888poker Introduces $55 Buy-in Main Event with $1,000,000 GTD

It’s finally here! What every poker player has dreamed of… a player-friendly tournament series with a $55 low buy-in Main Event sporting a massive $1,000,000 guarantee! We’re calling it God of the Arena - and you will feel like a god playing it on our new Progressive Knockout (PKO) software.

The series will run from Thursday 11^th October 2018 through Sunday the 14^th October 2018. The $55 buy-in, $1,000,000 GTD Main Event will kick off on the last day of the series, Sunday 14^th October 2018 at 18:00 GMT.

In celebration of this momentous event, we asked four of our ambassadors why they would play this series and how the pros and recreational players would react to it.

What are your thoughts on the Main event with a $55 buy-in and $1,000,000 GTD? Would you play it?

For Vivian Saliba, the answer is clear:

“This a must-play tournament for so many reasons. Some of them are the huge GTD for such a small buy-in, you can transform $55 in[to] a six-figure prize, and also try and play it several times if you need to.”

“The $55 $1 million guaranteed launch tournament should be a great value tournament. Many players will be trying their hand at a PKO for the first time and are likely to be making some big mistakes. It also seems quite easy to have a significantly positive return on your initial $55 investment.”

Ana Marquez agrees with both Chris and Vivian:

“Sounds like an amazing tournament, really reasonable buy-in with a massive guarantee.”

Why do you think PKO tournaments are so popular? What is unique about them?

Martin Jacobson thinks that the recreational players would love them:

“I think they are only popular by recs because they don't have to finish ITM to get a return. Pros generally don't like them.”

Vivian likes the fact that you can cash more often:

“People like to get rewarded for knocking someone out, especially during the late stages of the tournament. Another reason is the fact you don't need to reach the ITM zone to make [a] profit, and you will get money back more often than regular tournaments.”

Chris also has good things to say about the format:

“PKO tournaments are popular because it gives players a chance to get instant money back after registering an MTT rather than having to wait hours to make it in-the-money in a regular tournament. Also, the constant changing dynamic of adjusting to the different bounties and stack sizes makes the tournament interesting to play.”

Ana also has positive things to say about PKOs:

“I think the 2 main reasons people like them so much is that first, you can gamble more often to bust people, and second you can win money straight up as soon as you bust them.”

What’s your #1 advice for playing a PKO tournament?

Martin has a pearl of wisdom to share:

“Find a good balance between playing aggressively enough to accumulate bounties without being too loose.”

Ana backs up Martin, adding specifically early in the tourney:

“I would say to not to call all-ins too loose in the early game when the bounties are still small.”

Vivian has an excellent bit advice for the tardy Phil Hellmuth-type players among us:

“Avoid late registration in PKO tournaments because, if you win a big hand against someone, [it] would be nice to have [a] full stack and get the bounty for a possible elimination.”

What is the number 1 mistake most occasional players tend to make when playing a PKO tournament?

Martin thinks that it is all about balance:

“Not finding the right balance as mentioned above.”

Vivian throws bad hands into the mix:

“Many people play bad hands trying to get bounties. Sometimes you will have to play wilder ranges, but you have to be cautious about it to avoid burning your stack while chasing bounties.”

We know that Moorman won’t be bounty-hunting with junk:

“The number one mistake I see people make in [a] PKO MTT is bounty hunting too hard with awful hands when it will ruin their stack if they lose. “

Ana thinks the strategy behind calling or not calling all-ins could be the undoing of many a God of the Arena player:

“I think calling or not [calling] all-ins correctly is the most common mistake - probably folding too much or even calling too light. Basically, not knowing the math behind it.”

Will you be doing battle for the title of “God of the Arena”? We hope to see you there!

Here’s the full God of the Arena schedule: