The European Poker Tour has announced that its 2009 Russian Open poker event has been replaced with the first "EPT Kiev Sports Poker Championship" taking place at the KievSportsPalace in Ukraine from August 18^th to 23^rd, 2009. Originally, the EPT informed that its first event of the season was taking place in Moscow; however, the event’s organizers were forced to change the venue due recent changes in the Russian gambling legislation.

The PokerStars EPT Season Six will feature more ‘Festival of Poker’ style stops on its schedule, beginning in London this October with “The Pokerstars.com EPT London Festival at the Hilton Metropole Hotel” which will offer significant Pot-Limit Omaha and 8-Game events, as well as the return of the popular High Roller event. The EPT London Main Event will likely be the richest tournament ever in the United Kingdom.

 

The Hungarian Open, which last year reported a total prize pool of approximately 2.1 million Euros, was not included in the first half schedule of season six. Still, the EPT will announce six additional events for the second half of the schedule. European Poker Tour founder, John Duthie, said the second half of the schedule will also feature "a special surprise event".

PokerStars also informed that all players who qualified online for the Moscow event that their packages (including buy-in and hotel) will be converted to EPT Kiev packages; however they will also be eligible to take a credit for a future event, or receive the cash equivalent value as alternatives. The "EPT Kiev Sports Poker Championship" Main Event will feature a 5,000 EUR (4,700 + 300) buy in. This event will run from August 18th to August 23^rd and is expected to be the largest poker tournament ever held in the Ukraine.