2005 January 15 Poker News, Events and Happenings

World Series of Poker owner Harrah’s has taken a number of significant initiatives over the last week in an effort to strengthen it’s relations with the professional poker community. To begin with a $50,000 HORSE event was added to the 2006 WSoP schedule. Secondly Jeffrey Pollack was appointed as "Commissioner of the World Series of Poker". Finally a player advisory panel was created to give the players a formal "voice" in the organization of the World Series.

Steve Paul-Ambrose, a 22 year-old student from the University of Waterloo in Canada, won PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) late last week. The third edition of the tournament was hosted by Kerzner International’s famous Atlantis Resort and Casino on Paradise Island (Bahamas). Paul-Ambrose won $1,363,100 and a seat into the WPT Championship event worth $25,000, after qualifying in one of PokerStars online satellites for just $100.

William Hill, one of Britain’s top bookies, and Sky Sports have reached an agreement for the broadcast of the inaugural $800,000 William Hill Poker Grand Prix, starting on Tuesday, January 17th. The much praised poker tournament will air in eight weekly two-hour episodes plus one three-hour final episode. A second run of the series will follow later this year on Channel 425. There will also be a one-hour behind-the-scenes documentary narrated by Victoria Coren.