- The MPN Poker Tour (MPNPT) will hold its first events from May 29 in London. The tour was announced in February and marks MPN’s return to sponsoring live poker tournament series after a break of several years.
- MPN head of Poker Alex Scott believes the tour will be clearly differentiated by its “Fun, Friendly and Affordable” ethos.
- Comparably low buy ins are an important feature of a tournament series designed to appeal to recreational players.
The first stop on The MPN Poker Tour (MPNPT) has concluded in London.
The €550 main event, held at the Aspers in London, attracted 83 runners—“a little fewer than we’d hoped,” MPN’s write-up admits.
However, other low-buyin side events attracted enough runners for the stop to be considered a success.
The tour was announced in February and marks MPN’s return to sponsoring live poker tournament series after a break of several years.
“Fun and Friendly”
MPN head of Poker Alex Scott believes the tour will be clearly differentiated by its “Fun, Friendly and Affordable” ethos.
Other tournaments during the three-day event include an Open Face Chinese Poker side event and a low-buy live versions of two popular online events—“Mosh Pit” and “The Big Night Out.”
In an interview with PokerNews, Alex Scott explained that MPN decided to offer “a full live event series in order to remain competitive.”
However, exactly how to approach it wasn’t decided until late last year.
Malta and Tallinn
Having control of the series enables MPN to “go to the venues that our operators’ players would want to attend,” he added.
The second stop on the series is programmed for Malta and will take place between September 11 and September 14.
A third festival has been announced for Tallinn in Estonia at some time over the New Year.
As a network operator, MPN should be able to offer its skins the chance to sponsor individual events in the series.
“I still have fond memories of the Monte Carlo Millions, which produced some of the best poker I’ve ever seen,” said Christopher Hirst, Head of Poker at Betsson Group, which operates four skins on MPN, upon the announcement of MPNPT.
“We will see an equally friendly atmosphere and even more exciting play on the MPNPT.”
