EPT Season 8 announced

Struggling for something to put your Nan’s Christmas money towards? Then get ready for Season 8 of the PokerStars European Poker Tour, which starts in just a few weeks at the always luxurious PCA.

The EPT, which began back in 2004, has quickly become poker’s toughest poker tour, with many of the game’s best players found at each €5,000 + €300 main event.

The schedule for the first few months of 2012 is below, and the more perceptive among you will have noticed a few new stops have been added. As well as the headline events in Deauville and Paradise Island, organisers have chucked in tournaments in Madrid, Berlin and Campione.

‘We’re delighted that the EPT will be returning to two major capital cities in Europe, both of which have proved to be highly popular locations in recent years,’ said EPT President Edgar Stuchly.

‘We’re also very excited that the tour is for the first time heading to the highly exclusive region of Campione in Italy, further extending the reach of the EPT.’

EPT Madrid will be first up, the capital city returning for a second successive year after a fantastic finale at the end of Season 7. The Casino Gran Madrid Torrelodones will play host from March 12-17.

That’s quickly follows by the EPT’s debut in Campione, a tiny area nestled on the shore of Lake Lugano. This highly desirable destination has been a regular stop on the PokerStars.it Italian Poker Tour in recent years, and the action will be located in the Casino Municipale di Campione d’Italia from March 26-31.

Here’s the full schedule:

PokerStars Caribbean Adventure Jan. 5 – 15
EPT Deauville Jan. 31 – Feb. 6
EPT Copenhagen Feb. 20 – 25
EPT Madrid March 12 – 17
EPT Campione March 26 – 31
EPT Berlin April 16 – 21