PokerStars’ Charity Effort, MCOP Latest, Crown Resorts Expanding

PokerStars to Help Typhoon Victims

In an effort to help the victims of Super Typhoon Haiyan, PokerStars has pledged to match every dollar donated by poker players. Working through their charitable axis, Helping Hand, and in conjunction with Care International, PokerStars has created a selection of dummy tournaments with buy-ins ranging from $1 to $1,000.

By registering for one of the tournaments a player won’t actually be given a chips stack and a chance to play for a prize, but they will be actively donating to the relief effort in the Philippines. What makes this deal even more appealing is that PokerStars will match all donations in an effort to support those in need.

For players who want to donate more than $1,000, or simply want to transfer a personalised amount, a special account has been set-up to accept peer-to-peer transfers. To donate using this method, players simply have to initiate a player transfer using the ID: “Typhoon Fund”.

Master Classics in Full Swing

The Master Classics of Poker Main Event welcomed 48 of its 298 starters back to the felt today for a third day of action inside the Holland Casino.

Leading the way after a surge of positive variance on Day 2 was Englishman Charlie Combes with a 460,000 chip haul. While that stack was enough to put him at the head of the pack at the close of play, a stellar field of grinders, including Noah Boeken (418,000) and Ole Schemion (400,000), were all nipping at his heel when the action resumed earlier today.

Indeed, at the time of writing just 30 players were still fighting for the €306,821 top prize. To check out which pros are still in contention, click here for a live stream.

Crown Casino Heading for Sydney

Crown Resorts Ltd. the company behind one of the world’s best known gaming establishments, the Crown Casino, has just been granted final approval to develop a new property in Sydney.

According to Iain McDonald of Bloomberg Businessweek, the casino company will sit alongside The Star Casino which is currently the largest operator in the region.

James Packer, the Chairman of Crown Resorts Ltd., was pleased with approval and recently stated: “I am humbled that we have reached formal agreement with the New South Wales government. We believe that Crown Sydney will help attract Asian high net worth travellers to Sydney, in particular from China, creating economic growth, extra taxes and over 1,200 jobs for the people of New South Wales.”

When the project gets underway it’s expected that around 1,250 construction jobs will be created and by 2025 the casino will have increased the state’s annual product by around AUD$442 million per annum.