A Spring Tradition
Many poker tournaments come and go, but the Monster Stack series has been a hit for years. This May, it returns to Ignition Casino with four million in guaranteed prizes up for grabs.
What Makes the Monster Stack Series Different
The main concept is that players will have much larger stacks than in a standard tournament. This leads to much more room to make plays, wait for big hands, and put the pressure on opponents. It’s one of the best tournaments to play at Ignition Casino.
Picking Your Spots
To begin with, your stack size relative to the blinds is huge. It’s a much different ratio than you might be used to. While other tournaments quickly raise the pressure as the blind levels increase, Monster Stack poker tournaments give you more breathing room. This means that you can afford to be more patient and wait for stronger starting cards and hands. It benefits the player who prefers a tight style of poker instead of the splashy strategy that one often sees in online games.
Putting on the Pressure
Having more chips to play with can also change how you approach hands. While a standard tournament certainly offers you the opportunity to make big plays, everything gets super-sized in a Monster Stack tournament. Your bets and raises can be bigger, and your all-ins can be massive. It’s tougher for opponents to hang with your aggression when the bet sizes are so large. This means that you have more room to maneuver and put the other players in tough decisions. Instead of relying on pre-flop all-ins to survive, you can expect that your post-flop capabilities will be enhanced. There are more chances to gain an edge and outplay the other people at the table.
Three Weeks, 20 Events, $4 Million in Guarantees
The 2026 Monster Stack series spans three weeks, running from May 13th through June 3rd, so mark your calendar now. There will be about 20 daily events running around the clock. These tournaments are offered at levels for every player, with buy-ins ranging from $4.40 at the smallest level up to $325 at the high end. Whether you’re a micro-stakes regular trying to build up your bankroll or a seasoned mid-stakes grinder looking for meaningful prize pools, you can find a game that works for you.
In total, the series will have more than $4 million in guaranteed prize money available. Bigger guarantees mean bigger overlays when fields are soft, and they mean bigger paydays for winners when they pull in a crowd.
Also, keep in mind that the Monster Stack series is meant to be friendly for volume players. If you want to get in a few tournaments on a particular day, you should easily be able to do it at a time that works for you. Games are kicking off at a variety of times, from right after midnight, through the day, and into the evening. That way, players in different time zones can find something convenient that fits in with their work schedule. Weekdays and weekends are included, so take a look at the Scheduled Tournaments tab in the poker lobby client. Under Tournament Type, you can check Monster Stack and see all the games available.
Main Events Sunday: May 31st
The series builds toward a monster-sized Sunday on May 31st. Main Events Sunday offers games that step up in buy-in, structure, and guaranteed money. Two flagship events cap off the entire three-week run.
The first is the Mini Main Event, which kicks off at 13:15 EDT. With a $10+$1 buy-in and a $12,000 guarantee, players can take a shot at a substantial prize pool without too much of an investment. For players who have been grinding smaller buy-in events throughout the series, the Mini Main is a natural place to take a serious shot at the biggest payday of the series run. A win like this can be a real turning point. Many players have used a deep run here to move up stakes and improve their game.
An hour later, at 14:15 EDT, the Main Event goes live. It has a $100+$9 buy-in and features a prize pool with $70,000 guaranteed. This tournament will draw a competitive field. Expect lots of action, players from all experience levels, and an opportunity to chase a prize pool that could have a real impact on your bankroll and your game.
Beyond the Tournament Lobby: Jackpot Sit & Gos
The Monster Stack Series also extends into our fast-running Jackpot Sit & Go tournaments. For the duration of the series, all Jackpot Sit & Go games will run with a boosted starting stack of 500 chips (up from the standard 300). If you’ve been finding that these tournaments play a little too fast, this is your chance to get a little more breathing room.
Still Growing
The Monster Stack Series debuted years ago to make deep-stack tournament poker a fixture at Ignition Casino. It’s time once again for big guarantees, events that run all day, and monster-sized action. Don’t miss all the fun at Main Events on Sunday, either. The 2026 edition is shaping up to be the biggest yet.
