Andy Beal Really Is Back to Wynn

Just as Michael Jordan announced his retirement from the NBA then resurfaced, Andy Beal boarded a plane from Dallas, Texas on Saturday evening and returned to Las Vegas to again face off against The Corporation.

Last week, in an official statement provided by the Public Relations Department of Beal Banks, Craig Singer stated that, "Andy Beal will not be participating in the 2006 NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship and he's done with poker for good."

NBC confirmed that Beal had declined his invitation to the NHPC while in Las Vegas during last week's match against The Corporation. However, a credible source informed Card Player on Saturday at 6 p.m. PST that Beal was on a plane to Las Vegas to continue the high-stakes-limit-hold'em-heads-up matches that have peaked the interest of poker enthusiasts and become media fodder over the past several years.

So much for Beal's "official" five-day retirement from poker that ended only moments before Monday's Super Bowl. It might be that he wishes to protect his privacy, or he could have released the statement in order to garner more press. Either way, we're glad to see him back.

Todd Brunson had this to say, "Yesterday everyone was asking me if Andy would ever be back after saying he was done with poker. We didn't have to wait long. Andy is in Vegas and Jen will play him tomorrow followed by myself on Monday. Wish us luck."

It appears the banker made famous in Michael Craig's book The Professor, The Banker and the Suicide King will single handedly challenge the professional poker players who aggregate their money and match it against his in another spirited game of limit Texas hold'em.

David is again ready to do battle with the Goliaths of poker and he's developed a fan base that rivals that of the actual celebrity professionals he faces on the felt. Beal fans everywhere may again revel in the news that Andy Beal is back to "Wynn" and returning to play "the richest poker game of all time."

See related article "Andy Beal is Finished Playing Poker"

For Beal vs. The Corporation updates and last week's results, CLICK HERE