PokerStars.com has announced the launch of a new poker tournament: the PokerStars.com UK and Ireland Poker Tour (UKIPT). The first event in the UKIPT schedule will take place from December 11-14, 2009, in the Radisson Hotel in Galway, Ireland. The event will be part of the popular Irish Poker Championships. The first UK-based UKIPT event will be held in Manchester from February 11–14, 2010 at the Grosvenor G-Casino.

The event will bring several celebs and top professional poker players such as former England footballer Teddy Sheringham and Team PokerStars PRO Vicky Coren. Other players and sports celebrities attending the event will be announced in the upcoming weeks.

"This is an incredibly exciting addition to the range of PokerStars live events. Here is our own local British and Irish tour, nicely accessible for those who can't travel abroad very often or who save their foreign travel for larger international events," commented PokerStars.com sponsored pro Vicky Coren.

Besides the UKIPT title and prize money, players will also win entries to the Poker Stars European Poker Tour London event in October, 2010. In addition, the In addition UKIPT will have a Points Leader Board awarding the top players a series of additional prizes, including: a $10,000 freeroll for the top 100 players over the season; and the top three players will also receive exclusive sponsorship from PokerStars.com during the second season of the UKIPT. Finally, several Team PokerStars Pros will attend the events to lead question and answer sessions, giving players the opportunity to learn new tips from some of the best poker players in the world.

The inaugural PokerStars UKIPT will also visit Manchester, Nottingham, Killarney, Brighton, Scotland and Dublin with the Grand Final taking place as part of the PokerStars.com EPT London event next October.

PokerStars.com