Hot on the heels of the successful Michigan Championship of Online Poker series, PokerStars MI is calling all Michiganders for another marquee online poker tournament.
Starting Sunday, April 4, it’s the first Michigan Classic, a $300 buy-in, two-day no-limit hold’em tournament featuring a $500,000 guaranteed prize pool.
$500K guarantee ensures largest event in short history of PokerStars MI
The Michigan Classic follows the same format used at PokerStars PA for its popular Pennsyl-MANIA events. Like the Pennsylvania events, the Michigan Classic is a large field, deep-stacked tournament that will allow multiple re-entries and should feature a super-sized prize pool.
Here are the details:
- Day 1 start time: 5 p.m. ET, April 4, (ends 7 hrs., 45 min. later)
- Day 2 start time: 7 p.m. April 5
- Re-entries: Up to five re-entries during late registration period (first 4 hrs., 35 min.)
- Starting stack: 100,000 chips (200 big blinds)
- Levels: 15 minutes
That $500,000 guarantee means the amount awarded will exceed PokerStars MI’s previous largest tournament prize pool.
The MICOOP Main Event in early March was also a $300 buy-in tournament. That event attracted 1,284 total entries, which created a $359,520 prize pool, the largest since the site launched in late Jan.
That capped a 60-event series in which MICOOP players won more than $2.2 million.
Re-entries, satellites affect PokerStars MI players’ approach
With those deep starting stacks and 15-minute levels, players should expect to settle in for the long haul when logging in Sunday. They should also carve out time Monday night to play as well, since that’s when the big prizes will come and a champion is crowned.
Having five re-entries available will matter to some players. That said, many others will no doubt plan to enter only once and be more cautious with their stacks during late registration. Players will do well trying to identify opponents ready to gamble early on (with a plan to re-enter if needed) and those taking the less-risky approach.
Indeed, many who play the event will likely be trying to satellite in for less than the $300 price tag. To that end, PokerStars MI is offering several ways for players to win their way into the Michigan Classic.
Between now and Sunday, multiple satellites are running each day. Each costs either $25 or $30 to play and guarantees at least two seats in the main event.
At 8:15 p.m. Saturday there is also a $30 Michigan Classic Mega Satellite guaranteeing at least 20 seats into the Sunday event.
Finally, at 2 p.m. Sunday there is also a Michigan Classic Depositor Freeroll, through which players can win a seat in this PokerStars MI online tournament for nothing at all.
Those who deposit at least $30 by 1:59 p.m. ET on Sunday while using the bonus code “CLASSIC” receive a seat in the freeroll. The top 200 finishers will then earn a ticket into the Michigan Classic starting later that afternoon. That represents $60,000 in value.
PokerStars stage marquee events on all three US sites this weekend
PokerStars has scheduled big tournaments on both of its other US sites in Pennsylvania and New Jersey this Easter weekend as well.
As was the case for MICOOP, which ran parallel to the Bounty Builder Series on PokerStars PA and PokerStars NJ, the Michigan Classic will provide an opportunity to compare how the three sites are doing relative to one another.
On PokerStars PA, another Pennsyl-MANIA is scheduled for April 4-5 with a $300 buy-in, a $400,000 guarantee and a similar two-day structure to that of the Michigan Classic.
The largest ever Pennsyl-MANIA was the first in May 2020, and it had a $515,964 prize pool. That remains the biggest prize pool of any tournament in PokerStars PA’s history. That is also a figure both the Michigan Classic and Sunday’s Pennsyl-MANIA tournament could potentially exceed this weekend.
Meanwhile, PokerStars NJ players will be able to play the New Jersey Classic, a $500 buy-in, two-day tournament with a $100,000 guarantee.
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