Record Attendance Expected for 5th Annual Charity Poker Event

Proceeds raised will benefit Spokane Youth Sports Association
The Northern Quest Casino Celebrity Poker Tournament presented by Comcast is back and is teaming up with Spokane Youth Sports Association to make this year the best in its five year history.

The event will take place September 24th, in the Kalispel Ballroom at Northern Quest Resort and is open to the first 100 paid entrants plus approximately 20 celebrities.

Thanks to a partnership with SYSA and the help of former Gonzaga basketball star Dan Dickau, this year’s entry fee has been cut in half to just $250. With the reduced fee, organizers expect the poker tables to fill up to a record number.

While the entry fee has gone down, the cash prize pool of $10,000.00 has remained the same.

Cash prizes will be awarded to the top eight finishers. The tournament champion will walk away with $5000, the runner up will take home $2000, and the third place finisher will receive $1000 in prize money. Additionally, the 4th place participant wins $750, the 5th place participant gets $500, and those who finish in 6th-8th place will receive $250 each.

Each participant will receive one seat into the tournament and two tickets to the celebrity poker reception and will have the opportunity for pictures and autographs with the celebrities.

The celebrity poker reception will begin at 5:45. All the players will be seated by 6:55 pm, and the first hand of the tournament will be dealt at 7 pm.

Proceeds raised will benefit Spokane Youth Sports Association. SYSA is a non-profit organization with a long-standing commitment to providing quality youth sports experiences in a safe, organized, and professional setting for both youth and adults. SYSA’s mission is to provide sports activities for all youth where everyone plays, develops skills, is taught good sportsmanship, and learns the value of being a team player.  SYSA now involves over 8,000 boys and girls, and 800 volunteer coaches participating in various SYSA sport activities.

Celebrity attendees will be announced leading up to the tournament.

Click here to download the tournament entry form.

Dickau Makes Mad Ants Happy

Dan is averaging 16.2 points and 6.2 assists per game through five games with Fort Wayne. After joining the team in the midst of a three game losing streak, the former All American helped turn things around as the Mad Ants went on to win three consecutive contests. Dan’s best game occurred when he notched a double-double with 16 points and 11 assists in a 118-110 win against 2nd place Maine. Dickau’s veteran presence will be crucial for a young team looking to make a final push toward the playoffs.

Click here to follow Dan’s year with Fort Wayne

Mad Ants Acquire Dan Dickau

Fort Wayne, IN (February 15, 2010)-The NBA D-League's Fort Wayne Mad Ants announced today that they have acquired Dan Dickau from the Springfield Armor in exchange for Kyle McAlarney. Dickau will join the team for their home game against the Reno Bighorns.

McAlarney has played in all 28 games for the Mad Ants this season. He is currently ranked 6th in the league for 3 point field goal percentage, shooting 48% on the season.

SUNS ANNOUNCE DICKAU ADDED TO TRAINING CAMP ROSTER

PHOENIX - Dan Dickau has been added to The Phoenix Suns 2009 training camp roster. Dickau will join the team as they hold training camp on the campus of the University of San Diego from Sept. 29-Oct. 4.

Following a season playing overseas, Dickau is looking to get back to the NBA. He could be looked at as a good insurance policy in case Suns backup point guard Goran Dragic’s knee injury proves tobe worse than originally thought.

"This summer, I was just going to be as patient as I could," Dickau said following after playing
pickup games with the Suns. "There were other European teams that showed interest and wanted to make an offer. I told them I want to be as patient as I can, knowing there probably wasn’t going to be a guaranteed deal. But if I was patient, maybe there’d be a good opportunity to go to camp with a team. If you play well, you never know what happens." Read More »

Celebrity Poker Tournament Returns for 4th Year

Tournament to be held August 7th and feature cash prizes for the first time

Click here to sign-up for the 2009 Northern Quest Casino Celebrity Poker Tournament presented by Comcast

Spokane, Wash. – Idol Sports & Entertainment (formerly Northwest Sports & Entertainment) is pleased to announce that the Northern Quest Casino Celebrity Poker Tournament presented by Comcast will be returning to Spokane this summer and for the first time in its four year history, will feature cash prizes. The inclusion of prize money promises to add to the excitement of the evening which will feature former Gonzaga star Dan Dickau, along with numerous other celebrities, including current NBA players, professional poker players and Gonzaga University alumni.

Despite the slumping economy, cash prizes will be awarded to the top eight finishers. The tournament champion will walk away with $5000, the runner up will take home $2000, and the third place finisher will receive $1000 in prize money. Even more, the 4th place participant wins $750, the 5th place participant gets $500, and those who finish in 6th-8th place will receive $250 each.

Scheduled to participate for the fourth consecutive year is the 2008 World Series of Poker Player of the Year Erick Lindgren. Lindgren had a career year in 2008 that included a 3rd place finish in the Horse event ($781,440), 4th Place No-Limit 2-7 Draw ($156,151), and a first place in the Mixed Hold-em ($374,505) and more importantly his first ever Bracelet. He earned a total of $1,348,528 during an incredible WSOP run.

Gavin Smith, another star from the world of professional poker, is also scheduled to appear. Known for his talkative, unconventional and aggressive style of play, Smith is one of the most popular players on tour. He was WPT’s Mirage Poker Showdown Champion and the 2006 World Poker Tour Player of the Year and has well exceeded $5 million in career earnings since turning pro in 1998.

The event will take place August 7th, in the Northern Quest Casino’s Main Ballroom. This experience is open to the first 100 paid entrants plus approximately 20 celebrities from the basketball world, mixed with world championship poker players. Entry is $500. Each participant will receive one seat into the tournament and two tickets to the celebrity poker reception before hand with an opportunity for pictures and autographs with the celebrities. As a charity tournament, proceeds raised will be donated to local charities in the Spokane area.

The celebrity poker reception will kick off the event, and will begin at 5:45. All the players will be seated by 6:55 pm, and the first hand of the tournament will be dealt at 7 pm.

RULES: Northern Quest Casino Celebrity Poker Tournament Official Rules