After an intense finish to 2025, which noticed Kenny Hallaert narrowly miss out on the PokerStars Reside League Medium title, the Belgian PokerStars Ambassador is again in motion because the 2026 PokerStars Reside season will get underway.
Hallaert spoke with PokerNews in regards to the restructuring of the Reside League, the extremely anticipated return of EPT Paris and his private plans for the yr forward.
A A lot-Wanted Reset
For Hallaert, the top of 2025 was extra about restoration than successful trophies. After a grueling chase on the Reside League leaderboard that even noticed him multi-tabling stay occasions in Prague, the Belgian professional was glad for a relaxation.
“I spotted throughout Prague that I wasn’t going to win [the Live League] and I simply wished to be dwelling,” he defined. “So I’ve spent the final two months sleeping in my very own mattress. I calculated that I spent lower than a 3rd of 2026 sleeping at dwelling as a result of I used to be continually on the highway.
“It was good to take a little bit of a break after fairly an intense yr.”
As he turns 45 this yr, Hallaert is buying and selling the “each event, every single day” mentality for a extra balanced method. Whereas he’s excited for the return of PokerStars stay occasions typically, he is additionally preparing for the return of EPT Paris after final yr’s last-minute cancellation.
“That is the one I am trying ahead to probably the most,” he stated. “As a result of we weren’t in a position to organise it final yr due to the native rules.”
2026 PokerStars Reside Occasions Calendar
Bettering the Reside League: High quality Over Amount
The most important information for 2026 is the overhaul of the PokerStars Reside League. Hallaert, using his position as stay occasions advisor, spent the low season operating simulations in Excel to make sure the leaderboard truly rewards the most effective gamers, versus those that min-cash probably the most.
Key Adjustments for 2026:
The “Winner’s Bonus”: In earlier years, the factors hole between a min-cash and a win was too slender. Hallaert and the workforce have tweaked the components so deep runs and titles carry considerably extra weight.Fundamental Occasion Inclusion: One main level of suggestions from 2025 was that $1,100 Fundamental Occasions weren’t counting towards sure tiers. In 2026, there’s now a “small overlap” to make sure gamers aren’t pressured to decide on between enjoying a prestigious Fundamental Occasion and chasing leaderboard factors.The Three-Tier System: The league retains its tiered construction to accommodate low, medium, and high-stakes regulars, guaranteeing a $300 buy-in grinder is not competing towards a $50k Excessive Curler reg.
“In any sport, like soccer, the workforce that at all times performs to a draw and by no means loses should not be on prime of the league,” Hallaert defined. “It needs to be the workforce that wins. We wished to ensure the reward for successful is definitely there.”
The 2026 Outlook
Whereas Hallaert is not planning to “chase” the leaderboard from Day 1, he is aware of how the poker thoughts works. “No person actually units their objective on it to start out. You might have a number of ends in the primary few festivals, and swiftly you begin chasing it.”
Whether or not he is on the prime of the standings or just having fun with a extra relaxed schedule, Hallaert’s affect is woven into the material of this yr’s tour. From the spreadsheet-simulated rankings to the logistical planning of the occasions, the 2026 PokerStars season is designed to be extra “win-centric” than ever earlier than.
Will Shillibier
Managing Editor
He graduated from the College of Kent in 2017 with a B.A. in German. He additionally holds an NCTJ Diploma in Sports activities Journalism.
