WPT Pivotal to Poker Popularity in Cyprus, says Chamada Head of Poker Ali Alpsaran
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The World Poker Tour heads to Cyprus later this month for a WPT Prime festival, featuring a $1,000,000 GTD Main Event at Chamada Prestige Hotel & Casino.
A relatively new live poker destination, Chamada has been running poker festivals since 2021 but this is the first time they've partnered with a major operator to bring the WPT back to Cyprus for the first time in a decade.
PokerNews spoke with Ali Alpsaran, Head of Chamada Poker, about his personal connection to the World Poker Tour and what players can expect from the festival at the end of August.
WPT Nostalgia Driving Cypriot Poker
Having started out as a roulette dealer in a small casino in Cyprus, Alpsaran worked a floor manager when the World Poker Tour (WPT) first visited Cyprus back in 2009 and eventually joined Chamada in 2020.
"In 2009, I got to work with the esteemed tournament director Jack McClelland," said Alpsaran. "And then in 2012 when the WPT returned to Cyprus I had the opportunity to work with the beloved Matt Savage.
"The WPT having first come to Cyprus many years ago is a major factor that contributed to the quality and popularity of poker in Cyprus today. There's definitely an element of nostalgia! Our hotel sold out a month before the festival, thanks to hundreds of guest who don't want to miss it.
"My poker career began working with the WPT," he said. "And it continues today with the excellent partnership we continue to have!"
Get to Know Chamada Poker
According to Alpsaran, Chamada Poker has been hosting 7-8 annual poker festivals regularly since 2021, and has grown considerably since then.
"Originally they had a guarantee of $100,000," explained Alpsaran. "Our last festival awarded $1,500,000 in guaranteed prizes, and as your readers know, there's a $2,500,000 guarantee in collaboration with the WPT for our upcoming festival.
"We believe we have accomplished a lot in a short time."
In 2023, the Chamada Prestige Hotel was named as one of the best new hotels in the world in TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards 2023.
"We are very confident that our guests will experience the highest level of quality travel at one of the most prestigious hotels in Cyprus. The priority for management is to work with professionals and to make long-term plans for the property and our poker offering." said Alpsaran.
"Players come from all over the region to play in tournaments and cash games, mostly from Turkey, Lebanon, and Cyprus, with additional players from Iran, Georgia, and Romania."
Did You Know the World Poker Tour is Online?
The launch of WPT Global means that poker players around the world now have the chance to win their way to WPT events, win prizes and enjoy exciting games such as Poker Flips. As one of the world's largest cash game poker networks, WPT Global is available in over 50 countries and territories around the world.
WPT Global offers a large deposit match bonus: 100% on deposits up to $1,200 (using any payment method). New players depositing a minimum of $20 automatically receive this match bonus which is unlocked in $5 increments (credited straight to the cashier) for every $20 of rake contribution.
Both tournaments and cash games count towards bonus unlocking; new players have 90 days from the date of first deposit to unlock and claim their full bonus amount.
*Photos courtesy of Chamada Poker
