PokerStars Players Championship, EPT Barcelona Get Moved to 2021

Players who were keen on playing at the prestigious PokerStars Players No Limit Hold-em Championship (PSPC) in 2020 will now have to wait until 2021 before they can turn their dream into reality. PokerStars has just announced that the 2020 PSPC, alongside the European Poker Tour (EPT) Barcelona, will not take place this year as originally scheduled, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Three other upcoming live events, the Road to PSPC Madrid, Road to PSPC Cannes, as well as the Manila Super Series 14, have also been scrapped, joining previously cancelled PokerStars-sponsored events including EPT Sochi, EPT Monte Carlo, and BSOP Sao Paulo.
PokerStars’ Director of Poker Innovation and Operations Severin Rasset said they understood the enormous disappointment that players and fans could be feeling upon learning of the postponement, but at this time, the safety and wellbeing of players, staff and the communities hosting the live events remain their top priority.
The announcement isn’t entirely a bad news though, as the company has assured players they will keep the surprises going and will increase the chances for players to win the highly-coveted Platinum Pass!
80 Additional Platinum Passes To Be Given Away
In the run up to the event, PokerStars will launch exciting promos and competitions, and will award an additional 80 Platinum packages. This means there will now be a total of 400 Platinum Pass qualifiers getting the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Spanish poker player Ramon Colillas, a Platinum Pass holder who took down the inaugural PSPC held in The Bahamas in 2019.
So far, 186 passes have already been awarded, entitling each holder to free entry into the PSPC, six nights’ accommodation with one guest in Barcelona, as well as extra money for travel and other miscellaneous expenses.
Last year, the event attracted a total of 1,039 entries, composed of some of the world’s best poker players, including WSOP bracelet winner Julien Martini, American poker pro Scott Baumstein, and UK businessman and high-stakes poker player Talal Shakerchi, all three of whom managed to reach the final table. In the end, it was Colillas who walked away with life-changing victory – a $5.1 million top prize and a subsequent PokerStars sponsorship deal.
Another Platinum Pass winner from the Philippines, Marc Rivera, also ran deep in the event, finishing in third place for $2,168,000. The second installment of the tournament was due to take place in August of this year at Casino Barcelona.
Rasset said they cannot provide a final 2021 schedule just yet, but they can assure players that the PSPC will be bigger and better, and will once again smash records and become a “history-making” event.
Current Platinum Pass holders who have other questions and concerns are encouraged to direct their inquiries to live@pokerstarslive.com. Meanwhile those interested in winning their own Platinum package or those keen on taking part in the 2021 tournament can refer to the following key info:
PSPC 2021 Initial Details
The PSPC will be held next year at the same venue, Casino Barcelona, but organizers will continue to monitor the situation with regards to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and will announce further updates in the coming months. PokerStars is also working on additional promotions accompanying the event.
Platinum Pass Promos Temporarily Suspended
For now, all promotions awarding Platinum Passes are temporarily suspended, but PokerStars will announce details of new promos both live and online upon confirming a final 2021 date for the PSPC. If you already won a Platinum Pass, you can use it for next year, and your hotel bookings will also be re-arranged based on the new schedule.
Take note that you cannot ask for a refund for the Platinum Pass that you’ve won, as it is non-refundable and non-exchangeable. Non-Platinum Pass holders who have already booked flights for Barcelona in August are advised to send an email to live@pokerstarslive.com for further assistance.
As announced, three live events that were supposed to award Platinum Passes have just been cancelled, but PokerStars will release more info on other upcoming live stops as soon as possible.