Emerald Resort & Casino activates live streaming and blogging at WSOP Africa

For the first time Emerald Resort & Casino will have a live stream of all the events at the 2013 World Series of Poker Africa (WSOP Africa). This will include an up-to-the-minute blog with updates, comments and facts from a dedicated Emmy award winning tournament reporter from the USA.

The 5^th of February sees the beginning of the six day poker contest where six official WSOP rings will be won. Reporting live from the floor and close to all the action will be dedicated Tournament Reporter Rob Perelman aka @veeRob as he is known by many poker pundits.

He is a semi-professional poker player who has worked behind the scenes on many poker television shows including WSOP, High Stakes Poker, Poker After Dark and NBC Heads Up. In addition, Rob was awarded an Emmy for his work on the television show ‘The Pokerdome’.

Apart from his television work Rob spends his time running live video streams at poker tournaments and reporting on various games. His technology powers all the web streams at the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles, Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut, and Bay 101 in San José. This will be his first visit to South Africa.

“The use of social media as a communication platform is becoming more relevant as bandwidth in South Africa increases,” says Martin Rice, Emerald Resort & Casino CEO, “While we have already embraced social media through Facebook, Twitter and blogs, live streaming of popular events like WSOP allows more audience participation and live engagement with the game.”

Living streaming of the WSOP Africa tournament will be available at the official WSOP website www.wsop.com, while live blogging will happen at http://www.WSOPEmerald.com. The dedicated Poker Twitter feed is available @EmeraldPoker and pundits and interested parties can also follow the action on the Emerald Resort & Casino Facebook page.

To register and view the six day WSOP Africa event schedule, visit http://www.emeraldcasino.co.za. Select the desired event, download and print the registration forms. Completed entries must be emailed to poker@emeraldcasino.co.za or faxed to 086 618 2502.

Further information can be obtained from Roxanne Malan on 072 580 5844, the dedicated email address of poker@emeraldcasino.co.za and the Emerald Resort & Casino website www.emeraldcasino.co.za.

Popular DJ Tony Blewitt to join OFM at Emerald Resort & Casino

As from 2 February 2013, legendary radio personality Tony Blewitt will join OFM – the sound of your life, at its new home on the Vaal – Emerald Resort & Casino.

Heralded as one of South Africa’s most loved DJs, Tony will be hosting OFM’s “Weekend Wired” on Saturdays from 4pm to 7pm and present ‘Gold Retold’ Sundays 9am to 1pm. He’s been around the block with Thelma, a personality synonymous with the name Tony Blewitt. A long and prosperous career in radio has seen Tony work at Capital Radio, 5FM, 94.7 Highveld Stereo, Classic FM and most recently, he can be heard hosting ‘The Breakfast Show’ weekdays on Mix FM.

Tony is no stranger to television either, presenting programmes like Revue Plus, Blewitt’s Music Biz Quiz and Blewitt’s Movie Biz Quiz, “Where In The World Is Tony?”, “What a Lovely Pair” and more recently “The Gadget Man” on CNBC Africa and “Tech Talk” on Summit TV.

“We look forward to introducing Tony’s special mix of humour to the Vaal Triangle as visitors enter Emerald Resort & Casino”, says Sharon de Leur, Marketing Executive at Emerald Resort & Casino. “We believe that he’s a great personality and are confident our customers will love Tony’s familiar and witty repertoire.”

Legendary poker player and champion Scotty Nguyen returns to compete at WSOP Africa

In the world of poker, Scotty Nguyen is a household name when it comes to playing the game. This world champion has confirmed his attendance at next month’s World Series of Poker Africa (WSOP Africa) as he sets his sights on the ring. This year’s tournament is again proudly hosted by Emerald Resort & Casino.

Last year the five-time WSOP champion hosted and played in the event but for 2013, Scotty will be focusing his time and energy purely as a competitor.

Nguyen is a staunch advocate of the game and a living poker legend. He is the winner of the 1998 World Series of Poker Main Eventand the 2008 WSOP $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. World Championship. He is the first and currently only player to win both the WSOP Main Event and the $50,000 Players’ Championship.

“We would like to welcome ‘The Prince’ himself back onto African soil,” says Martin Rice, Emerald Resort & Casino CEO, “His wit and charisma have made him one of the most recognisable players within the poker community.”

In Scotty’s own words, “See you there baby!” He can be followed on Twitter @TheScottyNguyen. To follow the action and updates from Emerald Resort & Casino, follow @emerald_poker as well as @emerald_resort. The Emerald Resort & Casino Facebook page will be also be regularly updated leading up to and throughout the tournament.

WSOP Africa will run from the 5^th – 10^th February 2013 and starts off with two No Limit Hold’em events and a Celebrity Charity Tournament on the evening of the 5^th February. The tournament will conclude on Sunday the 10^th February 2013 with a Turbo No-Limit Hold’em event. Registrations are open and special accommodation rates are available to players.

SIX rings in SIX days! Who will be walking away with some new WSOP jewellery?

Further information can be obtained from Roxanne Malan on 072 580 5844, the dedicated email addresspoker@emeraldcasino.co.za and the Emerald Resort & Casino website http://www.emeraldcasino.co.za. In addition to the normal twitter account, look out for updated tweets from @emerald_poker.

First celebrity player confirmed for the World Series of Poker Tournament (WSOP)

Michael Mizrachi of the United States has confirmed his attendance at Africa’s annual World Series of Poker (WSOP) Tournament to be held from the 5th to the 10th February 2013 at Emerald Resort & Casino.

Mizrachi is a legend in the game of poker boasting 22 career titles and having placed 12th on the overall 2012 Player of the Year ranking. The 31 year old is nicknamed ‘The Grinder’ and is no stranger to gathering a big chip stack.

‘Grinding’ is a term used in the poker world that means slowly and patiently accumulating chips.

The World Series of Poker is the largest, richest and most prestigious gaming event in the world having awarded more than one billion dollars in prize money. In addition, it offers prestigious tournament jewellery and is globally recognized as the sport’s top prize. Featuring a comprehensive slate of tournaments in every major poker variation, the WSOP is poker’s longest running tournament in the world, dating back to 1970.

Contestants from around the globe will converge on Emerald Resort & Casino in February in an effort to out-think, out-play the competition and gain the top prize. South Africans in the past have performed well and beaten off some impressive names in the world of poker.

Mizrachi will be entertaining to watch. He has numerous World Series of Poker cashes and two World Poker Tour titles.

To register and view the six day WSOP Africa event schedule, visit http://www.emeraldcasino.co.za. Select the desired event, download and print the registration forms. Completed entries must be emailed to poker@emeraldcasino.co.za or faxed to 086 618 2502.

Further information can be obtained from Roxanne Malan on 072 580 5844, the dedicated email address of poker@emeraldcasino.co.za and the Emerald Resort & Casino website http://www.emeraldcasino.co.za. In addition to the normal twitter account, look out for updated tweets from @emerald_poker.