Montreal & LA Sunset Qualify for GPL Playoffs

Montreal & LA Sunset Qualify for GPL Playoffs

The Montreal Nationals and the LA Sunset have become the first two teams to qualify for the inaugural Global Poker League (GPL) Playoffs held in Las Vegas.

After 41 matches the Montreal Nationals, and Los Angeles Sunset have become the first two teams to qualify for the Global Poker League (GPL) Playoffs in Las Vegas.

Marc-Andre Ladouceur’s Montreal side currently holds an 11-point lead over Maria Ho’s Los Angeles Sunset at the top of the Americas Conference leaderboard. Mike ‘Timex’ McDonald’s six points in Tuesday’s six-max action were enough to send the Canadian franchise through. Chance Kornuth’s three points were equally sufficient for the team from LA.

All that means only two more teams can qualify from the Americas Conference. Andre Akkari’s Sao Paulo Metropolitans currently have pole position sitting in the third spot with 159 points. Anton Wigg’s stunning back-to-back 6-max wins for the San Francisco Rush pushes Faraz Jaka’s team into a dogfight with the Brazilians and the New York Rounders. The Las Vegas Moneymakers seem most likely to drop out at the first hurdle as they lie 24 points adrift of New York.

Montreal & LA Sunset Qualify for GPL PlayoffsGPL Americas Standings

1. Montreal Nationals – 187 points

2. LA Sunset – 176 points

3. Sao Paulo Mets – 159 points

4. San Francisco Rush – 146 points

5. New York Rounders – 140 points

6. Las Vegas Moneymakers – 116 points

There is only a fortnight left to play in the first phase of the GPL, and every match counts with only 20 points separating Rome Emperors at the bottom of the Eurasia Conference and Moscow Wolverines snarling away at the top.

Here is the current situation in that part of the globe.

GPL Eurasia Standings

1. Moscow Wolverines – 153 points

2. London Royals – 147 points

3. Hong Kong Stars – 146 points

4. Paris Aviators – 144 points

5. Berlin Bears – 139 points

6. Rome Emperors – 133 points

The Playoffs

The GPL Playoffs will take place at the GPL Studios in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Playoffs for the Americas Conference occur Tuesday, Nov 29 at 15:00 (EDT) with the Eurasia Playoffs taking place the following day at the same time.

Montreal Nationals and LA Sunset have booked their places, but they don’t have a chance to take their foot off the pedal. The draw for the Playoff matches is based on finishing position with the league leaders started the Playoffs with a 30% chip bonus. The second place team gets a 20% bonus; the third gets a 10% bonus, and the fourth seat gets bugger all. The league leaders will face the fourth place team, with the second and third place teams also squaring off.

The GPL hasn’t published the exact structure for the Playoffs, but I believe it will be a series of 2-3 heads-up matches with the managers able to rotate players on the day. All games will be played live in the GPL’s signature cube.

The Playoffs end with two conference winners who will face each other in the Finals held at the same venue on Thursday 1 Dec.