King's Resort in Rozvadov is launching the King's Million European Poker Championship this fall, offering over €10 million in guarantees after the World Series of Poker Europe moved to Prague
When the World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) left Rozvadov for Prague and shifted its schedule to spring, King's Resort faced a gaping hole in its autumn calendar. Instead of scaling back, the Czech venue is responding with a direct challenge: the King's Million European Poker Championship (EPC), a new festival with more than €10 million in guaranteed prize pools and a clear intent to keep Rozvadov on the European poker map.
Major Guarantees and Tournament Structure
The King's Million EPC, running from September 16 to October 6, is not a minor replacement. The festival features a €5 million guaranteed Super Main Event, a €1.5 million Mystery Bounty, and multiple other seven-figure tournaments. The €1,150 Super Main Event alone offers seven traditional starting flights plus a Flip and Go Pineapple option, giving players a range of entry points before Day 2 on October 4. The winner will be crowned on October 6, capping three weeks of high-stakes action.
Other headline events include the €250 Mini Main Event with a €1 million guarantee, the €1,000 Mystery Bounty, and the €600 Monsterstack, each structured to attract both recreational and professional players. Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) fans are not left out, with a €1,500 PLO Championship and a €3,000 PLO High Roller, each guaranteeing €500,000. The schedule also includes smaller PLO events and mixed-format tournaments, reflecting King's Resort's established reputation as a hub for four-card action.
Context: WSOPE's Departure and Market Response
For a decade, Rozvadov's King's Resort was synonymous with WSOPE, hosting the series from 2015 through 2025. That changed in 2026 when WSOPE moved to King's Casino at Hilton Prague and shifted to a spring slot. The move left Rozvadov without its flagship event during the critical fall period, forcing the venue to rethink its strategy. The EPC is King's answer: a festival designed to retain international attention and player traffic, even as the WSOPE brand migrates east.
This is not an isolated trend. Other venues, such as Texas Card House, have also responded to shifting poker calendars by scheduling major events in September, as reported earlier. The competitive landscape for live poker in Europe and beyond is now defined by operators' willingness to invest in guarantees and experiment with formats to fill gaps left by legacy series.
Player Experience and Operator Strategy
King's Resort CEO Federico Brunato has publicly emphasized that simply offering large guarantees is no longer enough to attract players. The EPC schedule reflects this philosophy, mixing traditional No-Limit Hold'em events with Mystery Bounties, PLO, H.O.R.S.E., and bounty tournaments. The festival's structure is designed to appeal to a broad spectrum of players, from those seeking value in lower buy-in events to high rollers chasing six- and seven-figure prize pools.
Live reporting from PokerNews will cover ten of the festival's biggest tournaments, providing real-time updates and results. This media presence is intended to reinforce the EPC's credibility and visibility, especially as King's Resort seeks to establish the new series as a permanent fixture in the European poker calendar.
Market Impact and Future Outlook
The launch of the King's Million EPC is a calculated move to maintain Rozvadov's relevance in the face of shifting poker allegiances. By spreading seven-figure guarantees across multiple events and formats, King's is betting that players will respond to variety and value, not just brand loyalty. The festival's success or failure will be measured not only by turnout but by whether it can generate the same international draw that WSOPE once commanded.
King's Resort is not alone in this recalibration. As poker operators across Europe and the U.S. adapt to changing schedules and player expectations, the real winners will be venues that innovate rather than imitate. The EPC's ambitious guarantees and diverse schedule are a direct test of whether a venue can build its own identity in a market crowded with legacy brands and shifting loyalties. If King's can deliver on its promises, Rozvadov may prove that the loss of a flagship event is not a death sentence—but a catalyst for reinvention.
In tournament poker, a "guarantee" is the minimum prize pool an operator commits to regardless of the number of entries. If player buy-ins fall short, the venue covers the difference—a situation known as an overlay. Large guarantees are used to attract players and signal confidence, but they also carry financial risk for the organizer. For players, guarantees offer a measure of value and predictability, but the true appeal often lies in the final prize pool, which can exceed the guarantee if turnout is strong.
