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STARS TURN OUT IN FORCE FOR amfAR AND POKERSTARS CHARITY POKER TOURNAMENT IN THE BAHAMAS

ATLANTIS RESORT, PARADISE ISLAND, BAHAMAS, January 9, 2010 – A host of stars from the
world of entertainment and sport turned up to support the AIDS research charity amfAR at a special
poker tournament organized in the Bahamas by PokerStars.net, the world’s largest poker room.
Among the celebrities taking part were R&B singer Kelly Rowland, the former Guns N’ Roses lead
guitarist Slash, hip-hop star Nelly, 2008 Playboy Playmate Jayde Nicole, supermodel Joanna Krupa and
US talk show host Montel Williams. With half the tournament prize pool going direct to amfAR and many
players also making extra donations, the event raised well over $150,000 for charity.
Entrants in the $5k buy-in tournament also included tennis legend Boris Becker, former England
footballer Teddy Sheringham, Spanish football legend Poli Rincon, Estonian NBA star Martin Muursepp
as well as this year’s poker world champion Joe Cada and 11 other members of Team PokerStars Pro.
The winner was British oil rigger Spencer Benjafield, 24, one of five entrants who won their trip to the
Bahamas via online tournaments on PokerStars. He triumphed after beating eight players in the final:
Carlos Bernard – Tony Almeida in TV hit “24”, US talk show host Montel Williams, NHL Olympic medalist
Mats Sundin and Dutch hockey pro Fatima Moreira de Melo. As well as Team PokerStars Pros Luis
Medina, Leo Fernandez and Alex Gomes.
Benjafield, who gave a sizeable portion of his $37,500 prize to amfAR, said: “I just can’t believe it. I
never thought I would win. It’s been great meeting and playing with the celebrities and the pros. It will
take some time to sink in.”
Fashion designer Kenneth Cole, chairman of AmfAR, said: “We are very grateful to PokerStars for
teaming up with us. Thirty-three million people are living with AIDS; zero have been cured. But we
believe we will find a cure and every little bit helps. Just a few thousand dollars puts a therapist on the
ground who can treat thousands of people.”’
Team PokerStars Pro Alex Gomes, who came second, said: “Events like this are great opportunity for us
professional players to help people who really need it. Also it’s a very different kind of tournament when
you’re playing against celebrities and amateurs. It was a lot of fun.”
The amfAR event took place during the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA), a series of major poker
tournaments running January 4-14 at the Atlantis Resort and Casino in the Bahamas. More than 50
tournaments are scheduled over ten days offering millions of dollars in prize money. More than 1,529
people from all over the world entered the $10k main event making it the largest poker tournament ever
held outside of Las Vegas.
Founded in 1985, amfAR is dedicated to ending the global AIDS epidemic through innovative research.
With the freedom and flexibility to respond quickly to emerging areas of scientific promise, amfAR plays
a catalytic role in accelerating the pace of HIV/AIDS research and achieving real breakthroughs. amfARfunded
research has increased our understanding of HIV and has helped lay the groundwork for major
advances in the study and treatment of HIV/AIDS. Since 1985, amfAR has invested nearly $290 million
in its mission and has awarded grants to more than 2,000 research teams worldwide.
The event was filmed for television broadcast and also aired in a live web broadcast on PokerStars.tv.

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