Poker for the Homeless (formerly Simon Poker Day) is set to return in early 2009 with the support of some of Europe’s leading online poker rooms at the PartyPoker.com Irish Poker Championship.The €330 charity event, which has so far raised over €100,000 for homeless charities in Ireland, takes place on the final day of the festival, Sunday January 4, 2009, and will see a host of big name players take to the felt including Noel Furlong, Mike Sexton, Kenna James, Dave 'Devilfish' Ulliott, Marty Smyth, Scott Gray, Ciaran O’Leary, Mad Marty Wilson, and Surinder Sunar.
Although €100 from each buy-in will go directly to the charity, many of Europe’s leading online poker rooms are digging deep with Party Poker, Ladbrokes, Boyle Poker, Bruce Poker, and Poker Trillion having offered generous support for the fundraising tournament.
Padraig Parkinson (pictured), one of the organisers of Poker for the Homeless, said, “We’re moving to Galway for this event and are very grateful for all the support we’ve had from our sponsors. Local homeless charities will benefit directly from this event and, as usual at an Irish tournament, we plan to have some fun along the way.”
Previous winners of the event include former world champion Noel Furlong and Waterford man Pat Storan.