World Tavern Poker is America's largest Bar Poker League with over 350 hosting taverns across the country and more than 130,000 registered players.
Similar to a dart or pool league, the WTPT hosts free Texas Hold ‘em poker tournaments each week at your local bar. The top players receive points and rankings for the chance to move on to Tavern, Regional and National Championships in hopes of winning one of up to 26 seats into World Series of Poker Events every year.
The year is broken down into three fifteen-week seasons (Spring, Fall and Winter) with Championship events for each.
As well, there is a bonus event called the Tournament of Champions. Each season, the winners from the Tavern Tournament of Champions move on to the National TOC (held once per year in Las Vegas) for a chance to win a $10,000 main event seat.
Players may join at any time during the season without fees or buy-ins. Wagering/gambling is prohibited at WTPT events, and taverns pay for the rights to host league events.
The WTPT provides venues (Taverns, Bars, etc.) a league structure for No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em poker.
These venues are grouped by the WTPT into state regions.
The Tournament Directors for each bar are now required to take a written test (online) for certification, and pass with a minimum score of 90% in order to be a Tournament Director.
Each tournament involves ten to hundreds of players, where they are playing until there is one man or woman left standing. In each tournament, the top 20 players will receive points based on where they finish and how many players competed in that tournament.
Blind Timing: WTPT suggests that taverns run two games per night, with the first game at 20 minute blinds and the second game with perhaps longer blinds, since the second game is restricted only by closing time.
Variances: Many taverns start with longer blinds and speed them up as the tournament progresses. Others start with and keep blinds as fast as fifteen minutes.
However, due to time limitations, some bars start with shorter times and will get progressively shorter.
Blind Levels: There are multiple versions of the WTPT blind structure. The Tournament Directors at each bar have the option of creating starting stacks between 5,000 and 10,0000 in chips and the blinds begin at 100/200. No structure involves antes. Published structures are as follows: 100/200, 200/400, 300/600, 500/1000, 1000/2000, 2000/4000, 3000/6000, 5000/10000, 10000/20000, 15000/30000, 20000/40000 and 25000/50000.
Starting Chip Denominations: The "suggested" WTPT starting stack is fifteen red, three green, and two black chips where red are worth 100 points, green are worth 500 points, and black are worth 1,000. White chips are worth 5,000, and are introduced as conditions warrant. However, these starting stacks are determined by the tavern Tournament Directors.
Variance - Bonus: Tavern owners are encouraged to incentivize their players to pre-register for each tournament by a specific cut off time through the WTPT website by awarding them extra chips for doing so, and will vary from tavern to tavern.
Variance - Starting amount: Some taverns have recently added a white (5,000 point) chip to the starting stacks, making the total amount of starting points 10,000, or double the usual 5,000 amount.
Each season comprises up to fifteen weeks of regular tournaments with a one week Tavern Championship. Taverns can sign up at any point in the season and still qualify players for the Regional and National Championships.
A player's score for each game is determined by cross-referencing the number of players registered in the game with the player's finishing position. For example, a player who finishes third in a game that began with 31 players would receive 8400 points. Any player that finishes below the top 20 in a WTPT regular season tournament receives "No Rank" and zero points.
Players are ranked at 3 levels.
At the end of the regular season, the Tavern Championships will be played at each tavern.
At the end of each season, each Tavern's top players will compete in a Tavern Championships where the winner will receive a trophy, prizes provided by the tavern and the title of Tavern Champion. On Tavern Championship night, there will be 2 rounds, the Semi-Finals and the Finals.
Everyone who is ranked in the bar from #11 and down is eligible to play in the Semi-Finals. This will be done in a normal tournament fashion, and the top 10% will advance to the Finals.
Under the old format, this was done in a shootout format. A shootout is where there are (approximately) the same number of players at each table and your goal is to Win Your Table. So for example, if 40 people show up to play at your Semi-Finals, you could have 5 tables of 8. The winner of each of these tables (5 total winners) will then move on to the Finals.
The top 10% at the Semi-Finals moves on to the Finals and play against the Top 10 ranked players in the Tavern. The top 10 ranked players at the end of the season receive a “bye” to the Finals (they do not play in the Semi-Finals). This is a way of rewarding the top players in the Tavern.
So, as in the example above, the top 10% would then play in a tournament against the Top 10 ranked players, giving you a FINALS TOURNAMENT size of approximately 15.
Also, those who finished in the top 10% in the Semi Finals receive an automatic seat in the Regional Tournament.
At the end of each season, all markets will participate in a Regional Championship Tournament. Regional Tournament prizes will vary based on the number of participating bars in that area and includes anything from plaques to tickets to the World Tavern Poker Open to complete travel packages to Las Vegas and Atlantic City for the National Championships.
There are 3 National Championship each year where the Top 8 Finalists will ALL RECEIVE SEATS INTO WORLD SERIES OF POKER EVENTS ranging from $1,000 and up!
World Tavern Poker Open - The World Tavern Poker Open is the WORLD'S LARGEST POKER PARTY and held during the National Championships. The WTP Open is 3-4 days of great parties, great poker and great people. WE CAN ASSURE YOU, YOU'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED A POKER EVENT LIKE THIS BEFORE! Previous National Champions include: Frank Gorman (Summer 2005), Brandon Buschling (Fall 2005), Brandon Buschling (Winter 2006), William Abernathy (Spring 2006), Tyler Crowley (Summer 2006), Steve Foremny (Fall 2006), Steve Brady (Winter 2007), Lorenzo Middleton (Spring 2007), Lord Lonnie (Summer 2007), Mary Miller (Fall 2007), Alex Durbin (Winter 2008) and Mary Keenan (Spring 2008).
Players can qualify for the National Championships in 5 ways.
Regional Points Champion - The Top 1% of the Regional Points leaders at the end of the season receive a seat at the National Championship.
Regional Championship Events - The # of National qualifiers through the Regional Championship Events varies depending on the # of participating players in that region. However in a standard Regional Championship (ranging from 190-400 players) the Top 10% will qualify for the National Championship.
National Points Leaders - The Top 20 Nationally ranked players at the end of the season also receive seats in the National Championship.
Cumulative Points Leaders - The Top 30 cumulative points leaders (on the Power Rankings Leader board) will automatically qualify for the National Championships.
10 Wins - Capture 10 tournament wins throughout the season at any bar and automatically qualify for National Championships!
Taverns that pay for the privilege to do so may hold a Tournament of Champions at the end of the season, which will include the first, second and third place finishers from each tournament from the regular season.
"Gold Package Taverns" are highlighted on the Tour's website with a Tournament of Champions medallion as participating in the event.
Every player who places first, second or third more than once during the regular season will receive an additional 1,000 in starting chips to the original 5,000 received for qualifying for the tournament.
The top 2 finishers of a tavern's Tournament of Champions will qualify for the annual WTPT $10,000 Tournament of Champions Tournament usually held in Las Vegas in the Fall. If one of the top 2 finishers declines to go to the National Tournament of Champions Tournament, the third place finisher may participate.
2004 World Series of Poker Champion Greg Raymer is the official spokesperson for the World Tavern Poker Tour.
He has participated in two poker training events for WTPT players called the "Fossilman Challenge".
These events allow players to have Greg Raymer observe and critique their play, watch Greg's play, and then have the opportunity to play Greg.
Raymer hosted the first event in early April 2006 - a day long poker event at the Little River Golf Resort near Pinehurst, NC.
Raymer hosted the second event on March 11, 2007 at Hucka's Sports Bar in Baltimore, MD.
Raymer attended the 2007 World Tavern Poker Open V in Las Vegas, NV.
Coverage:
Pictures From the Event (WTPT Website)
WTPT - 2007 Fossilman Challenge
2007 Fossilman Challenge listed on Greg Raymer's Official Website
This World Tavern Poker Open occurred in Las Vegas, NV October 20-23, 2007. Notable winners at this event include Spring 2006 National Champion William Abernathy and Summer 2006 National Champion Tyler Crowley.
Roger Barnes shot video of people on the street and fellow attendees, which made it to YouTube.com.[1]
Bluff Magazine sponsored the "Bluff Tournament", and an article appeared in the February 2007 issue of Bluff Magazine covering "Bluff's World Tavern Poker Championship".[2]
This was the third such event and the first in Las Vegas.
The fourth World Tavern Poker Open occurred in Atlantic City, NJ May 6-8, 2007 at the Atlantic City Hilton Hotel and Casino. Notable winners at this event included Fall 2006 National Champion Steve Foremny and Winter 2007 National Champion Steve Brady.
The first World Tavern Poker Open occurred in Las Vegas, NV November 1-5, 2007 at Binion's Gambling Hall and Casino. Notable winners from this event included Spring 2007 National Champion Lorenzo Middleton and Summer 2007 National Champion "Lord Lonnie".
2004 World Series of Poker Champion Greg Raymer attended the event, and played in tournaments including the BoDog Bounty Tournament and the Pro Player Speed Poker Tournament.
In addition to numerous poker tournaments, events included two costume parties, a party at Mickie Finnz on Fremont Street East featuring Michael Filipelli of Jeanne and the Pianoman, a marriage proposal skit involving a poker hand and Greg Raymer, trivia games and embarrassing people for prizes.