New Year's Day poker tourney at Pala will benefit Hurricane Sandy victims

PALA, California -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Southern California poker players can win more New Year cash in January at Pala Casino Resort and Spa when the Poker Room sponsors five major tournaments and continues its popular “Chase for the Dough” cash promotion. Other popular promotions that also will continue include an Early Bird High Hand from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. each Sunday; the Flush Marathon, noon to midnight each Monday and Wednesday; and Cash Drawings for $150 each hour from noon to 8 p.m. Saturday, January 12 and 26, and from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday, January 17 and 31. A new “After Hours” Flush Marathon, 12:30 a.m. to 6 a.m. each Saturday, will pay $150 to the first player to hit three flushes in different suits.

The poker room will sponsor a special New Year’s Day Hurricane Sandy Benefit Tournament at 2 p.m. January 1. All proceeds will be donated to the American Red Cross for Hurricane Sandy victims. The buy-in will be $45+$15 and there will be a $3,000 guarantee. Each player will start with $3,000 in chips and there will be a $25 bonus buy for an additional $5,000 in chips. Blinds will be 20 minutes and re-entries will be allowed up to three levels.

No Limit Hold’em Pay or Play Tournaments will be played at 7 p.m. Tuesday, January 8, 15, 22 and 29. The buy-in will be $25+$5 with a $750 guaranteed prize pool. Players will start with $3,000 in chips and there will be a $5 optional staff bonus buy for an additional $1,000 in chips. Blinds will be 20 minutes for the first three levels and 15 minutes thereafter. Players will have the option to earn FREE ENTRY into the tournaments with three hours of live play between midnight and 7 p.m. each Tuesday.

A Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Tournament will be played at 10 a.m. Monday, January 21, the national holiday. The buy-in will be $50+$15 with a $5,000 guaranteed prize pool. There will be an optional $5 staff bonus buy for an additional $2,000 in starting chips and a onetime $25 re-buy during the first four levels for an additional $3,000 in chips. Blinds will be 30 minutes for the first four levels and late and re-entries will be allowed for four levels. At the fifth level, blinds will be 20 minutes.

$5K Nooner Tournaments will be played at noon each Sunday, January 6, 13, 20 and 27, but registration will remain open until 2 p.m. The buy-in will be $50+$15 with a $5,000 guaranteed prize pool. Players will start with $5,000 in chips and there will be a $5 optional staff bonus buy for an additional $5,000 in starting chips and a onetime $25 re-buy during the first four levels for an additional $3,000 in chips. Blinds will be 30 minutes for the first four levels and late and re-entries will be allowed for four levels. At the fifth level, blinds will be 20 minutes.

Turbo Tournaments will be played at 7 p.m. each Thursday, January 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31. The buy-in will be $50+$15 with a $1,500 guaranteed prize pool. Players will start with $20,000 in chips and there will be a $10 optional staff bonus buy for an additional $5,000 in starting chips. There also will be $10 Knockout Bounties, which will be included in the prize pool. Blinds will be 12 minutes and late and re-entries will be allowed up to level seven.

The Chase for the Dough will start at midnight Tuesday, January 1, with a $10,000 prize fund. Players earn cash rebates for live play hours until midnight Thursday, January 31. Forty hours earns $60; 60 hours, $200; and 80 hours, $400. The rebates are payable at any time after the tiers are met. When players cash out, hours return to zero.

Pala Poker’s popular Flush Marathon promotion will return from noon to midnight each Monday and Wednesday. The first player who hits all four flushes will win $350 and the second will win $150. If no one hits, the prizes will roll over to the following Wednesday.