Live poker tips for beginners are easy to come by, and can help you achieve two goals at once: learning how to play poker and having fun.
For new players especially, it can be intimidating to walk into a brick and mortar poker room for the first time.
The incessant sound of chips being shuffled along with an actual card room vibe will instantly “stick out” to someone who has never been in a card room atmosphere before.
But not to worry. In this guide, we’ll go over some of the most common live poker beginner tips. Hopefully by the end of this article, you’ll be ready to “get your feet wet” while having the confidence to start your live poker journey off on the right foot.
General Live Poker Rules
If this will be your first time playing poker in a live setting, you’ll want to be aware of a few general rules — some of which can vary depending on the venue.
Some card rooms offer small, intimate environments filled with locals, in which all the “regular” poker players know each other by name. Others may have dozens of tables going at once, or even be in the midst of hosting a major poker tournament.
Scanning the Poker Area for the First Time
When first walking into a live card rooms that offers poker games, take a moment to notice what is happening in front of you.
Is there a reception area for inquiring about which games are being spread? Do you see any signs of which games are being played and/or the stake levels?
Do you see any empty tables? Or tables that obviously have open seats that you can join?
It’s a good idea to plan ahead and have a general idea of your own as to which games, stake levels, and formats you want to play.
If you’re looking for a no limit Texas Hold’em game, chances are there will be at least one seat available (unless you see a crowd of players waiting near the reception area). NLHE has been the most common form of live poker spread throughout the world since online poker became hugely popular in the early 2000s.
Arrive with a Poker Buddy
You can remove a lot of the initial intimidation factor of stepping into a live poker room for the first time by choosing to have a poker buddy tag along with you.
Not only will this avoid going into a card room all alone for the first time, it will also serve the purpose of being able to ask any questions that immediately come to mind.
Overall, it’s probably best to select someone who is at least somewhat familiar with what to expect from the live poker room you’re visiting.
If you’re in a major casino, then you can probably browse around before entering the poker area to get a “feel” of the layout. However, if you’re visiting a local card room, you may be immediately thrust into the atmosphere as soon as you walk through the front door.
Have Your Poker Bankroll Ready
Once you’ve adjusted to the atmosphere of a live card room, the next step will be buying in to a game that’s either ongoing or about to start.
If you’re entering a poker room for the first time in order to play in a tournament, you’ll want to know the event’s specific buy in amount ahead of time so you can easily enter through the receptionist or cashier.
If you’re looking to play in a cash game, you’ll need to exchange money for poker chips at a cashier’s cage (or through a chip “runner”) either before you arrive at the designated table or as you take your seat.
Low Stakes and Fixed Limit Games are Best for Beginners
If this is your very first time playing live poker, my best advice is to buy in for the lowest possible stake level that’s allowed.
Typically, fixed limit games will allow you more time to adjust (as you won’t be pressured to go “all-in” on any given hand).
Depending on the card room, the minimum buy in for a low stakes, fixed limit poker game ranges from $100 to $500.
If you absolutely insist on playing NLHE (or if No Limit Texas Hold’em is the only game/format being spread), then try to find a $1/$3 low stakes table, where the minimum buy in amount is between $200 to $500.
Live Poker Etiquette for Beginners
There are more than a few guidelines concerning poker etiquette at a live table. As a true beginner at the live tables, many of these will be overlooked as long as it’s something “minor” in nature and you retain a positive attitude in terms of learning how to act.
However, some etiquette guidelines will be more strictly enforced, resulting in you begin immediately instructed on the behavior that’s expected.
Large denomination chips go in front
This poker etiquette rule is mostly for “no limit” or “pot limit” games, but it’s probably a good idea to get into a habit regardless of which game or stakes you’re playing.
Always place your largest denomination chips at the front of your stack (meaning away from you). All competing players at the table should be able to get a general idea of your total stack size with a casual glimpse. Again, this is of utmost importance during no limit and pot limit games.
If a competing player asked you to place your large denomination chips in front of your stack (for all to see), the best thing you can do is nod politely and do so. After all, you will likewise appreciate being able to gauge all opponents’ total chip stacks in no limit and pot limit games.
Keep your hands clean when eating
Dining at live poker tables is a necessary event for players who get hungry or will inevitably want to stay at a table for hours at a time.
As you can imagine, dining can be particularly “messy” when you add playing cards into the equation.
Pretty much any substance you can imagine (and then some) can potentially “mark” one or more live playing cards; everything from grease to sauce and much more.
The other players at your table — even though they are technically competitors — will not appreciate it if you’re handling playing cards with hands that are potentially stained by soft drink residue, salad dressing, or anything else associated with dining or drinking at the table.
Join “Soft Entry” Events
Cardplayer Lifestyle’s Mixed Game Festival has become a staple among poker fans who enjoy playing fixed limit games ranging from Omaha Eight to Seven Card Stud.
Perhaps best of all, you can travel to Las Vegas — or anywhere else a festival is being held — and choose between low buy in tournaments and cash games at your convenience while the Festival is running.
Soft Entry poker festivals that allow players to join in and bow out of games in accordance with how they are faring at a specific game of tournament are highly recommended for new players.
For the Mixed Game Festival specifically, there are other casual events like Meet-and-Greet gatherings and trivia contests that can further immerse you in a live poker atmosphere among a player field that is mostly attending to have fun above all else.
The low buy in tournaments and cash games that are synonymous with events like the Mixed Games Festival, which distinguishes itself from major, ultra-competitive poker festivals hosted by huge brand names in the poker realm.
Mixed games can also be highly instructive for new players.
Instead of focusing on one single discipline (such as No Limit Texas Hold’em), you can learn multiple variants of poker in a casual environment that is exclusively geared towards “Fixed Limit” betting rounds.
Teaching Sessions: Perfect for Live Poker Beginners
One of the more common features of a Mixed Game Festival is instructional sessions. Occasionally held as “Women’s Wednesdays” these learning sessions are led by individuals with a wealth of experience in the realm of live poker, including Poker Hall of Famer Linda Johnson and Women in Poker Hall of Famer Lupe Soto.
Especially if you’ve just got basic poker experience and want to dip your toes in the mixed game waters for the first time, instructional poker sessions are the perfect way to learn. First you’ll get primers on the various different poker games being taught, and then you’ll get to practice them at super low stakes ($1/2 fixed limit) often with no rake. What more could a poker player ask for?
Six Live Poker Tips for Beginners
Here are six live poker beginner tips that I personally recommend for new players.
Practice Prudent Bankroll Management
Bankroll management is key for any poker player, regardless of experience.
New players should set a budget before entering a live poker venue for the first time — and stick to it.
Take only an amount of money that you’re comfortable losing as an “entertainment” expense, and don’t buy in above your preset limit.
Your first-time poker experience won’t be nearly as memorable (at least not in a positive way) if you wind up losing hundreds or even thousands of dollars that you didn’t plan on risking during your first session.
Play Mixed Games and Fixed Limit Formats
You will give yourself a much better chance of gaining experience during your first live poker sessions if you stick to mixed games and/or fixed limit formats.
In “all-in” No Limit formats, you can lose 100 (or many more) Big Blinds in a single hand, and be forced to either reload or leave the table if you are not the winner at showdown.
Avoid this unfortunate circumstance by choosing low-stakes, fixed limit, game if at all possible.
Even if you’re sitting at a $3/$6 or $4/$8 game (which is the bare minimum stake level at some card rooms), you can still buy in for as little as $200 and be guaranteed not to go “busto” on a single hand as long as you maintain your $200 stack.
Pace Yourself and Don’t Be Afraid to Take a Break
Live poker tables will still be there even if/when you decide to step away from the action.
Don’t hesitate to “sit out,” stand up, or take a break altogether if you start feeling fatigued as a beginning live poker player.
It’s not uncommon for a first-time live poker player to spend hours at a single table without even realizing the passing of time, so you’ll want to pace yourself accordingly.
Make New Poker Friends
There’s a lot more room for social interaction at live poker tables compared to online internet games.
Unless you specifically wish to be by yourself for the entirety of your first-time live poker session, you should have at least a couple of opportunities to make new poker friends.
Dine Away from the Poker Tables
Many seasoned poker pros have come to think of on-site dining as second nature, as they’re very accustomed to marathon live poker sessions.
If this is one of your first times playing live poker, you might want to break up the monotony of the experience by dining inside a restaurant (if you’re playing inside a major casino) or at a separate table.
Site founder Robbie Strazynski enjoying dinner with the Pokercoaching.com guys, Jonathan Little and Justin Saliba… away from the felt!
Again, the poker tables will still be there once you finish eating, and you can dine more comfortably away from the table knowing that you don’t have to be nearly as careful in terms of unintentionally marking playing cards.
Have Fun! Enjoy Yourself!
Your first few live poker sessions at a card room or casino should be an enjoyable experience.
You don’t have to cram 16 hours of experience into a single day/evening just because it’s your first time playing.
Stay within your financial means and enjoy yourself while having fun! This will ensure that you’re on the right course to maintaining your lifelong poker journey beyond just a few sessions.
The management of 888poker has just announced the release of an all new gameplay HUD (Heads-up Display) available for every player who competes at their virtual felts. The HUD contains up to five statistics categories for Texas Hold’em games, and will appear once a player hovers over the avatar of an opponent (or their own avatar).
What is VPIP?
“Voluntarily Put in Pot” is a metric defined by the percentage of hands a player contributes chips into a pot voluntarily. A high VPIP (such as 40%) means that an opponent is playing a lot of hands.
What is PFR?
“Preflop Raise” is a statistic that shows the percentage of hands in which a player is raising preflop. A higher PFR typically signals aggressive preflop play, while a lower PFR rate points to the opposite.
What is 3Bet?
A “3Bet” is represents another step of preflop aggression. It occurs when a player re-raises the action after another player has already raised the action preflop.
The 3Bet tactic can be especially useful for players who desire to either win the entire pot before the community cards arrive by “bluffing,” or to “price out” opponents when a player possesses premium hole cards.
A very low 3Bet percentage may mean that a player is playing very “tight” during preflop action, while a very high 3Bet rate could point to a player being overly aggressive by attempting to win a lot of raised preflop pots without seeing community cards.
What is Number of Hands?
The number of hands counter that you will see when hovering over a player’s avatar while competing online at 888poker simply means that number of hands for which the categorized statistics have been calculated.
If the player’s stats are derived from thousands of hands, the VPIP, PRF, and 3Bet rates tend to be a bit more reliable.
On the other hand, if the stats only represent a very limited number of hands, the categorized statistical sections may not be very representative of a player’s true preflop tendencies.
The number of hands counter will only include hands that the player who is accessing the info has actually been dealt into for each opponent.
What are Tournament Winnings?
This statistic is only available when competing in an online poker tournament.
Basically, it shows how much a player has won on 888poker through online tournament play.
While this number DOES represent total online MTT prize winnings over the course of all hands tracked, it does NOT show a player’s actual profit (or loss) after buy-in expenditures have been considered.
See Where Your Opponents are From
Using the proprietary 888poker HUD will also reveal the country from which a player is competing from.
888poker Ambassador Ian Simpson Shares His Thoughts
We reached out to 888poker Ambassador Ian Simpson, who appears in the promo video below — and who just won the 888poker LIVE Madrid Main Event, asking what aspects of the new internal HUD he thought players will like/appreciate most and which stats he thinks will help the players most with their online poker game.
“I think VPIP and 3bet are the most important stats to focus on, and will help improve players games the most If they didn’t already have a HUD,” he said. “Those two stats give a lot of insight into how tight/loose and how aggressive/passive players are. I always thought an integrated HUD is a great system for an online client to level the playing field, so I’m really happy 888poker has developed this one,” he continued.
There are plenty of online poker players out there who don’t have experience using a HUDs, so this new development in the software might come off as a little intimidating to them. So we asked Simpson what sort of advice he would impart to these players, to which he replied “The numbers can seem really daunting at first, but once you take a step back and do some reading about what they mean it isn’t so difficult.”
He went on to give an example: “Take the 3b stat for instance. This is just how often someone three bets, or re-raises pre flop. A ‘normal’ number is 9 or 10, which would indicate a healthy balance of strong hands and bluffs. If someone has a much lower number, that means they’re only 3-betting very good hands. If it is much higher than this number, your opponent is 3-betting with not just good hands, but lots of weak hands also.”
HUDs for All Players: “Evening” the Playing Field?
Granting all players access to basic Heads-up Display information could help “even” the playing field by raising the competence level of casual poker players versus pros.
In many cases, professional poker players have been using HUD info for more than a decade to view PFR, 3Bet, and VPIP information on opponents in real time through third party apps.
Making this information available by default will give less skilled players somewhat of an introduction into tendencies that can truly represent a more detailed picture of each opponent’s gameplay behavior — particularly before the flop has been dealt.
888poker HUD: A Long Time Coming?
One of the main arguments for making a default HUD available to every player at an online table is to somewhat detract from the advantage that highly skilled pros gain from their own HUD use.
From an online poker operator standpoint, this information could keep lesser skilled players “in the game” for longer periods of time while, at the same time, increasing the odds for casual players to achieve success during a specific online cash game or tournament session.
Third Party HUDs Have More Statistics
However, the third party HUD applications that some professional players have already been using typically display even more statistics, including opponents’ tendencies once the flop has been dealt in community card games like Texas Hold’em and Omaha.
What’s more, third party HUDs (whether legal or not) may actually draw from a much larger sample size for individual screen names — all the way up a player’s entire career on a particular platform which could include millions of hands.
This is one of the reasons why online poker operators routinely seek to prohibit the use of many third party HUDs, as they can grant highly skilled players an unfair advantage of having statistical information related to hands they never personally participated in.
888poker HUD can be Toggled On and Off
Players who are competing at the 888poker online tables from a small-screen mobile device (iOS or Android) may prefer less visual “clutter.”
This is why the 888poker HUD will only activate if you hover over (or tap on) a player’s avatar during gameplay.
If you do not wish to see the HUD info, you don’t have to “opt-in” or “opt-out” through a menu.
The HUD feature is toggled OFF by default but will automatically activate to the ON mode, by default, one a player’s avatar is being hovered over.
Opinion: 888poker HUD is Generally a “Good” Idea
Decreasing the learning curve for casual online poker players has been a contentious point since virtual real money poker gained mass popularity in the early 2000s.
In this author’s opinion, the introduction of a proprietary HUD — available for all players by default — coincides with the fact that the “best” poker players are no longer human.
Similar to chess, the concept and timing of poker becoming a “sport” is more viable once the case for mainstream recognition of AI’s dominance can be proven on-demand.
And once this has been recognized, statistical overlays for commentators (along with the real time use of AI for commentary teams) become more widely accepted among viewers.
Viewers can already watch poker commentators use terms such as VPIP, PFR, and 3Bet during popular live streams of competitive play.
Plus, the real time, open source chess engine Stockfish was routinely used by commentators during the 2024 FIDE chess final between Gukesh Dommaraju and Ding Liren.
Enjoy 888poker from your Mobile Device or Personal Computer
The 888poker platform is available in select jurisdictions, but can be enjoyed from the comfort of your home office (using a personal computer or MAC), or from a smart device that uses the iOS or Android operating systems.
The 888poker HUD feature is available for all users, regardless of which device or computer they are playing from.
Longtime poker tournament player Scott Stewart of California has captured a victory in the 2024 WPT World Championship Event, taking home a career high $2,563,900 for the win.
Let’s give a big congratulations to the new @WPT World Champion! Scott Stewart (@YaBoyStu) claimed the title and $2,563,900 in prize money! pic.twitter.com/OTszhdM4qy
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 22, 2024
Affectionately known as ‘YaBoyStu’ when playing online, Scott now moves into the Top 400 all-time live poker tournament cash prize winners — nearly doubling his total to $5.5 million thanks to his record setting performance in the $10,400 buy-in No Limit Hold’em event.
Rob Sherwood of England, who won his entry into the championship tournament via a $1,100 buy-in satellite, finished in second place and collected an even $2,200,000 upon making a three-way deal that included Eddie Pak (3rd place for $2,000,000).
Award winning poker pro Chris Moorman placed fourth for the second consecutive year and is now $1,150,000 richer as a result of his repeated final table appearance at Wynn Las Vegas
WPT World Championship: Other Side Events
We’ve already recapped action from the first half of the 2024 WPT World Championship, so here are results from the second half, which has just concluded.
Alaskan Adam Hendrix earned a career high live poker tournament score over the weekend. Adam received $629,000 upon outlasting the entire field (1,570 entries) in the $3,000 buy-in, $3M Guaranteed NLHE Championship event.
Congratulations Adam Hendrix on your win in the @WPT $3K NLH event on December 21st. Defeating a field of 1,570 players, Adam earned $629,000! Well done! pic.twitter.com/9Ud0h15MHb
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 22, 2024
In other high stakes poker action this past week, Travis Egbert of California won the largest cash prize of his career as well. Travis picked up a win in the $25,000 WPT Alpha 8 marquee tournament on Friday, December 19th.
Travis Egbert wins the $25K @WPT Alpha 8!
Congratulations Travis on your success over the 111 player field, winning $684,684! pic.twitter.com/xjFpI8lkCw
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 20, 2024
Travis now sits within the Top 1,000 all-time United States live tournament cash prize winners thanks to the win, according to The Hendon Mob poker database.
Elsewhere, poker coach Zak Vankeuren is now the reigning WPT Prime champion.
The @WPT Prime Championship has a new reigning champion! Congratulations Zak Vankeuren (@ZakVankeuren) on your win over the 9,670 player field, winning $1,151,959 and a seat into the 2025 WPT World Championship! pic.twitter.com/M4lOwfbB55
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 16, 2024
Zak was the recipient of exactly $1,151,959 after getting through an enormous field of 9,670 entries.
Chase Bricker found a passport into the ClubWPT Gold $5 million Freeroll Invitational, and parlayed that into a $1.1 million winner’s circle finish.
Chase Bricker drew his lucky seat into the @ClubWPTGold $5 Million Dollar Freeroll when he arrived @WynnLasVegas and found a golden passport in the McLaren drum!
Chase capitalized on this opportunity, winning $1,114,000!
Congratulations Chase on the victory! pic.twitter.com/l5OuryYRWb
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 16, 2024
Best of all, Chase was able to claim the million dollar plus payout without having to buy-in due to the freeroll tournament’s “no entry fee” format.
More Than 30 Additional Tournaments at the 2024 WPT World Championship Festival
The past three weeks have displayed a truly amazing representation of massive, live poker tournament festivals that the World Poker Tour and Wynn Las Vegas has become accustomed to.
In all, there was easily eight figures of total prize pool earnings won by thousands of poker players from all over the world.
Below are the final results for the side events that wrapped up during the second half of the 2024 WPT World Championship in Sin City.
2024 WPT World Championship Side Event Winners (Dec 15th-22nd)
Sunday, December 15th, marked the beginning of the final week of this year’s blockbuster live poker festival held at the Wynn Poker Room in Las Vegas.
Jannick Schoeb was the last player remaining at the end of the $1,100 5-Card Pot Limit Omaha tournament, and was awarded with $69,030 as the top prize.
Jannick Schoeb earned the win along with $69,030 for his victory in the @WPT $1,100 5-Card PLO. Well done Jannick and congratulations! pic.twitter.com/wXsJM8YkwS
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 15, 2024
Tirza Sanders of Arizona had her most successful live tournament to date.
The @WPT Ladies Champion has been crowned! Congratulations Tirza Sanders on your $90,432 win over the 485 player Ladies Championship! Well done! pic.twitter.com/Td8d6BOfNh
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 16, 2024
On December 16th, Sanders climbed to the #1 spot in the 2024 WPT Ladies Championship with a victory worth over $90,000.
Mixed Games were next on the live poker tournament menu at Wynn Las Vegas.
Mir Gaskari won the @WPT $600 TORSE tournament on December 15th for $26,654. Congratulations Mir on your win over the 221 player field! pic.twitter.com/hEyDWBmOD6
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 17, 2024
Mir Gaskari made his trip from California count with a $26,654 award for besting 221 players in the $600 TORSE tournament. Notably (or perhaps not so notably?) our founder Robbie Strazynski finished in 36th place.
Scottsdale poker player Anthony Arvidson finished 1st in the ‘BIG O’ tournament.
Anthony Arvidson won the @WPT Big O tournament for $56,777. Nicely done Anthony and congratulations! pic.twitter.com/02TYKVG1Ix
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 17, 2024
Anthony’s $56,777 payday is the best of his career so far.
Canadian Patrick Quinn was victorious in the $1,100 buy-in No Limit Texas Hold’em WPT event on December 16th. The win was good for nearly $66,000.
Congratulations Patrick Quinn, winner of the $1,100 NLH @WPT Event on December 16th. Patrick earned $65,957 for the win over the 456 player field. pic.twitter.com/xpoojbSaEW
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 18, 2024
Mexican poker rounder Bernardo Crespo capped off a successful 2024 calendar year by taking first place in the $1,600 WPT Turbo Bounty event.
The $1,600 @WPT Turbo Bounty winner was Bernardo Crespo for $42,553 + $5,500 in bounties. Nicely done Bernardo and congratulations! pic.twitter.com/bOCLqC32xv
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 18, 2024
After the dust had settled, Crespo had accumulated more than $48,000 between his placement prize and bounties.
North Carolina’s Gabriel Ramos negotiated a 3-way final table deal in the $1,100 Pot Limit Omaha tournament.
Gabriel Ramos is the winner of the @WPT $1,100 PLO, topping a field of 386 entries, earning $61,000 via a 3-way deal. Congratulations Gabriel on the pic.twitter.com/eVSWmKpKSm
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 18, 2024
Gabriel picked up exactly $61,000 for his PLO win.
Nicolaos Angelou of Greece won a total of $51,383 in the December 18th Turbo Bounty event at the 2024 WPT World Championship.
Congratulations to the @WPT Turbo bounty winner, Nikolaos Angelou Konstas, good for $47,383 + $4K in bounties. Nicely done Nikolaos! pic.twitter.com/KLvsGFSDpW
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 19, 2024
Pennsylvanian Matthew Sabia was awarded with the best live poker tournament score ever in his young career on Wednesday night.
Matthew Sabia won the $3K @WPT NLH PKO for $92,056 + $69,500 in bounties for total event earnings of $161,556. Congratulations Matthew on your victory! pic.twitter.com/uuH99z8G42
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 19, 2024
The $161,556 payout was the result of Matthew’s win in the $3,000 buy-in No Limit Texas Hold’em PKO tournament inside the Wynn Las Vegas poker room.
Tamas Hartman of Florida was next to enjoy a moment as a newly crowned WPT tournament winner.
Tamas Hartman won the $600 @WPT single day event for $21,493. Congratulations Tamas! pic.twitter.com/f1oFfKdWvZ
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 19, 2024
The $600 buy-in NLHE single day tournament resulted in a $21,493 win for Tamas, and put him over the $100k mark in all-time live tournament cashes.
Nick Guagenti of Ohio received $38,963 once all was said and done in the Pot Limit Omaha Eight or Better event on Thursday.
Congratulations to the winner of the @WPT $1,100 PLO-8 Event. Nicholas Guagenti was joined by 212 players but he emerged on top, good for $38,963! Well done Nicholas! pic.twitter.com/XVylxe9vo6
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 19, 2024
Friday afternoon, Glenn Gillam beat a highly competitive field of 939 entries in the $1,100 buy-in Seniors tournament.
Congratulations Glenn Gillam on your victory in the $1,100 @WPT Seniors Championship. Glen defeated a of field of 939 players, winning $112,117. Well done Mr. Gillam! pic.twitter.com/UvlYj5UJES
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 21, 2024
Glenn added $112,117 to his poker bankroll with the victory.
Players from the United States continued to enjoy success at the 2024 WPT World Championship going into the weekend, as Jay Jesse won $43,216 at the end of another single day NLHE event.
Jay Jesse topped the 371 player field to win the @WPT $800 NLH single day event for $43,216. Nicely done Jay and congratulations! pic.twitter.com/biT8Pw12rA
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 21, 2024
Chinese high roller Ren Lin rolled to a $180,000 cashout upon winning the NLHE 6-max event early Saturday morning.
Ren Lin won the @WPT $3K 6-Max on December 20th for $180,000. Congratulations Mr. Lin on the victory! pic.twitter.com/Nm4vlH9do4
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 21, 2024
Meanwhile, it was Martin McCloskey who won the smaller, $600 buy-in 6-max tournament for $33,989.
Topping a field of 411 players, Martin McCloskey won the @WPT $600 NLH 6-Max for $33,989. Congratulations Martin on the win! pic.twitter.com/lR4t2dxYbz
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 22, 2024
Another veteran poker player who’s had massive success both online and live — Jim Collopy — found a way to earn one more six-figure score on Sunday afternoon.
James Collopy won $209,628 for his win in the $10K @WPT PLO event. Congratulations Jim on your victory! pic.twitter.com/exHq8qhqM8
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 23, 2024
Collopy entered the $10,000 buy-in Pot Limit Omaha championship and finished first for $209,628.
YouTube Poker sensation, leading vlogger, and Lodge Poker Club co-owner Brad Owen is quickly approaching $1 million in career live tournament prize money thanks to his performance over the weekend.
Last night I got my first big tournament win. After busting all of the big NL tournaments that I was looking forward to playing, including the $25k twice, I was feeling dejected. I came home. Amber sensed I was feeling down, she gave me a big hug and said, “You’ll get a win… pic.twitter.com/TrMJsaLKUa
— Brad Owen (@TheBradOwen) December 21, 2024
Brad achieved a 1st place score of $60,500 in the 2024 WPT Championship HORSE event — astonishingly in only his third ever time competing in the 5-variant poker discipline!
Saturday’s live poker tournament action concluded with Dylan Smith outlasting close to 100 opponents in the ‘Big Bet Mix’ event — collecting $29,670.
On December 21st, Dylan Smith defeated 96 players, taking home $29,670 for his win in the $1,100 @WPT Big Bet Mix. Well done Dylan and congratulations! pic.twitter.com/9OqEYDnMN4
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 23, 2024
WPT Looking Forward to 2025 Tournament Festivals
World Poker Tour CEO Adam Pliska was delighted with the success of this year’s marquee live poker tournament festival in Las Vegas.
“I would like to offer a huge thank you to all the players and Wynn staff that made the third annual WPT World Championship an event to remember,” said Pliska after a new WPT World champion was crowned.
The WPT is scheduled to make over a dozen tour stops in 2025.
Season 23 of the World Poker Tour will officially begin on February 14th, 2025, with the WPT Prime Cambodia live tournament festival.
To find out more about how you can qualify for a live WPT tournament, or to consult the Season 23 schedule, visit the official website of the World Poker Tour.
Poker players have arrived from all over the world to play in the 2024 WPT World Championship festival in Sin City. The Wynn Las Vegas is once again hosting the World Poker Tour’s marquee live event, with more than a dozen winners already making their mark on this year’s preliminary tournaments.
As the $10K WPT World Championship event itself is now underway, we’ll be taking a look back at and recapping all of the “first half” poker action so far.
2024 WPT World Championship: First Half Recap
As Wynn Poker Room Las Vegas regulars began making the transition to the venue’s biggest poker festival of the year, Jonathan Breneman picked up a victory in the $600 buy-in Fixed Limit Omaha 8 event.
Jonathan took home $21,264 for the win after outlasting a competitive field of 161 participants.
Jonathan Breneman captured the title of the opening event of the 2024 @WPT World Championship with his win in the $600 Limit Omaha 8 event. Jonathan defeated a field of 161 players, earning $21, 264! Congratulations on the victory! pic.twitter.com/TjUdvpnvia
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 4, 2024
Two days later on December 5th, New York Jason Staalesen captured a win in the $600 buy-in HORSE event for $20,338. Jason was able to best more than 150 players to take home a coveted Wynn Poker Room Las Vegas trophy.
Congratulations Jason Staalesen on your victory in the @WPT $600 HORSE Event on December 4th. Jason defeated 154 players, winning $20,338! pic.twitter.com/6nIVcI3WR3
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 5, 2024
By Saturday, December 7th, the festival’s attention moved to No Limit Texas Hold’em. Floridian Barry Hutter took another step towards earning a Top 200 spot on the live tournament all-time money list after claiming the $1,000 NLHE Turbo event title.
The $49,342 cash award put Barry’s overall winnings to over the $7.7 million career mark.
Barry Hutter won $49,342 for his win in the @WPT $1,100 NLH Turbo. Well done Barry and congratulations! pic.twitter.com/NVhSwUlNEN
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 7, 2024
Tournament prize pools for the popular NLHE format continued to increase, with Mexican poker pro Sergio Barrios Soto adding $318,623 to his poker bankroll by winning the $800 buy-in, $1 million guaranteed tournament.
More than 3,000 players entered the field, but it was Barrios Soto who came out on top Saturday evening.
Sergio Barrios Soto is the winner of the @WPT $800 $1M guarantee! Congratulations Sergio on defeating a field of 3,006 players, good for $318,623! pic.twitter.com/hMedVx82Nk
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 8, 2024
Israeli Ran Koller made the most of playing in the $1,600 No Limit Hold’em Mystery Bounty event at the 2024 WPT World Championship. By early Monday morning, he had amassed $9,000 in total bounties to go along with his $158,027 first place prize.
Congratulations Ran Koller, winner of the $1,600 @WPT Mystery Bounty. On his way to his $158,027 victory, Ran picked up $9K in bounties for total event earnings of $167,027! pic.twitter.com/PtbHrESNFH
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 9, 2024
California’s Bradley Miller was the next poker ace to be awarded a Wynn Poker Room trophy.
His win in the $3,000 Pot Limit Omaha event represented his largest-ever live poker tournament score. The $117,780 victory prize places Bradley just shy of $500,000 career live tournament winnings.
Bradley Miller claimed $117,780 for his victory in the $3K @WPT PLO event on December 8th. Congratulations Mr. Miller! pic.twitter.com/m2OYw5519x
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 9, 2024
Chun Kit Kwan on Ontario, Canada continued his rise in the poker world on Monday as well, by winning the $1,100 buy-in No Limit Hold’em Turbo event for $41,213.
A native of Hong Kong, Kwan has now won nearly a quarter million dollars from live poker tournaments.
Congratulations Chun Kwan on your win in the @WPT $1,100 NLH Turbo. Chun topped 164 players, taking home $41,213 ! pic.twitter.com/tv1MCnMnOj
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 9, 2024
Long time poker pro and veteran online player Matt Vengrin of New York was awarded $39,553 upon winning the $1,100 Fixed Limit Omaha 8 or better event.
Matt has been on the poker scene for approximately two decades and has received more than $1.7 million from live tournament winnings to go along with his impressive online poker career.
Matthew Vengrin is the winner of the @WPT $1,100 Limit Omaha 8 Tournament. Congratulations Matt on your win for $39,553! pic.twitter.com/wMRpBVKFMM
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 10, 2024
The 2015 World Series of Poker Main Event winner Joe McKeehen once again proved the value of longevity in the professional poker world.
Joe’s $120,943 haul for a victory in the NLHE 6-max event at the 2024 WPT World Championship festival moved him even closer to the Top 50 list of all-time live poker tournament cash prize winners at over $20.4 million.
Congratulations Joseph McKeehen on your win in the @WPT $3K NLH 6-Max. Joe earned $120,943 for the win over the 211 player field. Well done! pic.twitter.com/qOwQ0vLi68
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 10, 2024
Poker pro Caleb Furth will celebrate the holiday season $55,791 richer.
Caleb’s victory in the $1,100 buy-in Pot Limit Omaha tournament could also mean more doggie biscuits for his beloved support animal.
Santa baby, come leave a present under the tree…for me.
And not the kind Piper leaves. 🐩💩
GRATS! pic.twitter.com/y67IEnsdjl
— Table 1 Vegas (@Table1Vegas) December 11, 2024
In the wee hours of Wednesday morning, Frederic Moss beat a field of 200+ competitors and won $24,360 in the $600 buy-in Mix Triple Draw tournament.
Frederic Moss won the 202 player @WPT $600 Mix Triple Draw Event on December 10th for $24,360. Congratulations Mr. Moss on the victory! pic.twitter.com/1AbnfU4oVq
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 11, 2024
Two-time WSOP Circuit Ring winner Thomas Alex Taylor captured a Wynn Las Vegas trophy in the $600 buy-in NLHE Turbo tournament held on Wednesday. The win added more than $30,000 to Taylor’s live poker bankroll.
Thomas Taylor won the $600 @WPT NLH Turbo for $30,667. Congratulations Thomas on defeating the 292 player field! pic.twitter.com/pQQPtwYzCw
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 11, 2024
Record Breaking WPT Prime Championship at Wynn Las Vegas
The 2024 WPT Prime Championship has attracted at huge field this year. By nearly doubling its guarantee, the $9.37 million prize pool means that the eventual winner will take home for than $1.16 million! At press time, the final table is currently being played out. Players who’ve made the final table include (in order from biggest to smallest chip stack): Kevin Calenzo, James Casement, Colin Hong, Joseph Ozimok, Malik Zaman, Zak Van Keuren, Justin Young, Ryan Stiner, and Ralph Marquez.
1D of the @WPTPrime Championship broke the record for the largest Day 1 in @WPT history @WynnLasVegas @WynnPoker! 💥
Here are the final numbers:
Buy-in: $1,100
Guarantee: $5,000,0001A: 1,264
1B: 1,738
1C: 2,802
1D: 3,866
Total entries: 9,670
Prize Pool: $9,379,900
1st Place:… pic.twitter.com/kUPdTOBVfZ— WPT Live Updates (@WPTlive) December 12, 2024
As we head to the second half of the 2024 WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas, there is still plenty of money being won in preliminary events. For instance, GGPoker pro Akshat Bakaj claimed $46,929 for his win in today’s $600 buy-in NLHE Turbo tournament.
Akshat Bakaj won the @WPT $600 NLH Turbo for $46,929. Congratulations Akshat on your victory! pic.twitter.com/GdZC24xA0g
— Wynn Poker Room (@WynnPoker) December 14, 2024
Plus, our founder Robbie Strazynski will be hopping into the $600 TORSE event tomorrow — it’s one of the top five things he was looking forward to on this trip — in search of his first ever recorded tournament cash. So, join us in wishing him good luck and rungood!
2024 WPT World Championship Prepares for Exciting Conclusion
We now shift into high gear for the remainder of the 2024 WPT Championship festival. Over the next 8+ days, we’ll see winners crowned in the ClubWPT Gold $5 million Freeroll Invitational, the $1,100 Ladies Championship — which attracted 485 entrants, and a new winner from the $10,400 buy-in No Limit Hold’em Championship Event, who will follow in the footsteps of Eliot Hudon and Dan Sepiol, winners from the previous two years.
Of course, we invite you to come back to Cardplayer Lifestyle for a full “second half” recap once the action has concluded. In the meantime, we wish all the poker players who are competing at Wynn Las Vegas the best of luck in fulfilling their live poker tournament dreams!
Resorts World Las Vegas and the World Poker Tour will host the 2024 Big Deal for One Drop celebrity charity poker tournament on Friday, November 22. The $10,000 buy-in No Limit Texas Hold’em event will be capped at 54 individual players, with rebuys and add-ons available. Notably, the event is purely charitable so it won’t be paying out any prize money. Rather, as the tournament coincides with Race Week in Sin City, the One Drop® Foundation will put up prizes that money just can’t buy, both F1 and non-F1 related.
Celebrities Galore at 2024 Big Deal for One Drop
Cirque du Soleil and One Drop founder Guy Laliberté will be in attendance to promote the One Drop initiative, and the event itself will be kicked off by Master of Ceremonies and 17-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth.
The live poker action on November 22 will take place in the beautiful Allé Lounge on 66 inside the Resorts World Las Vegas complex. Race Week personalities, celebrities, and a number of select poker professionals will be on hand to compete in the charity event.
The Big Deal for One Drop will unite Formula 1 personalities, celebrities, and poker pros in an exciting tournament for prizes, unique experiences, and bragging rights.
Highlights:
- Confirmed Participants:
- F1 legends: David Coulthard, Martin Brundle, Otmar Szafnauer, and Alex Wurz.
- Special guests: Photographer Kim Illman and artist Paul Oz.
- Poker stars: Antonio Esfandiari, Maria Ho, and Jeff Gross.
- Host & MC:
- Hosted by Phil Hellmuth, 17-time WSOP bracelet winner.
- Exceptional Prizes:
- VIP packages to Monaco, Singapore, and Montreal Grand Prix events.
- Exclusive experiences with Steve Aoki and rare art by Paul Oz.
- Hand-numbered Dos Caras tequila bottle valued at $10K+.
2024 Formula 1 Race Week in Las Vegas
The Formula 1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix™ will be the culminating event during Race Week, and will run through Saturday, November 23.
Belgium-Dutch professional racing driver Max Verstappen won the event last year by posting the winning time on the Las Vegas Strip Circuit — a 3.85 mile course that spans the world famous Las Vegas Strip.
Let’s gooo guys!!! 💪 Another amazing result @redbullracing 👏
Had a lot of fun out there today, great racing! 🙌 See you next year Vegas 🎲🎰 pic.twitter.com/MGxLOoOhrq
— Max Verstappen (@Max33Verstappen) November 19, 2023
Big Deal for One Drop Charity Aims
Both the WPT and One Drop Foundation have become leaders in charity poker events, and have raised millions upon millions of dollars together since 2012. The two have partnered in the past to raise awareness and have a significant positive impact on issues such as climate and sustainability, while focusing on safe and sustainable water in regions worldwide that have been affected by climate change.
As of 2024, approximately 2.2 billion individuals worldwide lack safe water in their home region, according to UNICEF and the World Health Organization.
The aim of Resorts World Las Vegas, the WPT Foundation, and the One Drop Foundation is to reach their goal of assisting the living conditions of 3 million individuals globally through charity outreach that empowers fellow human beings to devise their own solutions through life-changing water projects.
“Coming off our successful Neon Future Science event for the Aoki Foundation in 2022, we are very happy to be partnering again with Resorts World for The Big Deal,” said Hermance Blum, WPT Vice President of Marketing.
Allé 66 will offer stunning views of the F1 tracks while Leon Wheeler and his team will provide a fantastic poker experience filled with unique prizes that only the One Drop Foundation and Guy Laliberté have the privilege to offer.
The WPT Foundation is honoured to support the One Drop Foundation in its endeavours to bring safe water in under privileged territories. Over the last 12 years, generous poker players and fans from around the world have contributed to raising near $50 million and we are delighted to do it again in one of the most prestigious and exciting times of year of Formula 1 in Las Vegas!” she continued.
“It gives us great pride to host an event with such a notable cause that resonates deeply in Las Vegas,” stated Resorts World Las Vegas President Peter LaVoie in a recent press release. “Our commitment to sustainability is unwavering, and we look forward to partnering with the One Drop Foundation to further this effort while having some fun during Race Week.”
“The Resorts World Poker Room is absolutely thrilled to host the Big Deal for One Drop! This isn’t just a great cause—it’s the beginning of an amazing partnership with One Drop! We can’t wait for many more incredible events in the future,” added Leon Wheeler, Director of Poker Operations at Resorts World Las Vegas.
2024 Big Deal for One Drop Start Time
The 2024 Big Deal for One Drop tournament will start at 12:00pm on Friday, November 22. The official “Shuffle up and deal” is expected to be announced on-site by Hellmuth himself.
The Allé Lounge on 66 venue inside Resorts World Las Vegas will give players an unforgettable view of Sin City’s skyline as they compete in the $10,000 buy-in NLHE charity poker event.
Players will be able to rebuy and add-on throughout the event, and while prizes have yet to be announced, the eventual winner will take home the Big Deal for One Drop championship trophy. Participants will be able to mingle with celebrities and Race Week personalities before and after the tournament, with lots of anticipated fun occurring while the poker event is taking place.
Poker fans who wish to obtain tickets to the 2024 Big Deal for One Drop charity poker event, or who wish to donate via a sponsorship, can contact La************@*****op.org.
The WPT Global poker rewards (rakeback) program has arrived for online poker players in select jurisdictions.
Between now and December 31st, players can earn up to 40% weekly rakeback just for being designated as a table starter.
Read on to find out more about how these incentives can help you build your poker bankroll while playing online at WPT Global.
WPT Global Poker Rewards Program: How It Works
To earn rakeback while playing a WPT Global cash game, you will need to be categorized as a “Table Starter” at a qualifying online table.
STEP 1: Browse the WPT Global cash game lobby and find an empty table (or one that has only one player seated)
STEP 2: Sit down and begin playing at that table.
STEP 3: As long as you are one of the first two players to begin playing, you will receive a weekly rakeback credit for all the action that subsequently takes place — for the duration of the session.
STEP 4: When you sit out or leave the table, the rakeback promotion ends.
STEP 5: Each Monday at 2:00pm CET, your account will be credited with rakeback earned during the prior week.
- This offer is currently active — it will end on December 31, 2024
- Breaks up to 5 minutes are allowed
WPT Global Poker Rewards Program: Rakeback Percentages for High, Mid, and Low Stakes
The percentage of rakeback that you will receive will depend on the specific stakes of each game you start.
HIGH LEVEL (minimum stakes)
$25/$50/$100 NLHE – 40%
$100/$200/$400 NLHE CNY – 40%
$25/$50 PLO – 40%
$200 CNY SD – 40%
MID, LOW, AND MICRO LEVEL GAMES
All games listed in the MID, LOW, or MICRO level tiers within the lobby will award 20% rakeback to Table Starters.
Terms and Conditions
This WPT Global rakeback opportunity will expire on December 31, 2024.
To become a Table Starter, you must buy-in and begin playing at a qualified online table.
The classification of tabs within the online poker client will determine whether you are playing at a HIGH LEVEL (40%) table or a MID/LOW/MICRO (20%) table.
The weekly rakeback will accumulate according to “attribution” percentages. Pace games — along with feature spend and insurance options — are excluded from this offer.
Disconnecting and subsequently sitting back in will result in the player losing his or her Table Starter status. However, the rakeback earned up to that point will still be awarded.
If you lose all your chips as a Table Starter but are able to reload and continue playing, then you will retain your status for the duration of that session.
A “session” (for rakeback accrual purposes) ends as soon as you leave the table, disconnect, or fail to reload.
WPT Global Benefits and Opportunities for Live Poker Players
Not only can you win rakeback benefits for the rest of 2024, you can also complete in WPT Global online satellites for a chance to earn a seat into a marquee World Poker Tour live event.
Throughout the year, the World Poker Tour holds online qualifiers into live poker festivals that are held around the globe.
This includes in-person events in Europe, North American, and even world-famous venues such as the Wynn Las Vegas.
To enter an online qualifier into a major live event, simply consult the categorized tabs shown in the WPT Global lobby.
Some events are sub-qualifiers (meaning you’ll need to win more than once to receive a seat), while other tournaments will award seats directly.
Typically speaking, the larger the online satellite tournament buy-in, the greater chance you will have at winning a seat.
2024 WPT World Championship: Coming This December
The 2024 WPT World Championship is scheduled to take place at the Wynn Las Vegas this December.
Those who arrive in-person can expect plenty of live tournaments, cash games, and satellite opportunities between December 14th and December 21st.
The WPT World Championship Main Event buy-in is $10,400. Here’s the full festival schedule.
Last year, the WPT flagship live tournament boasted a $40 million total prize pool along with a first place prize over $5,000,000.
At a press conference that took place during the NAPT Las Vegas festival at Resorts World, two new PokerStars ambassadors were announced. High roller Jason Koon and poker player-content creator Caitlin Comeskey will become the newest faces to represent one of the most prestigious online poker sites in the world.
PokerStars Team Pro: Jason Koon
Like many of today’s poker high rollers, Jason Koon began his for-profit poker journey by cutting his teeth at the online poker tables in the mid-2000s.
Jason started playing No Limit Texas Hold’em games on PokerStars in 2006, while in the process of obtaining his Masters degree in Business Administration and Finance from Wesleyan College.
It wasn’t long before the West Virginia native realized he could turn poker playing into a real job. His first major cash came in 2009, when he captured a victory in the PokerStars Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP), taking home more than $300,000 for his efforts.
His largest poker score to date came in the Triton Poker Series during the 2018 calendar year, when he won $3.57 million in the high roller festival’s short-deck no-ante live tournament.
Koon is currently ranked #4 on The Hendon Mob‘s worldwide all-time money list, with over $58 million in career live tournament cash prizes.
His accomplishments also include a World Series of Poker bracelet, which he won in 2021 by outlasting a highly competitive field in the $25,000 buy-in NLHE heads-up event.
PokerStars Team Pro: Caitlin Comeskey
Poker pro Caitlin Comeskey burst onto the poker scene in the early 2020s by providing fresh, innovative poker content on Twitter/X.
Soon thereafter, Caitlin’s material was being widely shared and re-tweeted by popular poker personalities including Joey Ingram and Solve4Why co-founder Matt Berkey.
Her live poker achievements have so far been achieved at the Lodge Card Club near Austin, Texas, where Comeskey currently resides as a professional cash game and tournament player.
In 2022, Caitlin had dual runner-up performances in the Lodge Monthly Monster tournament. These two performances resulted in cash prizes of $60,035 (April) and $55,328 (October), according to The Hendon Mob.
Notably, Caitlin is also a Global Poker Awards winner, having taken home the trophy for Best Short Form Content Creator in 2023.
Screaming, crying, throwing up 🤮 beyond proud to announce that I’m joining @PokerStars as Ambassador. Thanks to everyone who supported me on my journey to this moment 😭🥰🤘 pic.twitter.com/ZM4amcFsUq
— Caitlin Comeskey (@CaitlinComeskey) November 7, 2024
PokerStars Legacy Achievements in Online and Live Poker
For more than two decades, the PokerStars brand has been responsible for creating many of the most innovative player experiences on the planet.
From popular WCOOP and SCOOP online tournament series to marquee live events; from mixed games like Badugi, Omaha, 7 Card Stud, and Razz to the No Limit Texas Hold’em Sunday Million — PokerStars has provided its customers with top-notch customer service along with a wide variety of online poker options since 2001.
Presence in the United States Online Poker Market
The PokerStars online poker site is currently available in the United States in three jurisdictions: New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. In the long run, having more statewide markets available for legal US online poker will increase the influence of PokerStars ambassadors while providing more opportunities for highly talented individuals to become online poker brand representatives.
The UKPL Reading South tour stop — powered by 888poker — has crowned a new Main Event champion. Late last night, England poker rounder and global jet-setter Robin Gue outlasted a field of 327 entries in the £560 buy-in UKPL Reading South Main Event to take home the £33,020 first place prize.
A huge congratulations to Robin Gue who has just won the UKPL Reading Main Event!
Robin managed to beat the 327 entry field to take home £33,020!
Well played! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/sphQBlRpGa
— Grosvenor Poker (@GrosvenorPoker) September 29, 2024
The win all on its own was worth double Gue’s prior lifetime live poker tournament winnings total. It also, naturally represents his best lifetime, in-person poker event prize haul.
Fellow Englishman Lorenc Boci achieved the runner-up position in the tournament, adding a £24,580 cash award to his already impressive live event earnings.
Well played to Lorenc Boci who has just finished second in the UKPL Reading Main Event.
In his last hand Lorenc got it in with second pair and a flush draw but ran into the top pair of Robin Gue. He bricked the river to bust out!
Lorencs runners up finish was good for £24,580! pic.twitter.com/j79jrxcz5n
— Grosvenor Poker (@GrosvenorPoker) September 29, 2024
In all, the 2024 UKPL Reading South tour stop saw hundreds of poker players gathered over the past week at the Grosvenor Reading South venue located just a half hour from London.
2024 UKPL Reading South Preliminary Event Results
The poker action began Tuesday, September 24th, as the series kicked off with Day 1A of the Opening Voyage tournament along with the £4/£5/£6 Pot Limit Omaha event.
Once the dust had cleared, Brazilian Bruno Ribeiro had struck a heads-up deal to win the event and collect £2,150.
Congratulations to Bruno Ribeiro who won the UKPL Reading PLO 4/5/6 tournament last night.
He beat the field to take home the first place prize of £2,150 after a deal heads up.
Well played 🏆 pic.twitter.com/kC9xF1VZu4
— Grosvenor Poker (@GrosvenorPoker) September 25, 2024
We learned Wednesday night that the £250 Opening Voyage event had attracted nearly 250 hopefuls across all three Day 1 starting flights.
The resulting £53,340 prize pool carried over to Day 2, Thursday afternoon, as Rajesh Rughwani of England eventually came out on top for a first place payday of £11,590.
Congratulations to Rajesh Rughwani who has just won the UKPL Reading Opening Voyage.
He beat the 250 entry field to take home the first place prize of £11,590!
Well played 🏆 pic.twitter.com/vOo11pNpzU
— Grosvenor Poker (@GrosvenorPoker) September 26, 2024
With the Opening Voyage tournament concluded, attention quickly turned to the preliminary Day 1 flights of the Main Event.
However, the £1,100 buy-in High Roller tournament was also in action during this time — and on Friday, Darius Demetriou of England had accomplished his best live event performance ever. Demetriou bested the field of 50 High Roller players to win outright for £16,150.
Congratulations to Darius Demetriou who has just won the UKPL Reading High Roller Event.
Darius beat the 50-entry field to take down the tournament outright, picking up £16,150!
🏆
Well played pic.twitter.com/LQzbswnyRx— Grosvenor Poker (@GrosvenorPoker) September 27, 2024
As the remaining Main Event player field was dwindling down towards the UKPL Reading South Main Event final table on Sunday night, Canadian Daniel Rainier snatched a quick victory in the Turbo Dash tournament for £2,640.
Congratulations to Daniel Rainier who won the UKPL Reading Turbo Dash last night.
He beat the 61-entry field to take home £2,640!
Well played! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/eyPjSC9Ptm
— Grosvenor Poker (@GrosvenorPoker) September 29, 2024
Sunday Night Tournament Results from UKPL Reading South
Sunday afternoon and evening were jam-packed with live poker tournament action in Reading as three tournaments concluded this UKPL tour stop.
Gordon Kingham emerged as the winner of the Seniors Event, which attracted 55 participants.
Well played to Gordon Kingham who won the UKPL Reading Seniors Event last night.
Gordon beat the 55-entry field to take home £1,341 after a five-way deal.
Congratulations 🏆 pic.twitter.com/LjL036MGxd
— Grosvenor Poker (@GrosvenorPoker) September 30, 2024
Meanwhile, Callum Gordon shipped the Closer tournament and walked away with £2,990 for his efforts.
Congratulations to Callum Gordon who won the UKPL Reading Closer Event last night.
Callum beat the 35 entry field to win £2,990 and 12.55 NPL points.
Well played. pic.twitter.com/fQILZKLg1Z
— Grosvenor Poker (@GrosvenorPoker) September 30, 2024
Finally, the £220 buy-in Big Shot event was won by Ed Spencer-Small. The UK poker rounder added £3,750 to his poker bankroll as a result.
Congratulations to Ed Spencer-Small who won the UKPL Reading Big Shot Event last night.
Ed beat the 71 entry field to take home £3,750!
Well played 🏆 pic.twitter.com/oOchuz28Ca
— Grosvenor Poker (@GrosvenorPoker) September 30, 2024
Thanks to all the players and staff who formed part of the 2024 UKPL Reading South poker tournament series.
From poker room reviews to interviews with 888poker ambassadors like Josh Manley and Nick Eastwood, venue staff like Dena Hassan, and other interesting players like Scott Bartlett, we hope you enjoyed Cardplayer Lifestyle’s coverage throughout the latest United Kingdom Poker League series stop.
With the poker industry being as vibrant and competitive as it is, the notion of camaraderie can seem counterintuitive. But after following the industry closely for years, I’ve seen firsthand how vital it is for us to uplift one another. It’s time we as a community not only celebrate those who do but also encourage a broader movement towards mutual support.
Early last month, the Venetian Poker Room in Las Vegas hosted its grand opening with Director of Poker Operations Tommy LaRosa on hand to perform the ribbon cutting alongside a Who’s Who of the poker world. Poker players, influencers, celebrities, and Venetian executives took part in the ceremonial first hand to be dealt in the all-new, 50-table venue; a competitive gaming facility that is now the largest live poker room in Sin City.
With further regard to the attendees, a post on X from Faded Spade and Above the Felt CEO Tom Wheaton brought the topic of camaraderie and mutual support to the public forum, showcasing a photograph taken at the Grand Opening event featuring leaders from competing poker rooms across Las Vegas, beaming at each other as good, longtime friends.
Seeing that, it is clear: our poker industry is small enough that collaboration can and should flourish alongside competition. Whether as game organizers or press covering poker events, we exist in the same ecosystem, and our collective goal is to promote and grow the game we love.
I want to take a minute to acknowledge this post & the significance of these photos for the poker industry.
Here you have the most
prominent Las Vegas market poker strategy & operations leadership supporting a counterpart on a career accomplishment publicly:♠️ Are each of… https://t.co/IwHBCun4R8
— Tom Wheaton (@TomWheaton_) August 6, 2024
A Collective Poker Industry Mission
It’s essential to recognize that while we may wear the hats of competitors, we are also allies in a shared mission. Every article published, every event covered, and every innovation introduced contributes to the growth of poker as a whole. When one outlet succeeds, it creates a ripple effect that benefits us all.
Just look at how, true to its credo of “Rising Above“, the World Poker Tour (WPT) has taken the initiative to feature articles about competing tours like the EPT, PGT, and WSOP on its site. This is a great example of one of the industry titans taking the spotlight off itself in favor of shining it on the game as a whole. These types of gestures reinforce the idea that at the end of the day we’re all on the same team, pushing towards a common goal of promoting the game of poker.
The Power of Public Support
When industry leaders publicly support one another, it sets a tone for the entire community. It signals to fans, players, and potential newcomers that poker is a welcoming space. It shows that competition does not have to equate to animosity. Instead, it can be a constructive force, creating an environment where everyone can thrive and grow alongside one another.
There are countless examples of individuals and organizations who embody this spirit of cooperation. They highlight each other’s achievements and collaborate on projects that elevate the game. This kind of behavior is commendable, and it deserves to be universally applauded. We should not only recognize these efforts but actively promote them as best practices within our industry.
A Call to Action
However, it’s not enough to merely celebrate those who already champion this ethos. We must also challenge our peers—particularly the major players and operators who have yet to embrace this collaborative approach. If your organization hasn’t adopted a culture of mutual support, I urge you to reconsider your stance.
While every organization has a natural and understandable obligation to protect itself and its own bottom line, that can end up being shortsighted when zooming out to consider the relatively small size of the poker industry on the whole. Searching for and finding ways to coexist with other poker organizations is a net positive for everyone involved.
Consider the implications of this lack of support. When we allow competition to breed division, we miss out on opportunities for the growth of the game. We diminish the potential for innovation and the expansion of our audience. New players are pulled in different directions deciding between opposing events, maybe opting to skip all options out of uncertainty. By fostering a community where support is the norm, we can invite more poker enthusiasts into the fold.
Looking Ahead
As we continue to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of poker, let us remain vigilant about the importance of unity. It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle of daily operations and obligations, but we must keep our eyes on the big picture. Supporting one another isn’t just a nicety; it’s a necessity.
The poker industry has seen its peaks and valleys in the 20+ years since the Moneymaker Boom. But it still has immense potential. By actively embracing the spirit of collaboration, we can pave the way for a new era of growth and innovation. We can build an environment that not only attracts new players but retains them, ensuring the longevity of our beloved game. Gigantic live tournament turnouts since COVID have proven there is significant interest, so why not offer this growing audience, especially those new to poker, the best product we can?
In conclusion, I encourage everyone in our industry to take a page from the book of those who champion public support. Celebrate your competitors’ successes, collaborate when opportunities arise, and recognize that a rising tide lifts all boats. If you are a major player or operator and haven’t yet adopted this mindset, it’s time to hop on board. For the sake of our collective future in poker, let’s work together to cultivate a community that thrives on support and camaraderie.
Together, we can make the poker industry not just a competition, but a thriving community where everyone wins.
WPT Global continues to make waves in both the live and online poker spaces, as it announces a brand new partnership with JP Poker Card Club & Casino in Dublin, Ireland.
The collaborative effort will afford poker players and fans even more opportunities to try their luck at capturing a big buy-in live poker title.
Starting October 3rd, WPT Global will sponsor a recurring €200 buy-in live event at JP Poker Card Club & Casino that runs each month. Players can choose to buy-in directly at the casino — or — qualify online at WPT Global via feeder satellites or direct qualifiers.
The monthly live event in Dublin will boast a €50,000 guaranteed prize pool, with numerous online promotions taking place each month on WPT Global — in coordination with the live poker tournament.
JP Poker Card Club & Casino has 10 poker tables with nightly tournaments buy-ins ranging from €65 to €110 and guarantees ranging from €2,500 to €5,000 GTD.
WPT Global Partnership Brings Live Poker to New Heights in Ireland
JP McCann, the owner of JP Poker Card Club & Casino said in a recent press release that the live venue is “thrilled to collaborate with WPT Global,” emphasizing that the partnership will give players an opportunity “to participate in great value tournaments with significant prize pools.”
“The club also hosts a mid-monthly €15,000 GTD event for €250 entry which runs on the second Wednesday of every month and we now have the aforementioned exciting new €50,000 GTD event for €200 buy-in, sponsored by WPT Global, which will run on the weekend of the first Saturday of every month. Players can qualify directly to Day 2 by playing the Online Day 1 which will be held on Sunday 29th September or by winning an event seat in the 20-seat GTD satellite on WPT Global on Wednesday 2nd October. There will be lots of fun competitions run by the WPT Global team at the event with great prizes up for grabs!” adds McCann.
WPT Global president Alex Scott added that the joint effort with JP Poker Card Club & Casino will help “bring the WPT Global experience to Ireland’s vibrant poker community. We’re excited to partner with JP Poker Card Club and bring a fantastic live satellite series to the WPT Global community. Players can take part in daily $5.50 feeders as well as direct satellites at 7pm and 9pm GMT on Wednesdays and Sundays, leading up to the inaugural €200 Online Day 1 on Sunday 29 September. There’s also a dedicated Facebook group offering freerolls and exclusive promotions, making it possible for players to win their seat in Dublin for free,” continued Scott.
WATCH: Interview with Alex Scott
How to Qualify: €50,000 Guaranteed Live WPT Global Poker Tournament
Online players in Ireland can take advantage of WPT Global’s low stakes sub-qualifier events that will feed into direct satellite entries into the €200 buy-in live event.
WPT Global will host a Launch Festival from October 3rd to October 6th, which will grant online players a chance to participate in a €200 buy-in, €50,000 Main Event with players from both Day 1 online satellites and live qualifiers.
There will also be a 20 Seats Guaranteed main satellite that will take place on the night before the first monthly live tournament.
The JP Poker Card Club & Casino officially opened its doors in 2005, and has been an important part of the Irish live poker scene ever since.
Players who wish to buy-in directly to the monthly live event can do so in advance, or before the tournament begins at the Dublin poker room.
JP Poker Fantasy League and Nightly Events
Players in the Dublin, Ireland area can join the JP Poker Fantasy League to get their hands on exclusive prizes and perks.
JP Poker Fantasy League! €5,000+ in ADDED Prizes!
📢 Join our League now with Code: 7dlwz2
🚀 The weekly winner (combined poker and fantasy points) will receive €100 tournament credit.
Join our Fantasy Football WhatsApp group to be eligible for prizes and the playoff! pic.twitter.com/toXmRpbpzl
— JP Poker (@VillageCard) September 14, 2024
The live venue also hosts nightly tournaments with guaranteed prize pools starting at €2,500.
Join us Tonight for Monday Night Poker with a €2500 GTD 💰
Tournament Details:
🕖 Start Time: 7:00 PM
⏳ Late Registration: Until 9:30 PM
💵 Buy-in: €100 (€20 Reg included)
🎁 Starting Stack :30k3k Early Bird Bonus
3k League Bonus pic.twitter.com/fXnlV7psSg— JP Poker (@VillageCard) September 16, 2024
Poker players who are interested in more promotions can join the WPT Global Ireland Facebook group for an additional $500 USD in extra giveaway opportunities.
Dublin, Ireland Tourism & Poker Scene
Situated on the Republic of Ireland’s east coast alongside the mouth of River Liffey, Dublin has a population totaling nearly 600,000 inhabitants, and is home to some of the most famous architecture in all of Europe.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral — founded in 1191 — is an extremely popular tourist attraction for locals and visitors alike. Other sites like the Dublin Castle also attract thousands of sightseers every weekend.
Dublin has also become a hub for live poker games in Ireland. Every day hundreds or even thousands of players flock to local poker clubs to participate in live cash games or scheduled tournaments.
The UKPL Reading South festival is set to kick off tomorrow, September 23rd, and Cardplayer Lifestyle will be on hand to cover the festivities in person! First introduced in January 2024, the all-new 888poker-powered UK Poker League will have boasted more than a half dozen stops at Grosvenor Casinos throughout the UK: Coventry, Edinburgh, Luton, Manchester, Leeds, and Reading South, with a “grand finale” stop back in Coventry once again.
UKPL Reading South 2024 Schedule (September 23-29)
In all, there will be eight unique poker tournaments (satellites excluded); each hosted at the Grosvenor Casino Reading South venue this week: two “Opening Voyages”, PLO, Seniors, Big Shot, Closer, High Roller, and of course the Main Event.
Action begins tomorrow (September 23) with a £90 buy-in No Limit Texas Hold’em tournament that will allow players to “cash out” at various stages throughout the Main Event satellite.
Things will really heat up on Tuesday, September 24, as the £250 buy-in NLHE Opening Voyage events starts its Day 1A activities at 3pm local time. A few hours later the £150 4-5-6 Card Pot Limit Omaha tournament will commence.
Wednesday, September 25, will see a continuation of Day 1 for the Opening Voyage tournament, along with a separate cash out satellite that is scheduled to start at 9pm.
Thursday, September 26, will be “High Roller” Day for the UKPL Reading South tour stop. The £1,100 High Roller event will coincide with large buy-in satellite tournaments as the UKPL Reading South £560 buy-in NLHE Main Event begins with Day 1A action.
The weekend begins Friday, September 27, as the High Roller and Main Event continue their journey to the final table.
On Saturday, September 28, there will be a separate £400 “Big Shot” tournament, with Sunday witnessing the conclusion of the Main Event and crowing a champion.
There will be two extra poker tournaments that will start and finish on Sunday, September 29: the £150 Seniors Event and the £200 Closer tournament.
Upcoming Coverage of UKPL Reading South
This site’s founder, Robbie Strazynski, will be on hand throughout the UKPL Reading South festival to provide updates, snap photos, conduct player interviews, and of course hand out Cardplayer Lifestyle patches 🙂 .
Many UK poker players who took part in the UKPL Edinburgh stop back in February will already be familiar with our style of coverage, and you can expect more of the same in Reading.
I'll be there to cover this event for @PokerLifeMedia.
Haven't been to the UK in 22 years (since my honeymoon). Should be a fun one!
Who do I know that'll be there?
Where are my UK peeps? 😃 https://t.co/QCCsmxyKYG
— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) September 3, 2024
Qualify Online for Future UKPL Poker Tournament Series
While online qualifiers via 888poker into the Grosvenor Reading South tour stop have concluded, players on the popular online poker site can still enter satellites to win a seat into the grand finale UKPL event in Coventry, which will take place from October 10-21.
Online tickets into UKPL events that are won do not expire, which allows winners to choose their most convenient poker destination within the United Kingdom.
Plus, as mentioned above, there will be multiple live satellite events that will be hosted in-person at the Grosvenor Reading South venue.
Grosvenor Reading South Poker Room FAQs
Is the Grosvenor Reading South venue open 24 hours?
Yes. Aside from the poker room, players will find a variety of table games (blackjack, roulette, craps, and others) at the venue to enjoy as well as slot machines.
Is the Grosvenor Reading South poker room open 24 hours?
Not usually, although hours of operation will be extended for the UKPL tour stop. The poker room itself is typically cordoned between the hours of 6:00am and 11:00am — and is open for the remaining hours of each day.
Will there be cash games in the poker room while the UKPL tour stop is in action?
Yes, depending on the amount of physical gaming space available at any given time. You might even find Robbie playing in them on occasion while he’s there.
Does Grosvenor Reading South offer overnight accommodations?
No. If you are unfamiliar with the immediate area, your best bet is will probably be to Google the “Top 10 Hotels near Grosvenor Reading South Casino.” This will allow you to choose from a diverse list of both budget and luxury hotels that are nearby.
Are there any tourist activities in the Reading area?
Reading is only a 30-minute ride from London; via the Elizabeth Line train. Round trip ticket fares for same-day transportation from Reading to London (and back) cost approximately £30 per person. You can visit the official Transport for London government site for more details.
As for Reading itself, Robbie will be exploring the city’s sights while there, and Cardplayer Lifestyle readers can expect a write-up of his adventures in Reading away from the felt.
What does it mean to suck out in poker? How can you suck out in poker? When can you suck out in poker?
The answer to all three of these questions and more will be answered within this article.
Read on to learn more about the term suck out as it is used in the game of poker.
What is a suck out in poker?
A suck out in poker mainly refers to getting a significant amount of money or chips into the pot with an inferior hand versus one or more opponents — and then winning in the end.
There are various degrees of suck out poker hands, with all in preflop hands that result in a “race” generally not included in the suck out poker terminology.
Take the following hand for example:
Player 1: Th-Td (all in preflop)
Player 2: As-Ks (all in preflop)
Technically, Player 1 has a slight advantage over Player 2 in this scenario. Inserting this all in preflop hand into one or more poker hand calculators will reveal that Player 1 wins this hand roughly 537 times out of each 1,000 instances on average.
However, it is rare for players to label two overcards winning a showdown in an all in preflop scenario as a suck out.
Typically, these situations are referred to as “races,” which is loosely defined in poker as a situation in which both players have a relatively similar chance of winning an all in preflop hand once the final showdown card hits the community board.
The term suck out, therefore, is most commonly used in the popular No Limit format of Texas Hold’em.
Suck Out Poker Examples for No Limit Texas Hold’em
Following are a couple of sample hands for No Limit Texas Hold’em games in which the term “suck out” applies.
Player 1: AK (all in preflop)
Player 2: AQ (all in preflop)
COMMUNITY BOARD CARDS: T-T-9-9-Q
In this example, we say that Player 2 sucked out on Player 1 when the Queen was dealt on the river.
As long as the bulk of the chips were placed into the pot before the river card, it can be said that Player 2 was able to suck out on Player 1. However, if the bulk of the chips were placed into the pot after the river was dealt, then players don’t usually define this as a suck out.
Player 1: Ad-Ac (all in after the flop)
Player 2: Ts-9s (all in after the flop)
COMMUNITY BOARD CARDS: Ks-3s-2s-(As)-(3d)
In this example, Player 2 was well ahead of Player 1 when all the chips were placed into the pot.
Player 2 has a King high spade flush while Player 1 only had a single pair of Aces.
The Turn gave Player 1 three Aces while improving Player 2’s hand to an Ace high spade flush.
Once the river was dealt, Player 2 still had an Ace high spade flush. But Player 1 had improved to a Full Boat: Aces over Threes — giving Player 1 the winning hand by way of suck out.
We say that Player 1 was able to suck out on this hand because Player 1 was at a severe disadvantage once both players had contributed the maximum into the active pot.
In fact, Player 1 had less than a three percent chance of winning the pot once all the chips were put into the middle after the flop.
The Ace of Spades on the Turn improved Player 1’s chances to almost one-in-four, but it wasn’t until the river card was dealt that Player 1 could be awarded all the chips and declared the winner of this hand.
When is a Poker Hand NOT a Suck Out?
If all the chips were pushed into the pot at a time when someone holding inferior hole cards actually had the lead (or was relatively close in his/her chances to win), then poker players usually won’t define such a scenario as a suck out.
Player 1: 8c-8d (all in after Turn)
Player 2: 9c-9d (all in after Turn)
COMMUNITY BOARD CARDS: As-3d-Jc-(8s)
In this situation, Player 1 was a huge underdog before the Turn was dealt. Player 1 only had about a 17% chance of showing down the best hand preflop and only an 8.4% shot after the flop.
But in this case, maybe the action was checked on the Flop.
Regardless, the Eight of Spades on the Turn means that Player 1 now has greater than a 95% chance to show down the best hand.
If the bulk of the money or poker chips are committed on the Turn, and the two players now find themselves all in, then it would be Player 2 who would need to suck out on the River. Only the Nine of Spades or Nine of Hearts will give Player 2 the winning hand.
What is a “Re-suck” in Poker?
The poker “re-suck” occurs when one player with a far inferior hand makes a superior hand, only to have an opponent regain the advantage. This is what we call a “re-suck” in poker.
Player 1: AA (all in preflop)
Player 2: 77 (all in preflop)
Once all the chips have been put into the pot, Player 1 has a very clear advantage.
However, let’s say that a Seven is dealt on the flop.
COMMUNITY BOARD CARDS: K-7-2
It appears that Player 2 was able to suck out on Player 1. Without a doubt, Player 2 now has a commanding lead in this hand, and is a huge favorite to win.
But let’s say that an Ace is dealt on the Turn.
COMMUNITY BOARD CARDS: K-7-2-(A)
Player 1 has re-sucked on Player 2. As it stands after the Turn, only the “case seven” (the fourth and final 7 remaining in the deck) can change Player 2’s fortunes.
COMMUNITY BOARD CARDS: K-7-2-A-(7)
Player 2 has hit a miracle fourth seven on the River to win the hand. Player 2 was the beneficiary of a “re-re-suck,” and Player 1 loses the pot with a Full House: Aces over Sevens.
After the Turn, Player 2 had only a 2.27% chance of hitting a “one outer” case Seven.
The suck out term in poker applies to the moment when all (or most) of the chips were pushed into the pot by two (or more) players.
Since all the chips got into the pot preflop in the above example, the “re-re-suck” term applies — based on the players’ chances of winning fluctuating as the face-up Flop, Turn, and River cards were revealed.
Suck Out in Poker – Real Life Examples
In casual poker home games, a suck out is mostly something to smile, laugh, and tell poker friends about.
If you’re playing a micro-stakes poker cash game (especially if it is a Fixed Limit format), then the monetary consequences of a suck out in poker are relatively minor — if not irrelevant altogether.
But competitive poker is an entirely different beast, and a poker suck out can mark the difference between earning millions of dollars or going home with a very small payout compared to the final table.
Perhaps the most famous poker suck outs of all time are those that tie in to televised poker games. The 2010 calendar year was particularly notable for bad beat suckouts in high profile, high stakes, live tournament poker events.
Poker player and Pokercoaching.com instructor Matt Affleck recalls being the victim of one of the worst suck outs in poker history; one that may have cost him millions of dollars.
It all happened during the 2010 World Series of Poker Main Event, with 15 players remaining and the winner guaranteed to take home close to $9 million!
Affleck was roughly a 4-to-1 favorite to become the chip leader in the hand, with only one River card separating him from a huge pile of chips and a heartbreaking live poker tournament bustout.
As luck would have it, the Eight of Diamonds on the River propelled Jonathan Duhamel to the 2010 WSOP Main Event Championship.
For his efforts, Affleck was eliminated in 15th place and received a hefty (yet very disappointing) $500,000 payout.
Big One For One Drop $1 Million Suck Out in Poker
In 2014, the Big One for One Drop tournament during the World Series of Poker boasted a $1,000,000 buy-in, just to compete!
To this day, the first place finish by poker pro Dan Colman in that event represents one of the largest poker tournament payouts in history — $15,300,000.
But it was the action during the early rounds of the tournament that made history in terms of bad beats an suck outs.
PokerGO Founder Cary Katz and high profile pro Connor Drinan both looked down at pocket aces early on in the tournament. Both player committed their stacks preflop, going all in in what appeared to be a destined chopped pot.
With all the chips in before the flop, each player had about a 2% chance of winning the hand outright, with a great than 95% chance of the pot being split by both Katz and Drinan.
The two hearts on the flop eliminated any chance that Drinan could win the hand outright, and gave Katz a very slim chance to winning.
But still, by far the most probable outcome was a chopped pot.
A third heart on the Turn improved Katz’ chances of winning to 20%, but still there was about an 80% chance that the river card would not be a heart.
But the 2h on the River doubled-up Cary Katz and sent Drinan to the rail — one million dollars lost (in the form of a buy-in) on one hand.
While labeling the above hand as a “suck out” may be a bit much (since both players were even-odds at the moment all the chips went into the pot), the devastation of losing a $1 million buy-in during such a scenario was very apparent.
Both players played the hand optimally preflop (meaning they got their opponents to get all their chips in preflop while holding the best possible starting hand). But only one player raked in all the chips once the River card was dealt.
The Worst Possible Suck Out Poker Hands
Statistically speaking, the worst possible suck out in No Limit Texas Hold’em games is getting all your chips in after the flop, with your opponent needing two specific cards to win.
Player 1: J-J (all in on the flop)
Player 2: Q-Q (all in on the flop)
COMMUNITY BOARD CARS: J-J-5
Player 1 has made Quad Jacks on the Flop, and is a massive 99%+ favorite to win the hand.
The only way Player 2 can win the hand is if two specific cards (the remaining two Queens) each hit the community board: one on the Turn and the final Queen on the River.
COMMUNITY BOARD CARDS: J-J-5-Q-Q
This would represent the worst possible suck out in Texas Hold’em poker (as long as all the chips were put in on the flop).
If the chips were all committed preflop, then the above sample hand would represent the worst possible “re-suck” in poker.
Let’s look at another sample hand:
Player 1: Ah-Ad (all in on the flop)
Player 2: 3s-2s (all in on the flop)
COMMUNITY BOARD CARDS: As-Ac-9c
Again, Player 1 has made Quad Aces and has better than a 99% chance of winning outright once the River card hits the board.
The only way that Player 2 can win this hand is if two specific cards are dealt on the Turn and River.
COMMUNITY BOARD CARDS: As-Ac-9c-(4s)-(5s)
Player 2 has sucked out on Player 1, and this is another example of the worst possible suck out in Texas Hold’em games.
Player 1’s Quad Aces are defeated by Player 2 — who has made a Straight Flush: Spades (5-4-3-2-A).
Suck Outs Make Competitive Poker Profitable
In the long run, the more a competitive, for-profit poker player can get all the chips in with a significant advantage, the better.
A competitive poker player will tell you that he/she will put all the chips in on the flop holding Quad Aces in Texas Hold’em any day of the week.
Marginal advantages can also be profitable depending on the amount of rake being charged in a particular game, but huge advantages (like the ones shown above) are what makes poker profitable for professionals.