Busy Weekend @ Borgata

As the Borgata Poker Open hangover wears off and junkies wait for the newly minted Fall Poker Open, this weekend is the perfect time to scratch the tournament itch.

The headliner is the $300,000 Guaranteed Deep Stack Double Play (Sun-Wed), but you can get ahead start on the action Saturday.

The next qualifier is 4 pm Saturday ($330 + $50), as 1 in 5 players will win entry into the $1,650 Deep Stack DP.

Also on Saturday is the usual 11 am tournament ($150 + $30), and one player is using the day to raise awareness for two medically incurable illnesses.

Dan Skodol (Denver, CO via New Jersey) is back on the East Coast to help fight Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis as he's pledging 100% of his winnings to the the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA).

"I have a personal connection with these diseases, as my younger sister has had Crohn's disease since a very young age," says Skodol, who's also raising funds as he trains for a half-marathon. "I'm hoping that the voluntary donations raised (Saturday) will help find a cure for these diseases."


On a personal note I have a good friend who suffers from ulcerative colitis and I've seen first hand how painful and debilitating the disease is. According to CCFA, approximately 1.4 million American adults and children have one of the diseases.

A quick internet research shows that many famous people have dealt with a form of these illnesses including Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy.

Others who are currently suffering with Crohn's or colitis include actress Shannen Doherty, Pearl Jam lead guitarist Mike McCready, and pro athletes David Garrard (NFL), Shayne Corson (NHL), and Theo Fleury (NHL).

Skodol is doing his part and accepting tax-deductible donations Saturday. You can spot him in the poker room wearing the grey Team Challenge training t-shirt.

Skodol & Sis