Endurance Test
Televised poker tournaments do not convey just how strenuous these contests can be. The post-event editing slashes out most of the hand action, and shows just the highlights of the tournament. Those hands that feature celebrities, high drama and big monster pots are most likely to make it to the final cut. But there are hours and hundreds of hands that no one but the participants get to see.
The final poker table of the 2008 WSOP in Las Vegas lasted 17 hours and took 274 grueling hands to finally get down to the winner-take-all. Of those 274 hands, only 24 actually made it into the two-hour televised coverage, making the final table event seem fast. When it came down to heads-up, Peter Eastgate and Ivan Demidov played 104 hands for four hours before Eastgate emerged the winner.
The WSOP Europe was similar in that it turned into a long marathon, with final table action lasting longer than the Las Vegas tournament. John Juanda won the casino games tournament after grinding it out for 22 hours at the final table. It also set a new record for the longest WSOP final table ever.
Though most Texas Hold ‘Em tournaments held in casinos or online last from one to several hours, the contests can become more than just a game of card skill, and a test of stamina too. Before you sit down at a tournament that may go long, be sure you are ready to pass the endurance test before putting up your entry fee.
