By
Dan |
Published
Aug 26 2008, 09:16 PM
This week on the PocketFives.com Podcast, we welcome poker pro Andy Bloch, who made headlines this week by being one of the featured guests at a fundraiser held by the Poker Players Alliance at Coors Field in Denver Colorado. The fundraiser was held during the Democratic National Convention, which was going on just a few miles away. Bloch, along with Barry Greenstein, represented the poker community. Ben Affleck, Paul Rudd, Sarah Silverman, and Seth Myers represented the Hollywood contingent. The event raised eyebrows nationwide and also raised money for the Paralyzed Veterans of America. An article about Affleck’s itinerary at the DNC, which included the PPA’s event, was one of the top stories on the Drudge Report on Monday. At the same time, the PPA created an abundance of goodwill for poker.
The fundraiser featured companies and individuals that purchased sponsorships which started at $250 and went all the way up to $7,500. The money raised went directly to the PVA, creating a buzz at Coors Field, home of Major League Baseball’s Colorado Rockies. The event really had two purposes: (1) raise money for a worthy charity and (2) show that poker players also contribute to society. Bloch comments on the second motive: “You have to do things in small steps. You can’t change 535 people’s minds overnight. You have to show members of Congress that poker isn’t dirty; it’s a legitimate activity for millions of Americans who enjoy the game without doing harm to themselves. It’s just like other activity that people do for entertainment. The government has no business stopping people from playing $5 tournaments in their homes or online.”
The Paralyzed Veterans of America is the real beneficiary of the PPA’s activities. Bloch describes why the non-profit was chosen as the charity for the event in Denver: “The PPA was looking for a good charity to team up with for this event. They didn’t want anything too political one way or the other. With the work that the PVA does, it fits well. They are a congressionally chartered veterans association and are dedicated to advocating and improving the quality of health care for paralyzed veterans. They also work to increase opportunities for them after their military service.” Read more about the PVA by visiting its website.
On Wednesday, September 3rd, the PPA will hold another charity tournament benefiting the PVA, this time in conjunction with the American Gaming Association. The site: Minneapolis, Minnesota, home of the 2008 Republican National Convention. The PPA’s Chairman, Alfonse D’Amato, is a former three-term Republican Senator from New York and has personally supported John McCain for President. Although Bloch won’t be attending that event, look for the tournament to be equally as publicized as its Democratic counterpart.
PocketFives.com asked Bloch where he thought poker would stand in 2009. He commented, “Over the next year, we’ll get a lot closer to getting laws changed on a federal level. I can’t promise that there will be a scheme in place by the end of next year, but hopefully the right people will get elected in November and the right people will get kicked out of office. Online poker isn’t evil. It’s really a civil liberty issue in terms of what people do for fun in the privacy of their own homes online.”
Bloch is a representative of Full Tilt Poker, one of the largest online poker rooms in the world. The poker veteran described why the site has become so popular: “Full Tilt has been innovative in adding new features like late registration for tournaments. With the pros that are associated with the site, you have a chance to play against the pros or play against people who want to play against the pros. You also know that there are people associated with the site who you can go to if you have any issues. I get emails all the time from a wide variety of people.”
Check out the entire PocketFives.com Podcast featuring Bloch and Daniel “Wretchy” Martin by clicking here. Become a member of the Poker Players Alliance today.
