At the upcoming World Series of Poker, a number of new events are on the cards, including a charity tournament and a Hall of Fame bounty competition. The event that we’re most interested in, however, is the Flip & Go tournament.
Flip & Go tournaments are an online phenomenon that became popular at GGPoker. It’s not all that often that an exclusively online game makes its way into the most prestigious poker event in the world – so, we wanted to take a closer look at what Flip & Go tournaments are all about.
Table of Contents
What Exactly Are Flip & Gos?
A Flip & Go is best described as a hybrid game that crosses pineapple poker with lottery sit and go events. It’s a very fast-paced activity where players can bypass the beginning stages of poker tournaments.
The way it works is:
- All players at the table are dealt three cards.
- Before the flop, each player must discard one card.
- Then, the rest of players go all-in on every hand until there is just one player left at the table.
All of the players who have survived their flips at their respective tables will be moved on to the next round where all players are guaranteed a payout. From here on in, play carries on just like in a standard poker tournament.
Essentially, there is no pre-bubble play. So, the players who make the money can get to the most important bit more quickly than they would in a traditional poker tournament.
How Flip and Gos Will Work in the WSOP
The main difference between online Flip and Gos and the version played in the World Series of Poker (aside from being in person) is that players must discard their card after the flop rather than before the flop.
This introduces a level of skill that isn’t present in the online version. When playing online, you can still choose to discard cards based on which combination of cards will play the best in various hands; however, seeing the flop allows you to be even more insightful.
The buy-in for the Flip & Go No Limit Hold’em event in the 2021 World Series of Poker is $1000. So, this is one of the more affordable events.
There will be two Day 1 flights – one at 10AM and 4PM – on Sunday, October 10th. Players can enter both Day 1s, giving every one the opportunity for a second chance.
Will The Format Translate Well to Live Poker?
We can see why Flip & Go tournaments are popular in the online world, since most runners aren’t really engaged until they’ve landed themselves in the bubble. While they’re in the early stages of a Flip & Go, online players can basically tune out while they wait and see if they make it to the money.
In the land-based world, the field is more of a captive audience. Flipping over and over would be sure to get boring after a while.
Without the changes that the WSOP have made to the Flip & Go format, it’s unlikely that the first stages of the event would keep players interested. So, delaying the discarding of cards until after the flop gives players something to think about.
We anticipate that the WSOP 2021’s Flip & Go will be more of a fun, novelty-driven event. It’s likely that players will enter simply for the banter at the table.
Playing Flip & Gos Online
Flip & Go events were introduced on GGPoker early on in 2021. They have become incredibly popular on the site but have yet to catch on elsewhere. At Unibet and America’s Cardroom, there have been similar styles of tournaments; however, they are pretty hard to come by.
It seems that the uptake of the WSOP Flip & Go tournament will be influential in determining whether or not the game will become popular across the online poker world. Spectators are sure to be intrigued by this novel new format, and it will be interesting to see if there is increased demand for Flip & Go tournaments once the World Series of Poker has ended.
"As a USA player, I think Bovada is the best option. There are always a lot of games going on and the Bitcoin payouts get to me within an hour. No complaints.
Henry S.
UP TO $3,750 BONUS
- Use crypto for extra bonus
- Most traffic in the USA
- Payouts within 15 minutes
- Full casino and sportsbook
Bonus on 3 deposits
plus
Cash rewards
Bethany has been working in online gambling for over 13 years. She got her start in the industry as her first job after graduating from the Professional Writing Program at York University. Having written for many online gaming publications and worked with top casino operators, she has unique insight into the gambling market. Bethany maintains a personal interest in iGaming as she continues to play poker online as a hobby.