The WPT Prime Liechtenstein Festival

The WPT Prime Liechtenstein will feature 12 events, including some of the most popular modalities: Mystery Bounty, Ladies, Seniors, Pot-Limit Omaha, High Roller and of course Prime Main Event, which will begin on September 6 and will have six starting flights. Those who wish to qualify for the Main Event for a lower investment will be able to take advantage of one of the nine qualifying satellites.

Below is a chart with details of the 12 festival events:

You can see the full schedule at this link.

The WPT Prime Liechtenstein Main Event

The most important tournament of the festival will begin on September 6 and, as mentioned, players will have six initial days to try to make it through to Day 2. The entry will be CHF 1,100 and will have a guaranteed prize pool of CHF 1,000,000.

The tournament structure will be as follows:

• Buy-In: CHF 1,100
• Re-entry: Unlimited re-entry is allowed until the start of Level 7, when registration ends.
• Guaranteed prize pool: CHF 1,000,000
• Starting stack: 30,000
• Blind Levels: 40 minutes on Day 1 and 60 minutes on Days 2 and 3
• Ante Format: Big Blind Ante
• Late Registration: Registration closes at the start of Level 7
• Action Clock: Will be put in place at the start of Day 2 and will be used until the completion of the tournament
• Payouts: 12.5% of the field

Exciting news! Thrilled to share I'll be heading to WPT Prime Liechtenstein fest in just 2 weeks! With CHF $1 Million GTD for the Main Event, it's bound to be unforgettable. Don't miss out: more info @WPT or https://t.co/hqH7ljo6m4 pic.twitter.com/ysQmTdgjwx

— Ivy Teves (@IvyTeves) August 17, 2023

The Venue: Grand Casino Liechtenstein

The festival will be played at the Grand Casino, which aims to become one of the best poker destinations in Europe. Its poker room has 17 cash game tables and for tournaments they have space for 70 tables.

Those planning to attend WPT Prime Liechtenstein will be able to take advantage of 25% discounts at any of six hotels using the promo code “wpt2023” starting on August 29. You can see the different promotions in this link.

The City: Vaduz, Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein is a Central European country located between Switzerland and Austria. Its territory is the result of the union of two enclaves: Vaduz and Schellenberg, made up of a total of 11 communities. The capital is Vaduz and the most populous city is Schaan. It is known for being the fourth smallest country in the world behind the Vatican, Monaco and San Marino.

The principality is known to be considered a tax haven. Although it is not a member of the European Union, since December 2011 it has been part of the European area of free movement. Liechtenstein is one of the six micro-states in Europe. It is also, together with Uzbekistan, one of the only two countries in the world that is doubly isolated from the sea, that is, from Liechtenstein you have to cross at least two borders to reach the sea.

The main attractions of the country are:

• Vaduz Castle
• National Museum of Art and History
• Hiking and mountain biking in Malbun
• St. Peter’s Cathedral
• Liechtenstein National Park
• The Postal Museum
• Taste country’s traditional cuisine like fondue, ribel, Käsknöpfle and local wine

With WPT Prime Liechtenstein you can visit a small country, but win big and be the next one to claim the WPT Prime Perpetual Trophy!

Legend of the game Doyle Brunson is said to have declared that he never met a poker player that developed Alzheimer’s. But is it actually true, or was ol’ Texas Dolly just telling a tall tale, as big as some of his bluffs?

RIP Doyle, the legend among legends. My favorite story from him was that no matter how old, he’s never met a poker player that developed Alzheimer’s. I often found myself retelling this to others throughout the years as it says so much about the game we all love.

— Eugene Katchalov (@EugeneKatchalov) May 15, 2023

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, affecting millions of people worldwide and causing memory loss, confusion, and behavioral changes. It is caused by the accumulation of abnormal protein deposits called amyloid plaques and tau tangles in the brain, which impair the function of neurons. While it seems improbable that a card game could help to stave off such a terrible disease, there is in fact some evidence that supports that theory.

But exactly how can poker help in the fight against this devastating condition?

(Check) Raise your cognitive abilities

One of the main factors that could protect your brain from cognitive decline is cognitive engagement, which means challenging your mind with mentally stimulating activities. Poker is a perfect example of such an activity, as it involves complex decision making, problem solving, and mental arithmetic. By playing poker regularly, you could keep your cognitive abilities sharp and prevent them from deteriorating over time.

A study by Williams et al. (2010) assessed the strength of evidence for various risk or protective factors for Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline. They found that cognitive engagement and physical activities are factors showing a fairly consistent association with decreased risk of AD and cognitive decline. They also noted that “cognitive engagement may be more important than education in maintaining cognitive function with aging”. That completely-wiped, exhausted feeling you get after coming away from your final table run? That’s a sign of focused cognitive engagement.

Another study by Dartigues et al. (2013) followed 3,675 non-demented participants for 20 years and found that board game players have a 15% lower risk of developing dementia than non-players. And if you’ve ever had your set lose to a flush draw with one card to come, you know that 15% is a lot! While not the same disease as the Alzheimer’s mentioned by Doyle, even partially helping to prevent dementia would be a huge benefit. The researchers also found that board game playing was associated with less cognitive decline and fewer instances of depression in elderly participants. Specifically, they suggested that games involving strategic decision-making “could be a relevant way to preserve cognition and to prevent depression in the elderly”.

Turn more outs from stress and depression

Another factor that could increase your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or cognitive decline is stress and depression. Chronic stress and depression can affect your mood, sleep, and immune system, as well as trigger inflammation and oxidative stress in your brain. These processes can damage your brain cells and contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

However, playing live poker could help you reduce your stress and depression levels by providing you with social interaction, enjoyment, and relaxation. Poker is a social game that allows you to interact with other players, make friends, and have fun. Much research has been devoted to the benefits of social interaction, enough that we won’t cite them here. But what about specifically the mechanical nature of poker itself? Could that be of some benefit? For that, we look to the other booming competitive game: chess.

A study by Lillo-Crespo et al. (2019) reviewed the literature on whether chess practice could mitigate signs, deliver benefits, or improve cognitive capacities of individuals with dementia. They concluded that “the practice of chess is a protective strategy in the development of dementia from a preventive perspective.”

While the Lillo-Crespo study focused on chess, it seems probable to extrapolate these results to poker as well. A 2016 study conducted by partypoker used an EEG and monitored the brain activity of poker players, both amateurs and experts.

It’s worth reading the entire linked article, but for example on the turn card amateurs are more likely to exhibit activity in the front right side of the brain (linked with emotion), whereas the expert player engages both sides of the brain (which indicates an association with solving mathematical problems). To thus take our theorizing a step further, these health benefits may only be manifest when an individual is playing poker at a high level. So, get in the lab, enroll with one of the great poker training sites out there, and level up your game, for the sake of your brain!

Know when to hold ‘em … and when to consult your physician

One of the challenges of diagnosing and treating Alzheimer’s disease is that it is often detected at a late stage, when the brain damage is already severe and irreversible. Therefore, medical professionals state it is important to monitor your brain health regularly and seek medical attention if you notice any signs of cognitive decline.

Self-awareness is one of the most important aspects of any health monitoring. Playing poker could help you have a more objective opinion of your own brain health, by providing you with instant feedback on your mental performance and helping you notice the 10 warning signs of Alzheimer’s. If you notice that you are making more mistakes, forgetting the rules, or losing track of the game, it could be a sign that something is wrong with your brain. By being aware of these changes, you could seek early diagnosis and intervention, which could slow down the progression of the disease.

While scientific research to back this claim has not been completed, this writer personally believes that continuing to improve in the game of poker necessitates self-awareness at a higher level than average. Success in poker requires knowing when you are beaten in a hand, knowing when you are making mistakes and should correct them before a downswing gets worse, knowing when you’re the best player at the final table and should refuse that chop and when you are evenly-matched and should call it a night.

The game that we know and love is chock-full of reality checks, and I don’t see how you could continue to play it and improve at it without rigorous awareness of your own cognitive function. But it does require one thing that can be hard for poker players: denying your ego and being honest with yourself. And in this case, the stakes are higher than your stack: we’re talking about your life.

Conclusion

Poker is not only a fun and exciting game, but also a potential way to protect your brain from Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline. By playing poker regularly, you could stimulate your cognitive abilities, reduce your stress and depression levels, and monitor your brain health.

Of course, a card game is not a magic bullet that can prevent or cure Alzheimer’s disease or cognitive decline. You should also maintain a healthy lifestyle that includes a balanced diet, regular exercise, adequate sleep, and social support, and perhaps most importantly consult your doctor if you have any concerns about your brain health or notice any signs of cognitive decline.

But there is some evidence, both scientific and anecdotal, to support Doyle Brunson’s theory that poker players are far less likely than the general population to be afflicted, tragically, by Alzheimer’s. So shuffle up and deal, and just maybe you’ll help your brain make a deep run in the tournament of Life.

References

1. Dartigues JF, Foubert-Samier A, Le Goff M, Viltard M, Amieva H, Orgogozo JM, Barberger-Gateau P, Helmer C. Playing board games, cognitive decline and dementia: a French population-based cohort study. BMJ Open. 2013 Aug 29;3(8):e002998. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2013-002998. PMID: 23988362; PMCID: PMC3758967.
2. Juszczyk G, Mikulska J, Kasperek K, Pietrzak D, Mrozek W, Herbet M. Chronic Stress and Oxidative Stress as Common Factors of the Pathogenesis of Depression and Alzheimer’s Disease: The Role of Antioxidants in Prevention and Treatment. Antioxidants (Basel). 2021 Sep 9;10(9):1439. doi: 10.3390/antiox10091439. PMID: 34573069; PMCID: PMC8470444.
3. Lillo-Crespo M, Forner-Ruiz M, Riquelme-Galindo J, Ruiz-Fernández D, García-Sanjuan S. Chess Practice as a Protective Factor in Dementia. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Jun 14;16(12):2116. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16122116. PMID: 31207926; PMCID: PMC6617066.

The 2023 WPT Choctaw Main Event was played from May 5-8 and had 612 $5,000 unique entries, distributing a total of $2.1 million in prizes. Jaffee was the last one standing, managing to weave his way through the field and gather all the chips, as well as the second biggest prize of his career: $400K. When asked what the victory meant to him he told us: “WPT is as prestigious a tour as there is in poker, so winning two main events on their tour is a special accomplishment.”

While Jaffee has 34 cashes and 6 final tables on the World Poker Tour, the recent win in Choctaw is his best memory from all his years playing on the tour: “Obviously winning makes it special to begin with, but I also had tons of friends there cheering me on as well as my parents. Having my parents there to see it firsthand and seeing them as happy as they were definitely made it extra special.”

With his first place finish, he also won a seat in the 2023 WPT World Championship and rose to third place in the WPT Player of the Year rankings. Bin Weng is currently leading the rankings and we asked Jared if he has aspirations of sitting atop the leaderboard: “I doubt I will be able to catch Bin because his lead is so huge. I may only play one or two more events this season and it would likely take another win at least. Anything is possible, but I consider it highly unlikely and it isn’t really something I’m thinking about.”

Jaffee’s first World Poker Tour win came almost a decade ago, back in November 2013 at the WPT bestbet Jacksonville Fall Poker Scramble, which had 358 entries pay the $3,500 buy-in. For his first place finish, he took home a prize of $252K and got his name affixed to the (now-called) Mike Sexton Cup. Below is a clip of Jaffee’s interview with the WPT’s Tony Dunst after his victory:

When asked what advice he would give someone who is going to play their first WPT Main Event, Jaffee replied “I would just tell them that the structures are very forgiving. You don’t need to panic if you lose a few pots early on and you should still be in a position where you won’t need to force the issue. Try not to think to far ahead and just focus on the next hand. Also, just enjoy it: they are fun events to play with a great staff!”

We wondered if Jaffee was among those who actively utilize poker training sites, but he said that “To be honest I’m not much of a studier. For me it’s more about getting in reps and playing as much as possible. I’ll also talk hands occasionally with people I think are more studied than myself hoping to grab some extra insight the easy way.”

Here’s a list of the six WPT final tables that Jared has made:

Date	Event	Buy-In	Entries	Result	Prize
January 2010	Southern Poker Championship	$10,000	208	4th	$135,079
August 2010	Legends of Poker	$5,000	462	5th	$86,000
November 2013	Jacksonville Fall Poker Scramble	$3,500	358		$252,749
January 2014	Borgata Winter Poker Open	$3,500	1,229	4th	$258,590
October 2019	WPTDeepStacks Pittsburgh	$1,100	386	6th	$14,615
May 2023	Choctaw	$3,800	612		$400,740

The World Poker Tour’s final tables are 6-handed, but Jaffee notably also placed 7th at the 2014 WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic for $167K, 7th at the 2015 WPT Choctaw for $112K, 8th at the 2016 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Finale for $88K and 8th at the 2021 WPT Venetian for $93K.

His First Cash, Poker’s Triple Crown and December’s Tournaments

Jaffee’s first recorded cash according to HendonMob is a tournament at the 2009 EPT Deuville . When asked what he remembered from that event, he replied “Yeah, I won a seat to the EPT Deauville on PokerStars somewhat accidentally. I thought it was a satellite to something else and next thing I knew I was headed to France. It was a nice trip and a fun experience but honestly at that point I didn’t really know what was going on. I was awful at poker and had no idea what the big time tournament scene was like. I was definitely sort of a deer in headlights, but at the same time it helped solidify that this was something I wanted to pursue and be a part of. So it was a springboard for me.”

With both a WSOP bracelet and WPT titles, Jaffee is just missing an EPT Main Event title to achieve poker’s “Triple Crown”. Is it something he would like to achieve in his career? “I’ve been missing just an EPT title for the Triple Crown now for quite a while, but my EPT experience has been very limited. It would definitely be a very cool accomplishment and I hope to play some EPT’s in the future, but I realize that I’m not likely to play a ton of them so it will be pretty difficult to make it happen. But if I pulled it off, I would definitely find it to be pretty special” he said.

In December the WPT World Championship returns to the Wynn. Jaffee shared his thoughts on the 2022 edition and whether he thinks that this year the tournaments will be even bigger: “I think pretty much everything the Wynn does is top shelf. Last year’s event was tremendous and as soon as it was over, I knew it was there to stay and I was looking forward to playing it again. As far as the field size, I assume it would be similar depending on the exact timing of the WSOP Paradise in the Bahamas. I think having the two series compete is truly unfortunate and undesirable. With that said, I can’t see a time where I won’t support the Wynn and promote their events. I think it’s important to be vocal when venues do things right because sadly that isn’t the norm.”

To finish, Jaffee shared what he enjoyed most about live tournaments: “I think my favorite part of live tournaments is that every time you sit down you get a different experience. Not all of them are good, but never knowing who you are going to be playing with and what you may see definitely makes for an entertaining environment. I’m not a big fan of routine and when it comes to poker tournaments you never know what’s gonna happen from one minute to the next. It’s definitely more my speed.”

*All images courtesy WorldPokerTour.com

Check out some more great interviews here on Cardplayer Lifestyle:

• Scott Eskenazi, 2023 WPT Rolling Thunder champion
• Alex Gray, WPT presenter
• David Costabile, actor and player
• Hili Shakked, former head of 888poker
• Andre Akkari, poker legend from Brazil
• Tom Wheaton and Alec Rome, producers of the documentary “Dreamers”
• Erin Lydon, Poker Power Managing Director
• Kyna England, Poker Power Instructor & 2021 MSPT Player of the Year

This MPF Main Event has added €200,000 to its guarantee and is looking to shatter attendance records! The Autumn MPF features an improved structure and a large variety of poker variants, including mixed games. It is definitely an event you should put on your poker calendar.

MPF Grand Event Guarantee Now €500,000

Let’s begin with the big news: The €550 MPF Grand Event returns this fall with a massive €500,000 guarantee. That’s €200,000 more than the Spring festival. Players will start with 50,000 in chips, and the tournament will begin with 50-minute levels on Days 1A and 1B, then move to 40-minute levels. Players will have two re-entries.

The spring event drew a huge field of 1,226 entries, creating a prize pool of €586,760. Scotland’s Lewis Coffin won the event for €100,600. This year’s Grand Event kicks off on October 24 and has seven starting flights.

If your bankroll is a bit limited, or you’re looking to save some money, consider satelliting your way into the MPF Grand Final. Satellites are held daily through October 27 and are just €70 (€60+€10) to enter.

Satellite players start with 15,000 in chips with 20-minute rounds. If you bust and want to try again, there are unlimited re-entries for eight levels.

A Schedule with Something for Everyone

The seven-day Malta Poker Festival schedule has something for every poker player. For those who love freezeouts, the Betsson One Bullet takes players back to the days before re-entry tournaments dominated the game.

Bounty Hunter Days give players a healthy starting stack of 30,000 chips and €100 bounties on all players. The Amateur Poker Association & Tour (APAT) Championship kicks off on October 28 and has an massive 100,000 chip starting stack and just one re-entry.

Other events include Win the Button, a Mystery Bounty Event, and the Friday Shark Deepstack with 50,000 in starting chips.

READ ALSO: Perfect 10: Power Behind the Malta Poker Festival’s Success

Paul ‘Rinty’ Monaghan Hosts Seniors Event

Irish Poker Tour ambassador Paul ‘Rinty’ Monaghan will be hosting the festival’s Seniors Event. Monaghan is one of the most well-liked players in the European poker community and a perfect choice as host, who will undoubtedly add to the event’s profile.

The Seniors Event in the Spring Festival drew a solid crowd, with Richard Frank taking down the event for his first-ever live poker cash. Interestingly enough, third-place finisher Rigo Vangarelli went on to make a deep run in the Seniors Championship at the 2023 World Series of Poker, which carried a record field of 8,180 players.

Ylva Thorsrud Hosts Ladies First!

The Ladies First! event returns and will be hosted by professional poker player and Twitch streamer Ylva Thorsrud. The €150 buy-in event features 25,000 in starting chips with 25-minute levels. There are also unlimited re-entries for the first eight levels.

The Spring edition of the event proved popular and attracted both amateur and professional players. The event was won by AJ Rudolph, who parlayed her win into a deep run in the 2023 World Series of Poker Ladies Championship.

Mixed Games Anyone?

No poker schedule is complete without mixed games, and the Malta Poker Festival is no exception. The fun begins on Day 1 with a €230 Crazy Pineapple event. Players get 30,000 starting chips with 20-minute rounds and unlimited re-entry for 10 levels.

One of the more exciting contests for mixed game players will be the €230 H.O.R.S.E. event. The spring version of the event drew a small but powerful field. Antoine Degiorgio won that event after defeating a final table that included World Series of Poker bracelet winner Jens Voertmann.

The popular PLO Knights Crusaders event kicks off on October 28 with a €200 buy-in, 35,000 in starting chips, and 25-minute levels. The final table of the Spring event was impressive and included pros Peter Kamaras, Jari Hurri, and Renato Messina. Simon Gyorgy ultimately won the event for his first live tournament victory.

Popular High Roller Return

Outside of the MPF Grand Final, the most lucrative event on the spring schedule was the €1,100 High Roller. The final table of this event was stacked with up-and-coming pros and amateurs. Alex Montgomery came out on top of a final table that included Dmitri Dan and Neil Barron.

Events like the €1,100 High Roller produce large prize pools and help kickstart the careers of many poker professionals. For example, Paul Amsellem finished 5^th in the spring event and won enough to enter the 2023 World Series of Poker Main Event. He ultimately cashed in the event, a feat that many poker players will never accomplish.

Things to Do Outside the Poker Room

We understand that your primary focus will be the Malta Poker Festival, but we encourage you to venture out from the poker room from time to time. Malta is a beautiful destination in the Autumn and worth exploring in your downtime.

Temperatures range from the mid to upper 20s in autumn (that’s 77 to 85 degrees for those using Fahrenheit), making it fantastic weather to hit the beach, dine outdoors, or enjoy a pleasant stroll outside. Better still, tourist traffic is lower in autumn, giving you the opportunity to check out some of the sights with shorter lines than usual.

You can visit the temples, check out Valletta, take a ferry to the Three Cities, or check out the Blue Lagoon of Gozo. There’s so much to do in the area you may want to set an itinerary or even stay a couple of extra days to take in the sights.

Now’s the time to plan your trip to Malta for the Autumn Malta Poker Festival. With a diverse schedule and a Grand Event with a €500,000 guarantee, it is an event you don’t want to miss. Be sure to reserve your package today!

In the summer of 2022, I moved to Las Vegas after being in the poker industry for nearly a year. A content editor for Jonathan Little’s PokerCoaching.com as well as a newly appointed live reporter for the World Series of Poker Circuit, I made my way to Las Vegas not only to further my career but also to play as much poker as possible, and play I did! Competing in my first WSOP, I fired a number of $400-$600 events as well as a wide variety of low-stakes tournaments around the city. Whether it was Paris, Bally’s (now Horseshoe), The Orleans, or the Golden Nugget, the summer of 2022 entailed consistent donations to the low-stakes poker community. It did not matter if it was the Colussus or the $35 daily at Westgate, Paul B was in LV and he was ready to punt!

Even with the losses we sustained in the summer of 2022, life was still pretty good. I was working in the poker industry, living in Las Vegas, and despite my recently depleted bankroll, I was hell-bent on getting to the felt whenever possible. After a long week of work in August of 2022, it was Friday night and I was ready to give myself a night out. While other 20-somethings may have made their way to Omnia or XS, I made my way to PokerAtlas.com. As I perused what was running that evening in Las Vegas, I could see I had a number of options. The 10 PM nightly at South Point? Nope, that’s at least $50 worth of Ubers. A $1,100 tournament at The Wynn? Maybe next week!

Oh hello, what do we have here?

Amidst all of the cheap nightlys around town and mixed game tournaments at The Orleans, I saw it: a $20 NLH tournament in North Las Vegas. As soon as I saw “$20”, I knew what my plans were for the evening.

A Palace Like No Other

Prior to my first visit to the Poker Palace, I was completely unfamiliar with the establishment. Before the Poker Palace came to be, the original property where it stands was built in 1951, and operated as Bunny’s Bar. A popular watering hole amongst servicemen stationed at nearby Nellis Air Force Base, Bunny’s Bar and the surrounding land was purchased by Marvin E. Coleman and Laura Coleman in 1974. Later in 1974, the Colemans would open the newly-built Poker Palace to the public, with a fresh casino that included one blackjack table, eight slot machines, and two pool tables. Nearly 50 years later, the Poker Palace offers six blackjack tables, over 280 various slot machines, a large bingo hall, a small sportsbook, and of course a 7-table poker room. For folks looking to dine/drink instead of gamble, you will find not only some of the cheapest (and stiffest) drinks in all of Las Vegas at the bar, but you can also enjoy a reasonably priced T-bone at Maddy’s Paddys Cafe.

With their offerings, the Poker Palace may sound like the usual small, “locals” casino, but you would be mistaken. When I first gazed upon the outside of the establishment, I knew I had stumbled upon something truly unique.

In case you can’t quite make out the sign on the right side of the building, let me offer you a closer look.

Although I had no plans of inquiring about Poker Palace’s “Match Your Paycheck” promotion, such an advertisement immediately intrigued me as to what awaited inside. Truth be told, I was not disappointed. Behold, the entrance to where the royalty of North Las Vegas gamble:

The Interior of the Poker Palace

After stepping into the main entrance of the Poker Palace, I was immediately greeted by a very large security desk occupied by, you guessed it, a security guard. Behind the security guard desk was the main lobby of the Poker Palace, primarily comprised of slot machines. Behind all of the slot machines stood a long bar filled with customers. Much like the bar, the entirety of the Poker Palace appeared to not have had an “update” in quite some time. Before making my way to the poker room to enter the tournament, I looked around and did some exploring.

I made my way through the right side of the building, taking in the Poker Palace Race and Sportsbook as I maneuvered through the establishment. Around the sportsbook were an array of framed pictures and paintings depicting famous racehorses of old. The likes of Seattle Slew and Seabiscuit could be seen along with the yellow tint of the aged photos.

Passing some paramedics who were attending to a slot player (this would be the first of two occurrences where I would see EMTs that evening), I found my way into Poker Palace’s Bingo Hall.

Outfitted with what appeared to be the original “number board” and an array of signs best described as “old school”, the Poker Palace Bingo Hall had everything you needed to host a serious bingo game, without all the pomp and circumstance. I was greeted by an attendant who informed me the next bingo game would not be occurring for another two hours. That was just fine with me, as I had a poker tournament to enter. Exiting the bingo hall, I retraced my steps as I made my way back to the Race and Sportsbook, located right next to the Poker Palace Poker Room. Arriving at my destination, I took in the arena where I would be doing battle that evening.

The Poker Palace Poker Room

Visiting the Poker Palace Poker Room for the first time, I was greeted by seven tables, each of which was surrounded by nine chairs (plus a slightly nicer-looking one for the dealers, of course). Although the poker tables appeared cheap, the felt appeared to be in fine shape throughout all the tables. Along with a whiteboard on the wall listing the cash game promotions, a pile of Christmas decorations could be seen in the back left corner. This past year, I have visited the Poker Palace on a number of occasions, and on every visit, I see that the pile of Christmas decorations has yet to be disturbed.

With more than half an hour remaining until the $20 tournament was set to begin, the lone occupant of the poker room was a slender, elderly Asian gentleman with an athletic stopwatch dangling from his neck. Assuming this was the poker room supervisor, I approached the man and inquired about entry into the tournament.

“Twenty dollars,” the poker room supervisor said. “If you want another 1,000 in chips, that will be another $10. It’s more than half an hour before tournament, so you can buy another add-on as well for $10.”

Not wanting to miss out on any add-ons, I gave the poker room supervisor $40 in exchange for two white chips marked 1,000.

“Where do you want to sit?” asked the poker room supervisor.

“Excuse me?”

“Pick your seat.”

The poker room supervisor motioned towards the poker table we were standing by. Spread across the felt was an assortment of cards marked with table and seat numbers. With my favorite number being 7, I naturally picked seat 7 at table 7. This would serve as the first time I ever got to pick my seat in a poker tournament.

With a half hour to kill before the tournament, I placed my two white chips and seat assignment card in my pocket as I made my way to Maddy’s Paddys Cafe. To be honest, the steak I had was quite good and reasonably priced at just $12.50.

The Action Begins

Following my reasonably priced dinner, I made my way back to the poker room and found my seat. After handing my seat card to the dealer, I was provided my chips and added my add-ons to the stack.

As I do at the beginning of every poker tournament, I asked the dealer what the starting stack was to confirm I had all the necessary chips. After confirming my chip stack contained the correct amount with my add-ons, I quickly realized the first “unique” aspect of this tournament. With a 4,000 starting stack and my 2,000 worth of add-ons, it appeared that the majority of the players were starting the poker tournament with only 60 big blinds, and the players who elected to buy no add-ons only had 40. Though I figured prior to taking my seat that this would be a truly unique tournament, this realization only furthered that observation. Fortunately for me, 40-60 big blinds is when I’m the most dangerous.

As the tournament began, I could tell at least half of the players at my table were regulars as they chatted amongst themselves and with the dealer. I sat back in silent wonder, as I witnessed some incredibly splashy, yet weirdly tight tournament poker. After a few hands, I finally saw some action as I raised from the cutoff with pocket fives and got a call from the big blind.

The flop came K-6-4 rainbow, the big blind checked and I bet one-third of the pot. The big blind called. The turn was a 3. Following another check from the big blind, I sized up with a three-quarters pot bet with my turned open-ender. My opponent thought for a few moments, before folding A-K offsuit face-up.

“You clearly have a set,” he told me.

Despite winning that hand with the worst, after missing a few flops I was down to only 3,000 in chips in the middle of Level 2. With the incredibly short starting stacks players were provided, I found myself down to 15 big blinds only 20 minutes into the tournament.

“Give the dealer $5,” one of my tablemates told me.

I looked at him puzzled.

“If you drop below 4k, you can add on whenever you want for five dollars.”

“Five dollars for 1,000,” the dealer explained to me.

That was the moment I discovered the second unique aspect of the Poker Palace $20 tournament.

Although I did in fact give the dealer $5 for additional chips, as a PokerCoaching.com employee I knew I should ask some follow-up questions:

• How much of this goes to the prize pool?
• How much of each add-on goes to the house?
• Oh, also, how much of the entry is raked?

“You’re asking a lot of questions, kid,” a grizzled regular informed me.

I grew much more quiet.

The regular to my left laughed and brought me up to speed on the essence of the $20 Poker Palace tournament:

“Listen, most of us had a long week. This tournament is $20 and the drinks are strong. Grab yourself a cocktail and enjoy yourself.”

Always open to advice, I did as my tablemate said and ordered the first of many vodka lemonades. After my first sip, I was thankful I hadn’t ordered a double.

I Need A Hero

“It’s 11 PM, do you know where your children are?”

If you’re my Mom, one of your sons is in California and has likely been asleep for an hour after responsibly taking melatonin. Your other son, I’m sorry to say, is drunk off his ass in a dingy casino in Northern Las Vegas.

Despite failing to cash in the cheapest poker tournament in Las Vegas I was in a good mood, having had an incredibly fun night out. Taking the advice of my fellow poker players, I kicked back, enjoyed myself, and experienced the Poker Palace like a true regular. Now, it was time for me to hail an Uber, and responsibly make my way home. As I exited the Poker Palace poker room, I pulled out my phone and opened the Uber app. Just as I was about to request a ride, a message appeared on my screen.

“We can’t reach our network right now. Please check your connection.”

Confused, I immediately closed the app and re-opened it, but the error message remained.

“Well that’s not good.” I thought to myself.

Taking a seat at the sportsbook, I attempted every other troubleshooting method I could think of in my inebriated state. I alternated airplane mode on and off, I checked to see if the Lyft app was working, I even turned my entire phone off and back on. Regardless of what I did, I not only couldn’t access the Uber app, but I couldn’t access the internet either. That’s when I realized that, for some reason, I was currently unable to use any cellular data. Whether it was because my brother forgot to pay the monthly cell phone bill or I simply needed to upgrade my ancient iPhone, the reason did not matter. All I knew was I was going to need WiFi and soon.

I approached a group of Poker Palace blackjack dealers who were talking amongst themselves at an empty table.

“Hi there, do you guys have free WiFi?”

They laughed at me.

I made my way over to the bar and asked if they had a number for a cab company. Although they did have a number, they informed me it would likely take them at least two hours to pick me up.

Although I’m not usually one to panic, that emotion was beginning to trickle into my consciousness. At that moment I could not refute the facts. It was late, I was drunk, and I was trapped in the Poker Palace.

I returned to the sportsbook and found a seat yet again. It was not lost on me that my lack of responsibility got me into this situation, but that did not change the fact I had to figure out how the hell I was going to get home. Just when I thought I would be sleeping in the confines of the Poker Palace Bingo Hall, it hit me: Bagger.

Enter Bagger

When I moved to Las Vegas in the summer of 2022, I really didn’t know anyone other than a few associates within the poker industry. All that changed, however, when one day I was scrolling through Snapchat and saw that one of my old buddies from college was in Las Vegas. Seeing an image of The Strat on my buddy Bagger’s Snapchat Story, I sent him a message. It turned out that Bagger and his family weren’t in town on vacation, but had moved to Las Vegas almost at the exact same time as I did! Not only was it great having a fellow Boise State Bronco in town, but it was even better having a friend nearby who was always willing to lend a helping hand. When it comes to people who are always willing to help you out at a moment’s notice, my buddy Bagger fits the profile perfectly.

So that’s who I called.

I’m not going to lie: even though I was inebriated, I felt bad calling Bagger so late at night. He has a wife and young daughters, making late-night calls from degenerate friends less than optimal. Regardless, I was deep within the recesses of North Las Vegas late at night and was quickly running out of options. I pulled up Bagger’s number and made the call. After one ring, my guardian angel answered.

“Pauly B! What’s up, brother?”

“Bagger, buddy, how’s it going man?”

“It’s going good man! Just trying to get the A/C unit in the f***ing Tercel to work. What are you doing?”

After apologizing that I was calling so late at night and confirming I had not woken his wife and kids, I explained my situation to Bagger. Being the amazing friend he is, he assured me he could pick me up and would be leaving shortly.

“No problem my man, happy to get you home safe. I’ll leave here in a couple of minutes and come swoop ya.”

“Bagger, dude, thank you so much I owe you one. Real quick though, be sure you park and come inside first. You’ve gotta see this place.”

About 20 minutes of loitering in the Poker Palace pits later, Bagger entered the building and greeted me. I thanked him and watched him look around the establishment. After silently assessing the Poker Palace, Bagger turned and looked at me.

“Dude, this place looks awesome.”

Author’s Note: A special thank you not only to Bagger, but also to fellow PokerCoaching.com staff member Kieran Woods for accompanying me to the Poker Palace this past summer as I worked on this article. The rake may have been high, but the memories were priceless.

But I think I knew this was coming. I think I could see this ending. I just didn’t want to admit it.

Let me make this clear; this break-up is very specific. I’m done playing standard, No-Limit Hold ‘Em poker cash games where the buy-in amount would hurt me if I lose it. And honestly, sometimes that’s just $100. That’s what most people play and it’s probably going to be 99 percent of the chances to make money in poker.

I didn’t get into this game, don’t stay in it, don’t cover it, don’t take photos of it, don’t adore it and deplore it for the money. It’s the little things. The feeling of chips and cards flying. The battles. The numerous types of games. The camaraderie. The stories. The characters.

I never considered making a living from this game and likely never will by playing it, but somehow I’ve been blessed enough to survive by being in the room.

But that’s the difficult part. The part I wrestle with. The fact that I’m not the man in the arena. That I can’t wage war and come out victorious. I don’t have the guts, stupidity or bankroll to lay it all on the line just to avoid a regular job. I stand on the sidelines.

I’m not some mega genius. I likely don’t have a fucking clue where I’m at or what is the “right play” most of the time. And yes, it is part of the beauty of Hold ‘Em… there are no single answers for most situations.

But I think I’m at a section of my life where that bothers me. I’m bothered by the fact there’s ambiguity and I can’t shake it. I can’t tell you what the percentages are of skill, luck and circumstance that play into my successes or lack thereof in poker.

Some Painful Poker

All this started a couple nights ago while I was playing a home game. Playing someone I have little experience but knew his general style, I seemingly threw all sense out the window and triple barrel bluffed off my entire $400 stack on J77QQ with ten-high. I was both complemented and consoled by my peers at the table for the bluff attempt.

I was mad… but what am I mad at? That I lost? That it was a dumb spot to do it? The wrong person to bluff against? Or maybe that… after the dust had settled, I wasn’t really mad at the result at all? Almost pleased that I could be released from the pressure.

Then, just two hours later, I scroll across this tweet from poker vlogger Brad Owen. I am mad with how true this rings for me.

If you have a good answer, you shouldn’t have been playing in the first place

— Brad Owen (@TheBradOwen) July 22, 2023

After losing $400, immediately I had a good answer to Brad’s question: That’s this month’s car payment.

Yeah, I’m done for a while.

Just Numbers, to Some; Real Money, to Others

During that same home game, we were watching a high stakes poker livestream where pots of $50K to $300K were commonplace.

But I don’t think I can see it as a number anymore. That’s a new car. Someone just bet a year’s college tuition on the flop. We’re all in for a median size American house on the river.

And I just bluffed off a fucking car payment.

When the result didn’t go my way, I didn’t love it. I don’t love the game when I’m losing. And when I had a winning session last time? I’m not sure that it really fulfilled me. There was a pain of knowing I could have gotten more. Maybe you can’t say I actually love the game if I don’t love it all the time.

Satisfaction and success are two very difficult words to define as a young 20-something in 21st Century America. Everyone is at different stages in life, and somehow you find a way to pluck people younger and older than you that have more money or just seem a bit less troubled in finding their flow. Or they have a larger Hendon Mob total. Or more posts showing the work they’re doing.

Or their bluffing you. Or your mind is bluffing you.

Fuck, would you look at that; we’re back at the beginning.

How did bluffing off a car payment get me so in a twist?

See that’s the thing; I can’t say for sure. It’s lots of things. Some to do with poker and some with the circumstances of the world in that moment.

I love this game when it’s friends drinking and playing all kinds of mixed games for beer money; enough sometimes to feel happy, but not enough to be bothered by losing.

I don’t love it when I lose grocery carts. Or a bag of dog food. Or a domestic flight to most US cities round trip.

But my real struggle with this situation is whether or not I can accept this and live with it. That it’s okay not to be some up-and-coming grinder looking to make a name for himself.

I hope, in time, the answer will be “yes.”

Healthy love of something is not blind faith, boundless adoration, or chasing it to the ends of the Earth. It is recognizing and accepting flaws, but also setting boundaries when you need to.

It’s s time to set a boundary. To go back to the kiddie table. Join some friends for a $20 game and chat about random shit…

…and make a car payment on time.