Saturday 8th July, 2023

Your first Goliath!? Grosvenor Ambassadors Katie, Jamie and Rick give their Top Tips for Newbies!

By Mad Harper

Live Events News GUKPT

With more than 20 tournaments on the schedule, in addition to the £150 buy-in Main Event, players will be spoiled for choice at this year’s Goliath, which is taking place from July 27 to August 6. For many players, the annual Grosvenor extravaganza at the Coventry Building Society Arena is their favourite event of the year. But attending Europe’s biggest live poker tournament can make some new players feel a little daunted – especially given that Grosvenor is predicting a record turnout this year. Last year’s Main Event attracted a staggering field of 10,584 entries to create a £1,219,270 prize pool and some are predicting this year’s field will top 12,000 entries.

Grosvenor Ambassadors Jamie Nixon, Katie Swift and Rick Trigg all know what it’s like to attend Goliath for the first time – and they’ve put forward their top tips on how to make the most out of your debut trip.

MainEventTravel.com, Official Travel Partner for Goliath and the GUKPT, is recommending all players to bag your rooms as soon as possible to make sure you get to stay exactly where you want. MET has loads of hotel options near the Coventry venue so now’s a great time to sort out your accommodation.

Jamie Nixon

Jamie Nixon describes Goliath as “an amazing event”. He said: “Goliath is the accessible version of the WSOP and right on our doorstep! Everyone is buzzing to be there.”

Jamie’s top tips are:

Reg early! You can get into the online holding ranks now to guarantee your seat to be in from the start.
Don’t expect too much! At least 10,000 players are going to enter so if you don’t make it to Day 2 on your first bullet, don’t worry! There are plenty more opportunities and even if you don’t re-enter, loads of other side events to enjoy!
Don’t be afraid to make friends. If you’re going to Goliath alone, it’s a really welcoming place and everyone gets on with everyone. If you’re feeling isolated, come and find one of us pros and we’ll get you involved with groups. The most important tip is to HAVE FUN!

Katie Swift

Katie Swift loves Goliath and says it’s THE BEST Grosvenor event of the year! Katie was runner-up in 2015 and the result changed her life; she became a Grosvenor Ambassador soon afterwards. She said: “The buzz you experience walking into that giant hall at the Arena is like nothing else. Plus Goliath has got something for everyone – from newbies and recreational players to regular players and pros alike.”

Katie’s top tips are:

Try to qualify online - securing multiple tickets will allow you the best chance of success whilst increasing your ROI.
Play one of the earlier flights – this will give you plenty of chances to make it to Day 2 of the Main Event. If at first you don’t succeed, you still have options to play other Day 1s.
Enjoy yourself!! Have fun, socialise and take the chance to meet other players – you’ll end up playing better as a result.

Richard Trigg

Rick Trigg really rates Goliath’s “festival atmosphere” and loves seeing so many hopefuls from cardrooms all over the country. He said: “The fact that the Main Event offers the chance to win life-changing money for only £150 is brilliant!”

Rick’s top tips are:

Pick the day you want to play and make sure you sleep well the night before
Stay fresh and hydrated during the day because it’s a long old tournament!

Photo Credit - Grosvenor Poker