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Tag: WSOPE

  • Big Winners of the Week (Nov. 14 – 20): Omar Eljach Defeats Seasoned Pros to Win WSOPE Main Event + More Poker Results

    Big Winners of the Week (Nov. 14 – 20): Omar Eljach Defeats Seasoned Pros to Win WSOPE Main Event + More Poker Results

    The live tournament scene is winding down ahead of the festive period, but that doesn’t mean the Big Winners have dried up. With the WSOPE coming to a conclusion in the Czech Republic, we’ve recapped the performances of three Big Winners, including Main Event champion Omar Eljach. Also making it into this week’s list of winners is Frenchman Marc Inizan, who took the time to enjoy a successful trip to Taiwan. To see who else made our weekly round-up, scroll down for CardsChat’s Big Winners of the Week ending Sunday, November 20.

    Omar Eljach
    (Image: WSOP)

    Omar Eljach

    WSOP Europe Main Event
    King’s Casino Rozvadov, Czech Republic

    €1,380,129
    ($1,413,114)

    Eljach denied seasoned pros Shaun Deed, Timothy Adams, and Barny Boatman a WSOP bracelet last Thursday. The Swedish pro had $600K in live earnings prior to anteing up in the €10,350 ($10,600) WSOPE Main Event. More than $150K of that total came from a second-place finish in the WSOPE’s PLO event. With momentum clearly on his side, Eljach came through a field of 763 entrants, including a tough final table, to claim his biggest-ever payday and first WSOP bracelet.

    Barry Jamieson

    LA Poker Open Main Event 

    Commerce Casino

    $160,535

    Barry Jamieson, an amateur player, chopped the LA Poker Open main event with three local professionals to take home the title and biggest score of his poker career. With 1,088 entrants, the $1,100 event easily surpassed its $200K guarantee, generating a total prize pool worth more than $1 million. The event ended in a four-way chop that included three LA-based poker pros, Jared Griener, Alex Farahi, and Kyung-Min Lee, all of whom have earned at least $600K in live events. Before this event, Jamieson had just two cashes to his name for less than $5,500 in live earnings.

    Marc Inizan
    (Image: ClubPoker)

    Marc Inizan

    WPT Prime Taiwan
    Chinese Texas Hold’em Poker Association, Taipei

    $138,851

    Inizan made the trip to Taiwan for the WPT’s first live event in the country since 2020. With COVID-19 restrictions now a distant memory, 877 players entered the NT$33,000 ($1,055) tournament last week. Although most of the players fighting for a WPT title were Asian, it was Frenchman Inizan who emerged victorious in the early hours of November 21. The win takes the Winamax pro’s career earnings over the $1 million mark.

    Jamie Clossick
    (Image: Twitter/GrosvenorPoker)

    Jamie Clossick

    GUKPT Blackpool Main Event
    Grosvenor G Casino

    £109,000
    ($125,456)

    Clossick claimed his first GUKPT title and biggest payday to date after beating 542 players in Grosvenor Poker’s latest £1,250 ($1,475) main event. GUKPT regulars were out in force for the seaside showdown, including Big Winners’ alumni, Euan McNicholas and Richard Trigg. Despite all of the previous big winners in the mix, it was Clossick who came out on top in the early hours of November 14 after a three-way deal.

    Karim Maekelberg
    (Image: WSOP)

    Karim Maekelberg

    WSOP Europe Bounty Hunter
    King’s Casino Rozvadov

    €62,111
    ($63,595)

    It took Maekelberg just 12 hours to turn his €300 ($310) entry fee into a five-figure payday. The Belgian only started playing poker four years ago and has been honing his skills online. The work has been paying off as, prior to playing in the WSOPE, he had $11K in live cashes. Maekelberg smashed his previous achievements last Monday by besting 435 players to claim his first WSOP bracelet.

    Andrey Lyubovetskiy
    (Image: WSOP)

    Andrey Lyubovetskiy

    WSOP Europe Turbo Freezeout
    King’s Casino Rozvadov

    €45,606
    ($46,688)

    Lyubovetskiy closed the show at this year’s WSOPE by winning the €1,000 ($1,025) turbo event. The Ukrainian pro locked up his second WSOP bracelet last Wednesday, a year after winning his first. Lyubovetskiy’s latest win wasn’t as lucrative as 2021’s WSOPE high roller prize ($586,552), but topping a field of 211 entrants was enough to take his WSOP earnings over the $1 million mark.

    Daniel Smyth and Kevin Taylor contributed to this report. Know a big winner we missed? tips@cardschat.com

  • Omar Eljach Wins World Series of Poker Europe Main Event

    Omar Eljach Wins World Series of Poker Europe Main Event

    A week after Omar Eljach came one place short from winning his first World Series of Poker bracelet, he sealed the deal and became the champion of a historic Main Event in Europe that ended Wednesday. 

    Omar Eljach
    Omar Eljach is the 2022 Word Series of Poker Europe Main Event champion. (Image: WSOP)

    Eljach earned €1.38 million ($1.4 million) for being the last player standing from the record-breaking field of 763. Those players built a prize pool of more than €18 million with 10,225 entries, both high-water marks in WSOP Europe’s 13-year history.

    The win caps a very good four months for the Swede. While Eljach had some minor success in tournaments since 2015, he broke through with his first six-figure cash in August by taking down the €1,650 PLO event at EPT Barcelona for €129K — his largest cash by a kilometer.

    And now he’s the 2022 WSOP Europe Main event champion. 

    Final Table of Toughies

    The heads-up battle with France’s Jonathan Pastore lasted more than four hours after American Shaun Deeb was eliminated in third by Eljach, who played the role of executioner well, taking out five of the final nine. 

    Pastore won his first WSOP bracelet in a $5,000 six-handed event in June in Las Vegas, but fell short here. His €852,949 ($876,527) was the largest cash of his young career.

    Deeb, by the way, was trying to put a cherry on top of his fantastic WSOP Europe. He cashed in seven tournaments, but his flight back to Vegas will most likely be filled with minor thoughts of regret. His third-place exit in the Main Event was the third of the Series as he failed to add a sixth bracelet to his collection. 

    But he can’t be too upset. He won more than €1.1 million during his trip to King’s Casino in Rozvadov, Czech Republic, the home of WSOP Europe.

    Vladas Tamasauskas couldn’t turn his 28th WSOP cash into the big one. The Lithuanian pro fizzled out in fourth for €438,978, which doubled his largest cash.

    Romanian’s Paul Adrian Covaciu’s fifth-place finish for €321,838 ($330,734) was also his lifetime best by more than four times. He did once turn €260 into €68K by winning a tournament in Rozvadov in 2019. It was the second final table of the year for Austria’s Armin Rezaei. He finished sixth at the €5,300 Main Event at EPT Prague in March. His sixth-place finish here is worth €239,466 ($246,085).

    Barny Boatman and his two WSOP bracelets finished seventh for €180,867 ($185,866). He’s a long-time professional and the oldest member of The Hendon Mob, a poker group made of UK players. This is his largest cash since 2015, when he finished third in a $1,500 WSOP event.

    Finishing in eighth was France’s Alexandre Reard, a fantastic professional with nearly $4 million in lifetime tournament cashes. Reard has been grinding and cashing tournaments through 2022, but hasn’t been able to get his hands on any hardware. He came close in September with a third-place finish in the €3,000 event at the All Poker Open in Paris.

    Timothy Adams, the most accomplished tournament player at the table with $29 million in lifetime cashes (17th on Hendon Mob’s all-time money list), just missed the final table of eight. A regular on the high-roller circuit, he won his first bracelet in the WSOP Europe €100K Super High Rollers event 12 days ago for €465,500 ($467,637), and also finished fifth in the €50K event for another €159,413 ($160,616).

    WSOPE
    Final nine of the 2022 WSOP Europe Main Event, won by Eljach.
  • GGPoker Launches Official WSOPE Main Event Satellites for €25

    GGPoker Launches Official WSOPE Main Event Satellites for €25

    The World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) is fast approaching and, in its capacity as official partner, GGPoker is running exclusive qualifiers for the €10,350 Main Event.

    WSOPE
    GGPoker has launched its official satellites for this year’s WSOPE Main Event, with qualifiers starting at €25. (Image: King’s Resort)

    The official routes to Rozvadov opened on October 10, and GGPoker will be running dozens of satellites every day until October 23.

    Those that make it through the qualifiers will win a seat in the WSOPE Main Event, which gets underway on November 11 inside King’s Resort Rozvadov.

    GGPoker squad heading for Rozvadov

    GGPoker’s John Scanlon said the latest WSOP satellites will send a “squad” of qualifiers to the Czech Republic. With the WSOPE Main Event offering a €5 million ($4.8 million) guaranteed prizepool, Scanlon said players will get to compete in one of Europe’s “most prestigious” live events.

    Satellites to the WSOPE Main Event start at €25 ($24). These Step One MTTs provide a way into Step Two satellites costing €250 ($240) and so on. Put simply, GGPoker has implemented a steps system, which means you can work your way up a ladder of increasingly more expensive MTTs.

    The beauty of this system is that you can also enter at any point you like. Therefore, if you’ve got deeper pockets, you can skip steps. The ultimate goal is to emerge victorious in a €525 ($510) or €1,050 ($1,020) final qualifier. Doing that secures you a seat in the €10,350 ($10,045) WSOPE Main Event on November 11.

    GGPoker’s Road to the WSOPE isn’t offering prize packages, so winners are responsible for their own travel and accommodation. However, with King’s Resort offering hotel rooms, as well as one of Europe’s biggest poker rooms, there are plenty of options for those attending.

    WSOPE back as big as ever after COVID-19

    The World Series of Poker Europe officially gets underway on October 26 with a €350 ($340) bracelet event. From there, buy-ins go up to €50,000 ($48,500) for the €2 million ($1.94 million) guaranteed Diamond High Roller.

    In total, there are 15 bracelets up for grabs and a total guaranteed prizepool of €12 million ($11.6 million). This schedule of events shows just how much the WSOPE has grown over the last 15 years.

    wsope schedule
    There are 15 events on this year’s WSOPE schedule. (Image: WSOP)

    When the inaugural series took place in 2007, London’s Empire Casino hosted three tournaments. Annette Obrestad won the Main Event to become the youngest bracelet winner in history. After this, the WSOPE stayed in London until 2011 before it was moved to France.

    Since then, the series has been held in Germany and, most recently, the Czech Republic where it’s been since 2017. This year’s WSOPE will be the first one since 2019 that isn’t going to be affected by COVID-19 restrictions.

    Play was stopped in 2020 due to restrictions in the Czech Republic. The series went ahead in 2021, but play had to stop by 10pm each day due to restrictions introduced midway through the schedule.

    There won’t be any restrictions this year, which means everyone, including GGPoker qualifiers, can look forward to plenty of action between October 26 and November 15.

  • Big Winners of the Week (Dec. 6 – Dec. 12): England Wins in the US, Singh Wins Two in One Day, and Gulas Jr Wins WSOPE Main Event

    Big Winners of the Week (Dec. 6 – Dec. 12): England Wins in the US, Singh Wins Two in One Day, and Gulas Jr Wins WSOPE Main Event

    This week’s Big Winners show, once again, that women are no less capable than men at the poker table, and that success isn’t always fleeting. With Kyna England taking down a stacked Mid-States Poker event in Minnesota and Raminder Singh winning twice in one day, there’s a lot to marvel at as we head toward the end of the year. So, with all that being said, here are CardsChat’s Big Winners of the Week ending Dec. 12.

    Josef Gulas Jr
    (Image: King’s Resort/Tomas Stacha)

    Josef Gulas Jr.

    Main Event
    World Series of Poker Europe
    King’s Resort

    €1,276,712
    ($1,442,000)

    This year’s WSOPE Main Event trophy is staying in the Czech Republic thanks to local pro, Gulas Jr. The win was the biggest of his career by more than $1 million, and provided his first WSOP bracelet. Gulas Jr. won his way into the €10,350 ($11,700) event after cashing in a previous tournament at King’s Resort. He had planned to enter even without a ticket because the opportunity to win a bracelet in his own country was too good to miss, he told reporters after the fact. Regardless of how he got in, the decision to play paid off as he topped the 589-entrant field to become the eighth player from the Czech Republic to win a WSOP bracelet.

    Kyna England

    Main Event
    MSPT Winter Poker Classic
    Canterbury Park Card Club

    $186,709

    England won in Minnesota on Sunday by taking down the $1,110 Mid-States Poker Tour Main Event in Shakopee. The Poker Power coach has been on a tear in 2021, running deep in multiple MSPT events and picking up more than $500,000 in prize money. She won even more late last week after defeating a field of 1,042 entrants. In addition to securing another six-figure payday, the win earned England her second live title, adding to the WSOPC ladies’ event she won in 2020.

    andrey novak
    (Image: Partypoker)

    Andrey Novak
    ‘Anjeyyy’

    EPT Online Opener
    PokerStars

    $62,516

    Novak has come close in major online events over the last 12 months, finishing third in the 2020 Super High Roller Bowl Online and second in the WPT500 Online Main Event in March. He’s also won SCOOP titles, so he’s pretty much done all you can do online. And, with more than $550,000 in online earnings, those performances gave him the confidence to know he can mix it up with the best. That confidence certainly helped on Thursday. With 334 entrants whittled down to a final table of nine in the $1,050 EPT Online opener, Novak didn’t have it easy. With PokerStars’ Fintan Hand and Brazilian pro Lucio Lima battling for the title, the Ukrainian had to fight hard and fight hard to claim the title.

    Russell Mager
    (Image: Twitter/GrosvenorPoker)

    Russell Mager

    25/25
    Grosvenor Walsall

    £26,870
    ($35,686)

    Grosvenor’s live events have gone from strength to strength this year following the reopening of casinos in England, and the latest 25/25 showdown in Walsall didn’t disappoint. The £220 ($291) tournament attracted 532 entrants, making it one of the largest 25/25 events in history. That level of interest was great news for Mager. The English amateur had two previous cashes worth a total of £460 ($610) going into Sunday’s final table. He bested those results by a significant margin and picked up his first live win after beating Daniel Jackson heads-up.

    Raminder Singh
    (Image: Twitter/@RunGoodGear)

    Raminder Singh

    RunGOOD All-Stars Pro-Am Invitational
    PokerGo Studio

    $10,560

    Survivor Bounty
    The Wynn

    $14,450

    Singh won two tournaments on the same day last week. “Wow, that’s impressive,” you might say, but online pros like Chris Moorman do that all the time. And, they do. But Singh, a previous Big Winner, wasn’t playing online; he was playing live in Las Vegas. Known as The Raminator on the US circuit, Singh beat a field of 88 entrants in the $550 RunGOOD All-Stars Pro-Am Invitational on Saturday. From there, he went a few blocks north on the Strip to the Wynn where he continued his good run in the casino’s $550 Survivor Bounty event. That win earned Singh another $4,000 and the unique honor of becoming a double champion on the same day.

    (Image/WSOP.com)

    Sami Bechahed

    No-Limit Hold’em Turbo
    WSOPC Los Angeles
    Bicycle Casino

    $10,955

     

    Bechahed made a recent decision to focus more on live events after primarily playing online tournaments in his native country of France. It’s a decision that appears to be paying off, as Bechahed won a $400 turbo event at the World Series of Poker Circuit stop in LA on Thursday, good for $10,955 and an entry into a $1 million Tournament of Champions freeroll. A week earlier, Bechahed took down a $400 bounty tournament at the WSOPC, good for another $5,790.

    Daniel Smyth, Bob Pajich, Kevin Taylor, and Chris Wallace all contributed to this report. Know a big winner we missed? tips@cardschat.com

  • Big Winners of the Week (Nov. 29 – Dec. 5): Bise Wins Again, Uselis Continues Epic Run, and Moc Closes Out the GUKPT in Style

    Big Winners of the Week (Nov. 29 – Dec. 5): Bise Wins Again, Uselis Continues Epic Run, and Moc Closes Out the GUKPT in Style

    The year is coming to a close, but not before a final flurry of poker champions etch their names in the history books. This week’s round-up of big winners features some familiar names, rising stars, and one of Britain’s best. So, to see how Emil Bise, Gediminas Uselis, Andy Moc, and others boosted their bankrolls, scroll down for CardsChat’s Big Winners of the Week ending Dec. 5.

    Gediminas Uselis WPT
    (Image: WPT)

    Gediminas Uselis

    WPT Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open Main Event
    Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

    $778,490

    Lithuanian pro Uselis has been on a roll since winning his first WSOP title in August 2020. Already the owner of a WSOP Circuit ring, Uselis won the WSOP Online Forty Stack last year for $227,186. That win set him on the road to bigger and better things and, in October, he won Event #27 of the DeepStack Championship in Las Vegas. The $325,428 payday meant Uselis could ante up in the $3,500 Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open with plenty of cash left over. With a field of 1,566 entrants in Hollywood, Florida whittled down to just six, Uselis rose up from the middle of pack to eliminate two players during Tuesday’s final. That surge allowed him to seal the deal, pick up his first WPT title, and bank the biggest prize of his career.

    Andy Moc
    (Image: Twitter/GrosvenorPoker)

    Andy Moc

    GUKPT Grand Final Main Event
    Grosvenor London

    £265,350
    ($351,778)

    Moc brought the GUKPT to a glorious conclusion on Sunday by taking down the biggest event of the season. Grosvenor took its flagship tour back out on the road this summer after the UK lifted all COVID restrictions. Poker players anted up in droves, and that trend continued in last week’s £1,800 ($2,390) season finale. A total of 607 entries pushed the prize pool to more than £1 million ($1.3million), making it the largest GUKPT Grand Final ever. Even better for Moc, claiming his first GUKPT title also brought him the biggest payday of his career.

    Romain Le Dantec
    (Image: Facebook/Pokerroomkings/Danny Maxwell)

    Romain Le Dantec

    WSOPE Six-Max
    King’s Resort

    €207,267
    ($234.124)

    Le Dantec won his first bracelet after coming through a small but tough field in the WSOPE’s €10,300 ($11,600) short-handed event. Le Dantec is no stranger to the winner’s podium, as he also has an EPT side event title to his name. His win in Rozadov, Czech Republic was a career-defining moment, however: the Frenchman finished fifth in the WSOPE’s turbo event and parlayed his €17,905 ($20,230) payout into a victory in Event #13. Le Dantec had to overcome fellow Frenchmen Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier and Sonny Franco on Friday to win the event and scoop the biggest result of his career.

    joonas Pöyry
    (Image: The Hendon Mob/APAT)

    Joonas Pöyry
    ‘Korpisoturi2’

    WPTDeepStacks London Online
    888Poker

    $40,540

    London’s live poker scene is thriving right now, but the WPT decided that discretion was the better part of valor this year and took its DeepStacks event online. That was good news for Pöyry, as the Finnish pro didn’t need to board a plane to ante-up. In fact, none of the 293 entrants needed to leave their respective grinding spots. They did, however, have to overcome Pöyry, who was in the form of his life. The Finn often flies under the radar by keeping his real name out of the spotlight. However, the handle Korpisoturi2 can often be seen in MTTs across the internet and, on Tuesday, it was shining bright after Pöyry took down the WPT’s $525 online opener.

    emil bise
    (Image: Facebook/Pokerroomkings)

    Emil Bise

    Charming Lady Cash Connection Slot Machine
    King’s Resort

    €10,564
    ($11,931)

    Bise made our Big Winners list last week after taking down the WSOPE Mini Main Event in Rozadov, Czech Republic for €260,525 ($293,640). Not content to take his bracelet and run back to Switzerland, the pro player decided to take a spin on one of the 300 slots at the King’s Resort. The game he chose had a progressive jackpot worth over €10,000 ($11,300) and Bise won it. We don’t know how much he wagered, but we know he activated the bonus game by rolling in six scatters. He then hit 15 sphere symbols to unlock the grand jackpot.

    Daniel Smyth, Bob Pajich, and Chris Wallace all contributed to this report. Know a big winner we missed? tips@cardschat.com

  • COVID Casino Guide: What Are the News Rules in European Poker Rooms?

    COVID Casino Guide: What Are the News Rules in European Poker Rooms?

    A new COVID variant known as Omicron and a fresh wave of restrictions are sweeping across Europe. Even with evidence suggesting that Omicron may not be as deadly as initially expected, European countries are ramping up their COVID restrictions.

    COVID rules in Europe
    COVID rules in Europe are changing and that means you need to know the local rules before you ante up. (Image: Pixabay/neelam279)

    For clarity, the situation in a number of European countries was changing before Omicron was discovered. For example, King’s Resort was forced to alter the WSOPE schedule after the Czech government declared a state of emergency on Nov. 25.

    However, with Omicron adding to the recent increase in European COVID cases, the rules are changing again. As we witnessed in 2020 and again earlier this year, things are always subject to change. So, in an effort to keep you up to date with the latest COVID rules as they apply to poker, CardsChat has taken a look at a handful of European countries.

    Germany

    Face masks remain mandatory inside casinos and poker rooms in Germany. COVID infections rates continue to climb, despite Germany having some of the strictest mask mandates in Europe. Unlike countries with no minimum requirements on what constitutes a face covering, German cities such as Hamburg define what’s expected.

    “Clothes shall not serve as appropriate face masks. Transparent plastic visors are not classified as face masks for the purpose of these regulations,” reads the local COVID rules for Hamburg.

    In addition to medical-grade face masks, German poker rooms have social distancing measures in place and visitors have to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test. The good news is that casinos are still open. However, this could change as the federal government is currently pondering the possibility of closing venues such as bars and, possibly, imposing another lockdown.

    Portugal

    Portugal reintroduced COVID restrictions on Dec. 1 and that means poker players now have to wear face masks in enclosed spaces. Additionally, casinos in Portugal now require visitors to provide proof of vaccination or immunity (test taken within 48 hours). If neither of those is possible, a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours is acceptable. These rules will remain in place until March 2022, at the earliest.

    Spain

    Spanish poker rooms are open. Casino Barcelona recently announced that cash games and tournaments are back on the menu. However, as it was in the summer of 2020, visitors have to wear face masks at all times inside the casino. Visitors will also have their temperature checked, but proof of vaccination isn’t an entry requirement.

    Czech Republic

    We know from alterations to the WSOPE and the cancellation of EPT Prague that things in the Czech Republic have changed over the past two weeks. Face masks aren’t mandatory at the poker table, but the casino is closed to anyone without provable immunity or a vaccine pass. Public venues in the Czech Republic are also subject to capacity limits and a 10 pm curfew.

    Italy

    Italian casinos have asked visitors to provide proof of vaccination, immunity, or a negative test since August. But, as of Dec. 6, only proof of vaccination will be valid. Masks are also mandatory for indoor settings. Like other parts of Europe, these rules are subject to change, and, in turn, regional restrictions can impact what’s required.

    Twenty towns in Italy’s South Tyrol province have already imposed an 8pm curfew on businesses. This isn’t currently affecting Italy’s casinos, but similar restrictions could come into force elsewhere in the country if infections continue to rise.

    France

    Face masks are now mandatory in all indoor settings. Venues in which COVID passes were already necessary had been exempt from the mask mandate but, following a change to the rules on Nov. 29, masks must be worn in all indoor settings.

    Additionally, French casinos will only admit people with a COVID pass, proof of immunity (less than six months old), or a negative test (taken within 72 hours of arrival).

    Venues and police officers will be enforcing the rules. Anyone caught breaking the rules will be fined €135 ($159). Local governments also have the power to implement extra restrictions and safety measures at their discretion. The tightening of rules comes as COVID infections in France jumped from fewer than 7,000 per day in October to nearly 50,000 in November.

    The Netherlands

    Face masks and COVID passes remain compulsory in a variety of public settings, including casinos. Following the discovery of Omicron, the Dutch government has made social distancing mandatory in all indoor venues. Additionally, there are capacity limits at gaming tables, and casinos have to close at 5pm every day until Dec. 18, at the earliest.

    The UK

    The UK reintroduced mask mandates for shops and public transport on Dec. 1 amid concerns about the Omicron variant. In Scotland, Wales, and Ireland, face coverings and vaccine passes are required in various public settings, including at bingo halls.

    In England, they’re not required in any public setting other than in shops, taxis, buses, and trains. There is also no requirement to show proof of vaccination, immunity, or a negative test to enter casinos in England.

  • Big Winners of the Week (Nov. 22 – 28): WSOP Euro Bracelets, GUKPT Mini Main, Irish Poker Tour, and Venetian MonsterStacks

    Big Winners of the Week (Nov. 22 – 28): WSOP Euro Bracelets, GUKPT Mini Main, Irish Poker Tour, and Venetian MonsterStacks

    The dust has settled on this year’s WSOP, but the 2021 poker season is far from over. From Loni Hui proving why she’s one of the best in the game to Europeans winning WSOPE bracelets in the Czech Republic, there are players aplenty making sure their years come to a profitable end. So, with that being said, here are CardsChat’s Big Winners of the Week ending Nov. 28.

    bise
    (Image: Facebook/Tomas Stacha)

    Emil Bise

    Mini Main Event
    World Series of Poker Europe
    King’s Resort

    €260,525
    ($293,640)

    Bise didn’t let the Czech Republic’s new COVID restrictions stop him from winning a WSOPE bracelet on Friday. The Swiss grinder won the Swiss Poker Open High Roller in Rozvadov for €19,000 ($21,400) in October and was back on the winner’s rostrum again last week. It took a week to whittle down 1,397 entrants to a final table of nine in the €1,350 ($1,520) event, but only four hours to finish the job on Sunday. Bise’s first WSOPE bracelet will now take its rightful place alongside the WSOPE International Circuit trophy he won in 2018. And with a free seat in the €10,350 ($11,600) WSOPE Main Event, Bise could well add another title to his collection in the coming days.

    vranken
    (Image: Facebook/Tomas Stacha)

    Antoine Vranken

    PLO/NLH Mixed Event
    World Series of Poker Europe
    King’s Resort

    €113,000
    ($126,727)

    Vranken had to play snug during Saturday’s final session, but his strategy paid off. The €1,650 ($1,860) mixed event attracted 349 entries and the Dutchman made it through to the finale as one of the shortest stacks. A couple of bluffs kept him afloat long enough to find some good hands and hit some timely double-ups. Vranken was still battling for survival when he reached heads-up play, but after taking the lead against Moncef Karoui, he never looked back. The win was Vranken’s biggest to date and, more significantly, his first WSOPE bracelet.

    Loni Hui
    (Image: Twitter/flip_ladies)

    Loni Hui

    Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (Re-entry)
    Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open

    $85,355

    Poker pro Loni Hui, (né Harwood), took her earnings over the $3.3 million mark on Friday by winning the $600 Deep Stack event at Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, Florida. Harwood married fellow pro Phillip Hui last December and, on the eve of their wedding anniversary, she added another five-figure sum to her bankroll. Beating a field of 972 players earned Hui the 11th live win of her career, which includes multiple six-figure paydays, a WSOP Circuit Ring, and a WSOP bracelet.

    Philippe Souki
    (Image: Twitter/Grosvenor Poker)

    Philippe Souki

    Grand Final Mini Main Event
    GUKPT

    £54,760
    ($73,681)

    The GUKPT is building up to its annual Grand Final and Souki has found his groove at just the right time. The Englishman had more than $500,000 in live earnings before the £370 ($490) Mini Main Event and showed his class throughout. As the field was cut from 688 to two at Grosvenor, Souki dominated the action. In the end, he put on a convincing performance during Wednesday’s final table to scoop the biggest payday of his career and his first GUKPT title.

    Julien Weymouth
    (Image: Twitter/The Venetian)

    Julien Weymouth

    MonsterStack
    DeepStack Poker Series
    Venetian

    $33,289

    Weymouth has been in Las Vegas flying the flag for Guam throughout November and, finally, his persistence has paid off. The young grinder managed to hit one cash at the WSOP for $3,515, but he won significantly more at the Venetian on Wednesday. The $400 MonsterStack event attracted 136 runners and Weymouth got the job done after a heads-up chop. The five-figure score was 10x more than his previous biggest win and puts him among the top-ranked poker players from Guam.

    Patrick Kiely
    (Image: Twitter/Irish Poker Tour)

    Patrick Kiely

    Athlone Main Event
    Irish Poker Tour

    €7,085
    ($7,985)

    An amateur player, Kiely came out on top after another weekend of Irish poker action. The man from Roscrea, Ireland, defeated a field of 255 entrants in the Athlone Main Event. Kiely had three live cashes going into the €150 ($177) tournament, including a win in the Celtic Poker Tour Grand Final. After a three-way deal on Sunday, he secured a career-defining win, another trophy, and a free seat in the Irish Poker Tour Team Event in Galway.

    Know a big winner we missed? tips@cardschat.com

  • Czech Republic Calls COVID State of Emergency, WSOPE Continues

    Czech Republic Calls COVID State of Emergency, WSOPE Continues

    The World Series of Poker Europe was plunged into a state of emergency on Thursday night, along with the Czech Republic’s entire hospitality sector, following a surge in COVID cases.

    kings covid
    King’s Resort confirmed that the WSOPE will continue despite a national state of emergency in the Czech Republic. (Image: King’s Resort)

    Czech Health Minister Adam Vojtech announced a national state of emergency on Thursday and imposed a wave of new restrictions. In addition to banning the consumption of alcohol in public places and shutting down Christmas markets, Vojtech put a 10pm curfew on bars, restaurants, nightclubs, and casinos.

    The 30-day state of emergency also means hospitality venues will be subject to capacity limits of up to 1,000 people. These restrictions, in tandem with previously enforced vaccination rules, mean that King’s Resort had to update the WSOPE schedule.

    WSOPE largely unaffected by new COVID restrictions

    The important point to note is that the WSOPE will continue. But, based on how things have changed in the Czech Republic over the past month, this too could be subject to change in the coming days.

    COVID cases in the Czech Republic hit a daily peak of 27,717 on Thursday. That’s 10,000 more positive cases per day than the previous highs in January.

    To make matters worse, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday night. The 77-year-old was taken back to the hospital less than a day after being discharged following treatment for an undisclosed chronic illness.

    czech covid cases
    COVID cases are rising in the Czech Republic, but the WSOPE will continue. (Image: Worldometers)

    Health Minister Vojtech hopes the new restrictions will curb the current surge. He told Reuters that the plan is to wait “10 days” before reassessing the situation. As a precaution, the national state of emergency is in place for 30 days from today.

    CardsChat called King’s Resort to talk about the current situation. A representative told us that, barring a few adjustments, it’s business as usual inside the casino. The majority of tournaments start at 10am, which means there can be 12 hours of play, if required, before the 10pm curfew.

    Larger WSOPE events, such as the Colossus, will be capped at 1,000 entrants per day with the option to add extra sessions if necessary. Other than these changes, players attending the WSOPE don’t need to be concerned.

    Bracelet race will continue in the Czech Republic

    The most important thing to come out of our conversation with the casino’s representative was that the new restrictions won’t mar the WSOPE. The organizers are complying with the new rules, but they’re also making sure the series delivers as expected.

    The Czech Republic’s borders remain open to travelers. Moreover, all members of the King’s Resort staff are fully vaccinated, and there are enhanced cleaning protocols in place throughout the casino.

    Additionally, only vaccinated players or those with provable immunity can take part in the WSOPE. Therefore, while COVID might be causing some unexpected disruption, it won’t stop the action at King’s Resort.

  • WSOPE Events Smash their Guarantees as Crowds Gather Despite COVID Restrictions

    WSOPE Events Smash their Guarantees as Crowds Gather Despite COVID Restrictions

    The World Series of Poker (WSOP) bandwagon might have left Las Vegas but the race for a bracelet isn’t over. The WSOP Europe (WSOPE) got underway inside King’s Resort late last week and, already, it’s surpassing expectations.

    wsope crowd
    The WSOPE has started strong with its three opening events smashing their guarantees with ease. (Image: Facebook/King’s Resort)

    The first event started on November 19, and, despite COVID restrictions in the Czech Republic, it became one of largest WSOPE tournaments in history. A total of 1,789 entrants anted up in the €350 ($390) No Limit Hold’em event, which almost doubled the €300,000 ($336,000) guarantee.

    It took a total of four days to whittle down the field to a single player. That player was Antonello Ferraiuolo and, as well as being the first Italian to win a bracelet since Max Pescatori in 2015, he banked €77,570 ($87,000) and a free seat in the forthcoming WSOPE Main Event.

    Guarantees fall following strong start

    The opener’s momentum spilled over into Event #2. Although it wasn’t as popular, the €550 ($620) Pot Limit Omaha event still attracted 623 entrants. Again, that was enough to beat the €200,000 ($225,000) guarantee by a healthy margin.

    Bjorn Verbakel was the eventual winner, and, thanks to the unique re-entry format, he actually won two prizes. The structure of certain events at this year’s WSOPE is such that players can get into the money on Day 1A.

    For example, in Event #3, Day 1A ran until just 15% of the starting field was left. Anyone that made it that far was guaranteed a payout, as were those who did the same on Day 1B and Day 1C.

    The same dynamic was used for Event #2. As such Verbakel, anted up on Day 1A and lost his chips just before the end of the session. However, by that time, he was already in the money so was able to collect €1,003 ($1,125).

    He reinvested that prize money by re-entering on Day 1B. This time he didn’t lose his chips, and, by the end of that session, he had one of the biggest stacks in the room. He continued to dominate on Day 2 and, by the close of play on Day 3, he was a WSOPE champion and €59,250 ($66,425) richer.

    WSOPE is as popular as ever

    Getting players from across Europe and beyond into King’s Resort was always going to be tough. With the Czech government introducing new COVID-19 restrictions earlier this month, King’s was forced to update its entry policy.

    The original plan was to admit vaccinated players or those with provable immunity, or a negative COVID test. However, following the government’s change of tact, only the vaccinated and those with provable immunity can enter King’s Resort.

    Those restrictions haven’t dampened spirits or the community’s appetite for live poker. The first two events beat their guarantees and Event #3 hasn’t bucked that trend.

    Over 1,300 entrants entered the €1,350 ($1,510) Mini Main Event. That pushed the €600,000 ($673,000) guarantee to more than €1.5 million ($1.68 million) and means the WSOPE is still on course to be one of the biggest ever.

  • WSOPE Only for the Vaccinated: New COVID Restrictions in the Czech Republic

    WSOPE Only for the Vaccinated: New COVID Restrictions in the Czech Republic

    Only the vaccinated or those with COVID-19 antibodies will be allowed to play in this year’s WSOPE following new restrictions in the Czech Republic.

    covid jab
    New rules in the Czech Republic mean that only vaccinated poker players, or those with antibodies, can take part in the 2021 WSOPE. (Image: The Argus)

    News that the unvaccinated will be barred from certain public services broke on Wednesday and CardsChat has since confirmed that the rules will be in force at King’s Resort.

    We called the Czech casino’s customer service team to confirm that, from Monday, visitors will either have to be vaccinated or prove they’ve recovered from COVID within the last six months. The representative told us that Czech national laws will apply, but anyone with questions can call or visit in person and the property will try to accommodate people as much as possible.

    In practice, however, the latest restriction means that players who were planning to use a negative COVID test to ante up in this year’s WSOP Europe will be left out in the cold.

    WSOPE starts as COVID concerns surge

    The WSOPE officially got underway on Friday, and the plan was to operate in a similar fashion to the WSOP in Las Vegas. This would have meant people can participate in the series if they were vaccinated, could prove they’d recovered from COVID-19 (antibody results), or had a negative PCR test.

    King’s Resort tweaked its guidelines in late October in line with updated national regulations, but proof from all visitors was still required. Now, however, the option to produce a negative test has been removed.

    The new rules were approved by the Czech government on Wednesday. They come into force on Monday, which means unvaccinated people won’t be able to use public services or venues. The only caveat to this is that people who can prove they’ve recovered from COVID-19 within the past six months can also continue as normal.

    How to prove vaccination status

    King’s Resort accepts all nationally recognized COVID passes and vaccines. In practice, this means players will be granted entry if they’ve had a full course of one of these vaccines:

    • The Vaxzervria Vaccine (AstraZeneca)
    • The Spikevax Vaccine (Moderna)
    • The Comirnaty Vaccine (Pfizer/BioNTech)
    • The Janssen Vaccine (Janssen Pharmaceutical)
    • The Covishield Vaccine

    A lockdown of the unvaccinated sweeps across Europe

    The draconian step to lock down the unvaccinated was first introduced in Austria this week. The German government has since said it is considering similar measures, while Slovakia joined the Czech Republic in approving a lockdown of the unvaccinated.

    czech covid
    (Image: Worldometers)

    Czech Health Minister Adam Vojtech said the law is designed to increase “motivation for vaccinations.” Fifty-eight percent of the Czech population is currently vaccinated, which is below the European average of 65.5%.

    A record 22,511 daily COVID cases were recorded on Tuesday, just 24 hours before the new rules were approved. In tandem with locking down the unvaccinated, it’s now mandatory for businesses to test their staff members before they start a shift.

    kings vaccinated

    This protocol is in place at King’s Resort. Additionally, all members of staff at King’s Resort are fully vaccinated.

    Finally, foreign travelers entering the Czech Republic are required to fill in a locator form. The vaccinated don’t have to show negative test results, but they do have to provide details of their intended destination.

    Vaccines doing their thing, but infections are increasing

    These measures should help to minimize the chances of a major outbreak at the WSOPE. However, there is mounting evidence that, while vaccines help prevent serious illness and death, they’re not stopping the spread.

    Gibraltar, a country with a 100% vaccination rate, has seen cases spike over the past two weeks, and the government has implied that Christmas celebrations may have to be canceled as a result. Back in the US, a mini-outbreak at the WSOP has caused some players to miss the final few events.

    While the ongoing pandemic is still far from being fully contained, the show will go on at King’s Resort, where the WSOPE will run until Dec. 8 — but only for those who are vaccinated against COVID-19.

  • Big Winners of the Week (Nov. 8 – 14): Scott Ball Takes a Little One, Breakthrough Win at the Wynn, Poker in Europe + an UNO World Champ

    Big Winners of the Week (Nov. 8 – 14): Scott Ball Takes a Little One, Breakthrough Win at the Wynn, Poker in Europe + an UNO World Champ

    The WSOP Main Event is in full swing, but tournament players aren’t sitting idly by while the final few battle for an $8 million top prize. With events taking place across the US and the world at large, another crop of big winners has bet their way into the spotlight this week. In addition to shining a light on breakout performances from grinders like Milos Ivanovic, we’ve got the lowdown on UNO’s first-ever world champion. To see how a game of UNO earned someone $50,000 and more, scroll down for our Big Winners of the Week ending Nov. 14.

    Scott Ball
    (Image: WSOP)

    Scott Ball

    Little One for One Drop
    World Series of Poker

    $396,445

    Just a few weeks after winning his first WSOP bracelet, Ball kept the rungood rolling in one of the series’ marquee events — a $1,111 NLH that sends 10% to the One Drop Foundation. The five-day tournament at the Rio in Las Vegas attracted 3,797 entrants for a prize pool of more than $3.8 million and a $380K donation to the cause of global clean water. Ball’s victory brings his total winnings for the 2021 WSOP to more than $1.5 million, and puts him in second place for WSOP Player of the Year and first place on the Velo “No Limits” leaderboard.

    Milos Ivanovic
    (Image: Twitter/The Wynn)

    Milos Ivanovic

    Wynn Classic
    No Limit Hold’em $400K GTD

    $201,898

    Ivanovic may have squeaked into our list of this week’s Big Winners after the Wynn’s $1,100 event trickled over into Sunday morning, but he’s a more-than-worthy addition. The Chicago pro is in Las Vegas for tournament season and already had fifth-place finish at the Fall Classic prior to beating a field of 1,438 entries on Sunday. Ivanovic came through a tough final table that included former GUKPT champion Yiannis Liperis on route to picking up his biggest payday by more than $160,000.

    Artur Martirosyan
    (Image: Paul Phua Poker)

    Artur Martirosyan

    Main Event
    Eurasian Poker Tour
    Casino Sochi

    ₽7,150,150
    ($100,736)

    Martirosyan might be a solid bet to do well in any WSOP event he enters, but the Russian wasn’t in Las Vegas last week. Instead, he stayed in his native Russia, a decision that proved to be profitable as he outlasted a 598-entry field on Sunday to win the $10,500 EAPT main event. The Partypoker-sponsored event attracted some of Eastern Europe’s top pros and upcoming stars. However, it was 2021 Super High Roller Bowl Europe champion Martirosyan who added to his $2.7 million in live earnings with a convincing victory over fellow Russian, Artur Adamyants.

    Bjoern Smolders
    (Image: Facebook/King’s Resort)

    Bjoern Smolders

    Main Event
    German Poker Days
    Kings Resort

    €65,450
    ($75,043)

    The German Poker Days’ marquee tournament might have taken place in Rozvadov, Czech Republic, but that didn’t stop 2,206 players from anteing up, or 174 of those entrants from exercising their right to rebuy last week. Nor did it stop Dutch amateur Smolders from scoring the biggest payday of his poker career on Sunday. Even in the face COVID restrictions in Europe, Smolders was able to enter the €175 ($200) event and grind his way through four days of poker to beat Frenchman Safwane Bahri heads-up. In addition to picking up a five-figure prize, Smolders earned a reason to return to Rozvadov at the start of December thanks to a free seat in the €10,000 ($11,400) WSOPE Main Event.

    joe cook
    (Image: Twitter/VenetianPoker)

    Joseph Cook

    NLH DeepStack Championship
    The Venetian

    $67,894

    Cook’s trip from Arizona to Las Vegas has been a successful one over the past two weeks. He cashed in Event #8 at the WSOP for $1,050 and went deep in the Main Event last week before hitting the rail in 322nd place. Cook took a portion of his $33,900 Main Event winnings across the Strip to the Venetian on Saturday for the $1,100 one-day deep stack event. After weaving his way through a field of 341 players, Cook chopped the prize money heads-up to take his weekly winnings over the $100,000 mark.

    Aldwin Rodriguez
    (Image: Sean Compton)

    Aldwin Rodriguez

    UNO Championship Series Invitational
    HyperX Esports Arena

    $50,000

    At 20, Rodriguez isn’t even old enough to play most games offered at the Luxor in Las Vegas. But in the HyperX Esports Arena, where he took on seven other finalists to claim the first-ever world championship for UNO, the long-time kitchen table staple. More than 450,000 people watched the mechanical engineering major at Sacramento State University compete against a star-studded field via UNO’s new TikTok channel. Despite beating a host of famous faces, including gamer Richard Tyler Blevins (aka Ninja), and retired NASCAR racing driver Clint Bowyer, Rodriguez isn’t turning pro. Instead, he’s going to use the largest UNO prize in history to help his family.

    Tony Wazwaz
    (Image: Canterbury Park)

    Tony Wazwaz

    Cheap and Deep
    Canterbury Park

    $24,460

    The poker community might be focused on the big money events at the WSOP right now, but tournament life goes on elsewhere in the US. The aptly named Cheap and Deep attracted a bumper field of 648 players to Shakopee, Minnesota, last week. That gave local grinder Wazwaz the chance to turn his $300 buy-in into a five-figure sum and his biggest win to date on Sunday night. The Canterbury Park Casino regular eventually cut a deal with Yer Vang before winning the final pot and lifting the trophy.

    Know a big winner we missed? tips@cardschat.com

  • King’s Resort Confirms WSOPE COVID Rules as Czech Republic Reintroduces Restrictions

    King’s Resort Confirms WSOPE COVID Rules as Czech Republic Reintroduces Restrictions

    The World Series of Poker Europe is fast approaching and the host venue, King’s Resort, has updated its COVID guidelines.

    covid pass
    King’s Resort will require all players attending the 2021 WSOPE to prove they’ve been vaccinated or that they aren’t infected with COVID-19. (Image: Schengen Visa News)

    In line with changes to the Czech Republic’s health laws, King’s Resort has confirmed that everyone visiting the casino will have to prove they’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19. Anyone who hasn’t been vaccinated or who isn’t willing/able to show proof will have to pass an antigen or PCR test. And, like at the WSOP in Las Vegas, players will be required to wear facemasks inside the casino and at the poker table.

    WSOPE rules confirmed as COVID restrictions ramp up

    Tuesday night’s announcement came in the wake of new restrictions being introduced by Czech health minister Adam Vojtěch. With an uptick in positive cases over the past two weeks, Vojtěch made face masks mandatory in public settings on Oct. 25. The health minister also said that COVID passes must be checked in all public settings.

    The Czech Republic introduced COVID passes in June. However, local media outlets have reported that they’re seldom required at bars, restaurants, and other entertainment venues. This will change on Nov. 1 as Vojtěch has made them a legal condition of entry. He’s also authorized a special task force of “hygienists” and police officers to carry out random spot checks on businesses to make sure they’re complying with the rules.

    King’s Resort previously told CardsChat that a negative antigen or PCR test would be required for the WSOPE. Players could also provide proof that they’d been vaccinated for at least 14 days or recovered from COVID-19 within the past 180 days.

    COVID status becomes a condition of entry

    The latest announcement confirms that these conditions will be in place when the WSOPE begins on Nov. 19. The rules also ensure King’s Resort complies with the Czech Republic’s fresh wave of restrictions. Per the announcement, all visitors must meet one of the following conditions before they can take part in the WSOPE:

    • Provide results of a negative antigen test taken within the 24 hours of arrival
    • Provide results of a negative PCR test taken within the 72 hours of arrival
    • Provide official proof that they have recovered from COVID-19 within 180 days of arrival
    • Provide proof that they have received an EU-approved vaccine

    King’s Resort will accept the EU Digital COVID Certificate, commonly known as the Green Pass, as proof of vaccination. Any other forms of proof used in a player’s native country will also be accepted.

    What vaccines are acceptable? 

    Prospective WSOPE players will need to make sure that they have been jabbed with an EU-approved vaccine. The following COVID vaccines are recognized by the European Medical Agency:

    • Pfizer (two doses required)
    • Moderna (two doses required)
    • AstraZeneca (two doses required)
    • Johnson & Johnson/Janssen Pharmaceuticals (one dose required)

    The European Medical Agency also has certain vaccines under “rolling review,” which will also be accepted at the WSOPE:

    • CureVac (two doses required)
    • Sanofi-GSK (two doses required)
    • Novavax (two doses required)

    Tuesday’s announcement confirms what many already expected to see at this year’s WSOPE and, as such, shouldn’t cause as much consternation as when the WSOP changed its COVID rules. However, some players may decide to sit out this year’s event due to current restrictions.

    Whatever people’s decision, the WSOPE will go ahead at King’s Resort between Nov. 19 and Dec. 8.

  • Big Winners of the Week (Aug. 30 – Sept. 5): Malinowski the Millionaire, WSOP Heroes, and More

    Big Winners of the Week (Aug. 30 – Sept. 5): Malinowski the Millionaire, WSOP Heroes, and More

    With the live WSOP in Las Vegas just few weeks away, some of poker’s finest players are busy finding their form in a wide variety of events around the globe. This week’s standout performers are no stranger to the limelight and, with a plethora of MTTs taking place both online and offline, they’re taking full advantage. From Wiktor Malinowski and Toby Lewis to Alexandros Theologis, we’ve got another impressive selection of Big Winners for the week ending Sunday, Sept. 5.

    wiktor malinowski
    (Image: Poker Central/Pokernews)

    Wiktor Malinowski

     Main Event
    Super High Roller Bowl Europe
    Merit Royal Hotel & Casino

    $3,690,000

    Tony G might have been one of the standout players at this year’s Super High Roller Bowl Europe, but Malinowski certainly had the last laugh. The Polish pro, who’s been a cash game crusher for years, proved he has tournament skills too on Wednesday by winning the $250,000 Main Event. The man known online as Limitless proved there’s no end to his talents or staying power by coming out top after a five-hour heads-up battle with Ivan Leow. The marathon finale came to an end when a short-stacked Leow was forced to take a stand with J♣ 4♣. Malinowski only had 9♠ 8♦, but an eight on the board was enough to secure the win, his second live title, and the biggest tournament win of his career.

    alex_theologis
    (Image: Run It Once)

    Alexandros Theologis

    Super High Roller Championship
    WSOP Online
    GGPoker

    $1,212,033

    Theologis is already the top-ranked player in Greece, but he showed he’s more than capable of mixing it with the world’s best on Monday. 255 well-bankrolled players anted up in the $25,000 bracelet event. The Run It Once coach made it through the masses and started the final table third in chips. He took control of the proceedings within an hour and never looked back. As Adrian Mateos, Anton Filatov, and Khale Burns each fell by the wayside, Theologis powered on to pick up his first WSOP bracelet after narrowly missing out on a title during 2020 online series.

    kzhh
    (Image: PokerStars)

    ‘kZhh’

    WCOOP 8-Max Super High Roller
    PokerStars

    $657,557

    KZhh might like to keep their real name a secret, but they can’t hide from the spotlight after winning the $25,000 WCOOP Super High Roller. The Hungarian pro won the SCOOP Main Event in April and was back in the winner’s circle again this week. 116 players anted up for a shot at the $3 million last Sunday, though only a handful made it through to Day 2 on Monday, including Justin Bonomo, Mike Watson, and recent PokerStars recruit Benjamin Rolle. However, none of those stars could beat kZhh. A final showdown against Chris Oliver saw kZhh scoop the pot, the title, and more than $657,000 with A♠ Q♠.

    arin mohamad
    (Image: Facebook/King’s Resort)

    Arin Mohamad

    WSOP Circuit Mini Main Event
    King’s Resort

    €104,100
    ($123,659)

    If we didn’t already know that it’s WSOP season, Germany’s Mohamad reminded us of that fact on Tuesday. Alongside WSOP events on GGPoker and WSOP.com, King’s Resort has been running series of Circuit events over the last two weeks. The €250 ($295) Mini Main Event, which started on Aug. 11, was one of its highlights. A total of 2,654 entries and 464 re-entries were collected over the course of seven starting flights. By the time the final nine players returned for Monday’s final table, Mohamad was in control. As Tuesday morning dawned, he bested Ilija Savevski to win his first WSOP Circuit ring and beat his previous biggest cash by more than €100,000 ($118,000) while also picking up a free seat in the forthcoming WSOPE Main Event worth €10,350 ($12,295).

    raminder singh
    (Image: Twitter/Run Good Gear)

    Raminder Singh

    RunGood Poker Series Main Event
    Seminole Casino Coconut Creek Poker

    $45,456

    Raminder Singh might have agreed to a 50/50 split with Timothy Miles in the inaugural RunGood Poker Series Main Event, but he still walked away the champion. The amateur player has more than $1.5 million in live earnings and, following his win in the $600 Main Event, he now has a shot at going pro. Singh and Miles agreed to take $45,456 each after battling through a field of 519 entrants. However, Singh won the championship ring with 8♠ 2♥. That means he gets to compete in the PokerGo All-Star ProAm Series against some of the game’s top talent for even more prize money.

    toby lewis
    (Image: Poker Central)

    Toby Lewis
    ‘DustPistons’

    WSOP Online Circuit Double Stack
    WSOP.com

    $21,236

    Lewis might be one of the UK’s top tournament players, but he’s currently over in America. With the WSOP in Las Vegas fast approaching, he’s been using his time State-side to sharpen his skills online. It’s clearly time well spent, as Lewis took down a WSOP Online Circuit event this week. The $320 Double Stack event attracted 381 entrants. Despite being surrounded by American flags at Monday night’s final table, Lewis raised the Union Jack above them all to clinch his second Circuit ring and a nice five-figure bankroll boost heading into this year’s WSOP.

    Know a big winner we missed? tips@cardschat.com

  • Big Winners of the Week (Aug. 16 – 22): Trigg Makes it Two, Vaswani Proves Skill Never Dies

    Big Winners of the Week (Aug. 16 – 22): Trigg Makes it Two, Vaswani Proves Skill Never Dies

    It was another action-filled week in card rooms and on computers around the world, with two European poker legends, a new WSOP Circuit king, and an online winner who turned $50 into $60,000 all stepping into the spotlight. So, without any further ado, let’s go globe-hopping for a look at some of the Big Winners of the Week ending Sunday, Aug. 22.

    richard trigg
    (Image: Grosvenor/Twitter)

    Richard Trigg

    Main Event
    GUKPT
    Grosvenor Manchester

    £134,250
    ($185,887)

    Trigg is a familiar face on the circuit and proved, once again, why he’s highly regarded by his peers. Eight years after winning his first GUKPT title, Trigg was back in the spotlight last Sunday following a miraculous comeback in the £1,100 Main Event. Trigg was down to less than 10 big blinds at one point on Day 2, but found a way to survive a series of all-ins. Those moves not only got him back into contention, but gave him the confidence to seize control of the tournament. With the 472-player field thinning, Trigg’s experience proved to be the difference in helping him up another impressive win and a second GUKPT title to his collection.

    Gaby Livschitz
    (Image: PokerStars)

    Gaby Livshitz
    “Kidrurium”

    PLOSSUS
    GGPoker
    WSOP Online

    $152,165

    The WSOP Online is rolling along, as is Livshitz, who took town Event #17 in the series on Sunday. GGPoker Ambassador Daniel Negreanu started the final day of play in the Pot-Limit Omaha tournament first place, but couldn’t hold on; he fell in 23rd position, well short of the final table. Livshitz, meanwhile, scratched and clawed his way to the final table, where he started with a short stack that he quickly grew after he eliminated Shihhui Wang in seventh, and doubled through Lasse Enojarvi. In the end, Aces helped the Israeli to defeat Shengchao Zhu heads up and collect a whopping $89,626 in bounties along with $62,534 in first-place money, and his first WSOP bracelet.

    Patrik Zidek
    (Image: King’s Resort/Facebook)

    Patrik Zidek

    The Opener
    WSOP Circuit
    Kings Resort

    €66,281
    ($77,736)

    Zidek, an amateur from the Czech Republic, made the most of his time in Rozvadov, putting in a career-best performance in the WSOP Circuit’s €200/$233 Opener. Zidek joined more than 1,500 other players at the WSOP’s European home and, by the time the final number of entries and re-entries totaled 2,069, he was on his way to building a winning stack. Zidek eventually reached Monday night’s final table with enough chips to hang tough against a tough, international lineup. With COVID restrictions easing, the final nine consisted of players from France, Spain, Italy, Slovenia, and the Netherlands. Zidek wasn’t going to be denied on home soil, however, dominating the final stages of the event to make sure the winner’s trophy stayed in the Czech Republic. In addition to a nice profit, Zidek also won a free seat in the upcoming €10,300 WSOPE Main Event.

    kuzya174
    (Image: 888Poker/Instagram)


    ‘kuzya174’

    ChampionChip Main Event
    888Poker

    $60,000

    Attracting 8,103 entries is impressive, but it wasn’t enough to prevent an overlay in the ChampionChip Main Event. 888Poker had to add $130,085 to the prize pool to meet its $500,000 guarantee, but we’re certain kuzya174 wasn’t complaining. The mysterious Russian grinder made it to Tuesday’s final table with the chip lead and remained in control until just three remained. Brazil’s Leonardo Souza hit a rush in the final stages of the $50 tournament, but kuzya174 eliminated SupremeBro to regain the momentum. Souza wasn’t giving up without a fight and wrestled back the chip lead a couple of times before eventually succumbing to kuzya174. In the end, the Russian rivered a flush to scoop the final pot, his first major online title, and an extremely healthy return on his investment.

    ram vaswani
    (Image: The Poker Room/Twitter)

    Ram Vaswani

    The London Deepstack
    Grosvenor, The Poker Room

    $£24,875
    ($34,441)

    Former high-stakes hero Vaswani made a brief but welcome return to the spotlight late last week. People often ask what happened to the Hendon Mob. Well, Barny Boatman is still playing. His brother Ross is now in a popular British TV show called EastEnders, and Joe Beevers recently set up his own bookmaking business. Vaswani, however, was always something of an enigma. The man nicknamed Crazy Horse might not be as wild as he once was, but he can still win tournaments. His last significant result was back in 2014 at WPT Nottingham where he finished third. Grosvenor’s London Deepstack might not be as prestigious, but Vaswani rolled back the years on Sunday to beat a field of 245 entries in the £400 event and scoop a five-figure payday.

    Know a big winner we missed? tips@cardschat.com

  • Big Winners of the Week (Aug. 9 – 15): Pires Makes a Million, McKeehen Sharp at SHRPO

    Big Winners of the Week (Aug. 9 – 15): Pires Makes a Million, McKeehen Sharp at SHRPO

    This week’s latest batch of big winners proves that you don’t need to invest a lot of money to change your fortunes. In truth, you don’t need to ante up a lot to win a lot if there’s enough demand for action, which is certainly true of the poker world right now. From WSOP veterans doing their thing on the live circuit to WSOP newbies winning online, there’s action everywhere, and at every level, as in this recap for the week ending Sunday, Aug. 15.

    Eduardo Pires
    (Image: Natural 8/Twitter)

    Eduardo Pires

    WSOP Online Millionaire Maker
    GGPoker

    $1,384,013

    The international leg of the WSOP Online is well underway and, as Sunday evening turned into Monday morning, Pires became the biggest winner of the series so far. The Brazilian beat a field of 5,437 entrants to become the 2021 WSOP Online Millionaire Maker champion. That’s significant because, as the title suggests, he turned his $1,500 buy-in into more than a million-dollar prize. In fact, Pires pocketed almost $1.4 million due to the amount of interest the event generated. After battling his way to heads-up play, his final battle against Lukas Hafner only lasted a few minutes. After picking off an initial bluff and taking control, he hit a straight with 8♣ 5♦ to beat Hafner’s pair of sevens to claim his first WSOP bracelet.

    Joe McKeehen
    (Image: Seminole Hard Rock)

    Joe McKeehen

    Big 4 High Roller
    Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open

    $550,990

    McKeehen continues to be a force at any table where he sits. On Monday, he made his fifth final table and won his third title of the year, taking down one of The Big 4 final tables in Hollywood, Florida. This was a $25,500 NLH that attracted 91 entries in exceeding its $2 million guarantee. McKeehen says he simply ran good from the start, giving him enough chips to just cruise from there. He waded through a tough final table that included Nadya Magnus (8th, $67,430), Joseph Cheong (6th, $96,650), and Thomas Boivin (3rd, 285,460). In the end, McKeehen and Darren Elias started heads-up play about even in chips, so they decided to split the remaining prize pool of nearly $1.1 million and run flips for the remaining $11k in the pot and the trophy. Elias took home $539,135 for second, while the win brings McKeehen’s career earnings up over $18.5 million. The Big 4 is a series of tournaments whose final tables all play down at the same time. Other events and winners included the SHRPO Championship (Dimitri Vorbe, $929,365) the $2,650 NLH (Shannon Shorr, $186,261), and the $1,100 NLH (Scott Baumstein, $81,220).

    Eyal Bensimhon
    (Image: King’s Resort/Facebook)

    Eyal Bensimhon

    Euro Poker Million Main Event
    King’s Resort Rozvadov

    €211,200
    ($250,822)

    It was a double delight for Bensimhon after winning the €490 ($578) main event on Monday. The Israeli, by way of Austria, was just short of the $1 million in live tournament earnings before anteing up at King’s Resort in the Czech Republic this week. After a deep run in last month’s EPM main event on his record, he started the tournament in good form that helped him carve his way through an event that attracted 2,852 buy-ins and 329 re-entries. With the €1 million ($1.17 million) guarantee soundly beaten, Bensimhon won enough to take his lifetime earnings to the seven-figure mark. And, just for good measure, his performance earned him a free seat in the €10,350 ($12,200) WSOPE Main Event which takes place at King’s Resort in December.

    paul fisher
    (Image: Grosvenor/Twitter)

    Paul Fisher

    Mini Main Event
    GUKPT Manchester
    Grosvenor Casino

    £36,890
    ($51,180)

    Grosvenor’s tournament bandwagon was back out on the road again this week, which meant Fisher was able to net his first significant tournament score in a live setting. With players across the UK eager to get out and play poker after a 16-month hiatus, the £250 ($346) Mini Main Event attracted an impressive 743 players. No doubt there were some fish among the masses in Manchester, but Fisher certainly wasn’t one of them. GUKPT London Mini Main Event finalist Paul Rigg was one of the favorites at the start of Tuesday’s final table. However, it was Fisher who moved into pole position as the field thinned. He eventually cut a deal with second-place finisher Lawrence Stone. The chop gave both players their first five-figure paydays, with Fisher banking the largest share of the prize pool and a GUKPT winner’s trophy.

  • Big Winners of the Week (July 12 – 18): Negreanu, Katz, Bad Beat Jackpots, WSOP Online, BSOP and more

    Big Winners of the Week (July 12 – 18): Negreanu, Katz, Bad Beat Jackpots, WSOP Online, BSOP and more

    A big part of poker, we all know, is getting lucky. Daniel Negreanu cracked his victory slump and added a big feather to his Hall of Fame cap this week, thanks in part to some winning play by the guy whose company hosts the event.  Lucky lucky. Sometimes it’s just being in the right place at the right time, as was the case for 262 players in Southampton, who got paid when one player got extraordinarily lucky by being incredibly unlucky. Either way, as live poker proliferates like, well, the delta variant … these are the winners who caught our eye for the week ending Sunday, July 18, 2021:

    cary katz pokergo poker
    (Image: PokerGO)

    Cary Katz

    PokerGO Cup
    No-Limit Hold’em
    Aria

    $1,058,000

    Katz put on a dominating heads-up performance for a comeback victory in the PokerGO Cup $100K series finale on Wednesday. The PokerGO founder faced a 3-1 chip disadvantage when heads-up play against Sam Soverel began, but he didn’t let it faze him. Not only did Katz pull off numerous bluffs and rally to win the match, in doing so he ripped the series crown away from Soverel and handed it to Negreanu. Katz received more than $1 million for taking down the 23-player high-roller event, and he now quietly has over $32.4 million in live tournament earnings. Not bad for a “recreational poker player.”

    daniel negreanu pokergo poker
    (Image: PokerGO)

    Daniel Negreanu

    PokerGO Cup
    Aria

    $980,000

    Negreanu’s struggles at the table over the past few years are no secret. He went 2,818 consecutive days without winning a tournament. That drought came to an end Tuesday when he took down a $50K No-Limit Hold’em in the PokerGO Cup series, beating out 35 players for a $700,000 score. The following day, in the 23-player $100K NLH series finale, he took a bad beat with pocket aces to bust in fourth place for $230K. That exit meant to win the series’ namesake trophy, he needed Sam Soverel, chip leader at the time, to blow his big advantage. Soverel was kind enough to oblige heads-up against Katz — giving Negreanu the title, the trophy, and a $50K bonus payout, which all added up to just under $1 million for the week.

    (Image: Twitter/Justin_Saliba)

    Justin Saliba
    ‘Jsaliba2’

    NLH Freezeout
    WSOP Online Bracelet Series

    $253,800

    Las Vegas online pro Justin Saliba splashed into our BWOW roundup in a big way, winning his first WSOP gold bracelet in a $5,300 WSOP Online freezeout event on Thursday. Saliba, one of the instructors at pokercoaching.com, scored the largest cash of his career in this high-roller event. He topped a 189-entry field, emerging from a loaded final table that included eventual runner-up Jonathan Dokler, Alex Foxen, Arkadiy Tsinis, and Thomas Boivin among others, to collect bracelet gold. It was Saliba’s fourth cash to date in this ongoing series.

    bad beat grosvenor
    (Image: Grosvenor/Twitter)

    Players at Grosvenor

    National Bad Beat Jackpot
    Grosvenor Casino Southampton

    £165,000
    ($227,241)

    Everyone inside Grosvenor’s poker room was celebrating the misfortune of one player on Tuesday night. Although a murmur of disbelief often ripples through a cardroom when someone takes a bad beat, things were different this week. With Grosvenor running a National Bad Beat Jackpot, cheers went up after one player’s quad fours were beaten by quad sixes. That hand triggered the progressive payout and meant the player who lost with quad fours picked up the lion’s share of the jackpot (£49,500/$68,172). The winner of the hand scooped £24,750 ($34,086) + the pot, and the remaining 262 players at Grosvenor Southampton shared £90,750 ($124,983), which meant they all got £346 each ($477).

    robert galant
    (Image: King’s Resort/Facebook)

    Robert Galant

    Main Event
    European Poker Festival
    King’s Casino Rozvadov

    €113,256
    ($133,693)

    Live tournaments continue to make their return across Europe and, in the latest outing at the continent’s largest poker room, Galant scored his biggest win to date. The Dutchman anted up alongside 1,043 players at King’s Resort late last week. As players exercised their right to re-enter the €500 ($590) EPF Main Event, the final number of buy-ins reached 1,432. With the €500,000 ($590,000) guarantee smashed, Galant put on a volatile display of poker as viewers watched via Tuesday night’s live stream. Despite going from hero to almost zero chips within a 20-minute spell, he regained his composure and secured the win with pocket kings. The victory earned Galant his first major title and a free seat in the €10,350 ($12,200) WSOPE Main Event.

    (Image: Twitter/WynnPoker)

    Simon Levy

    $500 No-Limit Hold’em
    Summer Classic
    The Wynn

    $92,147

    The Wynn put the wraps on its long-running Summer Classic series with a four-day, $500,000 guaranteed event, and Simon Levy from Brooklyn claimed the final winner’s payday of the series. With six starting flights over the first three days, the event drew 2,480 entries, more than doubling its announced guarantee with a $1,054,000 prize pool. Levy had only one recorded cash before taking down this tournament — $362 for a 68th place finish in January 2020 — but he’s since added another $1,200 score in a WSOP Online bracelet series to his growing poker resume.

    alister307 BSOP
    (Image: YouTube/bCp – Poker Replays)

    ‘Alister307’

    Main Event
    Brazil Series of Online Poker
    PokerStars

    $77,556

    He may not have been able to party on the streets of Rio after winning, but Alister307 certainly had something to celebrate on Wednesday night. With COVID-19 forcing PokerStars to host its Brazilian festival online this year, 2,648 entries from around the world anted up in the $215 Main Event. One of those entries was Alister307. Although he now has more than $254,000 in online tournament winnings, the Russian player’s true identity remains unknown. Starting in the middle of the pack, he rose through the ranks to surpass three Brazilians, including João Simão. In the end, A♠ T♦ got it done against Fl0w!36’s A♥ 5♥.

    Daniel Smyth, Haley Hintze, and Jon Sofen all contributed to this report. Know a big winner we missed? tips@cardschat.com

  • Planning a Trip to the World Series of Poker Europe? Here’s What You Need to Know

    Planning a Trip to the World Series of Poker Europe? Here’s What You Need to Know

    The World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) will go ahead in the fall but, with COVID-19 still an issue, everything is subject to change, including the rules regarding travelling players.

    King’s Resort
    Will the World Series of Poker Europe take place as planned at King’s Resort this November? (Image: King’s Resort)

    Plotting any sort of course for the Czech Republic and King’s Resort is tricky, at best. Travel restrictions, proof of vaccination, and outright bans on people entering and exiting certain countries could all dash the hopes of international bracelet hunters.

    Predicting the future is tough at the moment but, in the interest of planning ahead, CardsChat has broken down the rules and restrictions with regard to travel and poker in the Czech Republic. While things remain subject to change depending on the ongoing spread of COVID-19, the current situation means there are some positives and some negatives you need to know.

    What are the COVID-19 restrictions in the Czech Republic?

    The current infection rate in the Czech Republic is low with 216 new cases of COVID-19 reported in a population of 10.6 million as of July 20. There were no recorded deaths on that day, and only one on July 19.

    czech covid cases
    COVID cases remain low in the Czech Republic. (Image: Worldometers)

    As of June 25, 2021, the Ministry of Health set out new rules for entertainment venues where large numbers of people gather. The official document states that indoor events can have a “maximum of 500 people,” and those in attendance must not show any “clinical signs of COVID-19.”

    The rules regarding facemasks and social distancing vary depending on the setting and the number of people in attendance. Facemasks aren’t required in situations where social distancing is possible. If a facemask is required, the law since February 2021 is that it can’t be a “loose cloth” or “homemade.”

    Instead, people are required to wear FFP2 facemasks or an equivalent (e.g. an N95). Failing that, two surgical masks worn simultaneously can be used as a temporary solution.

    The state of play at King’s Resort

    King’s Resort’s poker room, casino floor, hotel, and all of its leisure facilities, including restaurants and the spa, are open. There are few restrictions in place within the facility and facemasks aren’t required, though there are some minimal social distancing measures in place (see tweet below).

    Anyone wanting to visit King’s Resort and, in turn, play in the WSOPE, will have to prove they’re not a health risk. CardsChat spoke to a representative from the Czech casino who explained that customers don’t have to wear a facemask, but they will have to prove they have COVID antibodies.

    “You’ll need a test [to be in the resort],” the representative told us. “An antigen test within 72 hours or a PCR test within one week of your visit is sufficient. Alternatively, you can prove that you’ve been fully vaccinated for at least 14 days, or that you’ve had COVID-19 within the last 180 days.”

    The responsibility is on customers to fulfill one of the above requirements and King’s Resort is providing free antigen tests onsite.

    Playing live poker in the Czech Republic

    Live poker is alive and well in the Czech Republic. In fact, it was one of the first countries in Europe to allow live poker during the initial stages of the pandemic.

    Although casinos have moved in and out of lockdowns since then, things are gradually returning to normal. King’s Resort is currently hosting cash games and tournaments every day of the week.

    Traveling to the Czech Republic

    The Czech Republic’s health officials are constantly updating their travel restrictions. At present, countries are categorized as low, medium, high, very high, and extreme risk.

    Low and medium-risk countries

    If you live in a country that’s classed as low or medium risk, you’ll need to complete a passenger locator form when you land. You’ll also have to provide a negative PCR test before and after arrival. You can see the full list of low and medium-risk countries here.

    Some of the main countries in this category at the time of writing are the US, Canada, Poland, Australia, Norway, Sweden, France, Denmark, Ireland, and Germany.

    High-risk countries

    Anyone arriving from a high or very high-risk country will have to fill in the passenger locator form, provide negative tests before and after arrival, and self-isolate until they receive a second negative test result. The countries currently listed as high and very high risk are Andorra, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Cyprus.

    Extreme risk countries

    Foreign travelers from extreme-risk countries won’t be allowed into the Czech Republic. At the time of writing, the countries on this list were: Botswana, Brazil, Eswatini (Swaziland), India, South Africa, Colombia, Lesotho, Namibia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nepal, Paraguay, Peru, Russia, Tanzania, Tunisia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

    One final point to note is that the UK isn’t on any of the most recent lists. However, advice from the British government states that travel is only permitted for “essential” reasons and that “entry for tourism” isn’t allowed.

    Travel exemptions

    There are exceptions to Czech travel rules, though the passenger locator form is mandatory in all instances. If you have a medical certificate stating that you’ve had COVID-19 within the last 180 days, you won’t need to provide any tests or self-isolate.

    Similarly, if you’re from an EU country and have been fully vaccinated for 14 days or more, you won’t need to test or self-isolate, but you will need a national certificate or the new EU digital COVID pass as proof.

    Be prepared for changes

    Even the best-laid plans can fall apart, particularly during a pandemic. So, while the current rules mean the WSOPE can go ahead between November 19 and December 8, things could change for the better or the worse.

    In addition to changes within the Czech Republic, travel restrictions could also impact your route to the WSOPE and, while things look positive for now, it pays to monitor the situation over the coming weeks and months.

  • Restoring the Empire: How an Iconic London Poker Room is Playing for Pandemic Stakes

    Restoring the Empire: How an Iconic London Poker Room is Playing for Pandemic Stakes

    2020 has seen businesses ravaged by a novel coronavirus and economies pushed to the brink. National lockdowns, social distancing, and a general sense of uncertainty have hit parts of the poker industry hard.

    Empire Casino London
    The Empire Casino in London has reopened their poker room, partially. (Image: Casino Avenue)

    Although online poker sites have flourished, live card rooms have been dealt a bum hand, particularly at casinos in England. As poker rooms across Europe and the world at large were getting back to business, delays and U-turns meant those in England were forced to watch from the rail.

    Genting was the first, and so far, only major casualty of the lockdown. Although the company’s British casinos reopened on Aug. 15, the poker rooms will remain closed for good. The four casinos under the Aspers banner, including Aspers Casino Stratford, are yet to open, but every other major operator in England is now serving customers.

    Pandemic Poker Recovery

    The Empire Casino in London’s Leicester Square reopened a month ago, poker room included. Officials say they are still in the early stages of reopening. They’re running cash games, but not tournaments. No promotions are running and no special packages are available.

    We spoke to Rommel Lapinid, casino manager at the Empire, about the state of play in Londonsince cards got back in the air.

    Empire Casino Poker
    Despite an unforeseen setback, the Empire reopened its poker room with COVID-safe screens in place. (Image: Empire Casino)

    CardsChat: If the lockdown wasn’t challenging enough, how was the government’s last-minute change of heart on reopening dates?

    Rommel Lapinid: Being told we weren’t allowed to open 24 hours before the date previously announced was devastating. A lot of hard work had gone into preparing for an August 1 reopening.  It forced us to lock down the venue and then repeat the preparation process two weeks later.

    CC: Aside from the delay, what were the biggest issues that needed addressing before reopening?

    RL: Social distancing and hygiene were definitely our biggest concern. Logistically, it’s harder to operate, as we’ve had to increase cleaning operations. We’ve also invested heavily in cleaning equipment and PPE. However, we have worked hard in this area to ensure we have made the environment as safe and enjoyable as possible for everyone, so it’s worth the effort.

    Cards Under Quarantine

    There’s currently no consensus on facemasks at the poker table. In certain parts of Europe, including the Czech Republic, they’re not required. However, in Spain and France, they’re mandatory. Across England, rules vary.

    Certain operators, including Grosvenor and the Hippodrome, have said the masks are encouraged, but not required. In contrast, the Empire Casino is part of Caesars Entertainment and, as such, it’s followed the policies of its transatlantic counterparts and made masks mandatory.

    CC: What other safety measures are going on behind-the-scenes that players won’t even notice?

    RL: We have introduced so many other systems beyond the obvious measures things people can see. Dealers sanitize all touchpoints on their changeover, seating positions are wiped down after players leave, and chips are sanitized when they are returned and before we give them out. Customers and staff have their temperatures checked on entry.

    Even cards are quarantined for days before they’re used again. So, basically, even our cards have to self-isolate.

    Empire Casino Poker Sign
    The Empire has some obvious and not so obvious safety measures, including mobile menus and table service. (Image: Empire Casino)

    CC: Based on those measure, do you think normality is possible soon?

    RL: Like many other businesses, these measures have been put in place with the safety of our customers and team members in mind. I wish I knew how long they will stay in place, but the reality is that nobody knows. I hope it’s soon. But, for now, I’d rather have them in place than not.

    Players have been quite receptive and understanding of our changes, and we’ve received some great feedback. They’ve all cooperated because they understand it’s in everybody’s best interest that the safety measures are in place. For a poker player, using a mask has probably made it easier to hide bluffs.

    Appetite for Poker

    Despite the upheaval, poker was thriving at the Empire pre-COVID. As the original home of the World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE), the poker room in the heart of Leicester Square was never short of players, and still isn’t now.

    Empire Casino Poker Table
    The safety measures are as unobtrusive as possible, but Lapinid hopes normality returns soon so that tournaments can restart. (Image: Empire Casino)

    CC: After nearly five months of being shut down, what’s the demand for live poker been like?

    RL: We have obviously had to reduce our capacity to allow for social distancing. So now we have fewer players per table, going down from 10 down to six. This has means we’ve had multiple occasions where we were unable to cope with the demand.

    CC: So, you’re turning cash game players away? What about tournaments? When might they resume?

    RL: Unlike a six or seven-handed cash game where players hardly move from table-to-table, tournaments are a challenge. Our tournaments were very popular, and we really miss having them. They were a huge part of our poker room’s success and we cannot wait until the day we can run them again.

    Poker has been around for hundreds of years. It’s an extremely social game and I’m confident that once social distancing measures relax further, the live poker scene will thrive. There’s nothing like a live game of poker. Playing online just isn’t the same.

  • Chips Fly as Mass Brawl Erupts Inside King’s Casino Rozvadov (VIDEO)

    Chips Fly as Mass Brawl Erupts Inside King’s Casino Rozvadov (VIDEO)

    It’s been all smiles since betting resumed inside King’s Casino Rozvadov, but tempers flared this week during the final stages of the Balkan Poker Circuit main event.

    King’s Casino Rozvadov
    Players scattered when a mass brawl occurred inside WSOPE host venue, King’s Casino Rozvadov. (Image: Twitter/@PokerroomKings)

    Video footage uploaded to YouTube shows scenes of chaos as a group of men fought with fists, chairs, and anything else they could grab.

    Eyewitness reports say security was on hand to break up the fight almost as soon as it started. Before they could stop the fracas, players and chips were sent flying as those involved went on extreme tilt.

    Fists Fly Inside King’s Casino

    The cause of the fight remains unclear. Prior to the chaos, more than 2,000 entries had been collected in the €175/$197 main event. A regular at King’s said the violent incident (see video above) happened just a meter from where he was sitting.

    “As if out of nowhere, a player got up and hit another player in the head five times or more. The blood is spattered all over the table. The victim fell over and the offender continued to hit him,” the spectator, “heizmaullui,” wrote on 2+2.

    Onlookers were quick to get out of the way before a second fight broke out and security stepped in.

    “Four other players fought with each other. After that, the security team arrested the offender,” the eyewitness wrote online.

    King’s Casino Rozvadov is regarded as one of the leading poker venues in the world. In addition to high-stakes cash games and tournaments, it’s been home of the WSOP Europe since 2017. The hospitality extended to players, including pros, has made it a firm favorite with WSOPE regulars.

    Like casinos around the world, King’s was forced to close in March due to COVID-19. It was allowed to reopen in May after lockdown restrictions in the Czech Republic were eased. After almost four weeks of compulsory facemasks and social distancing, King’s started to offer poker in June.

    With the Czech Republic’s daily COVID-19 infection rate as low as 25, masks are no longer required. As such, poker tournaments have resumed, but things were far from harmonious during the Balkan Poker Circuit main event.

    Tempers Flare at All Levels in Poker

    The latest incident is a bad look for the players involved. However, it’s not the first time a fight has taken place at the poker table. When hundreds of people are packed into a poker room and tensions run high, anything can happen.

    In 2019, a low-stakes tournament in Scottsdale Arizona descended into chaos when one man was escorted from the table (see video below).

    When Jonathan ‘Red Beard’ Bloyen took offense to the advances of someone he’d just won $40,000 from, things got ugly (see video below).

    It’s not only in the shadows where poker fights break out. During the 2006 WSOP, Australian pro Jeff Lisandro threatened to take Prahlad Friedman’s “head off” during a dispute about antes (see video below).

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_1jn6YQUHg

    The latest poker room showdown is just another flash in the pan. King’s Casino took care of the matter as quickly as possible and, at the time of writing, it was business as usual with live streams and cash games running without a hitch.

  • Roger Hairabedian Shows His Poker Face at King’s Casino During Mask-Less High-Roller Victory

    Roger Hairabedian Shows His Poker Face at King’s Casino During Mask-Less High-Roller Victory

    Roger Hairabedian played his way to victory in the first King’s Casino Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) high-roller tournament since the casino reopened for business.

    Roger Hairabedian
    Roger Hairabedian won the first high roller at King’s Casino Rozvadov since it reopened. (Image: Facebook/King’s Casino)

    The $2,500 buy-in tournament kicked off on Saturday with 60 entrants. Six 30-minute levels were enough to whittle the field down to just a handful of players inside the Czech casino.

    Jan-Peter Jachtmann was out in front at the start of Day 2, but he was soon usurped by Hairabedian. The Frenchman seized the momentum early on Sunday and used it to dominate the finale.

    PLO Pros Dominate at King’s Casino

    With Hairabedian on the ascent, Jachtmann’s descent continued. The 2012 WSOP PLO bracelet winner eventually hit the rail in 12th place after his top pair was bested by Christian Stratmeyer’s two pair.

    At this point, Stratmeyer and Hairabedian took control. The latter eliminated Saeed Rehman and Pedjman Hamie to take the tournament down to eight. Those eliminations also gave the Hairabedian the chip lead; a position he never relinquished.

    With only seven players getting paid, the final table was tense. When Jonas Kronwitter took out short stack Hassan Mattout, the chips began to flow. More importantly, they began to flow in Hairabedian’s direction.

    With a PLO bracelet from the 2012 WSOPE in his collection, the Frenchman is used to playing four-card holdings at the highest level. This experience showed as he eliminated five of the final six players.

    Hairabedian Completes Whitewash

    In the end, Stratmeyer couldn’t stop, let alone slow, Hairabedian. Although he cracked Hairabedian’s aces to double up, the title was only going one way. A full house put Hairabedian in a commanding position before a straight sealed the deal.

    Stratmeyer committed the remainder of his stack with A♦ 7♦ 6♠ 5♠. Hairabedian matched the bet with K♦ K♣ Q♠ T♦ and it was off to the flop. Q♥ 2♥ J♦ made Hairabedian an overwhelming favorite. The A♠ put the win beyond any doubt before the 9♣ completed the board.

    That pot gave Hairabedian the King’s Casino PLO High-Roller title and took his lifetime earnings beyond $5 million.

    $2,500 King’s Casino Rozvadov PLO High-Roller Result

    1 – Roger Hairabedian – $45,249

    2 – Christian Stratmeyer – $32,677

    3 – Eric Lescot – $20,828

    4 – Harry Casagrande – $15,800

    5 – Andreas Bremer – $12,209

    6 – Jonas Kronwitter – $9,336

    7 – Ossama Khamis – $7,541

    European Poker Bouncing Back

    The latest action from King’s might not be noteworthy under normal circumstances, but these are special times for poker. King’s Casino Rozvadov is one of the first major poker venues in Europe to reopen since COVID-19 restrictions were put in place.

    Following an initial selection of cash games, the sound of riffling chips has slowly started to echo around the venue. Significantly, players are free to play without face masks or plexiglass screens at the table.

    Notable pros such as Bertrand Grospellier and Tony G (see tweet above) have already taken advantage of these conditions, as have many others. The PLO higher roller beat its $111,000 guarantee by a comfortable margin, which suggests poker players aren’t concerned about a second wave of COVID-19.

    With the Czech Republic’s daily infection rate as low as 42 in recent days, there is hope the WSOPE can return later this year. Although the summer series has been moved online, the European offshoot typically takes place in October.

    Officials haven’t made any announcements yet, but King’s Casino currently has a number of WSOPE tickets up for grabs in its forthcoming tournaments. This could be a sign that the event will go ahead in some capacity.

    Whatever the next few months have in store, live tournament poker is currently alive and well in Europe.

  • Inquest Hears Satnav Failure Led to WSOPE Crash that Killed Emma Fryer

    Inquest Hears Satnav Failure Led to WSOPE Crash that Killed Emma Fryer

    An inquest into the death of British poker pro Emma Fryer has returned a verdict of death by road traffic collision.

    Emma Fryer poker
    An inquest into a 2017 incident involving British poker pro Emma Fryer has concluded it was death by road traffic collision. (Image Stoke Sentinel)

    Reviewing the 2017 incident, coroner Peter Sigee heard testimony from Fryer’s family. Detailing the reason her daughter was in the Czech Republic, Sheila Waring said the rising star was “riding a rich vein of form.”

    Satnav Issues Contributed to Emma Fryer Death

    Fryer was attending the World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) after winning £47,500/$63,000 inside UK card room Dusk Till Dawn. Buoyed by that result, the Stoke-on-Trent native left her job to focus on poker full-time.

    The WSOPE was to be her breakout event but tragedy struck after the car she was riding in collided with a concrete post.

    In a testimony provided to the coroner, driver David Nelson said the pair left Kings Casino Rozvadov and headed back to their accommodation. Using the satnav on his phone, he recalls the fog was thick as they merged onto the highway.

    “While driving, I saw a sign for a roundabout, but there was no warning from my satnav, so I hit the brakes. The car skidded around about 180 degrees and we hit a lamppost,” explained Nelson.

    Neither occupant died on impact and Nelson told the inquest that he passed two alcohol breathalyzer tests as the scene.

    “The front windscreen was cracked and Emma was leaning on her airbag complaining that her nose was bleeding. A man passing by helped us out of the car and he spoke a little bit of English,” Nelson continued.

    Fryer died from her injuries three days later and Nelson was subsequently charged with the local equivalent of death by careless driving.

    Community Pays Tribute to Poker Queen

    Upon receiving legal advice, Nelson isn’t seeking to appeal the conviction and the case has been marked as resolved. In the UK, the incident will go down as “death by road traffic collision” following the March 13 inquest.

    Inquests are designed to establish the facts of a case and establish how a death occurred. These hearings don’t necessarily lead to a prosecution and, in this instance, the matter will now be put to rest.

    For the family and those close to Fryer, clarity over the cause of death will provide some comfort.

    As it often does, the poker community has since railed round in support of their own. In the same way US players have hosted memorial events for Chad Brown, British pros organized a poker tournament in honor of Fryer.

    Taking place at Stoke’s Genting Casino, the 2018 event was a chance for the community to pay its respects to a player affectionally known as the “Poker Queen.”