The Festival and SpadePoker
We first crossed paths with Franke and his vision to create a one-of-a-kind poker series over five years ago, back when he was organizing the Cash Game Challenge in Bratislava. As a production and media company, our initial role was to provide live streams for his series. Over time, both The Festival and our partnership have grown stronger and more ambitious.
So it was only natural that my colleague Eliška and I made the trip to Rozvadov as well, with the goal of capturing and sharing The Festival’s unique energy with our audience. Poker media and reporters are often challenged to paint a vibrant picture of an “average” poker series. But trust me – there’s nothing average about The Festival, and this time the story told itself.
Qualifier Stories That Will Blow Your Mind
The The Festival series has built its reputation on offering a huge range of satellites and qualifiers, so you can win your seat at a live event for as little as 0.25€. That’s exactly how Czech player Milo Novák found himself there – a “missclick” entry and a little good run later, he bagged a full 1.800€ package to Rozvadov. Dutch player Walter managed the very same, booking his trip with just a 1€ investment.
What’s in those packages? Besides a Main Event buy-in and accommodation, you get travel spending money and a Hospitality Package that’s all about building real community. Every day the players are treated to different activities: anything from sports outside and foodie adventures to live music or even karaoke. There’s no shortage of fun off the felt.
Hospitality That Forges Friendships
On Friday, we joined the “Festival Olympics” at the TJ Rozvadov football field. Poker players from all over Europe teamed up – Swedes, Czechs, Dutch, Slovaks – to take on penalty kicks, bottle flips, and even the classic Finnish lawn game of Mölkky. The grill was sizzling, the beer was flowing, and local Czech brass music set the soundtrack for the day.
These hospitality activities made it easy for everyone to kick back, meet new friends, and soak in the community vibe. By the end of a week in Rozvadov, it was amazing to see how poker enthusiasts from every corner of Europe became genuine friends. When we asked them what would bring them back to the next stop in The Festival series, it was always the connections, the shared moments, and the off-table fun that mattered most.
The Luckiest Guy Under the Sun
One evening, at a hospitality event, a beer-drinking contest was underway. The record stood at 7 seconds – anyone who could beat that got a 25€ ticket to the all-in flip. Not wanting to let the home crowd down, I clocked in at 4.07 seconds, earning a round of applause from the international crowd and a spot in the next event.
That set the stage for the nightly PLO flips. Winners from each round earned a 550€ ticket to the Main Event Flip and Go flight. With nine players seated, I somehow managed to hit a straight on the river, booking myself into the final round set for the next day. This time, the format switched to pineapple: all eight players at the table received three cards, but had to toss one before the flop. I drew K d Q c 6 c, let go of the 6 c, and watched as the board showed K h A h 4 d 7 c 8 d. With eight in the mix, I didn’t expect much – but one by one, everyone flipped over weaker hands at showdown, with the best being K s J h.
It took a moment to realize what had just happened – but when the congratulations started coming in, it hit me: sometimes you really can be the luckiest guy in the room. The reward? A direct seat into Day 2 of the Main Event, plus a guaranteed min-cash.
The Main Event drew 1.053 entries, with 135 players punching their tickets to Day 2. The goal for everyone was to make the final day, where the last 24 would battle for the 90.001€ first-place prize. I didn’t make it that far; lasted less than two hours before running kings into ace-queen. Then, true to poker legend Barry Greenstein, the Ace landed on the river and my run was over.
Why You Need To Experience The Festival
I’ve spent the last 12 years in poker media and TV production, but nothing compares with the vibe I felt at The Festival. This isn’t a paid promo – I’m writing this as a genuine blog because I want to give you an honest look behind the scenes. The sense of community, the organizers’ commitment to creating memorable experiences for everyone – it’s real. Franke put it best: “At a regular poker tournament, 10% of players get paid and the rest leave disappointed. What matters at The Festival is making sure everyone has a memorable experience, whether or not you get sucked out on by a three-outer at the table.”
With that quote, I’ll wrap up this report. If you’ve been on the fence about signing up for one of The Festival stops – now’s the time. It’s an experience the poker world rarely offers, and honestly, I don’t know where else you could find this blend of action, atmosphere, and camaraderie. The Festival returns September 15–21 in Malta, and then November 18–23 for the Slovakian stop at Banco Bratislava. We’ll absolutely be there – how about you?
Good luck at the tables, and thanks so much for your support and for following along.
David