2nd Annual Cavaliers Against Cancer Texas Hold'em Charity Tournament

Event Organizers: Jason Chestnutt, Joshua Scott and Shawn Brydge


The UVaClub of Charlottesville invites you to the 2nd Annual Cavaliers Against Cancer charity Texas Hold'em tournament being held at 12:00 p.m. on March 24th at the John Paul Jones Arena. Card players of all abilities are encouraged to register for the event which supports the Rebecca Clary Harris, M.D. Memorial Fellowship at the U.Va. Cancer Center. Please invite your friends and colleagues to this event so that we can continue to advance ground-breaking cancer research. Here is a printable marketing flyer that can be emailed or posted. To learn more about Cavaliers Against Cancer and our upcoming events, please visit our Cavaliers Against Cancer Facebook page and LIKE us.

Tournament Options

All tournament participants receive entry into the JPJ, a seat at their chosen tournament, a free event cup*, a behind-the-scenes-tour of the John Paul Jones Arena, a buffet, free non-alcoholic beverages, and a chance to win great tournament prizes, door prizes, and other fun giveaways. Register here.

Beginner's Tournament – Perfect for novice card players, the Beginner’s Tournament will start with a tutorial on basic Texas Hold’em rules and strategy, followed by a fun Hold’em tournament with prizes for the top finishers. A Beginner’s Tournament Ticket is available for $50**

Main Tournament – Most experienced card players will enjoy the Main Tournament, which offers the right combination of competitive Hold’em and a relaxed atmosphere. The top nine finishers get to choose prize packages. There will be an opportunity for a “rebuy” or add-on donation during the first hour. A Main Tournament Ticket is available for $50**

High-Stakes Tournament – Above average players looking for a competitive Hold’em game with access to the event’s top prize packages should sign up for the High-Stakes Sponsorship. All players in this tournament will receive a prize and the top finishers get to choose from the event’s top prize packages. No “rebuy” or add-on donations allowed. A High-Stakes Tournament Ticket is available for $150**

NOTE: All poker events are strictly non-cash charity games with a chance to win non-cash prizes.

* The event cup also gives you access to drink/food specials after the tournament at McGrady’s Irish Pub, our official After Party Sponsor.

** Tickets prices are not tax deductible.

Tournament Structure

The Texas Hold’em tournaments are being professionally run by Casino2U, a Charlottesville-owned company that employs professional dealers and only uses high-end tables and chips. They have hosted many similar events in central Virginia and are privately owned and insured. This event is strictly a non-cash charity game with a chance to win non-cash prizes. Beginner’s, Main and High-Stakes Tournament Sponsorships are not tax deductible. For each tournament, Casino2U’s event manager will adjust the blind schedule based on number of the players and pace of play in order to complete the tournament no later than 6:00 p.m.

Table Sponsorship / Deductible Donations

Table Sponsorships are available for a cash donation of $250 and are tax deductible (but please confirm with your accountant). To register for a Table Sponsorship, or to make a tax-deductible cash donation, please go to the registration page. Table Sponsorships will have their company name/logo displayed on their sponsored table and will be recognized in all of our print and online marketing materials. Table Sponsorships are also eligible for one complimentary Beginner’s or Main Tournament seat (tax deductibility of Table Sponsorship donation would be reduced by the value of the seat).  Click here for more information about donating prizes or making a cash contribution.

Charity Proceeds

The goal for our 2012 tournament is to host more than 100 hold’em players and raise over $7,500 for cancer research. All net proceeds of the event will be donated to the Rebecca Clary Harris, M.D. Memorial Fellowship at the University of Virginia Cancer Center. This fellowship celebrates the life of Rebecca Clary Harris M.D., a talented physician and researcher who excelled in the study and treatment of melanoma. The fund provides clinical and translational research fellowships to graduate students or fellows in the Human Immune Therapy Center at the University of Virginia Cancer Center.

A very special thank you to our 2012 Sponsors and Prize Contributors:
Bluegreen Resorts
Massanutten WaterPark
Massanutten Ski & Tubing Resort 
U.Va. Baseball
U.Va. Basketball
U.Va. Football
McGrady's Irish Pub – Official After Party Sponsor
Horse & Hound Gastropub
UVaClub of Charlottesville
University of Virginia Office of Engagement 
Bankers Insurance, LLC
Family Dermatology of Albemarle 
Wyndham Vacation Resorts
Starr Hill – Official Beer Sponsor
King Family Vineyards 
Birdwood Golf 
Blenheim Vineyards
U.Va. Alumni Association
James Limousine
PinkHouseBVI.com
Charlottesville Dermatology


More to be announced soon...

If you have any questions, or you or your company would like to sponsor this event or make a prize donation, please contact Shawn Brydge at 434-981-9687 or email CavaliersAgainstCancer@gmail.com. Donations of cash, goods and services are tax deductible (but confirm with your accountant, just to be sure).

Inaugural Cavaliers Against Cancer Texas Hold'em Charity Tournament Summary

On May 7th, 2011, Cavaliers Against Cancer organized a Charity Texas Hold’em Tournament hosted by the UVaClub of Charlottesville. The event was held at the John Paul Jones Arena and raised almost $3,700 dollars for cancer research, supporting the Rebecca Clary Harris, M.D. Memorial Fellowship at the University of Virginia Cancer Center.

Special thanks to the UVaClub of Charlottesville for providing each player with a 2007 Thomas Jefferson Presidential $1 Coin to act as a card protector, Michelle Mowdy (CLAS '10) for the very special behind-the-scenes tour of the John Paul Jones Arena, and all our sponsors (listed below).

The afternoon started with players getting signed in and receiving their player number for door prize drawings, their randomized table/seat assignment, a 10% off coupon to the UVa Bookstore and the Jefferson coin. The tournament ran smoothly, thanks to Casino2u, and after about 3.5 hours of card playing we had arrived at our final table of eight card players. After the final table players were assembled, an announcement that the OWL Society had left a surprise under a lucky player's chair provided for a fun break in the action. A Thomas Jefferson 250th Anniversary Silver Dollar was found under David Golladay's chair, and it proved to have mystical powers as David was dealt pocket bullets (aces) three times in quick succession and the table of eight was quickly down to three. David's chip stack gave him a big advantage and pretty soon he was heads-up against and an all-in Yvette Gray for the title of Inaugural Cavaliers Against Cancer Main Event Winner. David's pocket fours won it and he selected a prize package that included a two-night stay at Harrah’s Resort & Casino in Atlantic City and a wine "tastings for two" at King Family Vineyards. For winning the event, he also received a custom-made Peter Blair U.Va. Cancer Center tie and free admission into next year's tournament to defend his title. Our terrific sponsors donated approximately $5,000 in prizes for our main tournament, consolation tournament, short stack and door prize winners. Over 50 prizes were given out in prize packages to 24 winners.

A very special thank you to our 2011 Tournament Sponsors:

♠ The Homestead ♠ Bluegreen Resorts

♠ Massanutten Golf ♠ Massanutten WaterPark ♠ UVaClub of Charlottesville

♠ Harrah’s Resort & Casino (Atlantic City) ♠ U.Va. Cancer Center ♠ U.Va. Football

♠ MacLaren Jewelers ♠ U.Va. Office of Engagement ♠ Virginia Athletics Foundation

♠ Bankers Insurance LLC ♠ U.Va. Men’s Basketball ♠ TheSabre.com

♠ Mincer’s ♠ Horse & Hound Gastropub ♠ StreakingTheLawn.com

♠ U.Va. Bookstore ♠ PinkHouseBVI.com ♠ McGrady’s Irish Pub

♠ King Family Vineyards ♠ John Paul Jones Arena ♠ John Paul Jones Arena

♠ Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races ♠ Cheeseburger in Paradise ♠ Duners

♠ Terry Dean's Ballroom Dance Studio ♠ Simon Malls ♠U.Va. Baseball

♠ Albert & Shirley Small Special Collections Library at U.Va.