official WSOP 2006 thread
 

WSOP starts tomorrow with the dealers event, real thing starts tuesday.

awesome.....i've been wondering when this was gonna start. Sure a quick google search would have ended that curiosity but thats just not my style. Any word on how many participants?

the wsop is a series of events. the 10,000 no limit event starts july 28th

I can't wait for the $50,000 buy in HORSE event. (rounds of play alternating between hold 'em (H), Omaha eight or better (O), razz (R), seven card stud (S) and seven card stud eight or better (E))

Anyone going to set up a WSOP Fantasy contest? That was pretty fun last year.

Oh thanks for reminding me. I have to set up the pool!

Subby, QuikSand, Malificent and I will all be there in a couple of weeks playing in one of the prelim events.

Bring home a bracelet for FOFC!

Getting pretty excited. :)

We are playing in event #17 - the 1K NL 3-day event. I am going to try and qualify but will just buy directly in if I donk out after a few tries.

When we originally made the reservations, the 2-7 triple draw event was going to start while we were there, but they have since changed the schedule and now they'll be running the 50K HORSE event instead.

Last weekend my friend was playing at a casino outside of Louisville and ended up at a $1/$2 NL table with Men the Master. My friend asked Men, "Your nickname is 'The Master.' What are you doing playing $1/$2 outside of Louisville?" Men told him that the World Series was coming up, so he was brushing up on playing bad players.

Good luck all. Be sure to have an answer ready if you-know-who asks, "Do you know who I am?"

Can we get some FOFC shirts made up for you guys to wear as representation?

ESPN's TV schedule for the WSOP was released:

hxxp://www.cardplayer.com/poker_news/news_story/1100?class=PokerNews

That 50K horse event looks pretty odd in the middle of a bunch of 1.5K and 2.5K events.

I'll be in Vegas this weekend. I think at least one from our group is going to play in the $2000 NLHE event on Saturday. i will probably stick to the nightly second chance tournaments.

What's the rule on spoilers? The final table of the WSoP Tourney of Champions is today and it look pretty good...

It's not soccer or anything. Spoil away.

Considering that they don't air the events until months after they actually happen, I'm not worried about things getting spoiled. Except for maybe spoilers in the main event, I'll probably forget by the time they actually air on TV anyway. :)

Cool. I've been mostly playing NL MT tourneys on PokerStars. Hopefully I get good enough that I feel comfortable doing one of these next year.

Tournament of Champs Main Final Table

They start with 27, pulling from winners at the circuit events, the 05 ME final table, invitees (like Brunson, et. al.) and a contest winner.

And we get this:

1. Andrew Black - $94,175 (Seat 6)
2. Daniel Negreanu - $44,325 (Seat 5)
3. Daniel Bergsdorf - $24,500 (Seat 10)
4. Thang "Kido"� Pham - $23,825 (Seat 1)
5. Mike "The Mouth"� Matusow - $21,300 (Seat 4)
6. Chris "Jesus"� Ferguson - $16,600 (Seat 2)
7. Mike Sexton - $16,100 (Seat 7)
8. Darrell Dicken - $15,425 (Seat 3)
9. Gus Hansen - $7,375 (Seat 8)
10. Chris Reslock - $6,375 (Seat 9)


Black has a nice chip lead, but I remember him being pretty susceptible to blowing up if the right situation comes up.

Payout:

$1,000,000
$325,000
$250,000
$150,000
$100,000
$75,000
$50,000
$25,000
$25,000

Mike Sexton? Guy must have been dealt some great hands. You blow on him he folds.

Darrell Dicken's a 2+2 guy, isn't he? Gigabet?

edit: spelling

Interesting, ESPN's changing WSOP coverage this year, showing the main event before any other WSOP tournament..

ESPN Releases Summer and Fall WSOP TV Schedule
Tuesday Is Poker Night at the Worldwide Leader

The World Series of Poker starts today, and ESPN’s cameras will be there to capture much of the poker action. Starting only a dozen days after the WSOP’s main event ends on Aug. 10, ESPN will begin to air the main event championship in 12 one-hour shows every Tuesday at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m.

If fans can’t wait until September to get a glimpse of final table live action, ESPN is making the final table available for pay-per-view purchase for a suggested retail price of $24.95. The final table starts at Aug. 10 at 3 p.m. EST. and can be viewed through the cable networks or through computers.

Of course, if fans want to follow all the WSOP poker action for free, they should visit CardPlayer.com’s full tournament coverage page here.

ESPN starts airing coverage of the rest of the WSOP starting Oct. 3. It will air 10 one-hour shows of various tournaments. Its WSOP broadcast schedule ends on Halloween.

But ESPN’s Tuesday poker night coverage kicks off July 18, when it starts airing some of the WSOP Circuit events that have taken place throughout the year. The complete broadcast schedule is as follows. Each show is an hour long:

WSOP Circuit Schedule

* July 18, 8 p.m. Harrah’s New Orleans
* July 18, 9 p.m. Harrah’s New Orleans
* July 25, 8 p.m. Showboat Atlantic City
* July 25, 9 p.m. Bally’s Las Vegas
* Aug. 1, 8 p.m. Bally’s Las Vegas
* Aug. 1, 9 p.m. Bally’s Las Vegas
* Aug. 8, 8 p.m. Grand Casino Tunica
* Aug. 8, 9 p.m. Grand Casino Tunica
* Aug. 15, 8 p.m. Grand Casino Tunica
* Aug. 15, 9 p.m. Grand Casino Tunica



WSOP main event

* August 22, 8 p.m. and 9 p.m.
* August 29, 8 p.m. and 9 p.m.
* Sept. 5, 8 p.m. 9 p.m.
* Sept. 12, 8 p.m. and 9 p.m.
* Sept. 19, 8 p.m. and 9 p.m.
* Sept. 26, 8 p.m. and 9 p.m.

WSOP bracelet events

* Oct. 3, 8 p.m. $1,500 no-limit hold’em
* Oct. 3, 9 p.m. $1,500 pot-limit hold’em
* Oct. 10, 8 p.m. $2,500 no-limit hold’em
* Oct. 10, 9 p.m. $2,000 no-limit hold’em
* Oct. 17, 8 p.m. $1,000 no-limit hold’em
* Oct. 17, 9 p.m. $10,000 Omaha
* Oct. 24, 8 p.m. $1,000 no-limit hold’em
* Oct. 24, 9 p.m. $50,000 H.O.R.S.E.
* Oct. 31, 8 p.m. $2,500 pot-limit hold’em
* Oct. 31, 9 p.m. $2,000 no-limit hold’em

I guess the schedule makes sense in that they want to cover more events (the circuit events) but I'm sure they also don't want to show the main event a few months after it has finished. Does kind of stink, because I love the build up to the main event, but poker doesn't make for good live TV and people would probably get burned out on it if they aired too many episodes too quickly.

I'm not much of a rail-bird, so I know that I am not the target audience for this. And I guess the thinking is "hey, we got the cameras here anyway; it won't cost us much extra to show the final table live, and every $24.95 we can squeeze out is money in our pocket." So I can see why they are trying it.

But I think that poker is something that is really improved with production. Even if the final table was being shown live for free, I would only have a limited interest in watching it. And probably get bored after a while.

Do y'all think that a lot of people will sign up for this? Will they be disappointed with what they get?

wonder what the ratings were last year. the main even wasn't until october or so on espn.


I remember the thread about seeing if you could not find out the winner for 4 months.

I think this will be a home run for them.

I am really disappointed they aren't showing more bracelet events.

"

WSoP Tournament of Champions Results

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Mike Sexton Wins The 2006 Tournament of Champions ($1,000,000)

Mike Sexton limps in and Daniel Negreanu raises to to $64,000. Sexton then raises an additional $180,000 and Negreanu makes the call. The flop comes 10d-8d-4s and Negreanu moves all in. Sexton immediately calls and shows Ah-Ac. Negreanu turns over Qh-Jh and will need to improve. The turn card is the Ad, giving Sexton trips but also giving Negreanu a double gutted straight draw. However, the river is the 8c and Mike Sexton wins the 2006 Tournament of Champions and $1,000,000.

1
Mike Sexton
$1,000,000
2
Daniel Negreanu
$325,000
3
Mike Matusow
$250,000
4
Chris Reslock
$150,000
5
Andrew Black
$100,000
6
Darrell Dicken
$75,000
7
Chris Ferguson
$50,000
8
Thang "Kido" Pham
$25,000
9
Daniel Bergsdorf
$25,000

I think they have scalled down the coverage to basiclly only have hold 'em.

I think I read that Sexton and Negreanu played heads up for 7 hours.

Also, on the final table broadcast, I assume they'll have to build in some delay to comply with Nevada gaming regulations, right?

7 hours? That's absurd.

They finished around 6 AM Eastern, 3 AM Pacific if I read the Card Player article correct.

It's interesting that a sponsor's exemption won.

Yeah I'd love to get in on a 3-table SnG two million dollar freeroll :)

Anybody know a good site for updates?

http://www.cardplayer.com/tournaments/event_list/197

Carlos Mortonson has the chiplead after day one of the first event

The event - $1500 NL - had 2,276 entrants - just incredible. First place pays 757k.

Latest chip count.

Where on cardplayer are you finding the running commentary for these tournaments? I can only find chipcounts, which don't even seem updated.

The updates are here:
http://www.cardplayer.com/tournaments/live_updates/3191

I also found another site with running updates:
http://news.pokerpages.com/index.php...k=view&id=1376

http://www.cardplayer.com/tournaments/live_updates/3191

That's for the most current tourney. They get started at 3pm est today.

Live updates link is in the left-hand nav bar...

I find it equally incredible, maybe more incredible, that after one day, it's down to 122 players. Either the blinds are skyrocketting so fast that most players are getting queezed out at an incredible pace, or (far more likely) there were A LOT of really bad, loose players in this event.

2+2 WSoP forum is pretty good for running discussion - information about on-site stuff.

He makes great chip towers :D

thats pretty sick

It would be really cool if he picked up 72o at the exact moment that thing tipped over and fell into middle of the table.

The reason so many players were eliminated on day 1 of the $1500 no limit event is that the players only started with 1500 chips and I think blinds started at 25 and 50 so if you make the standard raise you are putting in one tenth of your stack, so you can see how just by playing one big pot can cause you to lose a lot of your chips early.

A pot limit holdem tourney is underway today with the early chip leaders being Victor Ramdin and Michael Mizrachi.

And then flopped a boat :)

So, does this mean there isn't a Tournament of Champions following the main event? That's somewhat disappointing, although the first TOC was horrid because nobody gave a damn. Last year's was a major improvement, but I wish they covered more than just essentially the final table.

That final table (with Hellmuth, Corkins and Matusow) was the best televised tournament poker I have ever seen. The final table for this year's event sounds like it could potentially be just as good. Negraneau and Matusow have really been going at each other this season on High Stakes Poker on GSN.

I agree though - I always wish coverage would include more than just the final table. I can't even watch WPT events any more.

Just back from Vegas. The WSOP is really something to see. Some notes and anecdotes...

We spent most of Saturday at the Rio. One in our group played in the $2k NLHE event. We got there early enough to try to satellite into it, but the single table satellites were running with 10 minute blind levels. I decided against buying a $200 lottery ball.

I did play in the Second Chance tournament on Saturday night--a little more than 200 entrants. I busted out with five tables remaining (they were paying three). A very messed up Todd Brunson was playing in that tournament, and was still in it when I busted.

The Full Tilt suite is pretty well done. They have several stations set up where you can play online (play money only) to test their software. They have several videos running--and if you answer trivia questions you win some Tilt gear (t-shirts and the like). They also have a green screen photograph set up where you can get your picture made and they photoshop you into the Full Tilt line-up. One of our friend's girlfriends posed and photo-shopped the image in the the picture as if she was copping a feel on Phil Ivey. During a break in the tournament later that day, she asked him to sign it (which he did) and he busted up laughing when he noticed the pose.

We watched a bit of the six handed tournament, which had 7 tables left and was full of names.

We were with a bunch of people crowded around a television watching the end of the Brazil-France game. When Brazil had their free kick late, a random tourist started running his mouth about how Brazil was definitely going to score. He blurts out, "I guarantee they score. I'd put money on it." Unfortunately for him, he didn't notice that he was standing right next to Huck Seed, who calmly said, "How much?" The guy meekly answered, "A hundred bucks." Seed nodded and stuck out his hand. Shake. Kick. Miss. Instant whip out.

My buddy who entered the $2000 event unfortunately busted out in the second level after pretty badly playing a hand and then losing a race.

All in all, good times.

digamma you lucky, lucky bastard

Sounds like a blast! I can't believe how horriible the blind levels are. :(

I guess I don't really see the problem with single table satellites with 10 minute blind levels. The blind levels alone of course are not enough information to go buy. If you start with 800 chip stacks and the blinds start at 25-50 and double every ten minutes then yeah that is a pure crap shoot.

If you start wiht 2500 chips and the blinds start at 10/20 then that is a different story entirely. The best player at the table would stand do quite well in that setup. It isn't as ideal as 5000 chip stacks and 30 minute blinds for the superior player, but it certainly wouldn't be a crap shoot.

You're right. The starting chips were $1000. I think the problem was the specific time we were there--i.e., a couple of hours before the event started. Then they were trying to get through as many STTs as possible to give people an opportunity to buy into the larger event. The rest of the day they were running various level STTs according to the blind schedules and starting chips on the printed sheets in the casino. I think these were more like 15 or 20 minute blinds with a slightly larger starting chip stack.

If you are curious, the 11 PM second chance tournament also starts with 1000 in chips, but with 30 minute blind levels--so a little more maneuverability.

50 K horse event starts today and the lineup is pretty much a who's who of poker. It could be argues that the winner of this event is the best player in the world.

Interesting incident from last night's HORSE day 1.

After spotting a marked card, Andy Bloch makes the dealer fan out the deck in an effort expose any more possibly marked cards. Bloch then proceeds to go through the deck and bend all of the cards he believes to be marked. The floorman tells Andy, "Don't you dare do that again." Andy stands up in protest and gives the floor man a lashing for allowing a used deck to begin play in the H.O.R.S.E. event. The floorman warns Andy that if he doesn't calm down or if he bends anymore cards, Andy will be given a 10 minute penalty. Andy then tells the floor man, "Go ahead, give me a penalty..." He then says that he should call the gaming commission about the matter. After expressing his concern, Andy wallks away from the table and takes his punishment.

I agree with Andy, a used deck in a 50K Buy In tournament? Not Kosher.

Followed by:

Annie Duke just found a marked 5 card on table 149. She proceeded to bend the corner and ask for a new setup. After hearing that Andy Bloch was given a penalty for it, she expressed her concern for how ridiculous it was to punish someone who had not dropped the F-bomb. She believes that the player has a right to take those marked cards out of play, otherwise the casino would just recycle them back into play.

and:

Max Pescatori and David Grey found more marked cards at their table, again on Andy Bloch's table. Bloch called the floor manager over again to resolve the problem and there was a discussion as to whether the table even got new cards like they'd asked for. Every other table got a new setup of cards taken out of the original plastic after the first dispute, but Bloch's table apparently didn't and got marked cards again. How ironic.

Looks like they're running the tourney on the cheap or wanted to spite Bloch.

Why didn't someone (Bloch?) just take the marked card and rip it in half? They kinda have to put a new deck in play after that....

Now would this be "marked" as in:
"some attempt to cheat by someone somewhere" or as in "not a specific effort by anyone in particular to cheat, but if they happen to pick up on the markings they wouldn't be above making use of the info"?

The 2nd part. The card is marked, either intentionally or accidentally, that once you have the card in your hand and know what it is, if you see the back of the card, you'll know what it is.

(for example, scored or a bent corner)

A number of times when I've seen a marked or damaged card, they have simply replaced the single card, rather than the full deck.

Thanks. That's what I figured, but wasn't 100% sure about it.

BWAHAHAHAHA!

Matusow and Hellmuth at the same table last night in the HORSE tourney, leading to this exchange.



"I will run through the Amazon Room buck naked if Phil Hellmuth wins this tournament." - Mike Matusow, about Phil Hellmuth's chances to win the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. event

"You're now my second-favorite pick to win the tournament." - Greg Raymer to Phil Hellmuth moments later

Doing what they did (bending the cards) is essentially the same thing.

Already posted. Not on sportsdigs, but in the WSOP Pool thread.

As I'm looking at the chip counts now for the HORSE event, the cream seems to be rising to the top now. Doyle Brunson is chip leader, Minh Ly, Ted Forrest, Gavin Smith and Chip Reese are 2, 3, 4, and 5. Allen Cunningham, Howard Lederer, Phi Ivey all in the top 20. It seems to be going faster as the blinds and antes go up and I think they are going to play down to 9 tonight with 44 players remaining right now. If only half of the people I mentioned above make it to the final table it will be very entertaining. It's all NLHE of course, but still should be good.