The live poker tournament series postponements keep coming. Earlier this week, the World Series of Poker updated its statement compiling WSOP Circuit announcements. The latest update is that the upcoming WSOP-C stops in Tunica and New Orleans are postponed indefinitely in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Tunica, New Orleans extend WSOP postponements through mid-May
The WSOP-C Horseshoe Tunica series was supposed to run from April 23-May 4. The WSOP-C Harrah’s New Orleans series was to follow from May 7-18. Both stops are popular series for poker players in Tennessee as well as throughout the southeastern United States.
WSOP Circuit series typically consists of 13 tournaments taking place over a nearly two-week period. Last month, WSOP canceled the WSOP-C Harrah’s Atlantic City stop, scheduled initially March 5-16, mid-series.
Since then, the WSOP has postponed each WSOP-C, including those in Nevada, California, Oklahoma, Iowa, and North Carolina. The same goes for WSOP International Circuit events in the Czech Republic, France, and Canada.
Postponements could impact Global Casino Championship
It is unclear how and whether the WSOP-C postponements will affect the 2019-20 season-ending WSOP Global Casino Championship. The event is supposed to take place Aug. 11-13 at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort.
“As far as the Global Casino Championship, it is still scheduled for August at Harrah’s Cherokee,” said Vice President of Corporate Communications for Caesars Interactive Entertainment Seth Palansky.
The Global Casino Championship features a $1 million prize pool provided by the WSOP. Additionally, eligible players can directly buy in the to event, with that money also going to the prize pool.
The Main Event winners at each WSOP Circuit and WSOP International Circuit stop win entry into the Global Casino Championship. Each stop’s Casino Champion earns a seat as well. The top 50 players on the season-long WSOP-C leaderboard fill out the rest of the field.
Meanwhile, the top 100 players of the 2019 WSOP Player of the Year rankings, as well as any player who wins a WSOP-C ring during 2019-20, are eligible to buy their way into the event for $10,000.
“The field size we originally anticipated for that event was a minimum of 154 players, based on 50 at large point earners, plus 104 players earning automatic qualification via winning their live event Main Event or Casino Championship,” said Palansky.
However, he said, “in light of our postponements… that may indeed affect the GCC.”
How will it affect the Global Casino Championship? “Too early to tell,” said Palansky.
“We’ve been focused on working with our land-based casino partners in socializing their specific event calculations and exploring possible alternatives to rescheduling or hosting events,” he added.
Still no news on the 2020 World Series of Poker
The 2020 World Series of Poker is still scheduled to take place at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas from May 27-July 14. The WSOP has no new announcements to make regarding the possible postponement or cancellation of the WSOP.
“No WSOP 2020 news from what we’ve said previously,” said Palansky.
In recent days, Palansky has indicated the WSOP continues to forge ahead and plan for the 101-event series to take place as scheduled while monitoring fast-changing developments. The cancellation of some Las Vegas conventions opens up the potential for the WSOP to move its schedule later in the summer if that were feasible.
