Tony G livens up Intercontinental Poker Championship

The Intercontinental Poker Championship is scheduled to broadcast on CBS beginning in June, 2006, and will feature a lively cast of international players, including the gregarious Australian pro Tony Guoga, or "Tony G." According to Steve Rosenbloom at ESPN.com, Tony G put on a "loud, aggressive, and entertaining" performance for the CBS cameras and his fellow pros when the event was filmed in Las Vegas earlier this month.

Guoga finished second to Yosh Nakano, Japan's official selection for the international event, which was filmed at The Palms in the days before the World Poker Tour (WPT) World Championship began.

ESPN.com said Guoga was chosen to represent Australia only after 2005 World Series of Poker (WSOP) winner Joseph Hachem, and longtime pro Mel Judah, declined the opportunity.

Hachem's sponsor, PokerStars.com, denied him the chance to participate because the Intercontinental Poker Championship was mainly sponsored by the online poker room's top rival, PartyPoker.com. Judah's excuse was far less controversial: He was in Europe and unable to attend.

Please see Intercontinental Poker Championship To Run At The Palms for further details.