In another twist to mainstream televised poker tournaments, CEO Entertainment and the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas are hosting the
CEO Poker Tournament Oct. 22-27.
World CEO Entertainment's William Peraza, Jr. believed there was a need to satisfy the competitive spirit of elite worldwide executives. He and President of
CEO Poker Maria Gomez organized the exclusively designed poker tournaments to do just that.
"CEOs are people too," says Peraza, "and World CEO Entertainment aims to ensure the public gets to see this firsthand via the unique events and televisions shows."
Hundreds of participants will compete next week in a series of live $1,500 no-limit Texas hold'em events at the Palms, followed by a $5,000 championship tournament. Cash prizes are expected to reach hundreds of thousands of
dollars, with a main event prize pool of over half a million dollars.
"
CEO Poker allows executives to exhibit the very talents and skills they use in a corporate environment at the poker table," said Peraza. "And just like the game of poker, strategy, knowledge, luck, and the psychology of bluffing are key in becoming successful in the business world."
Shortly after Peraza and Gomez introduced the idea to the poker and CEO community, hundreds of poker playing executives from around the world responded. Notable names already registered for the event include Tom Messener of Euro RSCG Worldwide, Golden Nugget owners Tim Poster and Tom Breitling, Steele Platt of Yardhouse Restaurants, Meir Strahlbert of Date.com Inc., and Bruce Buffer of Buffer Enterprises, Inc.
Buffer, emcee for Ultimate Fighting and brother of Michael Buffer, the man who trademarked the popular phrase, "Let's get ready to rumble," happened across an advertisement for
CEO Poker earlier this year. "I knew this was an event that was right up my alley, so I signed up right away."
Since
CEO Poker caters only to executives, Buffer wants to compare the skills, energy and intensity to that of the poker pros he's gone up against in the past. Playing poker since the age of 10, he began competing about five years ago along the circuit. "It's a different angle on the game of poker but the game is the same," said Buffer. "I like the concept."
He and hundreds of other competitors will compete next week for the ring and the money. But Buffer made it clear he intends to take down the prestigious title of, "Chairman of Poker" too.
"Winning is winning," said Buffer, "and I love to win."
The Palms tournament is open to spectators, and live events commentator Steve Cyr will be there to relate the action to the audience.
Click here for Card Player's CEO Poker Tournament event schedule.
Click here to register for the CEO Poker Tournament or go to http://www.ceopokertour.com for more details.
