Last Updated on September 17, 2026 by Bala Kumar
In a major milestone for European live poker, the La Notte Degli Assi festival is making a grand return to Italy this October, hosted at the historic Casino di Venezia — the world’s oldest casino — from October 11–19, 2026. Headlined by a massive €1,000,000 Guaranteed Main Event, the series brings high-stakes tournament poker back to one of the most beautiful cardroom settings anywhere in the world: a 15th-century Renaissance palace on Venice’s Grand Canal.
Quick Facts: La Notte Degli Assi 2026
| Detail | Information |
| Event | La Notte Degli Assi |
| Venue | Casino di Venezia, Venice, Italy — the world’s oldest casino |
| Dates | October 11–19, 2026 |
| Main Event Guarantee | €1,000,000 GTD |
| Main Event Buy-In | €400 (early flights) / €600 (prime flights) |
| High Roller Buy-In | €1,500 |
| Starting Stack (Main Event) | 200,000 chips |
| Casino Founded | 1638 |
| Casino’s Current Home | 15th-century Renaissance palace on the Grand Canal (since the 1950s) |
| Past Poker History | WPT Venice (2009–2013), PokerGO Tour |
Casino di Venezia: The World’s Oldest Casino
Originally founded in 1638, Casino di Venezia holds the undisputed title of the world’s oldest casino. Since the 1950s, it has operated out of a 15th-century Renaissance palace on Venice’s Grand Canal — a building with a genuinely remarkable past. The palace once housed Venetian Doges and later served as composer Richard Wagner’s final residence before his death.
Beyond its deep roots in classical table games like Chemin de Fer and French Roulette, Casino di Venezia has periodically opened its grand halls to top-tier live poker. From 2009 to 2013, the venue hosted WPT Venice, with Rocco Palumbo crowned as the tour stop’s last champion in 2013. More recently, the palace welcomed the PokerGO Tour, drawing prominent international high rollers to compete in No-Limit Hold’em, Pot-Limit Omaha, and Short Deck events. La Notte Degli Assi’s return this October marks the venue’s most significant live poker moment in years.
The €1,000,000 GTD Main Event
The focal point of La Notte Degli Assi is the Main Event, which uses a multi-flight structure designed for both regular buy-in starters and late-stage contenders.
- Early flights (Days 1A–1D): Run from Sunday, October 11 to Tuesday, October 13, at a discounted €400 buy-in (€300 re-entry)
- Prime flights (Days 1E–1I & Last Chance): Run from Thursday, October 15 to Saturday, October 17, at a €600 buy-in (€400 re-entry)
- Starting stack: Every Day 1 entry gets a deep 200,000-chip stack with 30-minute levels, except the Saturday-night Last Chance flight, which runs a faster 20-minute clock
- Day 2 and Final Day: Players advancing to Sunday, October 18 (Day 2) and Monday, October 19 (Final Day) see levels extend to 45 minutes
Sunday, October 18 also opens with the Sorteggio Caccia Al Tesoro draw at 2:00 PM, before cards go in the air for Day 2 at 3:00 PM.
The €1,500 High Roller
Alongside the Main Event, the schedule features a €1,500 High Roller for players chasing a faster, higher-stakes tournament. Day 1 kicks off on Wednesday, October 14 at 8:00 PM, offering a 250,000 starting stack with 40-minute levels and late registration open for 10 levels. Players who survive Day 1 return the very next day, Thursday, October 15 at 4:00 PM, for the High Roller Final Day.
Satellites and Side Events
Players looking to qualify for a fraction of the cost have several routes into the key events:
- Tuesday, October 13, 8:00 PM: A €180 Satellite (€180 re-entry) offers a direct path into the €1,500 High Roller
- Wednesday, October 14, 3:00 PM: A Freeroll Satellite guarantees 12 tickets, with optional €20 rebuys
- Thursday, October 15, 3:00 PM: A Mega Satellite awards 25 guaranteed tickets for a €60 buy-in with €40 rebuys
- Monday, October 12, 8:00 PM: Players can also jump into non-Main Event action with L’Aperitivo degli Assi, a €150 NLH event (€150 re-entry) with a 100,000-chip stack and 20-minute levels
2026 La Notte Degli Assi — Full Schedule
| Date | Time | Event | Buy-In | Re-Entry | Stack | Clock | Late Reg |
| Sun, Oct 11 | 2:00 PM | Day 1A | €400 | €300 | 200,000 | 30 min | Level 10 |
| Sun, Oct 11 | 7:30 PM | Day 1B | €400 | €300 | 200,000 | 30 min | Level 10 |
| Mon, Oct 12 | 3:00 PM | Day 1C | €400 | €300 | 200,000 | 30 min | Level 10 |
| Mon, Oct 12 | 8:00 PM | L’Aperitivo degli Assi | €150 | €150 | 100,000 | 20 min | Level 8 |
| Tue, Oct 13 | 3:00 PM | Day 1D | €400 | €300 | 200,000 | 30 min | Level 10 |
| Tue, Oct 13 | 8:00 PM | Satellite High Roller | €180 | €180 | 75,000 | 20 min | Level 8 |
| Wed, Oct 14 | 3:00 PM | Freeroll SAT (12 Tickets GTD) | Free | €20 | 75,000 | 30/20 min | Level 9 |
| Wed, Oct 14 | 7:30 PM | Day 1E | €400 | €300 | 200,000 | 30 min | Level 10 |
| Wed, Oct 14 | 8:00 PM | High Roller Day 1 | €1,500 | €1,500 | 250,000 | 40 min | Level 10 |
| Thu, Oct 15 | 3:00 PM | Mega SAT (25 Tickets GTD) | €60 | €40 | 100,000 | 30/20 min | Level 10 |
| Thu, Oct 15 | 4:00 PM | High Roller Final Day | — | — | 250,000 | 40 min | Level 10 |
| Thu, Oct 15 | 7:30 PM | Day 1F | €600 | €400 | 200,000 | 30 min | Level 10 |
| Fri, Oct 16 | 2:00 PM | Day 1G | €600 | €400 | 200,000 | 30 min | Level 10 |
| Fri, Oct 16 | 7:30 PM | Day 1H | €600 | €400 | 200,000 | 30 min | Level 10 |
| Sat, Oct 17 | 2:00 PM | Day 1I | €600 | €400 | 200,000 | 30 min | Level 10 |
| Sat, Oct 17 | 7:30 PM | Last Chance | €600 | €400 | 200,000 | 20 min | Level 10 |
| Sun, Oct 18 | 2:00 PM | Sorteggio Caccia Al Tesoro | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sun, Oct 18 | 3:00 PM | Day 2 | Closed | Closed | — | 45 min | — |
| Mon, Oct 19 | 3:00 PM | Final Day | Closed | Closed | — | 45 min | — |
Why This Matters for European Live Poker
La Notte Degli Assi’s return to Casino di Venezia is more than a single tournament series — it signals renewed appetite for live poker at historic venues that had scaled back tournament poker in recent years. A handful of factors make this stop notable for the wider poker community:
- A landmark venue: Few active poker rooms anywhere in the world can claim a 1638 founding date or a building that once housed Venetian Doges and hosted Richard Wagner
- A serious guarantee for the buy-in: A €1,000,000 GTD Main Event on a €400–€600 buy-in structure puts the series in the same guarantee tier as larger European festivals, while staying accessible to recreational players
- A return, not a debut: Venice previously hosted WPT Venice (2009–2013) and the PokerGO Tour, so this series continues an established live poker tradition rather than starting from scratch
- Fits the October European circuit: The festival lands in the same window as other major European guarantees this autumn, giving traveling pros and grinders another high-value stop to add to their schedules
FAQs
What is the world’s oldest casino?
Casino di Venezia, founded in 1638 in Venice, Italy, holds the title of the world’s oldest casino. It has operated since the 1950s from a 15th-century Renaissance palace on the Grand Canal.
When is La Notte Degli Assi 2026?
The festival runs from October 11–19, 2026, at Casino di Venezia.
What is the Main Event buy-in and guarantee?
The Main Event carries a €1,000,000 guaranteed prize pool, with a €400 buy-in for early flights (Days 1A–1D) and a €600 buy-in for prime flights (Days 1E–1I and Last Chance).
Is there a High Roller event?
Yes. A €1,500 High Roller runs Day 1 on Wednesday, October 14, with the Final Day on Thursday, October 15.
How can I qualify for a fraction of the cost?
Satellites are available throughout the week, including a €180 Satellite into the High Roller, a Freeroll Satellite guaranteeing 12 tickets, and a €60 Mega Satellite guaranteeing 25 tickets.
Has Casino di Venezia hosted major poker events before?
Yes. The venue hosted WPT Venice from 2009 to 2013 (Rocco Palumbo was the final champion) and more recently welcomed the PokerGO Tour for high-stakes cash and tournament action.
Founder of PokerClubGames.com and a Poker Researcher with 10+ years of experience in SEO, WordPress development, and gaming content strategy. Specializes in researching online poker sites, poker apps, tournaments, bonuses, and poker strategies. Experienced in poker platform reviews, affiliate marketing, and creating SEO-focused poker content for global audiences.
For collaborations, media inquiries, or poker-related partnerships:
Contact: Info@hugecount.com
