In an announcement made last week, World Series of Poker Europe will not run in 2014 and instead will be supplanted by WSOP Asia-Pacific (WSOP APAC for short). WSOP Europe had taken place every year since 2007. WSOP APAC will kick off on October 1, 2014 and run for 17 days at the Crown Casino in Melbourne.

WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart commented in a press release, “We are excited to return to Melbourne in 2014 for WSOP APAC and the beginning of a new era for our international championships. The WSOP standard is bigger, better, and different. Moving to a rotational approach, with one international event per year, allows for better organization and more marketing in each region. We also want to do right by the players and provide more value for their travel dollar. There is a glut of poker tournaments around the world and our vision is to each year put on a single global showcase that can’t be missed.”

Talk of additional WSOP events around the world had abounded in recent months, but now, WSOP Europe will run in odd-numbered years, while WSOP APAC will take place in even-numbered years. Thus, WSOP Europe will next run in 2015; the next WSOP APAC series after 2014 will be in 2016.

According to WSOP officials, “The decision was made to move WSOP APAC to October, which is springtime in Melbourne. The date change also allows Crown Melbourne more time to organize satellites and promotions, with 150 runners already guaranteed to qualify for the $10,000 Main Event alone.” The 2013 installment of WSOP APAC occurred in April.

This year’s WSOP Europe ran from October 11 to 25 in Paris. It was held in Cannes in 2011 and 2012 and in London in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010. This year’s Main Event had 375 entrants, down about 10% from 2012. The largest field for a WSOP Europe Main Event was nearly 600 entrants in 2011.

Crown Melbourne Chief Operating Officer Xavier Walsh said in the same press release, “The new scheduling sits perfectly within the Melbourne events calendar, at the tail end of the Australian Rules Football finals and the beginning of the internationally renowned Spring Racing Carnival. This provides Crown with significant exposure in Asia, Europe, and America, which will in turn form an integral part of Crown’s global marketing strategy to attract additional international visitors to Australia and Crown Melbourne.”

Visit WSOP.com for more details.

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