The packed Schedule in London allowed me the chance to visit two of the capital’s newest poker hotspots. Neither the Hippodrome or Aspers disappointed. The contrast of the two venues is quite stark. The Hippodrome has carved a casino out of a building very much still identifiable as an old theatre. The maze-like layout has gaming spaces hidden around every corner and a poker room nestled away on the very top floor. The poker room here is PokerStars’ first venture into a permanent live venue in the UK . While you may expect something akin to the spacious surroundings of Dusk Till Dawn, the poker room here is actually quite modest and only houses around 10 permanent tables. However the ballroom will also be used for bigger events and the recently announced UKIP T series will have a cap of 200 runners per day. I just hope they don’t try to balance tables between the two rooms as by the time you’ve found your new table, you may have been blinded out!

In the shadows of the Olympic Park, Aspers Stratford may not boast the central location of its theatrical rival, but this brand new venue isn’t wanting for much. Inside it has the feel of a Vegas-style casino. Massive screens show every sporting event imaginable, there’s a selection of food outlets and the huge open-plan poker room is bustling with cash games and tournaments. Housed on the top floor of the Westfield shopping centre, every amenity possible is here and yes, that does include everyone’s favourite peri-peri fine dining experience. Not only did Aspers hold the WPT National event, it also hosted the recent PartyPoker Premier League. While I’m not sure Hellmuth popped down for a half chicken at the dinner break it’s easy to see why this venue is attracting such top events.