First WPT ever held in Mainland China!
Only few days after the Grand Finale of Season XV, the WPT already announces the Grand Opening of Season 16.
It starts with a big bang and great surprise as Season XVI will kick off in Bejing, China and will be part of the 2017 Ourgame Chess & Card Festival!
This is the first time ever a WPT event will take place in mainland China and it could be a huge step for gaining more acceptance for poker and online poker in the Land of the Red Dragon.
Online Poker is booming in China
Even there are strict regulations and restrictions, when it comes to live and online poker, poker is growing fast in China and the number of online players gets more and more.
There is an undeniable thirst for big poker events in China, with the first five years of the WPT National event staged in Sanya all quickly selling out.
The WPT Bejing Main Event has, like all Championship Events, a buy-in of $3,500. It is capped at 400 players to meet the strict guidelines.
Venue will be the NUO Hote Hotel Bejing, which is an impressive 28-floor building which hosts 439 guest rooms and features seven restaurants, two indoor pools, two cocktail lounges, a spa and a health club.
Check out the best Asian and Chinese Poker Rooms here
WPT Bejing to be part of the Ourgame Chess & Card Festival
Another interesting aspect is that the WPT Bejing will be part of the Ourgame Chess & Card Festival.
The reason for this is probably to underline that poker is a mind sport by linking it to chess, to be able to attract more big live poker tournaments.
In addition to that, the World Poker Tour was purchased by Ourgame International Holdings, the organizers of the festival, in 2015.
The event will be staged in the opulent surroundings of the NUO Hote Bejing. The 28-floor hotel boasts 439 guest rooms and features seven restaurants, two indoor pools, two cocktail lounges, a full-service spa, and a health club.
Frank NG, CEO of Ourgame said:
“It is only natural that the World Poker Tour continues its global expansion by holding its first WPT Main Tour stop in China, The WPT is the world’s global leader in gaming and entertainment, making it a perfect fit to the 2017 Ourgame Chess & Card Festival. As China’s leading card and board game platform, Ourgame looks forward to welcoming the World Poker Tour to Beijing and providing a world-class experience for all players.”
WPT CEO Adam Pliska stated:
“The World Poker Tour is proud to kick off Season XVI with WPT Beijing and add a second major poker tournament to the burgeoning Chinese region. It is without question that Asia has an ever-increasing demand for major poker events, as evidenced by WPT National Sanya selling out each of its first five years. Alongside our parent company Ourgame, the WPT looks forward to hosting the best players from the region and around the world as we kick off Season XVI with WPT Beijing.”
Qualify now online at Partypoker and Bwin!
As for all WPT events you can also qualify online at Partypoker and Bwin for Bejing. The Online Satellites and Qualifiers run around the clock.
They start from as low as 1 Dollar, so what are you waiting for!