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It's happening in London - the World Series of Poker Europe (better known just as WSOPE).
London is the centre of the poker universe, writes Timothy Barber of Citi. The four events making up the WSOPE will be followed at the start of October by the London leg of the European Poker Tour, with Virgin's Poker Festival at the City's own Loose Cannon club wedged in between.
The WSOPE is the headline event, however, taking place for the second time after a successful debut a year ago, Barber points out.
19-year old Norwegian and online prodigy Annette Obrestrad perhaps did for the World Series of Poker Europe what Chris Moneymaker did for the original World Series of Poker in Vegas....He made it into a household brand and the event has grown dramatically in size year after year, except there was a downturn in 2007 - the same year the WSOPE debuted due to a new law that essentially made it illegal for banks to process payments for online poker rooms in the States (the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act).
John Tabatabai, a Welsh player who was runner up to Obrestrad last year, explained to the City paper why trying to win a bracelet in London is a little different to the Vegas experience.
"In Vegas, where you get thousands of players in a tournament, there's a lot of dead money, bad players who get hold of a lot of chips," he says. "Here, with a smaller field largely made up of great players, the poker is top quality and if anything it's more prestigious."
Up to 500 players will take part in the 2008 WSOPE whereas some 6000 plus took part in the World Series of Poker in Vegas this summer. Incidentally, the WSOP final will take place and televised almost live this November for the first time ever, a move that could even help to generate more interest in the WSOPE next year.
The WSOPE consists of just four events - the £1,500 No Limit Hold'Em, £2,500 H.O.R.S.E, £5,000 Pot Limit Omaha and the £10,000 No Limit Hold'Em World Championship (see box for game descriptions).
"London is one of the great poker destinations," says Betfair's UK head of poker, Ben Fried. "It's the epicentre of the European poker market just as Vegas is for America."
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Ace King, Gambling911.com
