Prevent Cancer Foundation Blog

I was recently asked, “What makes the Foundation’s Bad Beat on Cancer Texas Hold’em tournament so popular every year?” Naturally my first answer was that by playing poker, they are helping to prevent cancer.  Isn’t that obvious?  Hundreds of players over the last 8 years have helped to raise over $3.4 million to support the Foundation’s research, education and community grants programs. I really believe that’s the number one reason. Here are nine other reasons why players ...

Back in 2003 when Phil Gordon and Rafe Furst started Bad Beat on Cancer™ (BBoC) at the World Series of Poker®, we had no idea the impact it would have on poker players and cancer prevention. That year, the BBoC initiative hit the jackpot when a little known player by the name of Chris Moneymaker (appropriate name for a poker player), won the series and donated 1% of his winnings to Bad Beat on Cancer. Fast forward ...

It’s Wednesday night in New York. What do you do?  If you’re Michele and Drew Figdor, you combine your love of entertaining and poker with supporting a good cause. What initially started in 2004 as a cocktail party to benefit the Prevent Cancer Foundation is now an annual Bad Beat on Cancer™ poker tournament hosted by Michele and Drew. A terrific event, with a lot of what I would call the “usual suspects” – family, friends ...

On Day 1b of the main event of the World Series of Poker, the halls outside the playing rooms were literally packed with hundreds of players excited about their chance to win the big money and the coveted bracelet.  But the money and bracelet were forgotten when they spotted a group of guys in drag.  We looked that good. Phil Gordon, Rafe Furst, Joe Sebok, Perry Friedman, Ace Bailey and I were decked out in our ...