Poker star Phil Laak halted the longest poker game in history at 115 hours early Monday, nearly two days longer than the current mark recognized as the official world record.
“Wow, 115 hours, I should have my head examined,” said Laak, as the number appeared on the running clock on a laptop screen next to his seat at the Bellagio Hotel-Casino in Las Vegas. “I am definitely sick.”
The 37-year-old pro began playing at 12pm local time last Wednesday at the famous resort and quit at 7am on Monday saying he still felt fine but didn’t want to “do any more damage to my body than necessary.”
He was permitted a five-minute break for every hour he played and could bank those for longer breaks. While he vowed he did not consume any caffeine or stimulants, he did manage at least one 30-minute nap.
Paperwork and video evidence to document Laak’s feat is expected to be submitted this month to Guinness World Records, but it was witnessed live via a webcam by more than 130,000 people each day from more than 90 nations.
The previous official record, 72 hours and 2 minutes, was held by Larry Olmsted set at the Foxwood casino in 2004, but in poker circles the unofficial record — not sanctioned by Guinness but still part of lore — is Londoner Paul Zimbler’s 78 hour, 45 minute stint last September.
Laak is the boyfriend of Academy Award nominee Jennifer Tilly, an actress who in recent years has also become a poker professional.
Laak promised to donate half his US$6,766 in winnings to Camp Sunshine, a Maine camp for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. In addition, visitors to his blog, Twitter site and the webcam feed were encouraged to donate to the cause via text message.
(AFP)
連續打了一百一十五小時撲克的撲克明星菲爾•洛克，週一稍早正式打破打撲克最久的世界紀錄，比之前的紀錄多了快兩天。
人在拉斯維加斯貝拉吉奧賭場酒店的洛克，看著身邊筆記型電腦螢幕上顯示的時間說：「哇！一百一十五個小時！我應該檢查一下腦子了，我一定是有病。」
這位三十七歲的專業撲克玩家，上週三當地時間中午十二點開始在這家知名賭場玩牌，直到週一早上七點才結束。他說他覺得身體還撐得住，但不希望「給自己身體造成不必要的傷害。」
洛克每小時可以休息五分鐘，也可把時間累積起來休息長一點。雖然他信誓旦旦地表示沒有服用任何咖啡因或興奮劑，但他至少有小睡了三十分鐘。
關於洛克打破紀錄的相關文書作業與錄影，本月可望送交金氏世界紀錄。但他這項事蹟，每天都有來自全球九十多個國家、超過十三萬人透過網路攝影機觀看。
之前的世界紀錄為七十二小時又兩分鐘，是拉瑞•歐姆斯特德二００四年在康州快活豪華大賭場所創。但撲克界的非官方紀錄──雖然金氏世界紀錄未記載，但也算是紀錄──是去年九月，由倫敦的保羅•辛卜勒創下的七十八小時又四十五分鐘。
洛克是奧斯卡金像獎提名人珍妮佛•提莉的男友。這位女演員近年也成為職業撲克玩家。
洛克答應將贏得的六千七百六十六美元，半數捐給緬因州的陽光營。該非營利組織專門照顧身患致命疾病的孩童及其家人。此外，他也鼓勵點閱他部落格，推特網站，及透過網路攝影機觀看比賽的人，能透過手機簡訊捐款。
（法新社╱翻譯：吳岱璟）
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