Thursday December 27, 2018 at 12:48 am

The 2019 PCA is around the corner and PokerStars awarded more Platinum Passes to the $25,000 buy-in Players Championship. The hardest working-man in poker media, Kevin Mathers, was gifted a coveted Platinum Pass on Christmas, along with the First Lady of Poker Linda Johnson.

KevinMathersPSPC
Pic by AlCantHang

Who didn't get a Platinum Pass for Christmas? Okay, most of you found a lump of coal in your stocking from Santa Claus. But for a few select people, they had a Christmas to remember. We're talking like a feel-good, heartwarming, tear jerker like one of those Charlie Brown Christmas specials.

While most of the internet argued over hot button issues like whether or not Die Hard is a Christmas movie (I dunno what the big fuss is about... it's an action move that takes place during Christmas time and there's a dead terrorist with HO HO HO written on his Eurotrash sweater), PokerStars was busy doling out Platinum Passes.

KevMath a.k.a. Kevin Mathers from Syracuse, New York made a name for himself as a moderator on 2+2 forums before he parlayed his forum fame into a legitimate poker media job. Mathers worked for numerous publications over the years including Bluff Magazine and Pocket Fives. He also manned the Twitter account for the WSOP and acted as their information Czar. If you asked a question, KevMath was quick to find an answer. He performed a valuable service to the poker community for the last 15 years, so it was awesome to see him get plucked to head to the Bahamas for free. Who cares if he's a bot or an AI program or some sort of alien reconnaissance project, KevMath is going to the Bahamas.

I often remarked that KevMath is the James Brown of poker media and it's not because of his dance moves. He's a hard worker, one of the most diligent in the poker media realm. KevMath had a work ethic that stemmed from his pure love of the game. PokerStars finally rewarded him for his dedication to the game with a Platinum Pass.

Linda Johnson is known as the First Lady of Poker because she was one of the first women to make headway in the poker industry. It's not easy being a woman in the poker world and Johnson fought back a tidal wave of discrimination during her initial years in poker. She persisted and the entire poker world is better for her work as ambassador and her contributions to poker media and the tournament world. Once again, the love of the game shines through and it's good to see someone rewarded for their relentless passion for that silly game of poker.

Oh yeah, and Linda Johnson won a bracelet in the late 90s. Back when Fedor Holz was still in diapers. It was Razz too. She earned that bling the hard way by surviving brick city.

In case you were wondering, no Platinum Passes were rewarded for Festivus celebrations. There were no special passes handed out after a proper airing of the grievances or the fits of strength.

Over at PokerStars Blog, Brad Willis sacrificed the holiday with his family to work for a couple of hours in order to share the story about the generosity and goodwill of poker players on a special holiday.

Jeremy from Tennessee is going to the 2019 WSOP thanks to a gift from his wife. And that goodwill inspired another and all of a sudden Joey Ingram gets involved and Jeremy is going to the Bahamas to participate in the PSPC with a Platinum Pass.

Another Christmas miracle from the red spade.

Latest news
Tuesday March 7, 2023 at 9:52 pm
2023 SCOOP returns to US at PokerStars on March 17

PokerStars announced that the Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) returns to American players in three states. The 2023 SCOOP has 42 events and the popular online tournament series will be available to PokerStars players on in Pennsylvania (PASCOOP) and a shared player pool in New Jersey and Michigan (MI/NJSCOOP) beginning March 17 and running through April 3. There's a total of $5 million in guanarteed prize pools.

Monday February 27, 2023 at 9:33 pm
Romana's Razvan Belea ships EPT Paris for €1.1 million

The European Poker Tour hosted the inaugural EPT Paris at the Hyatt Regency Paris Etoile. The €5,300 buy-in Main Event at the EPT Paris attracted 1,606 entrants with 447 re-entries. Razvan Belea from Romania parlayed a €530 satellite seat into a €1.1 million payday when he was the last player standing to become the first Romanian champion in EPT history.

Saturday February 4, 2023 at 7:35 pm
Aliaksandr Shylko wins 2023 PokerStars Players Championship for $3.1 million

Aliaksandr Shylko from Belarus shipped the second-ever PokerStars Players Championship (PSPC) for a $3.1 million score after he worked out a three-way money chop with Germany's Max Menzel and Philipe Pizzari from Brazil. Nacho Barbero went deep in the 2023 PSPC with a fourth-place finish at Baha Mar in the Bahamas. Shylko outlasted 1,014 runners who generated a prize pool worth over $24.8 million

Wednesday January 25, 2023 at 6:21 pm
LAPT Returns: PokerStars brings back Latin American Poker Tour

After a seven-year layoff, PokerStars will relaunch the Latin American Poker Tour (LAPT). The LAPT returns to Brazil with a stop in Rio de Janeiro on March 2, 2023. There will be an event in Montevideo, Uruguay in April, plus two more events planned in Sao Paolo, Brazil in July and November. And there's other LAPT dates and locations that will be announced soon.

Thursday January 19, 2023 at 7:03 pm
PokerStars to Host Sunday Million 17th Anniversary on March 26

PokerStars wants you to save a special date on Sunday March 26, 2023. PokerStars s celebrating the 17th Anniversary of the Sunday Million. Yes, the Sunday Milly turns 17 in March! The buy-in is only $215, and this year's celebration will have a $7.5 million guaranteed prize pool. This year's winner will bank at least $1 million. Germany's Blackbeaty won the Sunday Million's 16th anniversary special.

Tuesday January 10, 2023 at 11:11 pm
PokerStars Launches PSPC Online starting Jan 13

PokerStars will launch a special virtual version of the PokerStars Players Championship for American online poker players in New Jersey and Michigan with the PSPC Online. The special series runs from January 13 through Jan 30 on PokerStars for a combined player pool in New Jersey and Michigan. The PSPC Online has 85 events and a guaranteed prize pool worth $2.5 million. Oh, and there's a special PSPC Online for online grinders in the state of Pennsylvania as well with 72 events.

Friday December 2, 2022 at 10:06 pm
PokerStars announces new EPT Season with stops in Paris and Cyprus

PokerStars announced their 2023 live tournament events schedule for the European Poker Tour which includes five stops including two first-time destinations. The EPT kicks off in February 2023 with their EPT Paris debut. In the fall, the EPT heads to the EPT Cyprus for the first time. There's also usual stops at the EPT Monte-Carlo, EPT Barcelona, and the EPT Prague.

Monday November 28, 2022 at 11:17 pm
Win PokerStars Platinum Passes at Gotaga Poker Night or at Resorts World La Vegas

The Road to the PSPC continues. Here's your chance to snag a Platinum Pass to get a free trip to the Bahamas to play in the PokerStars Players Championship at Baha Mar Resort during the return of the PCA in January 2023. You can win a pass through a freeroll hosted by Gotaga, aka France's #1 Twitch streamer. Americans have a chance to win a Platinum Pass at a $400 buy-in tournament at Resorts World Las Vegas.

Thursday November 17, 2022 at 11:07 pm
2022 WSOP Europe: Sweden's Omar Eljach wins Main Event for €1.38 million

The 2022 World Series of Poker Europe Main Event at the King's Casino in Rozvadov has come to an end with Sweden's Omar Eljach edging out France's Jonathan Pastore to win the bracelet and €1.38 million in cash. The €10,350 buy-in affair attracted 763 runners. The final table also included Shaun Deeb, Barny Boatman, Alexandre Read, and Tim Adams.

Tuesday November 15, 2022 at 2:12 am
2022 WSOPE: Turkey's Orpen Kisacikoglu wins €50K Diamond High Roller

Orpen Kisacikoglu from Turkey won his first bracelet with a victory in the World Series of Poker Europe Event #11 €50,000 Diamond High Roller at the King's Casino in Rozvadov. Kisacikoglu won €748K and outlasted a stacked final table that included Sam Grafton, Shaun Deeb, Nick Petrangelo, Timothy Adams, Daniel Pidin, and Daniel Dvoress. Last week, Paul Phua secured his first bracelet with a victory in WSOPE Event #8 €25,000 Platinum High Roller for a €482,433 score.

Friday November 4, 2022 at 8:12 pm
2022 WSOP Europe: Anson Tsang Ships Event #4 €2,000 PLO

The 2022 World Series of Poker Europe is underway at the King's Casino in Rozvadov, and Yan Shing 'Anson' Tsang was the last player standing in 2022 WSOP Europe Event #4 €2,000 PLO to win €95,461 and his third-career bracelet. Tsang outlasted a final table that included Tomasz Gluszko, Shawn Stroke, Dario Alioto, Oswin Ziegelbecker, Vivian Saliba, Farid Jattin, Pavel Izotov, and Jorryt van Hoof.

Saturday October 8, 2022 at 5:44 pm
Daniel Negreanu wins 2022 Super high Roller Bowl for $3.3 Million

After whiffing in numerous high rollers, Daniel Negreanu outlasted 23 runners to win the $300,000 buy-in 2022 Super High Roller Bowl VII in Las Vegas. Negreanu banked $3.3 million for the victory, which marked the second-highest payout of his illustrious career. Negreanu edged out a final four at the SHRB VII that included Nick Petrangelo, Justin Bonomo, and Andrew Lichtenberger.

Free tournaments and added prizes

The Club Poker organizes freerolls and special tournaments with added prizes.
To qualify for free, register on our poker partners websites:

Tournaments Club Poker
6-MAX
$2.20
Big Poker League
Thursday March 23, 2023 at 7:04 pm
$125 added
6-MAX
$2.20
Big Poker League
Thursday March 30, 2023 at 7:04 pm
$125 added