The PokerStars Festival Rozvadov Kicks Off This Week
The King’s Casino in Rozvadov welcomed players from across Europe to the Czech Republic this week for the latest PokerStars Festival.
PokerNews coverage of the festival kicks off with the €5,300 King’s High Roller tournament March 8 and March 9.
The €1,100 Main Event is the centerpiece of the festival, with five full days of play March 9 through 13. The PokerStars Festival in London produced English winners from both its £2,200 High Roller event (Joe Johnson) and the £990 Main Event, where Rehman Kassam topped a field of 944 players by winning $111,638.
The only player from the Czech Republic to cash in that Main Event was Matous Houzvicek, who finished 114th for $2,112. The locals can surely expect a better return in their home country.
PokerNews coverage of PokerStars Festival in Rozvadov will close out after the €2,200 High Roller March 12 and 13, running parallel with the final two days of the Main Event. PokerNews will have live reporting throughout the tournament with the usual features, tournament updates and photographs to bring you closer to the action than ever before.
King’s Casino
Rozvadov 7, 34806 Rozvadov
Czech Republic
- Dress code: Casual, but no sportswear.
- Minimum age: 18 years+
- Must bring a valid government issued passport or ID to participate
- Opening hours: 24 hours a day, every day of the year
If Rozvadov’s previous tournaments, along with the growing presence of King’s Casino, is a guide, then the latest PokerStars festival will be a roaring success.
Leon Tsoukernik
Part of the warmth that comes from Rozvadov’s welcome is extended directly from the famous owner of King’s Casino, Leon Tsoukernik. Despite sitting seventh on the all-time money list for players from the Czech Republic, Tsoukernik describes himself as a “poker-oriented casino owner and an occasional player” as he told us when we met him back in 2015.
The growth of King’s as a European poker resort since then has been nothing short of phenomenal. King’s is often listed as a favorite venue of poker players in interviews, and not just for tournaments. Cash games are extremely busy all year round. The number of cash games that have been streamed live from King’s has gone up dramatically in the last 18 months, attracting more and more players to the venue.
There is an easy – and accurate – parallel to be drawn between the rise of King’s in the Czech Republic and other established European poker venues such as Dusk Till Dawn in Nottingham, England. Both casinos are run with the attitude of offering spectacular guarantees to casual and professional poker players alike.
These tournaments might flirt with overlays, but the possibility of added money being in the prize pools is secondary to building a reputation. That kind of generosity from owners Rob Yong (Dusk Till Dawn) and Tsoukernik in Rozvadov keeps players coming back for more. This week should do even more to enhance the already strong regard poker players have for King’s Casino.
Martin Kabrhel
One of the highest profile players who will be expected to be in attendance will be Martin Kabhrel. Kabrhel currently sits third in the all-time money list for players from the Czech Republic.
Kabrhel came second in the most recent €5,300 High Roller at the beginning of February. He won $32,111 after leaving the title to German player [Removed:291] heads up. Kabrhel enjoys playing in his native country, and especially at King’s Casino. He enjoyed five cashes in the final two months of 2016, including winning the €8,500 Super High Roller for $53,490 in November.
| Rank | Player | Winnings |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Martin Staszko | $6,168,123 |
| 2 | Vojtech Ruzicka | $3,213,594 |
| 3 | Martin Kabrhel | $2,104,302 |
| 4 | Jan Skampa | $1,479,958 |
| 5 | Marti Hrubý | $962,003 |
| 6 | Ondrej Vinklarek | $945,331 |
| 7 | Leon Tsoukernik | $882,262 |
| 8 | Jiri Horak | $835,058 |
| 9 | Tomas Junek | $692,223 |
| 10 | Michal Mrakeš | $563,485 |
