Poker Blog

Main Event Takes The Focus At GUKPT Event

Grosvenor UK Poker TourThe Grosvenor UK Poker Tour has been long awaited and even though the first couple of days of the opening leg have already seen some great poker action take place, Thursday the 28th of February is the day that poker players have been waiting for. The Victoria Grosvenor Casino found in the heartbeat of London is host to the first of a dozen stop-offs during this tour and there is no doubt that the Main Event, beginning on Thursday, is where the main focus lies.

The satellite events have been busy, frantic and filled with poker excitement in the lead-up to the Main Event which promises to be one of the most exciting poker events of the first half of the year. The organisers will be hoping to match and exceed the success of last year’s event where 315 players took part in the Main Event. Instantly recognisable poker names and players like Victoria Coren (a player called Victoria playing in the Victoria, no doubt that fact gets pointed out to her quite a lot), James Akenhead and Praz Bansi were in the running but all missed out on the top prize.

Local poker player pulls through

This is because it was a local London lad that managed to scoop £84,310 as the first prize with Robin Keston coming out on top.

With the final day of the Main Event scheduled to start at noon on Sunday, there is an awful lot of poker to be played before we find out who the 2013 winner of the GUKPT opening leg is but there is sure to be an awful lot of excitement and twists and turns before that happens. There may be seven different poker events taking place this week during the GUKPT at the Victoria but when it comes down to it, all eyes are on the Main Event.

Illegal Poker Club Refused Licence

We all know that playing poker is a great way to pass the time but there is a need to follow the rules, not only of the game, but also unfortunately of the country as well. While it may seem as though the limitations placed on people or businesses being able to set up poker nights are frustrating, these rules are mainly set up for everyone’s benefit and to keep folk safe and secure.

A private club located in Reigate was recently shut-down for running a number of high-stake and popular commercial games. This came as a blow but not as much as the blow when the club was informed that it would not be entitled to reopen with a new name.

Poker fun has to be legal

The Full House Club

The Full House Club, alternatively known as the Reigate Town Club, which has been located above a number of shops in Church Street ran into difficulties last November. The club was stripped of the private club premises licence and the gaming licence thanks to a decision made by the Reigate and Banstead Borough Council. The stripping of these licences took place after the club was investigated and raided by the Gambling Commission.

Members of the Full House Club decided to apply for a new licence to allow gaming to take place but it seemed that there was no agreement over what the licence should consist of. The members submitted plans to run as a club which stayed open until 8am every day where alcohol would be allowed to be sold until 5 in the morning at weekends.

This application was refused and although the possibilities of obtaining a limited licence were examined and considered, the application was refused. A full written judgment has not yet been issued but this is expected to follow shortly.

Ivey Poker Continues To Pack A British Edge

Toby LewisEven though the Ivey Poker site and app is yet to launch, another new name has been added to the list of professional poker players on its list. Toby Lewis, the Southampton born poker player has been announced and he won’t have far to look for British company at Ivey Poker. This is down to the fact that he is joining a roster which already contains John Eames, Matthew Frankland and James Dempsey.

Lewis has already made a name for himself, although you may recognise his online name of “810ofclubs” more readily but there is no doubt he has had an impact in both online and offline poker competition. It is this sort of impact that Ivey Poker will want Lewis to make while he is wearing their logo at poker events around the world.

A lot of poker talk taking place

Ivey Poker Logo

The fact that so many people in the poker community are talking about Ivey Poker when it is yet to launch says a lot about the excitement surrounding this new poker product. There is no doubt that everyone is looking to find new ways to play poker and a good poker app for smartphones and tablets is definitely required. There is quite a roster of names being lined up for Ivey Poker and the opportunity to play for real money against the big name poker players is a thrilling prospect.

Okay, it can often be a daunting, scary and downright crazy prospect but there is definitely a lot of scope for bringing the professionals and non-professionals together in this way. The tutorial packages where the pros give away their secrets and tips may be the best thing about the app in the long run but anything which brings something new and exciting to the poker table has to be congratulated and examined in-depth.

Poker Revenue Not Moving Upwards For Ladbrokes

Ladbrokes LogoWhen it comes to British institutions, it would be fair to say that Ladbrokes is one of the biggest and best around. Even in the modern era where it seems that sports betting, online gaming and casino games are everywhere, Ladbrokes still manages to be a big name in the industry. The company may have moved away from only being a name on the High Street to being a name known all over the world online but there is still something traditional about them that marks them for the average UK gaming fan.

However, while the company has recently announced success and profits in its digital divisions, it appears that poker is not at the top of the positive elements for Ladbrokes at the moment. Even though the company has a great reputation for providing safe and reliable online gaming facilities for players, there has been a movement away from its online poker arm in the past year.

Poker is an important element for a gaming firm

Last year, the company had a poker digital revenue of £14.2m but in the year just finished this dropped by over £3m. The digital revenue for Ladbrokes for the year just finished stood at £10.9m, the biggest drop experienced by any of the digital elements offered by the site. In fact, overall, Ladbrokes still managed to post an increase in its overall revenues in their digital casino and gaming sections. The previous total was £73.5m which rose to £75.8m. There will be mutterings and suggestions within Ladbrokes that they should be receiving a better return from the poker sector.

While there are plenty of alternative poker rooms and options for players, with Ladbrokes being such an established name in the online sector, the company should be looking to continually move upwards in this field.

Poker Players Boosted By Super-Fast Network

When you are playing online poker, you really need to have a good internet connection to make the most of it. A game of poker can change very quickly and you need to ensure that there is very little lag when it comes to making the post of your online poker time. Not only will a poor internet connection be annoying for you, it will start to annoy other players if you are unable to keep up with the pace of play. Players really need to ensure that they are able to withstand the rigours of modern online poker before they commit to playing in big online games and tournaments.

Play poker at the right speed

However, it is not just online poker players that need to think about their connections and ensuring they are up to speed. You could argue that it is even more important for the online poker providers to ensure that their service is powered by a network that allows poker players to play at the speed they want to. With so many online poker sites to choose from, if one provider is not able to meet the needs and requirements of a poker player, other poker sites will step in.

Genting Group LogoThis is why the Genting group have been working hard to improve their services. The company has recently announced that they have entered into a partnership with Virgin Media Business. This will ensure that the firm has a superfast fibre optic network which will be able to provider great connectivity to everything it does. Not only will this improve the network at their headquarters, it will also see the 40 Genting casinos across the country benefit too. With Genting becoming a bigger name in the online casino and poker business too, this is likely to be good news for everyone that likes a game or two of poker.

Poker Funds Helping The Homeless

While playing poker can be an excellent way to have fun and provide a chance to win some money, there is sometimes an opportunity to do good for the community as a whole with poker. It can be difficult to raise funds for charitable causes and worthy recipients due to the current economic recession but charity nights based around fun have a much better chance of success. This is why the number of casino or poker nights, where there is an emphasis on raising money for charitable causes is on the rise. Being able to have some fun, having the chance to win some money and knowing you are helping a good cause will appeal to a lot of people.

Poker can be a good way of raising money

This has been the case recently in Cambridge when a group of Churchill College students and conference team members decided to hold a poker night to raise funds to support a homeless charity. The event was a huge success raising more than £1,000 which was given to FLACK. FLACK is an organisation which prepares and released a magazine which is written, produced and then distributed by many of the homeless population in the city.

University of CambridgeThe night was also used to showcase much of the talent and facilities offered by the college. Guests were serenaded by the college jazz band, while guests were provided with a buffet and drinks from the college students in the cookery classes. A number of cookery demonstrations were also provided so anyone that was looking for a break from the poker action could take it easy in the kitchen.

Poker is big business these days but it can be of benefit to remember it can offer help and support to many people with this event being a great example of what poker can provide.

UK Success Story Supporting Poker Players

Ukash LogoIt is always interesting to note the ways that poker players around the world get to play their favourite games. If you have an interest in the online poker industry in other countries, you will be interested to know that Ukash is now available in Mexico. The company has signed an agreement with the Mexican firm Farmapronto which will enable it to be used by online poker players in Mexico.

Ukash has been able to develop a strong profile and presence in North America and this latest announcement should see the firm develop an even stronger hold on this part of the world. It is always good to hear of a British success story and especially when it means that more poker players will be able to play online poker games.

Poker sites and players need good payment options

Ukash was founded back in 2005 and has developed into a major player in the finance industry. The increasing numbers of online transactions taking place has ensured that people are looking for a safe way to spend money online and intermediary firms are of great benefit and support. This is exactly what this UK company has achieved and they are appreciated the world over by poker players.

One of the best things about playing online poker in the UK and Ireland is how simple it can be to make an online transaction. Compare the plight of the UK poker player to that of an American poker player and the whole process is extremely simple. There are many different reasons for this but it is apparent that while America lauds itself as being the land of the free and the home of the brave, it is far from welcoming for online poker players. The work of this US company is helping people all around the world to enjoy online poker but of course, there is always more work to be done!

Dublin’s Fair City Hosts The Poker Fun

UK and Irish poker players have an opportunity to have a busy, productive and possibly even lucrative weekend this weekend if they can make it over to Dublin. A weekend in Dublin always seems like a great idea but there will be no late night drinking sessions or trawls around the many bars this weekend for the dedicated poker player. This is down to the fact that the city is playing host to the Racing Aces Super 2013 festival. The name may not instantly tell you that a UK and Ireland poker jamboree is in store but if you make your way to the Citywest Hotel in Dublin you will find out all about what is on offer.

In total there will be 11 tournaments taking place over the long weekend but if you were looking for diversity, you will have to look long and hard to find it. Of the 11 big game tournaments taking place, 10 of them are Hold ‘Em poker tournaments. This isn’t unusual, Hold ‘Em poker is by far and away the most popular poker choice for players these days but it you want a little bit of diversity, don’t give up. There is a Pot Limit Omaha game taking place too so if you need to take a break from Hold ‘Em or if your skills lie in a PLO game, you will have the chance to strut your stuff.

The Main Event is the big poker draw

Friday night sees the Poker Aces Team Challenge grab the attention but for those players that are instantly drawn to the Main Event, Saturday at midday is the time to look out for. Last year, a grand total of 877 players turned out for the Main Event and the players were battling it out for a prize pool of over 260,000 euros. There has been a lot of publicity and positive talk about the event and the organisers are said to be quietly confident of getting over a thousand players on board for the Main Event this time around. That could see the prize pool swell even further so you are in with a shout of playing for a lot of cash if you get involved.

Dusk Till Dawn And Genting Poker Join Forces

Dusk Till Down and Genting CasinoThe Dusk Till Dawn poker club in Nottingham is one of the most loved and respected poker clubs in the country but for many people, it is not exactly convenient. There will be plenty of people that make a special trip to take part in some of the major poker events and tournaments provided by the poker club but on the whole, most UK poker players will only be familiar with the club by reading about it.

This is likely to change though with the announcement that Dusk Till Dawn have agreed a three year partnership with Genting Casino. This move will see the Dusk Till Dawn website get a makeover with Genting providing a white label version of their own site. The Dusk Till Dawn branded poker site is scheduled to be released any day now and there will be a number of additional benefits from this move.

Get a chance to play with the big poker names

There are plenty of satellite events lined up so if you still have ambitions of playing at some of the biggest poker events around the table with some of the biggest poker players in the world, you should have plenty to aim for.

Genting Poker Series 2013One of the major satellite tournaments that will be running include the £1m Genting Poker Series, which is definitely a poker tournament you want to be involved with. With online poker being such a massive industry these days, it makes sense for any firm with a strong name and reputation in poker to develop their online offerings. This means providing customers with a great service that can be relied upon and adds something that other people can’t provide.

With the combined power and appeal of Dusk Till Dawn and Genting, this partnership is likely to be a success for all parties.

The Hippodrome Is The Poker Place To Be

The Hippodrome CasinoWhen it comes to the many different tourist destinations in London, it is easy to see why so many people still believe that Leicester Square is the place to be. There are so many iconic London images, buildings and scenes taking place here on a regular basis that there will always be something to take your interest. The thing is though; it is not as if Leicester Square and the businesses that currently operate from there are taking their custom for granted. They still work hard to provide entertainment and attractions that people want to see and if you love casino and poker in particular, the Hippodrome remains one of the most magical places in the area.

Poker is in high demand

The Hippodrome has a great history and has played host to some of the biggest names and keenest crowds over the years but it has been refurbished as one of the major casino venues in the capital. This spring, it will be focussing on bringing poker to players in the capital, which should be of benefit to London residents, tourists and everyone else that makes up the huge number of people in and around London on a daily basis.

There is a low key approach to hosting major poker events with a low-level buy-in tournament taking place in April. This event is part of the UKIPT but many more big events will be coming after that. Before that, if you are keen to be part of the poker activity in the venue, you will be delighted to know that PokerStars LIVE, a 24 hour venue, will be ready for business on the 4th of March and there will be plenty of cash games and tournaments from the first day.