$$ Cash 4 Seat $$

The first time a PokerStars Blog writer walked into an EPT London event, he did it beside a then-young poker phenom known as Jason Strasser. When the writer reached the front door of the Vic, he made it through with minimal difficulty (apart from the supercilious gaze offered to all Americans). Strasser however was stopped at the front door. He looked up as if to say, “What? No, really, what?”

The man at the door nodded to Strasser’s sandal-clad feet as if to say, “You’re asking me what? No, really, you’re asking me what?”

This went on for some time until British English met American English and it was decided that, no matter how they “do it in America,” Strasser was not going to wear sandals into the casino. And off he went to buy new shoes.

Much has changed since then, and we’re about to see how.

Starting less than one week from today, PokerStars’ European Poker Tour London will begin again for the sixth time. No longer will players be walking into the Vic for the tournament. Almost all of the tournament action has been moved down Edgware road to the Hilton Metropole.

Though we didn’t know it at the time, Michael Martin, everybody’s fresh-faced winner from Season 5, would be the last person to win a EPT London Main Event championship inside the Vic’s hallowed walls.

Why? Well the poker festival has just gotten too big.

Starting September 30, EPT London will kick off with the £20,000 + £500 EPT London High Roller event. Two days later, the £5,000 + £250 Main Event kicks off.

In all, EPT London will host 16 different events over the eight days of play. With buy-ins ranging from £500 up to £20,000 and games ranging from hold’em to eight-game championships, there are going to be events for just about every player and bankroll. You can see the whole schedule on EPT London home page.

And if you, like us, have a romantic attachment to the Vic, there will still be a chance to get down there. The EPT London 8-Game Championships are running there, as are all the cash games.

We will assume that proper foot attire is still required. And as Sol Rosenberg once said, we’ll bring our shoes…so we have them.

We expect to see you there.

Though we haven’t mentioned this to our wives and significant others (for perfectly legitimate reasons) Europe’s biggest city is not short on women. Not that we have noticed (because we never look and would turn our head away if one were pointed out to us), but they seem to be everywhere. So, color us surprised as we learn that EPT London is actually calling out for more women.

You might remember (not that we saved this anywhere in our memory) that Team PokerStars Pro Victoria Coren made a big splash in London a couple of years back when she won the EPT event there. Now, she and PokerStars are calling on women from around the United Kingdom to join them for EPT London.

Beginning next week, PokerStars will be running a series of a freerolls for UK women. Winners will get a trip to London, a night in a fancy hotel, and free entry into the EPT London Ladies Game. They also get a signed copy of Coren’s book and a face-to-face meet with her (and trust us, the latter is a prize in itself).

For complete details on how you can qualify, visit the EPT Ladies Game” home page.

Now, if you’ll excuse, we’re going to be looking into whether a frock and some eye liner will get us past the gates.