More than 500 players and 40 teams participated in last weekend's 2010 Poker Throw Down hosted by professional poker player Jennifer Harman and the Peppermill Casino in Reno. The event raised over $200,000 for the National Kidney Foundation. Jeff Harrington was the overall champion, taking home a slew of prizes, the first place trophy, and receiving a $10,000 entry to this year's World Series of Poker. Despite the large playing field and turbo charity structure, Harrington seemed destined to win.
Harrington warned his competitors that he'd be playing "any queen," as the face card represents the same name he fondly uses to describe his wife Patti. In 1993, Patti Harrington suffered kidney failure and received an organ donation from her sister the next year. By 2005, she was in need of another transplant. Medical testing declared her son Todd a match, and on Valentine's Day that year, he gladly sacrificed one of his own kidneys to save his mother's life.
High profile participants included host Jennifer Harman, Howard Lederer, Andy Bloch, Antonio Esfandiari, Hoyt Corkins, David "The Maven" Chicotsky, Gavin Smith, Cyndy Violette, Mark "P0kerH0" Kroon, Mark Gregorich, Paul Wasicka, Gary "Debo" DeBernardi, Pam Brunson, Marsha Waggoner, Karina Jett, Kristy Gazes, Susie Isaacs, Bryan Devonshire, David Plastik, Annie LePage, Lee Watkinson, "The Sopranos" Robert Iler, "Saved By The Bell" Dennis Haskins, VH1 Host Craig "CJ" Jackson, US Olympian Ross Powers, Lacey Jones, two-time Olympian Nate Holland, Sam "Mindset Guru" Chauhan, "Real World" Trishelle Cannatella, "The Backup Plan" Jennifer Elise Cox, and World Champion snowboard icon Jeff Brushie.