Poker Stars Launches Russian Poker TourNew Project Looks to Tap Growing Market |
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For the past two years, the poker-viewing public has seen a Russian on the game’s biggest stage, controlling the action, instilling fear into his opponents, and impressing fans with his play.
In 2007, it was bracelet winner Alex Kravchenko, who finished in fourth place in the main event when his A-K couldn’t out-race Jerry Yang’s pocket eights. This year, it was the aggressive Ivan Demidov, who made some very creative plays en route to his second-place finish in the world championship.
It was evident that Russia was producing some premier players. Well, the poker community should get ready for a whole lot more.
That’s because PokerStars has just announced that it will sponsor the Russian Poker Tour (RPT), starting with two major events in early 2009.
The first RPT event will kick off on Jan. 25 in St. Petersberg with a $5,000 buy-in event. The price of poker goes up on Feb. 22, when Moscow hosts the second RPT event with a $10,000 buy-in.
Both Krachenko and Demidov are expected to attend the events.
This is far from the first poker tour that the world’s most popular poker website has associated itself with. PokerStars also runs satellites into its events for the European Poker Tour, Asia Pacific Poker Tour, and Latin American Poker Tour.
To play for an $8,000 prize package for the RPT St. Petersberg event, click on the “Special” tab of the “Events” section of your PokerStars software. Satellites are running for as low as $2.22 or 111 Frequent Player Points.
