This is the 3rd year The Festival poker tour will be stopping at the Banco Casino in Bratislava from November 26th to December 3rd, and if the last two events are anything to go by, we’re in for a treat! 2022 saw the biggest first-place prize in Slovakian poker history when Michael Molenaar won €126,650 along with the Main Event trophy, and we’re hoping we can top that this year.
The €550 Main Event prize pool is guaranteed at €500,000, but with players flying in from around Europe, we’re sure that the guarantee will be smashed once again. To get everyone hyped up for the last stop in The Festival tour, we’ll be taking a closer look at everything you can look forward to in The Festival Bratislava.
The Festival Bratislava Schedule
The Festival Bratislava will be jam-packed with events, as there are more than 30 high-quality tournaments scheduled throughout the week-long event. As well as a bustling tournament schedule, there will be cash games running each night with special challenges offering additional cash prizes. There are also plenty of fun events to take part in, such as roulette and blackjack tournaments, as well as other hospitality events that are sure to make your trip a memorable one.
You can find the full schedule for The Festival Bratislava below.
The Festival Bratislava Tournament Highlights
The Festival Bratislava offers a wide range of events to suit every tournament player. Whether you’re a NLHE purist, a mixed games specialist, a high roller, or a budget player, there’s something for you in this schedule. We’ve taken a look through the schedule and picked out our highlights that you won’t want to miss.
Mixed Games Main Event – HORSES
One of the first events of The Festival Bratislava is their €550 Mixed Games Main Event – HORSES. No, that isn’t a typo, The Festival has shaken up the traditional HORSE format and added a new game due to popular demand. Sviten Special is a split pot game that’s half PLO and half 5-card draw. Players have to make the best PLO hand and the best 5-card hand with the cards in their hand; it’s a lot of fun and will be sure to add a little extra spice to this mixed game event.
Each game in the mix will be fixed limit, stacks start at 30K per player and the blinds will be 30 minutes long. There are three Day 1s from the 26th to the 28th, with the final day being played out on the 29th.
Bratislava Deep Stack
If you’re more of a Hold’em specialist, then this event will be right up your street. The Bratislava Deep Stack event is a €250 buy-in event with a 30,100 chip starting stack and 30-minute levels. Late reg is open for 10 levels, and there are three Day 1s taking place from the 26th to the 28th. This tournament offers unlimited re-entry, so expect there to be plenty of action in the early levels as players try to run up a stack!
The Festival Queens
The Festival Ladies events are always successful, and we’re excited to see how many runners The Festival Queens event will get this year. With a buy-in of only €125, we’re sure to see a big crowd for this event. The starting stack is 25K and levels will be 25 minutes long with late registration open for six levels.
Texas Turbo Midnight Madness
If you like action, make sure you stay up for the Texas Turbo Midnight Madness Events! Running on each day from November 30th to December 2nd, there will be a €125 buy-in turbo event with a 10K starting stack and 15-minute levels. The chips will be flying thick and fast in this event, so make sure you’ve got your gambling shoes on!
The Festival Bratislava Main Event Schedule
Undoubtedly the star of the show is the €500,000 guaranteed €550 Main Event. Last year’s Main Event smashed the guarantee, and it’s likely that this year’s event will do the same, so don’t miss out on your chance for a huge payday! There are six Day 1s with two turbo flights on November 30th and December 1st.
Take a look below for a full breakdown of the Main Event schedule.
Day | Date | Time | Levels |
The Festival Bratislava Main Event Day 1a | 28/11/23 | 12:00 | 40 minutes |
The Festival Bratislava Main Event Day 1b | 29/11/23 | 12:00 | 40 minutes |
The Festival Bratislava Main Event Day 1c | 30/11/23 | 12:00 | 40 minutes |
The Festival Bratislava Main Event Day 1d – Turbo | 30/11/23 | 20:00 | 20 minutes |
The Festival Bratislava Main Event Day 1e | 01/12/23 | 12:00 | 40 minutes |
The Festival Bratislava Main Event Day 1f – Turbo | 01/12/23 | 20:00 | 20 minutes |
The Festival Bratislava Main Event Day 2 | 02/12/23 | 12:00 | 45 minutes |
The Festival Bratislava Main Event Day 3 | 03/12/23 | 13:00 | 50 minutes |
The Festival Bratislava Accommodation
If you’re looking to book last-minute accommodation to come out and enjoy the fun, The Festival recommends three hotels that are just a three-minute walk from the Banco Casino. The rates you’ll find below are exclusive deals for The Festival event, so book now before they disappear!
Crowne Plaza Bratislava, an IHG Hotel
November 26 – December 3:
Single – EUR 120 per night
Twin, or Double room – EURO 130 per night
A/C Marriot Hotel
November 26 – December 3:
Single – EUR 120 per night
Twin, or Double room – EURO 130 per night
Hotel Tatra
November 26 – December 3:
Single – EUR 90 per night
Twin, or Double room – EURO 105 per night
If you want to secure your spot, email The Festival team at [email protected] with the following information.
- Your first and last name
- Phone number
- Preferred hotel (A/C Marriot Hotel, Crowne Plaza, or Hotel Tatra)
- Number of nights (choose between 1 and 7 nights)
The team will promptly reply with payment details and confirm your booking.
Book Your Place Today
The Festival Bratislava is always a fantastic event that’s well worth travelling to. The schedule is packed with great-value tournaments, cash games for all bankrolls, as well as plenty of other events that are guaranteed to keep you entertained. Other than the amazing events, it’s a laugh-a-minute and one of the few events in the calendar where people are there to have a lot of fun (mixed in with a lot of poker!). We hope to see you there!
