While much of the poker community is keeping an eye on the activities going on at the 2016 World Series of Poker, there is some other news making the rounds. In this edition of “ICYMI (In Case You Missed It),” for those of you who thought you had a shot with poker player Beth Shak…prepared to be disappointed.
Beth Shak Elopes with Fox News Correspondent
After meeting each other only four months ago, poker player/shoe fiend Beth Shak and Fox News correspondent Rick Leventhal eloped to…where else, Las Vegas…tying the knot in a ceremony on June 9 at the Graceland Wedding Chapel. When asked why there was a need to elope, Shak slyly stated that she wanted to have an anniversary date that “Rick would remember.” (Folks, you can do the breakdown on that!)
Shak, who was formerly married to high stakes poker professional/businessman Dan Shak, has been known more of late for her massive shoe collection than her prowess on the felt. Despite not cashing in a poker tournament since 2013, Shak has made several television appearances (most notably on The Millionaire Matchmaker) and has been the subject of several magazine articles regarding her shoe collection. Built during her marriage to Shak, it is valued at over $1 million.
Leventhal does the “grunt work” at Fox News, having reported from two dozen war zones in his career. This includes five forays into Iraq, four to Afghanistan and eight to Israel, among others. He has also covered U. S. news heavily, in particular the damage following Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Andrew and Hugo. As with Shak, it is his second marriage as well.
Poker Central Crowns Winner of MVMT Million Dollar Final Table Challenge
It was going to be tough enough for someone to complete the feat, but that doesn’t mean thousands didn’t try. After no one was able to pick the final seven men – and their finishing order – in the 2016 Super High Roller Bowl, Poker Central wasn’t able to give away $1 million in their MVMT Million Dollar Final Table Challenge. They were able to award the $10,000 prize to the person who earned the best overall performance, however, with that prize going to Frank Vercillo of New York.
Vercillo was able to pick the correct top two finishers, eventual champion Rainer Kempe and runner up Fedor Holz, and correctly had them as 1-2 on his picks. That, along with the rest of his picks, was enough to give him the victory and the $10,000 first-place prize. According to CardPlayer.com’s Brian Pempus, Vercillo will use the money to fund a trip across the United States, eventually ending up in Las Vegas. It will be Vercillo’s first ever trip to Sin City and hopefully his luck will continue!
Brazil’s Neymar Sits Out Copa America, Wins WSOP Main Event Seat
After watching his football team fail to get out of the group phase of the 2016 Copa America, Brazil’s Neymar decided to put something else on his schedule this summer: playing in the 2016 WSOP Championship Event.
Last week the Brazilian soccer superstar took part in a two table satellite at the Rio that would award the eventual winner a $10,000 seat into poker’s biggest event. Since he has been under the tutelage of some of the best players in the world as a PokerStars sponsored player, Neymar made short work of that 18-player gathering and walked off with the seat. That was the highlight of the week for Neymar, however.
After being held out of Copa America (Brazilian officials acquiesced to requests from Neymar’s club, FC Barcelona, to only play him in the Olympics), Neymar watched as his fellow countrymen couldn’t even get out of the group stage of the biggest soccer tournament in the Western Hemisphere. Granted, Brazil was eliminated by a “Hand of God” goal by Peru in the group stage, but it couldn’t have set well with the Brazilian soccer legend.
There won’t be any problem with scheduling for Neymar in the future. The 2016 Summer Olympics, to be held in Rio de Janeiro, don’t start until August 5. With the WSOP Championship Event starting on July 9, the only way that Neymar will have any scheduling issues is if he makes the “November Nine.” If Neymar makes that prestigious final table, then FC Barcelona would have to see if he could squeeze some football into his schedule!
