Binion’s Gambling Hall and Hotel in downtown Las Vegas and Poker Player Newspaper have come up with an innovative international poker championship which is sure to catch the imagination of the poker community, organising a clash between poker dealers from companies around the world.
A company spokesman said that the inspiration for the championship lies in the fact that many of today’s top poker pros – Johnny Chan, Scott Fischman, Mike Matusow and Layne Flack to name a few – started out as dealers and developed their love of the game and their skills from that very useful base, which offers a unique opportunity to study the tricks of the trade used by the world’s ace players.
It prompted Binions and Poker Player Newspaper to set up an inaugural series of events which will take place at Binion’s over the 24-28 September this year under the banner “World Poker Dealer Championships”. Each event will carry a $1,000 buy-in, covering several poker forms including Limit Hold’Em, No-Limit Hold’Em, Omaha Hi/Lo and 7-Card Stud.
Competitors are in line for some major cash prizes – the organisers say that 97 percent of the entry fees in the prize pool will be allocated to the four games scheduled.
Poker Player Newspaper publisher Stanley Sludikoff emphasised that the event would be exclusive and international: “All casinos and public card rooms worldwide are invited to send one official representative for each game,” he said. “They must be currently working at the club and have been a dealer there for at least six months.”
It will be a good publicity opportunity for the casinos that send their dealers to compete, too – players will compete “for the honour of their clubs” and will be allowed to wear the uniforms and name badges of their employers. It is hoped that the championship will have sufficient impact to warrant making it an annual competition.