A frantic start has characterized live poker in 2026 and, above all, that of the Casino di Campione, which, after the successes of the PokerStars Open and Stage 3 of the ISOP, is preparing to host the Italian Poker Challenge tournaments, which will be played from March 17 to 23.
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The appointment with the event is branded, as always when it comes to tournaments held inside the Campione gaming room, PokerStars Poker Live, and a new very high number of participants is expected.
If you want to participate in the Main Event that will take place on the shores of Lake Lugano for free, without spending even one euro for the buy-in, the satellites and freerolls that you will find on the Club del Poker page must be your main goal.
Main Event Italian Poker Challenge: The Club Del Poker Freerolls
The organizational machine is renewed, which, in a short time from now until the days preceding the Italian Poker Challenge, will allow five skilled and lucky ones among you to take part in the Main Event.
The dates on the calendar to circle in red are the Sundays of February 22, March 1 and 8, and finally Wednesday, March 11, at a time that never changes, 9:30 PM.
Each of these Freerolls will be played exclusively on PokerStars and, in relation to the first three tournaments, a ticket worth €770 will be up for grabs for the winner, a prize that doubles for the March 11 freeroll, when two seats will be offered, each always worth €770. The tickets can be used on a day of your choice between March 19 (Day1B or Day1C), March 20 (Day1D or Day1E) or March 21 (Day1F).
These Club del Poker tournaments will have the “**winner takes all**” formula: the winner of each Freeroll will win entry to the prestigious Campione tournament and there will be no other prizes.
What you need to participate in the Club del Poker Freerolls
To participate, it is sufficient to:
- have an account on PokerStars
- be registered for the Club del Poker, by entering your email in the form you will find on the page.
- know the password, which arrives via email on the day of the tournament.
On the same page, you will find the Club del Poker freeroll calendar.
| Poker Room | Date and time | Prize |
|---|---|---|
 | February 22 at 9:30 PM | 1 entry for the PokerStars Italian Poker Challenge Main Event |
| March 01 at 9:30 PM | 1 entry for the PokerStars Italian Poker Challenge Main Event |
| March 08 at 9:30 PM | 1 entry for the PokerStars Italian Poker Challenge Main Event |
| March 11 at 9:30 PM | 2 entries for the PokerStars Italian Poker Challenge Main Event |
Structure and format of the freerolls
The starting stack of the freerolls does not change compared to those that the Club del Poker offered you for previous events: the starting stack will be 5,000 chips for an initial level of 25/50 with ante 5: in terms of depth, it is a 100 big blind start.
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Each level will last 5 minutes, so it is designed to finish in a relatively short time, so be careful to put them in wisely, of course, but without waiting until morning.
The blind progression is the usual: 25/50, then 50/100, 75/150, 100/200, 125/250, 150/300, etc. etc.
The handbook to follow if you want to take part in the freerolls
IMPORTANT: tickets won through Club del Poker tournaments will be valid exclusively for the PokerStars Italian Poker Challenge Main Event in March 2026. Won tickets are not cashable, transferable, refundable, or usable for other tournaments.To be clear, the tickets that will be awarded and won by the lucky and skilled players who finish at the top cannot be used in any way except by going in person during the tournament days in Campione from March 19 to 21. These tickets are in fact valid for the Day 1s where the buy-in is €770, not for Day 1a (which has a special prize of €500).
If you cannot be present in Campione on those days, the won ticket will be irremediably lost, so participation is suggested only for those who are certain they can go to the Casino di Campione during the Main Event week.
Along with the ticket, no travel expense reimbursements are provided.
In case of winning the ticket, PokerStars support will contact the player the following day and will arrange the details to organize their participation in the Italian Poker Challenge Main Event in Campione.
What is the Club del Poker?
The Assopoker Club del Poker is a circuit of exclusive freeroll tournaments, designed for online poker enthusiasts who want to participate in free competitions with a limited number of players. Every evening the circuit offers free tournaments with a guaranteed prize pool and advantages reserved for members, ensuring a clear and fun game structure. Access to the tournaments requires a password reserved for participants, communicated via email or Telegram group.
the March 2026 Italian Poker Challenge schedule
In addition to the Main Event, the Italian Poker Challenge includes a whole series of tournaments that will be played starting from March 17, for this complete schedule:
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| Day | Time | Format | Event | Buy-in | Levels | Reg Close |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, March 17 | ||||||
| 17/3 | 17:00 | 2 Days Event | Mystery Bounty Challenge – Day 1 | 440 € | 30 min | Level 12 |
| 17/3 | 19:00 | Single Day Event | Qualifier IPC Main Event – Day 1 B/C/D/E/F – WYS @100k (10 seats GTD) | 90 € | 20 min | Level 10 |
| Wednesday, March 18 | ||||||
| 18/3 | 15:00 | 2 Days Event | Mystery Bounty Challenge – Day 2 | – | 40 min | Level 12 |
| 18/3 | 19:00 | Multi Day Event – 1A | Italian Poker Challenge – Main Event 7 |
