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WARREN WINS BIG Warren Strong has good reason to smile. He and his wife Tracey, owners of Framer’s Gallery in Port Perry, recently re- turned from an all-expenses paid trip to the fabulous “Atlantis” in the Bahamas last month, as guests of PokerStars.com. Warren won a ‘freeroll’ to the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure after en- tering the online poker site’s 10th anniversary tournament. His winnings included the all-expenses paid flight to the Bahamas, plus accommodation for both he and Tracey at Atlantis and the $10,000 entry fee for the prestigious tournament. Speaking with a reporter in the Bahamas last month, Warren admitted that he’d played poker all his life as a hobby and started online in 2004. “Aside from a few cash games and home games I have no live experience; certainly I have never played a live tournament like this,” he said. While he enjoys playing online poker for fun, he could never have dreamed he would one day sit elbow to elbow with some of the world’s best professional poker players. “You see all the professional players on television. Then I started seeing them here, and now I’m playing with them. I can’t quite believe it,” he said. After four days sharing the table with the game’s elite — players like Carlos Mortensen, who has lifetime winnings of more than $10 million, and Martin Ja- cobson, whose winnings surpass $2.6 million, Warren was finally eliminated. But he finished a respectable 29th out of 1,072 players - earning himself a cool $46,000. Not too bad for a guy playing at this level for the first time. Henn Stang Now, home in Port Perry, it’s back to reality — work and online poker. A bit of a letdown, but no doubt an experience he'll not soon forget. PORT, PERRY VILLA Scugog’s long-time neighbourhood friend and retirement community. —_— f Features many types of exotic Visit our website for all of our upcoming events. animals in an amazingly i‘ interactive presentation. 15987 Simcoe Street, Port Perry Great for the kidst 905-985-3312 © www.portperryvilla.ca Life's better at the Villa!” FOCUS - FEBRUARY 2012 15 02. FEBRAURY 2012.indd 15 42-01-28 11:50 AM