QUITE A CATCH: New Jersey Fisherman, Rec Player Vladimir Grechnikov Reels in PokerStars Platinum Pass at Live! Casino Philadelphia
PokerStars recently kicked off live Platinum Pass qualifying events and another winner was crowned over the weekend at Live! Casino Philadelphia.
New Jersey’s Vladimir Grechnikov scored one of poker’s biggest prizes on top of first-place money of $60,000. A Platinum Pass offers players a $30,000 tournament package for the PokerStars Players Championship (PSPC), which is set for January in the Bahamas.
The 34-year-old professional deep sea fisherman described his win as “incredible … I have no words for this, I’m totally speechless, this is a dream come true.”
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Netting a PokerStars Platinum Pass in Philadelphia
The win secures Grechnikov an entry into the PSPC as well as an all-expenses paid trip to Nassau, Bahamas, at the Baha Mar Resort. The fisherman caught the Platinum Pass after getting into the game after observing friends. He later advanced on to online poker and is now bound for a massive $25,000 buy-in tournament
“I watched my friend’s dad quit his job and start playing professionally, and I picked up a few books of my own,” he says. “I played a couple small tournaments in basements and started playing online, and took it from there.”
The $360 Road to PSPC tournament saw 1,598 entries and more than doubled the original $200,000 guarantee. That meant a total prize pool of $487,390.
🥳 Congrats again Vladimir on winning the coveted #PlatinumPass 🎉
More from the @LivePoker_PHL final table on the Road to the #PSPC
21+ and present in PA. Gambling problem? 1-800-GAMBLER. pic.twitter.com/DdlsKcR1JG
— PokerStarsUSA (@PokerStarsUSA) October 18, 2022
More opportunities on tap
Those who missed out on the Philadelphia experience have another upcoming opportunity in Pennsylvania to snag a Platinum Pass. A $360 Road to PSPC event also runs Oct. 27-30 at Live! Casino Pittsburgh.
Recreational player Rishva Iyer recently won a Platinum Pass as part of a women’s event at Live! Philadelphia. PokerStars also recently launched Platinum Pass competitions for US-based online poker players.
Those lucky enough to grab a pass are in store for all of the following:
- Buy-in to the $25,000 PSPC
- Six nights hotel accommodation for winner and a guest in a 5-star hotel
- Airport transfer
- $1,900 in expenses
- Platinum Pass winner experiences during the event