The World Poker Tour (WPT) marked its return to the live poker scene in 2021 via the Lucky Hearts Poker Open in Hollywood Florida just a month ago. Now, the WPT is currently busy with two other major events running in international markets. The WPT Spring Festival is taking place in Asia online and WPT Russia will take place at Casino Sochi.
Back in Business
The WPT was forced to pull the plug on several of its live events in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the brand was able to find ways to continue bringing high-quality tournament action to players and fans around the world by holding massive online festivals, in partnership with partypoker.
Now that COVID-19 has somewhat eased off, and with many countries currently implementing vaccine rollouts, the WPT is looking at making a comeback to the live arena as soon as possible, while continuing to ensure everyone’s safety and protection.
In January, the WPT hosted its first 2021 live event in the US via the Lucky Hearts Poker Open which took place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood. The event was generally successful, attracting decent numbers.
Live & Online Combo for 2021
While the tour definitely wants to get its live events up and running again, it doesn’t mean the virtual felts will now be taken for granted. In fact, its second major poker event of the year, the WPT Spring Festival, is currently taking place as a completely online only event, on a mobile poker app.
The WPT Spring Festival got underway on February 11 on the Poker King app. The app is available to players in Asia, meaning the events are exclusive only to Asian players. It’s been described as a “first-of-its-kind” due to its mobile format.
The festival will culminate in the Main Event, which offers ¥10 million ($1.5 million) in guarantees. Poker King may not be as popular to players outside of Asia, but its brand ambassadors are poker icons and among the best in the game – Phil Ivey and Tom Dwan.
The Main Event is currently underway and Asian players might now be having the time of their lives competing with the duo, as both are expected to take part in the event. Other big names joining the Main Event are NBA Hall of Famer Allen Iverson, as well as WPT title holder Nick Petrangelo. The Main Event will crown a winner on February 22.
In 2020, the WPT hosted its last live event in Russia before the coronavirus pandemic blew up. Now, the tour is back at Casino Sochi after almost a year. The latest edition of WPT Russia runs from February 19-28, and features a RUB245,000 ($3337) Main Event.
The event kicks off on February 23 and features three “normal” starting flights, with a final “turbo” flight taking place on February 25. Players will battle it out until February 28.
Apart from the Main Event, the schedule also includes a full side event lineup, with tournaments such as The Opener, WPT Ladies Event, and WPT High Roller also worth a try. Those who are into non-traditional formats will also find plenty of alternatives.
Adam Pliska, Chief Executive Officer of the WPT, considers WPT Russia as one of his favorite events of the year as it not only brings the very best of tournament action, but also allows players to enjoy a host of other exciting activities off the felt.
Safety protocols will be enforced during the festival, such as mandatory wearing of face mask, temperature checks, and regular cleaning of chips, cards, and tables.
WPT Russia is taking place in partnership with partypoker LIVE.
With these initial tournament offerings for 2021, it’s clear that the WPT’s remains committed to bringing the best live poker experience to all its players and fans around the world, while also joining the online tournament trend. This will help them maintain their status as a premier brand in the global events and entertainment arena.