2016 WSOP Trip Report

For more than five years, I have been traveling the international poker circuit as a blogger and also partly as a photographer. This usually comes with plenty of stereotypic pictures of planes, casino views and breakfast buffets, but recently the according trip report has been missing and it is about time to catch up on those again more frequently.

One year ago I tried to get a deal to work at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) as a live event reporter, but ultimately didn't hear back for a month before then being told that their team was already full. As consolation, I was fortunate enough to travel to Asia twice for other tournaments, and worked the European pendant in Berlin later that year.

Fast forward to Spring 2016, when I was contacted about the summer and working the WSOP for the full seven weeks. After some consideration and negotiation, an agreement was reached and the usual hunt for affordable and reasonable flight tickets was next on the agenda. In previous years, I was typically booked on US Airways and they are on my top five most-disliked list of airlines.

However, since they merged with American Airlines, I obviously ended up on the very same flights with stopover in Philadelphia. Much to their credit, the service was actually pretty decent and their assistance via social media (Twitter) highly appreciated, the mobile app for the iPad also very sophisticated.

Since I don't have a driver's license, the accommodation tends to be a tricky question when not arranged by the host and the Extended Stay about ten minutes away from the Rio's was the only reasonable choice, albeit more expensive and cutting into my earnings. At least, it offers some free coffee in the morning and the option to wash your clothes for only a few dollars. A supermarket is also in walking distance, though I'd definitely recommend to just walk outside in the early morning or after 8 p.m. due to the Las Vegas heat.

I am not going to bore you with the details of how all the events I covered went on, for obvious reasons. The main focus should be on the players and the media politely stands behind the table and makes sure to get as much information out as possible. Instead, below are some positive and negative highlights.

Highlights of the trip:

• Getting to work the full series and especially the $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha and $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship.
• The money bubble of the Main Event, it simply always has a special flair.
• Watching some players that you know for years from smaller events take a shot at WSOP glory.

Biggest letdowns of the trip:

• Infrequent fitness schedule, it definitely had an big influence on my work performance.
• Too many minor and stupid mistakes, some often very repetitive and annoying.
• Catching a virus and not being able to work the last few days of the Main Event.

While most other events all over the world mostly include No-Limit Hold'em for their flagship tournaments, the WSOP provides a wide variety of poker variants and I highly appreciated the opportunity to get more practice at covering some of them live. My personal favorites are Seven Card Stud and Pot-Limit Omaha, which took most of my schedule for the first month. I also got to help out in H.O.R.S.E and in a 2 to 7 Triple Draw event.

In hindsight, it has been yet another important learning experience and I realize how far I still have to go in order to improve further. Especially with such a long duration, this endurance challenge will put your body and mind to the test. Not recognizing some well-known players after being away from the U.S. for almost two years was another consistent pet peeve of mine.

No matter how often you have been to Las Vegas before as a tourist or for work, it always appears so different to the normal life and I try to not get carried away. Whether or not I will be back there next year, I cannot say right now, as the next events are only a few weeks away and I want to get back in an acceptable physical and mental shape again until then.

Also, for what it's worth, apart from the initial group meeting I didn't play a single hand of live poker and will stick to that strategy. It was nice to see some familiar faces again after quite some time and make them smile, mainly via German chocolate.

As much as I sometimes “dislike” my middle of nowhere back home, being able to grab your bike and dive into the green nature within half an hour can be very relaxing. It is important to keep a certain balance, especially when the work itself includes such a strange niche market in the eye of the public.

Seat open!