Are the worldwide tournament series obsolete?

Poker is played all over the world. But still, you can only bring players from A to B to a limited extent, PartyPoker LIVE had to learn that again at a high price. Apart from a few exceptions, the players’ willingness to travel decreases and the organisers have to come to terms with this.

Every year the WSOP attracts players to Las Vegas. Through the WSOP also the big series like the Deepstack in the Venetian work and vice versa makes the mega offer Las Vegas in this time again so attractive for the players. Whether it really is the bracelet that offers the incentive or just the combination of the many players and the huge prize money, everyone can decide for themselves, but the tendency is rather away from the bracelet. The WSOP Europe unfortunately also answers the question, because hardly any American – if he doesn’t need points for the POY rating – takes the road across the pond.

In fact, it has to be said that the World Cup is the only real worldwide tournament that works, but only in Las Vegas. Pokerstars has tried to merge the successful individual series into the big PokerStars Championship. The events were actually good, but they didn’t meet the players’ expectations and there was harsh criticism. The World Poker Tour is great with the championship events in the USA, and you couldn’t establish the really big events. Last year, PartyPoker LIVE reared its head with the MILLIONS series but received plenty of criticism for the massive re-entries. This year they try it as a freezeout series or at least with much-reduced re-entry options.

The “new” MILLIONS event in Rio brought plenty of attention but felt a failure.

439 entries at a 10k event are actually anything but bad, but with a missed $5.000.000 guarantee there is a bitter aftertaste. With the exception of the opening event, the side events had manageable fields. And no matter which organizer is playing poker in Sochi – apart from Russian players there is hardly an audience there, although the casino and the surrounding area are really worth seeing. The list of events that have attracted international attention, such as the EPTs, the Aussie Millions, the PCA and so on, could be continued. Certainly, these events bring international fields of participants, but not migrations. Only a small group of poker players are out all year round and even the high rollers get tired.

That the Pokerboom is passed, cannot be said in addition. Because there is more poker than ever before and the offers rise. Naturally also more is booked around the players, everyone wants to attract international public with the best tournament. That works however evenly only conditionally, which has definitely several reasons and not only the financial aspect.

The trend “don’t go on, poker in town” is definitely there.

Home is the most comfortable and definitely the cheapest place to live. The cost-benefit calculation of events lasting several days has to be examined in detail, as well as the time required. Also with Poker enthusiastic hobby players then nevertheless supersaturation occurs and the decision over the weekend program precipitates to favour of the family and against the Poker travel.

Every year the poker calendar gets even fuller. More events, more suppliers, more choice – and all fish in the same pond. Controlled fishing is also recommended in poker, otherwise, the breeding stations won’t be able to keep up with the rearing. Above all, however, the players also have to adapt their demands. Any event that does not have a million prize pool with 2,000+ players is quickly dismissed as unattractive and badly talked about. Everyone dreams the Moneymaker dream, but it doesn’t come true so often. Constant cash with occasional tournament victories in smaller fields can be achieved much more realistically, and yet you do not have to give up the dream of mega-success, but concentrate on individual events. To beat a 1000+ field every weekend and to reach the final table, no Fedor Holz can do either. Not every casino can offer huge events, but often a second look at an event shows that the supposedly unattractive tournament on your doorstep is a better choice than the mega-spectacle far away from home.