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Mekhi Phifer Charity to Highlight WPT Invitational

by , Feb 12, 2009 | 10:33 am

Comments (4)

Oh, the pure joy at seeing the news that Mekhi Phifer is teaming up with the WPT Invitational! Let the stalking begin! Once I was able to see past his name, I realized that the actual news is more than just his presence at the WPT Invitational.

Mekhi is teaming up with the WPT to benefit a charity for which he donates time as the chairman, The Vine Group USA, an organization that provides tools and assistance to academic institutions in English-speaking countries in Africa. And though money finishers at the WPT Invitational are allowed to play for their own charities, there is a new twist to make this year’s event even more charity-focused. There will be $200 rebuys allowed during the first two hours of the tournament, 100% of which will be donated to The Vine Group USA.

“The Vine Group USA is very pleased to partner with the World Poker Tour and Commerce Casino for the Invitational–this is an event that everyone loves to be a part of,” said Mekhi Phifer, actor and Chairman, TVG Board of Trustees. “Attendees will be able to have fun at the tables while learning about our organization and the important cause it supports.”

Might have to interview him about that…in person…face to face…at the WPT Invitational cocktail hour on February 28 before the tournament begins.


4 Comments to “Mekhi Phifer Charity to Highlight WPT Invitational”


  1. Kevin Mathers     says:
    February 12th, 2009 at 11:07am

    I wonder how some people will be happy to hear about the rebuys being added to a freeroll, no matter how noble Mekhi’s charity.


  2. California Jen     says:
    February 12th, 2009 at 3:18pm

    The entire event is mostly played for fun. No one considers it a major tournament with any prestige, but a place for poker fun with a chance to win a bit of cash for a good cause. It’s a freeroll that the WPT offers up at its own expense, so people who have complaints just shouldn’t play.


  3. Kevin Mathers     says:
    February 12th, 2009 at 3:28pm

    David Singer would be in the minority of that opinion.

    Phil Laak defeated David Singer, which set in motion the events that would lead to controversy at the WPT Invitational. Since Singer was eliminated by Laak, he was able to make the WPT Invitational on time to play in it. Laak stayed in Vegas to play the next round, but eventually showed up to the WPT Invitation on Day 2 with a stack of 8,000 left from the 10,000 that all players started with. Had Phil’s stack been in play the entire Day 1 and been blinded out, he surely would have less chips than that left. Singer, the constant captain of the rules-and-rulings committee at tournaments, made a big stink about the fact that they let Laak into the tournament, and with the amount of chips he had. He made derogatory remarks to Laak for over an hour, called over the Tournament Director multiple times, and made comments to Laak pretty much every hand.

    Of course, Singer is an incredibly huge nit.


  4. DanM     says:
    February 12th, 2009 at 4:20pm

    Hey, lookie there, our little watermark is working! Sorta …