PokerWorks

The World Poker Association (WPA) has announced the newest member of its Board of Directors. Ken Adams also serves on the Executive Committee, and his election to both posts was achieved by a unanimous decision at the most recent Board of Directors meeting.

The Executive Committee oversees the operations of the WPA between board meetings and makes recommendations to the board regarding special projects. Adams’ participation on the board and the committee allow him to play a key role in the development of the WPA as an organization.

WPA Executive Committee Chairperson, Wendeen Eolis, said, “The board was diligent in its recruiting efforts, and it paid off. I can’t think of anyone who brings more assets to the role of a director than Ken. He is a passionate poker player, a highly regarded poker writer and has acquired special wisdom in recent representations in gaming matters as well as decades of broad legal experience in a nationally recognized law firm.”

Adams hails from New York. He attended college at Yale – majoring in English literature – at the time of the civil rights movement and was motivated to pursue a law degree from the University of Chicago. Upon graduation, his interest in politics led him to work for a member of Congress in Washington D.C. After two years on Capitol Hill, he went to work for a small litigation firm in Washington where he remained for the next 35 years.

While Adams specialized in complex litigation, he also used his interest in poker, combined with his legal expertise, to conduct some legal business in the poker industry. And through the years, beginning in 1985 when he read Al Alvarez’ book The Biggest Game in Town, he has organized home games, traveled to Las Vegas for the main event of the World Series each year, and written for numerous poker publications. He still writes a tournament poker column for the CBS News website and plays his own fair share of tournaments. Most recently, he founded the Washington Poker School where he offers poker instruction to groups and individuals.

Adams commented on his experience joining the WPA board: “When I was asked recently to join the WPA board, I agreed to do so with full appreciation for the challenges involved… I believe the WPA can evolve into a powerful and effective voice for the interests of poker players, both amateur and professional. Poker has become a big business, and right now the major decisions that affect the availability of safe, honest and reasonably priced poker games (both tournaments and cash games, in brick-and-mortar and online card rooms) are being made by people whose first objective is to maximize profit. The players who pay the rake in cash games and the entry fees in tournaments, who fund the tournament prize pools that attract thousands of people to the host hotel/casinos and internet sites, and who provide free content for lucrative television broadcasts of tournament final tables, have little if any organized voice or leverage. That can and should change.”

He also added, “I love playing poker. I love sharing my enthusiasm for the game with friends and with students. And I look forward to working with my colleagues on the WPA board to advance the interests of poker players everywhere.”

Adams joins fellow WPA Board of Directors members Jesse Jones, Wendeen Eolis, Joseph Hachem, Harry Thomas Jr., Thomas Kremser, Lou Krieger, Annie Van Bebber, and Paul Wasicka. And all work toward the mission of the WPA, which is to promote professionalism in poker worldwide that supports the highest standards of ethical conduct in tournament poker activities.

Membership and other information can be found at www.WPAPoker.org.