Big Game (poker)

This article refers to a well known cash game in Las Vegas. For the television program of the same name sponsored by PokerStars, see PokerStars Big Game.

The Big Game refers to a famous high-stakes poker ring game played in "Bobby's Room", a cardroom named after Bobby Baldwin, at the Bellagio casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The table features no-limit and pot-limit games with wagers up to $100,000 per hand. Limit games as high as $4,000/$8,000 are often played but $2,000/$4,000 is normal.

The table features a variety of poker games played in rotation and changing every 8–10 hands. The games are selected from a list of the players' choices, including:

• Texas hold 'em (limit and no limit)
• Seven-card stud (straight high, eight or better Hi/Lo, Hi/Lo without qualifiers, limit)
• Omaha (straight high, eight or better Hi/Lo, limit and pot limit)
• Deuce-to-seven triple draw (limit)
• Deuce-to-seven single draw (no limit)
• Ace-to-Five triple draw (limit)
• Ace-to-Five single draw (no limit)
• Razz (limit)

Usually players buy in for $200,000–300,000, but anyone with the minimum buy in of $80,000 is welcome to play.

In addition to the occasional drop-in player, the following players have been known to play regularly in the Big Game over the years:

• Patrik Antonius
• David Benyamine
• Doyle Brunson
• Todd Brunson
• Johnny Chan
• Allen Cunningham
• Tom Dwan
• Eli Elezra
• Sammy Farha
• Ted Forrest
• Chau Giang
• Barry Greenstein
• David Grey
• Gus Hansen
• Jennifer Harman
• John Hennigan
• Phil Ivey
• Guy Laliberté
• Minh Ly
• Daniel Negreanu
• David Oppenheim
• Ralph Perry
• Chip Reese (deceased)
• Huck Seed

Other uses

The "big game" is also often used to describe the largest game being played in any casino or city at that moment.