In February (2006) the stars came out . . . poker stars that is, for an awards ceremony just for them. The event, created by Card Player Magazine and sponsored by Bodog.com was hosted by Calvin Ayre, the Founder and CEO of Bodog.com was held at the famed Henry Fonda Music Box Theatre in Hollywood.

M. C. Brad Garrett from Everybody Loves Raymond, roasted everyone in sight. Mike Matusow caught it from Brad with, Mike Matusows raising his hand. I see he still has the cuffs on (Mike "The Mouth" spent six months in the hoosegow for drug possession). And the poker stars loved it.

Two awards were announced in advance: Player of the Year (2005) went to Men The Master Nguyen and the Lifetime Achievement Award went to poker great, Doyle Brunson.

The Player of the Year award is determined by a yearlong point system. Its one of pokers most prestigious awards, and the 2005 winner was Men The Master Nguyen. Incredibly, The Master has won that award four times in nine years!

Brunson, also known as Texas Dolly, the Godfather of poker, and the Babe Ruth of poker is a two-time World Series of Poker champ. He is also the author of Super System I (1977) and Super System II (2005), appropriately called The Old and New Testaments of Poker. Im sorry I ever wrote those damn books, he says, all my opponents have read them.

Pokers top players then voted on the best cash game player, pokers top ambassador, the best no-limit player, most entertaining player, best heads-up player, best mixed-game player, most feared player, most underrated player, and best female player.

Card Player Magazine left it up to their readership to vote for two Peoples Choice awards: favorite player and favorite celebrity player.

Here is how the voting turned out:

Best Cash Game Player - Chip Reese. Reese is less known for his tournament appearances than for his abilities as a cash game player. He is one of the most consistent winners over the past 30 years.

Poker Ambassador - Mike Sexton. Mike is the well-known co-host of the televised events of the World Poker Tour.

Best No-Limit Player - Phil Ivey. It was Iveys night. Why shouldnt the worlds best player bag three awards?

Most-Entertaining Player - Mike Matusow. Now out of jail and on new medication, Mike The Mouth cant shut up but he has won a couple million bucks since the cuffs came off.

Best Heads-Up Player - Phil Ivey. Ivey takes another.

Best Mixed-Game Player - Chip Reese. Reese can play them all.

Breakthrough Player Maciek (Michael) Gracz. In 2005 he took home a PartyPoker.com first prize on the World Poker Tour of $1.5 mil and also snagged his first World Series of Poker bracelet.

Most-Feared Player - Phil Ivey. Oh, him again.

Most-Underrated Player - Allen Cunningham. Hes not underrated at the bank. Allen took home four first prizes in 2005 including a World Series bracelet.

Best Female Player - Jennifer Harman. One of the players who went up against Andy Beal in the richest game in history, Jen has two World Series of Poker bracelets.

Peoples Choice Award for Favorite Player Daniel Negreanu. Kid Poker is a charmer. His website, www.fullcontactpoker.com reads, Toronto-native Daniel Negreanu is arguably the most successful poker tournament player in history.

Peoples Choice Award for Favorite Celebrity Player Jennifer Tilly. Tilly, known the movie, Bound, with Gina Gershon and a couple of Chucky spoofs, has real poker chops, with wins on the World Poker Tour and at the World Series of Poker.

These kinds of nights will soon be commonplace as our industry continues to eclipse milestones, said Ayre, the Bodog chief.

All in all, it was a great All in night for the poker stars.