We pick up the last and most exciting week of the 39th World Series of Poker just having gone over one of the marquis events of the tournament the 50k H.O.R.S.E. event and that leaves the lead up to the grand daddy of them all. This week starts off with one World Championship event and is culminated not with another but with the Casino Employee event, I know what a let down. That’s ok because the week contains the beginning of the Main Event so let’s get to it.

Event #50 World Championship Pot Limit Omaha Sunday June 29th 12pm

As we mentioned we are starting off with another 10k World Championship event this one in Pot Limit Omaha. This event is one of the top 5 most sought after bracelets along with H.O.R.S.E., Main, 2-7 Triple Draw (no limit), and Seven Card Stud. It is a marquis event that will attract a lot of action from the best in the world. Last year this event drew 314 entrants who all competed for their share in just under 3 million in prize money. In the end Full Tilt’s Michael “the grinder” Mizrachi got his first taste of World Series hardware after outlasting the field and reigning supreme. Some of his competition included but not limited to Patrik Antonius 3rd, Marco Traniello (Husband of Jen Harman) 5th, Doyle Brunson 6th, David Chiu (Full Tilt Pro) 10th, Andy Bloch 11th, Scotty Nguyen 15th, Annie Duke 17th and Joe Beevers (Full Tilt Pro) 34th. That’s just a small taste of the Field what a final table to sit ouch that’s a tight one.

This year should have similar numbers as with the 10k and the nature of PLO it’s tough for most regular weekend players to attempt such a buy-in. Here is the craziest part this event has a kinda of re-buy feature in that for all tournaments at the WSOP you receive 2 chips for every dollar in buy-in. Well in this event you start with 10k in chips and the blinds increase every 60 minutes, but here’s the catch if you go bust you get another 10k in chips one time and if at the end of the add-on period (Blind Level 3 or 3 hours) you get a 10k bump up. So that should create some interesting action changes, which is niece cause it takes some the hurt out of flopping a wrap straight draw (Open-ended on both sides of 2 cards i.e. you have 4589 and the flop is 67 it’s also know as a 20 outer str8 draw) and flush draw and losing so you get a second crack at it. So good luck to those who attempt this event may you come home with the Gold (well in this case silver).

Event #51 H.O.R.S.E. Sunday June 29th 5pm

This is the 3rd H.O.R.S.E. event of this year’s championship and should prove to have the largest field with a buy-in @ $1,500. This event will replace the S.H.O.E. (Stud hi, Hold’em, Omaha hi/lo, stud hi/lo Eight or better) event from last years WSOP. The Field last year was 730 @ $1,000 buy-in that left first place with 157 thousand dollars. This number should go out by a fair margin, in that a field of 1100 – 1400 could easily be expected. This would leave first place in the $250,000 range but could still be easily higher then that. All players will begin day 1 with 3,000 chips and battle it out in 60 minute levels over 3 days.

Event #52 No Limit Hold’em Monday June 30th 12pm

Well here we have the last of the $1,500 events and I don’t know what I can really say to add to what I have so for more info refer back to previous articles where I cover $1,500 No-limit Hold’em events.

Event #53 Limit Hold’em Shootout Tuesday July 1st 12pm

This is the second shootout event of the championship this one in limit hold’em. Last year this tournament was one by the one and only Ram Vaswani who gained fame by absolutely dominating the EPT a couple years ago and this was his first time conquering the WSOP. He battled 720 others in the road to $217,438 and the famous bracelet. Players will begin this event with 3k in chips and battle over 60 minute levels. This event should see a drastic increase due to the players who bust out the day before in the $1,500 No-limit event who will be looking for a second kick at the can.

Ante Up for Africa Wednesday July 2nd 2pm

This is a charity to help support the impoverished continent of Africa hosted by Don Cheadle and Annie Duke Ante Up for Africa will be in it’s second year this year and hopes to build on the success of last year. The event has a 5k buy-in which gives the players 10k in chips. Some of the proceeds raised go to charity and the rest makes up the prize pool. Last years winner took home just under 200k, in this event blinds go up every 20 minutes. Well Good Luck Mr. Cheadle I would like to wish you another successful year.

Event #54 World Championship No Limit Hold’em Thursday July 3rd 12pm

Well here we are! Finally the Grand Daddy of them all the Main Event. This year should see a field similar to last year of 6,358 where Jerry Yang emerged victorious and walked away with 8.25 million in cash! Congrats Jerry don’t pull a “Money maker” and go out on the first day this year only joking Chris we all love you. In the main event players begin with 20K in chips and play over 120 minute levels. Players may select what day to start on either Day 1A/B/C/D with a cap of 3000 players each day. All players will play to the end of level 5 on day 1, and then the action will pick up again July 8th with day 2A which will be comprised of players from Day 1A & 1B, then those players from Day 1C & 1D will play on July 9th in Day 2B on both these days players will play another 5 levels.

On Day 3 all the remaining players from 2A and 2B will be combined and from there on all players will be playing together at all times. On day 3 they will again play 5 levels and to put that in perspective that’s 10 hours of avoiding the proverbial cold deck. Day 4 will commence on July 11th, Day 5 on July 12th both these days players play 5 levels. July 13th marks the start of Day 6 where players play till only 27 remain and then break this could take 1 hour or 15 hours either way they don’t stop till only 27 are left in the room.

The final 3 tables kick off Day 7 on July 14th, and they play to the final 9 that will comprise the all so famous final table of the Main Event and same as day 6 they play till only 9 remain no matter how long that takes. July 15th is a day off for the players who have played either 5 straight or 6 straight days of WSOP poker. July 16th is the final table which can be seen live on PPV. The player who wins this event goes down in poker lore either for what they did great or what they did awful but either way they’ll be talked about for a long time to come.

Event #55 Casino Employee No Limit Hold’em Monday July 7th 12pm

For the first time this event will not mark the opening day of the WSOP since it’s inception in 2001. This year it will occur during the day off between day 1D and day 2A of the main event see above. This event is open only to players who work for a Casino in any capacity. The buy-in of $500 is the lowest of the WSOP. This event is open to all casino employees including Harrah’s Employee’s provided they are not dealing any portion of the 39th WSOP.

I played in this event last year it is a great event with believe it or not really great players. All players begin with 2k in chips and blinds increase every 60 minutes. The numbers this year could easily pass 1,500 if not 2,000, last year there was a player that arrived to my table at the end of the 1st level (the cut off for buy-ins) who had been inline since noon that day and we even started an hour late at 6pm. These waits where due to the fact that the majority of the players where inline for the the $1,500 event 3 that was to begin the next day. So with the moving of this event those problems will be gone and you could see a massive field. Last year 1,039 entered and first place left with $104,701, I busted out after 7 hours finishing in 260 well hopefully this year I can cash in what ever event I play.

Well to those of you who have taken the time to read these reviews thanks a lot for your support and if you choose to play may I wish the best of luck to!!! And hopefully you can become a Poker Star over night well 13 days but who’s counting.

By Staypuff.