PokerStars Festival London

POKERSTARS FESTIVAL MAKES ITS LONDON DEBUT

Snooker icon Stephen Hendry to put his poker skills to the test against players from across the globe!

Poker is set to flood the streets of the capital as the PokerStars Festival London comes to town this month from January 22 to 29, with eight days of blockbuster action primed, sponsored by PokerStars, an Amaya Inc. (Nasdaq: AYA; TSX: AYA) brand. What’s more, hoping to switch from the snooker to poker table, seven time World Champion, Stephen Hendry, is looking to transfer his skills across felts and will be among hundreds of hopefuls keen to make their mark at the Festival’s various poker tournaments.

"I'm really looking forward to being a part of the PokerStars Festival London. The anticipation is much like that of a snooker tournament really - the adrenaline, the eagerness to size up your opponent, and the desire to be on your best game,” said snooker legend Hendry. “The strategic thought, patience and focus needed isn't dissimilar to what I'm used to. Although, at least with poker you can practise online. I can't wait to get out there and give it my best in the main event, it's going to be a lot of fun."

The PokerStars Festival London will take up residence in The Hippodrome Casino London located in the heart of the West End. The event marks the first stop in the Trans-Atlantic PokerStars Festival in 2017 having previously set up shop in New Jersey. The tour will continue across Europe as it heads to Rozvadov in the Czech Republic this March, with more stops yet to be announced.

THE ULTIMATE GAMING EXPERIENCE

The Main Event, which has a £990 buy-in, features a guaranteed £400,000 prize pool and will pit poker enthusiasts against professionals such as homegrown Team PokerStars Pros, Liv Boeree and Jake Cody, as well as Felipe ‘Mojave’ Ramos, Aditya Agarwal, and Luca Pagano, who all have their eyes fixed on the glory of becoming London’s champion.
“There's nothing like playing poker from your home turf, and I am so looking forward to being able to roll out of my own bed to go and play a big Festival event, it's not often I get to do that!” said Team PokerStars Pro Liv Boeree. “Players can expect a top-notch poker experience - the Hippodrome is a stunning, landmark setting to play the beautiful game of poker, so I expect it'll be an unforgettable experience for most players.”

The festival will feature a host of tournaments for players to sink their teeth into with 22 events scheduled over the course of the eight days, from the aforementioned Main Event, to the High Roller (£2,200 buy-in) and the Ladies Event (£170 buy-in), as well as new formats such as the Super Deep re-entry (£275 re-entry).

Whilst poker will take centre stage during the festival, there will be no shortage of entertainment throughout with the unmissable Player Party, fun competitons and Deep Stack cash games. BetStars, Rational Group’s online sports betting brand, will also be offering a range of betting options for the Festival to add some spice to the action. In addition, there will be three special StarsFun tournaments scheduled with a unique twist on Roulette, Blackjack and Craps. The events will be hosted in Lola’s Underground Casino within The Hippodrome London.

Team PokerStars Pro Jake Cody said: “I’m looking forward to playing with my friends right on my doorstep for big money. Players at the PokerStars Festival London can expect a great atmosphere and an awesome schedule, they may even make an appearance in my vlog!”