Aaron Nola’s Pokfree online casino slotser Night Gives Back To Veterans

Share on TwitterShare on Facebook May 24, 20254 min read I've attended a free online casino slots

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook May 24,free online casino slots 20254 min read

I've attended a few charity poker tournaments, but the charity poker event held by Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola on May 15 at Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park was something truly special. The night wasn’t just about cards, it was about community, giving back, and the shared mission of Team Red, White & Blue (Team RWB) to support veterans.

I didn’t just cover the event; I played in it myself. The tournament atmosphere was great fun, filled with recreational players and plenty of laughs. And every entry fired helped support Team RWB, an organization dedicated to helping veterans maintain physical and mental wellness.

I got the chance to speak with Team RWB member Mike Irwin, who summed up their mission perfectly: “When you take off the uniform, when you leave the military, you no longer have to exercise. And so we keep pushing veterans to tap into the power of physical activity to drive mental health.”

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Mike also told me about their other event going on right now, the Old Glory Ultra Relay, a 3,000-mile race across the country, where 12 veterans carry an American flag from San Diego to Washington, D.C. in just 17 days.

For those inspired by the cause, joining a local chapter or downloading the Team RWB app is a great way to get involved.

If you're wondering, I had a blast at the ballpark, but unfortunately, I didn't get to enjoy the poker atmosphere too long. Fairly early into the tournament, I flopped a set in a many-way pot with 8x8xon a board of 6x8x9x, only to find out the big blind held 5x7x. But consoling myself with a cheesesteak, a Yuengling, and a private view of Citizens Bank Park was definitely one of my best post-bustout meditations.

Beyond the poker tables, the event featured a lively auction, with Philly-themed items like Eagles and Phillies jerseys and Rocky shorts signed by Sylvester Stallone. The two biggest bids of the night went to a signed Kobe Bryant jersey and a signed Taylor Swift guitar, both fetching around $5,000.

I spoke with Nola about his connection to Team RWB, and he shared, “I met these guys, Team Red, White & Blue and Mike Irwin years ago, actually right there on the concourse [at Citizens Bank Park] and really kind of fell in love with what they do and their mission and how they help veterans get back on their feet physically, mentally. My uncle served in Fort Polk, so it's a personal connection.”

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Nola himself had quite the tournament run. Despite openly admitting to TRYING to bust near the final table to not win a prize in his own charity event, he kept winning hands! In one particularly wild spot, he was all in with Kx9xagainst AxJx, QxJx, and 7x2x... only to flop a straight on QxJx10xand survive.

The tournament ended with player Al Rossi claiming victory. He reflected on the experience, saying, “Oh, you have to get lucky in a tournament like this because the blinds go up so fast—exponentially. If you don't shove your money in when you really don't have the best hands, you're going to be out anyway. So I just said, hey, I'm going to take a shot more than once, and I got lucky!”

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For his win, Al took home a Team RWB varsity jacket emblazoned with ‘CHAMPION’ on the back, along with a golf bag, a Yuengling jersey, and a Phillies helmet signed by the entire roster. What's more, the entire event raised $225,000 for Team Red, White & Blue!

_{Images courtesy of Tom Lehotsky.}

Check out more photos from the charity event by Tom Lehotsky here!

Keith Becker is an American poker player based out of Pennsylvania. A former member of PokerStars Team Pro Online, Becker is now a PokerNews Ambassador and Streamer. Becker has been streaming poker on Twitch since Day 1 of regulated poker in Pennsylvania and has led a grassroots movement for PA to join the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement.

Follow Keith on X/Twitter and Twitch!