Will Big-Name Poker Pros Line Up for PPT Grand Final?

The Côte d’Azur may have just seen the end of nine days of high-quality action at the tables of Monte Carlo with the European Poker Tour (EPT) Grand Final crowning numerous champions as Season Eight came to a close – but that’s not the end of the thrills and spills in this part of the world this year as the Partouche Poker Tour (PPT) pulls into Cannes come September for the Grand Final.

Big-name pros such as Justin Bonomo, Dan Smith, Team PokerStars Pros Liv Boeree, Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier, Daniel Negreanu, Johnny Lodden and Vicky Coren, David ‘Doc’ Sands, former Full Tilt Pro Patrik Antonius, Lock Pro Elite member Melanie Weisner, Phil Ivey, PKR Poker sponsored Jake Cody, Marvin Rettenmaier and Noah Schwartz all achieved success – some more than others, though – in Monaco.

Hopefully, American Team PokerStars Pro Vanessa Selbst will return in an attempt to emulate her 2010 victory when she pocketed $1,823,430 for besting a field of 764 entries.

And, while it’s unlikely all of them will be at the Palm Beach Casino for the September 2 to 9 poker festival, the €8,500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em main event – which will allow re-entries on Day 1b – is sure to attract a high-quality field for its seven-day run from the third to the ninth.

The big buy-in events at the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort certainly enticed more than a few of the shining lights of poker, so maybe the €25,000 High Roller in Cannes will once again witness the extra deep-pocketed in poker.

If that’s not enough to pull in the stars, though, then maybe the €5 million guaranteed prize pool for the eight-day PPT Grand Final will spark interest among the biggest names in world poker.

Let’s also not forget that England’s Sam Trickett picked up $1,364,666 for winning last September’s main event as he completed an incredible 2011 that saw the Nottingham pro pocket an astounding $4,598,039 in live tournament earnings, with his success in the Aussie Millions $100,000 Challenge in Melbourne the most notable.

That first prize picked up by Trickett alone should ensure that European poker’s biggest names converge on Cannes in huge numbers by the autumn, with all surely knowing that Trickett’s Cannes triumph also moved him past Hull legend Dave ‘The Devilfish’ Ulliott to top the England all-time tournament money list.

Additionally, organisers have included a two-day €1,000 buy-in Pot-Limit Omaha Eight-Max event that starts on the fourth, as well as a one-day €500 buy-in Pot-Limit Omaha tournament on the seventh.

All in all, it does seem certain that fantastic poker players will flood stunning Cannes in four months’ time – and we at Poker News Report (PNR) will endeavour to bring you all the latest updates from what should be a thrilling climax to Season Five of the PPT.

Incidentally, if you are interested in facing up to some of the stars, then online qualifiers begin on Friday, June 1, at Partouche.fr.

Partouche Poker Tour (PPT) Grand Final, Cannes, Schedule

• Sunday, September 2
  • 15:00, €500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Main Event Satellite (Rebuy + Add-on)
  • 20:00, €900 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Main Event Satellite
• Monday, September 3
  • 13:00, €8,500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Main Event Day 1a
  • 15:00, €500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Main Event Satellite (Rebuy + Add-on)
  • 20:00, €900 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Main Event Satellite
  • 21:00, €300 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout Turbo
  • 00:00, €900 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Main Event Flash Last Chance Satellite
• Tuesday, September 4
  • 13:00, €8,500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Main Event Day 1b (Re-entry)
• 15:00, €510+€400+€90 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Knockout
• 20:00, €1,000 buy-in Pot-Limit Omaha Eight-Max Day 1
• 21:00, €300 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout Turbo
• Wednesday, September 5
  • 13:00, €8,500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Main Event Day 2
  • 13:00, €1,000 buy-in Pot-Limit Omaha Eight-Max Day 2
  • 15:00, €500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout
  • 20:00, €3,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout Day 1
  • 21:00, €300 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout Turbo
• Thursday, September 6
  • 13:00, €8,500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Main Event Day 3
  • 13:00, €3,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout Day 2
  • 15:00, €500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack Day 1
• 20:00, €5,000 buy-in Partouche Poker Tour No-Limit Hold’em Heads-Up Day 1 (TV)
• 20:00, €510+€400+€90 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Knockout Turbo
• 21:00, €300 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout Turbo
• Friday, September 7
  • 13:00, €8,500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Main Event Day 4 (TV)
  • 13:00, €500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack Day 2
  • 13:00, €3,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout Day 3
  • 13:00, €5,000 buy-in Partouche Poker Tour No-Limit Hold’em Heads-Up Day 2 (TV)
  • 15:00, €500 buy-in Pot-Limit Omaha
  • 18:00, €25,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em High Roller Day 1 (TV)
  • 20:00, €550 buy-in Partouche Poker Tour Ladies No-Limit Hold’em Event Day 1
  • 21:00, €1,500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout Day 1
• Saturday, September 8
  • 13:00, €8,500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Main Event Day 5 (TV)
  • 13:00, €25,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em High Roller Day 2 (TV)
  • 13:00, €550 buy-in Partouche Poker Tour Ladies No-Limit Hold’em Event Day 2
  • 13:00, €1,500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout Day 2
  • 15:00, €500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout
  • 20:00, €2,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Short-Handed Day 1
  • 21:00, €300 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout Turbo
• Sunday, September 9
  • 13:00, €8,500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Main Event Final Table (TV)
  • 13:00, €25,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em High Roller Day 3 (TV)
  • 13:00, €1,500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout Day 3
  • 13:00, €2,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Short-Handed Day 2