Poker Predictions For 2016: Part 1

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Wednesday, December 30th, 2015 | Written by Shane Larson

2015 is about to come to a close. While there has been a lot of news in the world of online poker that one could revisit and look back on, industry analysts are setting their sights on the future and wondering what may lie ahead in the world of virtual gaming. So what might be the future of online poker? Here are a few predictions that are circulating.

1. WSOP Will Institute Some Innovations

Industry insiders feel that there will be some new features to the World Series of Poker in 2016. Most anticipate that at least some rounds will be broadcast on Twitch to capitalize on the popularity of the streaming service. Since DraftKings is out as a main sponsor, there will be at least one new company’s name attached to the event. With PokerStars now allowed to operate in New Jersey, many people feel they will be advertising aggressively during the WSOP.

2. The November Nine Will See Massive Changes

There is also a belief that the November Nine will end in 2016 with the entire WSOP tournament taking place in the summer come 2017. This year, the November Nine failed to draw in spectators due to very slow play and a lack of interesting personalities at the tables. If the World Series of Poker hopes to continue with their November tournament, they will need to rethink their strategy. Experts believe shot clocks will be introduced to keep play moving and that fewer events will be televised during the series.

3. Shot Clocks May Become a Standard

One of the biggest complaints about online poker tournaments is the length of time that some players take to make decisions. As more focus is being placed on making poker a spectator sport, tournaments are becoming more interested in keeping games moving at faster speeds. This has led to the introduction of shot clocks, time limits on how long players have before they must take action during a game. Because of the positive response that shot clocks have received when they have been used, many industry insiders feel that the large tournaments like the WSOP Main Event may begin using them.

4. Alpha8 Super High Roller Will Be Eliminated

Back in 2013, the World Poker Tour started their Alpha8 Super High Roller tournaments to attract elite players to events. With buy-ins of $100,000, the tournaments seemed like they would be great for that purpose, but the reality is that the tournaments have failed to keep players interested. In 2015, there was only one event scheduled. Most experts feel that this will be one of the last that the series will offer and that 2016 will ultimately see the end of Alpha8 Super High Roller .

5. Moneymaker and Ivey To Make Hall of Fame

While there is still some debate over who will be voted to join the Poker Hall of Fame (HOF) in 2016, many experts are putting their money on Phil Ivey, who turns 40 soon and so becomes eligible for HOF entry. Without doubt, Phil Ivey has done more than enough to be considered a legend of the game, having won an incredible $23,199,534 playing tournaments since the year 2000, including earning 10 WSOP bracelets along the way. In addition, Ivey is a prolific cash game pro and at one stage was the game’s biggest winner online, although in 2015 Ivey ended up the online cash game’s biggest loser with around $3.7 million in losses. Don’t feel too sorry for him, though, as he has apparently continued clearing up at the live tables, not least during his frequent visits to the “Big Game” in Asia.

The second name is likely to be Chris Moneymaker whose 2003 WSOP Main Event win is still considered to be a landmark in poker history. Moneymaker’s win came after entering the $10,000 event via a $39 poker satellite tournament, with the player eventually triumphing over a vast field to claim its massive prize of $2.5 million. That triumph for a player considered to be an everyman was largely responsible for launching the online poker boom which lasted from 2003 to 2006, until the UIGEA was introduced in the US. While Moneymaker has added just over $1 million to his earnings since then, he is still viewed as a role model for the industry, and has continued to be a positive ambassador for the game in both the live and online arena.