History of the PCA

PCA Highlights

The PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) has a long history of being an event that all players want to win. Since it started in 2004, over $50,000,000 has been awarded in prize money, with thousands of players taking part - including hundreds of PokerStars qualifiers.

PCA 2010

The 2010 PCA was the largest ever, with over 50 events in different games and formats staged over 10 days of competition. The biggest winner was Harrison Gimbel from the USA, who played through a field of 1,529 to claim the Main Event and $2,200,000 in prize money. The High Roller event attracted the elite of the poker world and William Reynolds made it a double for the USA as he collected $576,240 for the win. Elsewhere Team PokerStars Pro Vanessa Rousso won the Ladies Event, and Chinese Taipei entered the history books as World Cup of Poker VI champions, after they beat eight other nations in a nerve-shredding finale.

PCA 2009

2009

The 2009 PCA Main Event proved to be the biggest so far, with 1,347 runners and a total prize pool of $12,674,000. PokerStars qualifier Poorya Nazari won the event, cashing for $3,000,000 - the biggest prize ever awarded in the history of the event. The victory was all the sweeter for Poorya because he qualified for the Main Event through a $33 triple turbo rebuy on PokerStars – an incredible return on his investment. Also making the final table was Team PokerStars Pro Alexandre Gomes, who finished fourth for $750,000. Elsewhere, Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier took down the prestigious High Rollers tournament - good for $433,500.

PCA 2008

2008

The 2008 Main Event was won by Team PokerStars Pro member Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier. After five days of action at the beautiful Atlantis Resort and Casino, ElkY emerged as the new champion, winning first place prize money of $2,000,000. Now part of the hugely successful PokerStars.com European Poker Tour, this event saw a record field of 1,136 players battle for a prize pool of over $8,500,000. The event attracted many of the world’s greatest players, including Team PokerStars Pro members Daniel Negreanu, Joe Hachem, Chris Moneymaker, Victor Ramdin, Vanessa Rousso and many more.

PCA 2007

2007

The USA dominated the Main Event of the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure in 2007, with every player on the final table, and every one of the top 13 finishers all hailing from the States. The field numbered 937 players and it was Ryan Daut from New Jersey that was victorious, taking home $1,535,255 for the win. By now the PCA was cementing its reputation as one of poker’s unmissable events, thanks to the quality of the action combined with the luxurious surroundings of the Atlantis Resort and Casino. Thousands of players made the trip, taking advantage of PokerStars outstanding hospitality.

PCA 2006

2006

The 2006 PCA saw victory for Team PokerStars Pro Steve Paul Ambrose, who took home first prize of $1,388,600 - the first time that the event had generated a top prize of over one million dollars. The field size had also swelled, peaking at 724 runners. With half a million dollars in free seats awarded by PokerStars, there were scores qualifiers in the field, including Ambrose himself and eventual runner-up Brook Lyter. The event also had a strong international representation, with players from England, Sweden, France, Israel and Australia among others all cashing.

PCA 2005

2005

The 2005 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure marked the first time that the event was held at the Atlantis in The Bahamas - the location that’s been its home ever since. There were 461 players in total, generating a total prize pool of $3,487,200. British player John Gale took the title, along with first place prize money of $890,600. There was also a cash finish for Team PokerStars Pro Greg Raymer, at the time still riding high after his World Series Main Event victory the previous summer. Daniel Negreanu and William Thorson also cashed.

PCA 2004

2004

The first ever PCA was a World Poker Tour (WPT) event that took place on a luxury cruise ship visiting Miami, Florida, Jamaica, Mexico and the Cayman Islands. A field of 221 players came aboard for the event, including the biggest names on the scene - all playing for a total prize pool of $1,657,500. After seven days of action, it was Danish pro Gus Hansen who came out on top, beating a final table that also included Team PokerStars Pro Daniel Negreanu, who cashed in third to kick start a year that would see him go on to earn over $3,000,000 in WPT events.