Who Won the World Series of Poker last year? The answer to that question will surprise you. You may have noticed that not a whole lot has changed in the game of poker over the past couple of years. While there are a few new players that have risen to stardom, the big names of poker, the professionals, haven’t quite faded completely.
But what can we expect for this year?
Most experts agree that it is unlikely for the World Series of Poker to change much in the way it is played. The game hasn’t lost all of its appeal and there are still some great players in the tournament scene. What this means for you and the rest of us is that we should expect a lot of the same strategies that we saw in the last world series of poker tournament, which is the same as any other variation.
Some people have criticized the games for being too predictable, but I disagree: In fact, I would go as far as to say that it is probably more predictable than the US Open or the European Tourney. That being said, I think that if you study the different formats used by the professionals, you will find that they all use variations on the same theme. As with most things, it is the individual who is able to figure out the format more than anyone else. It is the person who knows how to play the game to perfection that wins the game.
One thing that I expect to change is the level of playing ability: that is required of the competitors at each stage of the tournament. If you look at the last six World Series of Poker events, you will notice that the final table was played using a modified heads-up match format. There were fifteen players in the final table and of those players, only five of them had any kind of experience playing poker at this level. For me, that is quite a drastic difference from other events in which there are several well-known players that could have been qualified had they actually tried.
Another change that I expect to occur is the integration of live events into the world series: The last year’s World Series of Poker was won by Taylor Lohan, who is now a star in Hollywood. I am not saying that she will beat the top players at the world final table, but I do think that a portion of the audience enjoyed her acting and winning the title over David Blaine. I also think that the game has room for future superstars. Who knows, maybe next time there will be a women’s final table and another female player will be able to join forces with the best of the best to eliminate one of the favorites. Maybe someday we will witness women playing men in the world series of poker.
One thing that I don’t think will change is the caliber of play on the internet: I have always believed that the best players will be found online and they will not be satisfied with just playing on TV. Last year’s final table featured four women and one man. If the world final table were to feature only men, I would imagine that the men’s final table would probably be played in Las Vegas. The internet has changed so much since it started, and poker is a great example of that.
I still believe that there will be a place for world series poker, but I do not see it as being any more popular than it already is.