Poker Festival Bans Sunglasses & Masks for $29M GTD High Roller Series
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Some of the world’s best poker players will soon flock to Merit Royal Diamond in Cyprus for the Onyx High Roller Series, with $29 million in guarantees on the line across No-Limit Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha events.
With the series expected to attract an elite, experienced field, Onyx has also outlined a clear set of tournament conditions ahead of time. One of those is a restriction on face coverings. When players have live cards during a hand, sunglasses, masks, scarves, and any intentional covering of the face will not be permitted.
It is one of several tournament rules confirmed ahead of a packed two-week schedule that runs from January 30 through to February 12.
$29 Million in Guarantees Across 15 Events
On the poker side, the Onyx High Roller Series once again delivers at the top end of the live circuit. The festival features buy-ins ranging from $10,000 to $100,000.
The schedule opens with the $2 million guaranteed NLH Opener, offering multiple starting flights before a final day. From there, the stakes soar to the $100,000 buy-in NLH High Roller Championship, carrying a $5 million guarantee.
The NLH Main Event also comes with a $5 million guarantee and multiple Day 1 options, including a turbo flight, before playing down to a final table with one-hour levels.
Pot-Limit Omaha also features heavily. The $2 million guaranteed PLO Opener leads into the $5 million PLO Grand Slam, which features invite-only starting flights before opening to the wider field. The PLO Main Event mirrors the Hold’em flagship with a $5 million guarantee and a multi-day structure.
Shot clocks will be in use from the very start of every event, keeping the pace consistent from early levels through to the late stages. Re-entry is permitted throughout the registration period, and tournaments will be played seven-handed, with an unofficial final table of nine players, except for designated six-max events.
And as always, the tournament schedule will be complemented by exclusive high-stakes cash games, a staple of Onyx festivals.
Onyx High Roller Series Full Schedule
PokerNews Live Reporting Coverage
PokerNews will be on hand throughout the series, providing live reporting from several of the festival’s headline events.
Live coverage is scheduled for the $10,000 NLH Opener, running from Jan 30-Feb 1, the $100,000 NLH High Roller Championship from Jan 30-31, and the $50,000 NLH Grand Slam, which takes place from Feb 1-4.
Coverage will also include the $25,000 NLH Main Event, running from Feb 3-6, and the $10,000 PLO Opener, scheduled for Feb 5-7.
Early Bird Packages for NLH and PLO Players
Players planning to commit to the series from the opening days can also take advantage of early bird packages offered by Onyx, covering both No-Limit Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha schedules.
The NLH Early Bird Package is available to players who sit from the start of play in either Event #1, the $10,000 NLH Opener, or Event #2, the $100,000 NLH High Roller Championship, as well as Event #6, the $25,000 NLH Main Event. The package includes eight nights at Merit Royal Diamond from January 29 through February 6, along with airport transfer, with a $5,000 deposit required.
Pot-Limit Omaha players have a separate PLO Early Bird Package available. Players who begin from the start in Event #9, the $10,000 PLO Opener, and Event #13, the $25,000 PLO Main Event, will receive eight nights at Merit Royal Diamond from February 4 through February 12, plus airport transfer. A $5,000 deposit is also required for this package.
Players interested in either package can contact [email protected] to make a reservation.
Registration Fee Refunds for Sitting From the Start
Onyx has also confirmed that players who take their seats from the very beginning of select events will get some perks.
Any player who sits from the start of play in Event #2, the $100,000 NLH High Roller Championship, Event #3, the $50,000 NLH Grand Slam, and Event #10, the $50,000 PLO Grand Slam will have their registration fee refunded for their first entry.
The same registration fee refund applies to players who sit from the start in events #4, #5, #7, #8, #11, #12, #14, and #15.
