Memoir by SharmaJI

Posted by Naman Sharma on 2023-04-04 at 7:56 PM

After busting two recently found bankrolls, I was sure I needed to do something differently (mostly bankroll management errors and skill overestimation). I consider myself one of those ‘feel-players’ who know very few technical details about the game, but my love for poker is such that I keep bouncing back somehow.

Working for PokerGuru and seeing the journey of numerous poker enthusiasts and pros, I’ve sometimes been envious and uncertain. However, it has also been one of my biggest motivations to persevere despite losing considerable money.

I was on top of the world after scoring a career-best payday (3rd in PokerStars India’s Master Minds [8-Max] for ₹89,125) in November 2022, and it was smooth sailing for some time. January and February were drastic months for me as one thing led to another, and I went bust before realizing it.

On the other hand, March was a harbinger of new opportunities. Although I have much to learn, I was asked to stream for PokerGuru under the ‘SharmaJI’ moniker, one of the most exciting challenges I’ve ever been issued.

On March 30, right after reaching the PokerGuru HQ, the usual work continued, with everyone pitching in for the Daily Majors report. I was writing about a few of the ongoing NPS and ITM events, wondering when I would get to take down an event.

Around 6 PM, I started grinding on PokerStars, playing the ₹375 buy-in, ₹50K GTD Super Stack PKO 8-Max. Only fifteen minutes into the event, I busted out once, and in hope and desperation, I fired my second bullet, which did the trick for me. Moving one step at a time, I was doing everything quite cautiously and built a decent stack before the close of late registration. The next step was to wait for the money bubble to burst, which was a task. Somehow, I reached the money and entered the final table as one of the shorter stacks.

On the FT, I worked my way up before a misclick of folding pocket aces once. Lady luck smiled upon me, and I found a double-up with pocket jacks. The game continued, and at the time of three-handed play, I was again the shortest stack before jamming jack-eight suited (diamonds) from the button and finding a double-up from another runner who held ace-king suited (spades). After that, I had the chip lead; from then on, it seemed like a cakewalk. I eventually shipped the tournament for ₹12,154.

What made March 30 even more memorable was my getting to the final table of two more PokerStars India tourney’s ₹1 Lakh Gtd Ultrasonic (4th for ₹7,754) & Late Night Last Chance [Hyper-Turbo] (4th for ₹1,089).

This is a start, and I feel blessed to be part of a community that is so supportive when at the end of the day, we are all competing against each other at the tables.

Also, a big shoutout to all who have been tuning into my streams. I hope to see you all on my next stream very soon.

Calling all Garth Brooks & country music fans! 🎸 Join us at Ute Mountain Casino Hotel in the Event Center for TWO nights only on August 11th & 12th, 2023 at 8PM to witness the incredible performance of The Garth Guy Concert! 🤠🎤

Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to see the busiest and most experienced Garth Brooks tribute artist in the world, live on stage.

The Garth Guy tribute band, led by Dean Simmons, has been honoring the music of Garth Brooks since 1994. Known for their appearances on AXS TV’s World’s Greatest Tribute Bands and Legends in Concert, they recreate the energy and excitement of a live Garth Brooks concert.

Rally your crew, mark your calendars, and we’ll see you for a night of great country music!

The Saturday performance is FREE!

Ahh, Thanksgiving. There’s nothing more mouth-watering than some savory Turkey, buttery mashed potatoes, and flavorful stuffing, with a side of…McDonald’s Big Macs? While cooking a Thanksgiving feast remains a beloved American tradition, an unexpected alternative is sizzling in the back grill. Due to the rising inflation, 84% of Americans are turning to the fast food lanes to cut back on holiday costs, and it’s leaving its mark at the Thanksgiving table.

To savor the Thanksgiving spirit, we took a deep dive into the sizzling world of fast food to uncover the most visited drive-thru lanes on Thanksgiving and motivations behind the culinary shift. We conducted a Google Trends analysis to find the most sought after fast food chain, for a state-by-state breakdown; and surveyed 2,000 Americans to unveil the reasons behind their turkey to “finger lickin’ good” fast food swap. 

Key findings:

• McDonald’s reigns as America’s #1 Thanksgiving take-out order, according to 16 states 
• Wendy’s is the second most-searched fast food chain during Thanksgiving, winning the hearts of six states
• Burger King is the third most sought after to-go Thanksgiving meal, nationwide 
• The #1 reason Americans are swapping traditional Thanksgiving meals for fast food is due to laziness (21.7%)

McDonald’s the new Thanksgiving meal? America is lovin’ it

Whether you’re looking to cut back on grocery costs or craving a speedy, hassle-free meal to complement your Thanksgiving festivities, here’s what the nation plans to munch on this holiday. 

“Ba da ba ba ba, I’m lovin’ it,” echoes from 16 states across the nation as McDonald’s is the #1 top-searched fast food chain on Thanksgiving. While McDonald’s doesn’t serve juicy turkey or delicious stuffing, they’ll still satisfy your cravings. You can easily swap out the turkey for a tasty burger of your choice, mashed potatoes for crispy french fries or hash browns, and dessert for their classic baked apple pies. Ronald McDonald’s got your back this Thanksgiving holiday! 

Where’s the turkey beef? Wendy’s clinches the silver medal as the second most googled fast food chain for the big holiday, according to six states. As the Thanksgiving fast food frenzy is an unconventional twist, what better way to embrace this new trend than with Wendy’s famous squared burgers? Top it off with a Pumpkin Spice Frosty to really encapsulate the fall spirit.

Hopping on the untraditional bandwagon, five other states embrace the “have it your way” slogan by Burger King as it’s the third most popular fast food chain, as per our Google Trends analysis. With the famous BK combo, you can quite literally “build your own Thanksgiving meal.” So, why not eat like a king this Thanksgiving, by whop-ping out the turkey for the signature Whopper? 

KFC’s “finger lickin’ good” chains caught the taste buds of three states, making it the fourth most popular chain for the Thanksgiving holiday. But the competition really sizzles with In-N-Out, Bojangles and Popeyes sharing a three-way tie for fifth place, nationwide. 

Meanwhile, in sixth, is a six-way tie featuring Jack in the box, Wawa, Domino’s, White Castle, Whataburger, and Papa John’s. What a mouthwatering medley of options to have this Thanksgiving! 

Why Americans are opting for fast food on Thanksgiving

Out with the stuffing, in with the fries! But why are Americans skipping the turkey for the everyday convenience of fast food? We dished out a survey to 2,000 Americans to spill the tea on this sizzling trend.

Approximately 21.7% of our respondents confessed to being too lazy, when it comes to cooking a grand Thanksgiving meal for their friends and/or family. Following closely behind, another 20.4% don’t have the time to prepare a traditional turkey dinner. Given how most households spend the entire day cooking up a storm, this comes as no surprise! 

Another 17.8% skip the holiday all together, but celebrate their love for fast food instead. 15.8% find it cheaper to buy take-out, while 7.9% deem fast food as less food waste. Additionally, 5.9% have plans to travel during the holiday. 

However, 10.5% of respondents cooked-up ‘other’ reasons. Some answers shared were: “just trying something different this year,” “family will be out of town,” and “we get takeout every year, as there’s just the two of us and it’s more relaxing.” Who knew you could have a relaxing Thanksgiving! 

It’s clear that Americans’ love convenience and fast food, according to our study. So, whether you’re feeling a bit lazy, miles away from family, or looking to spice up your Thanksgiving traditions this year, why not give the Thanksgiving turkey some competition by driving to your closest fast-food chain this holiday? 

Methodology 

To find the most searched fast food chain, we used Google Trends to analyze the search volumes for ‘fast food’ chains in the week leading up to Thanksgiving day in 2022.

We also conducted a nationwide survey of 2,000 U.S. residents in November 2023, to discover their reasons behind the Thanksgiving meal swap. The average age of respondents was 38.2 years old. The representative sample comprised of 56.0% female, 41.5% male, 2.1% non-binary, 0.3% transgender, and 0.1% other. 

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Las Vegas – Casino Security in downtown Las Vegas responded to a report of a suspicious subject – a female dressed like a nun. Normally, we would not give this a second thought. How can a nun be suspicious? Well, this “nun” was seen contacting multiple male patrons asking if they want to “hang out” in her room. One guy said he thought she was a prostitute. DUH!!!

YES YOU CAN EAT WITH YOUR HANDS!!

The Tournament of Kings is the ultimate dinner and show experience in Vegas according to the folks at the Excalibur Hotel. If you like to eat with your hands, who doesn’t, and like horses, this is your jam. Adapted from the tale of King Arthur, this live-action production takes place in a 900-seat theater-in-the-round. Valiant knights ride mighty steeds and prove their chivalry amongst special effects and pyrotechnics.

That’s the blurb from the PR people, not my words just in case you though I was going all medieval. While knights fight, guests feast on a hearty dinner using their hands. We have been to the Tournament of Kings a few times, and while the food AIN’T Michelin Star quality, it ain’t too bad. If you have any food allergies or dietary issues, make sure the call at least fours hours prior to show. If you have any questions, just think of me as your Knight in shining armor

A LATTE AT STABUCKS OR A TICKET TO A MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES GAME???

Ja Morant is arguably the most electric player in the NBA, but unfortunately, he will not be on the floor for the Grizzlies until he serves his 25 game suspension. That could be one of the reasons why the Grizz have started the season at 1-6. So, no Ja and a lousy team means you can get into a Memphis home game for around $4.00. Just don’t bring your car, because parking costs like $30 bucks. If anyone wants to meet me in Memphis, we can do Graceland in the afternoon and you can meet me at the FedExForum in the evening. I just bought the ENTIRE upper section for $128 bones!

LOX & BAGELS!!!

Another winner for fans of the LOX, pushing the record over the last two months to 7-2. Looking to hit the 80% mark this week, gonna drop some cash on Louisville over Virginia. Not thrilled about laying 20 points, but man, the ‘Ville is a MONSTER at home. They have won TEN in a row and if you’re sitting, have outscored the opposition, 181-51. And the last two games have been even more impressive, with a 34-3 destruction of Virginia Tech and a 23-0 bagel against Duke.

The Cardinal are averaging 40+ points at home while Virginia has allowed the most points of any team in the ACC. To say that Louisville QB Jack Plummer has been accurate would be an enormous understatement. Last week, against Virginia Tech, Plummer was 11 of 12 for 92%. The Cavaliers QB situation is shaky because the starter, Tony Muskett, will NOT play. That leaves the job in the hands of freshman Anthony Colandrea, and that’s a problem. Yea Virginia beat North Carolina and Miami back in October, but that was WITH Muskett firing bullets. With nine days to rest before heading to Miami for a critical showdown, expect Louisville to show no mercy and walk off with an easy breezy 30 point W.   

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Benjamin Eckstein is a nationally syndicated sportswriter/oddsmaker. His column, America’s Line, with the Ecks & Bacon appetizer, has run in the New York Daily News and over 100 other papers since 1988. You can follow him online at www.americasline.com. He is beloved by most, when he picks winners, and detested by others, when he picks the occasional loser. If you wanna piece of Eck, hit his [email protected].

There’s no bigger name in North American sports betting right now than James “Mattress Mack” McIngvale, a 72-year-old furniture magnate based in Houston, TX.

Mack famously won a jaw-dropping payout of US $76 million on a 2022 World Series bet in which he picked his hometown Astros to beat the Philadelphia Phillies. It set a record for the biggest payout in US sports betting history.

And that was just one wager in a series of attention-grabbing multimillion-dollar bets he’s placed in recent years. He wins big, but he also loses big – and in the process, he’s shown a keen understanding of his own risk-taking nature. That’s why this famous bettor has gone on record saying he’s happy that local gambling restrictions help to keep his impulsiveness in check.

Mattress Mack’s Millions

Born into a sports-loving family, Mattress Mack played college football himself before graduating and being bitten by the entrepreneurial bug.

In 1981, he opened the first of what would become a chain of successful furniture stores under the name Gallery Furniture. In fact, decades of appearances in TV commercials promoting these stores – specifically, the mattresses they sell – is what eventually led locals to give him his alliterative nickname, which then naturally became his handle in the sports betting world.

With his stores eventually bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue – his salary as of 2023 is a reported $30 million – Mack became rich by any common understanding of the word.

He’s cleverly leveraged much of the money he’s won betting on sports to promote his business. When he won his record-breaking bet, a good chunk of that huge payout ended up going to his customers to honour a promotion to refund mattress purchases if he won the bet. It’s safe to assume many Houston mattress buyers likely had the best sleep of their lives the night he won.

Know Thyself, and Play Safe

Of course, like all gamblers, Mack doesn’t always win. He’s had not just cold streaks but collapses that would bankrupt most people, including a lengthy stretch during the 2021-22 football season that cost him millions.

But he understands his impulsive personality. He has even gone on record stating that he’s happy he needs to travel out of state in order to legally place most wagers. Texas doesn’t allow sports betting, so he drives to Louisiana, and Mack claims the time and distance involved both serve to help “limit those impulses” to wager on whatever strikes his fancy.

If, like Mack, you sometimes act impulsively when betting on sports, you might want to consider popping over to your neighbourhood convenience store to place your bet. Betting with PROLINE in-store is an easy way to play, but it does require you to travel to place a wager. It’s not quite the same sort of obstacle as needing to drive to another province to play, but it does mean you’ll need to invest some physical effort in acting on those impulses and will provide a little more time to mull over whether you want to place your bet.

If you prefer playing online, no worries; PlaySmart has resources to help you manage spur-of-the-moment decision making.

The sports spend limit tool allows you to control how much money you plan to spend on sports betting on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. The first step before risking any money gambling is to establish your budget. That way you’ll always be on top of your game.

PlaySmart educational tools, meanwhile, provide guides and tips that can help you better understand how to bet, how different games work, how odds are set, and your chances of winning. This will help you figure out, for example, what it means to bet on single games or groups of games (parlay bets), and whether you want to wager on the outcomes of games or specific facets within those games, such as an individual player’s performance.

Play Smart, Have Fun

Mattress Mack made a name for himself by winning big, but he’s not really playing for the money. His wagers are placed for the thrill of it, not with an expectation to pad his bank account.

Casual players can learn a lesson from Houston’s famous bed seller. Gamble what you can afford, never chase losses or try to win back what you’ve lost by going deeper into your pocket, and don’t expect to win. If you need help getting into that headspace, PlaySmart has you covered.

Blackjack, also known as Twenty-One, is a hugely popular card game, dating all the way back to the 17th century. And of course, in 2019, there are plenty of exciting live versions to try out. But first, you’ve got to get basic blackjack strategy down.

In this bite-sized blackjack strategy guide, you’ll learn all you need to know to get started on our Canadian online casino, in as little as five minutes! 

Splitting A Pair

Splitting
pairs is one of the more better-known blackjack basic strategies, and it was
first introduced to help players bring down the casino’s house advantage a notch or two. However,
splitting pairs is usually not always
used very effectively, so let’s see how to make this blackjack strategy
work for you.

You can split
a pair when you have a hand with two cards of the same value, such as a 2 of
Hearts and a 2 of Clubs. You split the pair by placing an equal chip right next to the original wager. Don’t put your additional chip on top – that means you want to double up (more on that later). Placing your chip
adjacent to the original lets the dealer know that you want to split your hand.

So which hands should you split? Not all cards are equal. For instance, it’s recommended to split a pair of aces (totalling 11) as splitting will give you a much two chances to land two stronger hands. It’s also a good idea to split eights, to potentially improve a hand of 16. Never split a pair of 10 though, as by splitting you might be sacrificing a really good hand. Low numbers aren’t recommended to split either.   Why is splitting such a useful blackjack strategy? Because with this strategy you could transform a weak hand into a winning one with one wager or one click, and potentially win more money.

Doubling Down – Hard And Soft Hands

Do you need a
good blackjack basic strategy to help you break even or even possibly win when
your odds are not looking good? Then
doubling down is the blackjack strategy you need.

Doubling down is when you’re given the opportunity to double your initial wager, however, you will then only be able to draw one more card. To double, simply place an equal chip on top of your first wager. Some casinos will have different rules on when you can double down: you can usually double down on any two cards but some casinos may only allow it when you draw a hand of 10 or 11. So, when should you double down? You usually should double down when you have the hard 8, 9, 10, and 11 cards. A hard hand is a hand that doesn’t include an ace.

But what happens when your hand includes an ace (known as a soft hand)? If your hand includes an ace and an eight card or higher, it doesn’t make much sense to double.

The Rule Of Nine

An easy way to decide whether you should double down or not on a soft hand can be summarised below:

• If your
  dealer’s up-card and your non-ace card add up to nine or more, then double
  down.
• If the sum
  of the dealer’s card and your non-ace add up to less than nine, then you can
  hit.
• Never
  double down when the dealer holds a seven or higher.
• Never
  double down when the dealer holds an ace either.

Surrendering A Hand

The blackjack
strategy of surrendering a hand can be confusing, due to its misleading name.
When you surrender a hand, it doesn’t
mean that you’re surrendering the
game, and can be a highly useful strategy.

So, how does
it work? After having a look at your two-card hand as well as the dealer’s
up-card, and the cards just aren’t looking so good, you can apply this method and surrender half of your wager. The dealer will then take half of
your wager, as well as your two cards and will place them in the discard pile.

You might be
asking why this blackjack strategy is so great if you’re losing half your wager? You’re
losing 50% of your wager instead of potentially losing all of it, so you can
retain half your stake for the next hand. 

Hitting And Standing

Our last blackjack strategy for today is
a summary of hitting and standing.
This is the bread and butter of playing a
game of blackjack, whether online, live or at the casino.

When you hit, you’re asking the dealer for another card and when you stand, it means that you’re happy with cards you’ve been dealt and don’t want any additional cards.

So, when should you hit and when should you stand?

Well, this all depends on what your dealer’s holding:

• If the
  dealer has an ace, they have a high chance of hitting a 10 value card (10,
  Jack, Queen or King), so you should aim to have a hand of 17 or over.
• If the
  dealer has a 10 card, they still have a strong chance of hitting 20. So we
  recommend you hit until 17 or higher to give yourself the strongest hand you
  can.
• If your
  dealer has between seven and nine, at least they won’t be able to hit a
  Blackjack with their third card, but they can still get a high hand.  Hit until 17.
• If your
  dealer has a card worth four up to six, you could potentially stand on anything
  above 12.
• If your
  dealer has a two, you can hit up to a value of nine, but it’s wise to stand on
  a hand of 13.

And there you go, the four key components of blackjack basic strategy to help you polish up your skills. Why not try out the strategies you’ve learned by playing on LiveRoulette’s range of 15 live blackjack games, such as Exclusive Blackjack, Blackjack Party, and Infinite Blackjack, and show off your know-how?

18+ | begambleaware.org | Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly. Terms & Conditions apply.

Fishing Cactus’ award-winning virtual reality animated movie Gloomy Eyes is on the verge of being adapted into a full-fledged video game for PC. Well, saying that, it’s not due to come out until 2025 — but it’s en route, nonetheless. And if that isn’t enough to tide you over, then you’ll be glad to know that ARTE France and a whole bunch of co-creators are already hard at work with porting it over to the gaming world.

“The announcement of Gloomy Eyes: The Game is a testament to ARTE’s investment in the world of independent video games,” said ARTE France head of digital project management Adrien Larouzee in a press release. “With its surprising artistic universe, innovative and accessible gameplay, and moving story, ARTE’s editorial strategy is in full swing.”

So, what more do you need to know about the upcoming video game adaptation? Well, if you’ve had the opportunity to witness the VR film in all its colors and shades, and are now looking explore it a little further, then be sure to read on.

What Is Gloomy Eyes: The Game?

To give you a clearer picture of what Gloomy Eyes is all about, the animated movie follows two unlikely heroes: Gloomy, a zombie brought back from the dead (again, I guess?), and Nena, a human who, under the strangest of circumstances, finds herself joint at the hip with the forsaken wanderer and on a quest to “find the sun” after the darkness swallowed it whole.

From the looks of the footage and in-game screenshots that have been posted to date, the upcoming adventure will feature an array of third-person platforming, as well as a variety of puzzle-solving elements and environmental trials. So, think Little Nightmares II, but with a slightly less depressing chemistry between the heroes, and you’ll have a rough idea of what it’ll aim to capture. Or at least, that’s what we’ve gathered from the details that have been provided to date, anyway.

Story

Gloomy Eyes will cast its focus on a small town engulfed in everlasting darkness—a situation that has gone on to resurrect the dead and spark an epic feud between the humans and the zombies. In a Romeo and Juliet sort of scenario, two unlikely young heroes, bound to their rightful clans, set out to defy the odds and let love guide them towards a better tomorrow. Turns out, that also means finding the sun—the one thing that’s keeping the dead…alive?

“Gloomy Eyes: The Game tells the poignant story of Gloomy, a mysterious zombie child, and Nena, a young human girl, in a world where the sun has chosen not to rise,” the blurb reads in part. “Darkness has awakened the dead from their graves, and the living are trying to chase them away. In the midst of this ongoing conflict between the dead and the living, players find themselves closely connected to this unusual couple who are trying to bring light back to the world despite fear, tension, and hostility.”

Gameplay

Fishing Cactus has described the game as being something of a puzzle-heavy third-person adventure, which means we can expect to see our share of environmental obstacles and all the trimmings. What’s more, as it’ll feature the two protagonists, we can more than likely expect to see cooperative-type segments and character-locked abilities, too.

In the words of Fishing Cactus, “using the unique abilities of Gloomy and Nena, players must solve puzzles and assist the heroes in their quest to make the sun rise again. They will uncover a unique story about loneliness, difference, and love by solving the various puzzles in this dark and poetic narrative game.”

According to the devs, Gloomy Eyes will also allow players to navigate “beautiful dioramas carefully crafted with a unique, breathtaking art direction inherited from the acclaimed virtual reality experience that won the best VR movie award at the Festival international du film d’animation d’Annecy in 2019.”

Development

The dead are rising from their graves ! We’re proud to reveal “Gloomy Eyes – The Game”, our new game, in collaboration with @FishingCactus @AtlasVCorp @3darStudios and Be Revolution, dead on time for a spooky Halloween ! 🧟‍♂️
Wishlist on Steam right now 👇 https://t.co/3B2ML1hLba pic.twitter.com/4POVd7nFWw

— ARTE_Interactif (@ARTE_Interactif) October 31, 2023

ARTE France first lifted the veil on Gloomy Eyes: The Game back on October 31st, at which point it announced its collaboration with developer Fishing Cactus, Atlas V, and 3Dar. Since then, the studios have come together to reveal a slew of new screenshots for the game, along with a short trailer to outline the two leading characters. Will there be any more teasers ahead of its launch? Absolutely. Do we have an idea of when it will release? Not quite. That said, the developers have gone as far as to say that it’ll be in 2025. So that’s something.

Trailer

Ready for a deeper dive? If so, then you’ll be pleased to know that Fishing Cactus has already gone ahead and posted a sneak preview of Gloomy Eyes over on its streaming channels. Need we say more? You can check out the latest announcement trailer in the video embedded above.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

Gloomy Eyes: The Game will be launching on PC via Steam at some point in 2025. Will there be a console port at any point in the foreseeable future? It’s hard to say. Having said that, several other games that have fallen under Fishing Cactus’ umbrella have gone on to launch on a multitude of external platforms. But who knows? Only time will tell on that one.

Interested in staying in the loop? If so, then be sure to swing by Fishing Cactus’ official social handle for all the latest updates here. If anything changes ahead of its global launch, we’ll be sure to fill you in on all the key details right here on gaming.net.

So, what’s your take? Will you be picking up a copy of Gloomy Eyes: The Game when it launches on PC in 2025? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.

With a groundbreaking turnout of nearly 2000 contenders, the CEP Main Event has shattered records and ignited excitement.

The conclusion of the PokerStars-sponsored Campeonato España de Poker (CEP) tour in Barcelona marked a significant milestone, with the CEP Main Event drawing an astounding crowd of nearly 2000 entries. This unprecedented turnout has set the stage for the upcoming prestigious European Poker Tour (EPT) Barcelona, while tax-related concerns loom and expectations of record-breaking participation abound.

The CEP Main Event, which featured a €550 buy-in, attracted a record-breaking 1960 players. This accomplishment solidified the Main Event’s position as the largest in CEP history, surpassing the previous record set four years prior with 1773 registrations. The surge in participation reflects an impressive growth of nearly 50% compared to the previous year’s event.

Held at Casino Barcelona from August 11, the 2023 CEP Barcelona stop experienced strong turnouts, despite uncertainties stemming from recent tax changes in Spain.

The trend of robust participation was evident from the outset of the CEP, with various events reporting exceptional attendance. The opening event, with a €330 entry fee, witnessed 822 entries—almost double the attendance of the previous year’s edition. Similarly, the Mini Main Event, featuring a €200 buy-in, saw 786 participants, marking a significant 30% increase compared to the previous year.

The culmination of this enthusiasm was the Main Event’s remarkable achievement, resulting in a total prize pool of €854,560 across its five Day 1s.

The CEP festival aligns with a broader global trend of increased interest in live poker events. From the World Series of Poker (WSOP) to regional events in Europe and Asia, record-breaking attendance is becoming the norm, underscoring the undeniable demand for live poker experiences.

With the CEP chapter coming to a close, attention now shifts to the highly anticipated European Poker Tour (EPT) Barcelona.

Commencing on August 21, the PokerStars LIVE Estrellas Poker Tour (ESPT) commenced, serving as an integral part of the main EPT festival.

EPT Barcelona, a cornerstone of PokerStars’ European destinations, is renowned for attracting substantial crowds. The city’s rich poker history dates back to 2004, hosting significant stops of the European Poker Tour. Last year, both the ESPT and EPT Main Events set attendance records, with the €5300 EPT Main Event becoming the largest-ever in EPT history, drawing 2294 players.

However, this year’s EPT Barcelona faces a unique challenge due to recent tax changes in Spain. These alterations impose taxes on poker players’ winnings, affecting both local and international participants, irrespective of their professional or recreational status.

While European Union players face a 19% tax rate, non-EU players contend with a higher 24% rate. This change in tax classification has raised concerns and uncertainty among players about the sustainability of EPT Barcelona’s historically impressive turnouts.

Nevertheless, the record-breaking attendance during the CEP festival provides assurance, suggesting another prosperous EPT Barcelona edition on the horizon.

Running from August 21, the EPT Barcelona series features the prestigious €5300 EPT Main Event scheduled from August 27 to September 3. Online satellites on the PokerStars platform have already begun, with buy-ins starting as low as €5.50.