Phil Galfond may be in the middle of a high-stakes match against VeniVidi1993 but that doesn’t mean the new coronavirus crisis has escaped his attention.
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Phil Galfond and Run It Once are doing their bit to help during the coronavirus crisis by hosting a charity heads-up tournament. (Image: Run It Once)
With online operators realizing that it’s time to use the current spike in activity to give something back, Galfond has acted.
Through his poker site Run It Once, the American will host a 32-player heads-up charity tournament on April 11. Starting at 15:00 UTC, the event is a chance for players and poker fans to raise money for low-income families in Las Vegas.
Run It Once Supporting Las Vegas
The Las Vegas strip is currently on lockdown and its once bustling casinos are empty. With the home of poker facing a financial crisis due to the coronavirus pandemic, people are starting to act.
To help the cause, Galfond and Run It Once have partnered with Double Up Drive. The organization is matching up to $500 of every donation made to the GiveDirectly COVID-19 Emergency Drive. That pledge means at least $250,000 will go to Las Vegas residents in need.
To add some extra spice to the charity tournament, Galfond has drafted in some of his high-stakes pals. Joining Galfond in the heads-up battle will be the likes of Dan Smith, Ben Sulsky, John Cynn and Parker Talbot.
16 of the 32 sports have been filled by pros, meaning 16 amateurs can join the action. Filling the remaining spots will be the eight biggest donors. At the time of writing, the largest donations ranged from $500 to $5,000.
Additionally, eight people that made any donation of $1 or more will be selected at random to play on April 11.
Event Open to All as Poker Community Antes Up for Charity
What’s unique about the tournament is that players from the US, Italy, Spain and other restricted countries can also enter. By making it a free-play event, Run It Once has been able to open up the tournament to regions that usually can’t access the site.
To keep the donations flowing as the action unfolds, the COVID-19 Charity HU Tournament will be streamed on Twitch. Pledges can be made during the broadcast as 32 players become one.
As well as bragging rights, the winner will receive a prize package courtesy of Run It Once. While the pros involved may not need it, the rest of the field will have a chance to win free training aids from Run It Once.
With the coronavirus affecting individuals as well as business in Las Vegas, moreover the world, now is the time to help. Online poker is booming, which is why operators and players are, once again, anteing up for good causes.
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