In early November, Resorts World performed host to the 2024 PokerStars North American Poker Tour (NAPT). The competition proved to be an incredible success with Nick Marchington in the end successful the $5,000 NAPT Most important Occasion for $765,200.
Along with loads of no-limit maintain’em motion, the cease was crammed with a number of high-profile blended recreation tournaments in addition to the Combined Sport Pageant IX hosted by Robbie Strazynski’s Cardplayer Way of life.
“The vibe was superb. The primary day was fairly cool as a result of the whole poker site downstairs was full,” Strazynski instructed PokerNews after the competition. “They hadn’t but moved all the things as much as the ballroom, so we had some carryover, some individuals who had busted tournaments had been like, ‘Oh, what’s this happening?’ They heard and a few these individuals got here the next day and the day after. So, we actually recruited off the backs of the NAPT tournaments and folks love blended video games.”
The Combined Sport Festivals began again in October 2021 and has to date hosted 9 stops. Of these, 5 have taken place at Resorts World Las Vegas.
Combined Sport Pageant Historical past
One factor that set the Combined Sport Pageant IX aside from earlier editions was a wider array of nationalities and greater stakes.
“We had a desk the place I feel six completely different nationalities had been represented they usually had actually flown in from all around the States from Canada,” mentioned Strazynski. “We had somebody are available from Japan, and my buddy got here from Israel, in order that was actually cool.”
Strazynski additionally revealed that for the primary time ever they acquired a high-stakes $20/$40 blended recreation going.
“We by no means had that occur, in order that was a really cool factor,” he mentioned with an enormous smile. The money recreation motion attracted loads of large names together with Justin Saliba Jonathan Little, Dylan Linde, Eli Elezra, and David Lappin. “The gamers actually discover it very cool to play with the fellows that they see on TV.”
As part of the Combined Sport Pageant IX, a trio of blended recreation tournaments had been included on the NAPT schedule. The primary was Occasion #23: $550 Cardplayer Way of life H.E.R.O.S., which noticed David Prociak prime a 108-entry area to win for $10,100. There was additionally Occasion #32: $550 Cardplayer Way of life 8-Sport, which noticed reigning NAPT Most important Occasion champ Sami Bechahed navigate a 100-entry area to win for $12,800.
Lastly, there was Occasion #29: $5,300 Cardplayer Way of life 8-Sport, which the yr earlier than had attracted 32 entrants and noticed Elezra come out on prime for $53,540. That area grew to 39 runners in 2024 with Maxx Coleman taking it down for $53,300.
Whereas a blended recreation fanatic himself, don’t anticipate to see Strazynski leaping into too many tournaments throughout his festivals.
“My accountability is to be a bunch and I take that accountability very significantly,” he instructed PokerNews. “So, within the money video games, in fact, I can splash round however I wish to simply make certain everyone seems to be having a superb time. If I am taking part in in a match, I’ll take that ultra-seriously and I’d then be shirking my internet hosting duties. So, I do not wish to mud off cash and simply donate [in tournaments]. So, whereas I am internet hosting, I do not play the tournaments.”
Strazynski hosted three festivals in 2024 and already has extra deliberate for 2025. Actually, he just lately shared the dates for the subsequent cease at Resorts World — February 16-20, 2025.
“I am hoping to do no less than three subsequent yr,” Strazynski revealed. “Conversations have begun each with Resorts World and with one other venue right here in Las Vegas to hopefully set the stage for them. Ideally, we would be February someday through the summer time and once more in November.”
Combined Sport Pageant IX Day by day Recaps
For extra data you’ll want to try the Cardplayer Way of life day by day recaps from the Combined Sport Pageant IX under:
Click on right here to study extra about what the Combined Sport Pageant is all about!
*Pictures courtesy of NAPT.
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