MGM National Harbor’s Potomac Poker Open Begins Thursday; PokerNews to Live Report Three Events
This Thursday, the Potomac Poker Open (PPO) returns to MGM National Harbor and will run through August 5. The 12-day, 14-event series will feature over $1.5 million in prizes and culminate with a $3,300 buy-in, $1,000,000 GTD Main Event, which is double the guarantee offered last year.
The PokerNews Live Reporting Team will be on hand to capture all the action from that tournament as well as from two others – the $370 Opening Event (July 25-28) and $370 Large Stack Big Blind Ante (July 31-August 1).
MGM National Harbor is the premier entertainment destination located on the banks of the Potomac just outside of Washington DC. Featuring a 3,000 seat Theater, 308 luxurious hotel rooms, restaurants from acclaimed chefs and a massive gaming floor.
History of the PPO
Last year, Mitchell Engle topped a 1,418-entry field to win the 2018 PPO Event #1: $365 NLH for $73,984, while Carlos Chadha Villamarin bested a 264-entry field to win the $2,700 Main Event for $163,350. Other winners from the 2018 PPO included John Letos, Kyle Carter, and Andrew Kim.
The year before that, the 2017 PPO Event #1: $580 NLH saw Louie Pak navigate a 966-entry field to win the title for $90,750. In the $2,700 Main Event, David Israelite topped a 234-entry field to win a $175,500 top prize. Others to claim titles that year were James Gilbert, Jane Hitchcock, and Sergio Roque, who claimed two side event titles that year.
Michael Truman Looking for Fourth PPO Title
When it comes to the PPO, no one has won more titles than Michael Truman, who this go-round will be looking for his fourth PPO victory.
It started back in 2017 when he won the $470 NLH 6-Max Bounty for $9,020. The following year, he won his second title after taking down Event #10: $1,120 NLH for $14,400, and four days later he got the hattrick when he won Event #14: $365 NLH for $6,903.
Outside of the PPO, Truman has had a great deal of success in MGM National Harbor’s recurring tournaments, so if home-field advantage exists in poker, he certainly has it.
Here’s a look at the 2019 PPO schedule:
2019 PPO Schedule
| Date | Time | Tournament | Buy-In | Starting Stack | Level Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, July 25 | 5 p.m. | $500K GTD NLH Day 1a | $300+$70 | 25K | 30, 45, 60 |
| Friday, July 26 | 11 a.m. | $500K GTD NLH Day 1b | $300+$70 | 25K | 30, 45, 60 |
| Friday, July 26 | 5 p.m. | $500K GTD NLH Day 1c | $300+$70 | 25K | 30, 45, 60 |
| Saturday, July 27 | 11 a.m. | $500K GTD NLH Day 1d | $300+$70 | 25K | 30, 45, 60 |
| Saturday, July 27 | 5 p.m. | $500K GTD NLH Day 1e | $300+$70 | 25K | 30, 45, 60 |
| Sunday, July 28 | Noon | $500K GTD NLH Day 2 | $300 + $70 | 25K | 30 |
| Sunday, July 28 | 4 p.m. | Pot-Limit 5-Card Omaha High | $300+$70 | 25K | 30, 45 |
| Monday, July 29 | 11 a.m. | No-Limit Hold’em (1-day event) | $300+$70 | 25K | 30, 45 |
| Monday, July 29 | 4 p.m. | 8-Game Mix | $500+$85 | 30K | 30, 45, 60 |
| Tuesday, July 30 | 11 a.m. | NLH Seniors (1-day event) | $200+$50 | 20K | 30 |
| Tuesday, July 30 | 4 p.m. | Short Deck NLH | $300+$70 | 25K | 30, 45 |
| Wednesday, July 31 | 11 a.m. | $100K GTD Large Stack BBA Day 1a | $300+$70 | 40K | 30, 45, 60 |
| Wednesday, July 31 | 5 p.m. | $100K GTD Large Stack BBA Day 1b | $300+$70 | 40K | 30, 45, 60 |
| Thursday, August 1 | 11 a.m. | NLH (nine 10 a.m. Main Event Mega Seats added) | $300+$70 | 25K | 30, 45 |
| Thursday, August 1 | 4 p.m. | Heads-Up (64-player max) | $1,000+$125 | 15K | 20 |
| Friday, August 2 | 10 a.m. | Megasatellite (5 seats GTD) | $500+$85 | 25K | 30 |
| Friday, August 2 | 11 a.m. | $1 Million GTD Main Event Day 1a | $3,000+$300 | 50K | 50, 60, 75 |
| Friday, August 2 | 5 p.m. | Supersatellite w/ $120 reentries (5 seats GTD) | $145+$35 | 8K | 20 |
| Friday, August 2 | 9 p.m. | Megasatellite (5 seats GTD) | $500+$85 | 20K | 25 |
| Saturday, August 3 | 10 a.m. | Last Chance Megasatellite (5 seats GTD) | $500+$85 | 10K | 20 |
| Saturday, August 3 | 11 a.m. | $1 Million GTD Main Event Day 1b | $3,000+$300 | 50K | 50, 60, 75 |
| Saturday, August 3 | 3 p.m. | Last Chance Megasatellite (5 seats GTD) | $500+$85 | 10K | 20 |
| Saturday, August 3 | 6 p.m. | $1 Million GTD Main Event Day 1c | $3,000+$300 | 50K | 50, 60, 75 |
| Sunday, August 4 | Noon | $50K GTD NLH (1-day event) | $300+$70 | 25K | 30 |
| Sunday, August 4 | 3 p.m. | Main Event Day 2 restart | - | - | - |
| Sunday, August 4 | 4 p.m. | Two-Day 1K NLH | $1,000+$125 | 40K | 45, 60 |
| Monday, August 5 | 11 a.m. | NLH (1-day event) | $300+$70 | 40K | 25 |
| Monday, August 5 | 2 p.m. | Main Event final Table | - | - | - |
