CALGARY, ALBERTA -

Compliments of msnbc.com.

The 2009 Canadian Open Poker Championships. The event will be held May 13-17th, 2009 at the new Stampede Casino in downtown Calgary, Alberta, Canada. A total of 5 events will take place and will again this year feature a $5000 buy in Heads Up Main Event. Last year international professional poker players from around the world played in what has been branded the best structured heads up event in the world. "If only the NBC Invitational or World Series of Poker formats were half this good," commented 2005 WSOP Main event winner Joe Hachem. The Main Event will feature 128 players playing best 2 out of 3 with $10,000 in starting chips and 20 minute blinds.

In 2008, pros and celebrities such as Jennifer Tilly, Phil Laak, Antonio Esfandiari, Gavin Smith, Brad Booth and winner Huckleberry Seed all came to participate in one of Canada's premier televised poker events and this year is shaping up to be bigger and better. "The Canadian Open rocks!" stated poker pro Phil Laak known around the world as "The Unibomber", "I can't wait to come back."

Reserved seating for events can be purchased at www.Ticketmaster.ca