Linda Johnson Celebrity Challenge

The second annual Linda Johnson Celebrity Challenge is slated to take place at Casinos Europa in San Jose, Costa Rica, June 25-30. If you are looking for a first-class poker tournament in a fabulous foreign locale, this is the event for you. During the past 18 months, I have attended seven tournaments in this casino, and have had the pleasure of introducing hundreds of Americans to the hospitality of the Costa Rican people.

In this column, I will try to explain why I have become so enamored with both the poker and culture of Costa Rica. First of all, let me tell you about the poker. The tournaments are held in the convention center of the adjacent Radisson Hotel. They are nonsmoking events, and are very exciting. The Costa Rican people are quite animated, and are fun to watch when they gamble. They express a lot of emotion when winning; in fact, it is not uncommon for them to jump up in the air and "high-five" their neighbors when taking down a big pot.

Dave Lamb is the tournament director for Casinos Europa, and does a great job of starting the tournaments on time. Hosts for the LJCC are Howard "Tahoe" Andrew, Humberto Brenes, Gus Echeverri, Daniel Negreanu, and Scotty Nguyen. After two hours of play, there is a dinner break, and a fabulous buffet is served at no charge to all the players.

The tournament schedule for the LJCC is as follows: three $10 no-limit hold'em events with $40,000 guaranteed in each, a $10 Omaha eight-or-better tournament with $20,000 guaranteed, a $10 limit hold'em event with $20,000 guaranteed, and a $500 no-limit hold'em event with $100,000 guaranteed. Some players get rebuy fever and end up getting in $300-$400 or more, while others have won events with only one or two rebuys. If you choose to take the maximum rebuy at the break, you receive $1,750,000 in chip value. There is definitely a lot of play to the tournaments.

The hospitality that I mentioned above is second to none. Masseuses are available, as are hosts and hostesses to take care of your drink orders. Many Americans enjoy the Costa Rican way of life so much that they retire down there or become frequent visitors.

Casinos Europa Director General Nick Gullo is a dedicated poker enthusiast. "We make it our priority to ensure that everyone who travels to our casino has a great time. The poker action is great in both the tournaments and side action, and the food is exceptional. We have had a great deal of repeat business from our foreign customers," he stated.

The country of Costa Rica is famous for its natural beauty. I have had the pleasure of taking about 15 different tours, all of which are terrific. The schedule of tours for the June tournaments is as follows:

Monday, June 24: Arenal Volcano – This is the most spectacular active volcano in the country. The drive to the volcano takes you through beautiful countryside. At your destination, you enter the Tabacon Resort, which features natural pools of heated mineral spring water, Jacuzzis, and a spa. There are nature trails for hiking and bird-watching. On the day I went, the volcano was actively spewing lava great distances into the sky. After dinner at the resort, you return to San Jose.

Tuesday, June 25: Canopy tour – This tour is for the adventurous, and it takes place at Valle Escondido Lodge. There are two kinds of tours, soft and extreme. You will wear special garb with a hoist that is strapped to cables, allowing you to swing between tree platforms. Cable lengths on this tour vary from 60 meters to 700 meters, with heights from 6 meters to 21 meters.

Wednesday, June 26: Poas Volcano and Sarapiqui River – This complete tour gives you the opportunity to enjoy the cloud forest, waterfalls, and rain forest, all in one day. First, you go to Poas Volcano, which is famous for its enormous crater and beautiful forest. Afterward, you drive by the La Paz Waterfall en route to the Sarapiqui River, where you take a boat down the river and view monkeys, sloths, and other animals. The day we toured, there were many alligators sunning on the riverbanks. After the boat trip, lunch is served at a private farm where you can hike or go horseback riding. The drive back takes you through the Braulio Carrillo National Park.

Thursday, June 27: Aerial Tram Rainforest – You will experience the plants and animals of the rain forest while riding an overhead tram through the rain forest canopy.

Friday, June 28: La Paz Waterfall Gardens – This is a great hiking trip through four beautiful waterfalls and a butterfly site.

Saturday, June 29: White-water rafting – You will experience class III rapids and breathtaking views of the Reventazon Valley. There are lots of toucans, kingfishers, herons, iguanas, and lizards along the way. Your guide will prepare you a great lunch along the riverbank.

Sunday, June 30: Café Britt tour – Learn the entire process that coffee beans go through from the time they are picked until they reach your cup. There is a cute skit and a surprise wedding ceremony on the agenda.

Monday, July 1: Tortuga Island Cruise – This is my favorite tour. You will sail on a huge catamaran through many islands en route to an island with white sand beaches, green mountains, turquoise water, and tropical forests. I felt like I was on Survivor. After lunch, we snorkeled and played volleyball before returning.

As you can see from this schedule, you won't be bored. In case you still aren't convinced, allow me to tell you about the comp policy of Casinos Europa. With 30 hours of play (tournament time is included), you receive a free room and three free meals a day. Cocktails are complimentary, and fine wine is served with dinner if requested. In addition to free room and board, with 40 hours of play, you receive a 15 percent rebate on your airfare; 50 hours gets you a 20 percent rebate, 60 hours earns 25 percent, and 70 hours gets you a 30 percent air rebate, up to $300 maximum. A drawing for a Card Player Cruises poker cruise will be held during the championship event.

I am hoping you will join me for the next LJCC. For more information, feel free to E-mail me or call the U.S. marketing department for Casinos Europa toll free at (866) 295-4458 or (702) 947-4893.

For information about Card Player Cruises poker vacations, the World Poker Players Conference, the World Poker Industry Conference, or poker in Costa Rica, please contact me by E-mail at [email protected], or call the office at (888) 999-4880.