Kentucky Derby Poker Championship Starts Saturday

Trade the green in your mint julep for the green of the felt with the innaugural Kentucky Derby Poker Championship. The event, to be held Saturday, May 3rd at Caesars Indiana, will be hosted by Phil Hellmuth and Robert Williamson III. Both players will try their hands at the tournament, with Hellmuth pulling double duty, as he will be serving as the emcee.

Entry to the tournament will require a $2,500 buy-in, with rebuys available until the first break, during which you'll be offered an add-on. The tournament begins at 8:30 p.m. EDT, after the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby has come to a close. The event will be preceded by Red Carpet Welcome Reception at 7:00 p.m.

Half of the buy-in will go to the prize pool, while the other half will be dispersed amongst a handful of charities. The charity pool will be distributed between the Health and Climate Foundation, the Cross/Red Crescent Climate Centre and the Robby Albarado Foundation. The foundations will not oly provide aid to the homeless and poor in Louisville, KY, but also work to fight malaria and diseases across the continent of Africa.

"I'm really excited to be co-hosting this event with Robert Williamson III and to support such an important cause," said Hellmuth. "The climate is changing and its impacts will hit the poor hardest, as Hurricane Katrina showed us. Anything we can do to raise awareness of this issue and help save lives is important."

Ceasars Indiana is just a half hour up the road from Churchill Downs. For more information, check out www.kentuckyderbypokerchampionship.org.

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