By Sean Chaffin
A great poker scene, wonderful weather, and plenty of excellent seafood – that’s just a bit of what players can expect from the $3,500 WPT Maryland when events get underway September 28 – October 2.
This is the fifth year for the tournament at Live! Casino and Hotel and it once again promises a big field with a $1.5 million guaranteed prize pool. The property opened in 2013 and has become a popular stop for players as an added quick trip for players already on the East Coast for the WPT Borgata Poker Open.
“Late September here in Maryland means other than poker, you have great weather to enjoy the water down in Annapolis or golf anywhere in the surrounding area,” tournament director Jason Heidenthal says. “The property is just 20 minutes to Baltimore and 60 minutes to Washington D.C., with baseball and football season in full swing and games every weekend.”
“If you want to stay indoors and play poker we have 50 poker tables and a full schedule of 21 events over 17 days.”
A big poker scene
There’s plenty of incentive to make the trip and that includes a packed preliminary schedule. Live! Casino and Hotel offers players plenty of cash games and a nice tournament experience in a relaxed atmosphere.
In last year’s WPT championship event, Tony Ruberto topped a field of 554 players for his second WPT title and took home $344,755. The win came after a fourth-place finish at WPT Choctaw only a few weeks earlier. Ruberto also took down the WPT Jacksonville in Season X for $325,928, but noticed a considerable difference between those two wins.
“I won seven years ago and the play has changed really dramatically since then,” he said after winning the tournament. “It’s difficult to win nowadays because everyone is just a lot better. It’s not how it was about eight or 10 years ago. It feels really good to win.”
Other winners of the event include some big names on the tour:
Season XIV – Aaron Mermelstein, $250,222 (337 players)
Season XV – Zachary Smiley, $320,948 (554 players)
Season XVI – Art Papazyan, $389,405 (561 players)
Along with a big WPT championship event, players will also want to check out the preliminary schedule. That kicks off Sept. 20 with a $570 No Limit Hold’em event with a $150,000 guarantee. There’s something for every bankroll – from $120 to $1,600. Here are a few other highlights on the schedule:
Event 10 (September 24) – $450 NLHE with a $100,000 guarantee
Event 13 (September 26) – $1,100 NLHE Deepstack with a $100,000 guarantee
The schedule also includes numerous satellites into the WPT championship event as well as a $160 ladies event and a $360 seniors tournament with a $30,000 guarantee.
New hotel and plenty of amenities
Along with a top-notch poker scene, Maryland Live! offers a great stay and play. The property’s new hotel opened last July and offers plenty of luxury with rates for poker players starting at $129.
“Last year was the first year we were able to use the brand new event center for the WPT championship event,” Heidenthal says.
The center holds 32 tables and is located near the lobby of the hotel. It offers a well-lit room with plenty of room for players at the tables. There are numerous bars and restaurants within the property. The Prime Rib makes for an especially nice choice – the Baltimore region’s No. 1 Zagat-rated steakhouse. Make a reservation and be treated to some excellent steak and seafood.
Speaking of seafood, the tournament staff has added a little extra incentive to play in the WPT Maryland, which should please many heading to the Old Line State.
“This year we’re going to have a wonderful crab cake layout for all the players to enjoy during the first break of each flight,” Heidenthal says. “Who doesn’t love free Maryland crab cakes?”
For more on WPT Maryland, click here. For a complete look at the preliminary tournament schedule, click here.
Sean Chaffin is a freelance writer in Crandall, Texas, and his work appears in numerous websites and publications. Follow him on Twitter @PokerTraditions.