Friday, May 4,2012 : UK POKER ORGANISER TO ATTEMPT NEW WORLD POKER PLAYING RECORD
But he needs more volunteers to play in relays against him.
It's been on the cards since January this year, when Brit poker organiser Barry Denson used Twitter to warn that he would be mounting an attack on the world record for longest continuous poker playing session later this year.
Denson acknowledged that it was a formidable challenge; in 2009, Paul Zimbler set the heads-up poker world record by playing for 78 hours, 25 minutes, and 45 seconds straight against 183 opponents and raising GBP 35,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation in the process.
But his record did not stand for long – just a year later, Phil Laak went to work in the Bellagio poker room and overturned Zimbler's record by enduring 115 hours straight of play, setting the Guinness World Record for the longest continuous poker session on the felt, and ending with a profit of $6,766 whilst raising money for Camp Sunshine.
Denson, a former part-time soldier, has chosen the Help for Heroes charity as the beneficiary of his attempt, which will take place at the G Casino in Manchester starting at midnight on Sunday 1 July, 2012.
H4H is a British charity founded to help provide better facilities for British servicemen and women wounded since September 11, 2001.
"Being an ex-Territorial Army soldier myself, I am pleased to be able to raise money for such a worthy cause,” said Denson, who will be allowed only a five-minute break every hour in his record attempt.
His main problem at present is finding enough poker players to participate with him.
"One of the biggest challenges will be finding enough players to play me," says Denson. "Guinness World Records will only allow other players to play for up to four hours at a time so we need as many players as possible to come along and take part, especially in the early hours or in the mornings!"
Poker fans who would like to contribute to the charity can do so at Denson's page at www.justgiving.com/poker-marathon or by sending a text to UKKT95 to 70070.