WSOP chip leader goes all-in for charity

News / Matthew Pitt / 22 October 2008 / Leave a comment

The chip leader of the 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event, Dennis Phillips, has put the 117-day break in play to good use by attempting to raise money for a charity close to his heart, writes Matthew Pitt.

Phillips had already showed his charitable side during the summer, when he promised 1% of his winnings to the "Put a Bad Beat On Cancer" campaign, started by poker superstar, Phil Gordon during play at the Rio. However, another charity is closer to the truck-company account manager's heart.

A decade ago, Phillips' brother was diagnosed with the autoimmune condition, Multiple Sclerosis, an incurable disease that attacks the Central Nervous System, often leaving the patient with cognitive and physical disabilities and it is an MS charity that Phillips hopes he can help through poker.

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society's Gateway Area Chapter in St Louis are the charity that Phillips has opted to raise money for by selling advertising space on his shirt through the auction website, ebay. The auction winner will have their logo, no more than ten-square inches in size, displayed on the upper-right-arm of Phillips' shirt for the duration of the final table, an event sure to be the most watched televised poker tournament in history.

In a recent interview for his website, Phillips was quoted as saying, "Being on the final table of the World Series of Poker is an opportunity of a lifetime, but we hope that this opportunity will one day save someone's life." The auction, which runs from October 16 until October 26, has at time of writing, already secure a bid of $13,600!

Phillips returns to action on November 9, after a 117-day break, with over 26,000,000 chips, making him a slight favourite with Betfair to take the title and with it $9,119,517 in prize money.