Following a long hiatus caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and all the restrictions and bans that were in place over the past year and a half, live poker is finally coming back around the world, and British players in particular have a lot to look forward to this coming weekend.
In partnership with Grosvenor Casinos, UK’s largest multi-channel casino operator, 888poker is launching 888poker LIVE Weekend at the world famous “Vic,” the London’s largest live poker room.
The £444 888poker LIVE Weekend Main Event will feature a £50,000 guaranteed prize pool and four Day 1 flights, with the first one starting on Thursday, October 28.
October 29, 30, and 31 will each feature additional Day 1 flights, and all players who qualify will reconvene for Day 2 of the Event later in the day on Sunday, October 31.
The tournament will feature 30,000 starting chip stacks and 40 minute blind levels (except for Day 1D Turbo, with 15 minute blinds) and unlimited re-entries. Player clocks and time cards will be used during the event, in accordance with the latest standards of the industry.
The operator has been running a number of online satellites for the Event over the last couple of weeks, with players also given an opportunity to buy-in directly to the event for $600 through their 888poker clients.
For those not familiar with “The Vic” already, the tournament will be held at the Grosvenor Casino, The Victoria in London.
Global Return of Live Poker
Live poker has experienced its driest period in decades over the last year and a half, with practically all poker rooms in the world shut down for at least some months, and live tournament series and events cancelled for the most part.
With restrictions partially or fully lifted over recent months, poker rooms have been re-opening. Operators are gradually bringing back major poker festivals. The WSOP is in full swing over in Las Vegas, and European cities have been seeing a return of live poker as well.
888poker sponsored its first live poker event in a year and a half in cooperation with PokerFest back in August, when 888poker LIVE came to Romania’s capital of Bucharest with an €888 Main Event.
The operator has also been giving away tournament packages for Las Vegas via their The Road to Las Vegas 2021 promotion, which has sparked plenty of interest and shown 888poker’s dedication to bringing live poker back to its glory days.
Apart from 888poker, other operators have also been looking at the live poker scene once more, with Winamax getting ready for the Marca Poker Live event in Madrid and PokerStars bringing back the EPT with the first event outside of Sochi, Russia, since the pandemic started.
This December, the capital of Czech Republic, Prague, will host one of the most popular EPT stops of the calendar, in what we all hope will be just the first step in EPT coming back in full.
One of the most anticipated events out there, the PokerStars PSPC (PokerStars Players Championship) looks like it might make a return shortly as well, with the first PokerStars Platinum Pass in 18 months given away at the recent Mixed Game Festival in Las Vegas.
Live Poker in London
Traditionally, London has been one of Europhmme’s top poker destinations, but the last 18 months have not been kind on the live poker community in the UK capital.
With restrictions now lifted and casinos allowed to host live poker tournaments, major poker rooms have announced a number of prestigious events for the upcoming period, with the PokerStars London Series already held with great success between October 15 and 17.
The 888poker LIVE Weekend will be the next big thing for UK players, followed by the PokerStars London Mega Series that’s been announced for November 15 (details to come), and several GUKPT events that should be held in the city in November and December.
PokerStars has announced another major event for the year, with the PokerStars London Christmas Surprise Bounty scheduled for December 16 with a buyin of £300 and an unspecified guaranteed prize pool.
All said and done, players in London and other European capitals have a lot to look forward to over the next few months, with live poker making a return in the truest sense.
For those living in London and nearby, the coming weekend will be an opportunity to dust off their playbooks and get back to the tables in pursuit of major poker titles and big champion’s prizes.
Day 1st for 888poker LIVE Weekend start on Thursday, October 28, and run each day until Sunday, when the final Day 2 reconvenes and concludes.
