The 2020 poker live calendar was almost a complete washout. From March until now it has been dead. Fortunately, online poker was here to save the day, giving us the best version of a World Series of Poker possible and an online World Poker Tour series. All running alongside majors such as the World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP).
Hopefully, 2021 is going to be a lot better, and there is a lot of catching up to do. The usual online festivals will be running with a poker community that is as keen and excited as it has been for many years.
Online poker traffic is in the best shape it’s been in for around five years, and hopefully there is more improvement still to come.
Let’s take a look at the biggest poker events on the 2021 calendar.
partypoker and WPT to Kick of the 2021 Action
The partypoker MILLIONS Online is back for its fourth edition in February 2021. The last two years have seen a $20 million guarantee easily beaten, making this a festival to put in your diary. It is expected to run from February 12th to the 3rd March with a $5,300 buy-in main event.
February 2021 also sees the return of a major live poker event. The WPT Russia kicks off on February 19th, running until the 28th. Taking place at Casino Sochi, these tournaments will run alongside partypoker LIVE with a $3,300 main event.
This won’t be the biggest festival of the year but it’s looking like it will definitely be the first of the year as life returns to normal.
The WPT Online Series returns in May, on partypoker. No schedule has yet been announced but we anticipate the usual full range of tournaments and a big main event. This online poker series is known for its wide range of satellite tournaments costing as little as a single cent. Rags to riches is a story we see every year on the WPT Online Series.
May is also the usual time where PokerStars run the Spring championship of Online Poker (SCOOP). Nothing has been announced yet but there is no reason why this prestigious online festival won’t take its usual place in the calendar.
Will There Be a Live World Series of Poker?
Following the success of the WSOP Online this year, organisers finally arranged another hybrid event with qualifiers online playing down to a final table which will take place live in both the US and Europe. The winner of both events will meet up in Las Vegas before the new year to decide the 2020 champion.
However, none of this has actually taken place yet and it still remains uncertain if the 2021 WSOP will be taking place in the Rio Casino as is normal. Fingers crossed, as this is by far the biggest poker event of the year, and it would be a travesty if it was to be cancelled for a second consecutive year.
Ending the Year in Style
After the WSOP Main Event plays down to the final table the WPT World Online Championships is slated for September. Yet another partypoker event that offers plenty of opportunities to win big. In typical fashion there will be satellites running 24/7 from as little as one cent.
The World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) will also be running around September, as it has done since 2002. Last year’s $5,200 buy-in main event had a prize pool in excess of $11 million and a $1.66 million top prize. This is a huge event that is played by the very best tournament players on the planet.
If all of the above is not enough to interest you, then the season-ending Carribean Poker Party at Baha Mar Resort in the Bahamas should do the trick. Another huge event, and in the most luxurious of surroundings.
So, the live scene is set for a great year if life gets back to normal over the coming months. Online players still have a great selection of events to play. The biggest events are found on PokerStars and partypoker, but the likes of GGPoker, Unibet and 888Poker all have their own major series. On these online poker sites you will find the full range of events and surely find something to suit.
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