May is set to be an active month for players, despite of the coronavirus pandemic getting in the way of the WSOP.
The poker industry is typically at its most vivid in between May and July thanks to the WSOP. With hundreds of gamers making the trip to Las Vegas in search of a bracelet, task comes to a head over the summer.
COVID-19 has forced everybody to transform their plans this year but Partypoker is ensuring players have something to do. Together with the forthcoming digital WPT, it has introduced dates for the inaugural Super High Stakes Bowl (SHSB) Online Series.
SHR Bowl to Create More Online Action
The event represents an additional link-up with Poker Central and is the latest live tournament series go virtual.
In maintaining with the Super High Roller Bowl’s typical layout, the 28 MTTs will cost in between $10K and $100K. Each one will certainly span two days and also the action will start from May 23 to June 1, just after the WPT Online Series concludes.
On top of a $20 million guarantee, the top performer over 27 events will be declared the “champion.” That accolade carries with it a free ticket for the $100,000+$2,000 Super High Roller Bowl Online main event.
The full schedule is yet to be determined, but an April 27 press release has confirmed main event will feature a $3 million guarantee. Blinds will increase every 30 minutes and players will start with 300 big blinds.
For all other Super High Roller Bowl Online events, blinds will increase every 12 or 15 minutes depending on when the tournament starts. Additionally, re-entries will be available in all events (except the main event) until the end of level 12.
Turning the Super High Roller Bowl into an online affair is part of the latest trend in poker. Although “trend” suggests operators have a choice, the recent innovations have been successful.
Coronavirus Hurts but Poker Will Survive
The coronavirus pandemic initially threatened to crush major poker events. But by collaborating with online operators, the WSOP, WPT, Poker Central and others have found ways around the problem.
Live venues and staff may still be reeling from the current crisis. The industry as a whole, however, is maintaining a degree of strength.
The new wave of online festivals will, most likely, mark the rest of 2020. Unibet Poker’s tournament team said as much in a recent statement. Not wanting to play with uncertainty, Nataly Sopacuaperu said all Unibet live events will now take place online.
This commitment to a 2020 without any offline action could soon be matched by other organizations. Indeed, if the Super High Roller Bowl Online Series is a success, it will serve as another indication that players are happy to try online alternatives.
If the world is changing, poker is changing with it. That’s a positive message for players and a sign that major events can and will be staged online during and, potentially, after coronavirus.
