The ELLE 'Queens of Heart'
Team Goes All-In at the World Series of Poker Ladies Event
It's ladies' night at the 2006 World Series of Poker, as ELLE magazine
heads to Las Vegas with an all-star poker team to raise funds for
the American Heart Association. The ELLE "Queens of Heart"
team is captained by last year's WSOP champion Jennifer Tilly, who
is joined by actress Shannon Elizabeth and some of the country's
top female players.
Sponsored by PartyPoker.net and ELLE,
the "Queens of Heart" will be playing for the American
Heart Association's Go Red For Women campaign. The team hopes to
increase awareness of heart disease, the No. 1 killer of women and
will donate a percentage of winnings to the cause, which will be
matched by the team sponsors up to $5,000 each.
The Ladies Event is scheduled for
July 9-10, 2006, at the Harrah's Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas
and has seen a significant increase in popularity in recent years.
The 2005 event had three times as many women players as 2004, and
it is expected that 2006 will be the biggest year yet.
The "Queens of Heart" team will consist of Jennifer Tilly,
along with co- captain Lisa Tenner (at left), Shannon Elizabeth
(actress), Anne Spinetti (poker pro), Kristy Gazes (poker pro),
Alison Worth (model, actress, European pro player), Susan Genard
(producer/director of Taking a Shot), Lori Sale (head of global
branded entertainment at ICM), Allyn Jaffrey Shulman (corporate
counsel for Card Player Media), Hillary Kerr (ELLE), Karina Jett
(poker pro), Maureen Feduniak (poker pro), Linda Johnson (current
State of California Ladies Champion), Jan Fisher (poker pro), Jennifer
Leigh (poker pro), Wendeen Eolis (moonlighting poker pro), Katie
Porrello (actress, aspiring poker pro and former poker dealer),
Leslie Eichner (real estate), and Irina Cornides (Austrian poker
pro).
Commenting on the event, team captain
Jennifer Tilly said, "I was thrilled to win the Ladies Event
at the WSOP 2005 and as such, I am pleased to help bring awareness
to a disease that affects so many women globally.
Now when I play on the 'Queens of
Heart' team to support the American Heart Association's Go Red For
Women movement for this year's ladies event, it will mean so much
more to me personally."
"Heart disease is the number
one killer of women in America, but we have the power to change
this if women take action now to protect their health," said
co-captain Lisa Tenner. "Since 2003, The American Heart Association
has fostered the Go Red For Women campaign to inspire women to love
their hearts, but the battle is not nearly won. Out of all the worthy
causes in the world, this is the one that resonated most with our
team and particularly with me as my father died from this disease."
Carol Smith, ELLE senior VP/group
publisher, said, "Poker requires luck, strategy, style-and
brains to spare. I'm sure that ELLE will bring them all to Las Vegas
next month, when the 'Queens of Heart' arrive at the World Series
of Poker. We have an amazing team, and we thank all the players
for coming out to support the fight against heart disease in women.
With their help, we'll all be winners."
For more information on the "Queens
of Heart" and the World Series of Poker, visit www.elle.com/poker
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