Editor
PokerStars is bringing back its live Spin & Go Championship format at EPT Barcelona with a €275,000 prize pool, following its debut at EPT Prague last year.
There’s no direct buy-in for the event, which will run on August 30 and 31. Participation will be limited to 81 qualifiers.
Spin & Go is a three-handed, ultra-fast sit-and-go format with randomized prize pools. PokerStars recently updated the format to make it play even quicker.
This live version of Spin & Go takes the signature, fast-paced online action to the felt. It’s structured as a sort of three-handed shootout with an unusual points-based system to decide who advances each round.
Entry by Qualification Only
Players can qualify for the event online at PokerStars, though an unspecified number of seats will be reserved for selected players. Players earn points for each Spin & Go they play, moving up daily and biweekly leaderboards. There are three qualification periods:
- June 23 – July 6
- July 7 – July 20
- July 21 – August 3
The top two players with the highest overall scores throughout each qualification period earn an EPT Barcelona package. The top 1,000 players overall qualify for a freeroll with four packages up for grabs (six packages will be available in the third leader board freeroll).
Players can also compete for a Select or Select+ seat in the event. The top player from the rake race in each qualification period wins a package. An additional step freeroll is available for players who rake more than €7,500 during any qualification period.
Winner packages include travel and expenses.
How Does Live Spin & Go Work?
PokerStars describes the Spin & Go Championship as being designed to mirror an eSports event, featuring a scoring system and fast-paced action.
The Spin & Go Championship event is played in three rounds, with Round 1 hosting 27 three-handed tables.
Unlike a typical shootout, advancement isn’t determined by a single match. Players will play multiple Spin & Go’s, accumulating points for their wins. The round continues until one player reaches a certain point threshold, after which that player advances to the second round and the others are eliminated.
Players repeat the format, and those winners move on to Round 3, with those winners advancing to the final table to play for €100,000 to the winner, €40,000 for the runner-up and €16,000 for third place.
The EPT Barcelona festival runs from August 18 – 31 at the iconic Casino Barcelona. It’s been a featured stop on the tour for over 20 years.
