WSOP News

[jetset]

SPECTACULAR START TO DAY 1D AT WSOP

Poker Player Alliance chief starts the fourth Day 1 action

Former Senator and chairman Alfonse D'Amato of the pressure group Poker Players' Alliance was in Las Vegas to make the traditional "Shuffle Up and Deal" call that started Day 1D - the fourth and last Day One heat in this year's World Series of Poker.

D'Amato took the opportunity to appeal to cheering players to lobby their political representatives and ask them to repeal the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act before making the call, which was followed by a brassy clash that startled more than a few players until it was realised that a long-haired and elegantly suited player had turned impromptu cymbals virtuoso!

With that, some 1 474 contestants got down to business in a field that included former champ Jamie Gold, Gus Hansen, Steve Zolotow, Bill Edler, Daniel Negreanu, Chip Reese, Ralph Perry, Ed Moncada, Theo Jorgenson, David Benyamine, Erica Schoenberg, Eric Froehlich, Devon Miller,Freddy Deeb, Isaac Haxton, Joe Bartholdi, Carlos Mortenson, Fred Goldberg, Susie Isaacs, Martin de Knijff, Tomer Benvenisti, Padraig Parkinson, Dan Nelson, Van Marcus, David Chiu, Maria Ho, Brett "Gank" Jungblut, Young Phan, "Syracuse" Chris Tsiprailidis, Alan Boston, Brad Booth, Jeff Cabanillas, Christian Grundtvig, Ted Forrest, Leif Force and Doug "Rico" Carli.

Adding to the celeb glitz was movie and TV star Hank Azaria, although he unfortunately did not survive the first half of the contest.

Overflow from the Amazon Room was initially accommodated in the Bluff tented pavilion.

During the first half three notable events occurred. In the first Florida Congressman Robert Wexler, who has submitted a Bill to legalise online poker spoke to a group of players about his bill.

"A few months ago, the government made a big mistake," Wexler said, referring to the passage of Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. "They butted into the lives of Americans and told them they couldn't play poker. Poker is as much our pastime as baseball," Wexler told the audience. "It's a game of skill," he said as the crowd cheered.

He then joined the PPA call, urging the players to write their political representatives and support his proposed legislation that allows Americans to gamble on skill games, including poker.

The crowd again roared its approval, as Wexler and D'Amato continued their tour of the WSOP floor.

The second was the release of official figures showing that a total of 6 358 players entered the 2007 WSOP Main Event, creating a prizepool of $59 784 954 from which 621 places will be paid, and each player who cashes will be guaranteed at least $20 320. First place will win $8 250 000 - well short of last year's $12 million.

2 415 fewer players entered the Main Event in 2007 than in 2006, probably due to the barring of online poker sponsorship registrations.

Day 1 numbers look like this:

* Day 1A: 1 287
* Day 1B: 1 545
* Day 1C: 1 743
* Day 1D: 1 474

The third event was the traditionally late and attention grabbing arrival of Phil Hellmuth, replete in racing overalls and escorted by 11 challenge-striped costumed hotties representing his record 11 WSOP bracelets. Unfortunately, this is not Hellmuth's year for this main event, as he was eliminated well down the field.

Hellmuth may have been off his usual game following an incident the previous day when he crashed the UltimateBet sponsored racing car when the steering locked up on him in the Rio parking area during a publicity stunt.

Notable among Day 1D starters was the antethesis of the young guns - a 94 years old contestant named only as Mr. Ury, who became the oldest player yet in World Series of Poker history.

Eliminations soon started to create spaces at the tables. Among the early departures was Phil Hellmuth, 2007 champ Jamie Gold, Robert Williamson III, Erik Lindgren, Cyndy Violette, William Thorson, Steve Zolotow, Dutch Boyd, Freddy Deeb, Erica Schoenberg, Martin de Knijff, Tuan Le, Chip Reese, David Benyamine, young gun Jim Mackey, Antonio Esfandiari and Justin "Hux" Huxley.

STOP PRESS: Play in Day 1D ended at 03h46 Las Vegas time on the morning of Tuesday, July 10 with an (unofficial) count of 660 players remaining. This is the last of four Day 1's. Those who survived Days 1a and 1b will meet tomorrow in Day 2a. Those who survived Days 1c and 1d will play Wednesday for Day 2b. Unofficial estimates are that Josh Evans is in the chip lead with 240 000.

[jetset]

WSOP HISTORY

A look back at World Series of Poker stats

The World Series of Poker has shown impressive growth since 2003 when Internet poker player Chris Moneymaker took the main event bracelet and the money. The organisers have released interesting historical statistics on the recent development of the world's largest poker event:


WSOP Main Event Prizepools, 2003-2007

2003 WSOP Main Event

Players: 839
Prizepool: $7 802 700
Players Paid: 63 (7.50 percent of the field)
Minimum Prize: $15 000
Number of Millionaires: 2
First Prize: Chris Moneymaker: $2.5 million

2004 WSOP Main Event

Players: 2 576
Prizepool: $24 224 400
Players Paid: 226 (8.77 percent of the field)
Minimum Prize: $10 000
Number of Millionaires: 5
First Prize: Greg Raymer: $5 million

2005 WSOP Main Event

Players: 5 619
Prizepool: $52 818 610
Players Paid: 560 (9.97 percent of the field)
Minimum Prize: $12 500
Number of Millionaires: 9
First Prize: Joe Hachem: $7.5 million

2006 WSOP Main Event

Players: 8 773
Prizepool: $82 512 162
Players Paid: 876 (9.99 percent of the field)
Minimum Prize: $10 616
Number of Millionaires: 12
First Prize: Jamie Gold: $12 million

2007 WSOP Main Event
Players: 6 358
Prizepool: $59 784 954
Players Paid: 621 (9.77 percent of the field)
Minimum Prize: $20 320
Number of Millionaires: 5
First Prize: $8 250 000

[winbig]

Jamie Gold is playing in Day 1D currently underway.

Should have added that he has already been eliminated,

rofl....So it's just not me that thinks his win was a fluke?

[tennis_balls]

rofl....So it's just not me that thinks his win was a fluke?

i don't think it was a fluke.......do you think Johnny Chan would agree to act as coach to just anybody?

the guy had some incredible luck last year, but he did play well. he was the chip leader in one of this years events when he lost a huge pot to a guy who hit a one-outer. I think the guy is annoying as all hell with the way he flaps his yap, but it sure seems to provoke some stupid calls.

[happygobrokey]

anyone that wins it in this modern era is a fluke. you have to not get sucked out on >10 times in races to make it even to the final table. to win against 5000+ others is going to take luck. the skill is always having the best of it when the money goes in, but the cards can kill anyone at any time.

[winbig]

My point exactly. He was catching cards like crazy through most of the tournament.

And re: Chan....I'm sure he'd be your coach if the price is right

[jetset]

MORE PROS FALL AS WSOP DAY 2A ENDS

350 survivors go through from starter field estimated at over a 1 000

Main event action over the past twenty four hours has included the completion of Day 2A, which started with a field of 1 037 players who prevailed in Days 1A and B, and played late into Tuesday night before the target of 350 survivors was reached. These players will combine with the survivors of Day 2B for the next leg of the main event on Thursday of this week.

Wednesday's Day 2B contest will see a somewhat larger field comprised of the victorious players from Days 1C and D slugging it out for a position on Day 3 Thursday.

Surprise elimination late in the Day2A leg was the elimination of David "The Dragon" Pham, but he was preceded to the exit door by a string of other big names busted out of their chance at the biggest money in poker, including Gene Strickland, Joe Sebok, former champ Tom McEvoy, Adam Richardson, young gun Jeff Madsen, "Miami" John Cernuto, 2007 WSOP Player of the Year Tom Schneider, Evelyn Ng, The Hendon Mob's Ross Boatman, Barry Greenstein, Paul Wasicka, Tony G, Dan Harrington, Mark Seif, Patrik Antonius, Rhett Butler, who finished fifth in last year's Main Event for more than $3.2 million, former WSOP champ Joe Hachem, television host Montel Williams (who was the first casualty of Day 2A) and the mother of 2006 champion Jamie Gold, Jane Gold.

Surviving the slaughter was Spiderman movie star Tobey McGuire, but Everybody Loves Raymond star Brad Garrett did not make it through the afternoon.

Other well respected names who managed to make it into the list of 350 players going forward included Kenny Tran, Scotty Nguyen, Huck Seed. John Duthie, Kirk Morrison, Jared Hanby, Cliff Josephy, John Dutchak, Tinten Olivier, Robert Mizrachi, Bruno Fitoussi, Richard Lee, poker journalist Dennis Waterman and film director and writer Todd Phillips.

Phillips was in trouble for using inappropriate language and was slapped with a penalty round, after making comments about another player that he claimed were in jest. He still managed to finish 21st with a chip count of 310 000.

The chip leaders at the end of play looked to be Jon Moonves on 570 000, Jeff Bangart (551 000) and Tuan Lam (515 000)

[Mousey]

Appreciate the updates, Jetset.

Looking back at the numbers you posted for each of the last several years and the increase of main event participants each year, we might have had 10k+ players this year, without UIGEA.

[jetset]

INTERNET PARTICIPATION COULD HAVE ADDED 4 000 MORE PLAYERS TO WSOP MAIN EVENT

More players equals more excitement and bigger prizes...but not in this year's main event.

With the recent release of World Series of Poker main event statistics there has been wide speculation both in Las Vegas and the US media generally on the impact that excluding WSOP registrations flowing from Internet poker tournaments may have had.

Following the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, which forbids financial transactions with online gambling sites, late last year WSOP organisers Harrah's decided to exclude winners of sponsored Internet poker seats from registration. This did not stop online poker rooms from running tournaments with WSOP packages as prizes, but winners had to make their own private arrangements to enter, creating hassles and reducing registrations.

According to WSOP figures, the main event now underway has drawn 6 358 entrants, down about 27 percent from last year's record turnout of 8 773. And last year's top prize of $12 million for the winner puts this year's predicted $8.25 million from a still impressive prize-pool of $59.7 million in the shade.

The Las Vegas Sun reports that poker experts are speculating that at least 4 000 more players would have signed up for the WSOP Main Event were it not for the restrictions on Internet entries. This would have sent the total registrations into record five-figure territory.

"As it was," the newspaper comments, "the culprit for the drop-off was the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, which made it more cumbersome for Americans to move money to and from online gambling sites and prompted some online poker rooms to pull out of the U.S. market.

"It also changed the dynamics of how players who won a World Series of Poker entry online - an estimated 55 percent of last year's field was generated by Internet qualifiers - actually registered for the tournament."

The Sun goes on to explain how Internet satellites and WSOP seat registrations were previously organised in a smooth, speedy and professional manner directly by the online poker rooms, ending with the pertinent comment that following the ban, poker rooms now award the winner with the value of the prize package direct, leaving him or her to make their own WSOP arrangements.

The newspaper hits the nail on the head when it remarks: "Consider what that means to the guy in Dubuque, Iowa, who won a World Series main event satellite online. He has to inform his wife that he's going to take $12 000 in cash, leave her with the kids in the middle of the summer and disappear to Las Vegas for a couple of weeks. Tough sell, huh?"

Nevertheless, viewed in its totality, the World Series of Poker this year drew a record 54 288 registrants for a total prize pool of more than $159 million. It included the single busiest day in World Series history, when 3 151 players competed in a $1 500 hold 'em tournament on June 30 - a record for a non-main event. And this year 621 players will be in the money bubble for at least $20 320 each, thanks to a "flatter" payout scale that awards more prize money to players finishing farther down the main event list.


DAY 2B REFINES MAIN EVENT LIST FURTHER

459 survivors from a starter field of 1 303
Day 2B action ended late last (Wednesday) night at the World Series of Poker Main Event in the Amazon Room of the Rio in Las Vegas with a starting field of 1 303 reduced to 459 by the end of play.

Those 459 survivors will now move into Day 3 of the Main Event, combining for the first time with the 350 players who remained in the game at the end of the Day 2A heat on Tuesday.

Once again there was a good measure of professionals in the hunt, and many of them fell before the day's play ended just after midnight Thursday morning. Among the fallen were 2005 Player of the Year and 2006 main event final tabler Allen Cunningham, Daniel Negreanu despite some brilliant playing, Bill Gazes, Seinfeld star Jason Alexander, who won much respect, Steve Dannemann, Phil Gordon, Padraig Patterson, Chris Moneymaker - the 2003 WSOP champ who qualified on the Internet, Matt Russell, Michael Binger, 1991 WSOP champ Brad Daugherty, David Plastik and Eric Hershler.

When play ended the top chip counts looked like this:

Rain Khan 580,000

Gus Hansen 530,000

Brent Sheirbon 525,000

Robert Nehorayan 510,000

Bill Edler 510,000

Day 2B action started promptly at noon with the first victim of the day Tom Daly - followed by Vinnie Vinh only 19 minutes into play. Vinh is something of an enigma; he ended the Day 1D heat with 3 200 in chips. He had over 30 000 around dinner break in the heat when he just disappeared. He did not take up his seat after the break and was consequently blinded down and his empty chair advanced to Day 2B. There were rumours that he may not pitch at all for Day 2B, but he showed up, albeit for a very brief time.

Another notable elimination was that of Jack Ury, at 94 the oldest player yet in the WSOP Main Event. He was busted out around half an hour into the game by Phil Gordon, who was himself eliminated later in the day.

During the first hour of play, 136 players busted out, leaving 1 169 players remaining.

Rick Salomon, who rose to fame as the very visible lover of socialite Paris Hilton in the sex video scandal headed for the rail on the two hour mark.

Just over 4 hours into the competition there were 810 players still active on 90 tables when Eric Hershler walked to the exit doors, followed minutes later by 2003 WSOP champion Chris Moneymaker. Other former World champs fared better - with the 2000, 2001, and 2002 World Champions all still playing: Chris Ferguson, Carlos Mortensen and Robert Varkonyi. Other world champions still in through other heats are Huck Seed and Berry Johnston.

Following th dinner break an estimated 648 players took up their seats, with the Michael Binger and Daniel Negreanu exits the next notable events

By 12.20am Thursday morning it was over - approximately 459 players will now combine with the 350 who lasted through Day 2A to move into Day 3 of the main event, with all remaining entrants playing under the same roof, at the same time.

There is some formidable playing power going forward from Day 2 B - Chad Brown, JC Tran, Francois Saffieddine, Daniel Alaei, Bill Edler, Thor Hansen, Ted Forrest, Jeff Norman, Todd Brunson, Carlos Mortenson, Humberto Brenes, Chris Ferguson, Isaac Haxton, Gavin Smith, Amnon Filippi, Lee Watkinson, Gus Hansen and Sorel Mizzi are all still alive and kicking!

[jetset]

WSOP DAY 3 A HUMDINGER

Money bubble bursts and attrition rates high thereafter

With a starter field still a-glitter with top names from around the planet Day 3 of the World Series of Poker Main Event was always going to be an exciting experience for the 797 survivors from Day 2A and Day 2B, who combined under the same roof for Day 3 on Thursday afternoon at the Rio in Las Vegas. Six former WSOP champions were still in the starter field - Carlos Mortensen, Scotty Nguyen, Huck Seed, Robert Varkonyi, Chris Ferguson and Berry Johnston.

The added attraction of the money bubble bursting at the 622 elimination mark, offering the prospect of an exciting minimum payout of $20 320 to every player who remained thereafter had the Amazon Room buzzing from both a player and spectator perspective.

Gus Hansen started Day 3 as chip leader, with 622 300 chips against the field average of 159 548. The phenominal Internet multi-tabler Hevad Khan was not far behind at 592 500 followed by Jeff "Mr. Rain" Banghart (570 100) Jeff Weiss (550 000) and Jon Monves (549 800)

The first players were out within minutes and the attrition rate was at a fast steady pace until the money bubble hove into site and play predictably slowed to a crawl. One praiseworthy event pre-bubble occurred at Table 205, where every player committed to donating 1 percent of their future main event winnings to Phil Gordon's charity "Bad Beat on Cancer."

Three hours into play Kenny Tran was the first to hit the million chips mark, surrounded by chips and creating a great photo opportunity for fans and media alike.

A special prize was announced, too - the final nine players to bubble the WSOP Main Event, finishing in positions 622-630 will participate in a single table sit-n-go, where the winner will receive a $10 000 seat into the 2008 WSOP Main Event, along with a year's supply of beer from the official sponsor, Milwaukee's Best.

After over 90 minutes of play it appeared that a Strongsville, OH player called John Sigan was the bubble boy for the 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event. Tournament Director Jack Effel asked everyone to give him a big hand and John was applauded by 621 relieved contestants. After that, the action and eliminations picked up significantly.

Notable eliminations included Gavin Smith (taken out by Christian Togsverd) closely followed by former WSOP tournament director Bob Daily. Top player David Williams, already out of the main event was there to see his mother Shirley give a very creditable performance, lasting well into the game before being taken out in 465th place by Brock Parker to collect $29 883.

Another woman player who gave a good account of herself was Pamela Brunson, who became the last of the famous Brunson poker clan to exit the 2007 main event in 364th place with $39 445 and in good company - 357th Robert Mizrachi and 352nd Christian Toth.

There were inevitably isolated incidents of unpleasantness, thankfully few. Perhaps the most noticable was a player who, facing elimination slammed his fist down on the table so hard that it made the chips on the table jump. There was worse to follow - when the hit came and he knew he'd been eliminated, he tipped the entire table over before being escorted from the venue. Thankfully his fellow players managed to hold on to their chips.

By the end of the day only 337 players - all now in the serious money - remained to go forward to Day 4, including major players like Gus Hansen, Humberto Brenes, Chad Brown, Jason Lester, Lee Watkinson, David Levi, Brandon Adams, and Mimi Tran, and top online players including Sorel 'Imper1um' Mizzi, Jared 'Waco Kid' Hamby, Darrell 'Gigabet' Dicken, Hevad 'Rain' Khan, Matt 'Mattster24' Sterling, and Peter 'Nordberg' Feldman.

Those six former WSOP champs had been whittled down to five following the disappointingly early elimination of 2000 WSOP champ Chris Ferguson by Bill Childs. 2007 WSOP bracelet winners Bill Edler and Alex Kravchenko are still in the hunt for poker's biggest prize money, along with respected veterans like Billy Baxter, Hans 'Tuna' Lund, and Mike Laing.

On the celebrity front, the day started with Spiderman actor Tobey Maguire and Godsmack lead singer Sully Erna, who remain in contention, and movie writer and director Todd Phillips who doesn't - he exited in the money in 380th placing late in the day.

Hal Lubarsky, who is visually impaired and uses a "whisperer" to read the cards is still in there with a chance - the second person with such a disability to play in this year's main event.

In unofficial estimates it looks as if a spectacular Italian player, Dario Minieri from Rome, who is both fearless and aggressive, has emerged as the chip leader with around 2.5 million chips after a day where the million chip mark was often exceeded, firstly by Kenny Tran and then others as fortunes see-sawed.

The remaining 337 players will now play another five levels on Friday, and then play down to the final 27 players on Day 5 (Saturday) Each of those 27 players will receive at least $333 490.

Day 6 (Sunday) will be the deciding day for the nine seats at the final table, where at least $525 934 is guaranteed for each player, five of the finishers will take home over a million dollars, and the winner takes the $8.25 million main prize. Those final table nine will have a rest day Monday to prepare themselves for the final battle for supremacy in this year's main event on Tuesday.