Sochi Poker Festival Returns with Safety Measures and Record-Breaking Twitch Viewership

The Sochi Poker Festival took place from August 6 to 14, 2020, in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia. The event was held without any guaranteed prizes to mitigate risks. Temperatures were checked at the entrance, and all staff were tested for COVID-19. Masks were not mandatory for visitors, but were available, along with hand sanitizer. The number of players at the tables was not reduced. A live stream of some tournaments was available on the PokerCM YouTube channel.

Anatoly Dykalis won second place in the Warm Up tournament for 660 y.e. and received 23,000 u.e. Mikhail Zamyatin won the main event of the Sochi Poker Festival, earning 61,000 u.e.

Jens Knossalla set a new record on poker Twitch, with 91,680 viewers watching his stream. Jeffrey Morris was arrested for the murder of poker player Suzy Zhao. Brad Booth, a veteran high-stakes poker player, went missing on July 13, 2020.