Speedyfold Poker Blog

Poker in days gone by had a somewhat shady reputation. Consigned to the backrooms, and hidden out of public view.

Things have come a long way since those days. Not only is poker now seen as a much more legitamate pastime or even career, it has also developed a massive media interest, and has become a massive sector in the entertainment industry.

There are very well established tour circuits, and nearly every continent now has a thriving poker scene. Spinning off from this are big commercial endorsements, not just for the big poker players themselves, but for many celebrities or models who happen to have an interest or passion for the game. From Hollywood actors, to Sportsstars, to Glamour models, a recognisable face is a great way of attracting more players to the game.

The entertainment has gone way beyond live endorsements and magazine pictures. Now poker is a mainstay on television, attracting consistantly high viewing figures. To capitalise further on this you have seen such concepts as the November Nine where the final table of the WSOP was delayed for the prime motiavation of viewing figures.

Overall it is great for the game. Not only does it establish a degree of respectabilty and bring well regulated tournaments/evens. It also means there are more fish, and therefore bigger potential profits for the better players. A somewhat pleasant spin-off as well is that pro-poker players are no longer open to the variance of the game. When you are pulling in regularly endorsement deals or media related deals your bankroll from the game is much more comfortable, even before you start playing.

With the rise of the internet easy access to a game of poker is available in a large proportion of households in the developed world. This combined with the rise in it’s standing in the entertainment and television industries, means that poker’s popularity only seems set to grow still further.

Breakthrough wins are really crucial to the success of nearly all poker players. They are wins that suddenly roll you fully to play at a much higher level than previously, and more importantly be very comfortable in doing so.

Really it is a combination of two factors: firstly the ability to play whatever buy-in you wish, as frequently as you wish. And secondly the general increase in confidence it gives a player.

To highlight the concept I thought I would discuss the breakthrough win of Hevad Khan in July 2007 where he finished 6th in the WSOP Main Event (a score worth $956,243)

Prior to July 2007 his biggest online win was $28,305, which of course is great. But it isnt high enough to suddenly start playing all the big poker tournaments around the world.

Post July 2007 his biggest online wins suddenly shoot up to a new level:

$97,856 (March 08)
$58,410 (June 08)
$125,000 (Sept 08)

Prior to July 2007 his biggest live win was $14,708

Post July 2007 his live wins have now consisted of:

1st in a Foxwoods event in March 2008 winning $108,187
1st in the Caesars Palace Classic, winning $1,000,000

As we said, it partly can be attributed to the freedom of the bankroll, and partly due to the overall confidence of the player, not losing sight of the fact that the two factors are both very much inter-twined

He is now firmly a respected pro on the circuit and a feared force in the majors online, with an endorsement deal with the site PokerStars to top it all off.

The seed of a high profile and establishment on the circuit can happen effectively in an instant, so maintain your faith, as one day it could well be you. Good luck.