If you are a professional poker fan that has only ever experienced the World Series of Poker by watching the tournament unfold through a mobile or television screen, you may have wondered how it feels to experience poker’s most coveted event by attending in-person. It can be difficult to get professional poker players to reveal everything there is to know about the tournament from a first-hand perspective but by assessing the environment of the ggpoker World Series of Poker, you can uncover how it changes the ways in which a number of low and high stake games unfold on stage.

The Environment Of The WSOP And How That Changes The Games
The Environment Of The WSOP And How That Changes The Games Unsplash

The physical location

In 1970, the World Series of Poker held its first tournament at the Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, and, in the years that followed, has relocated to King’s Casino, Binion’s Gambling Hall and Casino, Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino, and, as of this year, Bally’s and Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. If you possess a basic knowledge and understanding of poker, you may be aware that the U.S. state is the unofficial home of the game and, as a result, is usually home to thousands of poker players and fans at any given time looking to experience the sights and sounds of some of the planet’s best brick and mortar casinos and poker rooms. It, therefore, has been known to trigger something of a domino effect with professional poker players soaking up their surroundings and exhibiting career-best performances whilst at the tournament’s tables.

The spectators

It is a widespread belief when it comes to a wide range of sports that spectators can make or break the final outcome of a match and professional poker is no different. If you are only accustomed to playing poker from the comfort of your own home and have yet to show off your skills in front of a crowd, it may not necessarily come as a surprise to learn that a live audience can spur on professional poker players. In doing so, the crowd encourages them to show off the world-class skills that led to them climbing the ranks and sitting at the top of their game in the first place. It has also led to a number of professional poker players dressing up in a comedic costume during their entrance into the venue at which they are due to play to trigger a reaction from the crowd and even distract their opponents ahead of a highly anticipated match.

The opponents

If you have a successful history of playing professional poker against some of the game’s most famous faces online, facing off to them in person is a completely different experience. It may encourage the vast majority of professional poker players to up their game and aim for a career-best performance but it can also trigger greater levels of fear and intimidation which can ultimately lead to a less-than-perfect performance on the day. It is one of the main reasons why most professional poker players tend to stick to either online poker or traditional poker as opposed to switching between both forms of the game as this can allow them to formulate a strategy that works for them during every match.

In the wider world of professional poker, the World Series of Poker is arguably the game’s most coveted tournament. It attracts thousands of professional poker players as well as fans every year with the event’s physical location, the spectators present, and worthy opponents having a substantial impact on how a number of games are played.