11 Mar 09 WSOP Chip Stack/Blind Structure Changes
Great news this week for players looking to try their luck at this years slew of WSOP events. The tournament director of the WSOP, Jack Effel, announced that the starting chip count for every tournament at the 2009 series will be tripled, giving players more bang for their entry buck. The news immediately drew concerns that the blind structure might have been negatively shortened to accommodate for the heavier stacks, but as it turns out, (more…)
22 Jan 09 WSOP Final Table Gimmick
The 2008 final table of the WSOP was a historical event in which the youngest player won the main event, and it was the first year that the WSOP final table play would be postponed for several months. The decision to move the final table back a few months was controversial. Even now, months after the winner was announced, the benefit of the delayed final table is still in question. The benefits to the “November 9” in postponing the final (more…)
24 Dec 08 WSOP Announces Cash Game Themed Poker Academies
I’ve mentioned it before but it definitely bears repeating, and that’s the fact that when it comes to instructional poker, there’s really nothing that can stand up against learning from the pros in person, such as at a poker clinic. Words from a book can be misinterpreted and most poker DVD’s focus on the basic fundamentals of poker, leaving more experienced players unsatisfied. And when it comes to cash (more…)
12 Dec 08 The Pros Respond to the WSOP Coverage
I recently posted an entry explaining my dislike of many of the aspects of the new method of showcasing the WSOP Final Table that ESPN undertook this year. Well, apparently I’m not alone, as a number of pokers best and brightest have voiced their criticisms of the program as well.
In an interview with Card Player TV, Mike Matusow explained, “If I was a fan, it’d be a big letdown. As far as that, I think it was a failure. As (more…)
07 Dec 08 WSOP Event #8 recap
Here’s the recap of WSOP event #8 – $10,000 World Championship Mixed Event, won by Anthony Rivera.
“Mixed Games” is a new event on this year’s WSOP schedule. This is the first time in history that a major poker tournament has included eight poker games.
These games include:
No-Limit Hold’emPot-Limit OmahaTriple-Draw LowballLimit Hold’emOmaha High-Low SplitRazzSeven-Card StudSeven-Card Stud Eight-or-Better
(more…)
06 Dec 08 WSOP Event #7 recap
Here’s the recap of WSOP event #7 – $2000 No-Limit Hold’em, won by Matt Keikoan.The $2,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em championship attracted 1,592 entrants. This was an increase over last year’s tournament size, which had 1,531 entries. The total prize pool amounted to $2,897,440. The top 153 finishers collected prize money.
The tournament was played over three days. On Day Three, the final table was dealt out on (more…)
05 Dec 08 WSOP Event #2 recap
As promised, here is the rundown of event #2 straight from the floor at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.
This tournament was truly history-making. With 3,929 total entries, it was the largest poker tournament in the 39-year history of the WSOP – amongst all non-Main Events. Only the 2005, 2006, and 2007 Main Events attracted more participants. Hence, this tournament currently ranks as the fourth-largest tournament (more…)
04 Dec 08 WSOP Event #11 recap
Here’s the recap of WSOP event #11 – the $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em Shootout., won by Phillip Tom.
The $5,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Shootout attracted 360 entrants. The total prize pool amounted to $1,692,000. The top 36 places (which included all players who progressed to the second round) each collected prize money.
A “Shootout” means the objective is to win all the chips at a table in order to advance (more…)
02 Dec 08 WSOP eBay Auction
With all my hobbies, I have become an avid collector of memorabilia and one of a kind items, poker included. Unique poker items though can be hard to come by, but thanks to Harrah’s, it looks like myself and other poker player across the globe will get the opportunity to grab some great World Series of Poker (WSOP) items.
Over 30 items are being placed into eBay auctions, with the crème a la crème being a very special poker table, (more…)
01 Dec 08 WSOP Event #10 recap
Here’s the recap of WSOP event #10 – $2,500 Omaha/Seven Card Stud Hi-Low-8 or Better, won by Farzad Rouhani.
The $2,500 buy-in Half Omaha High-Low Split / Half Seven-Card Stud High-Low Split event attracted 388 players, creating a prize pool totaling $892,400.
This tournament debuted at last year’s WSOP and attracted 327 players. Hence, the turnout was 16 percent higher this year.
These two games (more…)
