PRESS RELEASE:

OKLAHOMA JOHNNY HALE, THE "ELDER STATESMAN OF POKER" HAS MADE ARRANGEMENTS WITH PALACE STATION FOR IT TO BE THE HOME OF "THE SENIORS"

Oklahoma Johnny Hale, the "Elder Statesman of Poker" has made an arrangement with Palace Station in Las Vegas to be the home of "The Seniors" and the first open house tournament was will August 4-11, 2002.

Gabe Kaplan of the hit T.V. show Welcome back Kotter and Oklahoma Johnny Hale "The Elder Statesman of Poker" will invite Doyle, Chip, Bobby, Phil and the newest winner of the WSOP, as well as June, Carol, Marsha, Susie and a few other well-known lady poker players to join them at the Palace Station Hotel and Casino for a $500 buy in No Limit Hold'em charity poker game.

Each player will begin with $5,000 in chips. All the prize money will be donated by the winner to the charity of their choice, and The Palace Station will arrange the event in the center of the casino on Saturday May 25th. The Palace will award one or more valuable diamaond rings to celebrate this poker happening.

Oklahoma Johnny will again host "The Seniors" at the Series -- Last year there were 340 players who played in this event at the WSOP. Jay Hemiowitz took home over $115,000 plus the gold bracelet and had his name engraved on the Oklahoma Johnny permanent "The Seniors" trophy, THE GOLDEN EAGLE.

Johnny will host a new tournament this year at the Palace -- It will be dubbed "The Second Chance" tournament, and the buy-in will be $1,000 for 10,000 in chips and play will continue for three days -- the event is scheduled right in the middle of the WSOP on Wednesday the 22 at 4:00 PM. Then all but a few will already be busted out of the big one and will be looking for a game before they can get started next Monday at the new $10,000 buy in at the Bellagio -- altho this event is presented by "The Seniors" organization, all ages will be permitted to play.

First place is estimated to pay $100,000 based on 200 players or more. Johnny said he would have his wife Carol host the Second Chance because he would still be left down at the WSOP Big One with a few other players. He said that she could represent "The Seniors" until he won the Big One and be the oldest man ever to win it.