London Lad Strikes It Lucky!

Released on: April 9, 2009, 2:25 am
Author: Virgin Games
Industry: Entertainment

London, 6th April, 2009 – Following the success of last year’s poker festival in the city, Virgin Poker held its second Newcastle poker event at Aspers Casino over the weekend. Over 200 poker enthusiasts took part in the exciting two-day live tournament setting sights on the impressive prize pot of over £30,000.

Having won a place at the tournament via a €150 buy-in at Virgin Poker, players at the main event took part in a Texas Hold’em No Limit Freezeout extravaganza to compete for their share of the prize pot. Ross Javis, London based journalist who writes for Poker Player magazine was the chip leader as he entered the final table and maintained his lead throughout the final leg securing him the Virgin Poker festival title and the impressive top prize of £7,000. Kris McLackland from Newcastle put up a good fight and walked away with second place prize money of £5,500.

To add a Virgin twist to the tournament, players in the main event were given the chance to knock-out professional poker opponents whose heads carried bounties of fantastic Virgin giveaways. Prizes included Virgin Rally Driving Days & Virgin Hot Air Ballooning.

For those not lucky enough to win a seat in the main tournament, there were a variety of side events on offer to give everyone the opportunity to get involved - regardless of their poker playing abilities. Practice tables offered ‘live play classes’ for less experienced players, whilst a Wii bowling battle for those who still wanted to prove their competitive streak.

Joe Legge, Poker Manager for Virgin Games Poker, said: “It was great to return to Aspers Casino for a second time and bring the fun of the Virgin Games experience to the people of Newcastle. Local residents, poker professionals and the Virgin Games staff entered into the spirit of the weekend and dressed to impress – outfits included, Newcastle football strip, a Las Vegas show girl and another wore a horse’s head to celebrate the Grand National. It’s all slightly crazy but all part of the fun and what makes the festivals such a great experience!’

For further images and information on the Virgin Poker Festivals visit http://www.virgingames.com/poker/festival.aspx

- Ends -

Main Event – Winners

Place Prize Winner
1st £7,000 Ross Jarvis
2nd £5,500 Kris McLackland
3rd £4,000 Andy Edgington
4th £3,000 Brian Clarke
5th £2,500 Richard Potts
6th £2,000 John Crawford
7th £1,500 Krzysztof Zawierucha
8th £1,000 Dave O’Connor
9th £750 Glenn Hopley
10th £400 Simon Kinnaird

Player Bounties - Winners

About Virgin Games
Virgin Games, a subsidiary of Virgin.com Ltd, launched in June 2004 and has quickly established itself as one of the leading gaming websites in the UK. Virgin Games comprises three distinct entertainment offerings, giving consumers the chance to play their favourite online games the Virgin way:

• Virgin Casino, part of the Wagerworks network, provides a taste of Vegas online, with classic casino offerings like blackjack and roulette, as well as popular feature slots like Elvis, Cleopatra and Vegas, Baby!
• Virgin Poker, part of the Boss Media network, offers a huge array of games and content for beginners through to experienced pros – as well as the most generous loyalty scheme in the industry. The successful Virgin Poker Festivals, which take place in casinos around the UK throughout the year, now allow gamers to experience the fun of Virgin Poker offline too
• Virgin Bingo, part of the St Minver network, offers cash prizes worth thousands of pounds in the progressive jackpots, as well as regular promotions and an unrivalled loyalty scheme

For further information please contact:
Melissa Robinson
Nelson Bostock Communications
Tel. 020 7792 7436
Email melissa.robinson@nelsonbostock.com