The fourth Unibet Poker Belgian Championship (UPBC) kicks off today in the buzzing seaside resort of Blankenberge. Hundreds of players are expected to attend the popular tournament, which won Event of the Year at last year’s Belgian Poker Awards.
Gorgeous weather is expected all weekend for the 2019 Championship, which takes place at Casino Blankenberge right on the seafront. The event starts today (August 29) and will run through to the final day on Sunday, September 1.
Last year’s event attracted a record field of 438 entries and was won by Belgian star Christopher de Meulder. At the time the €38,290 first prize was the best live result of his career. De Meulder, 31, has now won close to €670,000 at live poker events including a six-figure cash in March when he was third at WPT Deepstacks Barcelona for €151,135.
Christophe De Meulder
De Meulder said: “The Unibet Poker Belgian Championship is one of my favourite events of the year and it was amazing to win last year. There is something very special about competing on home soil and being surrounded by so many players you know. There’s always a great atmosphere. I am playing on Day 1a today and obviously really hoping to secure a deep run, or even back-to-back victory!” De Meulder, who hails from Antwerp, first became a TV star at the age of 10 when he and his twin brother Matthias presented a TV show where they interviewed celebrities and asked them awkward questions.
A host of other big names are also set to compete in this year’s €500 + €50 Main Event including well-known Belgian actor Tom Dingenen, star of the TV series Dertigers, plus former November Niner Pierre Neuville, Dutch star Mateusz Moolhuizen, media influencer Dehlia de Jong, two-time Belgian Poker Challenge winner Arne Coulier and Unibet Ambassadors Charlotte Van Brabander and David Vanderheyden.
Once again, 2016 November Niner and esteemed tournament director Kenny Hallaert will run the event. Hallaert won a staggering four awards at last year’s Belgian Poker Awards.
Championship Main Event
Players can enter up to three times for the €550 buy-in Championship Main Event across any of the three start flights. Day 1a kicks off today at 1pm with Day 1b at 1pm tomorrow and a turbo Day 1c flight at 8pm. Entries (or re-entries) will be allowed right up to the start of level 10 on Day 1c.
The tournament boasts a fantastic structure with 50,000 starting stack and 45-minute levels for the first two start flights, as well as on Day 2 and the final day.
Championship schedule
This year’s UPBC schedule features a total of eight tournaments including the €70 + €10 #QueenRules Ladies Event. #QueenRules is a new poker variant using a special deck in which the Queen outranks the King, part of Unibet Poker’s campaign to build conversations around gender bias and gender equality.
Other poker tournaments on the packed schedule include three super satellites for the Main Event, a two-day €200 + €20 No Limit Deepstack tournament, a €100 + €10 NL Turbo and €100 + €10 single re-entry Progressive Super Knockout. All players must be 21 years or over to compete and must show photo ID to register with the casino.
There will also be a Welcome Party tomorrow (Friday, August 30) from 9pm at the nearby Kusttheater ‘t Colisée Theater – with drinks and tons of fun including exciting games of Blingo.
Unibet Poker Belgian Championship history
The inaugural Unibet Poker Belgian Championship took place in 2016 when Belgium’s Fabrice Lestrade beat a 407-entry field to win the top prize of €40,107. In 2017 Heinrich Pauker beat a 457-strong field to win the Main Event for €42,325.
Nataly Sopacuaperu, Unibet Open’s Head of Events and Sponsorship, said: “We’re delighted to be back in Blankenberge for this year’s edition of the Unibet Poker Belgian Championship. After winning last year’s Event of the Year at the Belgian Poker Awards, we knew that last year’s festival was going to be amazing and we expect this year’s event to be even bigger. The Unibet Poker Belgian Championship is going from strength to strength and we look forward to welcoming tons of players to Blankenberge this weekend.”
