Mikey the Chimp Denied WSOP Fame

LAS VEGAS -- PokerShare.com and Mikey the chimp have not given up on their mission to earn Mikey his retirement money from poker tournament winnings. Despite Jeffrey Pollock, Vice President of Harrah's
Mikey the Chimp shows a hand you should fold during his training.  Entertainment's statement to the press Thursday, July 27, 2006 saying Mikey would not be allowed into the World Series of Poker, PokerShare.com will search hard to find another poker tournament that will let Mikey play.

"Mikey will overcome this rejection into the WSOP 2006 and keep practicing until another poker tournament picks him up. We will sponsor him in whatever tournament will accept him because we know a chimp can beat a chump," says Max Wright, PokerShare.com Poker Room Manager.

With appearances on Good Morning America, Inside Edition, CBS, FOX News, and others, Mikey, the brainiest baboon around has made an impact on the hearts of America, and had thousands rooting for him to earn the retirement money it would take to keep him living with his trainer, owner, and mother, Judie Harrison. When Harrison heard the sad news Thursday evening, before the first day of the World Series of Poker main event, she broke into tears.

"Mikey has been training for months and really had a shot at winning money to live with me for the rest of his life. I can't believe they won't let him in. I take him everywhere and he is just like a human, and I am his mother. I am his everything," said Harrison.

Professionally trained to recognize colors, shapes, perform on television, and wear a green poker visor and sunglasses; Mikey was prepared to play with the best poker players in the world.

Not only the trainer and sentimental citizens felt the wrath of the disappointing decision. Professional poker players were also upset, saying they were looking forward to playing against Mikey.

Pro player Marcel Luske enjoyed playing against Mikey in the MonkeyShare.net press conference at the Palms on July 27, 2006.

"Mikey played quite a few good hands. After looking at his cards, he knew he didn't want to bet because he had a bad hand. Playing against Mikey was certainly interesting, he was well behaved and the game was a lot more civil than other games I have played in my poker career" said Luske.

Marcel Luske was the star performer at the Bluff Rocks Party on Sunday night at the Hard Rock Café. His dazzling debut performance showed he has more in his repertoire than simply poker.

Mikey and his PokerShare.com sponsors are making a statement and not monkeying around, as he tries to find another tournament that will allow him to play. With the positive responses Mikey has received from poker players and poker fans alike, odds are that tournament executives will be going all-in for this poker-playing chimp.

Mikey the chimp's high profile and army of poker-playing fans, have led PokerShare.com to use Mikey's image and identity as the new face of PokerShare.com.

"Mikey has stolen the show at the 2006 WSOP and he is the perfect marketing vehicle with which we want to brand ourselves. He embodies the brand of PokerShare.com because he is playful, fun, and different. All very positive attributes which contribute to the most generous site on the Web- PokerShare.com," said PokerShare.com and CasinoShare.com Poker Room Manager, Wright.