New British & Irish Poker Tour
Wednesday, November 11 2009
PokerStars has just announced a new live tour for the UK and Ireland, called UKIPT (UK and Irish poker tour), kicking off this December in Galway. I’m very excited about the whole thing - I’ve been jealous of the LAPT and APPT for years; now we have our own local series of live events. Brilliant. Plus there’s a leader board with extra bonuses: a $10k freeroll for the top 100 players, and (for the ultimate winner) buy-ins and hotel expenses for the WHOLE of season two. You can find out more about the locations and details here.
But let me just say this. Today, PokerStars sent over the following advert which they’re planning to use for the tour.
Fine. Not a bad joke at all. Except… hang on… the particularly brilliant and noticeable thing about the UKIPT is that the buy-ins are CHEAPER than normal.
I like that: it’s about time we had some serious title events round here with buy-ins starting at £500. From the straightforward poker point of view, yes, yes, now the good recreational player can afford to play these significant tournaments while the EPT might be a bit of a stretch. But then.. that makes the pun.. that I am, basically a cheap date. Once the bankroll has shrunk, then, THEN you would think about taking me out.
Marvellous. They’re not wrong *sigh*.
Comments
RomanticRecluse says:
November 11th, 2009 at 10:04 pm
Cheap date? I don’t understand this idea.
The best things in life are free.
Perry says:
November 11th, 2009 at 10:21 pm
I think the UKIPT is a great idea. With all the 10k events the thing poker needed was to have cheaper buy-ins to boost the flagging tournament numbers. The WPT did something similar and they got record numbers.
Wonder which UK star comes out from this poker tour?
C Scott says:
November 12th, 2009 at 9:11 am
I followed the link to the location map and found that Scotland is a town in a sparsely populated area of north Britain. Most educational.
Rob says:
November 12th, 2009 at 10:12 am
I can’t read the small text on your image, but I think the pun in “Now you can afford to take her out” works on quite the opposite assumption - that you’re NOT a cheap date, and therefore most men couldn’t afford to take you out (on a date).
But now with cheaper buy-ins, an ordinary punter can afford to take you out (of a tournament). Except, of course, you’re a reasonably proficient player, so that ain’t gonna happen. Which is how all advertising works, I guess.
Oh, and Yay! UKIPT is coming to DTD (Rob Yong was in my brother’s year at school. Although I think he got expelled. Rob Yong, not my brother. Although he probably should have been too.)
Phil says:
November 12th, 2009 at 11:17 am
That’s one interpretation I guess. Another could be that the marketing types at Pokerstars have recognised that your fans seem to be more esoteric and intellectual; less concerned with the pursuit of wealth than finding enrichment and beauty in life (or in other words smart but poor)
In that respect it’s actually very complimentary...as long as you’re prepared to pick up the bill at the end of a romantic dinner… ;)
If you’re convinced, I can be found on 0778.....
Jim says:
November 12th, 2009 at 11:35 am
Not how the pun reads to me. Surely the joke is that a lowly peasant such as myself wouldn’t stand a chance with a millionairess like yourself (in terms of say, a date) whereas with these low buy-ins I can actually afford to buy in to the tournament and attempt to knock you out (’take you out’ in the knock-out sense).
Makes you sound a reet classy broad I reckon.
JON BRIGGS says:
November 12th, 2009 at 11:42 am
I had just assumed that that was the case.......... oops!
Seriously, all agreed - lower buyins make for larger entries which in turn (generally) makes a better tourney. Gotta be a shrewd move
TonyA says:
November 12th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Excellent advert. Poker seems ever more popular & for some reason especially men are lured towards it - can’t think why !
Definitely time I ditched chess and learned how to play your more glamorous game, with its rewards!
Colm says:
November 12th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
A Cheap Date!!
Some lewd types would make an innuendo involving the ‘Buy-In’ fee but thankfully your site doesn’t attract that sort of person…
Ady Miles says:
November 13th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
“reasonably proficient”? Vicky’s one of the best lady players in the World! Good point re the trying to “take out” of tournaments though, Rob…
AndrewH says:
November 14th, 2009 at 2:37 am
I’m sorry, but are you saying you have to pay £500 to play? You’re saying that’s cheap?! Good lord, how much does it normally cost?
robkey says:
November 14th, 2009 at 4:59 am
i am poor vicky but i love you, i ask barry if u marry me but he said ask her yourself, wow i can, VICKY MARRY ME
sam says:
November 14th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Are you normally that orange, or are the photoshop people at Stars extremely fond of adding glow to images?
adam says:
November 15th, 2009 at 3:21 am
read the book
absolutely loved it
laughed, cried, sat on the edge of my seat, fell off, got all nostalgic for pokah, punched the air and collapsed on the sofa.
it works on every level.
sheer genius
michael casey says:
November 15th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
Sadly all I can play is Snap. Though I have a Shanghai wife and that was the biggest gamble of my life, we met in the old people’s home where Jing Jie was cleaning my dad’s room with the vacuum cleaner. I was then positively vetted by a Chinese ballet dancer from the Birmingham Royal ballet. www.michaelgcasey.multiply.com is where you can read The Butcher The Baker and The Undertaker, and then we got engaged and I sent her back to Shanghai so she could tell her family all my bad points, six months later she returned. YES ALL TRUE
Andrea L Campbell says:
November 16th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
Not completely relevant to the blog above, but I just finished your book and adored it - cried with equal strength for the loss of your father and your bad beats, smiled at the wryness with which you balance addiction and normalcy, and tried to explain my chuckles and tears to my husband who’s never sat through a game of cards. For a Canadian who fancied herself a Holdem player in university in the late 90’s, this was a welcome dose of nostalgia alongside deft observation of the poker-life parallel. Extra special thanks for the Alice in Wonderland references.
Many thanks and a never-ending string of boats to you, namaste,
Andrea
Victoria Coren says:
November 16th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
Thanks Adam & Andrea, those are really lovely messages and I appreciate them very much. As you’ll have seen, the book is extremely personal, so I’m very sensitive about it and it’s incredibly reassuring to get such very nice feedback.
Keith says:
November 17th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
I’m worried about the name of the tour.
UKIPT is far too similar to UKIP for my liking.
I guess it could be worse.. They might have called it the British National Poker Tour.
John says:
November 17th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
I had a vision… PokerStars jostling for motorway supremacy with the X Factor mega-bus. Stampedes at the services for Pot Noodle and chips; heated debates over who has the rights to the Xmas No.1; and, if nothing else, it’s bound to come to fisticuffs over parking spaces, entertainment validity, and who possesses the best bottom.
There can be only one winner…
TonyA says:
November 20th, 2009 at 8:57 pm
Nothing to do with this particular blog theme, but I saw a lovely Christmas present for you today Vicky in the window of GimmeGizmos.Com a home DIY poker table ! Oh dear I’ve spolit the surprise now ...
Ben says:
November 21st, 2009 at 1:43 am
Take Vicky out on the cheap? Only if I could put it all in on the final heads-up…
Sam says:
November 21st, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Has anyone made a joke about vicky running her big pair into their nuts yet?
If not could I please make the joke thanks.
Dan says:
November 24th, 2009 at 1:21 am
Hi Vicky. Hope all is well. Jokes are the best! (Not all jokes, some jokes are, like, worse than that film Fame.)
charlie says:
November 27th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
Hello victoria i am not a poker player but an art dealer, however i have just started to play poker a bit. I was wondering if you would like a date if you approve of a photo of me taken in my gallery. I have always thought you were extremely gorgeus and you write with a lot of heart. I’m so surprised you are not married. If this doesn’t sound too cheeky please email me. Charlie. [MOD: HAVE REMOVED EMAIL ADDRESS FOR CHARLIE’S SAFETY]
Harald says:
December 23rd, 2009 at 1:29 pm
Love that ad ;-)
So maybe I will get a chance to “take you out” in Nottingham? Looks like I can now afford it :-)))
Anyway, would be nice to meet you in person one day. The UKIPT might make it possible....
Merry Christmas from Germany
Harald
DazzieB says:
December 23rd, 2009 at 9:41 pm
shame there’s not more online qualifiers for these events, they all seem to be fpp and far apart????