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NAPT LA Event now The Big Event at the Bike

$5,000 Main Event will still Run from March 5-10 at the Bicycle Casino and Card Player will provide Live Coverage

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Bicycle CasinoThe PokerStars North American Poker Tour has pulled its branding from the $5,000 no-limit hold’em event that will take place at the Bicycle Casino from March 5-10. The tournament is now The Big Event and although ESPN will no longer film this event, it will be webcast on “Live at the Bike”. ESPN will film the $5,000 no-limit hold’em bounty shootout event that will take place at the Bike from Mar. 10-12.

The decision to stage the event without NAPT branding was made after discussions with California gaming regulators.

Card Player will still be at the tournament to bring you live coverage from Los Angeles for the full run of the $5,000 main event. PokerStars will also still be present at the tournament and all previously scheduled activities will proceed as planned, including the player party. The full schedule of side events will also run as planned.

You can watch the live coverage from The Big Event beginning at noon PST on Saturday, Mar. 5. Players will begin with 30,000 in tournament chips and the blinds start at 50-100 for the first level. Levels will be 60 minutes long on day 1 and increase to 75 minutes in length starting on day 2. Here is a look at the schedule for the $5,000 no-limit hold’em main event:

Saturday, Mar. 5: Day 1A (play nine levels)
Sunday, Mar. 6: Day 1B (play nine levels)
Monday, Mar. 7: Day 2 (play seven levels)
Tuesday, Mar. 8: Day 3 (play down to 24 players)
Wednesday, Mar. 9: Day 4 (play down to 8 players)
Thursday, Mar. 10: Final Table

This was the official statement posted by the NAPT on their website in regards to the L.A. event:

The North American Poker Tour event scheduled for March 5 to 10, 2011 at the Bicycle Casino in Los Angeles, California will proceed as previously planned, but not as a NAPT event. The NAPT and the Bicycle Casino reached the voluntary decision to hold the event without branding after constructive discussions with California gaming regulators. Both the NAPT and the Bicycle Casino look forward to working with California regulatory authorities as they consider the branding of such events in the future.