After nearly two months without an online series, PokerStars USA returns this month with an original brand — the Fall Fest.
The series is running in all three of its US jurisdictions, Michigan, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and takes place between November 20 and November 29.
Players in Pennsylvania and New Jersey will see 40 events over 10 days, but Michiganders will get a slightly different offering, the Fall Fest 50/50 – a schedule of 50 tournaments, each with a $50 buy-in. PokerStars USA is guaranteeing close to $2 million in prize money across the three festivals, with $1 million in Pennsylvania, $400,000 in New Jersey and $500,000 in Michigan.
All three Main Events take place on November 28:
| State | Buy-in | Guarantee |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $200 | $150,000 |
| New Jersey | $300 | $75,000 |
| Michigan | $50 | $50,000 |
But this is far from all that is on offer. There are plenty of other highlights for PokerStars players in the US to look forward to, in the run up to Thanksgiving:
- Fall Brawls – A collection of progressive knockout tournaments, featuring a variety of buy-in levels and knock-out values;
- Last Man Standing – The entire tournament prize pool is reserved for the top 7 finishers. Winner takes 75% and there are big knock-out bounties for each elimination;
- The Thanksgiving Thrill – a special edition tournament for Thanksgiving Thursday (November 25);
- The Gobbler – A all-action event for Thanksgiving night. The format is 5-Max Total KO;
- Main Event Previews/Trainers — The perfect warm-up for the flagship tournament. Running in PA and NJ with the same structure as the Main Event, but for a fraction of the buy-in. Ideal for smaller bankrolls, or those who want to sharpen their skills before the big day; and
- 500 High Roller – A big buy-in exclusive for players in PA (November 23).
Options for smaller bankrolls
If you are looking to play the series, but can’t afford the bigger buy-ins, there are several options open to you:
- Depositor Freerolls – Anyone depositing $30 or more in PA / NJ – and $50 or more in MI, can use the code
FALL21to gain entry into the Depositor Freeroll in their state. There are 50 Main Event seats up for grabs in Pennsylvania and Michigan, and 25 available in New Jersey. This promotion is already underway and runs until November 28; - Second Chance Freerolls – Any players that bust a Fall Fest event before the money bubble, will be automatically entered into Second Chance Freeroll tournament with $1000 worth of Fall Fest tickets as prizes. They run every day between November 21 and 28 in all three jurisdictions; and
- Satellites — $5 satellite tournaments will be running throughout the series.
Stars going up against BetMGM
PokerStars recently ran Pennsyl-MANIA in Pennsylvania, and Classics in Michigan and New Jersey, but the Fall Fest is the first major series that the operator has run in the US since the various COOP festivals in September. It will be keeping an especially close eye on New Jersey, where it has been struggling recently, at least compared to its dominance in the other jurisdictions.
Stars is not the only operator putting on a showcase series this fall. BetMGM, which notably is a rival in all three markets, is running the End Boss Poker Series between November 23 and November 28.
