Duncanville Firemen Need Your Semi-Legal Poker Help

Normally I wouldn\’t post about an event like this one. I might play in it, and then tell you all about my domination (or lack thereof) in semi-cryptic terms — but I wouldn\’t want to send players to a tournament without getting paid for the pimpage if doing so could potentially shut it down before it happens.

But two separate people have asked me to spread the word, at least one of whom has firsthand knowledge of poker legalities (or lack thereof), so … The Duncanville Fire Fighters Association is hosting a charity poker-ish barbecue next weekend to raise money to fund an Honor Guard that will perform at memorial services and firefighter funerals. But with just a few days to go before registration closes, they are worried they won\’t have enough players to hold the event, which was designed to pay out a $10,000 first prize:

Click below for the details:

Texas Hold’em Charity BBQ Luncheon & Poker Tournament.
($20,000 in prizes)

(DEADLINE TO SIGNUP IS OCTOBER 8TH)

When: October 13, 2007
Where: VFW – Duncanville
702 E. Hwy 67, Duncanville, Texas 75137
Time: 11:30 am – BBQ lunch served
1 :00 pm – Poker tournament begins

DEALERS PROVIDED

Cost: $300 donation for entry into the luncheon. The poker tournament is free to anyone attending the luncheon. All proceeds benefit the Duncanville Fire Fighter’s Association and it’s many charities and social endeavors.

Prizes*:
First- $10,000
Second – $4,000
Third – $2,000
Fourth – $1,500
Fifth – $1,000
Sixth – $700
Seventh – $500
Eighth – $300

We must know the number of players to properly plan this event. Therefore, you must pre-register for this event. OCTOBER 8TH DEADLINE.

Please send check or money order to:

D.F.F.A
PO BOX 381389
Duncanville TX 75138

(INCLUDE NAME, PHONE NUMBER AND EMAIL ADDRESS)

Payout based on full participation . Tournament Director reserves the right to alter payout depending on the number of players.
For more info, email:

artie [at] 5thstreetclub.com

I sincerely hope it does happen — because they get plenty of players and the cops decide to leave their civil-servant brethren alone. Will be interesting to see what happens. Frankly, I think trying to stop this event could turn into something akin to Darth Vader killing Obi Wan … as stopping firemen from raising money by taking advantage of theoretically sound legal loopholes for the sake of nicer funerals wouldn\’t sit well with the people. But we\’ll have to see who if anyone raises a ruckus. It should be noted that a month or two ago, an annual tournament for a North Texas sheriff\’s department (sorry, not sure which one — Collin maybe? Kaufman?) was canceled because their pals in the Constables office threatened to bust it up as soon as cards went in the air.

(The constables? I wondered the same thing. Apparently they are real cops these days.)

Sounds like a good poker time put on by good people willing to challenge current interpretations of old, untested poker laws, no?