After my last article we left off with Event 8, (which you can find here) the true test of the all around player. In this review we will cover Events 9 – 16. In these events we start to see more of the other forms of poker such as Omaha Hi/low as well as a short handed event and a shootout. Well lets get to it shall we.

Event #9 No-limit Hold’em 6 handed Thursday June 5th 2008 12pm
Short handed events such as this one are a lot of fun and present a special challenge to the players as in a short handed setting so many more hands are playable. Last years event drew 1,427 entrants making a prize pool of just under $2,000,000 and leaving first place with an impressive $481,698. This year those numbers will likely go up a little bit but for the most part stay the same. At $1,500 this event is not only a lot of fun but affordable. This event will run over 3 days will 3,000 in chips and 60 minute levels.

Event #10 Omaha/Stud 8 Hi-Low 8 or better Thursday June 5th 2008 5pm
This is a mixed event where you will be playing both Omaha Hi/low and Seven card stud Hi/low. Many inexperienced players consider Hi/low to be a game of less skill purely due to there own ignorance and non-understanding of the basic fundamentals involved in split pot action. This event is going to keep the same buy-in as last year at $2,500. To give you an idea of the type of field you will see the 300 – 350 entrants will be up against you can look at last years top 10. Finishing first was WSOP Player of the Year Tom Schneider, in 3rd Annie Duke, in 4th Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, in 6th Super high limit cash specialist David Benyamine, in 8th John “Razor” Phan, in 9th Josh Arieh and in 10th Scotty Nguyen. Now if that’s not an impressive top 10 I have no clue what would be. First place can expect about the same as last year around a quarter million dollars. This event is 3 days and can expect to be on ESPN again this year. Players will start with 5,000 in chips and 60 minute levels.

Event #11 No-limit Hold’em Shootout Friday June 6th 2008 12pm
Shootouts are a lot of fun, a shootout runs like a sit & go so you don’t move on till you have won your table. In normal tournament play as players are eliminated the tables are re-balanced, this is not the case in a shootout as you don’t move on to another table until you have all the chips at your table. It’s hard to say how many entrants this event as it’s a new buy-in level this year. The problem is that typically you would have either 100 players or a 1000 so I really can’t say much more as far as prize money. I would like to think they can sell out this event as they did last year and the only reason for upping the buy-in was that there was so much demand for the event. It is a 3 day event players will receive 10,000 in chips and levels will last 60 minutes.

Event #12 Limit Hold’em Friday June 6th 5pm
This is the first Limit hold’em event of the WSOP, Limit Hold’em games seem to have gone by the way side unfortunately as again players feel there is no skill involved in this type of poker. The event will have a $1,500 buy-in and should draw around 1,000 entrants leaving first place with around $300,000. Players will receive 3,000 starting chips with levels going up every hour, the event will be played over 3 days.

Event #13 No-limit Hold’em Saturday June 7th 12pm
This No-limit event carries a $2,500 buy-in which will narrow the field a little as of course the higher the buy-in the less the majority of players can afford to play. The event should still draw around 1,100 entrants which will create a pay day of around half a million to the winner. This three day event should get coverage from WSOP Live. Blinds will increase every hour and players begin with 5,000 in chips.

Event #14 World Championship Seven Card Stud Saturday June 7th 5pm
This is the next of the World Championship events, with that comes a $10K buy-in. ESPN should have coverage of this event as it is expected to be littered with Pro Players. To give you an idea last year this was a $5,000 buy-in Event and the players that cashed include (Chris Reslock 1st, Phil Ivey 2nd, David Oppenheim 3rd, Marco Traniello 8th and Johnny Chan 18th). Stud although not widely played by the general poker player is still the game of choice of many top players as it requires such a more in-depth ability to read your fellow player. This event should see a field of around 200 and leave the winner with about $400,000. Players will begin play with 20,000 in chips and blinds will last 60 minutes.

Event #15 Ladies No-limit Hold’em World Championship Sunday June 8th 12pm
This is the first of the non-open events, only women are allowed to enter. With a $1,000 buy-in it is a great event to get the ladies in that are good at poker but don’t feel comfortable with the bigger buy-ins of the open events. Last year this event drew and impressive 1,286 women and should increase slightly. The one knock on this event over the last few years is that some of the top women typically don’t enter as they feel that the earning potential isn’t high enough due to the small buy-in and larger field. The only recognizable name to cash last night was Poker Stars Pro Katja Thater she finished 5th. The top prize last year was just over $260,000 and should be the same this time around. The ladies will begin the day with 2,000 in chips and 60 minute levels.

Event #16 Omaha Hi-Low Split 8 or better Sunday June 8th 5pm
This event is one that I am really leaning towards as it should draw a highly competitive field and at $2,000 buy-in it’s still reasonable. It will be played over 3 days, and is a bracelet that comes with a lot of respect in the poker community. Last year an impressive 534 players entered and created a prize pool of just under one million dollars. First placed went home with $240,000 and some of the players that cashed include (Marcel Luske 3rd, John Juanda 10th and Todd Brunson 43rd). It is a 3 day event with 60 minute levels and 4,000 starting chips.

Well that is all for now Look for my review of the next few events very soon!! Till then stay safe and play good cards and leave the luck at the door.

By Staypuff