With the WSOP Main Event well under way I thought I'd share some of my favourite stories so far:
Phil Hellmuth's Entrance was pretty ridiculus. He's going to have to die soon because there is no way he can keep topping this year after year. I'd like to put him in touch with Naseem Hamed about using a magic carpet to get him to his seat next year.
Everyone winning multiple bracelets (Ivey, Parker, Lisandro (3!) and Mueller) is also something I'm a big fan of. I know the some of the fields for this win weren't that big, but I think it goes some way to showing that poker is a game of skill, and not a complete lottery.
Ivey winning his bracelet prop bet. You guys were mental to bet against him when he's motivated. I wonder if he'll get action next year?
Tales of terrible play. People checking the nuts behind (a few of these) and a couple where people were confused (sometimes in epic pots) when the chips get pulled their way when they hold 88 on a 855 board vs 85 or similar. Poker is alive and well in 2009, even in $10,000 buy-in events...
WSOP Standings on the official site. You mean the USA are winning the most events with the most cashes in a 'world series' held in America with fields populated by 90% Americans? Wow.
Showing posts with label WSOP 2009. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WSOP 2009. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
WSOP 2009
It's finally that time of year again and in the Rio, Las Vegas, several thousand miles away from where I'm sitting, a bunch of casino employees are rifling chips and playing the first event of 2009 World Series of Poker.
Unfortunately work has been far too busy of late for me to get much poker in, but the first event of the WSOP always gets me excited.
It seems like some poker players arrivals were delayed somewhat today by the presence of one of the most famous airplanes in the world. It would appear that Barack Obama landed at McCarren airport today just in time for the first event of the WSOP.
Although I'd love to think he's here for tomorrows $40k NLHE event, it looks like he's in town on a bit of a fundraising mission for upcoming Democratic campaigns.
He may also drop by to see Oscar Goodman, the Mayor of Las Vegas after some comments he made about Vegas (and bankers):
"You can't get corporate jets. You can't go take a trip to Las Vegas or go down to the Super Bowl on the taxpayers' dime. There's got to be some accountability and some responsibility.”
Somewhat ironic then that he should jet into Vegas on Air Force One, fully funded by the taxpayer of course, after making this comment. I'm sure I'm not the first (and certainly won't be the last) to point that out. To be perfectly fair to Obama, of whom I am a huge fan, how the hell else are you going to get to a city in the middle of the desert?
There is also news he's meeting with WSOP commissioner Jeffrey Pollack and a number of pros, which can only mean good things for the world of poker.
Unfortunately work has been far too busy of late for me to get much poker in, but the first event of the WSOP always gets me excited.
It seems like some poker players arrivals were delayed somewhat today by the presence of one of the most famous airplanes in the world. It would appear that Barack Obama landed at McCarren airport today just in time for the first event of the WSOP.
Although I'd love to think he's here for tomorrows $40k NLHE event, it looks like he's in town on a bit of a fundraising mission for upcoming Democratic campaigns.
He may also drop by to see Oscar Goodman, the Mayor of Las Vegas after some comments he made about Vegas (and bankers):
"You can't get corporate jets. You can't go take a trip to Las Vegas or go down to the Super Bowl on the taxpayers' dime. There's got to be some accountability and some responsibility.”
Somewhat ironic then that he should jet into Vegas on Air Force One, fully funded by the taxpayer of course, after making this comment. I'm sure I'm not the first (and certainly won't be the last) to point that out. To be perfectly fair to Obama, of whom I am a huge fan, how the hell else are you going to get to a city in the middle of the desert?
There is also news he's meeting with WSOP commissioner Jeffrey Pollack and a number of pros, which can only mean good things for the world of poker.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Improved WSOP Structure
“It’s a tough economy, so we wanted to make sure our poker players were getting the most value,”
If that's what it takes to get more starting chips and extra levels at the WSOP this year then I'm all for it.
It looks like the $1500 events will be starting with $4500 chips now, as supposed to $3000. I think the added levels will have the biggest impact though. If they add a 75/150 level the early stages of the smaller events will allow for a lot more play, especially when players are starting with an extra 1500 chips. As the events get deeper there should be more chips in play, which can only be good news. I'm sure they will still be a bit of a crapshoot, but it's a step in the right direction. It remains to be seen how much longer it will take to finish he events however, those going deep in weekend $1500 event are probably in for some long hours at the tables.
The Main Event will start with 30,000 chips this year instead of the 20k stacks players have started with for the lest few years. I'm sure this is partly because they need to have a consistent dollar value (3x) for tournament chips (otherwise you could potentially take chips from an event where you get more for your buy-in) but should also have some interesting implications for what is already a deep starting stack.
It should make it even funnier when people stack off with top pair on the flop this year. With 300 BB's that's going to take some doing.
If that's what it takes to get more starting chips and extra levels at the WSOP this year then I'm all for it.
It looks like the $1500 events will be starting with $4500 chips now, as supposed to $3000. I think the added levels will have the biggest impact though. If they add a 75/150 level the early stages of the smaller events will allow for a lot more play, especially when players are starting with an extra 1500 chips. As the events get deeper there should be more chips in play, which can only be good news. I'm sure they will still be a bit of a crapshoot, but it's a step in the right direction. It remains to be seen how much longer it will take to finish he events however, those going deep in weekend $1500 event are probably in for some long hours at the tables.
The Main Event will start with 30,000 chips this year instead of the 20k stacks players have started with for the lest few years. I'm sure this is partly because they need to have a consistent dollar value (3x) for tournament chips (otherwise you could potentially take chips from an event where you get more for your buy-in) but should also have some interesting implications for what is already a deep starting stack.
It should make it even funnier when people stack off with top pair on the flop this year. With 300 BB's that's going to take some doing.
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