There will be no 2020 World Series of Poker at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas this summer. But the 85-event 2020 WSOP Online series schedule lasting from July through September is now all set.
Earlier this month, the WSOP announced the plan to run the series on both the WSOP.com and GGPoker platforms. At the time, the WSOP also shared the first part of the schedule, 31 events playing out once per day from July 1-31 on WSOP.com.
Today, the international online poker site GGPoker announced the other half of the WSOP Online schedule, with 54 bracelet events scheduled from July 19-Sept. 6.
The WSOP is calling the 2020 WSOP Online tournaments “bracelet events.” That means poker players seeking to win a coveted WSOP bracelet this summer will in most cases have to make a choice between playing on WSOP.com or GGPoker.
Geolocation restrictions force players to make a choice
Theoretically speaking, players could play tournaments in both parts of the series, although only before July 19, at which point the schedules begin to overlap.
The WSOP.com events will be open to players on both WSOP NV in Nevada and WSOP NJ in New Jersey. Players in Delaware who play on the WSOP.com sister site 888 Poker are not able to play the events.
The GGPoker events will be open to players in all of the many countries served by the GGPoker network, including on the Natural8 and BestPoker skins. The network serves dozens of countries in Asia, Europe, Australia, the Middle East, and the Americas. However, the United States is one of the countries where GGPoker is not available.
That means those playing events on WSOP.com will necessarily be unable to also play on the non-US-serving GGPoker site at the same time.
GGPoker schedule features bigger buy-ins, prize pools than WSOP.com
Beyond geographical differences, there are some significant qualitative differences between the WSOP.com and GGPoker schedules. Most notably, the GGPoker events, on average, feature much bigger buy-ins. Also, with larger player pools GGPoker events will no doubt have bigger prize pools as well.
WSOP.com events
Buy-ins for the WSOP.com events range from $400 to $3,200. Most events (27 of 31) allow players to re-enter either two or three times. All are one-day events.
The big buy-in event is the $3,200 High Roller scheduled for July 14. It is possible some poker pros may play that event before traveling out of the US to play the GGPoker portion of the schedule.
During the final week (and after GGPoker’s events will have begun), there is a $500 Grande Finale on July 26 that will function as a kind of main event for the WSOP.com part of the series.
WSOP.com does not spread stud or draw games. Thus 27 of 31 events are no-limit hold’em. The other four are Omaha variants (two pot-limit Omaha, one PLO8, and one Omaha hi/lo).
GGPoker events
Buy-ins for the GGPoker events range from $50 to $25,000, with the average buy-in being close to $2,200. Exactly half of the events (27 of 54) have buy-ins of $1,000 or more, compared to just nine $1,000 or higher events on WSOP.com.
Unlike at WSOP.com, there are several multi-day events on the GGPoker schedule. Additionally, a dozen of the GGPoker events have guaranteed prize pools of $1 million or more. These include:
- The $1,500 Millionaire Maker, $5 million GTD, at least $1 million for first
- The $500 Mini Main Event, $5 million GTD
- The $10,000 WSOP Super Million$, $5 million GTD
- The $25,000 NLHE Poker Players Championship, $10 million GTD
The marquee event is the $5,000 buy-in Main Event with a $25 million guaranteed prize pool. The event features multiple starting flights that begin Aug. 16. With that whopping guarantee, the tournament will have the largest prize pool in online poker history.
GGPoker also does not have stud or draw games, although players can play short-deck hold’em, a.k.a. 6+ hold’em. There are two short deck events on the schedule, including one $10,000 buy-in event.
A total of 42 of the 54 events on the GGPoker schedule are no-limit hold’em. The other non-NLHE events are eight PLO events and two fixed-limit hold’em events.
Other tournament considerations
There will be other considerations for poker players as well. One will be international travel restrictions still in place in many countries currently to slow the spread of COVID-19. That might also force some players’ hands, so to speak, when choosing whether to play on WSOP.com or GGPoker.
Familiar WSOP event “brands” like the Colossus, the Millionaire Maker, the Big 50, the Poker Players Championship (in this case NLHE-only), and the Closer make the GGPoker schedule appear to resemble the traditional WSOP schedule more closely than the WSOP.com events. There will even be some Twitch streaming of some GGPoker final tables, with a limited schedule of events already announced.
Another interesting difference concerns everyone participating in a GGPoker WSOP Online series event having to supply his or her real name, date of birth, and nationality when registering. Players who reach final tables will then appear under their actual names and not their usernames, which should help make those tables more interesting for spectators.
Some events on the GGPoker schedule are designated “Asia Time Zone” favorable. However, for players in Nevada, those start times won’t be ideal with the first hands being dealt at 5 a.m. Pacific Time.
In any event, players have some decisions to make. It will be interesting to see what the turnouts are for both halves of the WSOP Online series.
2020 WSOP.com NV/NJ online bracelet schedule (July 1-31)
| Event | Date | Time | Event | Buy-In |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | July 1 (W) | 3:00 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em Kick-Off | $500 |
| 2 | July 2 (Th) | 3:00 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em 8-Handed Deepstack | $1,000 |
| 3 | July 3 (F) | 3:00 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em | $400 |
| 4 | July 4 (Sa) | 3:00 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em Super Turbo | $500 |
| 5 | July 5 (Su) | 3:00 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em Freezeout | $1,000 |
| 6 | July 6 (M) | 3:00 p.m. | PLO8 6-Handed | $600 |
| 7 | July 7 (Tu) | 3:00 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em Knockout Deepstack | $800 |
| 8 | July 8 (W) | 3:00 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em Freezeout | $500 |
| 9 | July 9 (Th) | 3:00 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em 6-Max | $1,000 |
| 10 | July 10 (F) | 3:00 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em MonsterStack | $600 |
| 11 | July 11 (Sa) | 3:00 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em Turbo Deepstack 6-Handed | $500 |
| 12 | July 12 (Su) | 3:00 p.m. | The BIG 500 No Limit Hold’em | $500 |
| 13 | July 13 (M) | 3:00 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em High Roller Freezeout | $1,500 |
| 14 | July 14 (Tu) | 3:00 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em High Roller | $3,200 |
| 15 | July 15 (W) | 3:00 p.m. | PLO 8-Max HR | $1,000 |
| 16 | July 16 (Th) | 3:00 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em Turbo | $500 |
| 17 | July 17 (F) | 3:00 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em | $777 |
| 18 | July 18 (Sa) | 3:00 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em 8-Handed Turbo DeepStack | $1,000 |
| 19 | July 19 (Su) | 3:00 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em | $400 |
| 20 | July 20 (M) | 3:00 p.m. | PLO 6-Handed | $500 |
| 21 | July 21 (Tu) | 3:00 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em 6-Handed | $777 |
| 22 | July 22 (W) | 3:00 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em Turbo Deepstack | $500 |
| 23 | July 23 (Th) | 3:00 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em Knockout | $500 |
| 24 | July 24 (F) | 3:00 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em 8-Handed | $400 |
| 25 | July 25 (Sa) | 3:00 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em Summer Saver | $500 |
| 26 | July 26 (Su) | 3:00 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em Grande Finale | $500 |
| 27 | July 27 (M) | 3:00 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em Freezeout | $400 |
| 28 | July 28 (Tu) | 3:00 p.m. | Omaha 8 6-Max | $1,000 |
| 29 | July 29 (W) | 3:00 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em Turbo Deepstack 6-Handed | $600 |
| 30 | July 30 (Th) | 3:00 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em Senior’s Event | $500 |
| 31 | July 31 (F) | 3:00 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em Championship | $1,000 |
2020 GGPoker online bracelet schedule (July 19-Sept. 6)
| Event | Date | Time | Event | Buy-In |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jul 19 (Su) | 11:30 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – The Opener [Final Day], $2M GTD | $100 |
| 2 | Jul 19 (Su) | 11 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – Every 1 for Covid Relief [Caesars Cares] | $1,111 |
| 3 | Jul 19 (Su) | 1 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em – Super Turbo Bounty 6-Max | $525 |
| 4 | Jul 21 (Tu) | 11 a.m. | Pot-Limit Omaha – Championship | $5,000 |
| 5 | Jul 22 (W) | 11 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – FIFTY STACK | $1,500 |
| 6 | Jul 23 (Th) | 11 a.m. | Pot Limit Omaha – Bounty | $1,050 |
| 7 | Jul 25 (Sa) | 5 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – Monster Stack 6-Max | $600 |
| 8 | Jul 26 (Su) | 5 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em | $1,500 |
| 9 | Jul 26 (Su) | 11 a.m. | Pot Limit Omaha | $2,500 |
| 10 | Jul 26 (Su) | 11:30 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – COLOSSUS [Day 2], $3M GTD | $400 |
| 11 | Jul 26 (Su) | 12 p.m. | Pot Limit Omaha – PLOSSUS , $1M GTD | $400 |
| 12 | Jul 28 (Tu) | 11 a.m. | Short Deck No Limit Hold’em – Championship | $10,000 |
| 13 | Jul 29 (W) | 11 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – 6-Max | $2,500 |
| 14 | Jul 30 (Th) | 11 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – Bounty | $840 |
| 15 | Aug 1 (Sa) | 5 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – Deepstack | $500 |
| 16 | Aug 2 (Su) | 5 a.m. | Short Deck No Limit Hold’em | $1,000 |
| 17 | Aug 2 (Su) | 11:30 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – MILLIONAIRE MAKER , $5M GTD, $1M 1st | $1,500 |
| 18 | Aug 2 (Su) | 1 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em – Turbo DeepStack | $1,000 |
| 19 | Aug 4 (Tu) | 11 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – Bounty Championship | $2,100 |
| 20 | Aug 5 (W) | 11 a.m. | Pot Limit Omaha | $400 |
| 21 | Aug 6 (Th) | 11 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em | $1,000 |
| 22 | Aug 8 (Sa) | 5 a.m. | Pot Limit Omaha – Double Stack | $800 |
| 23 | Aug 9 (Su) | 5 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – Asia Championship , HK$8M GTD | HK$8,000 |
| 24 | Aug 9 (Su) | 10 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – GGMasters WSOP Edition [Freezeout], $1M GTD | $150 |
| 25 | Aug 9 (Su) | 11 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – Heads Up Championship | $10,000 |
| 26 | Aug 11 (Tu) | 11 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – 6-Max Championship | $5,000 |
| 27 | Aug 12 (W) | 11 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – Double Stack | $2,500 |
| 28 | Aug 13 (Th) | 11 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – Bounty 6-Max | $525 |
| 29 | Aug 15 (Sa) | 5 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – Monster Stack 6-Max | $300 |
| 30 | Aug 16 (Su) | 11 a.m. | Pot Limit Omaha | $1,500 |
| 31 | Aug 16 (Su) | 11:30 a.m. | Mini Main Event , $5M GTD | $500 |
| 32 | Aug 16 (Su) | 1 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em – Super Turbo Bounty | $840 |
| 33 | Aug 18 (Tu) | 11 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – Deepstack Championship | $600 |
| 34 | Aug 19 (W) | 11 a.m. | Pot Limit Omaha | $800 |
| 35 | Aug 20 (Th) | 11 a.m. | Limit Hold’em | $500 |
| 36 | Aug 22 (Sa) | 5 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – Deepstack | $500 |
| 37 | Aug 23 (Su) | 5 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – Marathon | $1,500 |
| 38 | Aug 23 (Su) | 11 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – POKER PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP, $10M GTD | $25,000 |
| 39 | Aug 23 (Su) | 11:30 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – BIG 50 , $1M GTD | $50 |
| 40 | Aug 25 (Tu) | 11 a.m. | Limit Hold’em – Championship | $1,500 |
| 41 | Aug 26 (W) | 11 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – 6-Max | $1,000 |
| 42 | Aug 27 (Th) | 11 a.m. | Pot Limit Omaha | $1,500 |
| 43 | Aug 29 (Sa) | 5 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – Double Stack | $300 |
| 44 | Aug 30 (Su) | 11 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – FORTY STACK | $400 |
| 45 | Aug 30 (Su) | 11:30 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – MAIN EVENT , $25M GTD | $5,000 |
| 46 | Aug 30 (Su) | 1 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em – Turbo 6-Max | $1,000 |
| 47 | Sep 1 (Tu) | 11 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – People’s Choice Bracelet Event [Most Popular] | TBA |
| 48 | Sep 2 (W) | 11 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – People’s Choice Bracelet Event [Pros Vote] | TBA |
| 49 | Sep 3 (Th) | 11 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – People’s Choice Bracelet Event [Spin the Wheel] | TBA |
| 50 | Sep 5 (Sa) | 5 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – People’s Choice Bracelet Event | TBA |
| 51 | Sep 5 (Sa) | 11 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – Beat the Pros [Bounty] | $1,050 |
| 52 | Sep 6 (Su) | 11 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – Super MILLION$, $5M GTD | $10,000 |
| 53 | Sep 6 (Su) | 11:30 a.m. | No Limit Hold’em – MILLION$ , $2M GTD | $100 |
| 54 | Sep 6 (Su) | 1 p.m. | No Limit Hold’em – The Closer [LAST CHANCE] | $500 |
All times PT.
