The second half of the Season 5 schedule for World Poker Tour DeepStacks North America was released this week.
While it included some repeat stops in California, Florida, and Canada, there are some new additions bound to get poker players excited in 2018.
First-time DeepStacks Poker Tour stops
Canada has played host to the DSPT in the past, but never at Playground Poker Club. The tour is rolling into Montreal, Quebec, Canada in August to kick off the second half of the season.
The Main Event, scheduled for Aug. 31 – Sept. 5 is at one of Canada’s favorite poker spots. The buy-in for the event is C$1,650, and the DSPT has yet to announce the guarantee.
Immediately following the stop in Montreal, the DSPT rolls into Texas for the very first time.
Hold’em in Texas
About three hours south of Houston is Robstown, the town that put the “Texas” in Texas hold’em in the early 1900s.
Surely you’ve heard tales of the rough and tumble games that included legendary names like Doyle Brunson and Amarillo Slim. Back in the day, making a living playing poker in Texas was hard work and dangerous business.
The most interesting part of the history of poker in Texas is that it has been practically illegal to play the game from the time hold’em was spread.
But is poker still illegal in the state today?
Club poker in Texas
Poker clubs have been springing up around Texas over the last few years. The membership clubs do not profit directly from the poker game and instead charge membership fees to play. It’s a business model that scholars and businessmen in the state say is legal.
In case you haven’t heard, Texas is a pretty conservative state and gambling of any kind doesn’t sit well with the morality and politics of the state legislature and its constituents.
For now, it looks like membership club poker is following the letter of the law, if not the spirit of it.
“I suspect we’ll see the Cowboys move to Tulsa before we see full-scale gambling in Texas,” University of Houston political science Professor Brandon Rottinghaus said to the Houston Chronicle. “Trying to get around the law on this issue is never profitable. I think that’s the real danger that the people running these clubs have. You may technically be in the right, but this issue is so fraught with politics and morality that you’re unlikely to succeed.”
For now, it looks like the poker playing public found a way to scratch their itch without raising too many eyebrows.
“Fortunately, it appears this is an issue where legislators don’t want to touch it,” State Senator Jose Menendez told the Houston Chronicle. “They understand that people want to have the freedom to do this, so they’re willing to not get into it. For now, at least they’re letting these membership-based card rooms be safe places for people be able to practice their hobbies.”
The DSPT making a stop in Houston puts the spotlight directly on poker in the state. Stay tuned as players “practice their hobbies” on the big stage later this fall.
Season-ending WPTDS Championship
Coming off its recent win for Mid-Major Tournament Circuit of the Year at the American Poker Awards, the DeepStacks Poker Tour (DSPT) also announced its season-ending championship event would take place at Grey Eagle Resort & Casino in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
The DSPT Championship Main Event has a buy-in of C$2,500. Players are taking notice of the C$1 million guaranteed prize pool.
“We are thrilled to increase the WPTDeepStacks schedule for Season 5 with the addition of five events that boast combined guarantees of more than $2 million and include the tour’s first-ever trips to Montreal and Texas,” said WPTDeepStacks Executive Director Chris Torina in a press release on Tuesday. “Together with our incredible casino partners, we look forward to providing the premier mid-major offering that poker players want and deserve.”
Complete 2018 World Poker Tour DeepStacks schedule
| Tournament | Location | Dates | Main Event Buy-In | Guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WPTDS Hollywood | Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino – Hollywood | Jan. 10-24 | $1,100 | $1,000,000 |
| WPTDS Jacksonville | bestbet Jacksonville | March 2-12 | $1,500 | $300,000 |
| WPTDS Maryland | Live! Casino | March 16-26 | $1,500 | $300,000 |
| WPTDS Thunder Valley | Thunder Valley Casino Resort | April 6-9 | $1,100 | $500,000 |
| WPTDS Edmonton | Casino Yellowhead | April 6-16 | C$1,100 | C$300,000 |
| WPTDS Immokalee | Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino – Hollywood | April 9-12 | $1,100 | $250,000 |
| WPTDS Fresno | Club One Casino | May 11-21 | $1,100 | $300,000 |
| WPTDS Tampa | Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino – Tampa | June 7-18 | $1,100 | $300,000 |
| WPTDS Montreal | Playground Poker Club | Aug. 31-Sept. 5 | C$1,650 | TBD |
| WPTDS Houston | FreeRolls Poker Club | Sept. 21-25 | $1,000 | $100,000 |
| WPTDS Edmonton | Casino Yellowhead | Sept. 29-Oct. 8 | C$1,100 | C$300,000 |
| WPTDS San Diego | Oceans 11 Casino | TBD | $1,100 | $200,000 |
| DSPT Championship | Grey Eagle Resort & Casino | Nov. 23-Dec. 3 | C$2,500 | C$1,000,000 |
Lead image courtesy of World Poker Tour/Flickr
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