Season 12 of the European Poker Tour Announced
Season 11 of the European Poker Tour is coming to an end this week, but the excitement is already building for Season 12, which was announced on Monday at the 2015 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo® Casino EPT Grand Final.
"Right from the stunning EPT100 celebrations in Barcelona last August to the 11th EPT Grand Final here in Monaco, this has truly been a spectacular season, so we are understandably very excited about the forthcoming Season 12," EPT President Edgar Stuchly said. "In Europe-based events alone we will have awarded more than €100 million in prize money for the first time in the EPT's history, with more than 60,000 tournament entries."
Six stops have been announced for Season 12, with a seventh in March to be determined. The schedule will include Barcelona, Malta, Prague, PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, Dublin, and Monte Carlo. For those looking to mark their calendars of the dates of these stops, check out the following table.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| EPT Barcelona | Aug. 19-30, 2015 |
| EPT Malta | Oct. 21-31, 2015 |
| EPT Prague | Dec. 6-16, 2015 |
| PokerStars Caribbean Adventure | Jan. 6-14, 2016 |
| EPT Dublin | Feb. 10-20, 2016 |
| EPT Grand Final | April 26-May 6, 2016 |
Since Season 1, Barcelona has been a staple on the tour and always provides a festival of massive proportions. With consistent record-breaking performances and a joint venture with the Estrellas Poker Tour, the "City of Counts" will be highly anticipated once again.
The biggest buzz surrounding the schedule announcement seems to be the tour's return to Dublin, the capital and largest city of Ireland. This destination was a stop on Season 4 of the tour and falls into the time period of when EPT Deauville was previously held — shortly following after the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. According to the press release from the EPT, "Dublin will be held jointly with the UK & Ireland Poker Tour at the historic Royal Dublin Society venue, just minutes away from the heart of Dublin City."
The other four stops — Malta, Prague, PCA, and Monte Carlo (for the Grand Final) — were all featured in Season 11. That's when Malta made its debut on the tour, and the location proved to be a big success with nearly 900 players in the €5,300 Main Event.
"We will continue to take EPT to new locations and new audiences, and are constantly reviewing our events to ensure the tour stays fresh and exciting," Stuchly added. "Our festivals are held in the very best destinations in Europe, and we're really looking forward to continuing to provide the best live poker experience worldwide in Season 12."