The Second Chance Poker Tournament

Well, here I go again dreaming another dream about poker – and this dream is about to come true. It is a new poker tournament that I have dubbed The Second Chance Poker Tournament. Notice that I am getting better and did not name it after me. The Second Chance Poker Tournament will be held at 4 p.m. May 22-24 at Palace Station Hotel and Casino, the new home of "The Seniors" World Championship of Poker.

I told my friend Gabe Kaplan – surely you remember his hit TV series, Welcome Back Kotter – about my plan for The Second Chance Tournament, and he suggested that we have a one-table charity event. Gabe said he would invite Doyle, Chip, Dr. Jerry Buss, and a few others, and that I could invite a few more and we'd have a charity match either before or after The Second Chance Tournament. The winner would donate $5,000 to charity. I told him that idea sounded great to me, and ran it by the management at Palace Station. They liked it so much that they agreed to take out some blackjack tables in the center of the casino and arrange a nice place for us to play the charity event, and award a valuable diamond ring to the winner. So, watch for details of this charity match at Palace Station. Gabe and I are both planning to win the $10,000 big one at the World Series of Poker, so we agreed to arrange this event so that it would not conflict with our being at the final table of the WSOP.

On Saturday, May 18, I will be hosting more than 400 of you at "The Seniors" World Championship at the WSOP – but by Sunday night, all of you will be without any chips. Now, of course, some of you will be a lot richer, because I predict that first place will pay more than $125,000.

On Monday, May 20, I will be playing with a lot of my senior friends in the $10,000 big one. I won my seat for $125 at the double shootout at Binion's. By Monday night, about 300 players will be without any chips. Then, after playing all day Tuesday, about 250 or more will lose all of their chips. Then on Wednesday by 4 p.m., there will be only 60 or 70 of us left with any chips, and Bellagio's new $10,000 buy-in tournament will not start until Monday, May 27. The worst thing that can happen to a poker player is not to have a game to play in, so The Second Chance Poker Tournament will fill that void.

Well, I will still be one of the 60 or so left in the WSOP, so I have asked my wife, Carol Ann, to be the hostess of The Second Chance Poker Tournament. Tournament Director Bob Thompson will be running the event, which is open to everyone of legal age. For more information and details, go to my website: www.seniorpoker.com, and/or see the "The Seniors" ad on Page 97 in this issue.

Last year at the inaugural Oklahoma Johnny Hale's "The Seniors" World Championship of Poker at the World Series of Poker, I was teased a little bit about the name of my event being so long. Well, please forgive me! My head has shrunk back to normal size and I have agreed that in the future, the event will be known simply as "The Seniors" at the Series.

Last year, Jay Heimowitz captured the title, and took home more than $115,000 and a gold bracelet, and had his name engraved on Oklahoma Johnny's "The Seniors" permanent trophy, "The Golden Eagle."

Last year at the Series, "The Seniors" inducted John Bonetti into "The Seniors" Poker Players Hall of Fame. This year, at about 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 18, "The Seniors" Poker Players Hall of Fame will have a 44th member – Jay Heimowitz. "The Seniors" organization is proud to open its doors to this true champion and gentleman of poker.

I sure look forward to playing a few hands with you at the WSOP, and/or The Second Chance Tournament at my new home – Palace Station.

The Second Chance Poker TournamentUntil next time, remember to stay lucky.

Editor's note: "Oklahoma Johnny" Hale is the author of Gentleman Gambler, available through Card Player, and the creator of the Seniors Charities and the Seniors World Championship of Poker. His E-mail address is [email protected], and you can visit his website at www.seniorpoker.com.