$1 Million up for Grabs in Mansion Superstar Challenge FreerollThree Internet Qualifiers Will Face Todd Brunson, Gavin Smith, and John Gale |
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Earlier this month, Mansion Poker offered online poker players several free opportunities to qualify for the Mansion Superstar Challenge taking place July 3 at the Poker Dome in Las Vegas. Three Internet qualifiers will vacation in Sin City, then battle it out against poker 
professionals Todd Brunson, Gavin Smith, and John Gale, who also qualified online in two invitational events. Six players in all will compete for $1 million in a single-table Mansion Speed Poker shootout. Payouts will go to the top three players, giving each a 50-50 chance of finishing in the money. The whole thing will air on FSN on July 12. The first qualifying event was an invitational multi-table tournament with over 30 professional players. When the action was down to three, former European player of the year Dave Colclough, Italy's Luca Pagano, and Todd Brunson were the last men standing. They swapped chip leads several times, but after Colclough was eliminated, Brunson was able to edge out Pagano and take the first seat in the $1 million final.
The next phase was the nine-handed sit-and-go. Gavin Smith, Tony G, Marcel Luske, Scott Fischman, Kenna James, Harry Demetriou, John Gale, Mike Gratz, and Kirk Morrison were chosen to participate in a one-table tournament that would determine the other two seats in the $1 million challenge. Smith, with his usual humor, signed up under the screen name "Freddy Deeb." He came out swinging, securing an early lead, but then dumped stacks halfway
through the event. Kenna James and Scott Fischman were the first men out, but Marcel Luske and Tony G weren't far behind. Smith rebounded from the abyss and, by the time the action was down to four handed, he had his opponents out chipped by a 3-to-1 margin. In the end, John Gale earned the second spot and Smith held steady to take first place in the one-table event.
The amateur qualifiers will be flown to Las Vegas a week before the big game for an intensive 5-day poker boot camp at which poker pros will help them to prepare. And while a boot camp implies that players will be working harder, they'll be playing hard, too. Each student will be visiting the city's most exclusive restaurants, have access to 
celebrated bars and nightclubs, and gain entry into the biggest and most elite games in town.
As the final six players line up at the felt, expect the Mansion Superstar Challenge to be a no-holds-barred assault in a bid to be crowned the world's most up-to-the minute poker superstar. Brunson and Smith should guarantee some compelling TV poker viewing.
In a format designed to even the odds, the three online contestants will each start with more chips than their pro rivals, and each will also have a coach in his corner. These coaches will mentor their assigned protégés before and after the tournament. A unique twist to the format allows the poker mentors to intervene twice throughout the challenge, while each coach is allowed one 60-second timeout from the sidelines, to be invoked at any stage as crucial plays unfold.
The four hours of eye-opening televised poker will be filmed at the interim home of The Poker Dome at the Tropicana in Las Vegas. This will be a must-see for poker fans able to attend.
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