Party Poker Million V on Holland America
The Party Poker Million V, the world's largest Limit Texas Hold'em
Online Tournament, has announced that this year it will include the
$250,000 World Blackjack Championships and a $50,000 slots tournament.
The entire tournament will be held aboard Holland America's MS Westerdam,
which will depart from Ft. Lauderdale, FL, on March 12th and return from
the cruise in the Caribbean on March 19th.
The tournament draws over 500 online players and top poker
professionals. The $10,200 buy-in event is known as the place where
online players go toe-to-toe with pros, and everyone goes home having
had a great time. The Party Poker Million V will award around $1 million
to the first place finisher.
Michael Gracz will be among the players who will board in Ft.
Lauderdale. Gracz is the defending champion, who claimed the first prize
in 2005, and capped his rookie year by winning a World Series of Poker
bracelet. He will be joined by Aaron Kanter, who finished fourth in the
World Series of Poker main event after entering the tournament through a
Party Poker satellite. Kanter, a former bank loan officer from Elk
Grove, CA., converted a $50 investment into $2 million. Gracz, a
24-year-old finance graduate of North Carolina State masterfully wore
down the field in last year's event and disembarked from the Party Poker
Million IV a millionaire. Runner up was David Minto, of Alamogordo, NM.
For all of the competitors, cruising to a victory is half the fun.
Participants, including players and their guests, will enjoy the
luxurious amenities of Holland America's MS Westerdam and the charms of
the two tropical ports of call, Grand Cayman and Jamaica. The MS
Westerdam is one of the premium cruise ships in Holland America's
elegant fleet. Guests experience a dazzling array of restaurants,
nightclubs and entertainment options. The ship features a sun deck, a
spa and salon, a fully-equipped fitness center, internet connectivity
and spacious staterooms. Conde Nast Traveler and Travel & Leisure
magazines have awarded it five stars.
The majority of players earned their spots in the The Party Poker
Million V by going to Party Poker and competing in $33 buy-in
preliminary tournaments. There were also sub-qualifying tournaments with
buy-ins of $5+1 and $10+1. Winners who qualified in those preliminary
satellite tournaments received a $13,500 package-that includes the
$10,200 buy-in to the finals, a cruise for two and spending cash.
Players began the tournament with $10,000.00 in chips and play until
they lost or until they made the final table on the fifth day. Players
closing in on the Party Poker Million V Championship will be sweating
out bets and bluffs that risk hundreds of thousands per hand.
In March 2004, Erick Lindgren vanquished the field and won $1 million. A
construction worker from Olympia, WA, Chris Hinchcliffe, took third
place for more than $400,000 in what he termed a "life changing"
experience. Both players entered the tournament by winning Party Poker
satellite tournaments. Poker legend Howard Lederer, of Las Vegas,
captured first prize in the Party Poker Million II and in the inaugural
tournament, Kathy Liebert of Las Vegas became the first woman ever to
win $1 million in a single poker tournament.
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