Poker tours are appearing all across the globe right now as the world’s greatest game continues to expand and develop at a pace no one could realistically have predicted, with one of the most recent additions, the PokerStars Eureka Poker Tour, returning for a second year.
We already have the big-name series such as the World Poker Tour (WPT), European Poker Tour (EPT), Asian Poker Tour (APT), Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) and Latin American Poker Tour (LAPT).
Then there are more localised events, including the UK & Ireland Poker Tour (UKIPT), North American Poker Tour (NAPT), Partouche Poker Tour (PPT), Italian Poker Tour (IPT), Estrellas Poker Tour, Australia New Zealand Poker Tour (ANZPT), and even the Amateur Poker Association & Tour (APAT).
Essentially, the majority of the world is well covered by tours, with only a few exceptions, although the World Series of Poker (WSOP) have moved beyond their Vegas home in recent years to create the WSOP Europe and right now the WSOP Africa is smack bang in the middle of a second season in South African city Johannesburg.
Eastern and Central European Poker Boost
But, incredibly, eastern and central Europe have been sidelined somewhat, so the return of the PokerStars Eureka Poker Tour for a second outing will be most welcome in countries such as Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic and Slovenia.
Certainly, poker players throughout the region warmly welcomed the five events that were held last year as the tour took in Prague (twice), Zagreb, Varna and Nova Gorica.
While the schedule for this year’s tour is still not yet complete, three stops have been announced – with Latvia, Croatia and Bulgaria the first countries to be certain of welcoming thousands of players and spectators to some of the world’s most beautiful cities.
Season Two will kick off in Croatia on April 9, lasting six days until the 14th, at Zagreb’s Golden Sun Casino and featuring a €1,000+€100 buy-in main event from the 11th until the 14th.
Croatia, Bulgaria and Latvia on 2012 Schedule
The other confirmed dates are in Bulgaria and Latvia, of course, with Varna’s Casino & Hotel International at the Golden Sands Resort staging a seven-day event from June 4 to 10, with this leg also including a €1,100 buy-in main event from the seventh to the 10th.
Four months later, from October 1 to 7, Riga’s Royal Casino will also play host to a four-day main event that again possesses a €1,100 buy-in and kicks off on the fourth.
Now, many of you online poker hopefuls in eastern and central Europe will surely have eyed up live tournament competition – and where better to begin than in Zagreb come the middle of April?
OK, OK, OK, I realise the vast majority of you won’t have the €1,100 buy-in readily available. But that’s where PokerStars comes in – as the poker room are offering free entry through a series of online satellites to players in Slovenia, Romania, Croatia, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria.
PokerStars.net Freerolls to Zagreb Running Now
These freerolls are staged on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays every week right now at 19:30 CET (Central European Time) on PokerStars.net, with each event offering more than €100-worth of added satellite tickets.
The satellites can be found in the PokerStars lobby. Once there, look for the following tabs: ‘Tournaments’, and then ‘Regional’. If successful, you’ll have to follow up by visiting ‘Events’ and then ‘Special’ for the main satellites.
Of course, it’s all up to you to secure those main satellite event seats and, hopefully, one of the packages on offer from PokerStars.
There are seat-only prizes, as well as the more sought-after seat, hotel accommodation and expenses award, so – if you fancy getting ready for a trip to the Croatian tournament that promises to possess a prize pool in excess of €200,000 – it could be time to check out the satellites.
Follow in the Footsteps of Richard Bodis
Hungarian Richard Bodis won last August’s €730+€70 buy-in main event in Season One for a top prize of €47,298 ($68,061) after outlasting a 259-player field in Zagreb that created a prize pool of €183,400 ($263,908). But you can expect that winner’s cheque and starting line-up to be larger this year.
However, never fear, if you’re not already signed up to PokerStars, it’s really easy. Just get on over to http://www.pokerstars.net/sites/download/ and follow the instructions.
You can also take advantage of their 100% first-deposit bonus for as much as $600. Click here to visit PokerStars.net.
Remember to bookmark Max Poker Bonus so you can get the latest information on the second season of the Eureka Poker Tour, including updates on additional stops being added to the series.
The PokerStars Eureka Poker Tour Season Two Schedule
- April 9-14: Eureka Croatia, Golden Sun Casino, Zagreb, €1,000+€100* buy-in main event (April 11-14, 400-player maximum)
- June 4-10: Eureka Bulgaria, Casino & Hotel International, Golden Sands Resort, Varna, €1,000+€100* buy-in main event (June 7-10, 500-player maximum)
- October 1-7: Eureka Latvia, Royal Casino, Riga, €1,000+€100* buy-in main event (October 4-7, 500-player maximum)
* 3% of prize pool covers floor staff and dealers costs.