If you would have told 21-year-old me that I’d someday get to be in the same room with those two legends, I’d be beside myself. Hell, 41-year-old me typing up these words still can’t believe I had that opportunity just a few short hours ago.

You might be asking yourself, “what was so special about that opportunity?”

There’s an old saying that you can tell a lot about a person by the company they keep. As much as the 2023 WPT Honors ceremony was about the honorees, in my eyes it was similarly about the group that assembled to pay tribute to said honorees.

A Ceremony Like No Other

A good deal of pomp and circumstance went into the ceremonial aspects of the event, with numerous individuals stepping up to the podium to “make the case” for each nominee’s worthiness of receiving the WPT Honors to the dutifully bespectacled and robed WPT President Adam Pliska. The World Poker Tour might be unrivaled in our industry when it comes to putting on special events like these, and to have had a seat at the ceremony was akin to witnessing a very special episode of poker’s greatest show.

After Angelica Hael officially nominated Vince Van Patten, a parade of World Poker Tour stalwarts including Matt Savage, Lynn Gilmartin, Tony Dunst, and company Founder Steve Lipscomb ascended to the mic to heap oodles of praise upon their longtime colleague and friend. Beyond their obvious outpouring of love and appreciation for the man, what stood out to me from the speeches about Vince was his colleagues’ admiration for his work ethic. Plainly speaking, the man showed up every single day and just put in the work. But Vince hasn’t just “clocked in” for 21 years; he’s done so with the same vim, vigor, and joie de vivre with which he showed up on his first day. A rare quality, to be sure.

Ever humble, Vince deflected the praise to in turn show appreciation for his World Poker Tour colleagues and the late Mike Sexton; the people who helped and supported him along the way. In response to the deluge of kind words spoken about him, he humorously quipped that “this is like attending your own funeral.”

I couldn’t help but draw direct lines of comparison to the reactions when Cal Ripken Jr. broke Major League Baseball’s consecutive games streak years ago; a veritable poker Iron Man was getting his due. How sublime for someone who has worked so hard for so long to enjoy such a special moment of public appreciation.

A similar cavalcade comprised of Jeffrey Haas, Hermance Blum, Lance Bradley, Israel Rosenthal, and Sven Stiel took to the stage one by one to express their gratitude and appreciation for Isai Scheinberg’s contributions specifically to their careers as well as to poker on the whole.

From my perspective, it was astounding to note the attendance of so many former PokerStars employees who had worked under Scheinberg until the then-privately owned company was sold in August 2014. It’s simply surreal to think that one man was ultimately responsible for putting together such an impressive array of talent. All of those people have since moved on to other successful endeavors and roles in the subsequent years, many still within the poker industry. But witnessing “the old PokerStars family” reunite under one roof felt like watching the Avengers assemble.

They spoke of Isai’s three simple, straightforward rules: never lie, never cheat, and always do the right thing. While simple, rules like those aren’t always easy to adhere to in an industry with billions of dollars at stake, as history has taught us.

Scheinberg has always been notorious for his preference of privacy. The entire poker world knows of his accomplishments, but the great man rarely, if ever, surfaced publicly. Being at the 2023 WPT Honors ceremony to see Isai accept his award felt like being transported to PokerStars’ headquarters prior to 2014; a place full of people who never lied, never cheated, and always did the right thing. No wonder it proved to be such a successful venture.

While fish may be surrounded by water, they still rise to the surface when it rains to welcome new droplets. So, too, the entire room full of luminaries could be seen leaning in to listen closely to the soft-spoken Scheinberg during the latter’s acceptance speech. It was a telling moment.

Reflections From Fellow Attendees

Reader can clearly identify my long-held esteem for both the World Poker Tour and PokerStars, but I’ve always been an outsider and independent media voice. So, in order to gain a greater understanding and appreciation for what I had borne witness to, I asked a few insiders who worked with Vince and for Isai, to share their thoughts and perspectives on the evening. Here’s what they had to say:

“There are two men in my life who have been incredible role models of what it means to be an honest entrepreneur. One of them was my late father; the other is Isai Scheinberg. I didn’t think that I was going to get into the world of gambling and learn more about honesty than I had learned before in my life as a journalist. Isai taught me that you can be a good businessman and you could be a good person at the same time. He was more generous with me than any other boss or company owner ever has been, and I think he is worthy of every honor he’s been given and more.”

Brad Willis, Editor-in-Chief of Poker.Org, formerly the Head of Blogging at PokerStars

“Both of these gentlemen have meant so much to me in my poker career. Isai doesn’t realize it, but of course being a part of the poker industry just would not have been the same without Isai Scheinberg. I want to thank him. He hasn’t received the accolades that he deserves; I think he should of course be in the Poker Hall of Fame.

And I think that Vince Van Patten deserves recognition for all that he’s done for the game. It’s not very often that you see someone who has been around in the game for as long as he has been. He’s become like family to me, so I speak from the heart: we’ve spent a lot of time together sharing our passion for poker. I really appreciate everything both of these guys have done.”

Matt Savage, Executive Tour Director of the World Poker Tour

“I’ve been in poker for just over seven years. It’s incredible to hear the historical stories and learn how our industry has evolved. We get into our positions these days and de facto only think about our current time and present roles. To go back and see the history is just incredible. There are so many stories from the people who came before us, and it’s important to appreciate them.”

Eric Lusch, Media Relations Manager with the World Poker Tour

“I have not been to a poker event since 2016. The only reason I came tonight was because of Isai Scheinberg. All the things that have been said about him; it wasn’t enough, about what this man taught me and what he taught everybody in the room. Not just about business and about poker, but about life and how to treat people the right way.

The emotion that I feel tonight is because of the sense of community that I’m feeling and don’t remember poker having had for a very long time. I miss it. The World Poker Tour was always the rival to the organization that I worked for… and I didn’t realize until tonight just how super cool the people who work for the World Poker Tour are, from the top down… and there’s no such thing as ‘down’ with them! Everybody’s got an important role to play in the World Poker Tour. I’m so impressed with the WPT, what they’ve done tonight, the sense of camaraderie they have, and the love they have for each other.

When we talk about playing poker, sitting around a table, and competing to take each other’s money… the game is about more than that. It’s about the friendships, and the love, and the trust, and the lessons you learn from one another. Even though I was here for just two hours tonight, I came away with a great sense of energy.”

Nolan Dalla, former Director of Communications at PokerStars

The Coolest-Ever Poker After-Party

Poker.org owner Eric Hollreiser, himself a former PokerStars employee, hosted a swanky afterparty in one of the Wynn ballrooms that featured an open bar, flowing chocolate fondue fountains, and the most succulent strawberries to delight our tastebuds as we mingled to mellifluous music. Designed to orchestrate a reunion of former PokerStars employees, many World Poker Tour personages could also be found among the attendees.

You can tell a lot about people by the folks they surround themselves with.

I hesitate to use the word “magic”, but there was something indescribably unique in the air throughout last night’s festivities.

I suppose that’s what happens when the spotlight shines on poker’s best. The entire room lights up.

The fifth and final day of the festival marked the end of the fourth iteration of Robbie Strazynski’s gathering of mixed game fans and aficionados. Eighty-one players turned out to play for a total prize pool of $17,820 — along with the grand prize of a trip to EPT Prague to play in a mixed game event as a value added bonus for the winner.

The grand prize trip came courtesy of PokerStars, and it includes roundtrip airfare for one, four night’s accommodation, and a buy-in to a mixed game tournament up to €550 at this December’s PokerStars European Poker Tour stop in Prague.

The $260 finale kicked off at 2 p.m. and the field piled in quickly before registration closed at the end of the first break. Mixed game tournaments aren’t offered in Las Vegas as often as no-limit hold’em, so the chance to play H.O.R.S.E. for a free trip to Prague attracted some of the bigger names from the local poker scene.

Thanks to the 81 players who came out to @PokerRoomRWLV to play in our $260 @PokerLifeMedia HORSE tournament today, as #MixedGameFestival IV draws to a close.

Over $5.5k to the winner + and EPT Prague prize package sponsored by @PokerStars pic.twitter.com/FeBzNzlo5q

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) March 23, 2023

The Players

PokerGO’s Jeff Platt took a break from the US Poker Open at the Aria to jump into the tournament. He busted out before things could get serious, but he got his H.O.R.S.E. fix before a long weekend at the PokerGO Studio. World Series of Poker commentator Norman Chad also stopped by to say hello, along with Linda Johnson and Jan Fisher.

Many people come up to me and say, “Jeff, I bet you’d be so good at mixed games”

I say “yea, you’re probably right”

So I think I’ll go play the $260 HORSE tourney today at 2pm over at @pokerroomrwlv, the Main of the @pokerlifemedia Mixed Game Festival.

— Jeff Platt (@jeffplatt) March 23, 2023

“Miami John” Cernuto was among the others in attendance, and he was joined by two-time bracelet winner Ari Engel. Cernuto took down the Omaha 8/Stud 8 tournament earlier in the series, and Engel finished in second. Both players failed to qualify for the money in H.O.R.S.E., but they’ll likely be found together again soon at a final table in another mixed game tournament.

Finished 2nd (again) to the legend @MiamiJohnC in @PokerRoomRWLV @PokerLifeMedia @cardplayerlife 61 entry $260 OE tournament

— Ari Engel (@AriEngelPoker) March 21, 2023

The Final Table

The top 12 places paid a min-cash of $421 and the winner was slated to take home $5,517, along with the EPT Prague prize package worth over $3,000. Ryan Leonis had the bitter honor of busting out on the bubble, but his despair was short lived and he was refunded his $260 buy-in, courtesy of PokerCoaching.com’s bubble protection.

Tournament players battled for nearly 12 hours until Warren Coleman, Bill Watchman, and Denis Nesterenko were the only three players remaining just after 1 a.m. local time. Coleman hails from England and Watchman has several wins over the last decade in a number of poker variants. Interestingly enough, Nesterenko won a bracelet last year in the $1,500 2-7 Triple Draw event at the 2022 World Series of Poker.

Ryan Leonis is the bubble boy in 13th place of our @PokerLifeMedia #MixedGameFestival IV grand finale.

Gets his $260 buy in back courtesy of @PokerCoaching_ pic.twitter.com/lXUS9jOa3p

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) March 24, 2023

The final three players agreed to bring the tournament to an end and flipped for the trip to EPT Prague. Watchman won the runout and he will be headed to the Czech Republic in December for the poker trip of a lifetime.

Congratulations to Bill Watchman, of Las Vegas, for winning the @PokerStars-sponsored EPT Prague prize package and taking home over $4k in winnings after an ICM chop of @PokerLifeMedia #MixedGameFestival IV at @PokerRoomRWLV pic.twitter.com/ve66zC1cCa

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) March 24, 2023

A Look Back at Mixed Game Festival IV

Day 1 kicked off the fourth Mixed Game Festival with three tables of $4/$8 Dealer’s Choice and free pizza offered throughout the day. WPT Executive Tour Director Matt Savage was one of the poker personalities to check out the early action, and he was joined by a steady stream of poker players from near and far.

Day 2 gave way to the O8 tournament, won by the aforementioned Cernuto, who bested a field of 61 players to take the top prize of $4,375. Day 3 brought out book signings by Dylan Linde, Chris “Fox” Wallace, and Eli Elezra, with bomb pots and Mixed Game Festival merchandise flowing all week long, while Day 4 saw the Pokercoaching.com crew enter the fray, headed by Jonathan Little and Justin Saliba, along with popular poker vlogger Ethan “Rampage” Yau. The Day 5 finale was a fitting end to a week full of great mixed games and new friendships with poker players from around the world.

It was another successful festival in the books for Cardplayer Lifestyle, and players are already looking forward to the next one. Be sure to join the Cardplayer Lifestyle newsletter to be among the first to find out where and when the next Mixed Game Festival will be.

Thanks so much to the 61 players who came out to @PokerRoomRWLV for our @PokerLifeMedia #MixedGameFestival IV $260 O8/Stud8 tournament today!

Prize pool over $13k, with over $4k for first place and 10 players making the money. pic.twitter.com/3hK8pgzAt1

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) March 21, 2023

Robbie Strazynski, owner and founder of Cardplayer Lifestyle, is hosting the festival from March 19-23 at Resorts World. The Festival will include cash games and culminate with a $260 H.O.R.S.E. tournament on Thursday March 23rd. In addition to the regular prize pool, the tournament will award EPT Prague prize to the winner, sponsored by PokerStars.

Chuck, Chip, Matt, and Linda

An exciting addition to the Omaha 8/Stud 8 tournament was bubble protection in the form of free poker training memberships donated courtesy of Pokercoaching.com. Bubble protection will also be in place for Thursday’s H.O.R.S.E. tournament.

Debra and Anthony “double bubbled” our @PokerLifeMedia #MixedGameFestival O8/Stud8 tournament…

Courtesy of @PokerCoaching_ they each get half their buy-in back #stingsalittleless pic.twitter.com/ToLBttZOCr

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) March 21, 2023

Pokercoaching.com’s Justin Saliba also stopped by yesterday with additional free merchandise to hand out to players in bomb pots throughout the festival. Justin is a professional poker player with two WSOP bracelets, and was taught by one of the best. He reached out to Jonathan Little while still in college, offering to intern at the company in exchange for poker coaching. He is now a part of Pokercoaching.com and feels strongly about growing poker and being able to learn to play at a $4/8 level.

Me, speaking with Justin Saliba

Justin “just loved coming and playing $4/8 and learning all these different games. And when the World Series comes around (and) there’s a $1,500 O8 tournament I can say I’ve played this before.” Justin shared that he learned poker along with his older brother, and played in a neighborhood game, watching Main Event reruns in the background.

“Book bomb pots” were also a fun addition to the tournament on Monday, with multiple players winning Eli Elezra’s autobiography Pulling the Trigger. Poker Hall of Famer Eli Elezra will be signing copies of his book Tuesday March 21st for a discounted price of $10. Additional book winners included James Basham from St. Louis, who attended Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival III that was held in Malta. He’d already planned a trip to Las Vegas with eight of his friends when he found out about the Festival. He then changed his plans and came to Las Vegas early.

Debi Cheek, Danny Anton, and Clyde Gaskins also won books, with Clyde also winning a sweatshirt courtesy of premium poker industry brands RunGoodGear and PokerGO.

Dylan Linde enjoyed Monday’s festivities and will also be attending the Festival on Tuesday, March 21st, to sign copies of his book Mastering Mixed Games, which will be available for purchase at a discounted price of $25. On Wednesday March 22nd, WSOP bracelet winner Chris Wallace will be signing copies of his book Getting Started With HORSE also at a discounted price of $25.

Jan Fisher

A portion of all proceeds derived from book sales will be donated to Poker Gives, a non-profit organization that distributes funds to assist military families, homeless veterans, and youth programs in Las Vegas. Originally founded by Linda Johnson, Lisa Tenner, Jan Fisher, and the late Mike Sexton, Poker Gives is a fully volunteer organization, with every dollar donated going to the cause. During a break in the tournament action, Johnson spoke for a couple minutes about the mission of Poker Gives to the assembled crowd, and about the beauty of being able to assist the homeless community in Las Vegas thanks to the generosity of poker players, who donate both money and time to volunteering for the cause.

The $260 Omaha 8/Stud 8 tournament was not the only action running on Monday. A couple of $4/8 Dealer’s Choice tables were running all day featuring players like Sean McCormack, Director of Poker Strategy at MGM Resorts International, and Ryan Kirk, Director of Poker Operations at the Aria. Cody Meyer from Nebraska was back at the table, along with Ruth Sun from San Jose after enjoying the first day of the festival.

There’s also a $4/8 Dealer’s Choice table running alongside our @PokerLifeMedia tournament at @PokerRoomRWLV today.

(More tables will open as tourney tables break)

The players REALLY love the sweatshirts! Thanks @PokerGO and @RunGoodGear! pic.twitter.com/V9efxQTjHH

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) March 21, 2023

Resorts World has been a huge part of this festival, providing an atmosphere that you can relax in yet feel Leon Wheeler’s superb professionalism as the venue’s Director of Poker Operations.

Leon Wheeler

Miami John Cernuto Wins Another One

After 13 grueling hours weaving and winding his way through the Allen Kessler “Chainsaw approved” tournament structure, “Miami” John Cernuto took down top prize of the day’s tournament at approximately 2:45 am local time.

Some notables making the final table alongside Cernuto were Chip Jett, Women in Poker Hall of Famer Jan Fisher, World Poker Tour Executive Tour Director Matt Savage, and WSOP bracelet winner Ari Engel.

“Old school” defeated the “new school” as Cernuto offered a hearty handshake to Engel when winning the final Stud 8 hand.

Congratulations to @MiamiJohnC, winner of the @PokerLifeMedia #MixedGameFestival IV $260 O8/Stud8 tournament for $4,375

With this win, John extends his @TheHendonMob all-time tournament cashing mark to 622 pic.twitter.com/ccVqqQKZBM

— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) March 21, 2023

Cash games will continue running Tuesday and Wednesday and the grand prize will be handed to the winner of Thursday’s $260 H.O.R.S.E. tournament. The prize will include an EPT Prague prize package for the winner, sponsored by PokerStars. The package, with an estimated total value of over $3,000, will consist of:

• Mixed Game tournament buy-in up to €550
• Roundtrip airfare for one
• Four nights’ accommodation

Robert, in the number two seat, asks “Who do you want to meet the most?”

I grin, happy to play along. “My ultimate dream is to meet Doyle Brunson. But Phil Ivey, Daniel Negreanu, and Vince Van Patten would be amazing, too. It’s not very likely.”

“You never know,” Robert replies.

Building My Poker Career with Doyle Brunson

I’ve been watching poker’s stars on ESPN for more than 20 years now. They are my ultimate poker heroes. Doyle Brunson, who wrote Super System and Super System 2, is why I became a professional poker player in 2002. Poker was a hobby until I read those books. I started playing at age eight. In my early 20s, I was the ultimate recreational player, playing home games at other people’s houses for low stakes. While I had some natural skill, I hadn’t considered trying to make real money playing.

Poker in 2005 wasn’t glamorous or respected in Indiana, where I lived, and Doyle helped me see poker in a whole new way. The bar circuit is where I became a tournament player. I lost count of how many final tables I made, along with a few big wins. I cut my tournament teeth in some of the most grueling environments you can imagine. Most of them are places no female in her right mind should be. Doyle even prepared me for that.

I lost count of how many men told me I didn’t belong at a poker table. Thanks to Doyle, I knew better. Besides live tournaments, I was playing a lot of online poker. I won a seat to the 2007 WSOP Main Event via an Absolute Poker satellite tournament, beating thousands of players, but couldn’t go because I was pregnant.

Doyle changed my life. Phil, Daniel, and Vince all made it feel possible to be a winner. Thanks to them all, that’s what I became, time and time again. When other people told me I couldn’t, I looked at them and said, “Watch me.” That’s why I took my chance finally — 15 years after winning a seat to the WSOP Main Event — to play in the WPT World Championship series. Little did I know, I would have a one-of-a-kind experience.

A WPT Meetup Game (MUG) to Remember

A few minutes later, a voice comes over the speakers, telling us that the WPT ambassadors have arrived and Matt Savage — THE Matt Savage — begins announcing. He explains that during the meet-up, every time you go all in, win or lose, you’ll receive a ticket to the drawing for a seat to the $15 million guaranteed Main Event. They’re giving four away. The room erupts in cheers and clapping so loud you can’t even hear Matt. My heart is like a kangaroo in my chest, jumping hard and fast.

We see Tony Dunst, in his trademark gray suit, head to the table in front of us. A tall blonde man in a white t-shirt heads toward us and I freeze. Is that Vince Van Patten? It can’t be! He greets the table, and I’d know that voice anywhere. It’s him!

Playing Against Vince Van Patten

Vince sits down, buys in for the maximum, which I can cover with my stack, and I’m so star-struck, I’m tongue-tied. I have to be dreaming! I’m in the number nine seat and I can almost reach out to touch him. He’s really tan and even more handsome in person. We start playing and Vince asks everyone where we’re from. I volunteer first that I’m from San Antonio, Texas, and we go around the table. There are players from the UK, Asia, and the US.

Our play relaxes as everyone settles down and into a comfortable, chatty vibe. Vince is a nice guy and I’m watching him through my sunglasses intently. The rest of the players have disappeared — Vince is who I’m here to play and I’m determined to get involved in hands with him. There are a few light skirmishes, but Vince folds most of the time. No one is giving him any easy wins, least of all me, that’s for sure!

Then, Vince raises to $25. I look down at pocket queens. Seats six, seven, and eight all call, so I raise to $150. I watch Vince as he eyes me, looking for clues, but I’m giving nothing away. His eyes drop to my chip stack and I see him calculating. The action folds to him. He smiles at me and flicks his cards away. Damn it, I think; I wanted some Vince dollars and smile at the Brad Owen-ism. I didn’t expect everyone to fold. It had been a high action table all morning.

The game moves on and the conversation flows. But I’m watching Vince and he seems to be card dead. He’s not getting involved in very many hands he wants to fight it out with. Seems he’s waiting for a good hand, so I put pressure on him, raising often, especially if he’s in a hand. I keep waiting for some aggression, but it seems I’m the most aggressive person at the table. I work up my courage and ask Vince if he’ll let me take his picture. He agrees, and it’s the perfect photo of him with a Wynn poker room chip.

Vince Van Patten is the coolest guy! So much better in person! <3 Can’t believe he sat at my table during the 2022 #MUG at the Wynn! #pokerlife #pokerdreams #bestpokerdayever pic.twitter.com/FKd6Iegllo

— Charity Marie | #Author | Colorist (@Charity_Marie_) December 8, 2022

His easygoing nature makes him so easy to like. We are laughing and joking like old friends when they announce that it’s time for ambassadors to change tables. Vince is kind enough to sign a chip for me and away he moves along to his next table. We’re all sad, but the table enthusiastically thanks him as he leaves. What an amazing session, and it was over in a blink! I could have hung out with him all day.

The Greatest of All Time Comes to Our Table

A few moments later, a crowd descends on our table and we’re all distracted again. There are cameras, boom mics, cell phone cameras everywhere, and people all talking at once. Brad Owen sits in the five seat at a nearby table and Robbi Jade Lew sits at the table right behind us. Then, as if royalty has appeared, the crowd parts and Phil Ivey swaggers over to sit at our table. I am holding two hundred dollar stacks of $5 chips and they explode from my hands to scatter across the table. I’m embarrassed and flustered, but laughing at myself. All I can think is, “Damn, Phil is taller than I realized.”

It seems like an eternity later, I look at Phil, pull my sunglasses down and say rather stupidly, “I am sorry, I just have to say, I fricking love you!” I’m so star-struck I almost can’t speak, a first for me. But it breaks the ice. Everyone laughs, Phil gives me a megawatt grin that melts my knees, and I can’t believe Phil Ivey is at my table! He buys in for $500 and goes all in first hand. The player next to him calls and they flip their cards over. Ivey has pocket fours, and the caller has AhKh. The overcards win the hand. Phil rebuys for the maximum.

Phil is quieter than Vince and seems busy with his phone. A little time goes by. I look down at KdQd. I think, “Bingo. Let’s go.” I look across the table at Phil. The action folds to me and Phil’s on the button. It’s not a great position for me, but I don’t care. I may not get another chance. Phil looks at me, grins again, and says, “Are you ready?”

I can’t contain my glee. “Hell yeah, let’s go!” I say and together we push all our chips in. We flip our cards and he has pocket 10s. My stomach is doing somersaults as I groan. There’s two diamonds in the flop. “Oooh, I’ve got a ton of outs now Phil, you better watch out.” Any king, any queen, any diamond, plus there are some backdoor straight draws, too. He’s still a strong favorite on the blank turn.

Sadly, the river is a brick. Phil scoops the pot, but not before saying, “That was a poker sweat, huh?” I laugh and feel it’s worth it to have lost $1,600 but gain the priceless story of a lifetime. I get my consolation raffle ticket and rebuy for $200. We play a few more hands and I’m having the time of my life. I’ve never been on such a poker high and I never want it to end. Eventually, it does, but I still get a great photo with Phil. He heads to the next table.

I played against @philivey! My KQ of diamonds didn’t hit against his pocket tens but I had a lot of outs! #Pokersweat Just getting to play a hand with him was the chance of a lifetime but then I got a photo and a signed chip! <3 #pokerlife #pokerdreams #GOAT #biggestfan pic.twitter.com/vXdd9lrlGL

— Charity Marie | #Author | Colorist (@Charity_Marie_) December 8, 2022

Matt Savage: All in, All the Time

Matt Savage walks up to our table, grinning, and puts down his very short stack of chips. He barely has time to greet people, and he’s all in for $32. Four of us call. The other players at the table, who didn’t remember that an all-in gets you a raffle ticket, are disappointed. Matt’s not happy to realize he’s outnumbered as we turn the hands up, but he somehow wins the hand. Matt now has around $137 and announces he’s all in again! Now we’re talking!

I have J10 offsuit and figure, why not? As the last to act, I see there are six players including me who all call. That sixth sense of mine indicates things are about to go down. “If anyone raises, I’ll go all in and protect Matt’s hand,” I think to myself. I don’t know why but I don’t want him to lose. My chip stack was around $800, so it would be enough to protect with. I’ve put Matt’s hand as AK or AQ, and in a six-way pot, that’s not good.

The flop comes out A49. I look at Matt and see his shoulders relax ever so slightly. The action checks around to the number 8 seat, a guy named Scott who owns a farm up north. Before he even moves, I know he’s going to raise it to $50 because he has a pair, and he does. I figure he’s got an ace with a weak kicker maybe, or middle pair. I turn toward the dealer and say, “All in,” which the dealer confirms. Matt groans and says, “I guess I know what that means.” I think, “No, you don’t Matt. But you will soon.”

After some grumbling, everyone, including Scott, folds and Matt flips up his hand: AQ. I look at him and say, “I told myself if anyone raised to go after you, I would protect your hand.” I turn up my cards and he grins at me. Everyone else at the table is ragging on me, especially Scott, but they’re good natured about it especially when I say, “Y’all didn’t have jack, you were just being bullies.” Scott says at least he had a pair, to which I shrug, laugh, and say, “Guess you should have called. Then you would have lost more than $50 because you couldn’t beat his ace.” Scott tells me he had a weak ace.

The rest of the hand plays out and Matt’s hand wins. But then he’s gathering chips and says he has to leave for another table. Just like that, our time with poker legends is over. The seat stays empty the rest of the meetup, but we realize, thanks to Matt announcing, that Doyle Brunson has entered the room. The cheering and clapping when the room realizes Doyle is among us is so deafening, people outside in the casino turn to watch. Doyle sits at a table close to the entrance, a straight line across the room between us.

The room at the @WPT @WynnPoker Meet Up Game broke into applause when @TexDolly arrived! pic.twitter.com/NglfxL7ZUb

— PokerNews (@PokerNews) December 1, 2022

Making Impossible Poker Dreams Come True

My table mates encourage me to go say hi to Doyle. I want nothing more than to thank him for changing my life. My throat is dry and I’m not sure I’ll be able to talk. I’m sure Doyle hears it all the time, but I can’t help myself.

My knees are wobbly as I make my way across the room to stand beside him. He’s in a hand and doesn’t notice me. He’s quiet and focused on the game, so I say nothing. I stand off to the side a bit, hands clasped behind me as I wait for him to acknowledge me. Except he doesn’t. Someone else at the table does and offers to take my photo with Doyle. More than I ever could have hoped for, I take him up on it. I try to thank Doyle, but I’m not sure he can even hear me over the noise.

The WPT After Party for the Meetup Game

When it’s over, there’s an after party where I meet even more of the poker elite: Phil Hellmuth, WPT President Adam Pliska, Brad Owen, and Andrew Neeme. I meet the only female to win the raffle, Katrina, and we have a delightful conversation. Everyone’s having a great time — free drinks are flowing, the energy is high, and it’s over way too soon.

The World Poker Tour Inspires a New Dream

I head back to my hotel room, giddy and exhausted. I will never forget this day. Best poker day ever. I have lots of other adventures, including meeting Doyle a second time and getting a free autographed copy of his autobiography. I realize a few days later it’s not my last Vegas adventure when hubby encourages me we should move to Vegas. We plan to be there in May 2023. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll be someone’s Phil Ivey or Doyle Brunson.

In this article, we’ll look at who has signed with Team WPT this year and who currently rules the roost on the World Poker Tour. We’ll also speculate as to which players might be the next addition to a roster that boasts more strength and depth than a long pass from Tom Brady at his peak.

A Party of Five

The current World Poker Tour roster is the envy of other poker brands, with a great mix of trending players, fresh faces, and Poker Hall of Famers. When the WPT named Steve Aoki as their Brand Ambassador early in 2022, it sent shockwaves through the industry. Aoki was an award-winning DJ, used to winning a Grammy or two, but what would he bring to the party? It turned out… the party itself! Aoki has been a great name to be linked with the WPT and has spent a fair amount of time at the tables, too, meeting hundreds of players of all levels at multiple WPT stops in 2022.

“The passion and energy in which Steve Aoki approaches every aspect of his life is both inspiring and very much in line with the new vision of the WPT,” Adam Pliska, the World Poker Tour CEO, said at the time of Aoki joining the brand.

When the WPT announced their next acquisitions, no-one was surprised when Brad Owen and Andrew Neeme were unveiled as new ambassadors. The pair of YouTube vloggers and MUG hosts have helped revolutionize the way we watch poker, and the World Poker Tour is embracing new technology and innovations like never before. Owen and Neeme’s exclusive NFT series and the growth of their online WPT Global brand are indicative of this, and having Neeme and Owen at the forefront of new WPT developments can only strengthen their global brand.

Owen and Neeme are guaranteed to bring in a new wave of poker players, but what about the old guard? The WPT would never abandon those who have been with them since the first card came off the – literal – deck back when the WPT cruise set sail.

The WPT introduced Doyle Brunson as a new ambassador by featuring the 10-time WSOP bracelet winner and back-to-back WSOP Main Event champion (in 1976 & 1977) in a highly amusing advert for the WPT World Championship. Texas Dolly arrived a month early for the celebrations in the video as he rolled towards Vegas ahead of time in the hilarious take on early registration. Pliska commented about the poker legend: “Doyle has been a part of the World Poker Tour from the very beginning.”

Another WPT jewel pic.twitter.com/xPETljk3oh

— Doyle Brunson (@TexDolly) November 1, 2022

This advert was one of many towards the latter end of the year that have demonstrated just how on trend the WPT are. Hiring Phil Ivey to be their fifth new brand ambassador in 2022 was a masterstroke. Not only was Phil also a 10-time WSOP bracelet winner, but Ivey’s mystique is legendary. He promptly appeared in a self-deprecating video where he and Tony Dunst were answering calls in the WPT office. To bring Phil Ivey back in a big way on the tournament circuit is to WPT’s credit.

WPT Summer Festival now at @wpt_global including the $1 buy-in $1 million guaranteed event. See you there pic.twitter.com/OrL3cXOOJE

— Phil Ivey (@philivey) July 23, 2022

The Legends Behind the Mic

It’s not only the mix of Ivey and Dunst that reminds us just what a strong team all those new ambassadors are joining. Vince Van Patten and Tony Dunst have been the WPT’s co-anchors since the late, great Mike Sexton left us. Sexton’s many friends still miss his effortless grace and humor. Van Patten and Dunst deserve huge credit for filling the enormous loss of Mike, producing content that retains Sexton’s wit and wisdom.

Image Credit: WPT

Presenting coverage of all the big events where players have the chance of getting their name carved into the WPT Mike Sexton Champions Cup is the Australian broadcasting hero Lynn Gilmartin. A mainstay of the WPT for many years, Gilmartin’s easy charm and whip-smart personality make her someone WPT relies on. Fans love seeing her on the screen wherever she goes.

Tournament Director Matt Savage is another powerhouse personality in his own right, having won the Global Poker Award for Poker Industry Person of the Year this year. His relationship with players and fans is second to none. It’s impossible to think of someone in poker who has welcomed so many people to the game. It’s continued growth is in no small part a direct result of Savage’s skill and presence.

Who Could Be the Next WPT Ambassador?

There are so many players in poker who offer so much in terms of success, brand growth and an online presence. To pick only a handful inevitably misses hundreds of perfectly suitable candidates. That said, this is exactly what we’re going to do. So let’s start with tour favourite Dan Smith.

Image courtesy: PokerGO, HendonMob

Known as ‘The Cowboy’, Smith might be used to playing high roller events, but he’s happy to mix it up in $10,000 MTT fields too. Dan won his first WSOP bracelet in the summer of 2022, rubber stamping what everyone in the game knows; Smith is a winner both on and off the felt.  His Double Up Drive has raised millions for charity, too, and the World Poker Tour’s own efforts in this area would complement Smith’s charitable ethic.

Darren Elias is already a bona fide World Poker Tour legend, having won more Main Event titles on the WPT Tour (four) than any other player in history. What better way to promote the brand than by making the most successful player ever to sit at the WPT felt a top ambassador? Elias isn’t just a great poker player, he’s also a wholesome family man who has proven that you can become a ruthless winner while being a nice person.

With poker props running in the family, one player who we think would add huge value to the WPT is Natasha Mercier. With husband Jason taking more of a back seat in recent years, Natasha’s propensity for making it through tough fields and juggling motherhood alongside her poker success is inspiring. With the poker industry always looking for ways of bringing more women into a game still dominated by men, what better person to inspire others to take up the game than Natasha?

Image credit PokerNews, Drew Amato

Finally, with two friends for the price of one, we think that genius minds Erik Seidel and Maria Konnikova would be a great fit for the World Poker Tour. Both are hugely consistent players, and with the backgammon and chess respective passions of the pair, the duo could bring other mind sport players to poker. Seidel’s background in stocks and accounting, coupled with Konnikova’s literary and psychological background offers a true meeting of intelligence that could only benefit the changes any poker brand will go through.

The World Poker Tour has made giant leaps in 2022 – who knows what 2023 will bring for the biggest poker tour in the world?!

“It is my privilege to share that this year’s WPT Honors Awards recipients will be Vince Van Patten and Isai Scheinberg,” said World Poker Tour CEO Adam Pliska to a captive full Encore Ballroom as Day 1A of the WPT World Championship Main Event was briefly paused for the announcement.

“These two men have both made transformational contributions to the poker community. Isai as a pioneer with his incredible ingenuity and boldness, and Vince with his love and dedication to expanding the game of poker. Both honorees are truly deserving of the award.”

Vince Van Patten: 20 Years Of Poker Broadcast Excellence

Native New Yorker Vince Van Patten teamed up with the World Poker Tour in 2003, and has represented the brand ever since through his unique presentation of poker content and high profile tournaments in the broadcast booth.

Originally introduced to the game of poker by his father, Dick Van Patten, Vince has been around the game since he was a teenager – even managing a Hollywood home game in the 1990s.

Van Patten expressed gratitude towards the WPT family and executive team upon receiving the WPT Honors nod saying “I am so fortunate to have been a part of this amazing company for 20 years and I have never been more proud of what the WPT has become, than here at the first-ever WPT World Championship at the Wynn. It is an incredible site.”

Isai Scheinberg Receives Long Overdue Poker Industry Recognition

Poker player, fan, and former online industry executive Isai Scheinberg began heading PokerStars operations in Q3-2001, and quickly elevated the company to a brand name that would become synonymous with “poker greatness.”

Through his leadership, aptitude, and love for the game, Scheinberg would go on to vault the online poker business into a worldwide phenomenon during the early to mid-2000s.

The PokerStars online poker business, and subsequently their live events series, became a logical next step for both casual and serious card playing fans around the world who had – up until the early 2000s – dreamed of the online, real money potential of card games after cutting their teeth on the popular offline, click-and-drag Microsoft Solitaire game over the prior decade.

By the time Scheinberg sold the company in 2014 for $4.9 billion, PokerStars had amassed a player base that exceeded 100 million individuals across the globe.

The PokerStars co-founder was on hand to receive the WPT Honors recognition and spoke to the assembled crowd of players and poker media outlets, most of whom had never seen his face or heard his distinct voice before. He fondly recalled that “the first TV advertising PokerStars did was on WPT programming on the Travel Channel. It had a major impact that led to millions of players joining us.”

READ ALSO: WPT World Championship Opens to Massive Turnout Numbers

Legacy WPT Honors Awards Recipients

This year marked the fourth time the World Poker Tour has recognized the ground-breaking achievements of poker players, personalities, and industry executives.

In 2017, Bruno Fitoussi, Linda Johnson, and Mike Sexton became the inaugural recipients of the WPT Honors. The following year, the WPT paid homage to its founders: Lyle Berman and Steve Lipscomb, while industry trailblazer Deb Giardina and tournament director Matt Savage were exalted in 2019 for their leadership in live, on-site poker operations.

WPT World Championship Main Event To Exceed $15 Million Guarantee?

According to WPT Executive Tour Director and 2019 WPT Honors Award recipient Matt Savage, the largest guaranteed live poker tournament prize pool in history could exceed its own lofty expectations.

VIDEO: World Poker Tour Executive Tour Director Matt Savage (@SavagePoker) thinks that the @WPT World Championship’s prize pool could surpass $20 million.

LINK – https://t.co/wyszIyKUus pic.twitter.com/d0HqFLWU8Y

— Card Player: The Poker Authority (@CardPlayerMedia) December 13, 2022

Savage hinted that the eventual WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas prize pool could turn out to be “over $20 million”, and based on the impressive Day 1A turnout of 615 players that milestone is well within reach.

Last Chance To Qualify For Historic WPT World Championship Main Event

Late registration for ‘Day 1C’ of the $10,400 buy-in WPT World Championship 2022 Main Event will be open up to the start of Level 7 on Wednesday, with a $1,100 Milestone Satellite qualifier available for players inside the Wynn Las Vegas Poker Room on December 14th, starting at 12:00 Noon local time.

The WPT World Championship Main Event – ‘Day 1B’ of which is today – is a “freezeout” poker tournament in which multiple re-entries (aside from a single entry per starting flight) are not allowed.

This means that once the late registration period ends for ‘Day 1C’ on Wednesday (following the completion of Level 6) all remaining participants will be locked in to their current chip counts for the remainder of the showcase event.

Here’s everything you need to know about the festival:

Main Event Schedule

• Day 1A: Thursday, September 15 at 1:00 PM
• Day 1B: Friday, September 16 at 1:00 PM
• Day 1C: Saturday, September 17 at 1:00 PM
• Day 1D (Turbo): Saturday, September 17 at 7:00 PM
• Day 2: Sunday, September 18 at 1:00 PM (until final table)
• Final Table: Monday, September 19 at 1:00 PM

Main Event Structure

• Re-entry: Unlimited in the first 6 levels
• Buy-In: €1,100
• Starting stack: 30,000 (150 big blinds)
• Blind levels: 40 minutes on Day 1 and 60 minutes on Day 2 & final table
• First level: 100/200 with Big Blind Ante of 200
• Late registration: 6 levels
• Players per table: 9 on Day 1 and 8 when money is reached

WPT Prime Madrid Full Schedule of Events

1. No Limit Opener: September 10. Buy-In: €400
2. No Limit Blurr: September 10. Buy-In: €200
3. Women’s No Limit: September 11. Buy-In: €220
4. No Limit Bounty: September 11. Buy-In: €400
5. No Limit Survivor: September 11. Buy-In: €350
6. Pot Limit Omaha: September 12. Buy-In: €400
7. No Limit 20/20/20: September 12. Buy-In: €220
8. No Limit Big Stack: September 13 and 14. Buy-In: €400
9. Pot Limit Omaha 20/20/20: September 14. Buy-In: €220
10. No Limit Fast: September 14. Buy-In: €220
11. Main Event: September 15 to 19. Buy-In: €1,100
12. Mystery Bounty NL: September 18. Buy-In: €1.650
13. Seniors NL: September 19. Buy-In: €400
14. High Roller: September 19. Buy-In: €5.250
15. The Closer: September 19. Buy-In: €240

You can see the complete schedule via this link.

David Luzago and Matt Savage anticipate a great festival

We reached out to David Luzago, Poker Manager at Casino Gran Vía and host of the radio program “Marca Poker” and he told us: “For me, the Casino Gran Vía and the Comar Group it is a privilege to have the dean of the world circuits in our facilities. Having the WPT ratifies the objective of turning the Casino Poker Room into one of the references in Europe. We are very proud and eager to celebrate this stop of one of the most important circuits in the world.”

Many players are not familiar with the imposing hall of the Casino Gran Via, so we asked him what the newcomers are going to find: “The Casino has an unbeatable location, as it is located in the center of the city on the busiest street in Madrid. It has an exclusive lounge for the Poker Room where up to 50 tables can be found. The decoration is like a royal palace with chandeliers and 8 meter high ceilings”.

Luzago continued, “In addition to the 15 festival events, there are 9 satellites for the main tournaments and cash games (Texas Hold’em and Pot Limit Omaha) running every day. The lowest level will be €1/$3 and the highest will depend on player demand.”

Madrid is a fascinating city and we asked Luzago what players can see on a day off: “The city is one of the most visited destinations not only in Europe, but in the world. It is very well prepared for international tourism as it is clean, modern and safe. The casino is located on one of the busiest streets in Europe, so the offer of leisure, museums, food and entertainment is very wide. There is also a great sports offer with the stadiums of Real Madrid and Atletico de Madrid.”

When asked what sort of attendance and performance he expected to see from local Spanish players, Luzago replied that “I think the WPT Prime Madrid schedule is very attractive with a Senior, Women’s, Mystery Bounty, High Roller and a Main Event with a great structure. So I think that not only the players who live in Spain will be present, but also those who decided to emigrate to be able to play online professionally. And if we add the people coming from other countries, it can be a festival that will attract a lot of people.”

Matt Savage, Executive Tour Director of the WPT, will also be present in Madrid to direct the tournament. For David “it’s a pride and a privilege to work alongside one of the best directors in the world to learn from him. We are fortunate to have the law of the poker world in our city for the tournament.”

Real pleasure and privilege for @CasinoGranVia, and for me on a personal level, to be able to work with you, and host a @WPT PRIME event for the first time in our country. Looking for that so bad!



— David Cámara✧Luzago (@DavidLuzago) August 15, 2022

We asked Matt for his thoughts about the upcoming events and he shared that “I expect WPT Prime Madrid to continue the massive success we have seen at events around the world. We are so excited to bring the WPT to Madrid for the first time because the city is beautiful and it’s going to be more than just a poker tournament, it will be an experience of a lifetime!”

If you are looking for a trip to visit Europe and also play poker, the perfect destination awaits you in less than a month’s time.

WPT Venetian

Tournament details and structure:

• Buy-In: $5,000 ($4,600 prize pool + $275 entry fee + $125 staff fee)
• Re-entry: Unlimited re-entry is allowed until the start of level 9
• Starting chips: 50,000 (250 big blinds)
• Guaranteed prize pool: $4,000,000
• Blind levels: 60 minutes on Day 1 and Day 2. 90 minutes on Day 3 when 24 remain. 60 minutes during final table and 30 minutes during head’s-up.
• Ante format: Big Blind Ante
• First blind level: 100/200 with 200 Big Blind Ante
• Late registration: Available until the start of level 9 on Day 1A, Day 1B, and Day 1C
• Players per table: Play will begin 9-handed. Play will move to 8-handed when 10 tables remain. Play will move to 6-handed for the Official WPT Final Table.

Action clock: The Action Clock will be used once the field is down to one table out of the money. Remaining players will have 30 seconds to act on their hand. At the beginning of play in the Action Clock portion of the tournament, each player will receive time extension chips, each worth a 30-second addition to a player’s action.

You can see the complete blind level structure in this link.

Tournament schedule:

• Day 1A: Tuesday July 12 11:10 AM (11 levels)
• Day 1B: Wednesday July 13 11:10 AM (11 levels)
• Day 1C: Thursday July 14 11:10 AM (11 levels)
• Day 2: Friday July 15 11 AM (10 levels)
• Day 3: Saturday July 16 12 PM (until 6-handed final table is reached)
• Day 4: Sunday July 17 12 PM (final table)

Matt Savage anticipates a successful tournament

We spoke with WPT Executive Tour Director Matt Savage about expectations for the tournament and he told us “I anticipate that WPT Venetian will be a massive success based on the response I’ve received from the announcement. I fully expect the number to exceed last year’s number of 937 based on the numbers we’ve been seeing in our 20th season.”

On the large increase in the guaranteed prize pool he told us: “Venetian and the World Poker Tour have put an emphasis on giving players the opportunity of a lifetime, earning entry through satellites and ClubWPT competitions.”

Finally, we asked what is different about a WPT tournament compared to other tournaments in Las Vegas this summer: “I believe that the World Poker Tour and our festivals are the most player-friendly in the game and that etching your name on the Mike Sexton Champions Cup should be the goal of every poker player,” said Savage.

Matt Savage

More WPT events at the Venetian

In addition to the WPT Venetian Main Event, other side events will be played at the WPT Venetian Festival, too, including:

• Event #106 WPT 1 Day / Date: July 7 / Buy-In: $1,100 / GTD Prize Pool: $200,000
• Event #108 WPT 3 Day / Date: July 8 / Buy-In: $2,400 / GTD Prize Pool: $2,000,000
• Event #110 WPT 1 Day / Date: July 11 / Buy-In: $1,100 / GTD Prize Pool: $200,000

You can view the full festival schedule here.

There’s a MASSIVE @WPT $5K this summer @VenetianPoker with a $4,000,000 guarantee. There will be plenty of satellite winners and fun to be had! #WPTVenetian https://t.co/hSlbgNyh8X pic.twitter.com/zNeemyK75q

— Matt Savage (@SavagePoker) June 4, 2022

WPT Venetian 2021

The 2021 edition of the festival received 937 $5,000 entries with a prize pool of $4,333,625, far exceeding the $1,500,000 guarantee. The top 118 players cashed, including Lily Kiletto (110th), Sean Yu (108th), Ali Imsirovic (90th), Joseph Cheong (85th), Ryan Laplante (69th), Nick Schulman (34th) and James Carroll (13th), among others.

The grand champion was Qing Liu, who defeated Joe McKeehen (2015 WSOP Main Event champion) in the final match and won $752,880. He also joined the WPT Champions Club and got his name enshrined on the prestigious Mike Sexton Champions Cup.

Qing Liu, the 2021 champion / Photo: Joe Giron

It’s a long trip from Israel out to Durant, Oklahoma, headquarters of the Choctaw Nation, and I’ve gotten a few raised eyebrows when telling people that that’s where I’m headed next. To be sure, there’s plenty I’m looking forward to about the trip (that article is coming very soon ), but I thought that who better to hear from than experts with experience as to “Why Choctaw?”

To provide some further insight, we’ve rounded up a fresh panel of experts who have graciously agreed to give of their time to participate. In alphabetical order, then, I wish to express my sincere thanks to Mickey Doft, Matt Savage, and Craig Varnell, whose answers appear below. Each of the panelists have different perspectives and experiences — that of a live reporter, industry executive, and player — which they were kind enough to share with us.

Without further ado, my question:

QUESTION:

What makes WPT Choctaw a must-visit stop on the World Poker Tour? In particular, what makes this stop unique and different than others?

Mickey Doft

I have to preface this by saying that I’m seeing this from a reporter’s perspective and not that of a player’s, but I’ve always felt that WPT Choctaw was a good test for players, especially professionals. Is the field the strongest? No. In fact, many players would argue that it is the softest field on the WPT schedule. However, that is my point. What better way to prepare for an event like the World Series of Poker Main Event than to partake in a meaningful buy-in event like WPT Choctaw with a lot of unpredictable players taking unorthodox lines.

For a recreational player, WPT Choctaw has some advantages to it that many other WPTs on the schedule don’t have. With levels staying at 60 minutes throughout the tournament, there is a little more variance than a typical WPT, which tends to be more deep stacked.

A certain WPT Choctaw event really sticks out to me, and it’s the inaugural one from 2015. Just playing down to the final table it was absolutely stacked. Erik Seidel, Jared Jaffee, Mukul Pahuja, Upeshka De Silva, Steve Sung, and WPT’s own Vince Van Patten were all eliminated from two tables down to the official final table of six, which was also stacked.

Darren Elias was looking to win his third WPT event in a calendar year. Mina Greco was looking to be the first woman to win an open WPT title. Jake Schindler, Alex Lynskey, and Andy Hwang were all accomplished pros. Then there was Jason Brin, the amateur at the table that nobody had heard of and who only had small cashes, mainly on the MSPT and HPT. He had one WSOP circuit cash, but nothing at the WSOP or in any other WPT.

It was Brin’s unorthodox play and fearlessness as a recreational player that changed the dynamic of the table. His plays were different, less predictable, and his table talk was legendary. That all ultimately led to his pulling of the upset and winning the tournament. Will this always happen? No, but it’s one of the bigger upsets I can think of in my 10 years of covering WPTs, and it’s the first thing I think of when it comes to WPT Choctaw.

Mickey Doft is a poker tournament reporter based in South Florida, freelancing mainly for the Seminole Hard Rock and the World Poker Tour.

Matt Savage

The World Poker Tour has been going to Choctaw since 2015 and it has become a favorite stop for WPT regulars. It also draws a lot of players from poker hotbeds Oklahoma City and Dallas, Texas, which makes for a lot of action at the tables. Bob Barnes, the table games manager at Choctaw, is a great partner to work with and knows how to put players first. Hotel rates for poker players start at $119 per night from Sunday-Thursday. For reservations, you can call (888) 652-4628 and mention offer code “WPT22”.

One unique thing that is available at Choctaw is registration via TicketMaster – they’re the only WPT stop with this option. Plus, it’s one of our few events that’s also a great destination for the entire family to attend, with on-site amenities such as spa, pool, bowling alley, movie theater, and arcade.

The casino itself is something to behold. It recently underwent a major renovation with 1,000 new hotel rooms and a world class 30-table poker room. It’s also got great restaurants, shopping, and a Starbucks to keep players caffeinated and ready to play. This time, the Main Event has a $2 million guarantee and we’ll be filming the final table at the HyperX ESports Arena in Las Vegas.

Craig Varnell

For me, Choctaw is one of the best stops on the tour. The reasons I think this is a lot of pros don’t travel there, as it’s a bit of an “off the beaten path” poker destination. With that said, the player pool is probably the nicest out of all the stops. The cash games are some of the best when tournaments are going on. The staff there is amazing, but at the hotel and in the poker room.

From my experience — again, owing to Choctaw being a bit out of the way — the fields tends to be among the softer and more easy to navigate in the USA. It’s just amazing. Hotel rates for players are very reasonable compared to other places, too. Bill Bruce is an awesome tournament director, and just a nice person overall. I barely ever miss a good guaranteed tourney out at Choctaw and I plan on being there again in the hopes of claiming another WPT title.

Craig is a two-time WPT Champion, and a past winner of the World Poker Tour Choctaw Main Event (2019). He’s also a WSOP bracelet winner, whose lifetime tournament earnings exceed $2.5 million.

—

Did you enjoy this panel discussion? Have you got any burning poker questions you’d like answered by some of the game’s top coaches, players, media personalities, tournament directors, or industry experts?

Send an email to [email protected] and yours might be the next question featured in our Ask the Poker Experts series.

*Image credits: (Mickey Doft) Jamie Thomson, (Matt Savage) Joe Giron for PokerNews, (Craig Varnell) Worldpokertour.com

With the new award having just premiered recently in the Dutch capital of Amsterdam, we caught up with multi-time Global Poker Index award-winning WPT Executive Tour Director Matt Savage to find out how it went.

“You couldn’t be more right about the history of the event,” Savage says. “Having the World Poker Tour back at Holland Casino Amsterdam for the first time in two years just felt right. Our Tour Management team worked tirelessly to make sure this event was a success and the 757 entries — the largest WPTDeepStacks Amsterdam ever – are a testament to that hard work.”

The level of entries is always the surest sign that a poker event has been a success, but player feedback is just as important to the WPT team. There was a real motivation for inclusion behind the Player of the Festival award. Savage reveals the influence was ‘the players’.

“We’re in our 20th season and want to make sure that the player experience stays at the forefront of everything we do.” He says. “The Player of the Festival program, which includes a WPT Prime passport as the prize, just gives our players another way to celebrate our players at every stop.”

Players were delighted to have the extra prize to shoot for and in the cosy yet open casino that is a stone’s throw from the banks of the Amstel, a positive player atmosphere was crucial. The Player of the Festival award was key to achieving that.

“It was very well received. As the festival advanced, players were looking to see where they stand and who the current leader was. I was happy to see players excited about it.”

As Savage describes, the scoring system for any leaderboard is always going to be tricky, but in the Dutch capital, everything went to plan.

“For Amsterdam the system worked perfectly,” says Savage, confirming that the innovation will stay. “We’re confident that what we have is very solid. We will be running our Player of the Festival program at every WPT stop in 2022. This includes WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown and WPTDeepStacks Sydney, which are both underway now as well as the upcoming WPT Choctaw and the WPT Prime stops in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Taiwan.”

Just as with so many poker innovations, the truest test of whether it is successful is always measured by time.

“Like every WPT product, we’re going to listen to feedback,” admits Savage. “That being said, we worked with a very talented statistician to help us develop the scoring system and ran multiple simulations over various historical festivals to make sure we were happy with the system.”

The debut Player of the Festival award was, as Savage has described, fought for with energy and passion. “It was eventually won by Fabio Peluso, who earned the title and the €1,100 WPT Prime Passport thanks to a pair of cashes. He just has to figure out where he wants to use his Passport.”

Congratulations to WPTDeepStacks Amsterdam @HollandCasino Player of the Festival, Fabio Peluso.

Total Cashes: 2
Points Earned: 750
Money Won: €61,233

For his prize, Peluso will take home a WPT Prime Passport worth €1,100! pic.twitter.com/hPIAwqWbtG

— World Poker Tour (@WPT) April 3, 2022

With a wide range of events taking place on this year’s Season XX of the World Poker Tour the choice is vast for the highly skilled Italian. The World Poker Tour’s Player of the Festival award is sure to be a big hit with players who buy in directly, qualify through live in-casino satellites and even Club WPT members who make travelling the world to play WPT events their ‘hobby hustle’.

The Player of the Festival points system is clear and easy to understand, with a sliding scale of prizes based on the tournament buy-in via which players have qualified to win points.

As the World Poker Tour moves on to stops in Australia, the Far East and America, how each Player of the Festival enjoys winning the extra prizes will likely build the interest others have in becoming the latest incumbent of that entitlement.

Just like the World Poker Tour trophy awarded to each Main Event winner, namely the WPT Mike Sexton Champions Cup, becoming the Player of the Festival is a matter of real pride already and we can only see that growing and growing… along with the prize pools and attendances if Season XX’s opener is anything go by!