Welcome! Here’s some info as we get ready to play!
Nota bene: If you haven’t registered by now, please do so! I need to tell the poker room the expected number of players so they can allocate the correct number of dealers and so the EFF can estimate how many poker card decks to bring. If you have friends who intend to come who haven’t yet registered, please have them do so ASAP. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/06/betting-your-digital-rights-eff-benefit-poker-tournament-def-con-32
What should I bring? Consider getting your cash in hand from a convenient ATM and if you have one, your Caesars Reward card (physical card, can be gotten at any Rewards desk and most cages). This will prevent jam-ups from happening at the ATM right outside the poker room. You will need $100 in cash or Horseshoe Casino chips to register for the tournament. If you get knocked out and want to rebuy, it’ll be another $100 to rebuy into the tournament with a $100 additional suggested donation to the EFF.
Do I need photo ID? Yes, you have to have ID on you per the Nevada Gaming Commission. In addition, if you win money, the poker room will check it to pay you out at the end.
Where do I go? Come to the Horseshoe Poker Room inside the Horseshoe Casino either at 11AM Aug 9th if you want to do the clinic or a few minutes before noon Aug 9th if you’re coming for only the tournament. This is the same place it’s been for the last two years.
Do I need to check in? You have already donated $250 to the EFF, and your name will be on the checklist that Daniel De Zeeuw will be holding; check in with him when you arrive.
If I spot a friend along the way and they haven’t registered yet, can I drag them along with me and have them register on site? Yes, but please, please do register in advance if possible – we’re not going to turn people away but if we run out of dealer capacity it would suck to not have that additional warning and the donation to the EFF.
How much money should I bring with me? You will need $100 in cash to register for the tournament at the Horseshoe Poker Room front desk. You do not technically have to have a Caesars Rewards card to do this, but it makes it easier.
When is the poker clinic and who is it for? Dad and I are teaching the poker clinic from 11AM-12PM, just before the tournament starts. If you want that brush up on your table etiquette or any of the rules, this is that chance. It’s also something that really intimidates people, so if you have friends who want to play but are hesitant in case they’ll be a noob and wreck it for others, this is why we do this! This is a super warm and welcoming tournament.
Do I need to tip my dealers? In a tournament, it’s not usual to tip your dealers, as the winner of the tournament is expected to tip about 10% of their winnings to the winning dealer, who will tip out the rest of the staff. However, it would be very kind to tip any dealer you think does a great and kind job of helping players enjoy themselves. This is an…odd tournament for them and most of the dealers are not used to very friendly people who aren’t (at least in the first stages of the tournament) as competitive as they are inquisitive. Dropping a dealer a fiver is a nice gesture.
Will I be seated at a table with one of the celebrity guests? Probably. I’ll work to make sure they’re evenly distributed this year. Last year, I didn’t think to tell the poker room manager that it would be nice if the people I specified were broadly distributed, so we got a clump of celeb guests at one table. I’ll try to make sure that doesn’t happen. You may be moved from one table to another at the discretion of the poker room manager. That’s a thing that happens in poker tournaments; please be understanding and do what the poker room manager says to do. This is a Nevada Gaming Commission thing, not a thing I have control over. If you knock out a celebrity guest, they’ll likely be v happy to do pictures with you, and might even have something nifty for you as a present! Our MC is Cory Doctorow, and our three other celeb guests are Runa Sandvik, Deviant Ollam, and MalwareJake Williams!
Can I rebuy? Rebuys will be permitted to the end of the break after round 6. They are $100 with a suggested additional donation of $100 to the EFF. Daniel will be able to help you with your rebuy donation, and the front desk will take your $100 for the tournament cost.
How long will the tournament go? We’ll start at noon. Usually rounds are 15 minutes. In my experience, the tournament will go for about 9-10 rounds; it is very quick. The final table will probably not last more than 45 minutes. We will probably be out of there even after last pictures and prizes no later than 3:45PM.
If I win, how do I get paid out? If you are one of the players who will get paid at the end of the tournament (usually between 4-8 people or so), the poker room will give you a payout slip to take to a cage or they’ll pay you out in cash right there, depending on what they have on hand.
Can I bring a friend who isn’t going to play but who wants to watch? Sure. They may be limited in how close to your table they can approach, based on where the other tables are, or what the other players are comfortable with, but you can sure bring them. Maybe encourage them to make whatever donation to the EFF they feel comfortable with?
Can I hack stuff at/near the poker room? No. Don’t get me in trouble with the Nevada Gaming Commission. Don’t scare the normies; they get cranky when they have thousands of dollars on the line and the LCDs around them start showing WarGames.
I have more questions! Nifty. Email events@eff.org. Can’t wait to see you there!
