Fifteen years ago, Chris Moneymaker pulled off the seemingly impossible and won the 2003 WSOP Main Event for $2.5 million after qualifying for just $86 on PokerStars.
Now the same company is giving players a chance to write their own rags to riches story with a new small-stakes tour that will award a $30,000 Platinum Passes to the PokerStars Players No-limit Hold’em Championship.
The Moneymaker PSPC Tour will hit eight different venues across America and will also offer one online event in New Jersey.
Each stop will feature an $86 live tournament with cash prizes and, more importantly, a $30,000 Platinum Pass up top.
It’s conceivable one of the winners from the Moneymaker PSPC tour could make even more money than Moneymaker did in his historic 2003 Main Event win as the PSPC prize pool is expected to be enormous.
Tour Stretches from Arizona to Connecticut
Chris Moneymaker formulated his namesake tour to give players from all corners of the USA a chance to take part in a once-in-a-lifetime experience not to mention the possibility of winning life-changing money.
The tour kicks off on Aug. 4-5, 2018, at Stones Gambling Hall in Citrus Heights, California, but from there it meanders across the country with multiple stops in California, Connecticut and Maryland as well as a one-off stop in Scottsdale, Arizona.
The tour will conclude on Oct. 10-14, 2018, at Maryland Live in Hanover, Maryland, which gives players enough time to prep for the gigantic PSPC, which is scheduled to take place in early 2019.
With nine different stops, PokerStars will be awarding $270,000 in Platinum Passes over the course of the tour.
Outside of New Jersey, it’s been a considerable amount of time since PokerStars had a large land presence in the USA.
The North American Poker tour kicked off in 2010 but its lifespan was cut short when Black Friday shut the door on poker in the USA back in 2011.
The Moneymaker Tour is a very different affair, however, as it focuses on recreational players rather than professionals.
Here’s a complete look at the Moneymaker PSPC Tour schedule:
| Date | Venue | Geographic Area |
|---|---|---|
| August 4 – 5, 2018 | Stones Gambling Hall | Citrus Heights, California |
| August 19 – 26, 2018 | Lucky Chances | Colma, California |
| September 9, 2018 | Foxwoods Resort Casino | Mashantucket, Connecticut |
| September 15, 2018 | MGM National Harbor | Oxon Hill, Maryland |
| September 22, 2018 | Gardens Casino | Hawaiian Gardens, California |
| September 23, 2018 | Talking Stick | Scottsdale, Arizona |
| September 30, 2018 | PokerStarsNJ.com | ONLINE |
| October 7, 2018 | Mohegan Sun | Uncasville, Connecticut |
| October 10 – 14, 2018 | Maryland Live | Hanover, Maryland |
Moneymaker: “The Big Win Still Feels Like Yesterday”
Moneymaker will be on hand for every stop of the new tour and he’s hoping that someone will be able to replicate his success from 2003.
“It’s been 15 years since the big win and it only feels like yesterday. It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life and I want to give someone else the opportunity to feel that #winningmoment,” said Chris.
“I’ve played a lot of poker for years and during that time I’ve got to know lots of people at live events and meet-ups.
“Now U.S. fans will have the chance to win an amazing prize and have some fun along the way. Come join me to play, you never know, this could lead to a life-changing moment like I had. I am looking forward to playing with some familiar faces at every stop.”
Meanwhile the prize at the end of the road — the 2019 PSPC — is shaping up to be one of the most compelling tournaments ever held.
The steep $25,000 buy-in is buoyed by the fact PokerStars is adding more than 300 seats. That infusion of amateur players will likely take much of the sting from the professional contingent and make it one of the more value-packed events ever held.
In theory the level of skill at the PSPC could be right in line with something like the Main Event where amateurs regularly make life-changing scores.
Players who can’t make it to the Moneymaker tour might be interested in the recently announced Platinum Pass Adventure, which gives players a plethora of ways to qualify.
The 2019 PSPC is set to take place in the Bahamas from January 6-10 to kick off the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure.