April 25th-30th,
Le Sporting Club, Monte Carlo
The European Poker Tour winds up in April with its customary high-class stopover in Monte Carlo.
Even the sickest poker degenerate knows when he’s being fleeced but when your assailant is wearing a finely pressed suit and serving cocktails there’s little you can do about it. The exclusivity of Monte Carlo isn’t lost on the humble poker player and not even the EPT bandwagon rolling into town is enough to lower the city’s high standards. A light snack will set you back a mere €30 while a night spent propping up the bar will leave more than your head looking for the painkillers in the morning. However, despite the exorbitant prices, Le Sporting Club Monte Carlo is a stunning venue and the perfect place for the EPT’s most prestigious tournament of the year.
Every year Europe’s most successful poker tour culminates in lavish finale with all of the best players from around the world taking a shot at one of the biggest prizes in poker. Last year Pieter de Korver limped, squeezed and bullied his way through a stellar field of players to claim one of the biggest single wins outside of America, €2,300,000 to be exact. The number of players expected to dust off their finest attire and ante up their €10,000 buy-in in Monte Carlo this year will be more than ever with PokerStars currently running a glut of qualifiers to suit all pockets.
Getting There
Getting to somewhere as exclusive as Monte Carlo is no small effort and short of imitating John Candy and Steve Martin in Planes, Trains and Automobiles you’ll need to hitch a few rides to reach your destination.
To get to France, EasyJet will get you to Nice from £68 return. If you fancy a bit of bubbly with your flight over France, then British Airways offer a first class for the best part of £400. (www.lastminute.com). Once in Nice you’ll need to catch a taxi (€80) or bus (€20) to Monte Carlo or, if you have deep pockets, a helicopter ride which will set you back around €120 for a one-way trip.
HOW TO QUALIFY
There are six steps to heaven at PokerStars and if you want to make your mark in Monte Carlo you’d better put on your hiking boots. Buying in cheap and working your way through the levels is certainly the cheapest way to bag a ticket to Monte Carlo and, if you can make it past the high stakes sharks, the rewards are well worth the effort as each winner’s package includes your buy-in, luxury accommodation and €600 spending money, which should be just enough for a round at the bar.
If Sit ‘N’ Gos aren’t your thing then you can take part in one of the many multi-table tournaments running throughout the week. From as little as $5 or 100 FPPs you could be watching Ferraris cruising past your hotel window and sharing a cocktail with the likes of Daniel Negreanu and Joe Hachem. |
