The 2023 European Poker Tour schedule includes two new stops: Paris and Cyprus. [Image: PokerStars.com]
Short schedule, as always
As 2022 draws to a close, it is time not only to look back at the year that was, but also to look into the future. To this end, PokerStars has announced the schedule for the upcoming 2023 European Poker Tour (EPT) season.
It features some of the most popular events in the poker calendar
Among the major poker tours, the EPT has the shortest schedule by far, but it also features some of the most popular events in the poker calendar. The 2023 schedule contains just five stops, spread from February to December. The largest gap between the second and third stations, about three and a half months, in the middle of the year. It makes sense, though, that late May to mid-July is actually reserved for the World Series of Poker, so there’s no reason to try to compete with Grandpa at all the poker festivals.
And if the WSOP Europe is in late October through mid-November as it was this year, then the fourth EPT event would be a good introduction.
“The schedule includes our players’ favourite, a first time in the charming French capital and another exciting new addition to the tour,” said Cedric Belleau, Head of Global Live Events Operations at PokerStars. “Cyprus is the perfect venue to add to our schedule and we look forward to bringing all that EPT has to offer to this new location. We will continue to improve the player experience for both online qualifiers and at our live events.”
Paris, Cyprus welcomes the party
The 2023 EPT season begins with one of two new stops, as Billot mentioned above: Paris. From February 15th to 26th at the Hyatt Regency Paris Etoile in partnership with Le Club Barrière Paris, EPT Paris will feature 39 events in total, including France Poker Series tournaments. The €5,300 (US$5,580) EPT Paris main event will have two days starting and running from February 20-26.
The Spring Round stop, which is before the WSOP break, is EPT Monte Carlo, April 26 – May 6. The full schedule has not been released, but the €5,300 main event has been confirmed for April 30 – May 6. In late summer, it’s time for one of the most popular stops on any tour, EPT Barcelona, scheduled for August 21-September 3. The EPT Barcelona Main Event kicks off on August 27th.
EPT Cyprus is the other new venue on the European Poker Tour in 2023. Merit Royal Diamond & Casino & Spa, EPT Cyprus is scheduled to host from October 11-22, with the main event kicking off on October 16.
The final stop on the 2023 European Poker Tour is the tried and true EPT Prague, from December 4-15. Like other non-Paris-related stops, the full schedule is still being built, but PokerStars said the main event is December 9-15.
EPT Prague is coming next week
Although we look ahead to 2023, there is still work left to interest the European Poker Tour in 2022. Just as next year’s schedule wraps up with EPT Prague, this year’s EPT season also ends in the capital of the Czech Republic. Hosted by King’s Casino Prague, EPT Prague starts on the 7th of December and runs until the 18th of December.
There are 53 events on the EPT Prague schedule, some of which are part of the Eureka Poker Tour, or simply “Eureka”, as PokerStars now calls it. Eureka is a tour focused on Central and Eastern Europe.
The EPT Prague Main Event, which has a subscription price of €5,300 like all other events, will take place from December 12th to 18th. Re-entry is permitted once, with a maximum of two entries across both flights.
