With the majority of Asia steadily recovering from the whole Covid-19 situation, live poker is slowly making its attempt to return back to its previous state. It has been months since the global pandemic broke out which has greatly affected live operations all over the world. Many poker enthusiasts, in spite of the increased traffic and multiple major series in the online poker scene, are craving for what was readily available at the beginning of the year.
While 2020 has brought several setbacks for the poker industry, a familiar name for Asian poker players, Poker King, is keen on making plans for the near future.
Upcoming possible Poker King Live events in Asia
Earlier this week, Poker King Live made known to its following that a possible entrance is in the works to offer players around the Southeast Asia region something big to look forward to. The post made on its official Facebook page noted its preparation for upcoming events considering the new normal the coronavirus pandemic has brought us to.
Heavily impacted by its effects, the initial Poker King Club based in Macau was previously shut down back in March.
The new events will be hosted by a new entity called Poker King Live. The new branch most recently established is centered to solely focus on hosting world-class poker tournaments targeting its already familiar region, Southeast Asia.
Contacted by Somuchpoker, Poker King Live released a statement to shed more light into this exciting news. Adriana Rosario, the company’s Event & Marketing Manager, revealed,
“Our goal is to bring action packed events to our valued players, providing some of the largest guaranteed prize pools and innovative events at all buy-in levels. We also highly focus on customer satisfaction.”
“We are currently planning on having a first ever Poker King Live Tournament in the not too distant future. As for the venue of the event, we will be sure to hold it at a safe place since the tragic situation of COVID-19 is still ongoing. We sincerely hope that all our players stay safe and healthy, and we hope to see you in our tournaments very soon!”
With more details to follow, players can expect an action packed series on the horizon given the Poker King’s reputation in the live circuit.
Being active in Asia for several years, the Poker King name has been well received by many poker players having hosted a number of events in the past. Most recent ones include last year’s Poker King Cups held in both Taiwan and Vietnam which featured a prize pool guarantee of over $200,000 for its main event.
Gaining its popularity from its globally renowned high stakes tournament series and some of the world’s biggest cash games, the Poker King Live brand will surely be another hit given the restrictions raised by the current outbreak ease up soon. Nonetheless, poker players eager for more live action can tune in to Poker King Live’s official Facebook page for updates on the brand’s first ever tournament.
A complicated situation for the Asia poker scene
While the return of the brand on the live poker scene is relatively good news for players, the task will certainly not be an easy feat for the company. Considering that the world is in the middle of a pandemic with a possible second wave drawing in, travel restrictions all over the region are still heavily guarded. This comes in addition to the numerous hygiene protocols required to keep public health and safety in check.
Philippines, one of Asia’s growing poker hubs, still remains to be in a struggling battle against the rise in coronavirus cases. Casino operations in the country continue to be in a temporary halt in an effort to curb the spread of the virus with live poker close to non-existent. Live events in neighboring countries on the other hand, have slowly made a return with a number of series popping up in Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan and China. Although a few tournaments have been successful with its post-Covid offerings, these games mostly catered to local players and had limited international participation.
It has been a couple months since news of the infectious disease broke out bringing massive effects to the gaming industry. While full recovery may ultimately take a bit of time, new developments and carefully planned events are still big steps geared towards a brighter future for the game of poker.
