18A THE UNIVERSITYDAILY KANSAN
NEWS
MONDAY AUGUST 16,2004
Poker's popularity grows; Moneymaker to play in K.C.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A few years ago casinos across the United States were closing their poker rooms to make space for more popular and lucrative slot machines.
But the improbable triumph in 2003 of a 27-year-old accountant from Tennessee, who beat some of the world's greatest professional players on national television, sent the country into a poker frenzy.
Anybody who watches ESPN probably already knows the story.
A man named Chris Money-
maker won a $40 Texas Hold 'Em
poker tournament on the Internet,
qualified to play in the World
Series of Poker in Las Vegas, then
outlasted a colorful cast of charac-
ters to win $2.5 million.
"When the World Poker Tour got into television and used technology to show the hole cards, it sparked enormous interest in poker," said Gary Thompson, spokesman for Harrah's Entertainment in Las Vegas. "Americans are very competitive people."
"Even after I won the tournament, I didn't believe it would do what's it's done. I had several people tell me I'm going to change the face of poker."
Chris Moneymaker
Poker winner
You can't compete with Tiger Woods on a golf course, or a heavyweight boxer in the ring, but you can compete at a poker table and knock out a world champion."
The skyrocketing popularity of the game prompted Harrah's to buy Binion's Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas earlier this year, and with it, the rights to the World Series of Poker. Thompson said Harrah's, which owned 28 casinos nationwide, recently opened
It plans to add four more at other casinos.
poker rooms at three of its Midwestern casinos.
Harrah's has capitalized on Moneymaker's star status by giving poker players around the nation a chance to compete against the former world champion.
Moneymaker is scheduled to be at the Kansas City, Mo., casino on Aug. 22, and recently played at a similar event at the Harrah's in St. Louis.
"Even after I won the tournament, I didn't believe it would do what it's done," said Money-maker, who four months ago quit his accounting job and became a professional poker player. "I had several people tell me I'm going to change the face of poker."
He did more than that. He became the face of poker. Several Harrah's billboards near interstate highways in Kansas City feature up-close pictures of Moneyup during the penultimate moments of the 2003 tournament.
Harrah's Kansas City casino
Both casinos had poker rooms when they opened a decade ago, but Harrah's shut its live poker tables down in June 1998, and Isle of Capri closed its room in 2000.
opened a poker room on July 15, two weeks after the Isle of Capri opened one at its Kansas City property.
"The popularity of what we have now has mushroomed based on what people see on television," said Tracy Owens, spokesman for Ameristar Casinos, which operates a casino in Kansas City.
"In Kansas City, the poker room is packed on weekends, with 160 to 150 people playing, and on a typical weeknight, we have upwards of 80 to 100 people."
There are signs that poker may have staving power.
A Wichita company earlier this year created the Amateur Poker League, which provides cards, poker chips, table tops and a uniform scoring system to bars for about $225 a night.
Participants get the same amount of chips—for free—and
play until one person wins them all.
Shawn Riley, one of the owners of the Amateur Poker League, said there are about 14,000 registered APL players at 150 locations in Kansas, Missouri, Texas, Chicago and California.
He said about 150 to 200 new members were added each day.
"We were a little concerned about how this would take off in casino towns like Kansas City," Riley said. "But it's doing very well. It's a good place to practice, and you don't lose your rent."
The bars make more money from increased food and drink sales on nights that typically were slow before the poker was offered.
Similar types of games in other states, though, have faced legal problems.
In Minnesota, a bowling alley offered free poker games in which patrons could win prizes such as hats and T-shirts.
But the games were found to be illegal because organizers profited from increased food and
Bar owners in South Dakota Connecticut and Wisconsin also were warned that hosting poker games violated state laws.
drink sales.
In all of those cases, businesses were offering the games in response to demand from customers.
"There's a whole new generation of poker players out there," said Phil Maggio, a pit manager at Harrah's in Kansas City. "A lot of them only know about no-limit hold 'em because that's what they see on TV."
Dave Folks, 55, of Kansas City, who was playing an afternoon game of Texas Hold 'Em recently at Harrah's, said he welcomes the new players who think they can win at the casino after watching the game on television.
"Anybody who watches poker on TV and tries to copy how they play is extremely misled," said Folks, who was wearing a hat he won on the Internet site, ultimatebet.com. "They don't realize that you probably fold 70 percent of your hands if you're a good player."
VOLUNTEERS: four groups aid freshmen, ease moving mayhem
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A
Members kept their sorority identities secret so new women would not develop bias towards a particular house.
Another group that helped on Saturday was the Hall Orientation Team, made up of volunteers from the residence halls. Rachel Rumble-Comerford, assistant director for residence life and advisor to the Association of University Residence Halls, said there were close to 70 total volunteers for the weekend, with 26 of them working Saturday.
She said the team was mostly
"He packed up everything on a
cart and hauled it up to
cart and hauled it up to my room. It was awesome."
Caitlin Daly
St. Paul, Minn. freshman
made up of freshmen, sophomores and juniors.
After going through training sessions Thursday night and all day Friday, team members were
expected to help with move-in days and Hawk Week, including Rock-A-Hawk and Union Fest.
Team members said there were many benefits of volunteering to help students move in this year. Lon Amick, Overland Park sophomore, said being on the team was a great way to meet people.
"You get to meet people from other dorms and get to know them," Amick said. "It's a good friendship builder."
Another benefit was moving in a couple days early, ahead of the Sunday rush.
The Department of Student
Housing allowed members to move into their rooms on Thursday so they could begin training that evening.
For those who were sophomores and juniors, avoiding the dreaded move-in Sunday was a welcome change.
On Sunday, many volunteers, including the Hall Orientation Team, flooded residence halls, much to the unexpected delight of students and parents. Caitlin Daly, St. Paul, Minn., freshman, said she started moving in at 8:30 a.m. and she was surprised to find a volunteer waiting to help.
"He packed up everything on
a cart and hauled it up to my room," Daly said. "It was awesome."
Chris Foltz, Lenexa freshman, said moving in was a lot of work and the volunteers came as a surprise.
He said the overall move-in experience was not as bad as he thought it would be.
Roney started the day at Templin Hall, but made her way through most of the other halls.
When she was not doing the move-in routine, she spent time introducing herself and getting to know the students and their families.
Many of the other volunteers agreed that meeting new people was one of the biggest reasons
they helped their fellow students.
Rumple-Comerford said the move-in also gives the association a chance to encourage further involvement in the residence halls.
She said that all five students on the executive board were Hall Orientation Team members at one time and she estimated that between 75 and 80 percent of team members continue to be involved in their residence halls.
"Our main goal is to not only have a smooth move-in, but also to promote student leadership," Rumble-Comerford said.
Edited by Bill Cross
Leasing Specials
Studios from $370
1 BR's from $400
2 BR's from $460
3 BR's from $660
4 BR'S from $850
Give us a call to set
up a showing or visit
our website for futher
details on
available properties.
841-5533 ApartmentsInLawrence.net
2111 KASOLD DR.
Large Floor Plans
Studios, 1, 2, & 3 BR
Exercise Facility / Pool
W/D Hook-ups and onsite Laundry
Water Paid
EVERYTHING BUTICE BEDS·DESKS CHEST OF DRAWERS BOOK CASES
Eddingham Place
24th & NAISMITH Large 2 BR $550-560 Exercise Facility / Pool Onsite Laundry Cable Paid
841-5533
928
unclaimed freight & damaged merchandise · 936 Mass.
The Etc. Shop
The Look of Lawrence
- Brighton® Leather Goods -
- For Men & Women
For Your Work
Handbags • Wallets • Belt • Briefcases
Dayplaners • Shoes • Watches
Jewelry • Brighton Sunsplands, etc.
- Sunglasses -
Ray Bank®, Jones New York
- Gifts -
**Gifts**
Inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright,
Rennie Madden, Leviathan Lamps,
Art Glass, Ties, Clocks,
Mice & Stained Glass Lamps
Jewelry
Huge Selection of Sterling Silver, Swiss Army Watches, Custom KU Jewelry, Union Jeans
wallets
The 928 Mass Downtown Lawrence
Etc. (785) 843-0611
Shop
Italian Bracelets
sterling silver
846 Illinois Lawrence, KS
843-6411 Hours by appt. M-I
vanity BEAUTY SHOP
"Where looking good is understood"
Special with Carl
$5 off
Shampoo, Cut & Style
(reg. $25.00)
Open Evenings by Appointment
Old Towne Square
9th & Illinois
KU Student Savings with current KU ID
Don't Throw your Money Away in the "Lease Game"
Free Home Buying Seminar
August 21, 10 AM to Noon Lawrence Visitor Center 102 N.3rd St, North Lawrence Call 1-800-754-4023.ext.1759 to register or visit
Here's HOWE to help you find FREE HOUSING!
to register, or visit:
free.ThomasHoweOnline.com
REECE & NICHOLS ACRES REALTY, LLC.
Thomas Howe
Your Realty Consultant
1127 Iowa
785-842-2772
NEW! Salads & Sandwiches To Go
Take your taste buds on a tour of Europe!
Variety of Select Cheeses & Meats
Fine Patés
Caviar
Variety of Herbal & Black Teas
Jams, Preserves, and Fruit Syrups
Chocolates from all over Europe
Swedish Coffee
Orangina Soda
Haribo Gummies
French Soaps & other European Gifts!
Come visit us Monday - Saturday,10-6 Thursday,10-8 Sunday,12-5
au Marche
the European market
931 Mass. St
865-0876
www.aumarche.com
a
---
1
1