Julius Colman Gives the "Shuffle Up and Deal"
Yesterday 2005 World Series of Poker Main Event champ Joe Hachem kicked off Day 1a with the traditional "shuffle up and deal," and today Julius Colman got the honors.
Colman, who played yesterday and advanced to Day 2, is a well-respected lawyer and business man, but also an accomplished poker player with nearly AU$1,000,000 in winnings. On top of it all, he is a noted philanthropist.
After making the final table of the 2007 Aussie Millions — where he ultimately finished in fourth place for AU$500,000 — he donated the entire prize to a school for significantly underprivileged children with a high migrant and refugee population.
His work with the disadvantaged children and communities was recently recognized in a unique way when the Government of Australia when he made the Australia Day Honors list. He was awarded an Order of Australia, called an A.M., and subsequently Crown Melbourne was excited to have him kick off the Day 1b festivities.
PokerNews joins the Crown in recognizing Colman for his accomplishments both on and off the felt. We'll see him again on Day 2, but for now cards are in the air here on the second starting flight of the 2015 Aussie Millions Poker Championship.