Grosvenor UK Poker Tour 2007

Posted by Adam "Snoopy" Goulding 20/05/07

While many cynics have for the last few years been predicting the end of the poker boom, the explosion continues to erupt in the UK, the Grosvenor UK Poker Tour in particular proving that poker remains one of the country's favourite pastimes.

Kicking off in Bolton in January, the GUKPT, in association with Blue Square Poker, provides affordable buy-ins for a huge three-figure payout. And if you don't consider the £1,000 entry fee «affordable », then there are seemingly endless satellites being run in Grosvenor Casinos across the county, an aspect that, along with the £13,000 added money and televised TV table, is perhaps accounting for the chunky numbers that the Tour has enjoyed thus far.

Just two events in, and the Tour has already been an unquestionable success, each event destined to sell out quicker than the last. As a result of the high levels of interest, Grosvenor have chosen to make all their GUKPT Events throughout the year 4-dayers, in order to cater for the huge waiting lists whilst simultaneously ensuring that the players enjoy a good blind and clock structure.

The last stop, Walsall, squeezed in an impressive 360 players, which created a mouth-watering £360,000 prizepool and a first prize of £111,600. Once the dust had settled and the smoke had cleared, it was online shark and former Amsterdam Classics' finalist, Jerome Bradpiece, who took down top honours, fending off a final table that included big names in European poker such as Joe «The Elegance» Beevers and Peter «The Bandit» Evans.

What struck me as most illuminating about the Tour was the professionalism to which Grosvenor and Blue Square approached the event. From the emphatic marketing to the razzmatazz of the televised final, everything seemed a class above what had previously been witnessed in British poker. This was a «big» event, and every step possible was taken to ensure that everyone knew that this was the tournament to play.

If there were any queries, then they were directed toward the structure, which towards the end of Day 2 threatened to turn into bedlam with players complained left, right and centre about the blinds being too big compared to the average chip stacks, thus making flops a complete rarity. However, this problem only occurred during one or two levels, and, although many have suggested the removal of a couple of the earlier levels, I firmly believe that it is a mere case of fine-tuning the existing ones. What must be said, however, is that the final table structure was near perfect, Jonathan Raab of Blue Square opting to move the blinds back and freeze the antes, a decision that led to a lengthy, but fair final table in which luck was minimised and the best man on the day took the title, which, when you're playing for the big money, is what everyone wants to ultimately see.

At the time of writing, Grosvenor are bracing themselves for their third event in Cardiff, a venue which is due to expect similarly high numbers. After witnessing the events in Bolton and Walsall, I am almost 100 per cent certain that the event in Cardiff will be just as successful, and that the winner will have thoroughly deserved his or her accolades.

What I do hope to see in Cardiff is an influx of foreign interest. It may not be the €5,000 entry fee of the EPT, but we're talking pounds here, and 100,000 plus quid remains a lot of Euros for first prize, whether you're an amateur or seasoned pro. Also, due to the vast number of satellite qualifiers, the ripeness of the field may be too much for our fellow Europeans to resist. Speaking to the likes of Henning Granstad, Tim Gillig and Rolf Woods, foreign interest is rising, which can only be a good thing for British Poker.

Having said this, there are some minor concerns, one of which is the inexperience of some of the smaller venues and the potential for interest to wane due to the vast number of events being staged throughout the year. Locations such as Plymouth and Newcastle are severely unacquainted with events of this magnitude, which is probably why they have sensibly been placed near the tail end of the schedule. However, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so we'll see if they're up to the task when their time arrives.

It's not just the Grosvenor chain who are confirming the UK's rightful position on the poker map, as Gala Casino are similarly joining the poker bandwagon with their Great British Poker Tour. Not receiving the same attention as the GUKPT, but maxing out their venues nonetheless, the GBPT has proven that «this town is big enough for the two of us» with their inaugural event in Ed inburgh, Scotland, enjoying positive reports from all who attended, if only for the presence of model and Liberty X singer, Michelle Heaton, who is inexplicably fronting the Tour.

What these two Tours have shown is that although still in their early days, poker in Britain is as popular as ever and shows no signs of fading away. Poker may not be the newest fad around anymore, but it has staying power that many activities lack. In that sense, poker in England is not a passing fashion, but a rediscovered hobby that the English people have a genuine passion for. If that passion remains, which I fully expect it will, then there's no reason why these wellorganised events can't continue to prosper.