The World Poker Tour (WPT) celebrated for its groundbreaking approach to tournament poker is introducing yet another challenging tournament to keep players on their toes. WPT has introduced a “hybrid” poker tournament that is scheduled to unfold in Mexico City this May.
As a hybrid event, this poker tournament will kick off online and culminate with live play at the Fronton Mexico. As already mentioned, the WPT500 Mexico City tournament will start online. WPT Global, which is WPT’s online poker platform has been hosting satellite tournaments for the $500 buy-in tournament.
These online satellites will last until May 21st, which will give poker players lots of opportunities to enter the tournament multiple times. The WPT500 Mexico City tournament is expected to follow a “best stack forward” rule. This means that poker players with the best stack from Day 1 will be carried forward to Day 2.
Once the online aspect of the tournament is concluded, the successful finalists will be awarded approximately $1000 which will cater to their travel expenses to Mexico City’s Fronton Mexico. Day 2 of the WPT500 Mexico City tournament will allow players that have earned multiple slots for Day 2 to access their lesser stacks and convert them into mini cashes from the Day 2 prize pool.
Thanks to the $500 buy-in and a guaranteed prize pool of $500,000, this new hybrid poker tournament is expected to attract a significant amount of interest from poker lovers. Although the hybrid WPT500 Mexico City tournament is a new addition, the hybrid poker concept is not new.
In the past, the World Series of Poker (WSOP) has organized bracelet events that were organized in a similar fashion- first kicking off online and concluding with live play. One great example of a successful tournament that utilized this format in the past is the 2020 WSOP Main Event.
In 2020, WSOP was forced to adjust its tournament format thanks to the challenges brought forward by the pandemic. Due to the numerous health-related challenges, WSOP was forced to switch to the hybrid format but ultimately experienced massive success.
But hybrid tournament formats haven’t always generated the amount of success that the 2020 WSOP Main Event experienced. In 2012, the International Stadium Poker Tour (ISPT) attempted to create a unique experience by allowing its players to start online before transitioning to a massive sports stadium for the last days of play.
As you can imagine, because this format was unheard of at the time, the International Stadium Poker Tour (ISPT) managed to generate a lot of buzz and excitement. The tournament had hoped to enlist thousands of professional poker players and even offered a massive prize pool guarantee of roughly $30 million.
The venue that was selected for the International Stadium Poker Tour (ISPT) was Wembley Stadium, which made the idea even more exciting. Unfortunately, the number of online players fell short of expectations. So much so that the organizers of the tournament were forced to stop marketing the guarantee.
Despite the clear challenges, the International Stadium Poker Tour went on as planned but with only 761 entries and a buy-in worth €3000. Some of the most recognized poker players of the time took part, which helped greatly boost the number of final participants. Sadly, however, the overall turnout and buzz still ended up being underwhelming.
Consequently, the International Stadium Poker Tour (ISPT) fell short of its ruthless goals. The final table produced Jakub Michalak as the champion who defeated Xavier El Fassy. Even though the tournament concluded with mixed feelings, it laid the foundation for hybrid tournaments such as the upcoming Mexico City tournament.
Anticipating Mexico City
Given this history of hybrid poker tournaments, it remains to be seen just how impactful the WPT500 Mexico City will; be. Ultimately, the players themselves will determine the impact of this new addition to WPT’s schedule. The unique hybrid format helps to add an extra layer of excitement to the energetic professional poker scene.
As players prepare to gather at the Fronton Mexico, the state has been set for intense competition, unforgettable moments, as well as the crowning of the first WPT500 Mexico City champion. As the event unfolds, you can rest assured that we will provide you with all the updates that you need.
The weekend of champions
As the poker fraternity awaits the first WPT500 Mexico City, there is still plenty of action to keep poker fans entertained. The WPT “Weekend of Champions” has been underway at the HyperX Arena in Luxor. This exciting series was created to serve as a prelude to the highly awaited 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP).
One of the standout players of the “Weekend of Champions” is Bin Weng who has continued to portray exceptional performance. During the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown, Weng maintained a dominant chip lead allowing him to enter the final table as the crowd favorite.
The “Weekend of Champions” is set to conclude with the WPT Gardens Poker Championship. Poker players will be given a few days of rest before the final 6 players reconvene at the HyperX Sports Arena in Las Vegas. Brad Owen, a celebrated WPT Ambassador will also be in attendance.
As the “Weekend of Champions” unfolds, poker players will continue to eagerly await the end of the WPT Gardens Poker Championship. The WPT Gardens Poker Championship brings together some of the best professionals who compete for the coveted title of champion, as well as a significant cash prize.
As usual, the WPT Gardens Poker Championship will be hosted at Bell Gardens, California. The Garden Casino, with its high-end facilities and atmosphere, provides the most scenic poker backdrop to keep both spectators and poker players engaged throughout.
The road to the final table has been fraught with intense competition and an array of nail-biting moments. As such, it will be interesting to see how the tournament unfolds and who will be crowned the WPT Gardens Poker Champion.
Final Thoughts
WPT poker tournaments are always a spectacle of skill, strategy, and heart-stopping action. In addition to the prestige and recognition that come with winning the WPT Poker Championship, those who make it through to the final table can also look forward to financial rewards are substantial.
