World Poker Tour, PokerStars create new championship

(PRESS RELEASE) -- Leading global gaming brands World Poker Tour and PokerStars have joined forces to create the PokerStars Championship WPT MonteDam Swing. The first ever PokerStars Championship WPT MonteDam Swing begins with PokerStars Championship, presented by the Monte Carlo Casino, taking place from 25 April to 5 May, and concludes with WPT Amsterdam from 5-13 May.

"For many years, PokerStars and the World Poker Tour have collaborated behind the scenes to ensure the scheduling of our major events is done in the best interest of the players," said Adam Pliska, CEO of the World Poker Tour. "We are proud to take the collaboration a step further with the creation of the PokerStars Championship WPT MonteDam Swing, and we welcome all players to kick off a spectacular three weeks of poker by attending PokerStars Championship Monte Carlo starting 25 April."

In addition to competing in two world-class poker events, with a total of €32.5 million in anticipated prize pools across both, players will now be eligible to earn additional prizes from the PokerStars Championship WPT MonteDam Swing. The four qualifying events are:

• €1,100 buy-in PokerStars National Championship Monte Carlo - 26-30 April
• €5,300 buy-in PokerStars Championship Monte Carlo Main Event - 29 April to 5 May
• €1,500 buy-in WPTDeepStacks Amsterdam - 5-8 May
• €3,300 buy-in WPT Amsterdam Main Event - 9-13 May

Following the completion of WPT Amsterdam, the leaderboard's top five finishers will earn the following prizes:

1st place: PokerStars Championship Barcelona Main Event package (worth €7,500)
2nd place: WPT Main Event package (worth €6,000)
3rd place: WPTDeepStacks package (worth €3,000)
4th place: PokerStars National Championship Barcelona Buy-in (€1,100), Barcelona hotel voucher (€500)
5th place: WPTDeepStacks Buy-in (€1,500)

To be eligible to win a prize, a player must finish in the money in both PokerStars Championship WPT MonteDam Swing locations. PokerStars Championship Monte Carlo takes place at Monte Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort in Monte Carlo, Monaco, and WPT Amsterdam takes place at Holland Casino in Amsterdam, Holland.

In addition, all players who participate in at least one PokerStars tournament in Monte Carlo and one WPT tournament in Amsterdam will receive an online ticket to take part in a freeroll at PokerStars, with a prize pool of $30,000. Players who compete in both Main Events will receive a $300 voucher towards buy-ins for the 2017 PokerStars Spring Championship of Online Poker.

"Both PokerStars and the World Poker Tour are committed to growing the game of poker, and the PokerStars Championship WPT MonteDam Swing was developed to benefit players competing at both PokerStars Championship Monte Carlo and WPT Amsterdam," said Edgar Stuchly, PokerStars Director of Live Events. "This exciting partnership allows players a natural transition from one world-class festival to another, and we encourage our players to head to WPT Amsterdam following their time in Monte Carlo."

Players attending PokerStars Championship Monte Carlo and WPT Amsterdam can compete in more than 80 events, with a wide range of buy-ins and game formats.

The €1,100 buy-in PokerStars National Championship Monte Carlo features a €1 million guarantee, three starting flights and a 30,000-chip starting stack. The third starting flight is a turbo reentry flight, giving players another opportunity to advance in this big event.

The €5,300 buy-in PokerStars Championship Monte Carlo Main Event is also anticipating an enormous turnout. PokerStars' last €5,300 Main Event in Monte Carlo attracted 1,098 entries and generated a prize pool of more than €5.3 million, of which €961,800 went to first place.

For more information regarding PokerStars Championship Monte Carlo, visit the website.

The €1,500 buy-in WPTDeepStacks Amsterdam debuts the expansion of the WPT's mid-major offering to the European market, with the winner receiving a ticket to the WPTDeepStacks Europe season-ending event, plus €500 travel. WPTDeepStacks Amsterdam will also be the first qualifying event for determining the 2017 WPTDeepStacks European Player of the Year, with the winner receiving €15,000 in buy-ins to WPT Main Tour events in Europe and a €5,000 WPTDeepStacks sponsorship package.

The WPT Amsterdam €3,300 Main Event is the second WPT Main Tour event of Season XVI, and the champion of the event will earn a $15,000 seat into the season-ending WPT Tournament of Champions.

For more information regarding WPT Amsterdam featuring WPTDeepStacks, visit the website.