"I Rescheduled My Bachelor Party for the Spin & Go Championship Live!"
For Scott Hobson, a casual poker player with a passion for the game, a regular week of grinding online poker has turned into a life-changing experience after qualifying for the PokerStars Spin & Go Championship Live at EPT Barcelona.
Not only will the event mark Hobson's first-ever appearance at a major live event, but he's also had to reschedule his bachelor party ahead of the festival, and he is looking forward to seizing the opportunity with both hands.
A Surprise Qualification
Hobson's path to Barcelona was anything but conventional. He didn't initially realize how close he was to qualifying. On the final day of competition, he found himself in second place, but two players overtook him in the closing hour. Hobson assumed his chances had slipped away until he received an email that changed everything.
"I'm used to playing these tournaments online, so sitting live at the table will be completely different"
"Two players opted out of the poker package," he recalled. "It was and still is a surreal experience.
"I absolutely love the city and get to make a vacation out of it with my fiancée," Hobson said ahead of his trip. "I'm used to playing these tournaments online, so sitting live at the table will be completely different. I'm just ready to get there and make the best out of the experience no matter the outcome."
Support From Friends and Family
The timing of the championship, however, created a unique dilemma. Hobson had already planned his bachelor trip to Whistler with 16 friends for the very same weekend. The decision wasn't easy, but his friends gave him their full support.
"They were like, 'Of course you have to go,'" Hobson said. "It made my decision fairly simple to reschedule the bachelor trip. My family has been super supportive too, although my mom was worried it might be a scam. I had to reassure her this is the real deal."
Though Hobson doesn't play in home games often, he enjoys testing himself at his local casino. For him, the game is all about the swings, the challenge, and the decision-making.
"The highs are high and the lows are low. The chase for those highs is what keeps you going, and there's so much strategy involved. I really enjoy trying to make the best decision with each hand."
Soaking Up the Atmosphere
What excites Hobson most about Barcelona isn't just the Spin & Go event itself, but the chance to soak in the full live poker atmosphere.
"Just being in the casino and experiencing the live atmosphere of the event—not just the Spin & Gos, but the main event and seeing all the action," he said. "I've never been to a large live poker event, so I'm excited to experience that more than anything."
With his wedding just around the corner in September, Hobson also sees this trip as an unplanned pre-honeymoon, just in the perfect destination.
"My fiancée hasn't been to Barcelona, and I'm pretty pumped to tour around the city with her," he said. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience and it's all thanks to PokerStars."
