Whatever it is that prompted 555 souls to come to Vienna and create the largest WPT field in the history of Europe, every single one of them are glad they came.
Maybe it was down to the efforts of the Montesino Cardroom. With three bars, two lounges, about four different poker areas and a beautiful outdoor patio all sprawled across the top floor of a peopled shopping zone, the Montesino is frankly just a very nice place to be.
It’s the kind of place where all the nineteen year old young guns felt quite comfortable setting up their laptops and grinding away the Sunday majors after busting out of the WPT main event. It’s the kind of place where a large group was sitting around telling stories at the bar and playing one card schmuck poker for nothing other than fun.
It’s the kind of place where someone is sticking in 5000 euros before the flop in the Pot Limit Omaha game with a 2-3-9-10 and not giving it a second thought. It’s twenty-five cash games all going at the one time. It’s good beer in a tall thin glass where the pretzels are free. The Wienerschnitzel spills over the plate and every poker manager will try to learn your name. The Montesino is the kind of place where it’s fun to play poker again.
Show 33 (March 28) from WPT Vienna is online now! Click the play button to listen:
[podcast]http://www.thepokershowlive.com/media/mp3/223.mp3[/podcast] Prefer to download? Right click here and Save As.
And everybody must have known, because they’ve all showed up. There’s a couple crews from the UK, a bunch of traveling Irish, a posse of Swedes, and a boatload of Russians.
A dozen Americans have flown in from left field, and everyone who’s anybody has driven down from Berlin. The sides of the casino are properly shaking in twelve different languages and the whole scene is buzzing twenty-four seven. “I’d much rather be here than Vegas,” an old Danish Pro told me, and I knew exactly what he means.
That kind of action can be very addicting
In between all the fun and the beer that was a very late night around the bar, I managed to meet up with someone I’m sure is the next big thing. Although at just eighteen years old, the Justin Bieber of poker has already made more than a bit of noise.
Also Per Linde, a fixture this year deep in European events, is on the move again fresh after a six figure cash in Copenhagen. And would you believe Dragan Galic built another monster stack? Only this time I found someone to tell me Dragan’s story from another perspective!
One of the reasons so many players have made the trip here from so many countries is because the Vienna WPT is not a one and done. After a week in Vienna almost everybody here is taking the free shuttle bus to Bratislava, and then many are continuing on to Berlin. It’s a perfect three weeks of poker with full on tournaments, cash games, and high rolling action.
The best part about this is that you can see it for yourself. Because for the first time ever, the WPT final table is streaming live, complete with hole cards. Quite simply, this is the way poker was meant to be watched.
The action starts tomorrow, Tuesday, at 1:30 CET, where you can see every card and every hand along with myself and Mike Sexton in what is sure to be a multinational final table with some big names and big games from the European tour.
While you’re watching, there will be a $1000 freeroll to play along with on Party Poker that is only available to those tuning in. Mike and I will be giving the password for the freeroll out during the broadcast.
In addition, we’ll have the bonus code for an exclusive $100 reload bonus only available to those tuning in. Should be a big day in Vienna tomorrow and the fun has only just begun. If you’ve never watched a live final table complete with hole cards, be forewarned. That kind of action can be very addicting.
Show 33 (March 28) from WPT Vienna is online now! Click the play button to listen:
[podcast]http://www.thepokershowlive.com/media/mp3/223.mp3[/podcast] Prefer to download? Right click here and Save As.
