Unibet Poker is delighted to be represented in the semi-finals of the 2019 GPI Global Poker Awards in four different categories.
The semi-finalists were announced on Monday following a preliminary voting round undertaken by a panel of experts in each category including poker players, members of the poker industry and poker media. Do vote as soon as possible as voting closes at 8pm Pacific Time (PT) on Thursday, January 23 (5am Friday CET).
How to vote
Voters are asked to select three candidates in each category, ranking them 1st, 2nd and 3rd – and anyone can take part. For Podcast of the Year, please click here; for the Poker Industry awards (Unibet Open), please click here. For Media Content (inc Photo and Written Content), please click here. You need to vote for all awards in a given section before clicking submit, and can only vote once per section.
Unibet Open poker tour
The Unibet Open poker tour, a semi-finalist in the Mid-Major Circuit/Tour of the Year category, had a record-breaking year in 2019 which featured four major events in Europe: a debut Ski-edition festival in Sinaia, two giant stops in London and Malta and a record-breaking event in Paris.
To vote for Unibet Open, please click here.
Czech player Martin Soukup became a two-time Unibet Open champion in Sinaia when he bested a 366-strong field to take down the Main Event for €71,000. The tour’s eighth visit to London in May broke records for the biggest field, biggest first prize and biggest prize pool with 456 entries. The Unibet Open’s #ShuffleUpAndSea festival in Malta in September also broke records with a 327-entry field while the final event of the year, held in Paris last month, attracted 480 entries making it the biggest Main Event of the season.
Unibet Open event manager Kasia Scanlon said: “We are really thrilled to be Global Poker Awards semi-finalists. 2019 really was a great year for us – with a new stop in Sinaia, and wonderful events in London, Malta and Paris. Unibet Open events are always great fun and we always get such positive feedback from both tour regulars and new players.”
The Chip Race podcast
The Chip Race podcast, which is hosted by Unibet Ambassadors David Lappin and Dara O’Kearney and won last year’s Best Podcast Award at the Global Poker Awards, is yet again a strong Awards contender.
To vote for The Chip Race, please click here.
The Chip Race first launched in 2015 and is now in its 11th season. Episodes broadcast during 2019 featured appearances from numerous top players including Victoria Coren-Mitchell, Chris Moneymaker, Patrik Antonius, Jason Mercier, Phil Hellmuth and Donnacha O’Dea.
David Lappin said: “Winning the GPI Global Poker Awards last year was a huge honour. Going back to back in that category would be amazing and unprecedented but there’s a long way to go with some excellent podcasts still in the mix. Unibet has been the perfect sponsor, allowing Dara and I creative control while picking up the tab. Five years ago, we were making an Ireland-facing show for the local community so it’s not lost on us how lucky we are to be on the biggest stage these days.”
Poker Satellite Strategy by Dara O’Kearney and Barry Carter
Unibet Ambassador Dara O’Kearney’s acclaimed book on Poker Satellite Strategy, co-authored with Barry Carter, was published last February and is already being considered the absolute “bible” for recreational and professional satellite players alike.
To vote for Poker Satellite Strategy, please click here.
O’Kearney, who has a long-standing reputation as the best satellite specialist in the game, has won over $1 million in satellite tournaments. He once won a record 120 Main Event seats for the UK & Ireland Poker Tour. The book covers every aspect of satellite play, from the early levels right up to the bubble, with poker game theory insights into aspects such as late registering, post flop play, poker mindsets unique to satellites and how to adjust in live poker tournaments.
Dara O’Kearney said: “When Barry and I were writing this book, we wondered if there was even a market for it, but the feedback we’ve had – from numerous players who have used the book to qualify for tournaments they would never normally play – has definitely made the whole process worthwhile. It’s now becoming an Amazon bestseller, and being considered for Global Poker Award really is the icing on the cake. We are very proud to have written the definitive book on satellites and are delighted to have done our bit to get more people playing them.”
Unibet Open photographers Tambet Kask and Elena Kask
Husband-and-wife photography team Tambet and Elena Kask have both made it through to the Global Poker Awards semi-finals for images snapped at two different events.
To vote for Tambet Kask or Elena Kask, please click here.
Tambet Kask, who has been the Unibet Open’s Official Photographer since 2011, is a semi-finalist for a photograph taken during the first Unibet Open of 2019 in Sinaia, Romania: “All eyes on the Main Event bubble”.
Tambet Kask
Tambet’s wife Elena, who took up photography relatively recently has been an Official UO photographer for the last two seasons. However she is in contention for a shot taken at the Tallinn Summer Showdown at Olympic Casino in July called “Taking a selfie after surviving the bubble”.
Elena Kask
Tambet, a member of the Estonian Poker Hall of Fame and one of the main founders of Estonian Poker Federation, said: “To be honest, we are both very surprised – and obviously very thrilled – to have made it this far. It never occurred to me to submit anything to the awards but then someone put in this photo on my behalf. On the last day for entries, Elena thought she might as well submit an image too. So now it’s the semi-final – and fingers crossed! However what would make us really happy is if people check out more of our work, not just these single images.”
How to vote
Voters are asked to select three candidates in each category, ranking them 1st, 2nd and 3rd – and anyone can take part. For Podcast of the Year, please click here; for the Poker Industry awards (Unibet Open), please click here. For Media Content (inc Photo and Written Content), please click here. You need to vote for all awards in a given section before clicking submit, and can only vote once per section. Do vote as soon as possible as voting closes at 8pm Pacific Time (PT) on Thursday, January 23 (5am Friday CET).
Following fan voting, candidates will then be judged by the official voting panels with the results announced at the Global Poker Awards ceremony which is being broadcast live from the Las Vegas PokerGO Studio on Friday, March 6. A total of 25 trophies will be presented at the Awards including eight new categories.
