Welcome to the $25,000 PokerStars NL Hold'em Players Championship!
One of the most highly anticipated tournaments kicks off right after the fireworks introduced the new year all over the world. An entire year filled with promotions at various PokerStars live event stops culminates in the $25,000 PokerStars NL Hold'em Players Championship as part of the 2019 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA).
More than 300 players have earned their Platinum Pass worth $30,000 and will be joined by the who-is-who on the international poker circuit for the biggest $25,000 buy-in event in poker history. What better location for dreams to come true could there be than The Atlantis on Paradise Island in the Bahamas?
The resort has hosted the PCA since 2004, and some of the biggest names in poker were among those to lift the trophy in the Main Event and High Roller tournaments. It all began with the victory of Gus Hansen in the $7,500 Main Event, and the Great Dane was followed by such big names as Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier, Triple Crown champion Harrison Gimbel, Galen Hall, Dominik Panka and Mike Watson. Christian Harder claimed the Main Event title in 2017 and Maria Lampropulos scored her second seven-figure payday in the 2018 edition.
Former PCA Main Event Winners
| Year | Buy-In | Entries | Total Prize Pool | Winner | First Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | $7,500 | 221 | $1,657,500 | Gus Hansen | $455,780 |
| 2005 | $8,000 | 461 | $3,487,200 | John Gale | $890,600 |
| 2006 | $8,000 | 724 | $5,647,200 | Steve Paul-Ambrose | $1,388,600 |
| 2007 | $8,000 | 937 | $7,063,842 | Ryan Daut | $1,535,255 |
| 2008 | $8,000 | 1,136 | $8,562,976 | Bertrand Grospellier | $2,000,000 |
| 2009 | $10,000 | 1,347 | $12,674,000 | Poorya Nazari | $3,000,000 |
| 2010 | $10,300 | 1,529 | $14,831,300 | Harrison Gimbel | $2,200,000 |
| 2011 | $10,300 | 1,560 | $15,132,000 | Galen Hall | $2,300,000 |
| 2012 | $10,300 | 1,072 | $10,398,400 | John Dibella | $1,775,000 |
| 2013 | $10,300 | 987 | $9,573,900 | Dimitar Danchev | $1,859,000 |
| 2014 | $10,300 | 1,031 | $10,070,000 | Dominik Panka | $1,423,096 |
| 2015 | $10,300 | 816 | $7,915,200 | Kevin Schulz | $1,491,580 |
| 2016 | $5,300 | 928 | $4,500,800 | Mike Watson | $728,325 |
| 2017 | $5,000 | 738 | $3,376,712 | Christian Harder | $429,664 |
| 2018 | $10,300 | 582 | $5,645,400 | Maria Lampropulos | $1,081,100 |
Grospellier, who sits atop the French all-time money list with more than $13 million in cashes, is also among the previous High Roller champions at the PCA. In the first $25,000 High Roller back in 2009, Grospellier topped a field of 48 entries and received $433,500 for his efforts. Other High Roller champions include Alex Bilokur, Vanessa Selbst, Jake Schindler, Lucas Greenwood and two-time champion Steve O'Dwyer.
While a five-figure buy-in has already become common on the international poker circuit, there aren't as many tournaments with an even bigger price tag. Since 2011, the PCA has played host to the Super High Roller events with a buy-in of $100,000. The list of winners reads like a poker all-star line-up including Eugene Katchalov, Viktor Blom, Scott Seiver, Fabian Quoss, Steve O'Dwyer, Bryn Kenney, Jason Koon, and Cary Katz.
It comes as no surprise that one of the Super High Roller winners tops the PCA all-time money list. Kenney has already cashed for more than $6.2 million on Paradise Island, O'Dwyer follows in second by some margin with more than $3,8 million. With the upcoming $25,000 PokerStars NL Hold'em Players Championship, there may however be a change at the top of the leaderboard. After all, the event guarantees $1 million on top for the eventual champion.
Unlike most other High Roller tournaments, the highlight of the festival schedule will be held rake-free and as a Freezeout over a total of five days. The structure and key features of the $25,000 PokerStars NL Hold'em Players Championship were based on player feedback collected at various PokerStars live stops.
Schedule of the $25,000 PokerStars NL Hold'em Players Championship
| Tournament Day | Date | Time | Further Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | January 6th, 2019 | 12:00 | Play 8 levels of 60 minutes each, no dinner break, finishes approx. 21:10 |
| 2 | January 7th, 2019 | 12:00 | Registration closes at start of day, 8 levels of 60 minutes each, no dinner break, finishes approx. 21:10 |
| 3 | January 8th, 2019 | 12:00 | Levels last 60 minutes each, possible dinner break, # of levels according to the pace of the event |
| 4 | January 9th, 2019 | 12:00 | Levels last 60 minutes each, possible dinner break, # of levels according to the pace of the event |
| 5 | January 10th, 2019 | 12:00 | Play down to a champion |
Day 1 will feature a total of eight levels of 60 minutes each, and the registration closes at the start of Day 2 at 12 p.m. local time on Monday, January 7, 2019. The event will be played nine-handed at the start and, if space and seats allow, move to eight handed at the start of Day 2 at the latest.
All participants receive 60,000 in chips, and each level lasts 60 minutes each, down to the last three the level duration will be shortened to 30 minutes. There will be no dinner break on the first two tournament days to wrap up at just after 9 p.m. local time and all further days will be adjusted according to the pace of play.
The PokerNews live reporting team will provide updates and news articles from nine different tournaments throughout the festival, so make sure to check back regularly to find out who claimes the glory at the Bahamas to kick off the poker year 2019.
