Tournanment Trail

As the European poker circuit beings to wind down ahead of the annual exodus to Las Vegas for the World Series of Poker, it is worth remembering how far we have come in a few short years.

Taking the WSOP as its lead, trailblazers like John Duthie and his European Poker Tour and Paddy Power Poker with its stewardship of a reinvigorated Irish Open are examples of the best Europe has to offer in terms of live poker.

Witness recent record numbers at the Grosvenor UK Poker Tour Walsall, EPT Copenhagen, Ladbrokes Irish Poker Festival, PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, and the B_elgium Poker Championship_.

Amidst gloomy times it is heartening to see such a strong and competitive market place, and particularly, a cohesive and tangible social network continue to blossom across the continent.

With EPT San Remo and EPT Monte Carlo effectively putting a full stop on the Euro circuit until August and all eyes turning to Vegas, here’s hoping we can replicate last year’s successes which saw bracelets shipped to Germany (3), Italy (2), Russia, Netherlands, Denmark, Ireland, France, and Belgium.

Only time will tell if Europe turns up another World Champion like it did last year with Dane Peter Eastgate, but Card Player Poker + Sport and CardPlayerEurope.com will be there every step of the way bringing all that’s best from the World Series to you, our loyal readers.

The Road Less Travelled

Poker players have long travelled the length and breadth of Europe in search of action, and out of the boom in the early part of this decade sprung a well-worn trail – Dublin, London, Barcelona, Prague, Copenhagen, Paris, and Monte Carlo.

All very fine locations to visit, shop, relax, sight-see, and above all, play poker. But, driven by a deep seated human instinct, we are all drawn to new experiences.
And so it is on the poker circuit. Things are changing and new cities and venues are springing up to offer a glimpse of other ways of life and cultures.

Later this year we will welcome to the tournament trail Marrakesh, Morocco and Venice, Italy (World Poker Tour), Varna, Bulgaria (European Masters of Poker), and Calahonda, Spain (Betfred Ladies Poker Tour), as well as the return of Killarney and Cork, Ireland (Ladbrokes Irish Poker Festival and Macau Sporting Club Irish Poker Classic), and a host of new plush hotel venues in London (London Poker Circuit).

Added to that the fact that we are soon promised poker outside of casinos in France, and the adventurous rounder has a whole new circuit to discover.

So if the recession is getting you down and you want to escape for a while but don’t fancy hitting a regular stop on the well-worn trail, pack your bags and go discover something and somewhere new. Good luck at the tables fellow travelers.