We’re still in the inaugural season of the new PokerStars Championships and, after a break for the WSOP, the series resumes this month with its first stop in Barcelona.
Alongside Prague, the metropolitan city of Catalonia has long been the largest and most successful stop of the PokerStars live tours in Europe.
This year will continue that tradition as PokerStars is coming back with a fully-packed schedule.
Forty-one events will be played out over 13 days with multiple low buy-in events, a €50k Super High Roller, online satellites, a live concert w/ electro superstar Zedd and plenty of beach fun.
Major Events at PSC Barcelona 2017
The buy-in range of the events in Barcelona will be from €120 to €50,000 so there’s something for all bankrolls.
Mark the following dates for the events that will draw the most attention and the largest prize pools.
- August 16-18, NLHE High Roller, €10,300 buy-in, single re-entry
- August 19-21, NLHE Super High Roller Championship, €50,000; unlimited rebuys
- August 21-27, NLHE Main Event, €5300; €7,000,000 guaranteed
- August 22, NLHE Single Day High Roller, €25,500
- August 23-24, PLO High Roller, €10,300
- August 25-27, NLHE High Roller, €10,300
On the lower end of the range you’ll find plenty of events, too.
- August 16-21, NLHE PokerStars Cup, €330
- August 19-20, NLHE Women’s Event, €220
- August 25-27, NLHE PokerStars Open, €220; €100,000 guaranteed
PokerStars is guaranteeing €7 million for the main event but looking at the numbers for past years that should be easily broken.
In 2016, the last EPT Barcelona main event had 1,785 players. In 2015 there were 1,694 and in 2014 the main event attracted 1,496 players.
Each of these fields surpassed the €7 million mark by some margin.
Qualify Online for the Main Event
PokerStars is hosting a ton of online satellites for the PSC Barcelona main event. You can find them in the PokerStars lobby under Events > Live > PSC Barcelona.
The satellites can get you just a seat to the main event or a complete package that includes 5-star accommodation and travel expenses.
Playing in the direct satellites costs you €320 but you can qualify for much less as sub-satellites start at €3.30.
Several hundred players have already qualified, a few of which got particularly lucky and won their tickets through a quick and intense Spin-and-Go. The last satellites run next Sunday so if you want to give it a shot you better hurry up and start playing.
There will also be live events on location in case you didn’t make it in time online.
Zedd On Stage
In the recent past PokerStars has signed and/or invited a whole range of celebrities to spice up its big live events. To also turn the PokerStars Players Party into something really special PokerStars is bringing one of the hottest musical artists to perform on stage.
Anton Zaslavski, better known as “Zedd,” will play a 90-minute set to get the party started. His tracks have more than 200 million clicks on YouTube.
Zedd will also jump into the main event alongside comedian Kevin Hart, who signed with PokerStars at the PSC Monte Carlo in May and is now back for more.
Headed to Barcelona to play Opium for the @PokerStars championship on 21st August!! AND I’ll be playing some poker too!!— Zedd (@Zedd) July 31, 2017
PokerStars Fun
If you go to Barcelona in August chances are you’ll have other things on your mind than just poker. As luck would have it the Gran Casino lies right next to the beach and that opens up a couple of options.
PokerStars is offering a variety of pastimes that will definitely give you some extra action. Jet Skis, Flyboards, Flyfish, Hoverboards, Banana boats and Crazy Sofas are all available and players get a 10% discount.
If you’re aiming high, try Parasailing. The view on the city and the sea is priceless. And if you’re looking for relaxation more than action, you can spend some leisure time on a luxury yacht off the coast. It doesn’t get more comfortable than that.
All the available beach activities are just minutes away from the casino so you have plenty of options whenever you don’t feel like sitting at the tables.
Cash Games 24/7
PokerStars events in Barcelona are also very famous for the buzzing cash games. Although the Gran Casino has a spacious cash game area most of the tables will be filled most of the day and the casino will be open 24/7.
Usually the casino offers cash games starting from €1/€2 or €1/€3 but during the PokerStars festival the lowest games can be €2/€5.
If you don’t have an account at PokerStars yet, quickly click through to our PokerStars review page. Registering takes only a couple of minutes and if you go through via PokerListings link you can get up to $600 in bonuses.
