Twenty-three Free Poker Network players will be invading Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas this weekend as they take a seat in our Fall Spectacular National Championship event for a chance to win more than $12,000 in tournament buy-ins, including a grand prize $5,000 buy-in to the World Series of Poker Circuit Event! Last year's Caesar's Circuit Event winner Justin Bonomo cashed in for $227,692 in a field of only 187, meaning that on the line could be nearly a quarter of a million dollars! 

The action starts at 10 am sharp this Saturday, April 24 inside the Caesar’s Palace Poker Room with registration beginning at 9 am—all on Vegas time of course! The 23 players from across the country will all have their eyes on that $5,000 grand prize buy-in, but EVERYONE will go home a winner! That’s right, each of the remaining 22 players will receive additional buy-in to WSOP Circuit Events during the weekend. The lucky 23 players taking part in this weekend’s National Championship are:

1.    Michael Goldade (ND)
2.    Lance Zietz (ND)
3.    Wade Kyser (ND)
4.    Lois Kihne (ND)
5.    David Delaplane (ND)
6.    Glenn Schaefers (SD)
7.    Curt Swier (SD)
8.    Nicholas Wahl (MN)
9.    Erasmo Ozornia (MN)
10.    Julie Hovey (MN)
11.    Josh Manley (MN)
12.    Jerry Anderson (MN)
13.    Clay Lipke (MN)
14.    Derek Potter (MN)
15.    Jeremy Hendricks (NE)
16.    John Verhaeghe (WI)     
17.    Michael Jacobo (FL)
18.    Andrew Downing (TX)
19.    Chris Smith (CO)
20.    Derek Williams (MD)
21.    Bob Winegar (NJ)
22.    Kris Liepke (Online Winner)
23.    Josh Barnes (Online Winner)

And if you’re wondering what happened to the other two seats that were promised for a total of 25, we have them covered as well. Unfortunately, winner Bob Haas passed away shortly after he won at the North Dakota state championship and is sorely missed by his family, friends and fellow league players. John Russell, our Missouri winner, will not be able to make the national championship event this weekend, and has instead arranged another package with the league as his prize. We send Bob's family our deepest sympthaties and wish John the best of luck with his amended grand prize buy-in.

All 23 players receive airfare allowance and a three night stay on the Las Vegas Strip as part of their Fall Spectacular Grand Prize Package, and in the mix are some big players to watch out for. Breezy Point, MN, resident Clay Lipke is first on the list with two previous grand prize packages under his belt. This weekend’s event will mark Lipke’s third grand prize package trip to nationals. To date, Lipke has won more than $16,500 in prizes playing free poker in the Minnesota Poker League, including a national championship title in the 2008 World Series of Poker Promotion. Lipke can also claim to be the first person in Minnesota Poker League history to win three state championship prize packages. With all his previous tournament experience, Clay is definitely one to beat!

And there is another amazing league first with three winners playing out of the Kandi Bowl in Willmar, MN. Julie Hovey, Josh Manley and Eddie Ozornia all from Willmar will each be looking to take it all the way and be crowned the "Willmar Winner". This is the first time in Minnesota Poker League history that three players from the same location each captured grand prize packages.  

This event also marks the second time Derek Williams (MD) has made it to one of our National Finals, and he will certianly be looking to perfect his game this weekend and take home some cold hard cash! Of course each and every one of the 23 players is a solid contender so we expect they will all play hard at this national event! They did beat out thousands of other players from around the country after all!

Best of luck to everyone playing in this weekend’s event! We hope each of you comes home with some big money! Be sure to check back here after this weekend's action to find out how they all did!