Almost everyone around the world is dealing with the coronavirus in some form or fashion. For many people, it involves losing their employment position. Non-essential businesses are shutdown in the US as well as around the world as people try to practice social distancing. Included in the mix is casinos as well as poker rooms. Dealers are struggling to make ends meet as they cannot provide services to players at this time.
In an effort to help, partypoker has decided to launch a special tournament option known as Grand Prix 4 Dealers. The online poker room is offering players a way to take part in tournament gaming with partypokerLIVE’s freelance dealers benefiting from the offering.
Grand Prix 4 Dealers Details
The freelance dealers of partypoker are self-employed and do not qualify for government assistance aside from loans and benefits. With the Grand Prix 4 Dealers tournament option, the online poker room is giving players a way to provide assistance to the live dealers.
From April 26th through May 3rd, players can take part in a $55 buy-in tournament. The buy-in is affordable and 100% of registration fees will go towards the online poker room’s freelance dealers. There will be Day 1s running everyday and players can use these days to progress to the final day, which will take place on May 3rd.
Players can choose to buy-in directly or take part in satellites will be running constantly. The satellites have a low buy-in of just $2.20.
Additional Help
Partypoker is doing everything they can to provide for the partypokerLIVE freelance dealers during this time of crisis. They are offering this tournament option along with a way for players to contribute via their JustGIving page. The online poker room is hoping to reach £100,000. If that number is reached, Rob Yong has agreed to match the donation amount.
The funds raised via JustGiving will go directly to dealers who were booked to deal during the partypokerLIVE events that were postponed. This includes events for the Triton, WSOP-Circuit and WPT. The goal is to raise money and help the dealers while the events are unable to take place.
Poker pros have stepped up and already donated money to the cause. Just a few weeks ago, Sam Trickett donated $5,000 to the fund.
The poker world is known for providing to various charities through special events or fundraising efforts. Poker players are quite generous and will take part in special events to help raise money for a good cause.
Hopefully, the fund started by partypoker will be able to raise to help the LIVE dealers in a time when live poker is no longer taking place. It is still unclear as to how long casinos and cardrooms will remain closed. It will vary around the world based on how quickly the coronavirus stops spreading. In some regions of the world, the virus is only just beginning, so it may be some months before the entire world is back up and running, including poker and casino gaming.
