Poker players from around the world are eagerly awaiting the launch of the inaugural PokerStars $25,000 Poker Players NL Hold’Em Championship (PSPC) which is scheduled to take place in the Bahamas in January 2019.  PokerStars has finally released the schedule for the January 2019 event as well as details of the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA).
PokerStars conducted a massive survey in August to compile input from the global poker community on some of the event’s technicalities and structure. Players were asked to have their say on matters such as starting stack, table occupancy, blind level duration, and more. This inaugural PSPC event has been promoted massively and special Platinum Passes worth $30,000, were given away to hundreds of lucky winners.
PSPC Details Revealed
PokerStars first made mention of the PSPC tournament in December 2017 promising players a unique tournament that was bound to be the biggest in poker history. This event is just a few months away now and is set to become the most exciting $25,000 live event in the history of poker.
The five-day event, running on January 6 – 10, will start on a 9-handed set-up on the first day and will move to an 8-handed play from Day 2 onwards. Qualified players will begin with 60,000 chips and 300 big blinds. PSPC will follow a freezeout format.
There will be no dinner breaks on Day 1 and Day 2 and each day will play for eight levels. Players will be given 20-minute breaks after the second and fourth level, and a 30-minute break after the sixth level. Day 3 would see the number of players being cut down to 16 or 24. The elimination continues through Day 4 with 8 or 6 players. The remaining players will then return on Day 5 where a winner is expected to emerge.
The tournament with follow the Big Blind Ante with shot clocks and time bank cards being issued to players and will be implemented from Day 2. For each level, players are given one time bank card — unused cards become invalid on the following day. The big blind ante will be in full swing throughout. Registration closes at the start of Day 2.
Massive Prize Pool
A total of 180 Platinum passes worth $8 million have already given away, mostly to unknown players, granting them the opportunity to take part in the biggest buy-in event of their life to date. PokerStars has stated that 15% of the field will be finishing in the money and the minimum prize money will be somewhere between $36,000 and $45,000. first-place finisher will finish with a whopping cash prize ranging between $2,500,00 to over $3,700,000. PokerStars will also add another $1,000,000 to the top prize.
With so much prize money at stake, the event will draw some of the veteran poker players from all over the world.  PokerStars Executive Tournament Director Danny McDonagh is doing his bit to promote the tournament and has labeled it as the ultimate high roller event for poker players.
Packed Schedule for PCA 2019
The PokerStars Caribbean Adventure will take place on January 5 – 16 at the Atlantis Resort & Casino on Paradise Island. A total of 41 events, a combination of big and smaller buy-ins, are organized for the whole 12 days. The $10,300 No-Limit Hold’em PCA Main Event kicks off on Friday, January 11 and ends on Wednesday, January 16. A single re-entry will be allowed at the event.
Event highlights include the $5,300 Turbo event on January 7-8, $50,000 Single Day High Roller on January 9, $1,100 PCA National taking place on January 10-11, $100,000 Super High Roller running three days on January 10-12, $100,000 Single Day on January 12, $25,000 High Roller on January 14 – 16 and the $10,000 Main Event running on January 11 – 16.
Meanwhile, the $1,100 PCA National will consist of two starting flights with everyone finishing in the money on Day 2. The two $100,000 No-Limit Hold’Em Super High Roller events, one running three days and the other taking place on a single day, will allow unlimited re-entries. Most major events will have live satellites including the PSPC, the Super High Rollers and the PCA Main Event.