PartyPoker Premier League V heads to Vienna - 20/01/2012

The fifth edition of PartyPoker.com’s thrilling Premier League Poker franchise is back by popular demand. As a World Poker Tour® special event, WPT Premier League V presented by PartyPoker.com is set to take place at the glamorous Montesino in Vienna from 4th – 10th April 2012. The invitation-only event features a $125,000 buy-in and many famous players have already confirmed such as Vanessa Selbst, Sam Trickett, Tony G, Luke ‘FullFlush’ Schwartz, and WPT Season IX Player of the Year and Premier League Mixed Game Championship winner Andy Frankenberger.

16 elite players will be split up into two groups of eight, each competing in four league matches showcasing the famous point system ($2,000 per point). The top three from each group will automatically go through to the final table, while the fourth and fifth seeds will square off in a series of heads up matches (best of three) for spots in the eight-handed finale. This year’s special event boasts a massive $200,000 added for the final table and awards the winner with entry into the $25,500 2012 WPT World Championship, running 19th to 26th May at Bellagio in Las Vegas. Kara Scott will be covering the WPT Premier League V for television, as four hours of each heat will air initially in the UK on SkySports and then be distributed internationally.

Andy Frankenburger with the Premier League Mixed Game Championship trophy

“I'm delighted to be taking the world's biggest and most entertaining TV tournament to Vienna and the prestigious Montesino Casino,” said Eddie Hearn, Managing Director of producers Matchroom Sport. “With a further buy-in increase, we expect the strongest field ever as poker’s greatest players gather to take down the WPT Premier League V title."

To make way for this unique tournament, World Poker Tour has shifted the Main Event dates of WPT Vienna presented by PartyPoker.com to 10th – 15th April. In addition, Montesino will also play host to the PartyPoker.com Big Game VI from 11th to 13th April, creating an Austrian poker bonanza. The televised PartyPoker.com Big Game VI will run for 48 hours, right in the middle of the WPT Vienna Main Event. As always, almost anything goes during this marathon game, which has been dominated by Viffer and Tony G over the last couple of years.

“We welcome the introduction of the televised WPT Premier League V and PartyPoker.com Big Game VI to the schedule,” said Leon Groenewoud, COO and Head of Events at Montesino, Vienna. “Coupled with WPT Vienna, these events will make Austria the hot bed of poker action during the first half of April.”
Montesino is poised to be the centre of the poker world starting 1st April. In addition to the huge events listed above, the televised WPT Premier League Poker Play-Offs runs from 1st – 3rd April and awards two winners with entry into the Main Event. This intense showdown mixes 12 pros and 12 PartyPoker.com online qualifiers in a battle for the coveted $125,000 seats. More details on the Play-Offs to be published in the near future. WPT Vienna side events start on 4th April and feature a €200k Guarantee tournament (€340 buy-in). Following the success of last year’s record-setting WPT Vienna, poker players from around the world are already confirmed to compete in the €3,200+€300 WPT Main Event (10th – 15th April).