The Poker Masters is a high roller poker series featuring some of the best players in the world. PokerGO, previously known as Poker Central, launched the multi-event series in 2017, and hosts it annually (save for 2020 due to COVID-19) at its state-of-the-art PokerGO Studio outside the Aria in Las Vegas. PokerNews has covered the series extensively over the years and will continue to do so in the future with tournament recaps, player interviews, and inside information about this exciting event.
Poker Masters
Finished Tournaments |
Winner | Winning Hand | Prize | Runner-up | Losing Hand |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Poker Masters |
David Peters
|
k♦7♠ | $1,150,000 | Dan Smith | a♦7♦ |
What is the Poker Masters?
The Poker Masters series encompasses numerous high stakes events, with buy-ins typically ranging from $10,000 to $100,000, depending on the year. Each series features 5-12 two-day events, all at the same venue — PokerGO Studio. At the end of the series, the player who accumulated the most points wins the coveted Purple Jacket.
When is the Poker Masters?
PokerGO mixes it up a bit, so the series takes during a different month each year. In 2017, for example, play began in mid-September. Two years later, the series kicked off in November, and then back to September in 2021.
History of the Poker Masters Series
PokerGO hosts a myriad of high roller series, including the US Poker Open and the Super High Roller Bowl. One of the poker app's most prestigious event of them all is the Poker Masters, which first launched in 2017.
The inaugural event featured five tournaments with Steffen Sontheimer, the talented German pro, winning two of them, and eventually shipping the Purple Jacket. Sontheimer cashed in four of the five tournaments and reached the final table in all five. He capped off his impressive run by scooping the 36-player $100,000 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event finale for $1,512,000. In doing so, he defeated fellow German pro Christian Christner heads-up for the title.
In the following year, Ali Imsirovic and David Peters were the stars of the show. Peters took down the Main Event, again a $100,000 buy-in tournament in September 2018, for $1,150,000, the biggest win of the series. But it was Imsirovic, who took down back-to-back events — Event #5, $25,000 No-Limit Hold'em for $462,000 and Event #6, $50,000 No-Limit Hold'em for $799,000. In doing so, he earned the second-ever Purple Jacket.
In 2019, Sam Soverel was an absolute beast. He not only won the 34-player Main Event, a $50,000 buy-in tournament this time, for $680,000, but also took down the $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha event for $340,000, along with five other cashes, en route to a Purple Jacket score.
As was the case with most live poker events in 2020, the Poker Masters was canceled during the pandemic. PokerGO created a pair of online Poker Masters series on partypoker, one of them being a PLO-only series. Alexandros Kolonias, a Greek pro, won the first online Purple Jacket, and then Eelis Parssinen from Finland scooped the PLO version.
Once casinos reopened in Las Vegas and most pandemic restrictions were lifted, PokerGO brought back the live series in 2021. It is scheduled to run from September 1-12, with 12 events ranging from $10,000 to the $100,000 Main Event finale.
FAQs
Who operates the Poker Masters?
PokerGO, a subscription-based poker app that provides endless poker content far beyond the Poker Masters, including hit shows such as "Poker After Dark," along with exclusive livestreams for the World Series of Poker final tables and Main Event.
Which poker variants are played during the series?
The Poker Masters features multiple types of poker games, although No-Limit Hold'em is the most prevalent. Other games, depending on the year, include Short Deck No-Limit Hold'em, Pot-Limit Omaha, H.O.R.S.E., and other mixed games.
What is the buy-in?
Buy-ins for Poker Masters tournaments range from $10,000 to $100,000. The highest buy-in is reserved for the Main Event, which happens to be the final tournament of the series. Each year, PokerGO starts the series off with the lowest buy-in tournaments and then raises the stakes as the series progresses.
How can you watch the Poker Masters?
Every final table of the Poker Masters is livestreamed on the PokerGO app.
Who competes in the poker tournaments?
The Poker Masters attracts some of the most talented poker players in the world. Pros such as Alex Foxen, Daniel Negreanu, Justin Bonomo, and David Peters have competed in and had success at the Poker Masters.