As you’re reading this, I’ll be sitting down for the €888 Main Event at 888LIVE Barcelona, one of my most eagerly anticipated tour stops of the year.
If you’ve read my previous article on my distinct lack of success in live events, you’ll know that I don’t hold out much hope for personal achievements this week. But this trip is about much more than just playing a poker tournament. In the zero-sum game that is poker, I find myself in as close to a win-win situation as it’s possible to get. If all this positivity feels a little off-brand for me, let me explain.
The City
888LIVE Barcelona takes place every year in May at the Casino Barcelona, located right on the beach. The weather is just beginning to get too warm for this unacclimatized Brit. This is my third time in the city for 888LIVE, and it’s generally the first point in the year that I dust the cobwebs off my shorts. That being said, there’s rarely time for beach activities, but the walk along the seafront before the poker action starts is always a welcome start to the day.
The city is famous for its impressive architecture, particularly the Sagrada Familia (definitely a must-see if you ever visit). There are also bustling markets and exceptional restaurants all over the place, which have become the perfect antidote to my tournament failures over the past two years.
The Poker
Of course, the main reason I’m here is to create content and play some poker. Any sightseeing or good weather I can squeeze in is just a bonus.
The first question my poker friends ask when I travel to these events is whether I’ll be playing the Main Event, and if this will be the time I finally make a meaningful deep run. I always respond the same way: I will play the Main, but not trouble the payouts.
Despite my low expectations, the tournament is always incredibly well run. The room is spacious, the dealers are fantastic, and the entire experience is top-notch. But even with all that Barcelona has to offer, neither the poker nor the landscape is what I look forward to most.
The Team
The standout part of the event is getting to work more closely with the best team in poker for a week. At 888LIVE Barcelona, there are usually more team members attending than at other events.
This will be the first time this year that I’ll be in the esteemed company of fellow 888poker Stream Team member Aaron Barone, who’s made the long trip from Canada. What excites me most is Aaron’s apparent lack of understanding of just how much better he is at tournament poker than I am. He’s foolishly eager to swap equity with me in the Main, and whatever percentage I can squeeze out of Aaron will certainly be my highest hope for a big return on investment this weekend.
‘Mes Que Un Club’
Plenty of the brand ambassadors and managers are also here, which makes it extra fun for someone like me who spends so much time playing online. It really feels like I’m part of a team. And speaking of teams, the 888poker media team is out in full force, producing content at every turn, with our legendary photographer Gema somehow managing to find just the right angle to make me look halfway decent.
What’s most rewarding is that everyone in this group gets along so well. Being part of such a talented team of amazing people is far more important to me than cashing in any Main Event (though I wouldn’t turn that down). The famous local football team, Barcelona FC, is known for their motto “Mes Que Un Club” – which translates to “more than a club”. In this city, with these people, I finally get it.
Would my teammates say the same about me? Ask me again if I manage to make Aaron some money in the Main!
But thanks to the people at 888poker, the city of Barcelona, and the tournament I’m about to play, I know that if – or when – I bust this tournament in my usual miserable fashion, the disappointment will be short-lived.
