A year has already passed since the inauguration of the Admiral Poker Room at Casino Mendrisio. In fact, on January 1, 2022, when the effects and regulations dictated by the pandemic emergency were still tangible, Casino Admiral in Mendrisio decided to give birth to a project that was as ambitious as it was risky. The Admiral Poker Room was born right in the heart of the Mendrisio Casino with 4 Cash Game tables and proposed to expand the gaming offer by creating a sector ex novo and introducing high level Poker, with Hold’em tables starting from 2/5 blinds and Pot Limit Omaha 5/5 and 10/10. Many criticized it, speculating that this Cash Room would be short-lived, but instead the results proved the exact opposite. From the early months, thanks in part to the Admiral Poker League ranking, all 4 tables were filled on weekends and on the other days of the week at least one table started as early as the early afternoon. In all of 2022 there was never a day when Poker was not played at the Mendrisio Casino-an incredible figure considering that it was a fledgling establishment. The high demand for play and long waiting lists during weekends and events prompted the casino’s top management to hire new staff and add two more cash game tables. The great success of the Admiral Poker Room is also measured by the media effect produced since the first presentation press conference that took place on December 1, 2021. From there on, the communication offered daily on the corporate website and social networks grew steadily and relentlessly, a phenomenon that was also anomalous considering that they were starting from scratch. Industry and non-industry media have always given great space to Room’s activities both locally and internationally, from neighboring Italy to Inner Switzerland. From the marketing point of view a great booster was offered by the 3 big tournaments organized in the tournament area of the Admiral Poker Room. The first, the inaugural one, had been the record-breaking IPO Master, which in January 2022 had totaled 250 entries in the 1,100 Main Event alone. The great success was replicated in June with the Platinum Aces Night, which also introduced the first Omaha event and a High Roller tournament for a total of 486 buy-ins including satellites. After that it was the turn of SCOP, the €100,000 guaranteed Swiss Poker Championship. Qualifying satellites accompanied the entire summer in both the Locarno Casino and Mendrisio. In the end, the event that took place in September over two weeks was attended by 571 players and elected the first Swiss Poker Champion at the Casino Mendrisio.

The Admiral Poker Room’s last tournament was a one-day event held as part of the casino’s 20th anniversary celebration and totaled a record 194 entries all in one day. By the end of the year there were 2,007 total buy-ins for the Admiral Poker Room tournaments. But the good stuff is coming as the Mendrisio Poker Room prepares to host the €200,000 guaranteed Night of Aces from January 16 to 29. This is a record-breaking prize pool for poker made in Switzerland.