Elite poker talent will soon descend on the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel & Spa in Cyprus as the Onyx High Roller Series returns with an eye-catching $29 million in guarantees spread across No-Limit Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha events. Alongside the huge prize pools, organizers have also made it clear that strict tournament standards will be enforced—most notably a ban on sunglasses, masks, scarves, or any form of facial covering while players have live cards.
With an experienced, high-profile field expected, the rule is designed to preserve transparency and table integrity. The two-week festival runs from January 30 through February 12 and promises one of the most prestigious schedules on the high-stakes live poker calendar.
A Heavyweight Schedule With $29 Million on the Line
The Onyx High Roller Series once again delivers on scale and ambition, featuring 15 events with buy-ins ranging from $10,000 to $100,000. Action begins with the $10,000 NLH Opener, backed by a $2 million guarantee and multiple starting flights before a championship final day.
At the top end, the $100,000 NLH High Roller Championship headlines the series with a massive $5 million guarantee, while the $25,000 NLH Main Event also carries $5 million and offers several Day 1 options, including a turbo flight. The final table of the Main Event will be played with one-hour levels, ensuring deep and meaningful poker when the stakes are highest.
Pot-Limit Omaha is equally well represented. The $10,000 PLO Opener starts the PLO action before the festival builds toward the $5 million guaranteed PLO Grand Slam and the $25,000 PLO Main Event, which mirrors the Hold’em flagship in both structure and prestige.
Shot clocks will be active from the opening levels of every tournament to maintain a steady pace of play. Re-entries are allowed during the registration period, events will be played seven-handed, and most tournaments will conclude with an unofficial nine-handed final table, aside from designated six-max formats. As expected, high-stakes cash games will also run alongside the tournament schedule, a hallmark of Onyx events.
Clear Rules and Player Incentives
In addition to the face-covering restriction, Onyx has introduced several incentives aimed at rewarding commitment and punctuality. Players who take their seats from the very start of select marquee events—including the $100,000 NLH High Roller Championship and both NLH and PLO Grand Slams—will receive a refund of their registration fee on their first entry.
Early Bird Packages are also available for players planning to play from the opening days. NLH players can secure accommodation from January 29 to February 6 by starting in designated Hold’em events, while PLO-focused players have a separate package covering February 4 to February 12. Both packages include airport transfers and require a $5,000 deposit.
Full Live Reporting Coverage
PokerNews will provide live reporting throughout the festival, covering several of the biggest tournaments on the schedule. These include the $10,000 NLH Opener, the $100,000 NLH High Roller Championship, the $50,000 NLH Grand Slam, the $25,000 NLH Main Event, and the $10,000 PLO Opener.
With massive guarantees, elite-level competition, and clearly defined tournament standards, the Onyx High Roller Series is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched poker festivals of the year—both on the felt and behind the scenes.
