Ante Up

On August 11, 2006, Jamie Gold won $12 million when he captured the 2006 World
Series of Poker Championship. Multitudes watched in wonder, wishing they could trade places with him. Not many, however, have the cash or the confidence to lay down the $10,000 buy-in to compete in the WSOP.

Every poker player dreams of competing in a high-stakes, high-pressure tournament, of drawing a winning hand, of seeing the river seal the deal on the championship. Well, now, every poker fan has a real chance of experiencing just that.

Center-stage at the Tournament of Champions.

World Series of Poker®: Tournament of Champions, from Activision and Left Field Productions, brings this world-famous tournament into the home, where any Xbox 360™ owner can take a seat at that famous table. You might not be betting real money, but don't think for a moment that people won't care about the outcome. Competition will be fierce. Do you think you're up to the challenge?

I Versus A.I.
Some of you may choose to leap straight into the games available on Xbox Live®, but a more reasonable approach to winning would be to spend some time practicing in the single-player modes first. Whether you're brand new to poker, an experienced beginner, or even a semi-pro player, this is the way to find your place in the game. A set of unlockable tools will help you develop your game, and you can always benefit from some time in the company of the pros.

The man, the myth, the legend, your trainer.

Pick your Poker
In Quickplay Mode, you have the option to play a standard Texas Hold 'Em game or customize your own. In Custom Game mode, you can choose between seven different poker games, including Texas Hold 'Em, Omaha, Seven Card Stud, and Horse.

Play No Limit, Limit, or Pot Limit. Additionally, choose to play with all pros at the table, no pros, or a random selection. Select how many A.I. players you want to compete against, determine starting cash, ante, and blinds. It's your call. You can even build your own custom tournament.

Getting Started

Your first game in Career Mode pits you against your buddies Blaze, Doc, and Otto, the guys you play with at home. Fortunately for you, you have a special guest in your home this evening: Chris "Jesus" Ferguson. Chris has won five WSOP bracelets and played his way onto sixteen final tables.
Imagine this poker great walking into your home and sitting down to play poker with you. Why is Ferguson here? According to him, he's here because he lost a bet in Tijuana after 60 hours of poker and a bean burrito. Because he lost his bet, it is his job to train you.

See what your opponents really look like with the Xbox Live Vision Camera.

From the first game forward, you have Ferguson to guide you through the tournaments, teaching you the secrets of how to win at professional poker. In Career Mode, you play against A.I. opponents who put you through your paces and test your discipline and stamina. Work your way up the ladder, just like the pros do. Sure you'll experience losses, but can you survive them to go on to victory?

Play with the Pros
Since you're playing with the pros, you know you will be facing off against some of the most famous faces in poker. World Series of Poker: Tournament of Champions has brought together the largest corral of poker celebrities ever gathered in one game, including such high-profile players as Clonie Gowen, Joseph Hachem, Men "The Master" Nguyen, Eric Seidel, Mark Seif, and many more.

Once you've explored the single-player modes and soaked up all the wisdom and strategy that Chris Ferguson can give you, you'll be more than ready to dive into your first tournament on Xbox Live. Face off against opponents from all over the world, eliminating or being eliminated, rising and falling on the leaderboards. The number one spot awaits you, but don’t' forget, number one is all that matters. No one ever remembers the guy who had the number two hand.

Article by Angel Leigh McCoy