Anthrax Guitarist Hosts Poker Tournament

Although it's been almost six years since Anthrax has released a studio album, guitarist Scott Ian has been moonlighting at poker tables. In fact, he befriended champion Phil Helmuth after winning a VH1 Celebrity Tournament a few years back, and has since studied under poker's first lady, Annie Duke. If you can't quite imagine those three hanging out together, picture Ian instead sitting down to throw cards with Slash, Kirk Hammett (Metallica), Jerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains) and Vinnie Paul (Pantera). OK, now things are beginning to make more sense.

"I've played with Jerry Cantrell more than anybody else, because Jerry's been running a home game at his house for years," Ian tells Spinner. "Kirk Hammett also has great game. And Vinnie -- if you know anything about Vinnie Paul, you know that he definitely lives the life of drinking and gambling."

Ian realized that with everybody's respective schedules being what they are, he'd never be able to assemble all of the above players together at the same table. "The odds of that ever happening are like the odds of me winning the Main Event at the World Series of Poker," says Ian. Ahh, but enter technology and you can steer the odds back in your favor.

Ian approached poker site Ultimate Bet about setting up some kind of special virtual table where the famous friends could all log on and play together. Originally the idea was for a private game but the minds at Ultimate Bet turned it into an event suitable for public celebrities -- and Average Joe's. Provided, of course, that those Average Joe's are wickedly sharp card players. Twenty qualifying contestants will have the chance to play against these guys in 'Scott Ian's Home Game.' The prize pool is $10,000 but, dude, you might want to think twice about bluffing someone whose first album was called 'Fistful of Metal.' If that doesn't worry you, then try raising Helmouth with a 7-2 off suit and ... um ... get back to us.