partypoker Million Sochi Begins
For the next week, Russia takes live poker's center stage with partypoker Million Sochi already underway at the recently-opened Sochi Casino and Resort.
The schedule features the partypoker Million Main Event with a mouth-watering $1 million guaranteed prize pool and $200,000 for first place. In addition, players can enjoy 15 different side events suitable for low and higher stakes players alike across a variety of poker variants and tournament types. During the festival, there will also be nonstop cash games across many poker variants and limits.
The partypoker Million Sochi Main Event is a deepstacked affair with players starting off with 100,000 chips with blinds at 250/500 with an ante of 50. The first of the five opening days of the Main Event took place online at partypoker on March 12 and 19. The remaining three opening days take place live at the casino on March 23-25.
Players can play all five opening days even if they survive all five levels with a stack. The tournament allows players to bring their biggest stack to Day 2 on March 25. Those bagging chips on Day 2 will go onto compete to become the first partypoker LIVE Sochi Main Event champion on March 26 (Day 3) and March 27 (Final Day).
Big names playing in the Main Event include partypoker Ambassador and World Series of Poker gold-bracelet winner Jan-Peter Jachtmann, partypoker Ambassador Natalia Breviglieri and EPT Side Event winner Andrey Gulyy.
Those interested in following along on the action can do so at the partypoker website.
About Sochi Casino and Resort
While casino gambling is illegal in most of Russia, the country has established a few economic zones, including Krasnaya Polyana, Sochi, whereby casinos can obtain licenses and legally operate.
The Sochi Casino and Resort became the first to open in the newest gambling zone in Russia and is situated in the majestic mountain resort of Gorky Gorod. When it opened in January 2017, the casino's operator Domain LLC described the casino as an “entertainment complex of a global scale” and a “unique concept for Russia in the spirit of the best casinos of Las Vegas” according to Casino.org
The casino features nearly 600 slot machines and 70 gaming tables. In addition to the casino, the entertainment complex hosts two restaurants, a cabaret theater, a concert hall and meeting rooms. The casino itself is next to the five-star Marriott Hotel, however, there are other hotels in the area for those visiting the casino from a distance.
Players must be at least 18 years of age to enter the casino and there is a smart-casual dress code.
While this is the first major poker festival the casino will be hosting, there are more on the horizon including the PokerStars Championship Sochi on May 20-31.
