Full Tilt and PokerStars take turns setting the online poker tournament record

[Steve Ruddock]

VS

When Full Tilt decided to celebrate it's 5th Birthday one of the promotions was to set the Guiness Book of World Records mark for the largest poker tournament --a mark that was held by PokerStars with 35,000 entrants.

The Full Tilt team put a lot of time and effort into marketing their record-breaking tournament: A $5 buy-in --celebrating 5 years-- with $250k added. One of the best overlays any site has ever offered for a tournament. The extra money, as well as a shot at the record, had the Full Tilt tournament maxed out at their pre-set cap of 50,000 entrants.

However, PokerStars was unwilling to go quietly into the night, and had no intention of losing it's record, especially to its #1 rival. So Stars quickly put together their own 'Record-Breaking tournament'. With little time to get their ducks in a row, Stars settled on a much cheaper $1 tournament, and had the foresight not to cap the field.

Stars tournament, run on the same day as Full Tilt's, drew in 65,000 entrants, and reclaimed the record.

Personally, I think Full Tilt's feat of 50,000 participants in a $5 tournament; as well as the whole marketing and execution of the tournament (they had a valid reason for the tournament, and the prize-pool was doubled by the site) far surpassed Stars thrown together tournament; which was just for the sake of maintaining a very inconsequential record.

[straight_8s]

PokerStars' "record" is a sham. It wasn't a legitimate tournament, and it certainly didn't have nearly the prominence of Full Tilt's event. I will only recognize the Full Tilt $5 buy-in record (until a legitimate new record is set). For what it's worth, the Full Tilt site is better, too. You can tell the difference between the classy, quality approach of FT and the crummy, get-it-out-the-door approach of the other folks. Still, I won't name my favorite site; it's just too good to ruin. ;-)