Superstars Invitational Goes To California's Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa

The Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa in Cabzon, California is today hosting Fox Sports Network's second annual Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament.

Amongst a number of the world's top players will be a host of World Series bracelet winners whose exploits in the tournament will be aired weekly for 34 episodes culminating in a final hand being dealt during a two-hour show on Oct. 30, 2005.

The buy in for the competition - restricted to players with a history of successful cash game play for at least 10 years or been involved in a string of final tables at major poker tournaments in the last three years - is $40,000. The game, of course, is No-Limit

Texas Holdem.

In order to accommodate so much television coverage, the field will be narrowed down to sixteen after three days of competition and eight after the fourth day. On the fifth day, the eight quarter finalists will compete in two groups of four and the winners along with the runner ups from each group will advance to the semi-finals.

The semi-final will be two head-to-head matches with a best two-out-of-three format to determine the finalists. The two finalists will again engage in a heads-up match with best two-out-of-three winner capturing the championship of the Poker Superstars Invitational II.

The tournament will be held under the direction of Mori Eskandani and Eric Drache who said: "We're privileged to bring the best poker players in the world to take part in and celebrate the grand opening of the new Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa. Poker Superstars Invitational II is a continuation of our successful major championship poker on FSN."

The inaugural Superstars Invitational was billed as 'Showdown at the Sands' - because it was staged at Sands Casino Hotel in Atlantic City - which made into six one-hour shows. That event, with a $10,000 entry fee, went to John Myung who took home $1 million for his exploits.

The Superstars Invitational premiers on March 13, 2005 with a special two-hour edition.