Poker fans can look forward to the commencement of a new pro poker league in Las Vegas in the upcoming year that hopes to be for poker what the PGA is for golf. While the league has not yet been named, it is the brainchild of two very high profile poker personalities, Annie Duke, who recently resigned as correspondent at UB.com and former commissioner of the WSOP, Jeffrey Pollack.

We do know that about 200 players will ultimately be invited to participate in four tour stops, all of which will be nationally televised. A mathematical formula will determine who can compete, based on a player’s previous achievements including career wins, major titles, and recent success. Similar to PGA qualifiers, participants will have to earn a tour card to be eligible for events.
Pollack commented, “We’re not in competition with the World Series of Poker or the World Poker Tour. We want players who excel at those events to compete in our league. We want the players who do well in the major tournaments.”

Duke, the new league’s commissioner, says it is “something poker players have talked about for a long time.”

Unlike other poker tournaments, the league will not take a rake or percentage of money wagered. Instead, the league is expected to earn sponsorship revenue. Players will, though, pay their own buy-ins.

There will be three initial events between August and December at the Palms Casino in Las Vegas. The fourth event, a championship tourney, will happen in January 2012, also at the Palms. Other details including the formula for entry, tournament formats, the league’s name, and the initial competitors will be announced later.

Eight-bracelet WSOP winner, Erik Seidel, believes he will be earning a tour card and be competing in the league come August. He says, “It has been a long time coming for a poker league on par with other professional sports. I am looking forward to true excellence in the game being rewarded.”


written by Haylie \\ tags: Jeffrey Pollack, Pro Poker League