'Most Fun I've Had in Vegas': Silver Pass Qualifiers Talk About Winning NAPT Packages
Table Of Contents
The Tournament of Stars at PokerStars North American Poker Tour (NAPT) Las Vegas, a $100,000 guaranteed freeroll event available exclusively to Silver Pass winners, brought two poker players with very different poker stories to Las Vegas.
Canada's Tony Norman didn't even realize he had won a Silver Pass after taking down an online tournament while cooking dinner, while Michigan's Steven Reynolds is a seasoned grinder who won the package thanks to a VIP freeroll exclusive to the top players on PokerStars MI.
PokerNews caught up with both Silver Pass winners at the NAPT festival at Resorts World Las Vegas, which continues on today with Day 4 of the $5,300 NAPT Main Event.
"I Think I'm Going to Vegas"
Despite being a casual poker player, Norman, who lives in Canada by way of the United Kingdom, found immediate success when he first downloaded the PokerStars app six weeks ago, winning around $1,100 in a $100 buy-in tournament.
“I haven’t really played a lot of poker, some like live stuff," Norman told PokerNews in an interview. "I downloaded the app because I missed going to the casino."
The next Sunday, Norman ran deep in another $100 event and tried to make a deal as it got down ot the final few players. "So I'm like clicking the Make-a-Deal button ... and nobody wants to make a deal. So I just keep playing.
"I literally thought it (the prize) was a $100 entry to the next week's tournament. Then I go to work on Monday, and I'm like, hey, this is like a $4,200 Canadian thing. I've got to be ready Nov. 5, make sure I'm well-rested. I'm thinking it's an online tournament I'm going to play in my living room, you know? ... I think I'm going to Vegas."
Norman hadn't realized he won a Silver Pass to NAPT Las Vegas, which included entry into the $100,000 guaranteed Tournament of Stars, $800 cash credit for travel and a seven-night stay at Resorts World. But the prize was no surprise to Reynolds, who grinded out a VIP freeroll he was able to play thanks to his high volume on PokerStars MI.
"There (were) only probably 40 of us in the event," Reynolds told PokerNews. "I was lucky enough to finish second and won my way out here."
Caviar & Sliders
"This is the most fun I've actually had in Vegas, and I come here fairly regularly."
There were a few extra perks to the Silver Pass experience, including entry to an exclusive Q&A with PokerStars ambassador Jason Koon and access to PokerStars festivities, such as a Comedy Night, RunGood Poker Series (RGPS) Trivia Night, and Welcome Party. Ultimately, it made for the full Las Vegas experience.
"They put on some great stuff," Norman said. "The comedy night was awesome. It's been amazing. There's literally like caviar and beef wagyu sliders and stuff, so it's a different base from what I'm used to."
"It's been a lot of fun," agreed Reynolds. "We got to have a Q&A with Jason Koon who's obviously one of the best players in the world. Hearing him answer questions about poker and kind of what makes him tick was really insightful and valuable.
"PokerStars puts on a great event. This is my first NAPT. I've been to other festivals like WSOP and WPT, but this by far has been the most fun ... This is the most fun I've actually had in Vegas, and I come here fairly regularly."
Tournament of Stars
Reynolds faced a predicament as soon as he sat down in the Tournament of Stars as he had also made Day 2 of the $1,100 PokerStars Open, where he would finish 123rd for $1,750.
"So basically for about seven hours I literally live multi-tabled back and forth. And I haven't done that before. I do plenty of multitabling when I play online, but this was my first experience doing that (live). But I guess I was successful. I was able to cash both events. So that was pretty cool."
Norman was less fortunate in the Tournament of Stars, falling just outside of the money thanks to a bold bluff where he tried to represent trips on the river but got called by two pair.
"I only just missed the money. And I was dumb. I could've just blinded (out) and gotten into the money. I went all in and somebody had a better hand than me. And that was it."
After multiple cashes at the NAPT Las Vegas festival, Reynolds is already thinking about 2026.
"I've had so much fun," he said. "It's really been a great experience. I'm really looking forward to NAPT again next year."
