This year’s giant 11-day Goliath extravaganza, which gets underway at the Coventry Building Society arena next Thursday (July 27), features more than 20 tournaments and a £150 buy-in Main Event set to attract over 12,000 entries.
For many players, Grosvenor’s annual jaunt to Coventry is their favourite event of the year. But attending Europe’s biggest live poker tournament can also be a little daunting! Below is a quick guide to the essential info you’ll need if you’re attending – from where to stay and how to get there, from how to register to where to eat…
Last year’s Main Event attracted a staggering field of 10,584 entries to create a £1,219,270 prize pool so this is one event you definitely should plan on playing!
The Grosvenor app
The Grosvenor live app is super useful so do download it to your smartphone ((iOS | Android)) and add the Coventry venue to your favourites. You’ll be able to see info on all the Goliath tournaments including date/time, buy-in, duration, clock, late reg and structure – plus sign up for cash game waiting lists direct from your own phone.
Getting there & where to stay
MainEventTravel.com is the Official Travel Partner for Goliath so do make sure you’ve sorted out your accommodation before you head to Coventry. MET has loads of hotel options but don’t leave it much later to book!
The Coventry Building Society arena is easily accessible by car, bus, train and taxi – including a train direct from Coventry city centre. There’s free car parking at the Coventry Building Society arena for all Casino customers, on a first come first served basis. If parking, make sure you enter your car reg on the system in the casino.
On arrival
You’ll be scanned in each day and given a wristband. Being a Grosvenor member will help speed up the process; it’s free to join so if you have a club near you, it’s worth signing up in advance. (An added benefit of the app is that your Grosvenor membership card is stored there too.)
Do arrive in good time for your event as there are likely to be queues, especially if you make it through to Day 2 of Goliath. This year’s event is set to break records so there could be over a thousand players competing on Day 2.
Registration for Goliath
Do register at your local club or online before the event if you can - any time before midnight next Wednesday (July 26). Players may only be registered to one Goliath Day 1 at a time, but entries are unlimited for each flight.
Each Day 1 is capped for pre-registration at 880 (400 online and 480 live) and the Day 1a online pre-reg is already full and live getting close as we go to print! All pre-registered players will be in the initial seat draw so just make your way into the hall once the seating is displayed.
If you have won your seat at a Grosvenor club, check you’re entered into the correct flight otherwise you may have a wait for a seat on the flight you do attend.
Ps. Tournament entries will be taken outside Lady G’s (not the cash desk.)
Alternates
All alternates will have a number on their receipt and, once your number is displayed / announced, you can head into the hall to find your seat. Grosvenor will sit all alternates regardless of the level; if you feel it’s taken too long, you can receive a full refund.
At the tables
When you find your seat, show your ID to the dealer and then fill out the GDPR form. This tells Grosvenor your preferences regarding tournament reporting and photos.
Stacks aren’t in play until you arrive but if you’re still not there by the end of late registration (end of Level 10), and haven’t advised Grosvenor you’ll be late, your stack will be removed. Otherwise, it will be made live and you’ll be blinded off until you arrive.
Re-entries and stack surrender
Late registration and re-entry are permitted up until the end of level 10. All players can surrender their stack at the end of late registration or at the end of the day (Level 18) apart from on Day 1h.
Food and drink
A breakfast buffet will be on offer every morning in the club. The food hall is back in Club 87 and a wide selection of food options will be available. Fan favourite Uncle Monty's Kitchen will also be parked up outside the casino doors for world-class dishes such as Philly Cheese Steaks.
There will be three bars at the venue including a dedicated players' lounge where players can chill while watching sport on the big screen.
Cash games
Cash games are available 24 hours a day inside the casino offering a variety of stakes.
Off the felt
Grosvenor will be having its usual 'Spin the wheel' promotion where players can try their luck at winning a £250 Live Event ticket for absolutely nothing when they play in the daily Goliath online free roll. Resident magician Sean Heydon will also be wandering the Halls and Casino showcasing all his latest tricks.
Live stream
Hosted by The Tower, there will be nine full days of live streaming at Goliath 2023 including four final tables. Tune in on Facebook, Twitch & Youtube.
Dress code & luggage
It’s a relaxed dress code for Goliath plus you can take backpacks into the casino. There is a cloakroom at reception for larger items.
For the most up-to-date information, see Grosvenor’s Goliath post on Facebook.
£ GBP
$ USD
€ EUR
