a good chance to double up and I got rivered. Sigh. Stupid river.
Hope everyone else is doing better than me. 🙂
I’m just ultra proud of you, Wil. Thank you.
-K
That was a buttload of fun! Wish I could’ve lasted longer than I did, but I’ll take 148th. 🙂
And, even better, I got to help a little bit. Now I can’t wait until Wednesday night. :):):)
placed 63rd and Wil’s still going strong!!
Seems that my comments last night upset a couple of people….I apologize
Well, I wish I could do something, but I’m not really in the right place to do so (financially, geographically, or schedually). But I think that it would be great if people voiced their outrage at Paypal for suspending accounts recieving donations, and then, after they explained that it was because they were worried that people might take advantage of the situation, refused to donate the money directly to the organization that it was meant for because they have a policy to only donate money to some unknown charity… fuckers… (can I say that in a comment?)
I had every intention of playing last night until I got home from work and found that our whole neighborhood had no telephone service! So, no DSL, no dial-up, no nothing for me, and I couldn’t play. 🙁 They had better have it fixed by Wednesday night so I can play in the $20 tourney, is all I can say. (I’m posting this from work.)
I hope everyone who participated had fun. I’ll have to check the results once I can log back into PokerStars, but I am curious: where did Wil finish, and who gets his autographed book for knocking him out?
This is my first time ever commenting but I just felt I had to. I live in central Mississippi and the devastation that south MS has suffered is completely mind blowing. I have a friend that lost everything; his house is a total loss. He and his elderly mother hung on to the rafters until the storm passed. I saw pictures of his house and property and it is just amazing that he is still alive. While I hurt for the people of New Orleans, I think Mississippi’s losses have been overshadowed in the wake of this hurricane.
First off, great Blog, I read it every day (even on Poker days, when I have no idea what you are talking about)
My wife and her sister have signed up with the Red Cross for two to three weeks, and are working in Gulf Port, Mississippi. I am jealous of them for being able to go, but understand that someone has to man the homefront. They are driving trucks around and handing out supplies, food and water to those what need them.
All around town (Washington DC) I see signs of folk banding together to help out. I hope it will be timely enough to matter..but there is going to be SO much work that needs to be done, donating time, money, food or clothing will be appropriate for a long time to come.
Sign up, give generously, and help out!
Dave, Wil finished 20th. See http://www.cardsquad.com/2005/09/13/pokerstars-hurricane-katrina-relief-tournament-recap/
On behalf of those of us evacuated from the city, thanks for letting us know about what’s being done to help us! I’m a double evacuee-first from New Orleans (college student), and then from my home on the MS Gulf Coast. My immediate family is lucky. My grandfather, one of my uncles, and three of my cousins have lost their homes due to flooding, along with numerous friends. But even those of us lucky enough to have homes-seeing places where I grew up or my local college haunts totally destroyed is horrifying, I can’t even begin to describe what shows on our local news. To think that two weeks ago, I was whining about the heat due to no power and having to sit out a semester…and now I see thousands working so hard to put their lives and their families’ lives back together. Having to graduate in December isn’t a tragedy. Losing homes and lives is. I’m thankful that all of my friends and relatives are accounted for…
This was my first online poker tournament. I had a great start early on, managed to make it into the top 100, but got wiped out shortly after the first break when I went all in on two pair (Jacks and nines) and got beat by a full house (10’s over Jacks). 571 was my final placement.
I think I just got hooked on online poker.