Sun, Fun and Live Poker in the Caribbean

The Caribbean is calling. Yes, the World Series of Poker (WSOP) November Nine begins in Las Vegas on November 5, but there will also be some quality poker being played in the Dominican Republic early this month.

The vast majority of television and news coverage will undoubtedly be centered on who will leave Sin City with $8,711,956 as the WSOP main event winner, but there is also a rather handy $500,000 guaranteed prize pool available for poker pros who make the trip to the second annual Punta Cana Poker Classic (PCPC) next week.

Dominican Republic-based Canadian Peter Cross outlasted a field of 203 last year to win the inaugural No-Limit Hold’em event and $65,000 after seeing off Costa Rican Gino Guidi in a heads-up battle.

This year’s tournament is likely to attract an even larger field to the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino from November 7 to 12 and, with an increased entry, the top prize will showed a marked increase.

The PCPC are “very excited about this year’s event”, and, with “every last detail prepared”, the organisers believe they are “ready to put on the best poker tournament the Caribbean has ever seen”.

Certainly, Croatian poker blogger, member of Team Bodog Poker and presenter Tatjana Pasalic can’t wait to get started in the $1,500+$150 main event next Wednesday.

“I am looking forward to hanging out with my fellow teammates, Bodog qualifiers and getting my tan on and having fun playing poker,” said the enthusiastic 26-year-old who now lives in London.

Of course, there will also be numerous online qualifiers taking part, with those who won the $3,500 prize package being provided with five days of total extravagance and leisure, including rounds of golf, visits to spas and island tours – in between the serious business of the main event.

Anyone still hoping to make it to the Caribbean can still pick up packages by visiting www.puntacanapokerclassic.com.

Schedule of events at the second Annual Punta Cana Poker Classic (all times local):

• Monday, November 7:
  • 18:00, First $125 (£78/€91)+$15 (£9/€11) buy-in Super Satellite to Poker Main Event, Casino (one-day event)
• Tuesday, November 8:
  • 18:00, Second $125+$15 buy-in Super Satellite to Main Event, Casino (one-day event)
• Wednesday, November 9:
  • 15:00, $1,500 (£940/€1,100)+$150 (£94/€110) buy-in Poker Main Event Day 1, Casino (20,000 starting chips)
• Thursday, November 10:
  • 15:00, $1,500+$150 buy-in Poker Main Event Day 2, Casino
• Friday, November 11:
  • 14:00, Second Chance Poker Tournament 2 day Event, Casino
  • 14:00, $1,500+$150 buy-in Poker Main Event Day 3, Casino
• Saturday, November 12
  • 13:00, $1,500+$150 buy-in Poker Main Event final table, Casino
  • 14:00, $200 (£125/€146)+$30 (£19/€22) buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout, Casino (one-day event)
  • 15:00, Second Chance Poker Tournament final table, Casino