Many tournament poker players, online or live, dream of making the big score and playing against the world’s best. Although some only look to the World Series of Poker (WSOP) for such dreams to be realized, the world’s largest poker site, PokerStars, recently announced a new tour. The North American Poker Tour (NAPT) is a series of events that will be played and televised throughout North America.
The next NAPT event will take place from February 20th through the 24th in Las Vegas. This stop of the NAPT will take place at the Venetian right on The Strip. The Main Event of the NAPT Venetian will feature a $4,750+$250 buy-in with a ton of side events to compete in. Satellites will be running prior and during the event for players who wish to qualify on-site as well as online. The Main Event will start on Saturday, February 20th and conclude on the 25th for five full days of play. The Day 1 levels will be timed at 60 minutes with a 30,000 starting stack and all other days will have 75 minute levels.
The second announced stop on the NAPT tour will be the NAPT Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut. This resort is located between Boston and New York and offers a plush setting for gorgeous coastal views. The only event announced at Mohegan Sun is the $4,700+$300 Main Event, which begins on April 7th and concludes on the 11th.
The Main Events will be televised by an unannounced “first-tier broadcast partner,” without any more details of who that might be. The rumor mill is circulating networks like ESPN and Fox Sports Network, but as usual, PokerStars is tight-lipped about whom that will exactly be. What we do know is that 411 Productions, the same group that produces ESPN’s WSOP broadcasts, will be the ones filming the events. The hostess for the NAPT tour shows will be none other than Joanna Krupa, who is by anyone’s account a drop dead gorgeous hottie.
Players are highly encouraged to satellite their way into one of the Main Events by playing on PokerStars. Satellites for the NAPT Venetian are running now and offer a prize package that includes the Main Event buy-in, hotel accommodations, and expenses. Cash satellites start at just $2.22 or 100 FPPs. Finally, players can use Step tickets, starting at $7.50 or 500 FPPs to qualify into the tour’s Main Events. To register, go to the PokerStars lobby and click on “Events” and then “NAPT.” Players can also buy into the NAPT using T$ earned at PokerStars.
All of the NAPT Main Events are No Limit Texas Hold’em tournaments. A condition of entry into any tournament on the NAPT will be the completion and signing of a television release form. Some of the NAPT host casinos have “smart casual” dress code, meaning that no sneakers, vests, shorts, or ripped jeans will be allowed. On the PokerStars website, players are notified that most NAPT events will be televised, including a featured “show” table. They go on to state that any players who do not sign the television waiver will not be allowed to participate in the tournament.
Visit PokerStars for more details on the inaugural NAPT.
Comments are closed.