Calgary to host Canadian open poker championship
10th January, 2008
This year's Canadian open poker championship is to take place in Calgary in March, according to local press reports.
From the 5th-9th of the month, poker players will battle it out at the Deerfoot Inn and Casino in what looks set to be the venue's first televised tournament.
General manager at the casino Mike Stoddard said that he and his team were "incredibly excited" about the upcoming event.
"We have had private poker tournaments in the past. We see this as just taking that to the next level," he added.
Some top players expected to head to Calgary to take part in the tournament include Antonio "The Magician" Esfandiari, Andy Bloch and Huck Seed, the World Series of Poker Main Event winner in 1996.
Kelly Kellner, president of headsUpEntertainment, which is hosting the championship, said: "What we're really hoping to do is really build the market of poker in Canada because it is such an exciting country - there's some great players.
"There's been a lot of talk about poker over the last few years. Poker hasn't levelled off or peaked. It is growing exponentially. Events are selling out."
