The tournament from 6 – 16 January 2019, from Bahamas, intended to revolutionize the poker industry, offering a record fund of prizes of over 26 million dollars and a prize reaching the impressive amount of 5,1 million dollars.
PokerStars, the most famous poker brand of Stars Group, achieved a new record in live poker with the 1.039 players enrolled for PokerStars Players No Limit Hold’em Championship (PSPC), thus generating the largest fund of prizes for a poker tournament with a buy-in amounting to 25.000 dollars. PSPC offered over 26 million dollars to a number of 181 players, and, at the end of the tournament, the big winner received the big prize, amounting to 5,1 million dollars.
From the final table six million dollars were cashed, which is a premiere. The Spaniard Ramon Collilas, professional poker player, adjudicated the big prize, amounting to over 5,1 million dollars. Among the first ten finalists was also the Romanian player Florian Duță, with a gain amounting to 405.000 dollars. The players took with assault Atlantis Resort & Casino from the very first days and got enrolled until the last moment so as to be able to take part into a poker regale. The players came from all over the world, some of them are professionals of the game, but there are also amateurs, who won the enrollment to the tournament by playing in 2018 free online tournaments or some with a small buy-in. during the last 13 months, PokerStars awarded 320 Platinum Cards amounting to 30.000 dollars each, covering the costs related to the entry to the tournament, transport and accommodation for the winner player.
„The preparations for this tournament have lasted for over a year and it is extremely interesting to follow the path of the Platinum Cards’ winners. I have had the chance to know many of them and their enthusiasm towards this event is truly expressing the essence of the poker game. The attendance was just incredible! Over 1.000 players at a buy-in of 25.000 dollars. PokerStars did wonderfully in organizing this event and the players had a great role in this entire process, from the blind structures to payments. It is doubtlessly the greatest event No-Limit Holdem Players Championship,” declared Daniel Negreanu, PokerStars Ambassador.
This year’s tournament is breaking several records, starting with the number of participants and the value of the prize fund, without including the 320 winners of the Platinum Cards. In the 2018 tournament 639 competitors participated, and the total prize fund was over 15 million dollars.
PSPC brought together players which we would normally not see at the same table at an event with a buy-in of this level. Very appreciated players from the communities of on-line and live poker from the entire world took their seats next to some of the most experienced and famous stars from the industry, such as Patrick Antonius, Phil Hellmuth and Erik Seidel, but also the PokerStars Ambassadors Chris Moneymaker, Daniel Negreanu, Jason Somerville, Randy Lew, Jennifer Shahade and Lex Veldhuis, as well as the streamers Twitch, poker vloggers and many amateur and even beginner players.
For a more glamorous look, the first event of this kind enjoyed the presence of some very well-known figures and voices, beyond the poker tables, such as the voice of Bruce Buffer from UFC Octagon, who gave the start of the even with the announcement Shuffle and deal’, former NBA star and ESPN analyst Paul Pierce, professional skateboarder Tony Hawk, as well as the comedian, actor and writer Norm Macdonald. Sergio Garcia, professional golf player, also joined the event, although he was among the “victims” from the 1st game day.
During the tournament many picturesque and emotional stories have developed, such as those of Jacki Burkhart, Oliver Biles and Nikhil Segel who won their ticket to Bahamas with the help of Platinum Pass Adventure. Shaun Lennon from Ireland and Dominique Lamy from France were also nominated to represent their country by their co-nationals.
