The Midway Poker Tour is one of several land-based poker series that takes place in the US. Poker players love to participate in traveling events as it offers a way to play poker at various venues. For this new tour, an inaugural event will take place at the Sheraton Suites Chicago Elk Grove from October 2-4. The 4 K.I.D.S. Sake charity will also play a role in the event.
Details of the Tour Stop
During the Midway Poker Tour stop, a Main Event will take place offering up $100,000 in guaranteed prize money. The buy-in for the event is $1,100 and there will be 30 minute blind levels on Day 1. On Day 2, the blind levels will change every 40 minutes. Players will be given 30,000 in chips to start and the re-entries are on offer. The best chip stack per player will move forward to Day 2.
Day 1A will begin on Frirday afternoon, October 2. The next day, it will be time for 1B to begin. All players who make it through 1A and 1B will return on Sunday to play down to the title winner. Players who take part in the Main Event must be 18 years of age or older to take part.
Starting today and going into Thursday, there will be cash games on offer and the action will be live streamed so poker fans can tune in to the action. Day 1 will have a feature table that will be streamed live and then the Day 2 final table will also be streamed by the tour.
It is interesting to note that the tour is the first mid-major one to stream an event live from the start to finish. The event is also connected to charity so the organizers had to find out more about the charity gaming regulations in Illinois to ensure compliance.
Safety Precautions
Because the event is taking place during a pandemic, there are safety precautions that must be adhered to. All players will need to wear a mask at the poker table. To limit player interaction, the tour has decided to host the event in four banquet halls.
Each table in the banquet halls will have nine players and only five tables will be located in each room. Hand sanitizing stations have been placed in the gaming rooms so players can wash their hands after competing or when taking a break.
Poker has been considered a high risk game when it comes to the coronavirus as it involves players sharing cards and chips. At many casinos, the game is not even offered yet due to fear of exposure. The actions taken during this tour should work well to stop the spread of the virus. Players should also take note to avoid competing if they have a fever or have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19.
As the Midway Poker Tour gets started, it will be interesting to see if it picks up any traction and becomes a popular new option among poker players in the US.
