09/04/2026
Smoke'n Aces Poker friends don't forget to head over to the Smoke'n Aces - Free Poker League page and comment on the original post for your chance to win some money. Let them know how you got started with Smoke'n Aces and your favorite venue for a chance to win!
200 VENUES. EIGHT DISTRICTS. ALMOST EIGHT YEARS.
When Smoke’n Aces began with just five venues in 2018, reaching 200 felt like a dream.
Today, it is real.
Getting here took resilience, determination, and a lot of rebuilding along the way. We survived a pandemic that shut down bars, stopped games, limited gatherings, and forced us to hold Main Events under restrictions no poker league had ever planned for. We endured the heartbreaking loss of our founder, Rich “Smoke” Stewart, whose vision started all of this. We have faced changes, setbacks, growing pains, and moments when it would have been easier to stop than to rebuild.
But every time something tried to slow us down, the many people behind Smoke’n Aces found a way forward.
Our District Directors and Tournament Directors have put in an incredible amount of work to bring in new venues, support existing ones, run thousands of games, and welcome thousands of players through the doors. They deal with the late nights, last-minute changes, packed rooms, difficult moments, and countless details that most people never see. Growing from five venues to more than 200 would not have happened without their commitment to this league.
Our players gave us a reason to keep growing. You showed up after shutdowns. You returned to the tables. You invited friends, supported new games, traveled between venues, celebrated the wins, and stayed with us through every chapter. Some of you have been here almost from the beginning, while others just found your first Smoke’n Aces table. Every one of you is part of this milestone.
Most importantly, none of this exists without our partner venues.
They open their doors and give players a place to gather, compete, laugh, eat, drink, and enjoy a night out. They help make poker fun. They add prizes, create specials, support their regulars, and give players a reason to come back week after week.
Our venues are not simply where Smoke’n Aces games happen. They are the reason FREE poker happens.
To celebrate reaching 200 venues, we are giving away $400!
One player from each of our eight districts will win $50.
To enter:
1. Like this post.
2. Share this post.
3. Comment and tell us your Smoke’n Aces story. How long have you played with us? What is your favorite memory? What venue feels like home? What keeps you coming back?
The giveaway runs from August 28 through September 6. Eight winners, one from each district, will be announced September 7.
From five venues to more than 200, this milestone belongs to every venue, District Director, Tournament Director, player, and supporter who helped us get here.
Thank you for believing in Smoke’s vision, for helping us carry it forward, and for proving that no matter what comes our way, this league was built to last.
Here’s to the next 200 venues!
