'Jesus' and 'Fossilman' Join PPA Board

The Poker Players Alliance (PPA), a grassroots organization of 29,000 American poker players, today announced that world-renowned poker and "World Series of Poker"(TM) Champions Chris "Jesus" Ferguson and Greg "Fossilman" Raymer have joined the PPA Board of Directors.

"Chris and Greg will be tremendous additions to our Board," said Michael Bolcerek, president of the Poker Players Alliance. "They are great Ambassadors of the game and their reputations as poker professionals will provide the PPA with a wealth of knowledge and commitment as we continue to promote and protect poker."

Ferguson and Raymer will be joining other prestigious PPA Board members including Linda Johnson, Howard Lederer, Greg Dinkin, Mary Magazine and Jan Fisher.

In April of this year, Ferguson and Raymer, along with the PPA and fellow poker professional Howard Lederer, visited Capitol Hill and met with members of Congress to educate them about the game of poker and why attempts to ban the game online are misguided.

In accepting his position on the Board, Ferguson said, "The Poker Players Alliance's mission to defend the integrity of poker makes the organization so critical in defeating attacks by Congress and others. I look forward to becoming more involved in educating the public and lawmakers about our great game of poker and working to ensure that this American tradition is protected."

Raymer also gave remarks upon accepting of his position on the Board, saying, "As a poker player, I am deeply concerned about the attacks that have been launched against the game at the state level and the federal level. Serving on the Board of Directors will allow me the opportunity to become more personally engaged in the challenges and opportunities faced by poker players as we work to ensure that this game of skill is not threatened."

"All poker players should join the PPA and unite behind our common goal of protecting this game we love," Raymer added,

With a background in game theory and a Ph.D. in computer science, Ferguson started his career in 1989 when he discovered the IRC Poker Network and, in the mid-1990's, began to play text-only poker in this chat room styled site. Consistently listed as one of the top players on the IRC network, Ferguson soon started playing in small tournaments in Los Angeles. In 1996, Ferguson won a spot in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) and in 2000, went on to win the main event.

Raymer, like Ferguson, also got his start through playing at the tables, but quickly became engaged on the on-line version of the game. A patent attorney by trade, Raymer took his career in a decidedly different direction when he tried to use his knowledge and skills to make history at the poker table. Playing online for a number of years, Greg won a seat to the 2004 WSOP through an Internet poker site. Wearing his trademark lizard-eye hologram eyeglasses, he played aggressive poker for six days straight, besting the more than 2,500 entrants to win the main event at the WSOP, and collect the largest purse ever paid to date to a winne

2006-07-21