The British Columbia Lottery Corporation’s (BCLC) PlayNow Poker is currently holding the PlayNow Poker Championship (PNPC) at the Hard Rock Casino Vancouver, and will run up to October 25, 2015. The six-event championship series, which kicked off October 15, 2015, is regarded as the largest poker competition seen by the province this year. The combined prize pool for all six events has reached an estimated total of over CA$425,000.
Held for the first time in Vancouver, B.C. at the Hard Rock Vancouver, participants comprise qualified players coming from Quebec, Manitoba and British Columbia. The PlayNow Poker Network with the collaboration of the Canadian Poker Network held satellites up to October 15, 2015, awarding guaranteed seats to the PNPC Events as main prize or as part of a prize package. The satellite Main Event awarded a CA$3,000 worth Prize Package, comprising the total CA$1,650 Main Event Buy-in fee plus CA$1,350 for travel and expense money.
The PNPC commenced with the strictly for female Event 1 on October 15, with the CA$330 Women’s No Limit Hold’em (NLH). The Buy-in Fee of CA$300 raised an estimated total prize pool of CA$30,000. The ladies started with a 15,000 chips stack, played with 30-minute blinds with re-entry and alternates available during the first four levels.
This will be followed by the 3-day Event 2 — the CA$700 Buy-In + CA$30 rake NLH Freezeout tournament held from October 16 to 18, 2015, with its notable 45-minute blind in a no re-entry format. Players have 20,000 starting chips stack, which they have to use wisely in order to stay alive in the game. Those who will lose all chips automatically lose their chances of winning a share of the estimated CA$146,000 prize pool.
The action continues on October 19, with the CA$250 + CA$30 NLH Bounty. Here, players collect CA$50 worth of chips as reward for every player they eliminate, whilst trying to finish the competition by topping the list of tournament finishers in order to get a lion’s share of the CA$30,000 prize pool.
Event 4 on December 20, 2015 is reserved for senior players who will be competing in the CA$300 + CA$30 NLH Seniors. The tournament is a single-day event with re-entry and alternates allowed during the first four 30-miniute blinds. The event will see players aged 50 years or older compete with a starting 15,000 chips stack to use as wager in vying for the CA$30,000 prize pool.
The tournament will resume on October 23 to culminate on October 25, 2015 for the CA$1500 + CA$150 3-day Main Event. A maximum of 100 players will compete with a 30,000 starting chip stack for the 45- minute blinds. The estimated pot money that will be at stake is CA$144,000.
The BCLC joined the Canadian Poker Network in 2011, which enabled PlayNow poker players located in B.C. and in Manitoba, to play with poker players coming from Loto Quebec’s Espacejux.com. The online convergence of poker players coming from the three provinces is made possible by the state of-the-art poker platform developed and operated by GTECH G2 to support the Canadian Poker Network. The convergence increased player liquidity, enabling the GTEC G2-operated CPN to hold more tournaments including the annual championship events.
Last year’s the PNPC Championship Event was held in Winnipeg, Manitoba at the McPhillips Station Casino.
