Aruba Poker Classic Premiers on GSNFinal Table Players Compete For $2.6 Million Prizepool |
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The UltimateBet.net Aruba Poker Classic will air on Friday, Dec. 8, at 10 p.m. on GSN.
Celebrating its fifth year as the longest-running poker tournament on television, the APC saw over 1,000 UB qualifiers and their guests make the
annual nine-day trek to Palm Beach, Aruba. More than 500 players participated in the no-limit Texas hold'em championship event, but only six of them made it to the final table. The one-hour episode will feature Jason Atwood of Tualatin, OR; Jared Brintz of Tampa, FL; Terry Eischens of Shakopee, MN; Cliff Josephy of Syosset, NY; Devon Miller of Los Angeles, CA; and Joe Sebok of San Francisco, CA, in a scrimmage for $2.6 million in prize money. Phil Hellmuth will call the action, while Annie Duke provides commentary.
Over the years, UB has cultivated several of its own online superstars, with veteran representatives Antonio Esfandiari, James Worth, and Freddy Deeb enjoying the limelight during the Aruba event. This year they headed a seminar, participated in several exhibitions, and joined fans at the poker tables for some hair-raising casino action. 
Devin Porter (otherwise known online as "TranquilChaos") was introduced as UB's newest team member and popular online players like MrMondo, Johnny Bax, Devilfish, Debo, Knucklehead, and P0kerH0 made their annual APC appearance. To UB fans, these players are the heart and soul of online poker and have been around since the beginning.
The annual island getaway has become the online poker community's version of spring break, and though the 2006 APC didn't experience a crush of celebrities, it had little effect on attendance. The APC fraternity reveled in a jam-packed schedule of carefully planned events, while creating spontaneous moments of their own entertainment.
UB and the Ultimate Blackjack Tour sponsored two lavish banquets featuring live music (including a blues concert performed by "Devilfish" and the band he hijacked) and a parade, (yes, an Aruban cultural parade, and not the mambo-line of colorful UB characters that donned wigs, were draped in beads, or sported exaggerated tropical attire). Other activities included daily shopping sprees, nightly Aruban and Argentinean dinner tours, the annual staff catamaran sail, and a satisfying raid on Phil Hellmuth's private party in his Radisson suite.
Several popular online qualifiers have won up to 11 seats to the APC championship and have passed them out to friends and family. Others bid annually for discounted packages. The APC has become a ritual of sorts. So while many players strive all year to qualify online and battle it out for millions of dollars at the APC championship, many admit they compete year around in the $30 online tournaments just to win next season's airfare and accommodations.
For all the action, tune into the UltimateBet.net Aruba Poker Classic on Friday, Dec. 8, at 10 p.m. on GSN.
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