2019 World Series of Poker Europe Begins This Weekend, More Than €22m in Guarantees

  • WSOP Europe begins October 13 at King’s Resort in Czech Republic
  • 15 events and more than €22 million in guaranteed prize pools
  • More high-roller events added for this year's edition
  • WSOP Player of the Year race hinges on European tournament
man walks up steps showing WSOP logo
The World Series of Poker Europe begins this Sunday at the King’s Resort in Roszvadov, Czech Republic, and will see 15 events run until November 5. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

Three weeks at the King’s Resort

The King’s Resort in Rozvadov, Czech Republic will host the 2019 edition of WSOP Europe starting this Sunday, October 13. This is the third consecutive year that the tournament series will be held at the King’s Resort.

the third consecutive year that the tournament series will be held at the King’s Resort

Since its debut in 2007, WSOP Europe has been held in London, Cannes (France), Enghien-les-Bains (France), and Berlin. The King’s Resort has become an important venue for poker in Europe, and it appears that WSOP Europe has a home there for the long-term.

The three-week European tournament will run from October 13 to November 5.

Largest, priciest WSOP Europe ever

This year’s WSOP Europe will have 15 bracelet events – the most it has ever had. The €22,472,450 ($24,749,802) in guaranteed prize pools is a departure from the WSOP in Las Vegas, which only has a few events with guarantees. To accommodate the larger poker festival, the King’s Resort has increased its number of poker tables from 160 to 200.

Most of the scheduled events are No-Limit Hold’em. The variety within the ten tournaments comes primarily from the buy-in, ranging from a €350 ($385) “Opener” to kick off the series, to the €250,000 ($275,362) Super High Roller event.

The non-hold’em tournaments include 8-Game Mix, Pot-Limit Omaha, a Mixed Games Championship, and Pot-Limit Omaha/No-Limit Hold’em Mix. The hold’em-only events also include the Short Deck variation and a turbo bounty event.

There is not much “in-between” in terms of buy-ins. There are three events with buy-ins of €550 ($606) or below, and five with buy-ins of €25,500 ($28,000) or greater. While the €350 event is being billed as the least expensive tournament in WSOP history, it sees two re-entries permitted per flight. In fact, every event allows for at least one re-entry, and several have unlimited re-entries until the close of registration.

The €10,350 ($11,400) Main Event will begin Friday, October 25 with the first of two starting flights, and is slated to last through October 31. It has a €5m ($5.5m) guaranteed prize pool.

WSOP Player of the Year race is tight

Aside from millions of dollars and 15 gold bracelets, the WSOP Player of the Year title is still up for grabs in Rozvadov. All of the events except for the €250,000 Super High Roller award POY points.

Campbell tore through the World Series of Poker this summer

It is a close race for the crown, with Robert Campbell in the top spot with 3,418.78 points. Campbell tore through the World Series of Poker this summer, winning two bracelets and making four final tables. He cashed nine times in total.

Three other players have more than 3,000 points: Shaun Deeb (3,280.13), Poker Hall of Famer Daniel Negreanu (3,166.24), and Daniel Zack (3,126.13). Deeb is trying to become the first player in WSOP history to win back-to-back Player of the Year titles. Negreanu, who is selling pieces of his WSOP Europe action to the public, is gunning for a record third Player of the Year honor.

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