LSPS Champions to Host Inaugural Texas State $1M GTD Main Event in Houston

Chad Holloway
PR & Media Manager
6 min read
Lone Star Poker Series

For the first time ever, the state of Texas will play host to a $1,000,000 guaranteed Main Event!

From April 15 through May 3, the Lone Star Poker Series (LSPS) will be at Houston’s Champions Poker Club for a 19-event festival with over $1.5 million in guaranteed prize pools. The stop will culminate with the $1,300 buy-in Inaugural Texas State $1 Million Guaranteed Main Event, a tournament that will run from April 27-May 3 and feature five starting flights.

“Several card rooms have had some decent sized prize pools in the past, but Champions Poker Club and the Lone Star Poker Series will be the first to take the risk of announcing and guaranteeing a solid $1,000,000 prize pool,” said Kim Stone, who co-founded the tour with Hayden Fortini.

Not only will PokerNews be on-site to offer daily live updates through the series, but fans will also be able to watch a live stream on PokerGO’s YouTube channel with fun banter and commentary provided by Jeff Platt and Brent Hanks, the former a co-host on the PokerNews Podcast.

In addition, some well-known poker pros are slated to be in attendance including Matt Berkey, Darren Elias, and a pair of former World Series of Poker Main Event champs – 2003 winner Chris Moneymaker and 2004 champ Greg Raymer.

Other highlights in the series include a $400 buy-in, $150K GTD Spring Series Kick Off, the $600 buy-in Event #11: $30K GTD PLO Championship, and the $600 buy-in Event #18: $25K GTD Spring Series Saver. Additionally, there will be mixed game tournaments, both Tag Team and Seniors Events, and more.

Q&A w/ LSPS Co-Founder Kim Stone

Hayden Fortini & Kim Stone
LSPS founders Hayden Fortini & Kim Stone.

PokerNews: How are you feeling now that the Lone Star Poker Series has a few events under their belt?

Kim Stone: Hayden and I are very pleasantly surprised by how much and how quickly the LSPS brand has taken off. We’ve even had to postpone a couple of events outside of Houston because of Baby Fortini coming in July. We feel very fortunate that Texas poker players love our events and already have a sense of loyalty and positive expectations for each series we put together When every event ends, they ask us when the next one is to be scheduled. It’s very humbling but exciting to be a part of something like this from the very beginning.

What should players look forward to in the upcoming series?

"We are elevating the whole player experience by making all the media outlets available to the players and their families and friends."

Partnering up with Champions Poker Club has been incredible. With their help and their support, we’ve been able to build up to a truly epic series. We are in the process of building a live stream studio under the design advisement of PokerGO. This is not your typical live stream poker table. You will have to see it to understand how amazing it’s going to be. We are elevating the whole player experience by making all the media outlets available to the players and their families and friends.

What sets the Lone Star Poker Series apart from other poker tournaments?

My vision has always been two-fold. First, it’s to have the best staff from around the country to elevate the player experience. Hiring highly experienced staff that run some of the largest fields and best structures around the country, allows our not-so-small poker community here in Houston to experience poker in its best form.

Second is to make poker fun again. Tournament poker is highly competitive and sometimes stressful, but it should never lose the core qualities of being a fun, exciting, and competitive way to gamble and potentially win tens of thousands of dollars! I want every player that plays one of our events to enjoy every minute. Fortunately, my partners allow me a lot of room for spending money on the small things that really matter - like the custom-made money clips and trophy buckles made by Max Lang, the $10,000 added money in the Surprise Bounty Event, and of course, the 1 Million Chip Custom Plaques that will be featured on the final tables of the Ultimate Monster and the $1 Million GTD Main Event

Lone Star Poker Series Champions Social Schedule

PokerNews will offer daily live updates throughout the series, which you will be able to follow here.

DateTime (CST)EventBuy-InTournamentGuarantee
Thursday, April 1510 a.m.-$130Morning Mega 1 in 6 win $600 seat2 seats
 11 a.m.1A$4002021 Spring Series Kickoff$150,000
 5 p.m.1B$4002021 Spring Series Kickoff$150,000
 8 p.m.-$240Main Event Turbo Mega 1 in 6.5 win $1,300 seat2 seats
Friday, April 1610 a.m.-$130Morning Mega 1 in 6 win $600 seat2 seats
 11 a.m.1C$4002021 Spring Series Kickoff$150,000
 5 p.m.1D$4002021 Spring Series Kickoff$150,000
 8 p.m.-$240Main Event Turbo Mega 1 in 6.5 win $1,300 seat2 seats
Saturay, April 1710 a.m.-$130Morning Mega 1 in 6 win $600 seat2 seats
 11 a.m.1E$4002021 Spring Series Kickoff$150,000
 5 p.m.1F$4002021 Spring Series Kickoff$150,000
 8 p.m.-$240Main Event Turbo Mega 1 in 6.5 win $1,300 seat2 seats
Sunday, April 1810 a.m.-$130Morning Mega 1 in 6 win $600 seat2 seats
 1 p.m.1-2021 Spring Series Kickoff Day 2$150,000
 2 p.m.2$400Deep Stack Almost Freeze Out (single re-entry)$15,000
 6 p.m.-$300Main Event Deep Stack Mega 1 in 5 win $1,300 seat3 seats
Monday, April 1910 a.m.-$130Morning Mega 1 in 6 win $600 seat2 seats
 10 a.m.3$400Senior's NLH$10,000
 2 p.m.4$400Manic Monday Double Stack Turbo$10,000
 5 p.m.5$400Limit H.O.R.S.E. "Deeper" Stack Turbo$5,000
 8 p.m.-$240Main Event Turbo Mega 1 in 6.5 win $1,300 seat1 seat
Tuesday, April 2010 a.m.-$130Morning Mega 1 in 6 win $600 seat2 seats
 11 a.m.6$500Limit Omaha 8 Championship$10,000
 2 p.m.7$400NLH 6-Max$10,000
 6 p.m.-$300Main Event Deep Stack Mega 1 in 5 win $1,300 seat3 seats
Wednesday, April 2110 a.m.-$130Morning Mega 1 in 6 win $600 seat2 seats
 11 a.m.8$400The Monster NLH$20,000
 3 p.m.9$4003 Game Big bet Mix 8-Max (NLH, PLO, Big O)$8,000
 6 p.m.-$300Main Event Deep Stack Mega 1 in 5 win $1,300 seat3 seats
Thursday, April 2210 a.m.-$130Morning Mega 1 in 6 win $600 seat2 seats
 11 a.m.10$400NLH Black Chip Bounty$15,000
 2 p.m.11$6002021 Spring Series PLO Championship$30,000
 5 p.m.-$300Main Event Deep Stack Mega 1 in 5 win $1,300 seat3 seats
 8 p.m.-$240Main Event Turbo Mega 1 in 6.5 win $1,300 seat1 seat
Friday, April 2310 a.m.-$130Morning Mega 1 in 6 win $600 seat2 seats
 11 a.m.12$400The Ultimate Monster NLH$25,000
 3 p.m.13$400Pot Limit Big O$8,000
 6 p.m.-$300Main Event Deep Stack Mega 1 in 5 win $1,300 seat3 seats
Saturday, April 2410 a.m.-$130Morning Mega 1 in 6 win $600 seat2 seats
 Noon14$600Lone Star Surprise Bounty II ($10,000 in added bounties)$30,000
 6 p.m.15$500Tag Team Partner $250/player$10,000
Sunday, April 2510 a.m.-$130Morning Mega 1 in 6 win $600 seat3 seats
 Noon16$600"Super" Deep Stack Almost Freeze Out (Single Re-entry)$20,000
 4 p.m.-$300Main Event Deep Stack Mega 1 in 5 win $1,300 seat6 seats
 8 p.m.-$240Main Event Turbo Mega 1 in 6.5 win $1,300 seat3 seats
Monday, April 2610 a.m.-$240Main Event Turbo Mega Monday 1 in 6.5 win $1,300 seat3 seats
 Noon-$300Main Event Deep Stack Mega Monday 1 in 5 win $1,300 seat6 seats
 4 p.m.-$300Main Event Deep Stack Mega Monday 1 in 5 win $1,300 seat6 seats
 8 p.m.-$240Main Event Turbo Mega 1 in 6.5 win $1,300 seat3 seats
Tuesday, April 2710 a.m.-$240Main Event Turbo Mega 1 in 6.5 win $1,300 seat2 seats
 11 a.m.17$1,300Inaugural Texas State $1M GTD Main Event Day 1A$1,000,000
 8 p.m.-$240Main Event Turbo Mega 1 in 6.5 win $1,300 seat2 seats
Wednesday, April 2810 a.m.-$240Main Event Turbo Mega 1 in 6.5 win $1,300 seat2 seats
 11 a.m.17$1,300Inaugural Texas State $1M GTD Main Event Day 1B$1,000,000
 8 p.m.-$240Main Event Turbo Mega 1 in 6.5 win $1,300 seat2 seats
Thursday, April 2910 a.m.-$240Main Event Turbo Mega 1 in 6.5 win $1,300 seat2 seats
 11 a.m.17$1,300Inaugural Texas State $1M GTD Main Event Day 1C$1,000,000
 8 p.m.-$240Main Event Turbo Mega 1 in 6.5 win $1,300 seat2 seats
Friday, April 3010 a.m.-$240Main Event Turbo Mega 1 in 6.5 win $1,300 seat2 seats
 11 a.m.17$1,300Inaugural Texas State $1M GTD Main Event Day 1D$1,000,000
 8 p.m.-$240Main Event Turbo Mega 1 in 6.5 win $1,300 seat2 seats
Saturday, May 110 a.m.-$240Main Event Turbo Mega 1 in 6.5 win $1,300 seat2 seats
 11 a.m.17$1,300Inaugural Texas State $1M GTD Main Event Day 1E$1,000,000
Sunday, May 210 a.m.-$130Morning Mega 1 in 6 win $600 seat2 seats
 1 p.m.17$1,300Inaugural Texas State $1M GTD Main Event Day 2$1,000,000
 2 p.m.18$600NLH Spring Series Saver$25,000
Monday, May 3Noon19$400NLH Second Chance Send Off$15,000
 3 p.m.17$1,300Inaugural Texas State $1M GTD Main Event Day 3 Finale$1,000,000
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Chad Holloway
PR & Media Manager

PR & Media Manager for PokerNews, Podcast host & 2013 WSOP Bracelet Winner.

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