The World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) has a tradition that no other online site can match, says Lex Veldhuis.
“The way that PokerStars has done it, with the new World Championship events within the WCOOP schedule, that’s a cool next stop to make that a deeper level of prestige within WCOOP. It sets it apart from other tournament Series.”
As well as confirming his WCOOP streaming plans, Veldhuis spoke with PokerNews about the upcoming birth of his second child and how consistency is the key for many big Twitch streamers.
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Consistency is Key
No stranger to high-pressure situations, the popular poker streamer has spent the last few months preparing not just for WCOOP but for another challenge — the arrival of his second child.
Veldhuis says he prides himself on his consistency, but fatherhood has meant that greater flexibility is needed, something he says his audience has adapted to and grown to accept.
“This is a huge emotional investment and I’m super happy with it”
“Usually if I say I’m going to be there, I’m going to be there. My audience understands that during these periods I might need flexibility because of things, so scheduling is really hard, and everything becomes a little harder to plan.
“I’ve always wanted kids, and with the second one on the way, the way I look at it is the moment the second one is there, every single day it will get easier to have a schedule. This is a huge emotional investment and I’m super happy with it. It’ll get easier and easier as we go along.”
Veldhuis says that WCOOP comes right before Veldhuis’ wife’s due date, with the couple also preparing for a house move at the same time.
Doing some hardcore unpacking after moving all week. Downstairs floor isn’t completely finished yet but focusing on… https://t.co/iAjlhXCl0V
— Lex Veldhuis (@LexVeldhuis)
“I need to be present at home, but WCOOP is massively important to my career. You need to find a way, so I’ve taken time over the last couple of months to be there at home as much as possible to prep.
“I made sure that I did whatever I could and was really present at home.”
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WCOOP Stream Schedule
“Sunday is always the most important day during any online festival, especially WCOOP”
This has also meant that Veldhuis has had to adapt his streaming schedule. He won’t be streaming every day, but rather aim for the days that will provide the best streaming opportunities.
“Sunday is always the most important day during any online festival, especially WCOOP. And then the second most important day will be Saturday, because if I can stream on Sunday having made a Day 2, then that stream becomes even bigger.
“And then from Sunday into Monday, that’s probably the biggest chance of making a Day 2. So those are going to be my three base days. And then my wife and I will talk and just see how things are going. If it’s been hard then I can just adjust my schedule and do what I ca. But my wife and I completely see each other’s side, and are talking about this honestly.”
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The Power of Community
Veldhuis’ history with Twitch streaming is a vast one, and he is widely considered to be one of the biggest poker streamers around. However, that doesn’t stop him being hyper-aware of the fickleness of his and other streamers’ Twitch audiences.
“Before I start streaming, I usually have a stream on in the background — usually random video games — and if they’re not there a few times in a row, I’ll start to watch someone else. And then even if the first streamer comes back, I now have a new streamer to watch.
“And I recognize that very much for my audience. If I wasn’t here for seven months, if I came back I know I’d still have 2,500-3,000 viewers. I’ll always have a base of viewers but there’s also a group that would normally watch but floats somewhere else. I’ve always had that in my head, and that’s why I’ve always been so consistent because I’m aware of the process and I feel like if your audience is going to invest in you, then you need to invest time into your audience as well.”
WCOOP Tradition and Prestige
And now Veldhuis is ready for another of online poker’s biggest challenges, the World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) that starts on September 4.
“There’s nowhere else online that has this sort of tradition,” he says. “You always get excited because the WCOOP has always felt like the World Championships.
“Sometimes people might think I’m exaggerating but when I wake up on a WCOOP Sunday I’m rubbing my hands together. I really can’t wait for it to begin!”
Executive Editor E.U.
Will Shillibier is based in the United Kingdom. He graduated from the University of Kent in 2017 with a B.A. in German, and then studied for a NCTJ Diploma in Sports Journalism at Sportsbeat in Manchester. He previously worked as a freelance live reporter, and video presenter for the World Poker Tour.