For Glenn Brown, this week’s PartyPoker Tour stop in London (4–12 July) is special for many reasons.
London was where the tour began, the place that has become the hub of a travelling poker community that now follows the circuit across Britain and Europe. But this time there is something even more meaningful waiting for him.
His youngest son, Sonny, has just turned 18 and will be playing his first ever live tournament.
“I don’t know if I’m excited or nervous,” Glenn laughed.
“I’ve taken his older brothers to Vegas when they turned 21, but Sonny’s grown up watching me. He’s watched the streams, we’ve played together at home, he’s played in the pub, so he knows the game.”
“But I’m really looking forward to seeing his face when he walks into the casino.”
It is a moment that clearly means a great deal to him. After years spent travelling the world as a poker ambassador, presenter and tournament host, he now gets to introduce his son to the atmosphere he has spent so much of his life talking about.
“Dad… I don’t need to deal, do I?”
Perhaps the most charming moment came before Sonny had even entered a casino.
Because most of his poker experience has been playing with family and friends, he had one very practical concern.
“The first question he asked me was, ‘Dad… I don’t need to deal, do I?'”
Glenn burst into laughter remembering it.
“He never deals when we play at home because the cards go everywhere!”
“I said, ‘No, there’ll be dealers.’
“‘Oh… so I just wait until it’s my turn?'”
Since then, the questions have barely stopped.
“What happens if I do this? What happens if I do that?”
For anyone who has made the jump from kitchen-table poker or pub leagues into a live casino environment, those questions feel instantly familiar.
Every poker player starts somewhere
Glenn knows exactly how intimidating that first experience can feel because he remembers his own. His first live tournament took place in Tenerife during the 1990s after discovering poker while working as a DJ. At first, the results were disastrous.
“I used to finish DJing at six in the morning and go and lose all my wages playing poker.”
Everything changed after he found a second-hand copy of Poker for Dummies.
“I sat on the beach, read the whole book, got burnt to a crisp, went and played that night… and won.”
From there, poker slowly became a lifelong passion. After returning to the UK, he joined a local pub league, helped grow Redtooth Poker into one of the country’s largest grassroots communities and eventually found himself travelling the world as one of poker’s most recognisable ambassadors.
Advice for every first-time player
Although Sonny has spent years around poker, Glenn’s advice before his first live event is remarkably simple.
“Get there early.”
He believes the biggest mistake new players make is rushing into an unfamiliar environment.
“Walk around the casino. Get yourself a drink. Watch a table for a while. Get comfortable. Just enjoy it.”
It’s advice born from years of working with recreational players.
“I always tell people, it’s just a little bit bigger than your pub.”
That philosophy perfectly reflects Glenn’s approach to poker itself. Yes, results matter, but confidence comes from feeling part of the room before a single card is dealt.
Why grassroots poker matters
Throughout our conversation, one theme kept resurfacing: community.
Glenn believes recreational poker is the foundation upon which the entire game is built.
“If we didn’t have grassroots poker, the tours would stop.”
Whether someone starts by playing with family, joins a local pub league, qualifies through Redtooth or enters their first PartyPoker Tour event, every player begins somewhere.
“You have to have those steps.”
That philosophy explains why Glenn enjoys being an ambassador as much as he does. For him, the role is about far more than promoting tournaments. It’s about answering questions, meeting players, encouraging newcomers and making people feel welcome enough to return for the next stop.
A family moment in London
London already holds a special place in PartyPoker Tour history. It was the first stop and helped create the travelling community that now fills venues from Glasgow to Seville.
This year, though, Glenn expects one memory to stand above all the others: watching Sonny walk through those casino doors for the very first time.
Whether he cashes, busts early or makes an unforgettable deep run almost feels beside the point.
Sometimes the biggest wins happen before the cards are even in the air.
