All discussion of Chicago-area "charitable" / "charity" poker is to take place in this thread. The creation of this thread was necessary because rampant trolling, mudslinging, rumors, accusations, etc., has destroyed legitimate attempts at discussion of these organizations and the poker games they run.

Going forward, claims made by posters regarding these organizations should be supported by links to information supporting those claims whenever possible. Also, just as everywhere else in the B&M Forum, trolling will not be tolerated. If you feel that a user has violated the B&M Forum guidelines or 2+2 Terms and Conditions, please use the Report Post function to alert the B&M Forum moderators. Thank you.

Background information can be found in the following threads:

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/27...hicago-444046/

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/27...-event-757099/

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/27...rities-622246/

Rockford Charitable Games will be running $130 WSOP super satellites May 8th. This event will be held at the Hawthorne Race Course in Stickney. According to their website they are expecting over 400 for this event. For anyone who wanted to take a shot playing in the main event. This is not a bad deal for only $130. This event will benefit the Autism Education Project Check their website for details.

The Windy City Poker Championship will air the final table held in Chicago Sunday May 2nd and May 9th. This show will be on Comcast Sports Net at 7:00 pm. This charity poker tournament was held December 18th and 19th at the Irish American Heritage Center. For more information or to see past shows go to the Windy City Poker Championship website.

all the players at rockford charitable games are fish

I keep telling them their great players. It's nice to encourage them to play well.

Cards in the air at .....???

12:30 according to the website.

There's a charity tournament in Joliet tonight, anyone here going?

Anybody going to White Pines on the 28th or Empress Banquets on the 29th? Play the cash games? I have overheard a couple people talking at an event about 2+2, but one was a cashier, and the other was playing in a tournament. I dont play the tournaments. So cash game players, you out there?

The one at Heroes West ? I'm planning on going .

Yeah that one, I'm almost certainly going. Do you go when they have their free leagues?

This is the first time I'm going . I live about 40 miles west . Are the players
any good ? When do the free leagues take place and how are they set up ?

There are a few that are good, mostly just okay.

Tonight you'll start with 2-3k in chips and blinds go up every 15 minutes (25-50,50-100,75-150, 100-200 with 25 ante...)

The free league is every Tuesday (not today due to the charity), with about 40-50 people a night. Top 3 get gift cards to the restaurant, top performers during the league's season get stuff. (IIRC it's like $300 dollars for first)

[

Tonight you'll start with 2-3k in chips and blinds go up every 15 minutes (25-50,50-100,75-150, 100-200 with 25 ante...)



Do you know what percentage is going to the charity ? Also , will they
have dealers ? 15 minutes is a pretty fast structure .

This is a great question. It was asked in the other threads linked in the OP, but no one associated with any of the poker organizations gave a straight answer iirc.

I usually don't play if it is lower than 75% . I have held a few charitable
tournaments myself and always post the payout percentage as well as the
blind/chip structure in all flyers and handouts . On the club's website it has very little information and doesn't even say what charity it is .

I'm not sure, I'll have to ask one of the two bosses. (The guy who gives the opening speech and the lady working the computer are the employees of the poker group.)

They MIGHT have dealers, one out of four of the charity tournaments they ran they did have a few at most tables, it is usually self dealt not counting the final table where either the 2nd in command or a regular from the bar league will deal.

15 minutes is fast, but it's partially due to the rules they're under which state time's up at 12:30AM, and they won't get done in time with a better structure.

Oh, and one rule they do that I haven't seen done anywhere else is if you get moved to a new table and the BB hits your seat next, you can pass.

This tourney isn't CCG or RCG, it's ICE (Illinois Charitable Events, a pretty small group that only does about 1-2 tourney's a month not counting the 2.5 weekly bar leagues they run), and I don't think they have any official spokespeople on any boards.

I'm pretty sure its not a sat. for the main event. Its for 2K WSOP prize pkgs. (1K buy in,air fare,hotel,and some$$$)

I will be there!!! Already know what tourny im gonna play in when I go to Vegas!!!!

You are correct. The website has the $130 buy-in for the $2000 WSOP tournament package. I did hear they were running $130 satellites for the main event

Ok - some friends and I went to the event at Heroes West in Joliet tonight . I asked the guy running it what percentage of the buy-in went to the payout structure and he said 50% . He was very defensive about it and claimed that was "standard" . I never did find out what the charity was because it wasn't posted anywhere (bar website , flyers, etc. ) . I live about 40 miles west of Joliet and we have many charity tournaments in our area and 50% is far from the standard here . So we decided to drive 5 minutes away to Empress and play . Does anyone know how many people showed up to play ?

That's odd, doesn't sound like him. I'll ask him about how the % cut works next time I see him.

United Cerebral Palsy

What's the usual cut in your area?

37

In my area it is usually between 75%-85% . Also they listed their was a 50.00 b/I
with no rebuys or add-ons on the website . However when I got there they had some
thing they called a "bonus bag " which was 1k in chips for an extra 20.00 . To me ,
that is an add-on no matter what you call it . So I don't know if it was 50% of 70.00
or 50% of 50.00 . We usually have a buy in and then do a small add-on for add'l chips
and that is used to pay the dealers . In my area most of the tournaments are run by
the charity or club it benefits and because it's such a reasonable payout there is
usually a good turnout , typically 75-150 people .

That's pretty good, I'll ask them why it's not like that, if it's a local law thing or the charity says that's what they want.

By website, do you mean the Heroes website? It says on there

4/27 ~~ Texas Holdem Tournament...7pm
Entry Fee $50.00...No Addons...No Rebuys
Pre-regester and get your bonus bag for $20.00 "

I agree with that

I'll find out.

They don't have dealers, but that does sound like a pretty good turnout. I'll try and figure out why ICE does why they do it their way and push for changes if I can.

I have never heard of a "bonus bag" . If there are no dealers then what is it for ? Is that
what is used to pay the company running the tournament ? IMO you are better off to
take in a smaller percentage and try to get more players . The guy said 10% would
make the money so that means 4 people were paid out . I am going to assume that
1st place got somewhere between $225.00 and $250.00 . That's less than 5x's my $$ .
Truthfully the payout at my weekly home tournament is better than that for a $30.00
investment .

Company I think gets payed per head, so no.

Agree

Payouts IIRC were something like 500-250-150-75.

I hope to talk to their VP tomorrow and try and figure things out, hope you did well at Empress

So then it is 50% of the $50.00 B/I . I only stayed a few hours at Empress - was not
getting any cards (lost 20.00) and left . How close are you to Joliet ? If you are
interested in attending some tourneys over this way - let me know . There aren't too
many in the summer but will be many in the Fall and Winter .