PokerStars LIVE 2023
Everything you need to know about PokerStars huge live schedule this year, including its regional tours across multiple continents, online qualifiers, complete schedule, and more.
Last updated: April 30, 2023
PokerStars LIVE has returned in full fledge for 2023 after two years of postponements and cancellations due to COVID-19. With pent-up solid consumer demand to return to the live felt, the operator has revived nearly all of its regional tours that had been paused. And this covers key markets, including Europe, Asia, and Latin America.
Classics like the UK and Ireland Poker Tour (UKIPT), France Poker Series (FPS), Spain’s Estrellas Poker Tour, and the EUREKA Poker Tour in Central & Eastern Europe have all made a comeback this year, alongside PokerStars-sponsored tours like the Brazilian Series of Poker (BSOP), the Latin American Poker Tour (LAPT), the Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) as well as the flagship European Poker Tour (EPT). Plus, the triumphant PSPC and the iconic PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) made a grand comeback.
Dozens of stops have been announced, covering multiple continents, most of which occur in Europe. A few events will also be happening in Asia and American markets.
PokerStars LIVE: Online Qualifiers to 2023 Events
| Tour | Dot-Com | France | Spain | Italy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPT | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Estrellas Poker Tour (ESPT) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| France Poker Series (FPS) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| EUREKA Poker Tour | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| UK & Ireland Poker Tour (UKIPT) | (TBA) | |||
| Summer Festival Malta | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Irish Poker Open (IPO) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Campeonato España de Poker (CEP) | ✔ | |||
| Latin American Poker Tour (LAPT) | ✔ | |||
| Brazilian Series of Poker (BSOP) | ✔ | |||
| Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) | ✔ | |||
One key area the operator has really focused on this year is allowing players to qualify for nearly all of these tours from the comforts of their homes. These online qualifiers run in multiple jurisdictions on the PokerStars app, covering almost all scheduled tours. Sign up for PokerStars to access these qualifiers and more.
This guide covers everything you need to know about 2023 PokerStars LIVE events, including the dates, online qualifications, history, and more.
Check back as we regularly update the page with the latest news and information on the new PokerStars live stops.
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Europe
European Poker Tour (EPT)
The European Poker Tour (EPT) is PokerStars’ oldest surviving live tour brand, hosting the operator’s most prestigious live events since its inception in 2004. Its popular stops include Barcelona, Prague, Monte Carlo, Malta, and London.
The flagship poker tour used to be the cornerstone of PokerStars’ live tour schedule over a decade ago, with each season consisting of a stop at least every month, starting in late summer with a stop in Barcelona and concluding nine months later with a Grand Finale in Monte Carlo.
However, starting from Season 9 in 2012, things became progressively pared back, with the number of stops dwindling from 13 to 8 to even 3 in 2016. Instead, the operator focused more on regional tours, running successful national tours such as FPS in France, Estrellas in Spain, and Eureka in Eastern Europe and sponsoring local tours like the BSOP in Brazil and IPO in Italy.
In 2017, the EPT tour was shelved along with PCA & all regional tours. In their place, the operator introduced two new brands — Festivals and Championships. However, this move backfired as the two brands did not generate enough interest, with the operator opting to resurrect EPT and PCA.
The EPT and PCA returned, but the pandemic stopped all live activities. Slowly, the EPT brand resumed along with other regional tours, with each stop attracting a solid turnout.
For 2023, the EPT will have five iconic stops, including two new locations — Paris and Cyprus. The EPT Paris already concluded in February, and the tour will now head to Monte Carlo from April 26 to May 6. From there, the EPT will be played in the famous Barcelona stop in August and September. In October, EPT Cyprus will debut, and the 2023 season will end with its traditional December stop in Prague.
Online qualifiers will be available in the run-up to each stop on the dot-com platform and on French and Spanish platforms.
EPT Stops in 2023
| Stop | Dates |
|---|---|
| EPT Paris | February 15 – 26 |
| EPT Monte Carlo | April 26 – May 6 |
| EPT Barcelona | August 21 – September 3 |
| EPT Cyprus | October 11 – 22 |
| EPT Prague | December 6 – 17 |
- Online Qualifiers now running
- Players can qualify for the Main Events through Fast Track satellites from $3.30
- Direct Qualifier $55 buy-in
Estrellas Poker Tour (ESPT)
The Estrellas Poker Tour (ESPT) is a brick-and-mortar poker tour that hosts multiple live events across Spain. It is one of PokerStars’ popular regional tours dedicated to low- and mid-stakes players.
The tour debuted in April 2010 and ran for seven seasons until 2016. Its usual stops include Madrid, Malaga, and Barcelona.
The Spanish tour has returned after a six-year hiatus, with five stops planned for this year across five cities in the country. These include ESPT Madrid in March-April, ESPT Castellon in June-July, ESPT Barcelona in August-September, ESPT Malaga in September, and ESPT Sevilla in November.
Each stop will have two signature events — a Main Event costing €1100 and a High Roller sporting a buy-in of €2200. Online qualifiers for each stop will be available to dot-com players as well as for French and Spanish players in the Southern European segregated network.
ESPT Stops in 2023
| Stop | Dates |
|---|---|
| ESPT Madrid | March 23 – April 2 |
| ESPT Castellon | June 29 – July 9 |
| ESPT Barcelona | August 21 – September 3 |
| ESPT Malaga | September 14 – 24 |
| ESPT Sevilla | November 2 – 12 |
Online Qualifiers Available — Yes
Where — Dot-com, French & Spanish clients
France Poker Series (FPS)
The France Poker Series (FPS) has proven perennially to be a popular live series in France and Monaco, making its debut in 2010. Since its inception, the tour has had six seasons running from 2010 to 2016.
Initially, the FPS had stops in lesser-known towns, such as the seaside resort of Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Divonne-les-Bains, and Saint-Amand-les-Eaux, but later moved to greater, better-known destinations.
Deauville, Monaco, and Cannes were some of the regular stops when the FPS ran in the last decade.
Like other regional tours, PokerStars has resurrected FPS, with five stops scheduled for 2023, including a new location in Belgium. These stops include Paris, Monte Carlo, Namur in Belgium, Aix-les-Bains, and Aix-en-Provence.
Each stop on the FPS has an €1100 buy-in Main Event and a €2200 buy-in High Roller. The operator will run online satellites for all FPS stops, with qualifiers scheduled on the PokerStars dot-com, French and Spanish platforms.
FPS 2023 stops
| Stop | Dates |
|---|---|
| FPS Paris | February 15 – 26 |
| FPS Monte Carlo | April 26 – May 6 |
| Belgian Poker Challenge Namur | May 11 – 21 |
| FPS Paris | July 15 – 23 |
| FPS Aix-les-Bains | September 29 – October 8 |
| FPS Aix-en-Provence | November 10 – 19 |
Online Qualifiers Available – Yes
Where – Dot-com, French & Spanish clients
EUREKA Poker Tour
The EUREKA Poker Tour is another prominent regional tour of PokerStars that covers the Central and Eastern European markets. The tour was launched in 2011, but the project was hit or miss on the first go-around.
PokerStars tried out various locations for around five years but rarely returned to the same stop more than once or twice.
In 2022, the EUREKA Poker Tour and other regional tours returned after a five-year hiatus. It had stops in Prague & Rozvadov in the Czech Republic and Bucharest in Romania. The Prague edition in 2022 set a new attendance record.
For 2023, the EUREKA tour will have three stops — heading back to Rozvadov and Prague but will have a new location in Cyprus. The Rozvadov stop concluded in March. The tour will now head to Cyprus in October and Prague in December. Each stop has three signature events — the Eureka Cup, Eureka Main Event, and Eureka High Roller.
Online satellites will be available for each stop for players in the dot-com market, French and Spanish platforms sharing the same player pool as well as in Italy.
EUREKA 2023 Stops
| Stop | Dates |
|---|---|
| EUREKA Rozvadov | March 13 – 20 |
| Belgian Poker Challenge | May 11 – 21 |
| EUREKA Cyprus | October 12 – 16 |
| EUREKA Prague | December 7 – 11 |
Online Qualifiers Available — Yes
Where — Dot-com, French, Spanish & Italian clients
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UK & Ireland Poker Tour (UKIPT)
The UK & Ireland Poker Tour (UKIPT) is one of the most popular PokerStars-sponsored festivals, covering several stops across the UK and Ireland. The tour was formed back in 2009 and has featured stops including London, Dublin, Edinburgh, Bristol, and Nottingham.
It has also taken place outside the UK and Ireland, with stops in Malta, Spain, France, and even the Isle of Man.
In 2016, the UKIPT and several other PokerStars’ regional stops were put on hold but made a grand comeback in 2021. The tour also ran in 2022.
For 2023, PokerStars has yet to announce stops for the UKIPT 2023 tour but is expected to reveal them soon. Stay tuned for more updates.
UKIPT 2023 Stops
- Stops TBA
- Online Qualifiers not yet available
Summer Festival Malta
The Summer Festival returns to the sunny island of Malta for the second year in a row. Taking place between June 27 to July 2 at the Intercontinental Hotel in Malta, there will be 19 events for the second edition. Highlight events include the €1100 Main Event, of course, a €5300 buy-in Super High Roller, a €330 Malta Cup and a €550 buy-in Live on Stars.
Online qualifiers and satellites are already underway in multiple jurisdictions including for players in the dot-com network; Southern European segregated networks for French and Spanish players and the Italian network.
Last year, the Estrellas Poker Tour (ESPT) and UK & Ireland Poker Tour (UKIPT) joined forces to create a new festival for Malta players. The 2022 edition featured 28 tournaments with buy-ins ranging from €220 to €5200. The Main Event featured an €1100 buy-in and it attracted a total of 815 entries to create a prize pool of €782,400.
Off the table, expect plenty of activities to keep players entertained including a catamaran trip, jetskiing, a Beerpong tournament and, of course, the ubiquitous PokerStars Players’ Party.
- Runs from June 27 to July 2
- Online Qualifiers Available — Yes
- Where: Dot-com, Italy, French & Spanish clients
Irish Poker Open (IPO)
The Irish Poker Open (IPO) is the longest-running poker festival in Europe and is considered one of the world’s most prestigious live tours. Its first tour was held in 1980, and since then, it has become a staple on the European live poker circuit.
Though the PokerStars team did not form the IPO, it is sponsoring the 2023 stop for the first time, along with its sister brand Paddy Power. The IPO will take place in April 2023 at the RDS Ballsbridge in Dublin, featuring 39 numbered events and culminating in a €1 million guaranteed Main Event.
PokerStars and Paddy Power have been running online qualifiers on their respective platforms. PokerStars will be giving away 23 seats every week to the Main, sending a record number of qualifiers to play the IPO 2023.
- Runs from April 3 to 10
- Online Qualifiers Available — Yes
- Where: Dot-com, French & Spanish clients
Campeonato España de Poker (CEP)
The Campeonato España de Poker (CEP) is another PokerStars-sponsored live tour considered a staple of the live tournament circuit in Spain. It is the country’s longest-running live poker tour.
Famous stops include Barcelona, Madrid, Castellon, and Malaga. For 2023, the Estrellas Poker Tour (ESPT) and the Campeonato España de Poker (CEP) have come together, with the CEP tournaments running ahead of the ESPT festivals.
Seven stops are planned this year, with two in Barcelona and one in Madrid, Castellon, Malaga, Sevilla, and Peralada each. Online satellites are available on the PokerStars Spanish client.
CEP 2023 stops
| Stop | Dates |
|---|---|
| CEP Madrid | March 23 – April 2 |
| CEP Castellon | June 29 – July 9 |
| CEP Barcelona | August 11 – 20 |
| CEP Malaga | September 14 – 24 |
| CEP Sevilla | November 2 – 12 |
| CEP Peralada | November 29 – December 3 |
Online Qualifiers Available — Yes
Where — Spanish client
Americas
PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) & PokerStars No Limit Hold’em Players Championship (PSPC)
The triumphant PokerStars No Limit Hold’em Players Championship (PSPC) returned for its second edition as part of the iconic PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA). The live tour was held in January this year at the Baha Mar Resort in the Bahamas.
The PCA Main Event drew 889 entries to create a massive prize pool of $8.6 million — making it the largest prize pool since 2014. Meanwhile, the triumphant PSPC event attracted 1014 entrants, resulting in a staggering $24.8 million in prize money.
The operator has not yet announced another edition of PCA nor revealed any plans for the third installment of PSPC. However, given their success, it would not be surprising to see both tournament events make a comeback in 2024.
Stay tuned for more updates on PSPC and PCA 2024.
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Latin American Poker Tour (LAPT)
The Latin America Poker Tour (LAPT) is another PokerStars-owned and sponsored major poker tour covering the Latin America region. Its first event was held in 2008 and continued to run through 2016.
The tour covered multiple Latin American regions, including Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Costa Rico, Uruguay, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Bahamas, and Panama. The operator sunsetted the LAPT along with other popular tours back in 2017.
After a seven-year hiatus, the LAPT returned with a bang in 2023, with its first stop in Rio de Janeiro in the first week of March. Another stop is planned in late April in Montevideo, Uruguay, featuring nearly a dozen events.
Online satellites are underway for the Montevideo stop on the PokerStars dot-com client, with buy-ins starting as low as $11.
LAPT 2023 stops
| Stop | Dates |
|---|---|
| LAPT Rio de Janeiro | March 2 – 6 |
| LAPT Montevideo | April 28 – May 2 |
Online Qualifiers Available — Yes
Where — Dot-com client
Brazilian Series of Poker (BSOP)
The Brazilian Series of Poker (BSOP), which emerged back in 2006, is the country’s biggest poker festival. Numerous seasons have occurred since the tour’s inception in various cities across Brazil. The series has also held events in Argentina and Uruguay.
Most seasons include seven to eight stops, with famous ones including São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Brasilia. In 2020, the live tour was canceled and moved online, where it was held on the PokerStars platform.
The 2022 season saw four BSOP events in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Gramado.
For 2023, six stops are scheduled to run, with one already taking place in the Bahamas. The São Paulo edition runs from March 29 to April 4. From there, the tour moves to Brasilia in June and back to São Paulo for the BSOP Winter Millions in July. Another stop is planned in October in Foz do Iguaçu, and the concluding BSOP Millions will return to São Paulo in November.
BSOP 2023 stops
| Stop | Dates |
|---|---|
| Bahamas | January 22 – 24 |
| São Paulo | March 29 – Apr 4 |
| Brasilia | June 1 – 6 |
| BSOP Winter Millions Sao Paulo | July 19 – 26 |
| Foz do Iguaçu | October 5 – 10 |
| BSOP Millions São Paulo | November 15 – 29 |
Online Qualifiers Available — Yes
Where — Dot-com client
Asia
Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT)
The Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) is one of PokerStars’ longest-running sponsored tours. Established in 2007, the tour covers the Asia Pacific regions, including Manila, Seoul, Macau, Sydney, and more. Last year, the APPT moved to Cambodia for the first time.
Much like other PokerStars-sponsored regional tours, the APPT brand was shelved in 2016, only to come back in 2018.
This year, PokerStars has announced two stops for the APPT. The first stop is scheduled in Cambodia from May 5 to 15, and from there, the tour will move to Manila in the Philippines in late July.
Online satellites are already underway for APPT Cambodia, with buy-ins starting at $7.50.
APPT 2023 stops
| Stop | Dates |
|---|---|
| APPT Cambodia | May 5 – 15 |
| APPT Manila | July 27 – Aug 6 |
Online Qualifiers Available — Yes
Where — Dot-com client
- Deposit $20 and get $30 worth of free play
- One of the best mobile apps
- Biggest MTT guarantees
PokerStars Live App
For those unversed, PokerStars has also a dedicated mobile app that provides players with up-to-date information on its live event schedule.
The PokerStars Live mobile app offers a wealth of information such as access to all the PokerStars live festival dates, both for current events and future ones, events full schedule, registration options, venue information, and the results from completed events.
Additionally, it also provides detailed information on blind structures, ongoing tournament updates such as tournament clock screen, almost real-time player’s chip stack, total chips in play, tournament standings, prize pool, payout structure, total entries, buy-in breakdown, and much more.
More features are expected to be deployed including push notifications for specific tournaments, the ability to create an account and log in, notifications for those on the waiting list, and much more.
The PokerStars Live app is available for download in both Google Play and Apple stores.
PokerStars LIVE Tournament Schedule
March
- LAPT Rio de Janeiro: Machr 2 — 6
- EUREKA Rozvadov: March 13 – 20
- ESPT Madrid: March 23 — April 2
- CEP Madrid: March 23 — April 2
- BSOP São Paulo: Mar 29 — April 4
April
- Irish Poker Open: April 3 – 10
- EPT Monte Carlo: April 26 — May 6
- FPS Monte Carlo: April 26 — May 6
- LAPT Montevideo: April 28 — May 2
May
- Belgian Poker Challenge Namur: May 11 — 21
- APPT Cambodia: May 5 — 15
June
- BSOP Brasilia: June 1 — 6
- ESPT Castellon: June 29 — July 9
- CEP Castellon: June 29 — July 9
July
- FPS Paris: July 15 – 23
- BSOP Winter Millions São Paulo: July 19 — 26
- APPT Manila: July 27 — August 6
August
- CEP Barcelona — August 11 — 20
- EPT Barcelona: August 21 — September 3
- ESPT Barcelona: August 21 — September 3
September
- ESPT Malaga: September 14 – 24
- FPS Aix-les-Bains: September 29 — October 8
October
- Foz do Iguaçu: October 5 — 10
- EPT Cyprus: October 11 – 22
- EUREKA Cyprus: October 12 – 16
November
- CEP Sevilla: November 2 — 12
- ESPT Sevilla: November 2 – 12
- FPS Aix-en-Provence: November 10 – 19
- BSOP Millions São Paulo: November 15 — 29
- CEP Peralada: November 29 — December 3
December
- EPT Prague: December 6 – 17
- EUREKA Prague: December 7 – 11
PokerStars Live 2023 FAQ
Is PokerStars Running Online Qualifiers for its Live Tours?
Yes, PokerStars is running online qualifiers for nearly all of its stops in multiple jurisdictions. These are held in the run-up to the targeted stops, with buy-ins starting as low as $1/€1.
In Which Markets are the Online Qualifiers Being Run?
PokerStars is running online qualifiers and satellites for its live events in multiple markets. These include the dot-com market for international players, the Southern European segregated market for players in France and Spain as well as in the ring-fenced Italian market.
Where Can I Find the Online Qualifiers?
Finding online qualifiers for live events is easy. All players have to do is click on the 'Events’ tab on the PokerStars main lobby and locate the live event they plan to qualify for. Alternatively, players can simply search for the live stop in the tournament search section under the 'Tourney’ tab.
What are the Buy-ins of Online Qualifiers and Satellites?
Buy-ins vary depending on which PokerStars Live event players intend to play but they start at just $1/€1 with direct satellites in the range of $109/€109.
Has PokerStars Scheduled Any Live Events in the US?
Not yet. But PokerStars has hinted at bringing back the live events in the US market this year.
Has PokerStars Scheduled Any Stops in Canada?
No, PokerStars has not yet scheduled any live stops in Canada. However, it does plan to run online qualifiers on the PokerStars Ontario platform.
Does PokerStars Intend to Bring Back the North America Poker Tour (NAPT)?
While PokerStars has revived nearly all of its regional tours, the North America Poker Tour (NAPT) that spans the US and Canadian markets has not yet been brought back. However, the operator has hinted at bringing it back or scheduling live events for US players in the near future.
Where Can I Find All the Information on PokerStars Live Stops?
Players can find all the information on ongoing or upcoming PokerStars Live stops on their website. The operator also has a dedicated mobile app which PokerStars touts “very handy for players.” The app provides numerous information including access to all live festival dates, full tournament schedule, registration options, venue information, and results from completed events.
It also provides detailed information on blind structures, ongoing tournament updates, and much more.
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