“Go Canada Go! Excited to be Captain at World Team Poker: Team Canada to play at World Team Poker Championship Event”, tweeted and posted an exited Greg Mueller. Set to take place on May 24th to 26th at South Point Hotel, Casino and Spa in Las Vegas Nevada, a powerhouse group of Canadian players will attempt to claim the title currently held by Team China. Mueller’s British Columbia comrades of the cards include Shawn Buchanan, Terrence Chan, Daniel Peter Idema, Kyle Wilson and Steven Goosen. The five will join Ontario’s Peter Jetten, Nenad Medic and Gavin Smith. Quebec players Erik Cajelais and Eric Cloutier help round out the eastern representation of our countries best, along with Nova Scotia’s felt crushing Owen Crowe.
The competition pits not just individuals, but at least 21 different countries’ poker representatives from around the globe against each other for the world’s traditional love of determining just which nation can lay claim to being the best at their craft. Like any other competition of this nature, the patriotic element makes it just that much more fun, for both fans and participants.
Much like an “armies general”, captains of teams battling on the felts are allowed to coach their troops and advise on strategy, or change up the “ranks” by substituting their “soldiers” mid tournament. The spirit and motto of The World Team Poker Challenges and Championships Events are said to be “Pride, Passion and Country”, setting the tone for what certainly will produce some epic play and top professional player selection is designed to draft the deserving, while also ensuring the “heroes” left standing are recognized favorites when the televised event hits the tube.
This year’s squad is very well balanced, with a broad spectrum of strengths and prior individual victories on the tough terrain that the various formats and disciplines of poker will present; No Limit Hold’em, Pot Limit Hold’em and Fixed Limit Hold’em will be played at the first tables of 8, with the top two players of each initial round advancing to the final table.
For more information and background on this year’s team members, check out our highlighted pro players and stay tuned to Canada Poker.com as we continue to add more profiles while we wait for game day!
