PokerStars’ New Tournament Format Attracts Huge Crowd at EPT Barcelona

PokerStars’ new “In the Money at 180,000” tournament has proven to be a hit at EPT Barcelona, attracting a significant number of players. The €550 event initially capped at 300 players, eventually saw 572 entries after the limit was removed due to high demand. The tournament was one of the more unusual additions to this year’s EPT Barcelona schedule, replacing the traditional bubble with a target-stack format.

The format was created after players requested another lower buy-in tournament on the Barcelona schedule. PokerStars ambassador David Lappin announced the creation of the new tournament on X, stating that the event was well-attended and the cap was increased before ultimately being removed altogether.

In this format, players started with 30,000 chips and needed to build their stack to 180,000, six times the starting stack, to secure their place in Day 2 and guarantee a minimum cash. This means players could potentially secure a Day 2 spot relatively early, while the rest of the field continued playing. The format removes the usual bubble period, where players can become increasingly cautious as they approach the money.