Poker’s early days in America was seen primarily in the West during the expansion of the United States. What primarily had been a game played on the riverboats of the Mississippi and gaming houses of New Orleans moved west as the country did. The gambler of the Wild West became almost as familiar as the cowboy in the development of the legend of the country. Likewise, during the 1900’s, the game was played primarily in the backrooms of bars across Texas and the South. Attempting to bridge the gap between the past and the present, the World Tavern Poker Tour has come to the scene.
The World Tavern Poker Tour, created in 2003, is a novel concept in that it is expected to be somewhat along the lines of pool and dart leagues, which are extremely popular activities in bars and nightclubs across the United States and around the world. The tournaments are based on the World Series format, playing down from the initial starting group to the one man (or woman) left standing. There is talk as well about city championships, county championships, and even the possibility of regional and national championships.
To circumvent the various legalities that may exist in some areas, there is no buy-in to play in the tournaments. Prizes are awarded to the winners and they are provided by the establishment. With a player ranking on the website of all who are participating, the opportunity to measure up against players from around the world should be interesting as well.
Currently, the schedule listed on the website only lists tournaments for the next few days and it is primarily limited to New Jersey, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. The website does list information on how to possibly get a tournament set up in your particular area and also has the ability for nightclub owners to get in on the action.
It will be interesting to see if this Tour can take shape and become something of interest in the poker community and provide Free Sports Picks. The opportunity to play, in a legal surrounding, will be of tremendous interest to most players. Furthermore, the ability to play essentially a freeroll may be an enticement to bring even more players to the felt. All in all, the World Tavern Poker Tour may be another exciting piece of the poker puzzle for people to enjoy.
