With the Asian live poker scene in turmoil amid four international events being canceled within the last couple of weeks in Vietnam and Macau, the next few months promise to provide a lot of action for players from near and far. One of the most anticipated festivals on the horizon is the WPT Cambodia Passport to the World Championship, which is set to take place from July 12 to 23, 2024.
WPT Cambodia Passport – Schedule
WPT Cambodia Passport to the World Championship
The Vietnam edition of this series at the Crown Poker Club in Hanoi was among the affected events to vanish recently, which only increases the chances of an even bigger turnout in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Throughout the last few years, the five-star NagaWorld Integrated Resort in the capital of the Kingdom has become one of the most popular tournament locations for international operators such as the WPT and Asia-Pacific Poker Tour (APPT).
In partnership with boutique gaming company Connaissance Management Group Inc, three key events on the schedule feature guarantees totaling a whopping $750,000 and multiple ways to win a ticket for the WPT Prime Championship and WPT Championship held in Las Vegas.
WPT Cambodia Passport Championship Event
With buy-ins ranging between $200 and $5,000, there is something available for everybody and all eyes will be on the Championship Event from July 18 to 22 , 2024. It features a buy-in of $1,300 and three different starting days along with a $500,000 guarantee. The winner of the tournament will also receive an entry to the $10,400 WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas in December 2024 plus seven nights of accommodation, whereas second and third place are rewarded with a $1,100 Prime Championship Entry on top of their cash prize.
Another four events on the 41-entry strong tournament schedule award transferable $1,100 Prime Championship Entries. This includes Event #3 Championship Warm-Up on the opening three days of the festival from July 12 to 14, 2024. With a bargain buy-in of $550, players are competing for their share of at least $100,000 and can join via three starting days.
High Roller Events
For those with a bigger bankroll, Single Day and Multi Day High Rollers are available with price tags of $2,150, $3,000 and $5,000. The WPT and NagaWorld also offer a free rooms promotion for High Roller participants to the first 50 registered players. Through ten qualifying tournaments, the high-stakes contenders can earn up to 13 nights of free accommodation.
Accommodations and Early Bird Promo
Staying at NagaWorld where the event is played doesn’t come with a large expense either, as the venue offers special room rates from as low as $55 a night during the World Poker Tour stop. Complimentary dining credits can also be unlocked depending on the number of nights booked.
Last but not least, there is a special Early Bird Promotion for players who participate in tournaments on the first day of the series on Friday, July 12, 2024 before the end of level 1. The promotion is valid for Event #1 $300 NagaWorld SuperStack 50k Stack, Event #2 $1,650 DeepStack Mini HR 30 Sec, and Event #3 $550 Championship Warm Up Day 1A. Free NagaWorld Spa massage vouchers of 30 minutes (worth $25) and 60 minutes (worth $45) will be given away.
Continued Success of WPT Cambodia
The World Poker Tour visited the NagaWorld Integrated Resort in Phnom Penh for the first time in November 2019 and has since returned another three times. During the 2022 WPT Prime Cambodia Main Event, the 1,050 entry strong field generated a seven-figure prize pool ($1,008,100) for the first time in the Kingdom of Cambodia and David “Dave Spade” Erquiaga took home the title and top prize of $137,008.
One year later, the attendance reached four figures again and the $500,000 guarantee in the flagship tournament was nearly doubled thanks to 1,011 entries. Reiji Kono earned the biggest slice of the $970,270 price pool after a three-way deal with Matthieu Lamagnere ($112,247) and Bien Mai ($117,842). Kono’s top prize of $131,731 also included the winner’s $10,400 seat into the season-ending WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas.
In January 2024, the Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup was on display in the Grand Ballroom at Naga 1 when the $3,500 WPT Main Event debuted in Cambodia. The initial $1,000,000 guarantee was more than doubled to $2,432,760 with a strong field of 760 entries. Konstantin Held topped it all for $361,310 while Aussie crusher Joshua McCully finished as the runner-up for $277,291.
These recent events point towards yet another strong turnout when the World Poker Tour returns in July 2024 and you should definitely take a closer look at the flight options. Phnom Penh is well connected to many other major Asian airports and just a few hours away.
WPT Cambodia Passport to the World Championship unveils full schedule of events
Cash Games 24/7
Tournament players can also look forward to plenty of juicy Cash Games. Both No Limit Hold’em and Pot Limit Omaha are offered with stakes of $1/$3, $2/$5 and $25/$50. Other stakes can be considered.
NO TAX on winnings
Players will also be glad to know that there is “NO TAX” on both cash and tournament winnings.
Airport to NagaWorld Integrated Resort Complex
For travelers arriving at the Phnom Penh International Airport, there are multiple options available to get to NagaWorld Integrated Resort Complex. To avoid getting overcharged, Grab Taxi and Metered Taxi Service – Global Taxi are recommended. The distance is roughly 10km which is around 30 minutes.
Currency
The country’s currency is the Cambodian Riel, however the US Dollar is widely accepted. In fact, USD is more accepted than the Riel. At the festival, USD will be used for both tournaments and cash games.
*Article by Christian Zetzsche
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