Nevada gubernatorial candidate reaches the final table of Las Vegas poker tournament

Nevada gubernatorial candidate Danielle Ford finished fifth in the CSOP charity poker tournament, earning two tickets to the Golden Knights. Tamar Berkowitz took first place, and Ryan Riess finished second. The event raised funds for the Las Vegas Youth League.

Nevada gubernatorial candidate Danielle Ford wants your vote, and she wants your leverage.

Ford, running as an independent candidate for governor of Nevada, participated in the “Every Hand Means Something” poker tournament hosted by the Series of Charity Poker (CSOP) last weekend, where she ultimately finished fifth.

Governing candidates play poker

Ford is currently a member of the Nevada State Board of Education, and she is running against Democratic candidate Aaron Ford and incumbent Republican Governor Joe Lombardo.

Her campaign website states that she is running as an "Nevada-first independent" and hopes to "bring real systemic improvements to the public systems that Nevada families rely on every day."

When she's not running for office or drafting policies, Ford—who earns her votes by collecting signatures—told PokerNews that she plays poker "to mentally escape the stresses of work and life."

"This is one of the few things that can hold my complete attention," Ford said. "It's almost like meditation for me."

Ford was one of several guest bounties at Saturday’s CSOP event—a fundraising event for the Las Vegas Youth League—which included actress Katie Morgan and 2013 WSOP Main Event champion Ryan Riess, who also made it to the final table.

Ford finished fifth in the charity event, winning two tickets to the Vegas Golden Knights, which she called a "great bonus" for a wonderful night supporting charity.

"I really enjoy being able to combine it with CSOP, and I know it's helping a lot of people," she said.

Meanwhile, the trophy and the $2,000 jackpot were won by Tamar Berkowitz of the Las Vegas Volunteer Group, who defeated Riess in heads-up play, allowing the 2013 WSOP champion to take home the $1,500.

The final table also included MGM Resorts International poker executive Sean McCormack, longtime CSOP supporter Sidney Coca, and CSOP villain Dave Freeston.

CSOP #108 Final Table Results

Ford is not the only public figure to appear at the charity poker series.

Ronnie Mund, the "limousine driver" who rose to fame on "The Howard Stern Show," participated in the CSOP event last month, while "Friday the 13th" actor Kane Hodder and punk legend Fat Mike are regular attendees and supporters.

The 2026 Nevada gubernatorial election will be held on November 3rd next month.

Want to change Texas Holdem from "can understand" to "can win"?

If you want to learn more about Texas Hold'em, you can continue reading：

The Origins of Texas Hold'em: Why is it the World's Most Popular Poker Variant?
Texas Hold'em Hand Rankings and Showdown Rules (Beginner’s Essentials)
Texas Hold'em Betting teaching: Check / Bet / Call /Raise and Betting Strategy Analysis
The importance of Texas Hold'em position? Why is the back position more advantageous?
How to play Texas Hold'em? Novices learn Texas Hold'em rules, processes and betting teaching in 10 minutes
Texas Hold'em Starting Hands Strategy Guide: Which Hands to Play?
Texas Holdem Starting Hands Chart Tutorial: Complete Starting Hand Chart and Position Strategy
How to play Texas Hold'em? Complete rules and a hand's flow (Preflop / Flop / Turn / River)

Hunter Poker offers comprehensive tutorials, hand analysis, and strategy sharing to help players upgrade from simply "reading the cards" to understanding the range . This allows you to make better decisions in every hand.

▶️ In Facebook Follow Hunter Poker.
📘 In Youtube Follow Hunter Poker.

Want to learn more about Texas Hold'em gameplay and strategies?

Online Texas Hold'em free tournaments typically have no entry fee, making them ideal for beginners to familiarize themselves with the rules and for advanced players to test strategies and gain experience. View full brand profiles to learn about each platform's free tournament schedule, features, and target audience.

Go to learn more