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PokerStars Offers Live Events, Platinum Passes, Big Online Action in Coming Months

The Platinum Pass parade continues for PokerStars and the site announced plans for even more chances to win on Thursday.

From live events to a huge Carnaval Series, PokerStars has plenty of events and online opportunities for players over the next few weeks. That includes numerous opportunities to win a Platinum Pass.

The EPT Sochi also approaches as well as the 14th anniversary of the Sunday Million. There will also be numerous major online tournaments in the coming months. Here’s a look at what to expect from PokerStars.

 

Southern Europe ready to party with massive PokerStars Carnaval series

Online players in southern Europe are in store for more than two weeks of online poker action Feb. 16 to March 2. The PokerStars Carnaval Series features a guaranteed prize pool of more than €8 million. The 166-event schedule will be for for players in France, Spain, and Portugal.

The €250 buy-in Main Event on March 1 features a €500,000 guarantee. PokerStars is offering players some nice qualifying options:

  • Depositor Freeroll – €25,000 worth of Main Event tickets will be awarded in a special freeroll on Feb. 29. Players must make a deposit of €25 from Feb. 16-29.
  • Spin & Go’s – €12.50 Spin & Go’s begin running Feb. 16 awarding €250 Main Event tickets.

The inaugural Carnaval Series in 2019 drew more than 34,500 players and a €11.2 million prize pool.

At the same time, Italian players can jump in their own “Carnival Series” from Feb. 16 to March 2. The festivities feature €5 million guaranteed with 110 events. The €250 buy-in Main Event on March 1 features a €400,000 guarantee. That should have plenty of players in a festive spirit.

Platinum Passes on the line in Germany

Poker players in Germany have the chance to play for a Platinum Pass on their home turf March 10-15. The Road to PSPC: Hamburg will be held at Casino Schenefeld.

In addition to the first-place prize money, the winner of the €200 Main Event takes home a Platinum Pass. As many poker players know, that means a free trip and €22,500 entry into the  PokerStars Players No Limit Championship (PSPC) in Barcelona Aug. 20-24.

Platinum Pass packages are valued at €26,000 and also include six nights’ luxury hotel accommodation, flights, and other travel expenses for the winner and guest.

Players can earn entry online for free through Freebuy satellites awarding tickets to even bigger qualifying tournaments. Online satellites are underway and run through March 8. Players can win complete tournament packages that include the Main Event entry and travel expenses.

Road to PSPC tournaments have been awarding Platinum Passes to players throughout the United Kingdom, France, and Spain since last year. The low buy-ins and fun atmosphere have make them popular events.

PokerStars Platinum Madness Challenge continues with 21 passes awarded

The PokerStars 21-day Platinum Madness Challenge continues through March 1. The promotion will award 21 Platinum Passes and a total of more than $1 million in prizes. 

The challenge is available across .com markets. Separate challenges are also offering €500,000 in prizes including 21 Platinum Passes on the .fr and .es sites.

 Players who like challenges and board games are in for a treat with the new promotion. Here’s how players can get in the action:

  • Opt-in via the Challenges Window.
  • Play real money games and earn Stars Rewards Chests containing dice rolls.
  • Roll the dice to move that number of spaces across the playing board and land on PSPC Chests to earn prizes. That includes a chance to win a Platinum Pass. Land on a ladder to climb upward and make it to the end of the board faster.
  • Complete the board and win additional prizes and more chances for a Platinum Pass.

Those making it all the way to Square 49 receive an additional PSPC Chest. This will contain a shot at one of five Platinum Passes and a larger reward than other PSPC Chests.

Players reaching the final square on the board also receive a ticket to the Last Chance Freeroll on March 2. The event offers the last pass opportunity as part of Platinum Madness.

 

PokerStars, EPT heading to Sochi with numerous online qualifiers

Hundreds of players will head to Russia’s Casino Sochi for one of PokerStars’ flagship events of 2020, EPT Sochi. The event is set for March 20-29 and special Freebuy feeder tournaments are already underway online.

These events have unlimited $0.11 rebuys, run every weekend, and each award one seat to the $215 qualifier. Those then take place on Sundays and guarantee up to eight Main Event seats.

PokerStars is also giving away EPT Sochi Main Event packages. These include accommodations in a five-star hotel, expenses, and the $4,500 Main Event buy-in. Players can take their shot in a $5 Spin & Go.

EPT Sochi features 25 events with the Main Event set for March 24-29. A Platinum Pass is also up for grabs for those who qualify for the Main Event online.

There is also plenty for players to enjoy off the felt in the mountain ski resort of Krasnaya Polyana. PokerStars will host the Bowling Cup on March 26 and Karaoke Battle on March 27.

Get online now for a chance at some big money and big fun at this EPT prestigious event.

Sunday Million anniversary celebration features $12.5 million guaranteed

PokerStars’ celebrates the 14th anniversary of the Sunday Million tournament in style on March 22. The $215 event features $12.5 million guaranteed, the site’s biggest guarantee and prize pool ever for a single event.

Players can win their way into this iconic tournament via satellites starting at less than $1. There will also be a late-registration period of 24 hours, giving players extra time to sign up.

The Sunday Million tournament launched on March 6, 2006. It remains the world’s biggest $1 million guaranteed weekly poker tournament.

The first tournament attracted 5,893 players, a total prize pool of $1.2 million. Canadian player “aaaaaaaa” won that event for $173,843. Another player will make some more Sunday Million history when this event concludes..

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PokerStars Throwing $12.5 Million Birthday Bash; More Platinum Passes Awarded in 2020

PokerStars is celebrating its 14th anniversary on March 22 with a Sunday Million event featuring a $12.5 million guarantee.

PokerStars celebrates its 14th anniversary on March 22. The site is marking the occasion with the biggest guarantee and prize pool for a single event in PokerStars history.

The Sunday Million just got a bit bigger. PokerStars is upping the ante to celebrate and  the tournament will feature a $12.5 million guaranteed prize pool.

With so much on the line, the event should attract players looking to cash in for a massive score. The site began promoting this major event almost two months before cards are in the air.

PokerStars Sunday “Multi-Million” details

Players can expect a $215 buy-in for the anniversary event. The site will also be offering numerous opportunities to win a seat with satellites start at less than $1.

The Million will also offer a 24-hour late-registration period, giving players extra time to sign up. The Sunday tournament has become a PokerStars staple and remains one of the most popular in online poker.

The first Sunday Million tournament was held on March 6, 2006. That tournament attracted 5,893 players and a $1.2 million prize pool. Canadian player “aaaaaaaa” won that first event for $173,843.

The Sunday Million remains the world’s biggest $1 million guaranteed weekly poker tournament.

Battle for PokerStars Platinum Passes continues

Beyond the birthday bash, 2020 is again a big year for the company for other reasons. PokerStars announced in August that the Platinum Pass promotion would be revived in 2019-20.

Several of those coveted prizes have already been awarded with more packages up for grabs throughout the year. The €22,500 buy-in ($25,000) PokerStars Players Championship (PSPC) is set for Aug. 20-24 in Barcelona, Spain.

A Platinum Pass includes a buy-in for the event and a complete travel getaway Barcelona. It is one of the most coveted prizes in poker and the buzz should build throughout the year.

A two-time Platinum Pass winner ready for Barcelona

Canada’s Jennifer Carter made some news recently after winning her second straight Platinum Pass. Carter enjoys playing small-stakes tournaments on the site via mobile phone.

In 2018, she topped a field on more than 21,000 players in an online freeroll to win her seat in the Bahamas. Amazingly, she won yet another pass in October.

That came after starting out in a $2 Mega Path tournament. She then moved up three more steps to earn a seat in Barcelona this August. She’s now one of just three people to have won a Platinum Pass twice.

She told the PokerStars blog that she tried the $2 Mega Path route about 50 times before hitting paydirt. Her story shows how the event appealed to small-stakes players and professionals alike.

“I don’t know how I did it,” she told the PokerStars blog. “Because it’s me. I can’t beat $.01/.02 online! It’s unbelievable. I was literally baking muffins during this tournament, doing dishes.

“And then in Step 4 I was just sitting in my bed knitting. I don’t have a bankroll because I can’t even win a $1 tournament. But I can win the biggest ones. I just don’t get it.”

PokerStars awarded more than 300 Platinum Passes over 13 months for the inaugural PSPC in January 2019. The event was held at the Atlantis Resort and Casino in the Bahamas and featured a $26 million prize pool.

Platinum Pass winner Ramon Colillas topped a field of 1,039 to take home $5.1 million. Carter will once again be among the field in Barcelona hoping for a deep run.

“It feels like full circle right now,” she said. “I’m thrilled. It’s unbelievable.”

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Nightclubs, Pool Halls, & Playing Cards: PokerStars Ambassador Sam Grafton’s Wild Poker Journey 

Sam Grafton spoke with PokerScout at the PCA about his journey from playing in pool halls to becoming a PokerStars ambassador.

On a warm afternoon in the Bahamas, Sam Grafton is sporting a Phoenix Suns jersey as he sits outside the tournament area of the PokerStars No Limit Hold’em Players Championship (PSPC). The poker pro from the United Kingdom isn’t necessarily a fan of the team or even claims to be a follower of the NBA. He simply enjoys collecting jerseys, no matter the sport or how obscure.

“I don’t know anything about the Phoenix Suns,” he says. “It’s a great jersey though. When I’m in Vegas, I just buy some throwback sportswear and stuff like this.”

His interest in American sports gear occasionally leads to some humorous interactions.

“I’ve got like this Pittsburgh Steelers letterman jacket with all their championships on it,” he says. “I’ll be walking down the street sometimes and someone will be like ‘Steelers!” And I’m looking around and going, ‘Oh, yeah, go Steelers!’ Because to me, it’s just like nice clothing while I don’t really know so much about it.”

While Grafton may not know the ins and outs of the NFL and NBA, the Stars ambassador certainly knows his way around the poker table. He has $13.2 million in live tournament winnings and recently spoke with PokerScout at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, where he found a deep run in the PSPC.

Grafton discussed his life in the game, including learning the ropes in a pool hall and cash games after late night working in a London club.

Competitiveness & PokerStars PSPC success

Grafton’s interest in sports jerseys may come with some ulterior motives. He brings a few on the road for poker tournaments and feels a bit more of a competitive mindset come with donning some basketball or football gear.

That seemed to work out in the Bahamas. He took 12th in the PSPC for $238,700 , but that came with some mixed emotions after such a huge 2022 and coming so close to another massive final table appearance. He also scored 52nd in the PCA Main Event for $29,400.

“In one sense, it’s really nice to run deep to day three, so you feel like you’re deeper in the tournament,” he says. “You feel like ‘I’m in with a chance of winning this thing.’ Obviously with 1,000 runners, to get 12th is a very, very deep finish.

“So in one sense, it gives me a sense that I’m playing well and very proud of how I played. On the other hand, it’s a little bit of a crossbar moment, not quite getting there, not quite finishing things off.”

Despite some of those misgivings, Grafton loved the experience in the Bahamas

“I think the atmosphere is unbelievable,” he told PokerScout. “Because people are bringing their families, girlfriends, partners, husbands, and loved ones. So that’s really nice – being able to just spend the morning on the beach, get the sand between your toes before you go and play poker.

“There’s just a very convivial atmosphere at the tables. And then I think, not to blow our own trumpet, but I think we’ve done a really good job of making this a great event. We’re setting the gold standard for how live events are conducted and I really think that we’ve done that here.”

A massive 2022 tournament record

Last year proved to be a big time for Grafton. In November, he scored a runner-up finish in the €50,000 Diamond High Roller in the World Series of Poker Europe for $465,852.

September came with a win in the $200,000 Triton Poker Coin Rivet Invitational, taking down a massive $5.5 million. In the same series, Grafton grabbed a runner-up in a $50,000 event for another $994,500.

In May he landed a fifth-place finish in a €100,000 Triton event for $756,631. March included a win and runner-up in European Poker Tour Prague events for a combined $300,000. Throughout much of the year, deep tournament runs kept heading Grafton’s way.

Winning pool hall poker sessions

Many of those skills at the poker table came after learning the game late in his 20s. After graduating from university, Grafton moved back home for a while. His brothers regularly played cards and some snooker at a local billiards hall. Grafton soon joined in.

“I used to go down there with the little bit of money I’d earned and play,” he says. “And I was always interested in winning because I couldn’t really afford to lose. I needed it to be a sort of self-sustaining hobby where I could at least break even, so straight away I was interested in the strategy of things.”

Grafton joins a long list of players who found poker at the pool hall. That includes legends like Bobby Baldwin, Thomas “Amarillo Slim” Preston, and Daniel Negreanu.

In his autobiography The Godfather of Poker, Doyle Brunson even described playing in the back of a billiards hall when someone was shot. He escaped through a creek behind the building. Grafton’s games were a bit more docile than that story.

Sam Grafton battling on Day 2 of the PokerStars Players Championship in the Bahamas. (photos courtesy PokerStars/Joe Giron)

Sober guy at the poker table

After moving to London, Grafton took a job at a nightclub making about £80 a night. After those late night hours, he’d then hit a poker room. Working the front of the club instead of being a patron came with an advantage. 

“It was probably a good time to play because I was stone cold, sober having finished my shift and everyone else was drunk,” he says.

At the end of the night, Grafton often came out ahead. While doing an unpaid internship at an NGO, poker seemed like a nice way to pay the rent. He’d play up to five nights a week and just seemed to keep winning.

“I came to love it,” he says. “I’d finish my shift and I’d get the train from south London to east London, and go in and play and get the last tube home. During the days, I’d just be thinking about poker hands and I’d be so excited to go and keep playing. When the internship finished, I just kept going.”

With millions of dollars in winnings and now representing PokerStars, that looks to have been a wise decision.

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PCA Update: Aliaksandr Shylko Grabs PokerStars PSPC Title, Isaac Haxton Wins Second High Roller

After months of awarding Platinum Passes and plenty of hype, the PSPC concluded Friday with Aliaksandr Shylko taking the title.

After months of awarding Platinum Passes and building plenty of hype, the PokerStars No Limit Hold’em Players Championship (PSPC) came to a close on Friday with Belarus’s Aliaksandr Shylko taking the title for $3.1 million.

The victory came after five days of tournament action that highlighted the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. The trip to the tropics turned out to be a major win for Shylko, who had just $423,369 in live tournament winnings before the huge cash.

“It was an amazing experience,” Shylko said afterward. “I had a lot of fun, I met a lot of good people, and winning such a big tournament, it’s amazing.”

In other news, Isaac Haxton proved to be one of the biggest winners of the series as well with a second high roller win. Here’s a look at the final days of action from the Bahamas.

Shylko scores big in PokerStars PSPC

When action resumed on Friday, Shylko (pictured in lead image courtesy PokerStars/Danny Maxwell) sat second in chips and faced experienced players in chip leader Nacho Barbero and Pedro Marques in fourth.

Berbero found some early success, dispatching short-stacked Niclas Thumm early. Shylko managed his chip stack well, however, and also found the right card at a critical time. Rivering a straight with A♥10♥ against Philipe Pizzari’s A♣ K♥ proved to be a huge hand. Shylko hit a miracle card on the river and took the chip lead. 

After coming into the final table as chip leader, Berbero ultimately exited in fourth place. He noted that he had a bad run of cards and was frustrated despite pocketing $1.6 million.

“I couldn’t recover,” he said. “There are not many better opportunities to win $4 million. I’m happy for the result, but it’s a bit disappointing.”

Reaching a deal

In the end, the top three players agreed to a deal. Each player was guaranteed at least $2.5 million. They left $300,000 on the table to play for as well as the title or PSPC champion.

Shylko ended up heads up against Germany’s Max Menzel, who had entered the final table fifth in chips and made a huge jump overall. Heads-up play lasted just a single hand.

Menzel managed to hit a straight, but Shylko hit a full house. Shyklo becomes the second PSPC winner after Ramon Colillas won the first event in 2019.

Menzel earned his spot in the PSPC via Platinum Pass and certainly made it count. Niclas Thumm found a Platinum Pass route to the final table as well and made it pay off to the tune of seven figures.

In the end, the tournament produced a field of 1,014 entries for a $24.8 million prize pool. That included 418 Platinum Pass winners. Here’s a look at the final table payouts.

2023 PokerStars Players Championship

  1. Aliaksandr Shylko (Belarus) – $3,121,838
  2. Max Menzel (Germany) – $2,859,990
  3. Philipe Pizzari (Brazil) – $2,524,871
  4. Nacho Barbero (Argentina) – $1,551,300
  5. Pedro Marques (Portugal) – $1,251,500
  6. Niclas Thumm (Germany) – $1,001,200

Isaac Haxton chalks up another win

After winning the $100,000 PCA Super High Roller to start the series, Isaac Haxton bookended his run in the series with another big win on the final day of action. He took down the $100,000 NLHE event on Friday for $1.6 million.

In total, Haxton chalke up more than $3.1 million in winnings across the entire series, which also included a third-place finish. The performance also follows winning the final event in the PokerGO Cup in January for $598,000. It’s certainly been a nice few weeks for the high-stakes grinder from New York.

After the most recent win, Haxton now has more than $33.6 million in live tournament winnings. The event brought in 46 entries for a $4.5 million prize pool.

Germany’s Fedor Holz finished runner-up for $1 million. That came after a deep run in the PSPC, where he took 21st for $123,600.

Ognyan Dimov grabs high roller title; other winners

In the $25,000 PCA High Roller, former European Poker Tour champion Ognyan Dimov found the top spot for $990,655. The tournament brought in 187 entries for a $4.4 million prize pool.

This is now the largest tournament score of the Bulgarian’s poker career and now has more than $4 million in live tournament winnings.

Ognyan Dimov celebrates his win in the PCA High Roller. (photo courtesy PokerStars/Manuel Kovsca)

In the $10,150 Six-Handed Unlimited Re-Entry, Switzerland’s Alexandre Vuilleumier found the winner’s circle for $237,700. The $3,100 NLHE Unlimited Re-Entry also produced a nice payout for the champion. Germany’s Maximilian Silz took the title for $101,430.

Brazil’s Kelvin Kerber scored the trophy and $110,910 in the $2,200 Deep Stack Single Re-Entry. After 70 events, the PCA came to a close on Friday. With so many Platinum Passes given out, the tournament brought together an interesting mix of recreational players and pros.

The sun, sand, and poker were hard to beat. Many players may already be asking if the PCA will return for 2024? Is PokerStars planning a third PSPC and more Platinum Passes up for grabs? Those answers remain to be seen, but stay tuned to PokerScout for details as more information is announced.

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Final Table Set in PokerStars Players Championship, Nacho Barbero Returns as Chip Leader

The PokerStars PSPC reached the final table on Thursday with six players returning to battle for the title and Nacho Barbero as chip leader.

The PokerStars No Limit Hold’em Players Championship reached the final table on Thursday with six players returning to battle for the title on Friday.

Argentina’s Nacho Barbero returns to the table as chip leader with 19.3 million chips. Just behind him is Belarus’s Aliaksandr Shylko with 12.2 million.

Two Platinum Pass winners also return to the final table, meaning a huge return on investment awaits those players. Friday brings a close to the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure festivities.

Stars ambassador Sam Grafton finished 12th in the PSPC for $238,700 and spoke for many about the experience.

“I think the atmosphere is unbelievable,” he told PokerScout. “Because people are bringing their families, girlfriends, partners, husbands, and loved ones. So that’s really nice – being able to just spend the morning on the beach, get the sand between your toes before you go and play poker.

“There’s just a very convivial atmosphere at the tables. And then I think, not to blow our own trumpet, but I think we’ve done a really good job of making this a great event. We feel like we have the best dealers, staff, and organizational aspects for a tournament in the world. We’re setting the gold standard for how live events are conducted and I really think that we’ve done that here.”

The $250,000 Super High Roller also wrapped up on Thursday with a Canadian grabbing the top spot. Here’s a look at some of the recent action from the Bahamas.

PokerStars Players Championship final table

After four days of play, the end of the PSPC is now in sight with some major money on the line. The winner scores $4.1 million with sixth place taking just over $1 million. Here’s a look at the players at the final table.

Nacho Barbero, 19.3 million chips

Barbero (pictured in lead image courtesy PokerStars/Joe Giron) returns as one of the most experienced players at the final table. He’s a high-stakes cash game player with plenty of major tournament scores as well.

In total, Barbero has $5.4 million in live tournament winnings. That included winning a World Series of Poker bracelet last summer in a $10,000 Super Turbo Bounty for $587,520.

He has numerous other nice wins and finishes, and now has the chips and skills to possibly take an even bigger title.

Aliaksandr Shylko – 12.2 million

Aliaksandr Shylko

With $423,369 in live tournament winnings, Shylko has pocketed the biggest score of his tournament career. No doubt he’ll be gunning for the title and has the chips to make some waves.

Shylko’s best score came in the 2021 WSOP Circuit Main Event in the Czech Republic, taking fourth for $106,769. In 2019 he also scored a fourth-place finish in the same event for $86,798.

Philipe Pizzari – 12 million

Philipe Pizzari

The Brazilian has $353,892 in live tournament winnings with the biggest of that coming in a 2021 WSOP Main Event.

He scored $241,800 for that finish alone. Pizzari now has a much bigger score already in his pocket. If he can find more chips, he could be a tough player to contend with as well.

Pedro Marques – 10.5 million

Pedro Marques

This player from Portugal also returns as one of the more experienced players at the table. He has almost $3 million in live tournament winnings and now adds to that total significantly.

Marques is a regular on the European Poker Tour with numerous nice finishes on that series. In May he took down a €2,000 event at EPT Monte Carlo for $173,702.

His biggest score came in 2018 when he won the EPT Barcelona Main Event for $813,371. He’ll certainly be a player to watch at this final table.

Max Menzel – 5 million

Max Menzel

This German player sits on one of the two short stacks and will have some work to do to ladder up at the final table. However, with $1 million for just sixth place, he adds greatly to his ​​$108,574 in live tournament winnings.

Menzel works for a German logistics company and currently lives in Singapore. During time living in China, he was also a regular cash game player in Macau. He is one of two Platinum Pass winners at the final table after winning a Road to PSPC event in Manila.

Niclas Thumm – 1.8 million

Niclas Thumm

This is a second player hailing from Germany and another Platinum Pass winner. He won his pass by receiving votes among poker fans in the PokerStars “Dare2Stream” competition.

Thumm has only two live poker cashes for $415, but the Twitch streamer is a regular at the online tables. He is on the shortest stack and will be looking for a quick double. He spoke about how much he’s enjoyed the overall PSPC experience.

“On the one hand, it’s life-changing money, even min-cashing,” the 29-year-old told the PokerStars blog. “On the other hand, I’m enjoying every second of the tournament, playing my hands, and spectating the hands I’m not in.”

Despite being on e short stack, he planned on bringing his A-game to the table.

Platinum Pass winners score big

Beyond the two final table Platinum Pass winners, several others who grabbed a pass also found some nice winnings. Many of these winners saw huge gains in career earnings thanks to so many recreational players scoring passes and making some nice runs.

Tom Parsons, of the United Kingdom, turned his pass into a 16th-place finish for $165,600. The Team Paddy Power ambassador seems to have come a long way since the first PSPC in 2019.

Hugo Rodilla finished just one spot behind Parsons and also snagged $165,600. The Spanish Platinum Pass winner adds a nice amount to his $13,335 in live tournament winnings.

Spain’s Esteban Maquillon found a 19th-place finish for $142,100. He also greatly beefs up his $142,354 in winnings. Jerome Moreau, of France, almost doubled his liv e tournament winnings of $153,149. He finished 20th for $142,100.

One of the better Platinum Pass stories is 43-year-old Frenchman Renato Minicuci. He won a PokerStars Spin & Go freeroll promotion to earn his spot in the tournament, ultimately finishing 27th for $107,500. 

Previously, Minicuri had only $66,357 in live tournament winnings. He started playing poker in 2014 after some co-workers asked him to play in a tournament. That Platinum Pasas turned into a nice vacation and a nice six-figure score.

Greenwood takes down Super High Roller

In other action, Sam Greenwood took down the $250,000 Super High Roller for $3.3 million. The Canadian topped a field of 39 entries for the biggest win of his career.

“I’m feeling really tired but really happy,” Greenwood said after the win.

The 34-year-old from Toronto now has almost $30 million in live tournament winnings. Greenwood was second in chips when the final of eight resumed on Thursday.

Eliminating ∫ in sixth place and Artur Martirosian in fifth added to his stack and he kept building.

At heads-up play, France’s Jean-Noel Thorel held a small chip lead, but Greenwood eventually turned the tables for the win. Here’s a look at the final payouts.

PCA $250,000 Super High Roller

  1. Sam Greenwood, Canada – $3,276,760
  2. Jean-Noel Thorel, France – $2,137,100
  3. David Yan, New Zealand – $1,472,200
  4. Byron Kaverman, United States – $1,092,300
  5. Artur Martirosian, Russia – $854,800
  6. Justin Bonomo, United States – $664,900

* Photos courtesy PokerStars/Joe Giron/Tomas Stacha

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PCA Update: Final Numbers in With PokerStars Championship Winner Grabbing $4.1 Million

The PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) rolled on Wednesday with final numbers coming in for the PokerStars Players Championship.

The PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) rolled on Wednesday with final numbers coming in for the PokerStars No Limit Hold’em Players Championship (PSPC) in the Bahamas.

Tournament organizers announced that the winner would walk away with $4.1 million. Tuesday’s action ended with Krasimir Yankov (pictured in lead image courtesy PokerStars/Joe Giron) as chip leader and 255 players remaining.

Plenty of big names also remain in the field including Jeremy Ausmus, Jonathan Jaffe, Tommy Nguyen, Daniel Dvoress, Chris Moorman, Tony Tran, Sam Grafton, Sean Winter, and Arlie Shaban.

Here’s a quick look at some of the action from the Bahamas on Day 2 and 3.

PokerStars announces final PSPC numbers

This year’s PSPC winner will once again walk away with life-changing money. Tournament officials announced Tuesday that the event brought in 1,014 entries for a $24.8 million prize pool. That includes more than 400 Platinum Pass winners. 

The top 175 places will be paid with the champion walking away with $4.1 million. That’s a drop of $1 million from the 2019 total, but an impressive figure nonetheless.

The runner-up scores $2.5 million with all players in the top six places bagging at least $1 million. A min-cash is worth $35,100.

Yankov, of Bulgaria, has $2.2 million in live tournament winnings. He recently finished 11th in the World Poker Tour World Championship for $338,500.

By mid-afternoon on Wednesday, Brazil’s Philipe Pizzari moved into the chip lead but several players, including Yankov, hovered around the 1-million chip mark. Ausmus stayed among the top 10 as well. Jaffe also continued riding a nice wave among the chip leaders.

PokerStars Platinum Pass winners shine among Day 3 chip leaders

Along with big-name pros still in the field, several Platinum Pass winners also continued a march toward reaching the money on Wednesday. Spain’s Omar Del Pino was one of those still alive and sat among the top five on Wednesday afternoon.

He won his pass via the Platinum Grind competition. He’s also one of only seven players to win  a pass in 2019 and also for this year’s event. The first came after winning the PSF Marbella Main Event for €179,000 along with the prestigious prize. An even deeper run could certainly make for quite a story for this Spanish grinder.

Omar del Pino battling in the PSPC. He was one of several Platinum Pass winners still in the event on Day 3. (Photo courtesy PokerStars/Eloy Cabacas)

Another Platinum Pass winner sat in the top 10. France’s Renato Minicuci won his spot in the field via a PokerStars Spin & Go freeroll promotion.

Minicuri has $66,357 in live tournament winnings and would make for quite a story as well if he can keep the mojo going. His biggest finish came in 2019, when he finished runner-up in a €330 event in a European Poker Tour Monte Carlo for $19,143.

The 43-year-old began playing poker in 2014 after some co-workers asked him to play in a tournament. He’s now got a chance to really make that freeroll win pay off with a 100% return on investment.

Bad beat sends German star packing

The final hand of the night at the secondary feature table saw Germany’s Christian Rudolph suffer a bad beat and hit the exit door. This hasn’t been the only bad beat of the series obviously, but stood out as a top pro hit the rail.

Rudolph has more than $5.4 million in live tournament winnings including wins on numerous tours. He also has numerous major wins in the online poker realm as well.

That included winning the World Series of Poker Online Main Event in 2020 for $1.8 million.

Rudolph has already scored a third-place finish in the $1,100 PCA No Limit Hold’em event for $38,950. But on Tuesday his tournament life came to a close in the PSPC after his A♥K♥ was bested by Sam Grafton’s A♣J♥.

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Locked in an Apartment: Arlie Shaban Talks Streaming, PSPC, and Ontario Online Poker

Arlie Shaban spoke with PokerScout at the PokerStars Players Championship about his unique start as a streamer and online poker in Ontario.

When PokerStars Canada ambassador Arlie Shaban decided he wanted to stream his play, just setting up a Twitch channel wouldn’t do. The poker player from Toronto, Ontario, sought to make a real splash. He figured to really build an audience, pulling off a major accomplishment might create some buzz.

Shaban has an obsessive personality and says he’d studied Twitch poker for years before even launching his own channel. He wanted to learn what viewers liked most and that seemed to be some kind of challenge.

So when the time came to start his own channel in November 2017, Shaban settled on a streaming 50 days in a row for an average of eight hours a day. He also had some extra plans behind the scenes.

“Guys, you think I’m actually going to stop on day 50?” he said during the stream when the 50th day finally came. “I’m just getting warmed up. We’re going to go for 100 days.”

That still wasn’t enough. When the 100th day rolled around, Shaban announced he wanted to finish at a nice round number of 1,000 hours streamed. That meant he finally wrapped up the challenge after 125 straight days of streaming.

“That really set me apart from everyone,” he says.

The natural question someone might ask is: how did Shaban have so much time to accomplish the challenge?

“I moved to a city where I didn’t know anyone and locked myself in an apartment to become a full time poker player, because I have that tenacity that other people don’t have,” he says. “It was worth the sacrifice.”

Shaban is now part of Team PokerStars and was still alive on Day 3 of the PokerStars No Limit Hold’em Players Championship (PSPC). He spoke with PokerScout about the event, streaming, and recent online poker changes in Canada.

From ‘Big Brother’ to online poker streaming

Fans of reality television in Canada may remember Shaban from Big Brother Canada in 2014. Fellow poker pro Kevin Martin appeared on the show the following season and the two met and became friends.

Shaban had played poker for a long time, but knew Martin was much better. Seven years ago, an inquiry into Martin’s playing habits turned things around for Shaban. That ultimately led to a career at the table and in poker content creation.


“I played millions of hands of poker as a recreational player and just asked him, ‘How are you so good? I’ve played more hands of poker than you, but you’re way better than me,’” he remembers of the conversation. “And he was like, ‘Well what are you doing off the felt to improve your game?’

“He just taught me what a training program was for poker. I went onto a training program for the first time and I just obsessed over it. It was like taking a course in university for poker. That’s how I looked at it. And that one year of studying really hard turned me into a full time player.”

That came with his complete launch into Twitch streaming as well. The transition has been great so far, he says, and the platform is perfect for his personality. When behind the microphone, viewers can expect plenty of jokes and laughs with poker mixed in.

“I don’t mind being behind the camera,” he says. “I’m an extrovert. I like the idea of trying to entertain or create content.”

Embracing online poker changes in Ontario

AS  Canadian player in Ontario, Shaban has seen the province transition from a wide open online poker market to a ringed-in environment as seen in some American states.

That presented some real changes to his daily poker grind and life as a streamer. However, Shaban’s taken the change in stride and has actually found some positives to that approach.

“ I didn’t know what it was going to be like obviously going into it,” he says. “I was super scared and thought I might have to move out of Ontario. But it actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise. All the top pros from around the world are gone out of my field now.

“And the fields are much smaller, guarantees are smaller, prize pools are smaller, but (I’ve had) a lot more consistent wins.”

Arlie Shaban battling on Day 1 at the PSPC in the Bahamas. (photos courtesy PokerStars/Manuel Kovsca).

Streaming has also benefited from the changes as well. He may have lost a few global viewers, but seen a surge of Ontario Twitch users check out his channel. Finding more success because of a smaller market has also helped.

“With so many more final table appearances and first places because of the smaller fields, that just draws in extra crowds once you get to the final table,” he says. “So even though I’m not playing for as much on top, it’s still pretty exciting for the viewers.”

At the PSPC, Shaban returned for Day 2 and was among the chip leaders early in the day.

“It’s an amazing event,” he says. “The structure is perfect. I love this 12 o’clock start time and I don’t know how I did it, but I bagged eighth in chips yesterday.”

Can Shaban’s self-described “obsessive personality” pay off in the Bahamas as it did with the streaming challenge? That remains to be seen, but this former reality show contestant is hoping for another big appearance.

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PCA Update: Chris Moorman, Tony Tran Lead PSPC; PCA Main Event & More Winners

Chris Moorman and Tony Tran led the field after the first day of action in the PokerStars No Limit Players Championship in the Bahamas.

After months of hype, promotion, and hundreds of Platinum Passes awarded, the PokerStars No Limit Hold’em Players Championship kicked off on Monday in the Bahamas as part of the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA).

The event drew 1,003 players on Day 1, including more than 400 Platinum Pass winners. Players can still register on Day 2 as well, so the player pool should swell even more.

When the action concluded Monday, Chris Moorman and Tony Tran ended as chip leaders, both with 356,000 chips.

“I feel awesome, cool and relaxed,” Tran told USPoker . “I’ve never cashed in a $25,000 event, but I’ve only played in two other $25,000 events prior to this one.”

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Tran, Moorman lead the field in PSPC

The PSPC has been months in the making, actually longer when considering a COVID break. What originally had been planned for Barcelona, ​​Spain , in 2021, was eventually moved back to the Bahamas . That included the revival of the PCA.

So far, players seem pleased with the tropical poker vibes and return to the PSPC action. PokerScout is at the event and speaking with players throughout the week.

Like Tran, Moorman (pictured in lead image courtesy PokerStars/Manuel Kovsca) was pleased with his run through the tournament. At one point he’d been down to only three 5,000 chips but was able to find a big bag by the time the day’s action concluded.

“Rolled back the years and bagged the chip lead for Day 1 of the PSPC,” he noted on Twitter.

Some of the other players returning for Day 2 include Josh Arieh, Martin Zamani, Canadian PokerStars ambassador and streamer Arlie Shaban, three-time WPT champion Eric Afriat, Dario Sammartino, Sean Winter, Fedor Holz, Jeremy Ausmus.

Ramon Colillas, winner of the 2019 PSPC, also is back for the second day of action. He described Day 1 as a bit difficult but was looking to rebound.

Michel Dattani takes down  PCA Main Event

The PSPS obviously wasn’t the only major event of the series. The $10,000 PCA Main Event played out over the last week with Portugal’s Michel Dattani taking the title for $1.3 million. 

The event saw 889 entries from 58 countries, producing a prize pool of $8.6million. This became Dattani’s first major tournament win and he now has total live tournament winnings of $2.4 million.

“I’ve played 40 main events and I’ve never passed Day 3,” he said, “So it’s hard to believe I’m here right now.”

Fellow Portuguese player Pedro Neves finished runner-up for $1.2 million after the two players reached a deal. Getting to the title didn’t come without some struggles and six long days of action.

“The competition was tough,” he said afterward. “My opponents were very good. But I think I played well and the cards helped a lot. We need to run good to win these kinds of things!”

Here’s a look at the final table payouts.

2023 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure Main Event

  1. Michel Dattani, Portugal – $1,316,963
  2. Pedro Neves, Portugal – $1,183,037
  3. Artur Martirosian, Russia – $677,400
  4. Alexandre Raymond, Canada – $519,600
  5. Christoph Csik, United States – $399,800
  6. Jamil Wakil, Canada – $307,500

A look at some other event winners

The winners keep coming at the PCA including several major recent events. That included the $10,200 PSPC Warm Up, with American Jesse Lonis scoring the victory for $367,400. The event produced a field of 162 entries for a $1.6 million prize pool.

In the $10,200 Mystery Bounty, Canada’s Andrew Chen secured a nice title and $144,800. This marked his third cash of the series.

In the $1,100 No Limit Hold’em Freezeout, Germany’s Christian Dressler found the win for $46,880. Argentina’s Nicolas Betbese Pueta took the title in the $1,100 DeepStack for $74,980.