British Poker Awards adds new award

LONDON -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- As well as being able to vote online for your favorite players and poker personalities in categories such as “Best Tournament Player,” “Best Cash Player” and “Best Online Player,” organizers of the British Poker Awards have announced a special new category designed to honor those tirelessly promoting poker behind the scenes.

Nominees for the “Biggest Contribution to growing and promoting poker” award are now open to the public vote at www.thebritishpokerawards.com, and include organizers and promoters all of whom have made a valuable contribution to the vibrant health of the U.K. poker scene. Nominees are Gary Oakes / Kevin Proctor, creators of the Genting Poker Series; Kirsty Thompson, the woman behind the UKIPT; Mike Lacey, of D4 Events, creator of the European Deepstack Events; Rich Prew, of BlondePoker, APAT and the Sky Poker Tour; Russell Tamplin of the GUKPT; Simon Tomsett of Palm Beach Big Game; Tony Kendall of Sky Poker, BlondePoker and APAT; and SimonTrumper, at Dusk Till Dawn, Nottingham.

Organizer Michael Caselli said, “It’s great to be able to honor not just the starts of the game, but also who work so hard within this industry to promote and grow the game. It’s because of them that U.K. poker is in such robust health at the moment.”

The ceremony itself will be held September 17, 2012, on board the HMS President, moored on the Victoria Embankment on the Thames. Tickets are available at www.thebritishpokerawards.eventbrite.co.uk/ for £20.