Poker at a local bar? What’s the deal? Isn’t that illegal? Not so for the World Tavern Poker league, whose members host thousands of poker tournaments in hundreds of bars across the country. How do they get away with it? Simple: Their poker games are played for points and prizes. There are no fees paid, no buy-ins required. There’s no risk of losing money, so technically this isn’t gambling… but it sure feels like gambling!
All you have to do to play is sign up at worldtavernpoker.com in order to track the points you win in the weekly Tuesday night tournaments. Then just show up at McGillicuddy’s on time, and you’ll get a stack of chips with which to do battle with your fellow players. The game is No Limit Texas Hold’Em, by far the predominant form of poker played today, also known as “the Cadillac of poker games”. Each player is dealt two cards, there’s a round of betting, then three shared community cards (“the flop”) are dealt, followed by more betting, then a shared “turn” card, more betting, and then a shared “river” card with a final round of betting. Each player is trying to make the best five-card poker hand they can out of their two “hole” cards and the five community cards – or they’re trying to bluff, pretending they have a good hand.
Lose all your chips and you’re out of the tournament. Be the last person remaining with chips to win. Points are awarded based on which place you finished. The top local winners will advance to the Regional Championships. The regional top winners advance to the National Championships, where $100,000 in prizes are paid out every year.
The vibe at a World Tavern Poker table is much more friendly and laid-back than casino poker rooms, which are often full of unpleasant and unhappy people. This makes the bar a perfect place for beginners to develop their poker skills (yes, poker is a game of skill with a strong element of luck) without risking any money. Poker players are notorious for overestimating their skills, so it’s also a great way for poker enthusiasts to see where they’re at before risking their bankroll in real-money tournaments.
Grab a beer, belly up to the table, and try your luck at the great American game of poker.
Join the family! 
