2009 WSOP Schedule

At last we have a somewhat delayed WSOP schedule for 2009.

Some thoughts:

Lots of events at $2500 and below should make for some decent field
sizes this year and help solve some of the issues regarding higher
buy-ins and 'the downturn' or whatever they are calling it now. I'm
not sure how much effect currency rates will have, but I have seen a
couple of European players downscaling their schedule due to quite
rapid changes between the Pound/Euro and the Dollar. Last year it cost
me just over £5,000 to play the $10,00 Main Event, this year it would
set me back over £7,000.

I really hope they televise the $40k even they are holding to
celebrate the 40th anniversary of the WSOP. It should attract a field
of decent players, and they'll be starting so deep (800 BB's by my
calculations) that you could sit out the first day and still be pretty
comfortable. It should throw up some interesting deep stack
situations, although I realise this isn't necessarily what the average
ESPN viewer wants to see.

The removal of the rebuy events is probably a good thing and a less
complicated 'I can only lose $x' approach might bring in the fish a
bit more. I don't think the arguments about being able to 'buy' a
WSOP bracelet are well founded, but there was one event last year ($5k
rebuy 2-7 lowball?) that was a bit silly really.

The first weekend sees the introduction of a $1k NLHE event, which is
going to be mental. 2k starting stacks and litterlayy thousands of
players is going to throw the Rio into absolute mayhem for two days.
It should be a lot of fun. Also, I wonder if they have been looking
at the mega field turbo tournies online and thinking 'we could do
that'

As for my own plans, I hope to get out there at some point, but as
ever my job will have the final say. It's a busy time of year
hopefully I'll get lucky enough to make it out to Vegas for a week.
Not really thought about trying to qualify for the ME this year, in
fact I might not even bother.