2007 best tourneys

As you can see from the destinations below, poker is truly the world’s global game. So take the next year off work and get yourself along to each of these huge poker tournaments in the quest for fame and fortune

Deauville, France

Casino Barriere de Deauville, Deauville February 21-24
Tournament: French Open EPT – €5,000 No-limit Hold’em
The field: European pros, internet qualifiers
Qualify: Daily satellites available on www.pokerstars.com from just $11. There are also numerous other online operators which run satellites for this event
Why? Prestigious European event

Los Angeles USA

Commerce Casino, LA February 24-March 1
Tournament: LA Poker Classic WPT Championship event – $10,000 + $100 No-limit Hold’emv The field Nearly 700 runners last year, comprising top pros and satellite qualifiers
Qualify: Almost anywhere online
Why? Great city, great casino and loads of Hollywood celebs knocking around

Goa India

InterContinental The Grand Resort, Goa March 1-5
Tournament: Asian Poker Classic 2007
The field: Pros, celebrities, internet qualifiers (and Paul Cheung – the musclebound, hyper-aggressive staff writer on sister magazine, InsideEdge)
Qualify: Satellites start from as little as $4 at www.maharajahclub.com
Why? First major tournament in India

Monte Carlo Monaco

Monte Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort, Monte Carlo March 28-April 1
Tournament: EPT Season 3 Grand Final – €10,000 No-limit Hold’em
The field: European pros, internet qualifers EPT Season 3 winners
Qualify: Daily satellites on www.pokerstars. com start at $11. Numerous other online operators also run satellites for this event
Why? EPT season finale, big prize pool

Dublin Ireland

Burlington Hotel, Dublin April 6-9
Tournament: Irish Poker Open 2007 €3,300 + €200
The field: Lots of Irish, British European pros and amateurs, internet qualifiers
Qualify: Satellite qualifers start as low as $1 on PaddyPowerPoker.com
Why? The craic of course. Well, that and the fact it’s Europe’s oldest Hold’em event with a guaranteed prize pool of €2m

Las Vegas USA

Bellagio Casino April 21-27
Tournament: Fifth Annual Five Star World Poker Classic WPT – $25,000 + $500 No-Limit Hold’em Championship
The field: The créme de la créme, the wealthy, winners of all the current season’s WPT events, internet qualifiers
Qualify: Win a WPT event or qualify on www.pokerstars.com
Why? WPT season finale, huge prize

Caribbean

Caribbean poker cruise (Florida – Haiti – Jamaica – Grand Cayman – Mexico) April 22-29
Tournament: World Poker Showdown Caribbean Poker Cruise – $2,500 + $100 No-limit Hold’em Main Event
The field: Pros, holidaymakers
Qualify: $310 super satellite on board the ship, or direct buy-in
Why? See picture right/destinations above

Bahamas

Atlantis Resort, Paradise Island May 13-17
Tournament: Conquest of Paradise Island – $5,000 + $200 No-limit Hold’em
The field: Virtually all internet qualifiers (last year there was even HillyTheFish), plus a handful of pros
Qualify: Satellites start from $4 at www.paradisepoker.com
Why? It really is paradise

Las Vegas USA

Rio Casino, Las Vegas June 1-July 25
Tournament: The 38th World Series of Poker. Full events line-up to be confirmed, but expect nearly 50 tournaments with buy-ins ranging from $1,000-$50,000
The field: Every man and his dog
Qualify: Try any of the big operators – Full Tilt, PokerStars, UltimateBet, Ladbrokes, William Hill – for qualification information Why? Stupid question

Stockholm Sweden

Casino Cosmopol, Stockholm October 15-21
Tournament: TBC
The field: Literally hundreds of blondehaired amateur and professional Scandinavians
Qualify: N/A
Why? The chance to put those hyperaggressive Scandies in their place by moving all-in every hand

London England

London Victoria Grosvenor November 29-December 2
Tournament: Grosvenor UK Poker Tour – £3,000 No-limit Hold’em Grand Final
The field: Winners of previous GUKPT events, internet qualifers, British and European amateur and pro players
Qualify: Daily freerolls and satellites from $3 on www.bluesqpoker.com. Live satellites in Grosvenor casinos start at £5

Melbourne Australia

The Crown Casino, Melbourne January 2008
Tournament: Dozens of tournaments, plus satellites to the festival’s main event – AU$10,000 + $500 No-limit Hold’em Championship Main Event
The field: Top pros, internet qualifiers
Qualify: Several big operators run satellites but Full Tilt took most players this year
Why? One of the biggest festivals around