What’s It Like Playing a Live Poker Event?
Poker is a brilliant game that has found popularity both online and live. But did you know there’s a whole culture to the live poker world? Did you know that events run all year round, attracting experienced and recreational players alike to try out new destinations and venues?
This article gives less experienced players a taste of what it’s like to play a major live poker event.
Live vs Online Poker
Online poker is so popular and accessible, that many newer players will have their first experiences of the game on an online platform. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Online platforms provide the most variety and have games running around the clock.
No matter where you are or when you’re playing, you’ll always find a game online. Digital gambling platforms often offer several forms of poker - variations like video poker are played against the house; video poker is based on 5-card draw. Players place their bets and then have the option to discard one or more cards in exchange for new ones. At the end, players are paid according to what hands they made based on the prizes in the paytable.
This is different to other forms of poker, such as Omaha and Texas Hold’em, which are played against other people and involve much more skill. Both of these, and many more, are also available online.
At a poker festival, you’ll usually find lots of Texas Hold’em tournament and cash games, as well as a sprinkle of other games like Omaha and mixed games.
Although many of the games played will be the same online and live, meaning the rules and gameplay don’t really change much, there are still lots of differences when it comes to the experience of a live event. So, what can you expect?
Different Kinds of Live Events
The first point to note, is that not all live events are the same. They are run by different companies, at a variety of venues, with various buy-in levels.
A poker event is different to a regular live game. Your local casino may hold say a $100 tournament every Saturday night. At a proper live event, the festival will run for several days at a particular venue and will offer a full schedule of games.
Buy-in levels vary tremendously. At national tours, you can expect Main Events to fall into the $500 to $1,000 range. Bigger, international festivals will likely have buy-ins of $5,000 to $10,000, a big leap in terms of investment and player’s skill level.
It’s important to choose a live event that is right for you. You want to be able to comfortably afford to play all the tournaments that you want and have money left over to spend. You also want to find a game that you can comfortable beat (or at least stand a chance) given your skill level.
If you’re only going to attend one or two poker festivals per year, you’ll also want to be selective about the country and venue that you visit. This is an opportunity not only to play poker, but also to explore a new place and enjoy your surroundings.
What to Expect
If you attend a major live poker event run by a reputable company, you can expect to see a high level of professionalism and attention to detail when it comes to the venue, staff, and extra experiences for the players.
Venue – Poker festivals are usually run at existing casinos or gaming resorts. The company will setup the branding and usually provide the staff, but the casino will host the festival. As such, you’ll often be playing in a familiar environment, but with extra trimmings and impressive branding.
Dealers – The dealers at major live poker festivals are among the best in the world. They have undergone training and then moved up to the big games. At the higher buy-in levels, they will be the most elite staff you can find. Expect games to flow smoothly and problems to be quickly resolved by trained tournament directors.
Schedule – Major live events involve a packed schedule of games. There will usually be a Main Event at a medium buy-in level, High Rollers at around twice the price of the Main Event, as well as smaller side events and satellites for those who want to stay in budget. Check out the schedule of the events you attend and plan your attack.
Players – Surprisingly, the types of players you’ll meet at live poker events will vary massively. Some will be there for the experience and may be no tougher than the players you face at your local casino. Others are sharks who follow the tours around and know a lot about the game.
Experiences and Extras – Competition is strong in the world of live poker events, and so companies will often focus on player experiences and providing extras to make it all worthwhile even for those who lose. This could include tours of the host city, activities, parties, and more. It’s not all about the poker.