PokerStars launched a brand spanking new tournament series called the North American Poker Tour (NAPT). At press time, only two stops were announced ... well three if you include the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure as the first stop in the inaugural NAPT season). The first NAPT event in the continental US is set for Las Vegas' Venetian Casino on February 20-24. The $5,000 buy-in no-limit championship is the anchor event in the Venetian's stellar Deep Stack series. Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut will also be a stop on the NAPT from April 7-11. More NAPT events will be announced soon, including a stop somewhere in Canada. Freeroll and cash satellites are currently running on PokerStars for seats into both the Venetian and Mohegan Sun events.

British TV producer John Duthie teamed up with PokerStars to initiate their own sponsored tournament series with the European Poker Tour (EPT) in 2004. The inaugural event was held at the Barcelona Casino in Barcelona, Spain. The EPT became an instant success and PokerStars eventually expanded the series from seven to thirteen events. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right? PokerStars replicated the EPT model intending to promote their brand in other international markets. In 2007, PokerStars expanded to the Far East and Australia with the Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT). In 2008, PokerStars ventured into Central and South America with the Latin America Poker Tour (LAPT). You have to think that Africa is next, right? Either that, or Antarctica.

PokerStars kicked off 2010 with their highly popular PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) hosted at the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island in the Bahamas. Every January over the last few years, the PCA has become a hub for the poker world, especially for a crop of American online pros under the age of 21. Since many of them are unable to gamble legally in Las Vegas, the PCA is one of the only live events that they can play. Who knew that the Bahamas was the place to catch a glimpse of poker's next rising star.

The PCA continued to be the largest tournament series hosted outside of the US with a total of 50 tournaments. Popular events this year included battleship, the $25,000 no-limit high rollers event, a ladies event, and of course the $10,000 buy-in main event championship.

The inaugural PCA ladies event attracted 91 women. The final table included Southern California pro Shirley Rosario and one of her best friends Halli Pinson, who finished in second place. PokerStars Team Pro Vanessa Rousso took first place and the title.

A record-setting 1,529 players representing 57 countries bought into the main event with the prize pool over $14.8 million. The field featured notable celebrities including former L.A. Dodgers pitcher Orel Hershiser, NHL player Mats Sundin, talk show host Montel Williams, hip hop artist Nelly, Playboy playmate Jayde Nicole, and the legendary German tennis star Boris Becker. When the dust settled, Harrison Gimbel, a 19-year old college student from Jupiter, FL won the PCA main event for a $2.2 million score.

Another young American struck gold in the $25,000 high roller event. William Reynolds from Iowa bested a tough field of 84 runners to take down the title and almost $600,000. Reynolds beat Canadian Will Molson heads-up for the victory. Molson experienced a dismal spell of déjà vu because he finished in second place during the 2009 high roller event.

The devastating Haitian earthquake struck during the final stages of the PCA. The entire Bahamas immediately underwent a tsunami warning. Luckily no one at the PCA was harmed, but Haiti was not as fortunate. PokerStars quickly responded to the humanitarian crisis and created the Haiti Earthquake Appeal in conjunction with the Red Cross. PokerStars is matching donations on a dollar-for-dollar basis made by their players through the end of January. Within a week of the Haiti campaign, more than a half a million dollars was raised. Good to see poker players showing a little compassion.

Paul 'Dr. Pauly' McGuire is the author of the upcoming book 'Lost Vegas'. You can read his poker blog, Tao of Poker, over at www.taopoker.com.