The PokerStars Caribbean Adventure has been one of the premier live poker tournament series of each year. Starting in 2004, the first PCA was aboard a cruise ship, but the Atlantis Resort hosted the series each year after. Some years, the PCA was a part of the World Poker Tour and other years a part of the European Poker Tour. But it was always PokerStars’ baby.
In 2019, PokerStars hosted what it claimed was its last PCA. And as a part of that series, it hosted its inaugural PokerStars Player No Limit Hold’em Championship. It was a $25K buy-in high roller, but more than 300 players won their way in by various discounted means. And when PokerStars tallied the final numbers, the count of entries was 1,039 and prize pool was $26,455,500.
Vamos! Congratulations to #PlatinumPass winner Ramon Colillas on taking down the #PSPC and winning $5.1M! 🇪🇸🏆 🎉🥳 pic.twitter.com/tRN2We6x6m
— PokerStars LIVE (@PokerStarsLIVE) January 11, 2019
That 2019 year may have been the beginning of the PSPC, but it was to be the end of the PCA. PokerStars planned to discontinue the series.
The pandemic seemed to change everything, though.
That global virus shut down nearly everything around the world, and poker – obviously – was no exception. The second PSPC that had been scheduled for 2020 in Barcelona was no more. Everything was on hold.
Ready, Set, Go
In April 2021, as everyone seemed fairly sure that Covid-19 was no longer a shutdown threat, PokerStars began restarting many of its tours. It set EPT stops, relaunched the UKIPT, and announced dates for everything from the APPT to BSOP.
In that batch of announcements was a surprise. Not only was the PSPC set for early 2023 in the Bahamas, the PCA would return as well, only in a different location.
PokerStars set the 2023 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure for January 22 through February 3 at the Baha Mar property. And along with a big series, the PSPC will take place there, too. The dates for that event are January 30 to February 3.
PokerStars announces that the PCA and PSPC are BACK, heading to @BahaMarResorts in the Bahamas January 2023.
The EPT returns to Barcelona in August, Prague in December and more festival news from Howard Swains at https://t.co/y0SY3uAnYO
— Kevin Mathers (@Kevmath) April 8, 2022
Platinum Passes
The ticket to playing the PSPC is the Platinum Pass. Winners of those passes receive $30K, which includes the $25K buy-in to the tournament, as well as six nights of hotel accommodations for two people, airport transfers, special experiences in the Bahamas, and $1,900 in money for expenses.
Of course, online poker players who can access PokerStars around the world can play a variety of satellites to try to win their way into the PSPC.
There have also been live “Road to PSPC” opportunities to win Platinum Passes in tournaments from Liechtenstein to France, from the Republic of San Marino to Spain, and from Brazil to the UK and Ireland. More are scheduled for France, Greece, Slovenia, Belgium, and the Philippines in the coming weeks and months.
The road to the $25,000 buy-in PSPC 2023 doesn’t have to be a long one…
Win your Platinum Pass on the Road to PSPC, a live tour with affordable buy-ins heading to a venue near you this year.
Full schedule and more info:https://t.co/jnP6j0YV7M
— PokerStars Blog (@PokerStarsBlog) June 21, 2022
Players in the United States have access to PokerStars in three states: Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Each state is running a leaderboard competition, and the top players – 500 in Pennsylvania, 300 in Michigan, and 200 in New Jersey – will win seats into freerolls at the end of each month. There are also Platinum Passes available for players in the upcoming COOP (Championship of Online Poker) tournaments in September in each of those states.
There will also be “exciting community giveaways, promotions, and live events.”
🚨 USA Players can now win a $30k PSPC Platinum Pass through new online routes 🎉
6️⃣ passes through COOP leaderboards
More COOP details to be revealed next week.🎆 More passes will be available later this year both live and online 🥳 pic.twitter.com/0SwDrZjMp2
— PokerStarsUSA (@PokerStarsUSA) August 26, 2022
PCA Schedule Available
PokerStars is already hoping that poker players will plan their Bahamas trips now. This month, they released the full PokerStars Caribbean Adventure schedule.
The schedule is a bit confusing, as there appear to be sixty events, including mega satellites, but there are also a few tournaments labeled as Events 100-107. Let’s just say there are probably around 50 tournaments awarding PCA trophies – give or take – along with the PSPC.
Some of the highlighted events will be:
- January 22-24: $100K buy-in PCA Super High Roller
- January 23: $550 buy-in PCA Seniors Event
- January 23-29: $10K buy-in PCA Main Event
- January 26-28: $3K buy-in PCA Mystery Bounty
- January 29: $550 buy-in PCA Women’s Event
- January 30 – February 3: $25K buy-in PSPC Main Event
- February 1-3: $550 buy-in PSPC Mystery Bounty
- February 1-3: $25K buy-in PCA High Roller
PokerStars lists the full schedule on the PS Live website.