$3.5m poker prize up for grabs

2006-04-19 16:00:00

The World Poker Tour's World Championship began yesterday and there is a $3.5 million prize up for grabs.

Over 600 players from around 40 different countries have converged in Las Vegas to try and stake their claim to part of the $15 million prize pool.

The event is being held at the Bellagio Hotel - made famous in the George Clooney film Oceans Eleven - and will include a host of famous players.

Card sharks such as Antonio "The Magician" Esfandiari, Phil Ivey and Men "The Master" Nguyen will compete in the No-Limit Texas Hold'em championship for a reported $3.5 million pot.

Gavin Smith, Mirage Poker Showdown winner, told USA Today: "I would say this is clearly the toughest tournament we play all year… When you have enough chips… this tournament gives you $50,000 to start with - you can outlast the bad beats and the cream rises to the top.

"Winning the tournament is very important to me. Besides the $3.5 million, it means that I would win Player of the Year and that would prove to people that Gavin Smith is for real."

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