One of poker’s biggest parties is being scratched again this year due to COVID-19 restrictions. Despite live events returning in other parts of the world, the Caribbean Poker Party won’t be taking place because the Bahamas isn’t quite ready to welcome an influx of poker players in November.
Rob Yong announced the news today after speaking to his contacts at the host venue, Baha Mar Resorts. Foreign visitors are allowed in the Bahamas, but mask mandates and social distancing measures are still in place at the majority of public venues. And, even though vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers are welcome to the islands, everyone needs a Bahamas Health Visa. This isn’t an insurmountable hurdle for poker players to clear, but it is another obstacle the organizers would have to contend with.
As such, despite the WSOP going ahead in Las Vegas and other live tournaments returning in other jurisdictions, discretion is the better part of valor in the Bahamas, according to Yong.
The positive news is that the Caribbean Poker Party will return in 2022 (restrictions permitting). What’s more, Yong is hopeful that he can get PokerGo and Triton Poker to join the party and make it an even bigger event than it has been before.
Re: Caribbean Poker Party 2021 cancelled
Just 2 confirm CPP is planned for 2022 @BahaMarResorts
Even with WSOP/WSOPE dates,spoke 2 our friends at Baha Mar & 2021 still wasn’t possible due 2 COVID
Hope CPP back strong 2022 & will ask @PokerGO & @tritonpoker to be partners 🤞 pic.twitter.com/HgD63blBD6
— Rob Yong (@rob_yong_) August 31, 2021
Yong’s tweet also implies that there may not be an online version of the Caribbean Poker Party this year. Partypoker stepped into the breach last November and put together an online alternative with a series that offered a variety of MTTs, including a $5 million guaranteed main event.
Diego Ventura won the big one and $879,874 after beating a field of 1,037 entrants.
Partypoker is yet to announce a similar online series for 2021, but since the decision to postpone the live event has only just been made, it’s possible that we might hear about an online alternative in the next few days.
