The Choctaw Poker Room in Durant, Oklahoma has started up tournament style poker play with mid-week $50 + $10 ($60) buy-in NLHE Freezeout tournament events. Having started May 2nd, and continuing through the month of June, they will be hosting tournament events every Tuesday and Wednesday. There are two events each of those days in which up to seventy players may register per event. Maximum payout for a full seventy person event will be $1925 to the winner, $1050 to 2nd place, and $350 going to the 3rd place finisher. Payouts are adjusted according to the number of players buying into each separate tournament.

"Besides the prize payout (1st-55%, 2nd-30%, and 3rd-10%) for the winners, 1st and 2nd place winners in each event will automatically receive an entry into the "$10,000 No Limit Hold'em Shootout Tournament" to be held on July 1st, 2006. Players that finish 3rd thru 10th place get their names put in a hopper for a drawing to win a "wildcard" entry into the $10,000 shootout", says Larry Mundy, the poker room manager.

Players will start with 1500 in chips and the blinds will increase every twenty (20) minutes. Players can earn extra starting chips (up to 600 maximum) by playing in the live games immediately prior to the beginning of the tournament event. Bonuses are 100 extra starting chips for one hour of live game play before the tournament. Play a second hour and get 200 more chips. Play the third hour and you receive an additional 300 starting chips to go with what you already accumulated from hours one and two – grand total is a possible 600 extra tournament starting chips to add to the 1500 chips you receive with your buy-in. This can allow you to start the tournament with 2100 chips instead of just 1500.

Events will be held twice daily on Tuesdays and Wednesdays with one Afternoon game and one Night game.

Registration times are as follows:

Afternoon game registration begins at 11:00 am and runs through 2:00 pm both days. Night game registration begins at 4:00 pm and runs through 7:00 pm both days.

The first set of tournaments for May 2nd and 3rd went off very well with more than two hundred people in attendance over those first two days.

The Choctaw Poker Room is located at 4418 Hwy 69/75, Durant, Oklahoma, just inside the new Choctaw Casino. You must be at least 18 years old to enter and play. Call 800-788-2464 with any questions you might have.