London Turns Eyes to Poker This Fall

The PokerStars European Poker Tour has added a “high-roller” event to its scheduled London stop that will have one of the largest guaranteed prize pools of the year: £1 million.

Using today’s currency conversion rate, that’s $1,953,200. That means the buy-in is the third-highest of the year at $39,064, behind only the $50,000 World Series of Poker H.O.R.S.E. event and the Aussie Millions $100,000 buy-in event. EPT London takes place at the Victoria Casino and is the first time the EPT has touched down in London.

Qualifiers for this early October event, as well as all EPT events, are now taking place on PokerStars. PokerStars offers many different paths to their live events, and those interested can click the “satellite” tab in the PokerStars lobby to view them all. Using a PokerStars deposit bonus offered through CardPlayer.com could also help get you to Europe.

The first poker event in London happened last year with the three-event WSOP Europe, which returns in September with four events. All events take place at the Empire Casino, and the schedule follows:

• Sept. 19 — £1,500 no-limit hold’em (three-day event/two day oness)
• Sept. 22 — £2,500 H.O.R.S.E. (three-day event)
• Sept. 24 — £5,000 pot-limit Omaha (three-day event)
• Sept. 27 — £10,000 no-limit hold’em world championship (five-day event/two day ones)

To generate buzz for the Series, a Poker in the Park celebration will take place Aug. 15-16 in London’s Leicester Square. Free poker tournaments will take place. Visit pokerinthepark.com for more information.

The fifth season of the EPT begins Sept. 10 in Barcelona with an €8,000 event. It is followed by eight more events and is capped by the €10,000 EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo April 28-May 3, 2009.

The EPT season five schedule follows:

• EPT Barcelona Open — Casino Barcelona — Sept. 10-14 — €8,000+€250
• EPT London — Victoria Casino — Oct. 1-5 — £5,200+£200 (the €20,000 event takes place Oct. 5-6)
• EPT Polish Open — Hyatt Regency Warsaw — Nov. 15-19 — €6,200+€310
• EPT Prague — Hilton Hotel — Dec. 9-13 — €5,000+€250
• EPT Deauville — Barriere Casino, France — date TBA — €5,000+€300
• EPT Scandinavian Open — Casino Copenhagen — Feb. 17-21 — €6,700+€300
• EPT German Open — Casino Hohensyburg — March 10-14 — €5,000+€250
• EPT San Remo — San Remo Casino, Italy — April 18-23 — €5,000+€250
• EPT Grand Final — Monte Carlo Bay Hotel and Resort — April 28-May 3 — €10,000+€600

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