WPT gets ready for Commerce Casino events

The World Poker Tour (WPT) will return to the Commerce Casino this February for the celebrated annual LA Poker Classic and WPT Celebrity Invitational. The two televised events are among the highlights of the WPT season and bring together the top poker players as well as movies, music and TV celebrities.

Both World Poker Tour events will run as part of Commerce Casino's 2011 L.A. Poker Classic. The schedule features a total of 53 events running from Jan. 19 to March 3rd with $2 million in guaranteed prize pools and buy-ins range from $125 to $25,100 for the High Roller event.

The WPT Celebrity Invitational kicks off on Feb 19, 2011 and will bring an array of celebrities down the red carpet leading into the World's Largest Poker Casino. In the past that parade has included Eric Dane, Paris Hilton, Vince Vaughn, James Woods, Jenny McCarthy, Ray Romano, Jason Alexander, Don Cheadle, Stephen Collins, Ed Asner, Jennifer Tilly, Jon Favreau, Anne Heche, Mekhi Phifer, Sharon Lawrence, Lou Diamond Phillips, Norm MacDonald, Dean Cain, Camryn Manheim, Cheryl Hines, Kathy Griffin, Shannon Elizabeth, Maura Tierney, Oliver Hudson, Ricki Lake, Michael Vartan, Montel Williams, Josh Malina, Kevin McKidd, Hank Azaria, Dave Annable, Jerry Ferrara, Eddie Cibrian and LeAnn Rimes, among others. The WPT Celebrity Invitational concludes with a taped-for-TV final table on Wednesday March 2 with the players vying for a share of the $200,000 prize pool.

The WPT action continues from Feb 25 - Mar 1, 2011 with the L.A Poker Classic. The event will close on March 3rd with the televised Main Event Final Table. In addition to the prize money, the Main Event Champion will receive a $25,000 + $500 entry (non-negotiable, non-refundable and non-transferable) into the 2011 WPT Championship.

Poker fans will be able to follow the Final Tables for the LA Poker Classic and the WPT Celebrity Invitational Sunday nights at 8pm and 11pm on Fox Sports Net (FSN) as part of Season IX of the World Poker Tour.