PokerStars takes over the Bahamas

Global poker brand PokerStars and their international list of players descended on the Baha Mar resort in beautiful Nassau Bahamas for the PSPC PokerStars Championship. The stars were out and the week long event came with all the glitz and glamour one could expect. Not surprising when you consider approximately $25M was up for grabs.

photo: final table Max Menzel – Aliaksandr Shylko; photo by Danny maxwell

$4 Million Prize

Amongst the most prestigious moments of the whole tournament was the incredible win by Aliaksandr Shylko of Belarus. A deal was struck at the final table by the remaining 3 players making Aliaksandr the ultimate winner.

PSPC Main event Champion Aliaksandr Shylko – photo by joe Giron

In second place came Max Menzel of Germany walking away with $2.5M. This was followed by Philipe Pizzari of Brazil with a cool $1.9M. Several other tournaments took place throughout the week. This included cash games and high roller tables. The stars were out in full swing including UFC announcer and PokerStars Ambassador Bruce Buffer as well as actor David Constible among others. There were also smaller buy-in games for newer entrants ensuring everyone got in on the action.

Platinum Pass

In case you weren’t aware, PokerStars offers a series of Platinum Passes to players who are granted entry into the tournament bypassing the $25K entry fee. One such player was runner up Max Menzel – not a bad way to capitalize on the opportunity.

Photo – UFC star announcer Bruce Buffer, a pokerstars ambassador – photo by tomas stacha

Included in the pass are your travel and accommodations being covered. Players are able to bring a guest with them which is always a nice touch. Anyone interested in acquiring one of the coveted passes can do so through a series of tournaments leading up to the big event. Check out the PokerStars website for more information on passes throughout the year.

Glitz & Glamour

Taking place at the Baha Mar resort in Nassau, Bahamas, the PokerStars PSPC Championship picked a venue to match the quality and quantity of its participants. The stunning resort hotel features an indoor casino and series of fantastic restaurants. With plenty of pools to pick from and walking distance to the beach, the venue certainly lived up to the hype around the tournament.

Photo – Baha Mar resorts, nassau bahamas – photo by tomas stacha

If you wanted to go off-site, participants could easily hop on a boat for some snorkeling adventures and check out any number of unique experiences. One of which includes Pablo Escobar’s crashed planes. Go swimming with pigs and sharks or simply take in some sun against the backdrop of the beautiful crystal blue waters.

PokerStars also knows how to throw a party with a series of them throughout the event. From the welcome party to the players party and finally ending with the fabulous white party, the brand put on a fantastic show from start to finish. Next up will be a series of events across the world including Paris, Monte Carlo and Barcelona.

Feature image by Eloy Cabacas