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The emergence of card games, mainly poker, from cozy home gaming rooms to busy casino floors, is a fantastic tour through time, culture, and technology. It has affected how the game is played, and society views it. The history of card games like poker attests to their versatility and ongoing popularity, mirroring more significant developments in entertainment and gaming.
The origins of poker, a game that has become a global phenomenon, trace back to a confluence of various card games from different cultures. The game, as known today, began to take shape in the United States during the early 19th century, drawing from the European games of Primero, Brelan, and Poque.
The latter, a French game, is particularly noted for its influence on poker’s development, contributing to the game’s name and basic structure. The transformation of poker from these early versions into the modern game involved the integration of a 52-card deck and the introduction of features like the flush and the draw.
The spread of poker in the United States is closely linked to the country’s expansion and frontier spirit. Initially, poker games were a common pastime among the crews on the riverboats navigating the Mississippi River. This period was crucial for poker’s growth, as the game’s popularity began to spread along the river and into new territories. The game’s appeal was partly due to its simplicity and the ease with which it could be played in various settings, from saloons to informal gatherings. It’s easy to teach someone how to play poker!
By the late 18th century, poker had begun to take on a more organized form, with various play styles emerging, including straight poker and stud poker. The game’s evolution continued through the 19th century, with the introduction of the full 52-card French deck and innovations such as the flush and the draw. The American Civil War era saw the addition of stud poker and the straight, further diversifying the game’s play styles.
In its early days, poker was played in private settings or poker rooms that were often part of saloons in the American Frontier. These poker rooms were intimate spaces where players knew each other and played against one another rather than the house.
The atmosphere was camaraderie mixed with fierce competition, and the stakes could be high. Poker rooms played a crucial role in the game’s development, serving as incubators for new poker variations and fostering a culture that would define the game for generations.
The transition of poker from these poker rooms to casino floors was gradual and coincided with the legalization and expansion of gambling in the United States and worldwide. As casinos emerged as significant entertainment venues, they sought to offer various gambling options to attract a broad audience.
With its rich history and deep strategic complexity, Poker was a natural fit. Casinos introduced poker to a wider audience, making it accessible to those who might never have set foot in a traditional poker room.
The modern poker era has been characterized by the rise of tournament play and the global spread of the game, facilitated by technological advancements and the advent of online poker. The World Series of Poker, established in 1970, played a pivotal role in popularizing tournament play and has become one of the most prestigious poker tournaments in the world.
The introduction of online poker in the late 1990s expanded poker’s reach, allowing players worldwide to compete against each other from the comfort of their homes. The advent of promotional tools like the Wow Vegas Promo Code has played a significant role in this expansion, offering newcomers and seasoned players the chance to enhance their gaming experience with additional benefits.
The 21st century has seen poker’s popularity reach unprecedented levels, thanks partly to the “poker boom” triggered by the widespread coverage of poker tournaments on television and the internet. This period has seen poker become not just a gambling activity but a spectator sport, with professional players gaining celebrity status and poker strategy becoming a topic of widespread interest.
Despite the shift to digital platforms, the social aspect of poker remains central to its appeal. Online poker rooms and live dealer games attempt to recreate the social dynamics of traditional poker rooms, allowing players to interact with each other and the dealer. Social gaming platforms have taken this further, integrating poker games with social media, enabling players to share their achievements and compete with friends.
Card games’ rise from poker rooms to casino floors and other settings is an inventive and adaptive tale. Poker has shown to be incredibly adaptable, flourishing in various settings and embracing new technology. Its trajectory reflects growing legislation, technical advancements, and societal views on gambling.
Millions of people still adore playing poker, and for those who want to go deeper, it can be an intriguing study of psychology and strategy. For many others, it’s a competitive sport.
Over the last few weeks, there’s been quite a bit of buzz about the new online poker site Phenom Poker. Created “by professional poker players for the players”, the site’s founders aim to address a number of issues plaguing legacy sites and genuinely innovate with a next-level product.
In an effort to better understand what exactly Phenom Poker is, the story behind its creation, and what makes it unique, I spoke at length with 2x World Series of Poker bracelet winner Nathan Gamble, the company’s Director of Ambassador Relations.
We had a wide-ranging conversation covering a variety of poker topics pertaining to Phenom Poker’s emergence, including the current state of online poker, the role of Phenom Poker Ambassadors, how Phenom Poker’s blockchain-based infrastructure helps reduce the risk of cyber security leaks, and how the company plans to gain market share.
When did the idea to create Phenom Poker come about and what was the specific catalyst?
As a group of long time poker players ourselves, we’ve been waiting for a new offering to come to market that addresses a lot of concerns that the community has about the online poker industry. I’ve also been keeping an eye on more crypto-based offerings as I think they have the best potential to help our industry.
After seeing enough time pass and the same sites continuing to dominate the industry, we decided to give it a go ourselves. The idea has been bouncing around for some time but we started building out the site late last year.
How and why did you come to get involved?
I have known several members of the founding team for many years and they approached me due to my knowledge of the industry, reputation within the community, and love for the game. Although I started playing when I was 12, had a few years away from the game while serving in the military, and other such interlopers, I have been a part of the poker community for over 20 years and am well connected with some of the best players that poker has to offer.
I will be helping to bring forward a known and trusted ambassador team, as can be seen by the Ambassadors currently signed, and figuring out how to best utilize their potential as we move forward both pre and post launch.
Who are the site owners? Who are the ambassadors for the site?
In time the entire team will be disclosed at their discretion but publicly both myself and Matt Valeo are two of the founding members. Matt has been in the poker community for 20 years as both an online player and live cash game player. On top of that, he has a background founding, building, and investing in technology companies over the last 10 years. So I think his background will be very helpful as we navigate what will no doubt be an uphill battle to build something good for the community.
Our current list of Phenom Poker ambassadors are:
More ambassadors will be announced soon!
What do you see as the ambassadors’ responsibilities?
A big part of the ambassador’s role will be providing real and meaningful feedback on what is important to the industry. These players are actively playing day in and day out and talking with other players; they know what is truly important from a players perspective. We are building a site for the community; who better to turn to for answers than those who best represent the community?
We are not asking for quiet consent from the ambassadors but rather real and meaningful impact on how to improve games, moderate rake, handle problems that may arise, etc. They have a direct line to the team and have already made some meaningful contributions to Phenom Poker that will be announced prelaunch!
What makes Phenom Poker unique vs. other online poker sites?
Honestly, what isn’t unique about Phenom Poker? We are working to build a site based around a couple of core principles: Fairness, Community, and Security.
We will be built on the foundation of a Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO). The founders and investors will still hold a large amount of votes and guide the company but it ensures that we are beholden to the voices of our players and will continue to listen to them no matter how large the player base grows.
The DAO model means that people will be able to earn a share of the company’s net revenues and a vote in the path forward for the company based on their play on the site. They will be earning rakeback in the form of tokens that will be issued to their wallets; these tokens will be used to distribute weekly dividends based on the net revenue generated by the company. The players always have the option to redeem their tokens for cash (USDT) if they prefer not to hold so there’s full optionality for token holders.
I personally can’t recall any poker site that has given players the ability to earn equity in the company and earn weekly capital based on how the site is doing and not their own personal play. We love the idea of having a site that is owned by the poker community and keeps more money in the poker ecosystem to help our community thrive and grow. Many times we’ve seen operators pull too much money out of the ecosystem which throws the industry into stages of flat growth.
Oh, plus there’s going to be a ton of different poker variants on offer. Truly, a ton!
All the circus games you love
We’re aiming for nearly 30 games available at launch PLUS the ability to create your own mix
— Phenom Poker (@PhenomPokerApp) December 17, 2023
Will players be able to play from anywhere in the world? What’s the site’s official attitude towards regulated jurisdictions and licenses?
We will be complying with all jurisdictions and necessary licenses to ensure that we are able to take Phenom Poker as global as possible as quickly as possible. Quite simply, if a country’s/states/province’s jurisdiction allows for online poker to be legally spread, we will be working to enter the market.
While we will be taking this on a case by case basis we want to highlight some of our ambassadors, in particular Farid Jattin who is #1 in Columbia, Francisco “Tomatee” Benitez #1 in Uruguay, and Sergio Aido #2 in Spain.
We are very committed to having ambassadors who represent the world of poker at large and having the voices of every community heard. Poker is a global game and we hope to bring it to as many enthusiasts as possible.
Solid ownership and poker ambassadors with stellar reputations are one thing, but that doesn’t mean you have the technical know-how for how to operate a poker site. Who’s doing that stuff? Where are they based? What sort of experience do they have?
The team is currently comprised of approximately 25 contributors and is continuing to grow. We are sourcing people with the appropriate backgrounds and experience pertaining to their area of focus. For example, our engineers have extensive background in engineering. Our security team has a background in security. We have operators with extensive experience in the poker industry. It’s not just a group of people who have no relevant experience, I can assure you. As we grow we will continue to recruit talented people who can help Phenom thrive.
A lot of people seem to be comparing Phenom Poker with Virtue Poker. What are the similarities and what are the differences between the two?
Yes I’ve seen the comparisons but other than both being “crypto” related, the actual overlap is quite slim. Virtue was attempting to be fully on-chain, and that was 6-7 years ago when blockchain infrastructure was still in its infancy. As an emerging market, things have evolved very fast and we are in a different world now vs. then. That being said, we are still very different in virtually every aspect — our ownership model, our security model, our infrastructure, design, team, core values, etc.
When you first approached me re: doing this Q&A my initial reaction was “I stay far away from stuff that’s cryptocurrency related – I don’t personally use cryptocurrency, so I can’t add my own stamp of approval or vouch for anything because that would not be authentic”. You told me that there’s a lot of misinformation out there… So here’s the chance to set things straight and clear up misunderstandings. What’s Phenom Poker’s relationship with cryptocurrency? Can players use fiat currency and conventional deposit/withdrawal methods?
Phenom Poker is first and foremost an online poker platform. The game engine, software, and user interface will be similar to what players are already accustomed to and include features players love. For example, we will have full support for mixed game players at launch!
We’ve made the decision to build using Web3 technology to facilitate real money transactions. The reason why is we think that’s the direction things are going and we are building something to be as “future proof” as possible. It’s not just a quick cash grab – we envision something for the poker community to use and enjoy for many years to come.
We are aware that not everybody uses crypto (yet) but we believe crypto adoption is just going to grow over time and hopefully that translates to a growing user base over time as well. Remember, only a small part of the platform is “on-chain” – that means many components have similar infrastructure to what players are already used to, just with an emphasis on design, security, and fairness.
Because we made the decision to be Web3-based, that means traditional deposits and withdrawals and fiat currency won’t be supported, but we believe this is a feature, not a bug. Depositing and withdrawing on traditional sites has been a bottleneck in the industry and in some cases has forced operators out of business trying to comply with ever changing local laws and banks closing their doors to the online gambling industry.
No longer will you have to load money onto a site, play for a while, and then wait for days, weeks, or go back and forth with customer support to get a withdrawal through. Instant funds settlement is a game changer.
We also think our P2P shuffler is a step in the right direction for the industry. We will be putting out more information on this prelaunch but we firmly believe we have found a solution that will make superusers impossible on Phenom Poker.
I think most of the misconceptions we’ve seen at least publicly are concerning our Token. People have claimed we are introducing a token to run up the price and quickly make our exit stage left while leaving the poker industry holding the bag. I can’t blame anyone for being skeptical or concerned but I think looking a little closer at our Token model will dispel many of these notions.
First: The sale of tokens does not impact the price as the token price is directly tied to revenue of the company, not the recent sales of small or large amounts of tokens.
Second: The token will not be sellable or transferable to anyone other than the site itself (either via earning the token as a reward or redeeming the token for cash).
Third: The founders and investors who have pre-existing tokens are vested for a minimum duration of time and cannot sell until the vesting period is over.
Fourth: Token holders automatically receive distributions of Revenue Share from the site every week. This creates an additional incentive to hold the tokens because anyone can participate in financial upside if the site continues to grow and generates revenue without having to sell their tokens. The goal here is community ownership and keeping more money in the poker ecosystem.
Phil Galfond pulled off something pretty great back in the day with Run It Once Poker. And yet, despite lots of support from the professional poker community and even plenty of amateurs and recreational players, the site didn’t do as well as hoped, and ended up being sold. Liquidity was a major issue. What makes you certain that Phenom Poker will have enough liquidity to survive?
We’re not under any illusion that starting a new site from scratch is going to be easy or is in any way a “certain” outcome. Our approach is to build the best product possible and to be the most player-centric offering on the market.
We believe if we can deliver the product we envision, and execute in a way that delivers on our core values, that the community will find it compelling enough to come and play. There are no gimmicks here. Just a different approach and a transparent, community focused product that we think is a net positive for our industry. At the end of the day, the players get to decide for themselves where they want to play.
It seems like a main selling point for the site is “impenetrable cybersecurity” – that you’ll be giving players the best possible protection so they can play safely and securely, knowing there’s no cheating, collusion, or funny business. Talk to me about that. How is that achieved? How are players protected?
I wouldn’t so much say “impenetrable” security, but more a strong focus on security and transparency. Making player protection, transparency, and preventing any form of cheating a top priority and commitment is in and of itself different from what we’ve seen in the market. There’s no magical solution — as long as there is money at stake, there will be people trying to game the system. However, there are things that can be done to deter and prevent these things as much as possible.
Our process starts at the KYC (Know Your Customer)/onboarding process – we are working with state of the art vendors to identify malicious actors from the start.
We are also using a Big Data approach and writing algorithms into our game integrity and monitoring software to detect patterns in every aspect of gameplay that might be suspicious. Such as when players are playing together too often (possible collusion) or their betting patterns relative to their holdings are consistently outside the norm. And on top of that we are implementing a big deterrent into our Terms of Service, as follows:
If a player is caught cheating in any way, they give Phenom Poker the right to publicly release findings including their Real Identity. We think that, combined with other things, will make players think twice about attempting to cheat on the site.
The main reason I wanted to have this conversation and learn more about Phenom Poker is in order to help inform the poker community. Without slipping into giving me or anyone the “hard sell”, what else haven’t we discussed that you feel is important for the poker community to know about Phenom Poker?
Quite simply, the Phenom Poker team is built by poker players, for poker players. We aren’t asking our ambassadors to be quiet if they see an issue, we aren’t asking our players to be quiet. We welcome the feedback and will build out channels to have direct and meaningful conversations with the poker community.
We have a projected beta test launch of April 2024 where we will ask anyone who believes in making the online poker community better to come and test the site. Find holes, find mistakes, and get rewarded for helping.
Collectively our team has over 100 years of experience in the poker industry and we will do our best to ensure that everyone who loves the game has that same opportunity.
I went into my conversation with Nathan very skeptical. After all, how many times over the last few years have we seen “yet another online poker site” take a stab at making a splash, onto to inevitable fail and disappear.
I came out of the conversation with Nathan convinced that the Phenom Poker team were quite genuinely onto something different. The team is very clearly innovating something new and special in terms of an online poker offering, chiefly because of the enhanced level of security brought about by their Web3-based software and P2P shuffler.
The company is of course still in its infancy, not yet even beta testing. Yet, what I see is a determined, brilliant group of poker players putting their minds together to create a next-level online poker site. It stands to reason that, should the team behind Phenom Poker be able to pull it off, many players would strongly consider playing on such a platform.
When learning to use a poker HUD to make reads and exploits against players, I recommend looking for extreme statistics. This means extremely high percentages (close to 100%) or extremely low percentages (close to 0%). Utilizing poker HUD exploits is easiest when targeting players who do something almost every time, or almost never at all.
The Smart HUD for PokerTracker 4 gives useful information about Villain 3’s tendencies.
In the Smart HUD readout above, we can see five extreme tendencies for Villain 3 (a loose-passive fish):
How would you exploit this player’s extreme tendencies? In what situations would you put yourself in to either gain more value or steal more pots? Answer this for yourself before you read my answers in the paragraphs below.
1 & 2: Because he doesn’t fold to 3bets, I would only 3bet for value with AKs and JJ+. “If he ain’t folding, we ain’t bluffing” is perfectly applicable to this player. Because he doesn’t fold nor 4bet, I expect him to call and we would see a flop. And given that he Raises First In at only 8% (another extremely low percentage) I expect his 3bet calling range to be full of the best Broadway hands and medium to high pocket pairs. Knowing this, I can more easily gauge how well the board helps him and use that to my exploiting advantage. And, if he 4bets me, it’s likely just AA, so I have an easy fold.
3: His 3bet at just 1% is extremely low (at just 1 out of 131 opportunities), so he probably only does it with AA and KK. It’s an easy fold versus any large 3bet. But players like this often make sizing mistakes. If I open to 3bb and he min-3bets to 5bb, I can call (with good implied odds) with hands that can crack big pocket pairs like suited connectors, small-medium pocket pairs and suited Aces.
4: He’s barreled the turn 4 out of 4 times so far, so we can expect him to do it again. I’ll keep this in mind before calling any flop cbets. If I would hate facing the turn barrel for any reason, I’m better off folding on the flop or bluff raising instead of calling.
5: He hates folding versus cbets on flops and turns, so I’m mostly cbetting for value and using a larger size. If I’m bluffing, I need to plan on 3 streets as he’s more honest on rivers where he’s folded 76% (19 out of 25 times). So, I might want to bluff flop and turn for a smaller size, say 33% pot to keep the pot size under control, then make a 50% pot river bluff.
Some of you might be thinking, “Sky, out of just 3 or 4 opportunities, we can’t rely on many of these tendencies just yet.”
We’re not “relying” on these numbers, we’re using them to make reads on tendencies which help us make exploitative plays. By looking for extreme percentages, it’s more likely this is a reliable player tendency, or habit, we can exploit.
Plus, we don’t have the luxury of playing hundreds or thousands of hands to make a “more reliable” read. We’re playing this hand right now against this player with these tendencies. We don’t know if we’ll ever play against him in the future and there’s no time like the present, so let’s go for exploitative glory right now!
Each statistical extreme, high or low, can be exploited. Let’s imagine instead, Villain 3 has these opposite extreme statistics/tendencies:
Now, how would you exploit these opposite extremes? Answer for yourself before you read my answers below.
1: I’m happily 3bet bluffing this player until he decides to fight back. When you find somebody who folds a lot, you want to exploit this by stealing whenever profitable. However, they might pick up on your exploit if you do it too much. So, 3bet bluff a player like this with good hands and in good position, but maybe not just willy-nilly with 92o or J4.
2: Before I open raise, if this player is still to act, I’ll expect a 3bet bluff, especially if his current position is where he seems to like 3betting. You can get a good idea of this in a popup that details 3bet by position. If I expect a 3bet bluff, I have a few options:
3: Because he’s a turn honest cbettor, I can call most of his flop cbets and then bet as soon as he checks the turn. And if he happens to cbet the turn, and I have the nuts or near nuts, it’s a great opportunity to raise for value.
4: We love players like this who are fit or fold on the flop and on the turn. We can bluff most of our hands on the flop and we can barrel bluff as well. And if he happens to raise us, we know he has the goods, and we can easily exit the hand.
Over your next three play sessions, look for extreme statistics and figure out ways to exploit them. The goal is to get comfortable with exploiting extremes. Eventually, you’ll start experimenting with non-extreme exploits, like cbet bluffing when they fold just 55%, or bluff raising cbets when they cbet just 60% of the time.
For those millions of people who have their own personal dungeons, call themselves Dungeon Masters and know what the term “Nat 20” means, has Game Theory Tables got the table for you!
On February 14th, 2024, Game Theory Tables is going to make the dreams of every avid Table Top Role Playing Gamer (TTRPG) come true. At least the dreams that don’t involve Scarlett Johansson. On that day, they are going to drop The Arena, a fully digital board game table created specifically for DnD players to give them the ultimate gaming experience.
This unique playing surface is a completely custom, commercial quality, android display that is 65″ with touchscreen functionality. It features a robust tempered glass surface where the players can go to war without the worry of damaging it, no matter how good the dice roll.
This is a huge deal for gamers and it has already created a massive amount of buzz. For years players have tried to DIY their way to happiness by building their own versions of what is now The Arena. Game Theory Tables, already an industry leader, built on this idea and became the first company to develop a fully integrated product specifically for the TTRPG enthusiasts.
So, what happens on Valentines Day? Well, on February 14th, Game Theory Tables will launch their Kickstarter for The Arena. This will be a short run, only 30 days, and all orders will be fulfilled within 12 months. That means by next Valentine’s Day you could be sitting in the The Arena’s spacious DM Command Center, directing the action as your gaming group slaughters Orcs in the name of love.
This is not Game Theory Tables’ first rodeo when it comes to Kickstarters. In 2021 they launched their first ever Kickstarter for their Origins gaming table. By the end of its 30-day run they had raised $1.1 million, and the product became a reality. A year later customers were happily locked in, enjoying their new tables and Game Theory Tables knew there was a criminally underserved market out there.
So, who exactly is Game Theory Tables and why are they so eager for you to own a gaming table? Well, it all begins with a company known as BBO Poker Tables. For the past decade, they have held the title as the worldwide leader in premium, personalized poker tables, as serious players worldwide can attest.
In 2019 the board game market began to explode. It became so big that the industry’s yearly convention, GenCon, would sell out like a Taylor Swift concert. This shift in the gaming market had not gone unnoticed by BBO who were not only selling poker tables to customers for the purpose of TTRPG gaming but were also fielding requests from customers asking them to make TTRPG specific gaming tables.
In business you give the people what they want, and in 2020 BBO Poker Tables embarked on a journey to create the ideal board game table with the same values as BBO products. They would be individualized, high quality, and scalable but priced within reach of the average gamer. To this end, they launched a sister brand, Game Theory Tables.
Making the leap from poker to board gaming wasn’t a stretch. The overlap in poker and board gaming is that both are strategic and the same type of minds that play poker often enjoy board games. There are so many different titles out there that it will make your head spin. So, they tested the market with their first Kickstarter, which was wildly successful.
They followed up the success of their first Kickstarter in 2021 with the Origins Coffee Table in 2022. This was a standard size coffee table which transformed into a full-size board game table that you could play from the comfort of your couch.
In 2023 the company lit up their flagship table and rolled out The Origins LIT, that subsequent Kickstarter campaign raised $1.2M and was fulfilled within 12 months. This all led us to where we now, The Arena.
Okay, usually those words are followed by something about going where no man has gone before, but we’ve all played DnD before, so that ship has sailed. But it has been a five-year journey to get to this point and the ride is not over. Game Theory Tables has always been big on letting the customer tell them what they want. And once the Dungeons and Dragons players, 50 million worldwide, got wind of what Game Theory Tables was doing, they were not shy with their opinions.
The ones Game Theory Tables spoke with wanted a table that would create a completely unique player experience. It was during these discussions that GameTheory representatives were first told about those early DIY efforts at a digital table, and it that inspiration became The Arena. Finally players had unlimited maps rendered in 4K quality for their adventures.
Game Theory Tables’ core mission is the same as poker, to create unforgettable memories between friends and families and elevate the experience for as many players as possible. And Game Theory Tables is up to the challenge.
As the 2024 UK Poker League (UKPL) makes its highly-anticipated stop in the picturesque Scottish capital of Edinburgh, poker enthusiasts are gearing up for an unforgettable experience. With its rich history, vibrant culture, and breathtaking landscapes, Edinburgh offers a perfect backdrop for a thrilling poker event. The UKPL Edinburgh stop is set to take place from February 13-18 at the city’s Grosvenor Casino, and I’ll be there to cover the event for Cardplayer Lifestyle.
It’ll be my first time in Scotland, my first time at an 888poker-powered live event in four years and my first time in the UK since my honeymoon back in 2002. I always advise people to arrive a day early or stay a day late before/after the poker they want to play on a trip. That’ll give them ample time to explore without having to “sacrifice” any poker time.
In that vein, I’ll be arriving a day before the UKPL Edinburgh festival begins, ready to gain a deeper appreciation for the city’s unique character and storied legacy. Plus, with poker action only starting at around noon each day, I’ll have the mornings free for additional exploration.
Here, then, is a list of five things I’m looking forward to while covering the 2024 UKPL Edinburgh stop.
I’ve always maintained the importance of “getting out” to see beyond the walls of the poker room during a poker trip, and this upcoming excursion will be no exception. Of course, I’ll be producing a good deal of content about the UKPL itself and spending plenty of time at and around the poker tables at the Grosvenor Casino (see #3, below). But I’d be remiss to let the opportunity to explore Edinburgh proper slip away.
When visiting a city for the first time, I usually enjoy taking one of those free 2-hour walking tours. I’ve already done a good deal of online research on Edinburgh and it seems to be a pretty compact city, meaning I’ll be able to sample many of the major highlights on foot in one fell swoop. From the cobbled alleyways of the Old Town to the grandeur of the New Town, every corner holds a story waiting to be discovered.
To be sure, I’ll have to bundle up nice and warm, but I anticipate delving into the city’s fascinating past, marveling at its iconic landmarks like the Edinburgh Castle and soaking in the lively atmosphere of the Royal Mile. Moreover, the walking tour will provide a unique opportunity to interact with a knowledgeable guide who can offer insights into Edinburgh’s rich cultural heritage and architectural marvels.
Scotland is renowned for its whisky, and while I’m certainly no connoisseur when it comes to alcohol or drinking, no trip to Edinburgh would be complete without indulging in a tasting experience. I’m always up for learning, and the interactive, multimedia presentation sure looks like a winner of an activity.
From learning about the intricate process of whisky-making to sampling a selection of premium blends, I look forward to treating my senses to the rich flavors and aromas that define the nation’s spirit. Additionally, the tour offers an opportunity to delve into the history and heritage of one of the world’s most iconic whisky brands.
I may not be able to appreciate the difference between red, black, gold, green, or blue label whiskies, but I can sure appreciate the effort that goes into crafting a premium worldwide brand and product.
I don’t just cover poker events, I also love playing the game myself. While the job of reporting on what goes on at poker tournaments can often be repetitive, I’ve learned over the years that the best way to come across unique stories and get to know the players is to actually sit and play with them.
The UK poker scene is pretty legendary and, never having had the opportunity to play poker there, I can’t wait to experience it myself. I anticipate engaging in a couple memorable cash game sessions and forging new connections with fellow players. Plus, I’ll be prepping a room review and likely speaking with the Grosvenor Casino Edinburgh manager to learn about the room’s unique features, offerings, and characteristics.
Touted as the UK’s most popular attraction outside of London, a visit to the National Museum of Scotland seems like a must to add to the itinerary. While it has multiple exhibits you could likely find at other similar museums around the world, there are galleries dedicated to Scottish history and archeology that are most certainly one-of-a-kind.
Similarly one-of-a-kind (in a manner of speaking) is the display featuring Dolly the Sheep, the world’s first cloned mammal. Watching the news broadcast this iconic scientific breakthrough back in the late nineties, I never thought I’d actually get to see Dolly in person. Plainly put, seeing Dolly the Sheep in person is an experience that cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world.
Additionally, the museum offers a wealth of exhibits showcasing Scotland’s rich natural history, technological advancements, and cultural achievements. Plus — perhaps best of all — admission is free!
Another free attraction is the Scottish Parliament building, which I’m sure will be an educational and enriching experience. I’m only casually familiar with the UK political system and how governmental powers are split among the United Kingdom’s different countries.
It’s one thing to learn in a classroom or from behind a computer screen, but it’s another to partake in a guided tour of the institution itself; immersion to that degree guaranteed to add another layer of knowledge.
In conclusion, the 2024 UKPL Edinburgh stop holds the promise of an unforgettable blend of poker excitement and cultural exploration. From strolling through Edinburgh’s historic streets to sampling its finest whiskies, immersing oneself in its vibrant poker scene, marveling at scientific breakthroughs like Dolly the Sheep, and gaining insights into Scottish governance at the Parliament; that’s just a handful of the many things I’m looking forward to on this upcoming trip.
Recognized throughout the poker world as one of the top poker training programs in existence, Run It Once Training encompasses a comprehensive suite of instructional video content geared towards helping players improve their game. Over the course of this Run It Once Training review, we’ll detail the company’s history, explain the different pricing levels for the various categories of program subscriptions, and describe how to navigate your way through the platform.
Run It Once was founded by poker legend Phil Galfond in 2012 together with his close friend, Dan Quinn. To quote Phil directly: “Our mission statement when we launched Run It Once was to be the first class cabin of poker training…Run It Once is here to help. We’re here to help you improve your poker fundamentals, to work on your mental game, to get you to beat games that you never thought that you’d sit in. We’re here to make you better.”
They’ve stayed true to this mission statement since their inception. The competition in the poker training landscape has gotten tougher since then but Run It Once remains at the top of the industry. There are thousands of members and the company boasts a roster of over 170 coaches featuring many of the biggest names in the poker world, including three of the top five earning tournament players of all time. The current Run It Once roster has combined for close to $500 million in tournament earnings and has notched 41 World Series of Poker bracelets!
The company releases two new videos daily and — talk about consistency! — they have done so without fail for over a decade. The brand prides itself on quality and accessibility, with videos focusing on a wide range of poker game types, topics, and stakes, and with translated captions available in eight languages on all new videos.
Run It Once offers a variety of products at a wide range of price points. For those who are new to the platform and are beginning their poker studying journey, a great starting place is their “From the Ground Up” courses. For fans of No Limit Hold’em, Peter Clarke’s FTGU course is a staple, covering all the fundamentals required to play winning poker. At only $49.99, its price is hard to beat and it even comes with a free month of the Run It Once Essential membership (learn more below).
If you prefer playing Tournaments, Pot Limit Omaha, or Sit N’ Go’s, they have a FTGU course focusing on each of these formats at a price of $149.99 per course.
Already got the basics down? In that case, you should take a look through their impressive library of advanced-level courses, taught by some of the strongest players in the world. You can choose from Patrick Leonard’s ultimate tournament course PADS on PADS, start crushing Bounty Tournaments with Alex Theologis one of the strongest PKO players on the planet, or join NLHE and MTT specialist Kevin Rabichow in mastering The Game Plan, where you’ll learn learn how to study poker like the best in the world.
You’ll also find A-Game Poker Masterclass, a course that will assist you in mastering your mindset and bringing your A-Game to the table every day. Your coach on this journey is none other than the world’s #1 poker performance coach, Elliot Roe.
Finally, Run It Once founder Phil Galfond created the ultimate guide for PLO players with his structured course This Is PLO. You can check out all of Run It Once’s courses right here.
While Run It Once offers a wide array of courses, the real backbone of their product offering is the monthly subscription. The subscription comes in 2 main tiers: Essential (at $25/month) and Elite (at $199/month or $1400/year). The Essential membership grants you access to over 3,000 videos from a wide variety of coaches, with five new videos being added every week.
These videos cover just about every topic and game type in poker, and the diversity of coaches means you can always find your favorite creators to watch. At only $25/month it’s one of the most affordable poker training subscriptions out there. Despite the low price point, the quality is still top-notch so Essential offers amazing bang for your buck. Check out Essential here!
If you want access to videos from the biggest names in poker, then you’ll want to turn to Elite. The Elite subscription gives you access to over 8,000 videos with two new uploads every day. That’s a streak Run It Once has kept going for over 10 years! There are videos from many of poker’s biggest stars including Dan Smith, Jason Koon, Justin Bonomo, Sam Greenwood, Dan “Jungleman” Cates, and Run It Once founder Phil Galfond himself.
In 2024, Run It Once committed to a total revamp of their Elite program. In addition to video access, Elite members get to attend Monthly Q&As with big-name coaches, get access to a private Discord community, private study groups with other Elite members, monthly seminars, and more!
Elite is the first-class cabin of poker training and is valuable for intermediate-level players all the way up to full-time high-stakes poker professionals. If you’re committed to improving your poker game, there’s no better place to look. Check out Elite here!
If you just want to dip your toes in the water, signing up for Run It Once Basic membership is FREE and offers access to their forums and the Run It Once Discord community if you simply want to chat and get feedback from other players. You’ll also get access to 3 free videos.
For all Omaha fans, make sure to check out Run It Once’s PLO training tool, Vision GTO Trainer. This ultimate study tool is available for both 4- and 5-card PLO and allows you to master everything from preflop ranges to 3-bet pots in the most fun way that you’ve ever studied before.
So you signed up for Essential or Elite. Now what? First off you’ll receive a carefully curated onboarding flow that shows you around all of the main features. This also includes the Run It Once “Learning Paths” which are collections of videos broken down by specific poker topics/themes to help you get started on your studying journey.
Once you’re on the platform, you’ll want to head to the “Pro Videos” tab. Here you’ll see all the most recent uploads. You can also filter your search by topic, coach, date of upload, game type, popularity, and more.
That’s not the only way to find videos though! There’s also the Run It Once Dashboard…The more videos you watch, the more powerful the Run It Once Dashboard becomes. This is a page where you’ll automatically receive video recommendations based on your study needs and personal preferences.
Ready to take your poker game to the next level? Run It Once offers you a comprehensive one-stop shop to improve at poker. Whether it’s mixed games, NLHE, PLO, mental game, or MTTs, Run It Once has the resources you need to take the next step in your poker journey. If you’re looking to improve your poker game, you’ll certainly want to check them out.
While there are poker tournaments happening all year round all over the globe, an opportunity to play in a major first class tournament series on a cruise ship doesn’t come along that often. This fact, in addition to the $1,000,000 guaranteed Main Event, ensures that the upcoming WPT Voyage will be one of the most unique and exciting poker events of 2024.
The luxury cruise will set sail on on the Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady on March 31 out of Miami and offers an entire week filled with great poker action and other forms of entertainment designed to help you relax and enjoy your time onboard, including a host of activities with WPT ambassadors, like pickleball with Vince Van Patten, golf with Phil Ivey and Matt Savage, and tennis with Tony Dunst.
The World Poker Tour is quite literally doing a “full ship takeover”, and wants as many people as possible to join them on this adventure. There are many opportunities to help you book a trip at a big discount or win your ticket aboard by playing poker online. If the idea of playing poker on open seas and partying in the Caribbean excites you, keep on reading.
Between today and February 15, you can get a big 25% discount on select cabins. If you were trying to think of a perfect Valentine’s Day gift and couldn’t come up with anything, this might be a great idea.
Even if your significant other isn’t a poker player, they’ll have plenty of fun as tournaments are just a part of the experience. There is plenty of free entertainment available onboard, such as spas, nightclubs, karaoke bars, trivia nights, and much more.
🚢 @WPT VOYAGE VALENTINE'S FLASH SALE 💘
We’re taking 25% off Select Sea View and Limited View Sea Terrace Cabins through Valentines Day!
Book your @WPT Voyage today using bonus code "CUPID"! Sale ends Feb. 15! 🏝️
Book now: https://t.co/SjU22GdqIt pic.twitter.com/Upxy9w9dAp
— World Poker Tour (@WPT) February 1, 2024
While it’s dubbed a “Valentine’s Day” sale, and you need to use the promo code ‘CUPID’ to pick up the discount, there is nothing in terms and conditions preventing you from just booking the trip for yourself. These cruises can also be a great place to meet someone new, find your lucky Valentine, and start a new chapter in your life, so why not give it a go?
If you want to try and punch your ticket to the WPT Voyage without paying too much money out of your pocket, WPT Global is running satellite tournaments around the clock, and you can start your journey towards passage for as low as $5.
There are a few hurdles to overcome to go through if you start at the lowest level — namely lots of other players just as hungry to win — but if you’re successful, then at the end of your journey there is a $12,400 WPT Voyage Passport waiting for you, which includes:
Win your way to the @WPT Voyage and its $1 Million GTD Main Event at @WPT_global ⛴️
Our satellites start as low as $5 for you to ladder-up to owning a $12,400 Passport.
You could also win a package through our Discord Leaderboard Tournament (https://t.co/U4n0KkcC6P) 📲 pic.twitter.com/YSIctY4i4A
— WPT Global Poker (@wpt_global) December 3, 2023
There is still plenty of time, so if you start now, you’ll give yourself a good chance to claim one of those coveted Passports and enjoy the poker trip of a lifetime, with a chance to etch your name on the WPT’s coveted Mike Sexton Trophy.
Note that WPT Voyage Passports don’t have a cash alternative, so make sure you’ll be able to clear your schedule if you do end up winning one. In the event something unexpected pops up, there is a possibility of transferring the Passport to someone else, but this isn’t the experience you want to miss if you can help it.
If you live in the United States, you don’t have access to WPT Global, but you can still win your Passport online at ClubWPT.
Throughout February, ClubWPT offers plenty of opportunities for all Diamond members to compete in a series of online satellites, culminating in a final event that will award two $6,000 WPT Voyage packages.
The final event will take place on February 25, and two winners will walk away with packages worth $6,000 that include:
Feeder events for the main satellites run several times a week, and each of them awards between 20–40 seats, so getting your shot at the Passport shouldn’t be too hard.
Embark on an extraordinary journey with the @WPT family as we take to the #Caribbean seas for a poker experience unlike any other! With $1.5 million cash guaranteed prize pools, this voyage promises not only thrilling poker tournaments but also an array of luxurious amenities.… pic.twitter.com/rlTnpUMHuN
— ClubWPT (@ClubWPT) February 2, 2024
The 2024 WPT Voyage represents a completely different and unique experience that many players, even those who have been around for a while, haven’t had a chance to try. What you can expect is a fun blend of poker and entertainment in the middle of the sea, so it’s much more than just a poker tournament; it’s an experience you’ll remember for life!
Cardplayer Lifestyle founder Robbie Strazynski will be onboard as well, capturing those experiences firsthand and sharing them with our readers. You might also find him at the felt on occasion, likely splashing around in a friendly low-stakes mixed game or trying his hand at the $660 HEROS tournament. 🙂
With plenty of time to make your arrangements and either secure your cabin at a big discount with the Valentine’s Day sale or win your way onboard via WPT Global or ClubWPT, it’s really hard to come up with a reason why you shouldn’t give it a go.
Cardplayer Lifestyle will be hosting its seventh Mixed Game Festival, a five-day affair at Resorts World Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, with a PokerStars-sponsored NAPT Prize Package to be awarded.
We’re proud to announce that Mixed Game Festival VII will see a return to the fabulous Resorts World Las Vegas from February 25-29 to stage what’s sure to be another exciting week of mixed game poker.
The festival will include a pair of tournaments, namely a $300 Omaha 8/Stud 8 tournament on Monday February 26, and a $300 H.E.R.O.S. tournament on Thursday February 29 as our grand finale.
Alongside the two tournaments, nonstop dealer’s choice cash game action will be spread at limits as low as $4/8 and $8/16, with higher stakes available upon request.
Cardplayer Lifestyle Omaha 8/Stud 8 Tournament Structure Sheet + Rules
Cardplayer Lifestyle H.E.R.O.S. Tournament Structure Sheet + Rules
“Resorts World Poker Room is very happy to welcome back Cardplayer Lifestyle’s Mixed Game Festival once again. Our first class dealers are excited for mixed game players to fill our room for an engaging fun-filled week of exhilarating dealer’s choice play. Beyond the cash games, we have no doubt that players will enjoy our O/E and H.E.R.O.S. tournaments on the schedule” said Leon Wheeler, Director of Poker Operations at Resorts World Las Vegas.
The NAPT Prize Package, which will be awarded — on top of the prize pool — to the winner of our $300 H.E.R.O.S. tournament, will consist of:
Estimated total value of the prize package is over $3,000. The 2024 NAPT will be releasing scheduled stops for their 2024 events later this year.
A hallmark of our Mixed Game Festivals are the “value adds”, and that will begin right away with a fun-filled Pizza Party to kick things off at 12pm on Sunday February 25th.
At 11:30am on Tuesday February 27th, we’ll stage a Poker Trivia competition, with hundreds of dollars in prizes to be won, to be immediately followed by cash games.
On Wednesday February 28th we’ll be partnering with the Ladies International Poker Series (LIPS) to run a special introductory morning program, hosted by Poker Hall of Famer Linda Johnson and Women in Poker Hall of Famer Jan Fisher. Pre-register here for Women’s Wednesday, or just click the image below. Our regular dealer’s choice cash games will commence upon conclusion of the Women’s Wednesday program.
Something else we’re innovating in Mixed Game Festival is a free-to-enter “last longer competition” during our two tournaments, on Monday and Thursday. The last player remaining in each tournament still wearing a Pokercoaching patch will win a free 1-year Premium membership valued at over $1,750.
Additionally, throughout the festival, we’ll be giving away plenty of merchandise courtesy of premium poker industry brands like: PokerGO, RunGoodGear, D&B Poker Publishing, BBO Poker Tables, and Faded Spade Playing Cards!
You can score discounted hotel room rates at Resorts World by using promo code YYPKR when booking online or calling directly: 1-833-930-3888.
We will once again be publishing daily recaps that highlight all the action during our Mixed Game Festival, and you’ll be able to find them right here on Cardplayerlifestyle.com. A Pokercoaching.com Player of the Day will be selected for special recognition on each day of the Mixed Game Festival and will have “their story” written up as part of our daily recaps.
Plus, we’ve partnered once again with Poker.org, which will be providing additional expanded media coverage via videos, pictures, and player interviews in real time to showcase across their platform and social media channels.
Show up and take part in the festivities, and you could “see your name in lights” alongside numerous top poker pros and popular poker personalities who’ve pledged to come and take part in all the fun.
Looking forward to seeing you all in Las Vegas!
Got questions about our upcoming Mixed Game Festival? Please contact: [email protected]
Following a hectic opening month of 2024 on PokerGO, the action doesn’t stop as the poker tournaments and cash games continue in earnest.
The opening major of the 2024 PGT season continues with the fourth annual PokerGO Cup, while episodes of No Gamble, No Future continue as well. A new season of High Stakes Poker will premiere in February, while the Celebrity Poker Tour Invitational II and Global Poker Awards will also take center stage at the PokerGO Studio.
The brand-new Season 12 of High Stakes Poker will premiere this month on Monday, February 19, with at least 12 episodes to be aired.
New faces to High Stakes Poker include Santhosh Suvarna, Andrew Sasson, Andrew Pacheco, and Vivian Yang. Some of your favorites return for Season 12 and include Andrew Robl, Jean-Robert Bellande, Brandon Adams, Chino Rheem, Nik Airball, Jennifer Tilly, and — for the first time since Season 7 — Phil Laak.
The first two episodes will be $200/$400 No-Limit Hold’em and include the debuts of Suvarna, Yang, Pacheco, and Sasson, while they’ll be joined by Tilly, Bellande, Robl, and Justin Gavri.
Watch Season 12 episodes of High Stakes Poker every Monday at 8 p.m. ET.
The Celebrity Poker Tour returns for 2024 with its second invitational hosted in the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Notable names such as Perez Hilton, Austin Ekeler, Tana Mongeau, Will Levis, Aljamain Sterling, Pierson Wodzynski, Bryce Hall, and several dozen more will be battling in the $50,000 freeroll.
Watch your favorite celebrities, professional athletes, business leaders, and content creators go head-to-head in Invitational II of the Celebrity Poker Tour.
Watch the Celebrity Poker Tour Invitational II on Thursday, February 8, at 8 p.m. ET.
The 5th Annual Global Poker Awards return to the PokerGO Studio at ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday, February 24.
🌐♣️🏆 Date announced for the 5th GPI #GlobalPokerAwards
🗓️ Saturday 24th February
🎬 Live from the @pokerGO Studio in Las Vegas pic.twitter.com/XgjSP22Mlo
— Global Poker Index (@gpi) January 11, 2024
The event will stream live on PokerGO.com starting at 8:30 p.m. ET with 29 awards set to be presented throughout the evening. There are three new categories including Best Short-Form Content Creator and Best Stand-Alone Festival or Series.
Returning categories include GPI Players Choice, Best Final Table Performance, Best Vlogger, Best Streamer, and GPI Mid-Major Tour/Festival, while three categories have been determined with Kristen Foxen winning GPI Female Player of the Year, Nick Pupillo winning GPI Mid-Major Player of the Year, and Bin Weng winning GPI Player of the Year.
Watch the 2024 Global Poker Awards on Saturday, February 24, at 8:30 p.m. ET.
The fourth annual PokerGO Cup continues from the PokerGO Studio with the final three events being livestreamed on PokerGO to start the month.
The buy-ins have been increased to conclude the series, and there will be two $15,100 buy-ins before the $25,200 finale. These final three events will go a long way into deciding who will be crowned the PokerGO Cup champion and receive the $25,000 PGT Passport
Daniel Negreanu won the PokerGO Cup in 2021 on the back of winning Event #7 and cashing a total of four times on his way to accumulating $996,200 in tournament winnings. Jeremy Ausmus won the PokerGO Cup in 2022 on the back of winning Event #4 and cashing a total of four times on his way to accumulating $824,500 in tournament winnings. Cary Katz won the PokerGO Cup in 2023 after cashing five times and accumulating $655,800 in tournament winnings.
Watch PokerGO Cup final tables until February 3, at 4 p.m. ET.
Season 4 of No Gamble, No Future is approaching its conclusion with three lineups being shown during February. The final episode from a lineup that Nik Airball, Eli Elezra, Mark Iannelli, Jennifer Tilly, Eric Persson, the Professor, and Phil Hellmuth battle away playing $100/$200 No-Limit Hold’em.
The stakes will then kick-up to $200/$400 for the final five episodes of the season. Matt Berkey, Nik Airball, Jimmy D’Ambrosio, Justin Young, Joel Prelog, Paul Gunness, Straton Wilhelm, Julian Parmann, and Brandon Adams will face-off over two episodes.
The final episode of the month, and the first of the final three of the season, will see for the first time in No Gamble, No Future history a No-Limit Hold’em/Pot-Limit Omaha game of $200/$400. Nik Airball, the Professor, Charles Yu, and Brandon Adams return, while Jean-Robert Bellande, Eric Wong, and Matt Kirk all make their season debut.
Watch Season 4 episodes of No Gamble, No Future every Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET.
January was jam-packed on PokerGO with live tournaments dominating the January schedule.
PGT Last Chance crowned champions which included Daniel Negreanu, Artur Martirosyan, Samuel Laskowitz, Dylan DeStefano, and Nick Schulman, which then led into the season-ending PGT Championship. Daniel Smiljkovic defeated Arden Cho heads-up and was crowned the champion and received the $500,000 first-place prize.
Immediately following the PGT Championship, the 2024 PGT season began with PGT Kickoff which crowned winners in Dylan Weisman, Justin Young, Kristen Foxen, and David Coleman, twice. Following PGT Kickoff, the fourth annual PokerGO Cup kicked off with a win by David Peters, while the series will conclude this month.
Connect with PokerGO on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. Watch daily poker clips on the PokerGO YouTube channel. Join the conversation on the PokerGO Discord server.
Since I started working with poker players about eight years ago, a common question has been, “How do I become a member of Team Pro?” While there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, companies tend to look for attributes ranging from content creation and fan base to geographic reach, entertainment factor, uniqueness, and poker results. Many aspiring pros focus heavily on results, but even if you’re playing small stakes or aren’t a long-time winner, there are still ways to build your brand and catch the attention of poker companies. In this article I’ll share my top 10 strategies to enhance your visibility and elevate your poker brand while working towards that next big win.
In today’s digital era, platforms like YouTube and Twitch are indispensable for brand building. Take Lex Veldhuis, for example, who has for years captivated audiences with his engaging and educational streams. He filled virtual arenas as big as the Rolling Stones did in their prime.
Similarly, Daniel Negreanu‘s WSOP vlogs have become a summer staple, drawing in thousands with their mix of authenticity, storytelling, and poker excitement. By creating engaging video content that showcases your unique personality and insights, you can build a loyal following and establish yourself as a respected figure in the poker community.
Active engagement in poker forums and social media groups is more than just networking; it’s about building a personal connection with the community. Thinking back to summer 2023 and the rise of platforms like X Spaces, which has brought forward individuals who have made a mark not as traditional poker pros, but as influential community voices. Whether it’s offering insights, joining discussions, or even stirring the pot, engaging with your audience can significantly boost your visibility and establish you as a go-to figure in the poker world.
Collaboration can open doors to new opportunities and audiences. Andrew Neeme and Brad Owen, for instance, combined their individual followings to create something bigger, expanding their reach with meetup games and joint content, and eventually landing in a successful sponsorship deal with the World Poker Tour. Collaborations, whether temporary or long-term, can lead to growth opportunities and enhance your brand’s authenticity and appeal.
We finally have an opportunity to go to @bestbet_jax in November, it’s been a place that I’ve wanted to check out for a while. @andrewneeme and I are hosting a MUG on Nov 9th and we’ll be firing in a handful of WPT events throughout the week including the $5k championship 🎥 ♠️ pic.twitter.com/5A5dPbG7LI
— Brad Owen (@TheBradOwen) October 10, 2023
Aligning with charities or causes reflects the heart behind your brand. It’s about more than just playing poker; it’s showing what you stand for. By picking a cause that resonates with you and sharing your involvement, you humanize your brand and connect with your audience on a deeper level. This authenticity not only resonates with your audience but also can attract like-minded sponsors and partners.
Sharing your knowledge through coaching or teaching is a powerful way to build your poker brand. Take the example of Phil Galfond, a renowned professional poker player who elevated his profile in the poker industry by establishing Run It Once, a highly successful online poker training platform.
Through Run It Once, Galfond has not only showcased his expertise but also contributed significantly to the poker community by providing comprehensive educational resources, including videos, articles, forums, and coaching sessions. This business move not only helped him but also the other coaches on the site who’ve all expanded their brands and solidified their status as respected figures in the world of poker, demonstrating the impact that coaching and teaching can have.
Social media platforms offer direct channels to interact with your audience. Hosting AMAs, going live at events, or sharing behind-the-scenes content helps in building a loyal fanbase. These interactions not only boost your online presence but also give your audience a sense of connection, making them more invested in your brand and journey.
Felipe Mojave Ramos never fails to get the mix just right on his social channels. He takes us to beautiful poker locations and gives us the closest insight into his poker journey through the lens of his phone, while also sharing his personal life with wife Natalie Hof Ramos (a staple name in the poker industry herself) and their adorable daughter Luna. Life as a poker playing husband, dad and entrepreneur. A story so many people can relate to, which has led to him scoring one big brand deal after the other.
Establishing yourself as a thought leader through writing can significantly impact your brand. Sharing your experiences and insights, like how David Roberts intertwined his personal love story at the poker table, can captivate readers. This form of content not only offers entertainment but also serves as a platform for showing your depth and understanding of the game as well as how it has impacted your personal life #pokerpowercouple 🙂
Featuring on poker podcasts, like Joe Stapleton and James Hartigan’s “Poker in the Ears,” is an excellent way to reach a broader audience. Podcasts allow for in-depth discussions, providing a platform to share your story, insights, and experiences. This medium can enhance your visibility, especially when engaging in honest and open dialogues about your poker journey. Have a browse to see which podcast suits your brand and don’t be shy to approach a podcast host and pitch them why they should have YOU on as a guest. Personal branding is also about selling yourself.
New #PITE.
This week, @J_Hartigan and @Stapes are joined by @obrientweet, author of the Truth Detective.
Listen to the full interview 👉 https://t.co/igXZdJmEcf pic.twitter.com/SMskJMSjMs
— PokerStars (@PokerStars) December 1, 2023
Landing a sponsorship with a top company in the poker industry is a significant milestone. It involves showcasing a unique brand identity and value that aligns with potential sponsors. Developing a strong, consistent brand message and demonstrating your impact in the poker community are key to attracting such partnerships.
Finding and showcasing what makes you unique is crucial. Take Marle Spragg, for example, whose humorous and satirical take on poker has garnered a significant following. Embracing and showcasing your unique qualities can make you stand out in the crowded poker world, attracting both fans and potential sponsors.
That one dealer who runs a tight ship pic.twitter.com/4Ui04WpTZn
— Marle Spragg (@MarleSpragg) January 22, 2024
Building a strong brand in the poker industry requires effort, creativity, and strategic thinking. If you’re looking to elevate your poker brand, I’m here to assist with A-Game Agency. With expertise in marketing and brand development, we can create a tailored plan to enhance your presence in the poker world. Contact me to begin our collaboration and boost your poker career!
Cartoons have imparted more than just lessons like avoiding products from the ACME corporation or discovering that a mix of sugar, spice, and chemical X yields levitating, fingerless, PowerPuff daughters. Thanks to School House Rock cartoons, millions of people are familiar with the Preamble to the United States Constitution and the process through which a bill becomes law. Most kids got their first exposure to classical music from Bugs Bunny shorts. Additionally, renowned poker author Jim McManus has utilized cartoons to educate audiences about the history and nuances of poker in under six minutes. His animated educational short called The History of Poker: Bluffing, betting, and busting is featured on the YouTube channel, TED-Ed.
If you’re a seasoned poker player, not only would you be well aware of Mr. McManus, but there’s a chance you might even have his face tattooed somewhere on your body. For those unfamiliar with the name, as mentioned earlier, he is a professional poker player and author. However, when I say “author,” he didn’t just write a book that was a derivative cash grab meant to take advantage of the sport’s popularity. Jim’s most famous books, Cowboys Full: The Story of Poker and Positively Fifth Street, should be considered required reading for anyone interested in the sport itself. These are not strategy books—although readers may glean some excellent strategy tips from them—but rather historical and first-person narratives of the game of poker and playing at the World Series of Poker.
Jim McManus has channeled his knowledge and wit into a YouTube offering that is both highly entertaining and engaging. So, what prompted him to transition of his wisdom from the written word to the animated medium? Well, apparently, there were some fans at TED-Ed who believed his work would be a brilliant addition to their channel.
According to McManus, “Having read ‘Cowboys Full: The Story of Poker’, some folks at TED-Ed invited me to write the script for a brief history of poker, in part because their brief history of chess was so popular and well regarded. (It has 9.9 million views in four years.) The target audience for the poker lesson is kids in grades 5-12, who comprise the next generation of players, or whoever wants to know about the game’s provenance and evolution.”
Evidently, the TED-Ed team understands their audience well. As of the writing of this article, The History of Poker: Bluffing, betting, and busting has garnered over 337K views, which is quite impressive for its first three weeks.
Similar to all of Mr. McManus’s written works, this wasn’t merely a straightforward historical narrative; it also emphasized what is arguably the most crucial aspect of the game of poker: bluffing. He reminded us that the game itself is frequently dubbed the bluffing game.
As a seasoned live poker player, mastering the art of bluffing was imperative for him to navigate the poker ecosystem successfully, avoiding the risk of losing the type of money that would have him living in the alley behind a Waffle House. When questioned about the qualities that define an effective bluffer and whether this is a skill one can cultivate (as opposed to someone merely being a skilled liar and incorporating that into their poker strategy), he had the following insights on the matter.
“Players can definitely learn to bluff more effectively by reading poker books and articles, streaming videos of high-stakes players in action, getting coached online and/or in person, comparing notes with strong players, and by trial-and-error at the table,” McManus states, “But we all know that some players just have more natural talent as bluffers—more confidence, card sense, aggression, inscrutability, pattern recognition, and innate understanding of game theory. Not too many people are aware that John von Neumann, the great Hungarian American physicist and mathematician, invented game theory by expressing what a poker bluff is in mathematical terms, and that poker logic is now central to business, legal, and military strategy. Von Neumann also helped invent the digital computer, on which so much poker is currently studied and played.”
In the video, McManus discusses Game Theory and its relevance to the realm of poker. Game Theory originated from a paper written by a mid-twentieth-century genius proficient in mathematics, physics, computer science, engineering, and various other fields. His insights on game theory have influenced strategies in diverse areas, from football to nuclear warfare. It’s unsurprising that bluffing played a significant role in his theories.
Poker players seeking to outmaneuver their opponents frequently delve into von Neumann’s insights on game theory to enhance their gameplay. This was a subtle yet crucial detail that McManus skillfully wove into The History of Poker: Bluffing, betting, and busting. Despite its brevity, Jim McManus adeptly incorporated enough substance into the cartoon to provide novice poker players with a sturdy foundation not only regarding the game’s history but also the paramount skill to hone and strategy to explore. It’s surprisingly comprehensive for an animated piece aimed at younger audiences.
*Jim McManus headshot credit: Jayne Furman
2024 looks like being another hugely successful year for gambling in Ontario, Canada. Since private gambling companies were allowed to legally operate in the province, those who love playing card games online have been registering with the new gambling sites.
The Canadian betting industry continues to expand and https://twin.com/ is one popular site where players visit looking to play great casino games.
Such has been the success of the launch that the number of active accounts in Ontario in the latest reported figures has now gone through the 1 million barrier. $17.2 billion worth of wagers were placed and that figure was 21% higher than recorded in the previous quarter.
Although that figure includes the amount being bet on sport, it’s the online casinos section that is boosting the revenue results. Of the $17.2 billion wagered in the final quarter of 2023, $13.7 billion was spent in casinos. Online poker is also popular accounting for $431 million in wagers. That produced $17 million in revenue for gambling companies in Ontario.
When gamblers head to an online casino, there is plenty for them to try their luck on. Slots still remain hugely popular but it’s card games that many players head towards when playing at a safe and secure online casino.
You may well enjoy playing card games at land-based casinos. When you go online to play, a lot more variety is found. While you may love playing the traditional games such as poker, baccarat and blackjack, it’s likely that you may yearn to try something a little bit different.
That is just what you will find when playing at an online casino. There will always be the classic games that you know and love. It just wouldn’t be a casino without them would it? However, variety really is the spice of life and being able to play variations of popular games can give you a great time.
Of course the worst thing a software designer could do is to produce something vastly different from the traditional game. The main elements of a game such as baccarat have to be retained. The job then is to give your new release a slight twist that will make baccarat fans eager to try the game out.
In recent years, the online live casino has seen considerable growth. A top online casino simply has to include a live section. A visit to an online live casino is as close as you can get to visiting a land-based one.
It has live dealers that you can interact with as well as other players. The games are set in an environment that looks just like the casinos you may be used to visiting. All the top card games are available with tables for those who gamble for fun and others who bet larger amounts of cash. It’s just another part of the impressive experience that can be had playing online.