European Poker Tour confirms schedule for London's largest poker festival

LONDON -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- The European Poker Tour (EPT) today announced details for EPT Season 9’s London poker festival which will bring the U.K. and Ireland Poker Tour (UKIPT) and the EPT together for the first time, creating a massive set of tournaments and opportunities for players at all levels.

EPT London will run from March 5-16 and will feature 37 events over 11 days. The festival marks a return to the U.K. capital for the EPT, which last held a London event in September 2011 attracting more than 2,000 players from all over the world competing for over £7 million in prizes. German wunderkind Benny Spindler ultimately took down the Main Event first prize of £750,000. With an absence of 17 months, the return of this popular stop on the world’s richest poker tour is highly anticipated by the global poker community.

EPT London returns to its roots

The EPT London Main Event will return to its roots and be played at The Grosvenor Victoria Casino, home of one of London’s most beloved poker rooms. The UKIPT Main Event will also be held at “The Vic.”

In order to accommodate the anticipated number of players, The Hippodrome Casino London, home to the soon-to-launch PokerStars LIVE poker room, will serve as host for a number of side events during the festival. Cash games in a variety of buy-in levels will take place at both venues.

EPT Season 3 winner and Team PokerStars Pro Victoria Coren said: "I am very excited that EPT London is returning to the Vic, where it began. I think the atmosphere there will be fantastic. It’s where I won my own EPT title, so I hope it’ll be lucky for me.”

Schedule highlights

The festival will kick off with the £770 UKIPT Grand Final Main Event, along with a host of side events including a £2,150 High Roller and nightly Turbos starting from £110. As the UKIPT Grand Final draws to a conclusion, the European Poker Tour will take center stage with the £5,250 Main Event. Side-event highlights will include the £330 Spring Fling Turbo with a guaranteed prize pool of £25,000, the £10,300 EPT High Roller, a £550 No Limit Deepstack event, the £550 PokerStars Women event and the ever-popular £2,100 No Limit Turbo.

EPT Live webcast

EPTLive will be broadcasting right from the start of the EPT London Main Event, with coverage kicking off on Day 1a (March 10) through to the final on March 16. The webcast will be cards down with no delay, with expert commentary provided by James Hartigan, Joe Stapleton and a host of Team PokerStars Pros and other star players. In the early stages of the tournament, viewers will from time to time be invited to vote on which table they would like to see featured on the show – an innovation pioneered at EPT Deauville which is running now.

For further event information please see www.ept.com and check out the European Poker Tour Facebook page.