PokerStars ready for EPT debut in Ukraine

ISLE OF MAN -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Ukraine is gearing up to be the poker centre of Eastern Europe with an exciting schedule of events planned for the debut PokerStars.net EPT Kyiv Sports Poker Championship later this month and PokerStars, the world's largest online poker site, is running a series of enticing satellite tournaments to help players get there.

The PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) is kicking off Season 6 with a €5,000 event in the beautiful Ukraine capital from August 18-23. It's the first time that the EPT has been to Kyiv and PokerStars is celebrating with a unique schedule of satellites giving players the chance to win their trip - a prize package worth $9,700 – daily starting today (August 3).

In addition to the daily $215 one-package guarantee events, PokerStars is holding a special five-package guarantee tourney on Saturday, August 8, and a 10,000 Frequent Player Point event on Sunday, August 9 – giving players the chance to go to the Ukraine for free.

PokerStars VIP players – Silver Star status and above – will be able to take advantage of daily 2,500 FPP qualifier events with additional nine-package guarantee tournaments taking place today (August 3) and tomorrow.

The EPT Kyiv Sports Poker Championship is taking place at the Kyiv Sports Palace and is expected to be the largest poker tournament ever held in the Ukraine. There'll be plenty of poker at the Kyiv Sports Palace, thanks to an exciting schedule that includes €1,100, €2,250 and €3,200 NLHE events, a €330 ladies' event, a €2,150 Pot Limit Omaha event as well as satellites to the main event and a super-satellite to EPT London.

The Kyiv event replaces the previously-scheduled 2009 Russian Open poker tournament which had to be cancelled following changes in Russian gaming legislation. All PokerStars qualifiers have been invited to switch to Kyiv instead of Moscow but may, if they wish, take a credit for a future event instead or receive the cash equivalent value.

Among the stars taking part in Kyiv are PokerStars Team Pros Luca Pagano, Dario Minieri and Katja Thater as well as Ivan Demidov and Alex Kravchenko from Russia and Team PokerStars Ukraine Pro Vlad Zhuba.