11 Sep
(Photo: 888poker.com)
With the recent announcement that the EPT and various other well-known tour events would be brought under the one umbrella of PokerStars ‘championship’ and ‘festival’ events, the poker world has been looking for good news…and now 888poker have stepped into the ring with their own plans to host huge festivals for live poker fans.
Their first big live UK tournament event will descend on Aspers Casino in London from October 13-20, the motto “Make It Big” boasting an 11-day, 17-event spectacular – and all the top 888 ambassadors and players will be there, with Kara Scott not only acting as host, but also walking about with an $888 bounty on her head!
Asper’s has already proven itself to be a big draw, the Cash Game Festival paying a visit earlier in the year, and the promise of hosting the UK’s biggest festival is sure to draw in the players with a £100K guaranteed opener, a £2k high-roller event and the Main Event to top it all off – £200,000 guaranteed with a £880 buy-in.
The appeal to the mid-range amateur is obvious, the buy-ins not being beyond the pocket of most, even as a ‘treat’ to themselves after a year of grinding the online 888 tables perhaps, and the satellites and smaller events running alongside should mean everyone is happy.
This is the type of festival which the UK in particular has been crying out for – and the 888poker brand gives it a legitimacy which others might struggle to achieve. And it’s already paying off as Antonio ‘The Magician’ Esfandiari seems set to play, alongside the other 888poker ambassadors and team pros Sofia Lövgren, Chris Moorman and Dominik Nitsche – who will each carry an $888 bounty to keep Kara Scott company!
Although starting small in the Live festival market – only a few stops are planned for this year – 888poker seem to have covered most bases, with offerings such as the £50 super satellites feeding the Main Event, and several £120 Lightning 6max capped tournaments which will appeal to the online buff who fancies a go at live tournament play. It’s mainly NLHE on offer, but Omaha fans will have £250 Turbo Mega Deepstack events to look forward to.
(Photo: 888poker.com)
With the 888Live Local events covering the length and breadth of Europe, and their 888Live! Series already attracting rave reviews, this latest addition seems set to make 888poker a real player in the festival market.
