Harman’s Charity Tourney a Rousing Success

On Friday, April 18, 271 poker players, celebrities, athletes, and fans took to the poker tables at the Venetian in Las Vegas for the second annual Jennifer Harman Charity Poker Tournament.  The $300 + $30 re-buy event was organized to raise money for the Nevada Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA).   

And raise money it did, collecting over $325,000 for the no-kill animal shelter through buy-ins, donations, and auction proceeds.  Several players ponied up extra money before even needing to re-buy: Phil Ivey gave $5,000, Dan Shak gave $2,500, and David Benyamine produced a single chip, albeit a $1,000 chip from the Bellagio.  Noah Schwartz made $4,600 worth of actual re-buys.   

One highlight, among money, was Mark and Cheryl Scott of Sahara Coins and Extraordinary Collectibles placing bounties on several players’ heads.  The bounties were quite generous.  Harman’s bounty was a 1924 Saint Double Eagle coin, Doyle Brunson’s was an autographed 1934 Final Print $1,000 bill, Howard Lederer’s was a 1923 Binion’s Hoard Silver Dollar, and Phil Ivey’s was a 2006 10 oz. Silver Australian Lunar year of the Dog.  Mr. Scott also placed a bounty on his own head, 1892 mint state Double Eagle gold coin, valued at $2,500.   

Seth Dupre, a recreational poker player, was the winner of the tournament.  He won a crystal trophy designed by Jennifer Harman herself, a Curtis & Co. watch worth $2,000, and the big prize, a $10,000 in the Main Event of the 2008 World Series of Poker.  Dupre plans to donate a portion of his winnings from the WSOP, should there be any, to the NSPCA. 

Last April, Harman raised close to $130,000 for the NSPCA in her first charity tournament.