Poker and Charity

Over the past two months, I have attended two poker events organised for charity, and I really wanted to mention them in my column as a big thank you to the poker players who supported them and also to those who worked so hard to organise them. Time and again, I am reminded of just how generous the poker community can be.



The AWOP (aworldofpoker) birthday bash took place on May 11 at the Sandcastle Casino, Blackpool. Set up a little more than a year ago, aworldofpoker has provided an online, up-to-date poker magazine that is now in the process of upgrading. As a thank you to its members, a night of entertainment was arranged, including a £40 tournament, bounties, and spot prizes donated by John Texas Hewston. Money raised during the night was to go to Donnas Dreamhouse, a Blackpool-based charity that provides holiday accommodations for terminally ill children and their families. For my part, the night also offered a practise audience for my new venture, after-dinner speaking.



A month on, and it was over to Dublin.



An idea began at a bar late one night. A year on, and it became a successful reality.



The Simon Poker Classic attracted 202 players, from as far as America, to the City West Hotel, Dublin.



From the initial conversation between Padraig Parkinson and Eamon Connolly, Fintan Gavin offered the support of poker events and Donal MacAonghusa set about running satellites around Ireland. Padraig had asked if we also could run satellites, and ended up taking 25 from the Swancote, Bridgnorth. If you know the size of Bridgnorth, or indeed any of the 25 players who came, you won't be surprised to learn that the takings at the bars back home dropped significantly that weekend.



Support for the event grew into a tough field of four bracelet holders, snooker players, and actors, and Jesse May even came out of retirement to play.



€20,200 was raised from the poker alone. Online sites PaddyPower and BoylePoker made donations and sponsored the event. Former World Champion Noel Furlong became the first winner of the Simon Poker Classic, with Beverley Pace taking second.



Speaking to Eamon the next day, I learned that plans were already being made for next year, with satellites being held all around Ireland and the UK.



The Dublin Simon Community is a charity that was initially set up as a soup run to help the homeless directly. Now it has grown to provide emergency and long-term accommodations, and specialist services such as detox and training.