The World Series of Poker (WSOP) has recently announced that it is coming to Eastern Europe for the first time, with a tournament due to take place in Georgia from the 3rd to the 9th of March next year. The event is being organised in connection with the country’s top online poker site, Adjarabet.com, which will be holding satellite competitions for players to win spots at cars tables during the live tournament.
The 2015/16 season is the first time that the WSOP circuit has left the USA, with two very successful events so far in Italy and the Czech Republic. The first Eastern Europe tournament will take over Georgia’s Tbilisi Sports Palace in the capital city, the largest indoor sports arena in the country.
The director of the WSOP, Gregory Chochon has warmly welcomed the development, stating that the company were very “excited that the WSOP Circuit continues to expand and we are thrilled to be hosting an event at the cross-roads between Europe and Asia in Tbilisi, Georgia. The fact that this event offers attractive guarantees and is in the country’s largest indoor sports arena is great news for poker”.
WSOP organisers have adeptly recognised the rising popularity of poker in Georgia, and the fact that Tbilisi is widely considered the poker hotspot of Eastern Europe. Taking advantage of the booming poker market there will gain the WSOP many new fans and spread the organisation’s influence in an area often neglected.
The Tbilisi tournament is due to have a 19-event schedule across seven days. The total guaranteed prizepool adds up to a massive $700,000, the largest to ever be offered in the region before.The highlight on the schedule is the $300,000 guaranteed Main Event from March 6-9. The $100,000 guaranteed Adjarabet Championship runs from the 4th March to the 6th, and the one-day WSOP Warm-Up will be the opening event on the schedule guaranteeing a $30,000 prize for a buy-in of just $100+10.
Organisers have promised that the tournament will cater to all level of bankrolls, ranging from $25 to $2,200. The overall winner of the Main Event and the ‘Player of the Series’ will both receive a reward of a free seat in the $1m guaranteed WSOP Global Casino Championships.
Adjarabet believes the event will be a roaring success, with Tbilisi welcoming players from all across the world and showcasing its famous Georgian hospitality.
