The World Series of Poker will hold a hybrid online and live version of the $10,000 No-Limit Hold-‘Em World Championship as Las Vegas and the world continue to grapple with Covid-19 precautions.
The tournament will begin Sunday November 29 for international players and on Sunday December 13 for U.S. players.
Due to travel restrictions, early-round play will begin online with one entry on WSOP.com or GGPoker.com, before shifting to a live setting for final-table action on two continents, according to a press release.
The final table will be a world’s first, heads-up for the World Championship, with $1 million in prize money featuring the winner of the international tournament against the winner of the domestic tournament.
The Main Event will be the traditional “freeze-out” single entry, plus the longest levels and deepest stacks ever offered on the online platform, the release said.
All in-person tournaments, domestic and international, will be subject to special COVID rules and procedures and will require players to undergo a required health screening prior to live participation.
U.S. residents can play the Main Event at WSOP.com in New Jersey or Nevada beginning on Sunday, Dec. 13. The tournament will pause when play hits the final table, with the final nine players traveling to Las Vegas for the TV taping and culmination of the tournament to take place at the Rio, subject to applicable regulatory approval, the release said. .
The winner of the domestic tournament and the winner of the international tournament will meet at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, subject to applicable regulatory approval, for a televised showdown on Wednesday December 30. The Showdown will offer a $1 million prize.
“There must be a World Champion in 2020,” said Ty Stewart, Executive Director of the World Series of Poker in the release. “Poker’s history is too important. It’s a unique format for the Main Event, but this is a unique year. We want to keep players’ health and safety top of mind and still deliver a great televised showcase for the game we love.”
