ISPT Makes Major Changes: Now Play At Home

In an attempt to encourage more players to participate in the inaugural International Stadiums Poker Tour (ISPT), the organizers have announced major changes to their original format.
Now, the €3,000 buy-in mega-tournament will offer €300 online qualifiers spread over six Day 1s, in which players can enter as many times as they like and from the comfort of their own homes. This is a departure from the previously stated €600 buy-ins on day 1R/1A, which were to be played on electronic terminals set up inside Wembley Stadium.
The online satellites will be hosted across four different online poker rooms and once again qualifiers will subsequently move to real poker tables set up on the stadium’s field. They will then join players who have decided to buy-in directly to the €3,000 event, and it is estimated that around 70% of players who turn up on Day 2 will make it into the money.
Commenting on the changes made to the original schedule, ISPT spokesperson Laurent Tapie said: “We listened to their constructive comments and advice to come up with a convenient yet innovative format. Having the possibility to play the main event from home, at an affordable buy-in was the choice of reason.”
Although the tournament’s prize pool is not guaranteed, Tapei said the new innovations should help the total reach as much as €10 million and prove a success for the players.
Day 1A of the International Stadiums Poker Tour online qualifiers will begin on February 3rd in France, followed by the US on February 10th and the rest of Europe on February 17th. Day 1F will take place on May 19th with the lucky 10% of all online players then advancing to the live portion of the tournament in London on June 1st through to June 5th.