BasePoker Weekly Freerolls: Everything You Need to Know
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Poker-SM Live 2026 Goes More International: Open For All €250K Banco Championship
- Poker-SM opens its €250,000 GTD Banco Championship to all players in 2026.
- Daily qualifiers for entry packages run via BCPoker from June 10 to mid-July.
- The international community is expected to take up the challenge against nearly 400 Swedes.
Poker-SM Live 2026 takes place at Banco Casino in Bratislava, August 3–8, with a €250,000 GTD Banco Championship open to all players for the first time.
(credit: Banco Casino)
For years, Poker-SM has been Sweden's tournament. A domestic affair. The kind of event where the locals know each other, the side games run deep into the night, and the language spoken is mainly Swedish. That's changing in 2026.
The last few years have shown that the Swedish poker community, with its tentacles stretching well beyond Scandinavia, has the potential for something bigger, and this year Poker-SM Live is taking a serious leap.
For the first time ever, the headline event is the €250,000 GTD Banco Championship, and it's open to all players. The Poker-SM 2026 schedule also features multiple open-for-all events running alongside the Sweden-only ones.
Why the Big Shift?
After Sweden's gambling legislation made it nearly impossible to host a national poker tournament on home soil, Poker-SM Live relocated to Bratislava's famous Banco Casino.
Poker-SM, under Mauritz Altikardes, spent years building credibility as a national championship event, and after last year's record-breaking attendance, Poker-SM is now inviting the rest of the poker world to come and test their skills against the Swedes. In Bratislava there is no home-turf advantage, but this year the event is expected to draw nearly 400 Swedish poker players.
The Swedes won't give up their title without a fight, and now you have the chance to take it from them!
It's worth noting that the 2026 schedule still includes a €700 buy-in Main Event reserved for Swedish nationals. But with a €250,000 guarantee behind the Banco Championship, it's pretty clear which event is going to draw the bigger field and the bigger spotlight.
BCPoker Running Exclusive Banco Championship Satellites
If you are considering taking up the challenge, BCPoker is running exclusive €250K GTD Banco Championship qualifiers called "Road to Banco," where you can win a €1,100 package completely free.
The path starts at a $0 freeroll, runs through a $5 Step 1, and feeds into $55 Finals awarding either a €550 ME seat or a full €1,100 package. Satellites run daily through mid-July, giving you plenty of time to take a shot before the festival kicks off on August 3. See the Road to Banco schedule below:
| Date | Time | Event | Buy-In | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 10 – Jul 18 (daily) | 18:30 | Road to Banco Freeroll | $0 | 10x $5 Step 1 Tickets |
| Jun 10 – Jul 18 (daily) | 20:00 | Road to Banco [Step 1] | $5 | 1x $55 Final Ticket (1-in-10) |
| Jun 19, 26 / Jul 3, 10, 19 | 21:00 | Road to Banco €550 [Final] | $55 | 1x €550 Banco Championship ME Ticket [LIVE] |
| Jun 22, 29 / Jul 6, 13 | 21:00 | Road to Banco €1,100 Package [Final] | $55 | 1x €1,100 Banco Package [LIVE] |
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