Ante up for Africa raises $500000

The praiseworthy initiative by Annie Duke and movie star Don Cheadle to raise funds for the Darfur refugees in the Sudanese crisis (see previous InfoPowa reports) received a boost of $500 000 following the special "Ante Up For Africa" tournament held at the World Series of Poker this week.

Entrants paid a buy-in of $5 000 each to play, and the money bubble extended to 18 players, with the main prize set at $243 893 and the 18th place paying $8 928.

Joint winners Dan Shak and Brandon Moran helped boost the charity contribution by generously giving up their winner rewards.

167 players, many of them celebrities, entered the event, with contributions earmarked for the Enough Project and the International Rescue Committee. Among those taking their seats at the tables were top poker and silver screen names like Phil Hellmuth, Jamie Gold, Joe Hachem, Ben Affleck, Jason Alexander, Hank Azaria, Matt Damon, Brad Garrett, Willie Garson, Mekhi Phifer, Adam Sandler and many others. Other luminaries included Charles Barkley, Andy Bloch, Justin Bonomo, Doyle Brunson, Chris Ferguson, Ted Forrest, Barry Greenstein, Howard Lederer, Katja Thater and Jennifer Traniello.