In recent months, home games, parties with friends, have experienced a real comeback. Many poker enthusiasts play with their friends live or online. Decoding of a new phenomenon.
A LOOK BACK AT THE FIRST GOLDEN AGE OF POKER
Let’s start with a little throwback, more precisely in the 2000s. At that time, poker had its golden age with some milestones. Poker fans still remember Chris Moneymaker ‘s victory at the WSOP in Las Vegas in 2003. He qualified on an online poker room and managed to beat professional players with only experience its games on the Internet.
In the process, the film Rounders with Matt Damon and Edward Norton, released in 1998, quickly became a reference film. In France, the actor and singer Patrick Bruel quickly became passionate about this game and went to Las Vegas many times. He even won a bracelet in 1998. The Canal Plus teams then devoted a documentary to the artist: “Lost in Vegas”.
It is precisely thanks to Patrick Bruel that poker will experience exceptional exposure in France. From 2005, the singer will comment on poker tournaments of the WPT circuit, the World Poker Tour. Each week, the greatest champions compete around a table. A great enthusiasm is developing. Parties with friends, the famous Home Games are multiplying all over the world and France is also concerned.
In gaming circles, new players are now registering while these places were usually frequented by only initiates. This is the case, for example, in the very glamorous Aviation Club de France or ACF. In this establishment, which now houses the Club Barrière, poker games are on the increase. It was Bruno Fitoussi, a pioneer of poker in France, who launched the first tournaments there in the 1990s.
HOME GAMES: THE FUNDAMENTALS
Pierre, 23, an Alsatian student, is planning a game with friends. He took care to choose a quality poker case and put it on the table in his living room. He meticulously takes out the chips and aligns the stacks for the participants of the evening. “I started playing poker during the first confinement. I discovered that this game was incredibly rich and I decided to organize games at home with friends,” explains the young man.
Regarding Home Games, many people prefer to play tournaments but others still opt for Cash Game games. “What I like is the user-friendliness of this game and the interactions that can exist around a table”, explains Pierre.
Because these poker games at home are often an excuse to meet up with friends around a common passion. It is a moment of conviviality and relaxation although it is spiced up by the desire to win the game.
THE HOME GAMES ONLINE VERSION
On virtual poker tables, poker games with friends have been hugely popular. Indeed, thanks to the confinements during the Covid-19 health crisis, online poker rooms have witnessed a massive influx of new players. Industry leader Winamax sees thousands of people opening accounts every week. It’s a real improvement. For its part, PokerStars, the second room in the market, is also recording an influx of players. The online poker site has even developed a “Home Game” option to adapt to the phenomenon.
In 2020, the number of games played online has increased a lot and we can see that the Sit & Go Jackpot format is now popular with players. The principle of this type of tournament is that a sum is added to the prize pool of these Sit & Gos which are usually played with three players. In addition, Omaha is also popular at the moment . It’s a variant that is popular because there is a lot of action at the tables.
TOWARDS AN ARRIVAL OF NEW PLAYERS ON THE LIVE TABLES
In 2021 and 2022, will we see the arrival of players in casinos and gaming clubs? This is one of the questions asked by organizers and casino operators
Hundreds of players regularly participate in club meetings. In big cities, many clubs are also strongholds of poker. These establishments hope to welcome new poker enthusiasts in the weeks and months to come.