The Golden Nugget has announced the schedule for the Grand Poker Series. The series will start on Tuesday, September 28, 2021, and will run until October 18. In that three-week span, the Nugget will host 50 events, many of which will include multiple flights.
Those dates will put the Grand Poker Series in direct overlap with the WSOP. The WSOP runs from September 30 to November 23 this year.
With side events ranging in buy-ins from $120 to $250, the Grand Poker Series is probably aiming to mop up some lower-stakes side action. The Main Event will be a $600 buy-in affair with a guaranteed prize pool of $500,000.
The events are ideal for players who are in town for the WSOP $1k events but bust early and need some bankroll appropriate action.
There will also be a 9-flight $200 re-entry tournament, and a wide range of games offered. These include: HORSE, PLO, NLH, O8, Big-O, triple draw, and an 8-game mix.
The Nugget tweeted about the event, saying, "Announcing the official GRAND POKER SERIES schedule. SEPTEMBER 28, 2021 - OCTOBER 18, 2021."
The Golden Nugget's WSOP history
There is something a little sad about the Nugget running hundred-dollar buy-in events in the hopes of picking up some side action from the WSOP.
That the Nugget's management chose the name "Grand Poker Series" is a little on-the-nose. The name carries far greater poignancy thanks to the echoes of the poker mockumentary The Grand. This charming comedy about the end of old Vegas is one of the better poker movies out there. The titular poker tournament of The Grand is held at The Rabbit's Foot, a casino that is coming to the end of its life on the strip.
In the late 80s, the WSOP was beginning to gain traction in the poker world. It had reasonable TV coverage for the main event. By '87, the WSOP was beginning to attract more players than could comfortably fit in Benny Binion's Horseshoe Casino. The Golden Nugget's poker room became one of the main overflows for the series, along with the Four Queens.
It was a part of poker history. Now, the enormous new Integrated Resorts of the Paradise strip have largely sidelined the Nugget.
The full schedule for the Grand Poker Series is available online at the Golden Nugget website.
Grand Poker Series schedule highlights
| Date | Tournament | Buy-in |
|---|---|---|
| Tueday, September 28 | Event #1: Omaha Hi/Low 8 or Better $5K Guarantee | $250 |
| Wednesday, September 29 | Event #5: GNLV Poker Room Freeroll $100K Guarantee | Freeroll (Invitational) |
| Thursday, September 30 | Event #9: HORSE $5K Guarantee | $250 |
| Thursday, September 30 (First Flight) |
Event #10: No Limit Hold’em $100K Guarantee Ultimate Re-Entry | $200 |
| Sunday, October 3 | Event #11: Omaha Hi/Low 8 /Stud 8 $10K Guarantee | $250 |
| Monday, October 4 | Event #14: Mixed PLO/8, Omaha 8/B, Big-O $10K Guarantee | $250 |
| Monday, October 4 | Event #16:Mixed Triple Draw Lowball Limit [A-5, 2-7, Badugi] | $200 |
| Tuesday, October 5 (First Flight) |
Event #19: No Limit Hold’em $100K Guarantee | $200 |
| Wednesday, October 6 | Event #20: Pot Limit Omaha 8-Handed $10K Guarantee | $250 |
| Thursday, October 7 (First Flight) |
Event #22: MAIN EVENT Championship No Limit Hold’em $500K Guarantee | $600 |
| Tuesday, October 12 | Event #34: Green Chip Bounty No Limit Hold’em | $125 |
| Saturday, October 16 | Event #40: Seniors No Limit Hold’em (50+) $50K Guarantee | $250 |
| Sunday, October 17 | Event #43: Seniors ChampionshipNo Limit Hold’em (50+) $50K Guarantee | $400 |
| Sunday, October 17 | Event #45: Triple Stud | $200 |
| Monday, October 18 | Event #47: Super Seniors (60+) $50K Guarantee | $250 |
| Monday, October 18 (Last Event) |
Event #50: Nightly No Limit Hold’em $3K Guarantee | $120 |
Featured image source: Flickr by Brian Whitmarsh
