Poker News

Layne Flack goes global

"I believe that poker has a great future in Europe and I would love to be a part of it," Flack said after signing on with Scandinavian-based poker agency Poker Icons this week.

Flack, who owns six World Series of Poker bracelets, was nicknamed "Back 2 Back Flack" after winning two consecutive events at the 2002 WSOP and again at the 2003 WSOP.

His last bracelet win came in 2008, although Flack managed an eighth place finish in the $2,500 2-7 Lowball and a seventh in the $2,500 Mixed Event this summer.

The 40-year-old star started in poker in the early 90s running games throughout the state of Montana and has gone on to amass more than $4 million in career earnings through 14 major titles and 70 cashes.

His time in the public eye hasn't been all roses, however.

Flack had to skip the 2009 NBC National Heads-Up Championship this year because he spent the night in a Las Vegas jail charged with DUI Liquor, speeding and failing to yield to an emergency vehicle.

He later claimed innocence.

Flack has also sought treatment for substance abuse in the past, but in an interview with PokerListings after winning his sixth WSOP bracelet in 2008, he claimed to have left those problems behind him.

Poker Icons CEO Lars Kollind says while restrictions on Internet gambling have had a negative effect on American poker, the game is still growing in Europe and Flack is making the right move.

"There is good action in Europe, and good poker players look for the best action," he said.

"In Europe a well-merited player like Layne is looked upon as a big star, newsworthy and with a great potential for a sponsorship."

Poker Icons represents some of the biggest names in European poker, including Annette Obrestad, Jesper Hougaard, Arnaud Mattern, and Soren Kongsgaard, in addition to a growing roster of top American players that includes Kathy Liebert and 2006 WSOP Main Event champ Jamie Gold.

Visit PokerListings.com

Jamie Gold Charity Tournament at Poker in the Park Sells Out

The Jamie Gold Charity Poker Tournament held during London’s Poker in the Park on Thursday was a sellout. A total of 50 celebrities and poker players from around the world descended upon the Shadow Lounge at the Casino at the Empire for the festivities.

Gold, who won the 2006 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event to the tune of a record $12 million, teamed up with fellow World Champion Peter Eastgate to host the London gala. Eastgate, a Danish member of Team PokerStars Pro, holds the title of youngest winner of the prestigious $10,000 buy-in Main Event at age 22, breaking Hellmuth’s longstanding record by two years. Former soccer star Teddy Sheringham, who was a member of the Manchester United in the late 1990s, was in attendance. Joining him was Michael Greco, who took second in the European Poker Tour’s (EPT) Dublin event during Season 2 for €39,000. Greco also cashed for $248,000 during the 2009 WSOP.

A fleet of poker pros from the United Kingdom lent their name to the Jamie Gold Charity Poker Tournament. They included Betfair pro John Tabatabai, who finished second to Annette “Annette_15” Obrestad in the 2007 WSOP Europe Main Event. For his reward, Tabatabai pocketed a colossal £570,000 for his efforts; Obrestad, also a member of Team Betfair, walked away with £1 million and became the youngest bracelet winner ever. Nick Persaud also made the trek to the Casino at the Empire. He’s fresh off a deep run in the 2009 WSOP Main Event, where he earned $23,000 for a 549th place showing.

Also appearing at the spectacle was J.J. Hazan, the runner-up in the 2006 Master Classics of Poker for €355,000. In that event, Ali Jalali came out on top and earned €700,000 for his efforts. Hazan won a £500 buy-in tournament held as part of the Grosvenor U.K. Poker Tour Grand Final in London two years ago for £23,000. Sam Trickett, who finished fourth in a $5,000 buy-in tournament held as part of the 2008 WSOP for $245,000, flanked Hazan in London this week. Trickett won the £1,000 buy-in Main Event of the Grosvenor U.K. Poker Tour’s Luton leg for £109,000.

2005 888 Pacific Poker Open winner Ian Frazer lent his name to Gold’s efforts in London. Frazer finished fifth in the PartyPoker World Open III in 2007 for $30,000 and took 25th in the European Poker Tour (EPT) London Main Event last year for £13,000. While in Las Vegas for the 2009 WSOP, Frazer won a $1,000 buy-in tournament at the Bellagio for $23,000, defeating a final table that also included Greco. Frazer serves as a poker commentator and ambassador for the game.

Prizes at the Jamie Gold Charity Tournament included a £5,200 EPT seat donated by PokerStars and a £3,000 seat to the Unibet Open. The event featured a £500 buy-in and also gave away a Gresham Blake tailor made suit, a custom Marlow Casino chipset, a high-end Gevril wristwatch, Tag Heuer sunglasses, and a week-long poker training session with David “The Maven” Chicotsky. When the smoke cleared in the 50 player contest, Mikael Gabrielsson, a Swedish pro, emerged as the winner. Four camera crews captured the event on tape.

Today, Greco, Tabatabai, Frazer, and Gold will give lectures as part of the Poker in the Park festivities. Frazer’s talk is entitled “Starting Out in Online Poker” and will undoubtedly attract a crowd. Gold speaks tonight at 20:45 local time. Friday marks the final day of Poker in the Park, which emanates from London’s Leicester Square.

World Champions Eastgate, Gold Headline Poker In The Park Speakers’ List

The upcoming “Poker In The Park” festival, which will be held in London at Leicester Square on August 13th and 14th, will feature a charity poker tournament along with two days of discussion on some of the hot button issues in the poker world.

Thursday, August 13th features several speakers that will be able to help newcomers and veteran players expand their games to new heights. “Poker In The Park” will kick off around 5PM (London time) on August 12th with a welcome speech from 2006 World Champion Jamie Gold prior to the 50 player Charity Poker Tournament that will be held.

The tournament will assist in the fundraising efforts of the Jamie Gold Foundation, which has a host of charitable organizations that it supports. The Foundation supports such causes as the Muscular Dystrophy Association/ALS Division (which Gold’s father passed away from), the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, the Montel Williams MS Foundation and the Fallen Heroes Fund, just to name a few. Prizes in the tournament will include a £5,200 European Poker Tour entry, a £3,000 Unibet Open package and other poker and non-poker related merchandise.

After the tournament has played for about an hour, current World Champion – until the 2009 “November Nine” step to the felt later this year – Peter Eastgate will host a Q&A at 6PM. Once Eastgate’s Q&A has completed, three players will step up with advice for players on three crucial areas of today’s poker world. Alex Rousso, who has competed on the English poker scene for the last couple of years with impressive finishes on the Grosvenor UK Poker Tour, will pick up the microphone at approximately 7PM to discuss the necessity of knowing statistical information while sitting at the tables. Popular English player Nik Persaud will follow Rousso and take up the topic of using the internet to improve a player’s game and 2008 Irish Open champion Neil “Bad Beat” Channing will finish off the evening of poker discussion with a look at tells in poker.

Friday, August 14th brings an expanded list of players to the dais to speak about different aspects of poker. Poker professional Derek Webb will begin the day at 12:30PM with a discussion on new poker games that are coming on the horizon. Later in the afternoon, two time GUKPT champion Marc Goodwin will take the mic to discuss Omaha Hold’em and English poker veteran Paul “Action” Jackson will take situations from his poker career and subjects them to hand analysis. Other speakers include Liv Boeree, Michael Greco and 2007 WSOP Europe runner up John Tabatabai (among others), with a closing seminar and comments coming from Gold around 9PM.

Now in its third year of existence, “Poker In The Park” has drawn huge crowds to discuss poker and play the game. Last year’s festival drew an estimated 10,000 people and it is expected that this year’s version will exceed the attendance from last year. The festivities of “Poker In The Park” will be free of charge and should provide a wealth of information and fun for poker aficionados in London, from across Europe and from around the world.

All-Day Poker at the Empire Casino Including Satellites to The Jamie Gold Charity Tournament

Sit-n-Go Satellites to the £500 Jamie Gold Charity Tournament will run all day Thursday, August 13 -- allowing players the opportunity to qualify through a 10-man £50 satellite.

Poker in the Park lecture and tournament schedules confirmed

Two World Champions top the bill at the Unibet Poker Lecture Marquee at Poker in the Park. Jamie Gold and Peter Eastgate will be joined by some of the biggest names in poker who will be sharing their wisdom on all aspects of the game.

Jamie Gold - Poker Player Profile

Jamie Gold is the winner of the largest cash prize in a televised sports event - $12 million for the 2006 World Series of Poker Main Event. After outlasting 8,772 players over the course of eleven grueling days, Gold instantly became a poker-star and one of the many faces of the game. Having been taught poker at a very young age by his grandfather, winning the WSOP was somewhat of a life-long dream for Jami Gold, who had a mere $100K in cashes before making the gargantuan score. Since then, Jamie’s life has been a whirlwind of magazine covers, article publications, and various T.V. appearances on shows like GSN’s “High Stakes Poker”, NBC’s “Poker After Dark” and “National Heads Up Championship”, ABC’s “Celebrity Pro-Am”, and of course, ESPN’s “World Series of Poker”.

As with many other poker professionals, Jamie Gold started somewhere else – in his case, as a talent agent interning with J. Michael Bloom. After moving to Los Angeles at the age of 21, Gold worked for a few years before co-founding the successful Gold-Bouchard management company that boasted such clients as James Gandolfini, Jimmy Fallon and Felicity Huffman.  He is now the acting head of an entertainment company called Buzznation.

In balancing life, poker, and a job while still being able to donate some of his time and wealth, Jamie Gold has earned a very becoming moniker: The Poker Philanthropist. Chief among his charitable endeavors is his involvement in the fight against ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, the illness which claimed the life of his father, Robert. He has also attended, supported, or hosted more than 40 charity events since his WSOP victory. Whether he’s busy with his professional career, playing on the felt, or our giving back to the community, Jamie Gold is a true champion.

Poker in the Park Features Jamie Gold Charity Tournament

At 7:30pm local time on Thursday, 2006 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event Champion Jamie Gold and 2008 winner Peter Eastgate will host a 50 player charity poker tournament benefiting the Jamie Gold Foundation. The event is one of many that will take place as part of London’s Poker in the Park.

The Foundation works with a bevy of notable charities, including the Muscular Dystrophy Association/ALS Division, Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, Montel Williams MS Foundation, Sunflower Children, Covenant House, Fallen Heroes Fund, Fulfillment Fund, and the Abolish Slavery Coalition. Prizes up for grabs include a £5,200 European Poker Tour (EPT) entry, a £3,000 Unibet Open package, a Gresham Blake suit, a  £1,000 Gevril Wristwatch, and chipsets and tables that are perfect for home games. Poker News Daily sat down with Gold to talk about this week’s event.

Poker News Daily: What can attendees expect at the charity poker tournament on Thursday?

Gold: This has all come together at the last minute, but we have some great support from the people running Poker in the Park. The Empire Casino, where we hold WSOP Europe, donated their space for us. We’re going to have a red carpet and even David “Devilfish” Ulliott is coming. He’s amazing and he’s a really great guitar player. He sings like Elvis.

PND: Talk about Peter Eastgate’s involvement.

Gold: The reason we became friendly is because we are both Main Event champions. He is impossible not to be friends with and, from what I can tell, he really cares. He knew that I had spent years trying to give back as much as I could. One of the things we bonded over is that he wanted to do the same. He wanted to make sure he didn’t just take the money and status for granted. He told me that if I ever needed him for anything, he’d be there.

There’s really one person who made this whole thing happen, Michael Casselli. He’s the head of Lyceum Media and Poker in the Park. He and I have been talking about doing an event together. It’s a little overwhelming because I’m not from Europe and he’s been a tremendous help.

PND: Is the 50 player maximum just a function of limited space?

Gold: The Empire Casino was kind enough to give us their space. We thought we had the whole casino, but they felt that if we had celebrities, we should have a protected area. We invited people like Daniel Craig (of “James Bond” fame). When you have people like that potentially coming, they will only allow you to be in the VIP room.

PND: One of the prizes in the charity poker tournament during Poker in the Park is a week-long poker training session by David “The Maven” Chicotsky. Talk about Chicotsky’s involvement.

Gold: Those guys are amazing, so I’m really excited. I’m in the process of making a partnership with The Maven. The things he doesn’t teach are my skills. I don’t claim to be the best in the world, but I seem to be on par with the best. I’ve only trained with them for a day, but I made two final tables during it. He’s completely changed my game.

PND: Are you considering relocating to Europe or signing with a non-U.S. online poker site?

Gold: Some of it has to do with the legalities, but I can’t deny that, with the economic situation, there’s not a lot of money being thrown around. The most lucrative deal I can make is in Europe. The two sites that take American players don’t need my help. However, my presence would help double most European sites’ numbers.

I have a powerful celebrity marketing base that could help a site do something special. I also believe strongly in my commitment to charity. I haven’t found another site in America that has the same commitment. They all care, but it’s not their number one goal, nor should it be. While I’m young, single, and healthy, now is the time I’d like to travel the world. I feel like I’m in a rare position.

Could you Beat a World Champion Poker Player?

Could you Beat a World Champion Poker Player?


How about beating two? Jamie Gold and Peter Eastgate are hosting a charity poker tournament at The Casino at The Empire, Leicester Square Thursday, August 13th.

Poker in the Park lecture schedule confirmed

If you’ve ever wanted to know what it takes to become the Main Event champion then Poker in the Park will give you the perfect opportunity. Jamie Gold, Peter Eastgate and Annette Obrestad will all be delivering free lectures at the festival in Leicester Square on Thursday 13th and Friday 14th August.

Eastgate, Obrestad to speak at Poker in the Park

WSOP Main Champions Jamie Gold and Peter Eastgate will both be speaking, in addition to Annette Obrestad, Nik Persaud, Neil Channing and even special celebrity guests Michael Greco and Tony Cascarino who will be discussing their love of poker and what brought them into the game.

"The line-up we have at Poker in the Park is the kind of line-up you'd expect to see at one of the world's major poker tournaments," said event organizer Michael Caselli. "If you wanted to pay these players individually to teach you how to play poker you'd spend over £100,000! At Poker in the Park you can learn from the best of the best for free."

On Thursday, Gold and Eastgate will headline the day with two lectures on playing mid-size (50-100 person) tournaments while Obrestad, Channing and Persaud will follow that lecture up with topics to be announced later.

On Friday, Gold will speak for the second time while Greco and Cascarino will share their stories in the poker world.

Also scheduled to speak on Friday are Liv Boeree, Alex Rousso, Nik Wealthall, Paul Jackson, Marc Goodwin, John Tabatabai and Ian Frazer.

Each lecture will take approximately 30 minutes followed by 15 minutes of Q&A and autographs. Everything will take place in Leicester square, London.

Poker in the Park is Europe's biggest poker festival and thousands of poker enthusiasts have attended previous events. In addition to the lectures poker fans can take part in free hourly tournaments, buy discounted poker books and poker gear and enjoy some turbo heads-up matches. Admission is completely free.

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Jamie Gold and Peter Eastgate to host Charity Tournament at Poker in the Park

The Jamie Gold Foundation has teamed up with Poker in the Park and 2008 WSOP Main Event winner Peter Eastgate to host the Jamie Gold Charity Poker Tournament. The 50-seat, £500 buy-in tournament will take place at The Casino at The Empire in Leicester Square at 7.30pm on Thursday 13 August 2009.

Dream Team Poker CEO Discusses WSOP Tournament

Beginning on July 12th, the third Dream Team Poker tournament will kick off. This time, it originates from the home of the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, which will be taking place down the hall at the Rio in Las Vegas.

Poker News Daily sat down with Dream Team Gaming CEO Daniel Delshad for his thoughts just a few days out from the tournament, which boasts a $1,680 buy-in per three-man team.

Poker News Daily: You have Jose Canseco and a fleet of poker pros already registered for the event, which is now less than a week away. How excited are you for your WSOP debut?

Delshad: We’re all very excited and I’m looking forward to July 12th. After the Caesars event in March, it has been a fast turnaround until now.

PND: Has registration been better than, worse than, or about what you expected?

Delshad: We’re excited where we’re at. We already have 300 people pre-registered for the event. Poker players like to sign up late, so we’re in line with what we expected the numbers to be. We’ve had a lot of big names register, so that’s a good sign.

PND: Talk about the logistics for registration on the morning of the Dream Team Poker tournament at the Rio.

Delshad: Everybody will go to the cage to buy into the event. They’ll get a seat assignment and then go to our registration area down the hall to pick up their scorecards and jerseys.

PND: Are there any notable teams or entrants that you can share with us?

Delshad: Daniel Negreanu is in. Jamie Gold, Kenna James, David Williams, Justin “ZeeJustin” Bonomo, Liz Lieu, and Pam Brunson have all signed up. We have a really good list of people and we’re excited to have them out. Alex Outhred is back as our emcee. He’s very well-liked and he’s a great guy.

PND: You’ve done a spectacular job of one-upping yourself for each Dream Team Poker event ever since your debut at the Hard Rock. What’s next on the horizon?

Delshad: We’re continuing to grow. I think we’re getting a lot of demand for us to go international and we’ll take a look at it. There are a bunch of events overseas for us to partner with and we’re going to find the ones that are the best fit for us. We like to work with companies that are the leaders in their industries and we’re in active discussions with international events right now.

PND: Can you comment about the WSOP Main Event shutting out over 500 players on Day 1D? Does Dream Team Poker have any provisions in place to prevent a similar occurrence?

Delshad: We’ll be in the Brasilia Room, which will give us more space than being in the Amazon Room. We can fit a pretty good field in there. The WSOP has been run so smoothly from Day 1. It was just an unfortunate event on Monday. It happens, but they still had the third largest field in history. It shows that, despite the economy, poker is alive and well.

PND: Talk about the feedback you received from spectators and players alike who visited PokerPalooza and your booth outside the Amazon Room?

Delshad: It’s pretty amazing. We had a big registration area near the jersey wall. For so many people, this was their first time seeing our product.

PND: Talk about today’s media tournament taking on a team format. Will its winners be entered into the feature Dream Team Poker event?

Delshad: For us to have media event in the Dream Team Poker format is special. I love that the media has this opportunity because they can play the game themselves. The experience on the inside is completely different than beyond the rail. The media is battling against each other anyway in the real world and we’re expecting about 150 people to play.

The winning team will have a charity donation made in their name. We can’t give away seats into our events because the media can’t accept gifts.

Phil Ivey, Peter Eastgate Selected for WSOP Europe Caesars Cup

The inaugural Caesars Cup will play out at the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Europe and pit top pros from the United States against Europe’s best. The Ryder Cup-esque event will take place on September 25th and air on ESPN.

The American squad is captained by Team PokerStars Pro member Daniel Negreanu, who reached out across party lines to select Full Tilt Poker pro Phil Ivey with his first pick. Ivey recorded five in the money finishes during the 2009 WSOP, including three final tables and two bracelets. His pieces of hardware were the sixth and seventh of his career and came in Deuce to Seven Draw Lowball and Omaha/Seven Card Stud High-Low Eight or Better. Ivey was the youngest player ever to earn five WSOP bracelets and, to date, none have come in a Hold’em event. In 2002, he recorded three gold bracelets and forever cemented his name as among the best in the industry.

The European Caesars Cup team is captained by Team Betfair Pro Annette “Annette_15” Obrestad, who selected 2008 WSOP Main Event Champion Peter Eastgate with her first pick. The youngsters will be a formidable force. Obrestad took down the inaugural WSOP Europe Main Event in 2007 for £1 million, while Eastgate pocketed over $9 million for his win in the Las Vegas feature tournament. Eastgate, a Danish poker pro, ranks second on the all-time WSOP money list by virtue of his win last year, trailing only Jamie Gold, who earned $12 million for emerging victorious in the 2006 WSOP Main Event.

Negreanu and Obrestad will select six team members in total; Obrestad’s will have one member from Betfair. The European champion commented in a press release, “The lineup for this year’s WSOPE Caesars Cup is already starting to look impressive and looks like a who’s who of poker. The fact that a member of the public can qualify to sit alongside some of the best players in the game will be a massive attraction to players on Betfair Poker. I look forward to captaining our team to glory on September 25th this year in London.” The roster for each team will be filled out over the coming weeks prior to the WSOP Europe festivities kicking off on September 17th.

Betfair serves as the presenting sponsor of WSOP Europe. On September 18th, the first of two starting days in a £1,060 buy-in No Limit Hold’em event will kick off from London. Three days later, a £2,650 buy-in Pot Limit Hold’em/Pot Limit Omaha event will issue its “Shuffle up and deal” command from the Casino at the Empire. The final preliminary event is a £5,250 buy-in Pot Limit Omaha tournament that begins on September 23rd and is followed by the £10,350 buy-in Main Event. The feature tournament starts on September 26th and will air on ESPN and ESPN 360.

Betfair players can earn their way onto the European Caesars Cup team through a leaderboard race. The top 200 players in a Monthly Low-Stakes Leaderboard (tracking sit and gos and mult-table tournaments with less than a $22 buy-in) will be entered into a Heat Low freeroll. The top 100 players in a Monthly High-Stakes Leaderboard will be entered into a Heat High freeroll. The top 18 finishers in each move onto a $5,000 Guaranteed Monthly Final that awards Caesars Cup points to the top finishers. In August, the top nine players on the Caesars Cup Leaderboard will battle it out for a spot on the team. The second through ninth place finishers will share a $25,000 prize pool, while the winner heads to London.

The WSOP Main Event hosts the first of two Day 2s today. On Wednesday, Day 2B will play out inside the Amazon Room at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino. The tournament plays down to its final table on July 15th and will crown a champion in November.

Final Day One in 2009 WSOP Main Event to Occur Monday

After an eventful Day 1C that saw everything from politicians to Caesar, World Series of Poker (WSOP) officials are expecting the final field size for the 2009 Main Event to crack the 6,000 player mark with the last of four Day Ones to be played this afternoon.

The droves that entered into the Rio on Sunday constituted the largest Day One starting field yet. 1,697 players wedged their way into the Amazon Room and other gaming areas to surpass the fields that had been seen on Days 1A and 1B. All told, there are 3,686 players who laid $10,000 to attempt to win the 40th anniversary WSOP Main Event.

With the larger field that came into the event and the expected massive field for today, there were some changes to the play schedule that were put into effect. Instead of playing only four two hour levels - as Days 1A and 1B had - tournament officials determined that Days 1C and 1D would play the previously scheduled five levels. The difference will be corrected with Day Two play, which is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. Day 2A (the combination of Days 1A and 1B) will play five levels and Day 2B (the survivors of Days 1C and 1D) will play four levels.

Although there were some muted rumblings from the players gathered, Representative Barney Frank (D-MA) - whose attempts to overturn the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) are currently proceeding through the halls of Congress - gave the traditional call to “shuffle up and deal” and play was underway.

It seemed that Sunday was the day of choice for many of the top professionals in the game. Five of the original “November Nine” chose to start their assault on the WSOP Main Event championship, with Kelly Kim, Darus Suharto, Ylon Schwartz, and Dennis Phillips surviving the day; David “Chino” Rheem was ousted during play on Sunday. Several former World Champions were on-hand for play, including Tom McEvoy, Dan Harrington, Scotty Nguyen, Joe Hachem, and Jamie Gold, with McEvoy and Gold not able to survive the day.

In what is quickly becoming a WSOP tradition, Phil Hellmuth made a flamboyant entry. With 11 body painted women trailing him (representing his record bracelet total) and led by muses in tunics tossing rose petals, the 1989 champion donned Roman emperor regalia as he was carried into the Amazon Room by four “slaves” at the time the first level of play was scheduled to end. Amid the jeers and cheers, Hellmuth came to the tables and was just under the starting stack when play ended for the day.

The grand entrance of Hellmuth to the Main Event has become somewhat of a tradition over the past few years. In 2007, he entered the Rio with a phalanx of models representing his bracelets and dressed in an auto racing fire suit the day after crashing his Ultimate Bet stock car into a pole on the grounds of the Rio. Last year, Hellmuth made his entrance leading a camouflage-clad contingent of models as General George Patton. When asked if this was going to continue at future WSOPs, “The Poker Brat” commented, “Absolutely! Next year, my plan is to be Gambit (a fictional character from the latest X-Men movie “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”). If not Gambit, we will come up with something else. Maybe it will be Uncle Sam. We’ll see.”

Leading the day and claiming the overall chip lead was Michigan’s Joseph Cada, who garnered 187,000 chips. For the record, no Day One leader has ever held on to win the WSOP Main Event. With an anticipated 2,500 players expected for Day 1D, the 2009 Main Event will eclipse the 6,000 mark and have a run at hitting 6,500. Ideas for accommodating the field have ranged from running ten-handed tables (not yet seen at this year’s Main Event) to using restaurant space around the Rio.

Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest from the 2009 WSOP.

Final Day One in 2009 WSOP Main Event to Occur Monday

After an eventful Day 1C that saw everything from politicians to Caesar, World Series of Poker (WSOP) officials are expecting the final field size for the 2009 Main Event to crack the 6,000 player mark with the last of four Day Ones to be played this afternoon.

The droves that entered into the Rio on Sunday constituted the largest Day One starting field yet. 1,697 players wedged their way into the Amazon Room and other gaming areas to surpass the fields that had been seen on Days 1A and 1B. All told, there are 3,686 players who laid $10,000 to attempt to win the 40th anniversary WSOP Main Event.

With the larger field that came into the event and the expected massive field for today, there were some changes to the play schedule that were put into effect. Instead of playing only four two hour levels - as Days 1A and 1B had - tournament officials determined that Days 1C and 1D would play the previously scheduled five levels. The difference will be corrected with Day Two play, which is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. Day 2A (the combination of Days 1A and 1B) will play five levels and Day 2B (the survivors of Days 1C and 1D) will play four levels.

Although there were some muted rumblings from the players gathered, Representative Barney Frank (D-MA) - whose attempts to overturn the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) are currently proceeding through the halls of Congress - gave the traditional call to “shuffle up and deal” and play was underway.

It seemed that Sunday was the day of choice for many of the top professionals in the game. Five of the original “November Nine” chose to start their assault on the WSOP Main Event championship, with Kelly Kim, Darus Suharto, Ylon Schwartz, and Dennis Phillips surviving the day; David “Chino” Rheem was ousted during play on Sunday. Several former World Champions were on-hand for play, including Tom McEvoy, Dan Harrington, Scotty Nguyen, Joe Hachem, and Jamie Gold, with McEvoy and Gold not able to survive the day.

In what is quickly becoming a WSOP tradition, Phil Hellmuth made a flamboyant entry. With 11 body painted women trailing him (representing his record bracelet total) and led by muses in tunics tossing rose petals, the 1989 champion donned Roman emperor regalia as he was carried into the Amazon Room by four “slaves” at the time the first level of play was scheduled to end. Amid the jeers and cheers, Hellmuth came to the tables and was just under the starting stack when play ended for the day.

The grand entrance of Hellmuth to the Main Event has become somewhat of a tradition over the past few years. In 2007, he entered the Rio with a phalanx of models representing his bracelets and dressed in an auto racing fire suit the day after crashing his Ultimate Bet stock car into a pole on the grounds of the Rio. Last year, Hellmuth made his entrance leading a camouflage-clad contingent of models as General George Patton. When asked if this was going to continue at future WSOPs, “The Poker Brat” commented, “Absolutely! Next year, my plan is to be Gambit (a fictional character from the latest X-Men movie “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”). If not Gambit, we will come up with something else. Maybe it will be Uncle Sam. We’ll see.”

Leading the day and claiming the overall chip lead was Michigan’s Joseph Cada, who garnered 187,000 chips. For the record, no Day One leader has ever held on to win the WSOP Main Event. With an anticipated 2,500 players expected for Day 1D, the 2009 Main Event will eclipse the 6,000 mark and have a run at hitting 6,500. Ideas for accommodating the field have ranged from running ten-handed tables (not yet seen at this year’s Main Event) to using restaurant space around the Rio.

Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest from the 2009 WSOP.

Final Day One in 2009 WSOP Main Event to Occur Monday

After an eventful Day 1C that saw everything from politicians to Caesar, World Series of Poker (WSOP) officials are expecting the final field size for the 2009 Main Event to crack the 6,000 player mark with the last of four Day Ones to be played this afternoon.

The droves that entered into the Rio on Sunday constituted the largest Day One starting field yet. 1,697 players wedged their way into the Amazon Room and other gaming areas to surpass the fields that had been seen on Days 1A and 1B. All told, there are 3,686 players who laid $10,000 to attempt to win the 40th anniversary WSOP Main Event.

With the larger field that came into the event and the expected massive field for today, there were some changes to the play schedule that were put into effect. Instead of playing only four two hour levels - as Days 1A and 1B had - tournament officials determined that Days 1C and 1D would play the previously scheduled five levels. The difference will be corrected with Day Two play, which is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. Day 2A (the combination of Days 1A and 1B) will play five levels and Day 2B (the survivors of Days 1C and 1D) will play four levels.

Although there were some muted rumblings from the players gathered, Representative Barney Frank (D-MA) - whose attempts to overturn the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) are currently proceeding through the halls of Congress - gave the traditional call to “shuffle up and deal” and play was underway.

It seemed that Sunday was the day of choice for many of the top professionals in the game. Five of the original “November Nine” chose to start their assault on the WSOP Main Event championship, with Kelly Kim, Darus Suharto, Ylon Schwartz, and Dennis Phillips surviving the day; David “Chino” Rheem was ousted during play on Sunday. Several former World Champions were on-hand for play, including Tom McEvoy, Dan Harrington, Scotty Nguyen, Joe Hachem, and Jamie Gold, with McEvoy and Gold not able to survive the day.

In what is quickly becoming a WSOP tradition, Phil Hellmuth made a flamboyant entry. With 11 body painted women trailing him (representing his record bracelet total) and led by muses in tunics tossing rose petals, the 1989 champion donned Roman emperor regalia as he was carried into the Amazon Room by four “slaves” at the time the first level of play was scheduled to end. Amid the jeers and cheers, Hellmuth came to the tables and was just under the starting stack when play ended for the day.

The grand entrance of Hellmuth to the Main Event has become somewhat of a tradition over the past few years. In 2007, he entered the Rio with a phalanx of models representing his bracelets and dressed in an auto racing fire suit the day after crashing his Ultimate Bet stock car into a pole on the grounds of the Rio. Last year, Hellmuth made his entrance leading a camouflage-clad contingent of models as General George Patton. When asked if this was going to continue at future WSOPs, “The Poker Brat” commented, “Absolutely! Next year, my plan is to be Gambit (a fictional character from the latest X-Men movie “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”). If not Gambit, we will come up with something else. Maybe it will be Uncle Sam. We’ll see.”

Leading the day and claiming the overall chip lead was Michigan’s Joseph Cada, who garnered 187,000 chips. For the record, no Day One leader has ever held on to win the WSOP Main Event. With an anticipated 2,500 players expected for Day 1D, the 2009 Main Event will eclipse the 6,000 mark and have a run at hitting 6,500. Ideas for accommodating the field have ranged from running ten-handed tables (not yet seen at this year’s Main Event) to using restaurant space around the Rio.

Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest from the 2009 WSOP.

Final Day One in 2009 WSOP Main Event to Occur Monday

After an eventful Day 1C that saw everything from politicians to Caesar, World Series of Poker (WSOP) officials are expecting the final field size for the 2009 Main Event to crack the 6,000 player mark with the last of four Day Ones to be played this afternoon.

The droves that entered into the Rio on Sunday constituted the largest Day One starting field yet. 1,697 players wedged their way into the Amazon Room and other gaming areas to surpass the fields that had been seen on Days 1A and 1B. All told, there are 3,686 players who laid $10,000 to attempt to win the 40th anniversary WSOP Main Event.

With the larger field that came into the event and the expected massive field for today, there were some changes to the play schedule that were put into effect. Instead of playing only four two hour levels - as Days 1A and 1B had - tournament officials determined that Days 1C and 1D would play the previously scheduled five levels. The difference will be corrected with Day Two play, which is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. Day 2A (the combination of Days 1A and 1B) will play five levels and Day 2B (the survivors of Days 1C and 1D) will play four levels.

Although there were some muted rumblings from the players gathered, Representative Barney Frank (D-MA) - whose attempts to overturn the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) are currently proceeding through the halls of Congress - gave the traditional call to “shuffle up and deal” and play was underway.

It seemed that Sunday was the day of choice for many of the top professionals in the game. Five of the original “November Nine” chose to start their assault on the WSOP Main Event championship, with Kelly Kim, Darus Suharto, Ylon Schwartz, and Dennis Phillips surviving the day; David “Chino” Rheem was ousted during play on Sunday. Several former World Champions were on-hand for play, including Tom McEvoy, Dan Harrington, Scotty Nguyen, Joe Hachem, and Jamie Gold, with McEvoy and Gold not able to survive the day.

In what is quickly becoming a WSOP tradition, Phil Hellmuth made a flamboyant entry. With 11 body painted women trailing him (representing his record bracelet total) and led by muses in tunics tossing rose petals, the 1989 champion donned Roman emperor regalia as he was carried into the Amazon Room by four “slaves” at the time the first level of play was scheduled to end. Amid the jeers and cheers, Hellmuth came to the tables and was just under the starting stack when play ended for the day.

The grand entrance of Hellmuth to the Main Event has become somewhat of a tradition over the past few years. In 2007, he entered the Rio with a phalanx of models representing his bracelets and dressed in an auto racing fire suit the day after crashing his Ultimate Bet stock car into a pole on the grounds of the Rio. Last year, Hellmuth made his entrance leading a camouflage-clad contingent of models as General George Patton. When asked if this was going to continue at future WSOPs, “The Poker Brat” commented, “Absolutely! Next year, my plan is to be Gambit (a fictional character from the latest X-Men movie “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”). If not Gambit, we will come up with something else. Maybe it will be Uncle Sam. We’ll see.”

Leading the day and claiming the overall chip lead was Michigan’s Joseph Cada, who garnered 187,000 chips. For the record, no Day One leader has ever held on to win the WSOP Main Event. With an anticipated 2,500 players expected for Day 1D, the 2009 Main Event will eclipse the 6,000 mark and have a run at hitting 6,500. Ideas for accommodating the field have ranged from running ten-handed tables (not yet seen at this year’s Main Event) to using restaurant space around the Rio.

Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest from the 2009 WSOP.

Final Day One in 2009 WSOP Main Event to Occur Monday

After an eventful Day 1C that saw everything from politicians to Caesar, World Series of Poker (WSOP) officials are expecting the final field size for the 2009 Main Event to crack the 6,000 player mark with the last of four Day Ones to be played this afternoon.

The droves that entered into the Rio on Sunday constituted the largest Day One starting field yet. 1,697 players wedged their way into the Amazon Room and other gaming areas to surpass the fields that had been seen on Days 1A and 1B. All told, there are 3,686 players who laid $10,000 to attempt to win the 40th anniversary WSOP Main Event.

With the larger field that came into the event and the expected massive field for today, there were some changes to the play schedule that were put into effect. Instead of playing only four two hour levels - as Days 1A and 1B had - tournament officials determined that Days 1C and 1D would play the previously scheduled five levels. The difference will be corrected with Day Two play, which is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. Day 2A (the combination of Days 1A and 1B) will play five levels and Day 2B (the survivors of Days 1C and 1D) will play four levels.

Although there were some muted rumblings from the players gathered, Representative Barney Frank (D-MA) - whose attempts to overturn the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) are currently proceeding through the halls of Congress - gave the traditional call to “shuffle up and deal” and play was underway.

It seemed that Sunday was the day of choice for many of the top professionals in the game. Five of the original “November Nine” chose to start their assault on the WSOP Main Event championship, with Kelly Kim, Darus Suharto, Ylon Schwartz, and Dennis Phillips surviving the day; David “Chino” Rheem was ousted during play on Sunday. Several former World Champions were on-hand for play, including Tom McEvoy, Dan Harrington, Scotty Nguyen, Joe Hachem, and Jamie Gold, with McEvoy and Gold not able to survive the day.

In what is quickly becoming a WSOP tradition, Phil Hellmuth made a flamboyant entry. With 11 body painted women trailing him (representing his record bracelet total) and led by muses in tunics tossing rose petals, the 1989 champion donned Roman emperor regalia as he was carried into the Amazon Room by four “slaves” at the time the first level of play was scheduled to end. Amid the jeers and cheers, Hellmuth came to the tables and was just under the starting stack when play ended for the day.

The grand entrance of Hellmuth to the Main Event has become somewhat of a tradition over the past few years. In 2007, he entered the Rio with a phalanx of models representing his bracelets and dressed in an auto racing fire suit the day after crashing his Ultimate Bet stock car into a pole on the grounds of the Rio. Last year, Hellmuth made his entrance leading a camouflage-clad contingent of models as General George Patton. When asked if this was going to continue at future WSOPs, “The Poker Brat” commented, “Absolutely! Next year, my plan is to be Gambit (a fictional character from the latest X-Men movie “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”). If not Gambit, we will come up with something else. Maybe it will be Uncle Sam. We’ll see.”

Leading the day and claiming the overall chip lead was Michigan’s Joseph Cada, who garnered 187,000 chips. For the record, no Day One leader has ever held on to win the WSOP Main Event. With an anticipated 2,500 players expected for Day 1D, the 2009 Main Event will eclipse the 6,000 mark and have a run at hitting 6,500. Ideas for accommodating the field have ranged from running ten-handed tables (not yet seen at this year’s Main Event) to using restaurant space around the Rio.

Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest from the 2009 WSOP.

Final Day One in 2009 WSOP Main Event to Occur Monday

After an eventful Day 1C that saw everything from politicians to Caesar, World Series of Poker (WSOP) officials are expecting the final field size for the 2009 Main Event to crack the 6,000 player mark with the last of four Day Ones to be played this afternoon.

The droves that entered into the Rio on Sunday constituted the largest Day One starting field yet. 1,697 players wedged their way into the Amazon Room and other gaming areas to surpass the fields that had been seen on Days 1A and 1B. All told, there are 3,686 players who laid $10,000 to attempt to win the 40th anniversary WSOP Main Event.

With the larger field that came into the event and the expected massive field for today, there were some changes to the play schedule that were put into effect. Instead of playing only four two hour levels - as Days 1A and 1B had - tournament officials determined that Days 1C and 1D would play the previously scheduled five levels. The difference will be corrected with Day Two play, which is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. Day 2A (the combination of Days 1A and 1B) will play five levels and Day 2B (the survivors of Days 1C and 1D) will play four levels.

Although there were some muted rumblings from the players gathered, Representative Barney Frank (D-MA) - whose attempts to overturn the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) are currently proceeding through the halls of Congress - gave the traditional call to “shuffle up and deal” and play was underway.

It seemed that Sunday was the day of choice for many of the top professionals in the game. Five of the original “November Nine” chose to start their assault on the WSOP Main Event championship, with Kelly Kim, Darus Suharto, Ylon Schwartz, and Dennis Phillips surviving the day; David “Chino” Rheem was ousted during play on Sunday. Several former World Champions were on-hand for play, including Tom McEvoy, Dan Harrington, Scotty Nguyen, Joe Hachem, and Jamie Gold, with McEvoy and Gold not able to survive the day.

In what is quickly becoming a WSOP tradition, Phil Hellmuth made a flamboyant entry. With 11 body painted women trailing him (representing his record bracelet total) and led by muses in tunics tossing rose petals, the 1989 champion donned Roman emperor regalia as he was carried into the Amazon Room by four “slaves” at the time the first level of play was scheduled to end. Amid the jeers and cheers, Hellmuth came to the tables and was just under the starting stack when play ended for the day.

The grand entrance of Hellmuth to the Main Event has become somewhat of a tradition over the past few years. In 2007, he entered the Rio with a phalanx of models representing his bracelets and dressed in an auto racing fire suit the day after crashing his Ultimate Bet stock car into a pole on the grounds of the Rio. Last year, Hellmuth made his entrance leading a camouflage-clad contingent of models as General George Patton. When asked if this was going to continue at future WSOPs, “The Poker Brat” commented, “Absolutely! Next year, my plan is to be Gambit (a fictional character from the latest X-Men movie “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”). If not Gambit, we will come up with something else. Maybe it will be Uncle Sam. We’ll see.”

Leading the day and claiming the overall chip lead was Michigan’s Joseph Cada, who garnered 187,000 chips. For the record, no Day One leader has ever held on to win the WSOP Main Event. With an anticipated 2,500 players expected for Day 1D, the 2009 Main Event will eclipse the 6,000 mark and have a run at hitting 6,500. Ideas for accommodating the field have ranged from running ten-handed tables (not yet seen at this year’s Main Event) to using restaurant space around the Rio.

Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest from the 2009 WSOP.

Final Day One in 2009 WSOP Main Event to Occur Monday

After an eventful Day 1C that saw everything from politicians to Caesar, World Series of Poker (WSOP) officials are expecting the final field size for the 2009 Main Event to crack the 6,000 player mark with the last of four Day Ones to be played this afternoon.

The droves that entered into the Rio on Sunday constituted the largest Day One starting field yet. 1,697 players wedged their way into the Amazon Room and other gaming areas to surpass the fields that had been seen on Days 1A and 1B. All told, there are 3,686 players who laid $10,000 to attempt to win the 40th anniversary WSOP Main Event.

With the larger field that came into the event and the expected massive field for today, there were some changes to the play schedule that were put into effect. Instead of playing only four two hour levels - as Days 1A and 1B had - tournament officials determined that Days 1C and 1D would play the previously scheduled five levels. The difference will be corrected with Day Two play, which is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. Day 2A (the combination of Days 1A and 1B) will play five levels and Day 2B (the survivors of Days 1C and 1D) will play four levels.

Although there were some muted rumblings from the players gathered, Representative Barney Frank (D-MA) - whose attempts to overturn the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) are currently proceeding through the halls of Congress - gave the traditional call to “shuffle up and deal” and play was underway.

It seemed that Sunday was the day of choice for many of the top professionals in the game. Five of the original “November Nine” chose to start their assault on the WSOP Main Event championship, with Kelly Kim, Darus Suharto, Ylon Schwartz, and Dennis Phillips surviving the day; David “Chino” Rheem was ousted during play on Sunday. Several former World Champions were on-hand for play, including Tom McEvoy, Dan Harrington, Scotty Nguyen, Joe Hachem, and Jamie Gold, with McEvoy and Gold not able to survive the day.

In what is quickly becoming a WSOP tradition, Phil Hellmuth made a flamboyant entry. With 11 body painted women trailing him (representing his record bracelet total) and led by muses in tunics tossing rose petals, the 1989 champion donned Roman emperor regalia as he was carried into the Amazon Room by four “slaves” at the time the first level of play was scheduled to end. Amid the jeers and cheers, Hellmuth came to the tables and was just under the starting stack when play ended for the day.

The grand entrance of Hellmuth to the Main Event has become somewhat of a tradition over the past few years. In 2007, he entered the Rio with a phalanx of models representing his bracelets and dressed in an auto racing fire suit the day after crashing his Ultimate Bet stock car into a pole on the grounds of the Rio. Last year, Hellmuth made his entrance leading a camouflage-clad contingent of models as General George Patton. When asked if this was going to continue at future WSOPs, “The Poker Brat” commented, “Absolutely! Next year, my plan is to be Gambit (a fictional character from the latest X-Men movie “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”). If not Gambit, we will come up with something else. Maybe it will be Uncle Sam. We’ll see.”

Leading the day and claiming the overall chip lead was Michigan’s Joseph Cada, who garnered 187,000 chips. For the record, no Day One leader has ever held on to win the WSOP Main Event. With an anticipated 2,500 players expected for Day 1D, the 2009 Main Event will eclipse the 6,000 mark and have a run at hitting 6,500. Ideas for accommodating the field have ranged from running ten-handed tables (not yet seen at this year’s Main Event) to using restaurant space around the Rio.

Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest from the 2009 WSOP.

Jose Canseco Enters Dream Team Poker WSOP Tournament

Poker News Daily has learned that former Major League Baseball star Jose Canseco has entered the third Dream Team Poker tournament, which will be held on July 12th and 13th during the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP).

Canseco, whose book “Juiced” helped fuel the steroid hunt in professional baseball, will take to the Dream Team Poker felts along with teammates Shane McDowell and Josh Clark. Canseco’s team, dubbed “On Tilt,” is one of over 100 that have already registered for the event, which will be the first of its kind at the WSOP. Each three-man Dream Team Poker squad will battle for individual and team prizes in the two-day contest, which comes with a price tag of $560 per person.

Attendees of PokerPalooza, formerly the WSOP Gaming Life Expo, will notice a wall of jerseys hanging outside its entrance. The spectacle has been on display all week, runs from floor to ceiling, and has become a popular stop for poker fans. Dream Team Poker officials are expecting over 300 players total at the Rio, including Daniel Negreanu, whose Team Poker VT has already paid its buy-in. 2007 WSOP Main Event Champion Jerry Yang will be in attendance, as will Team Bodog, which includes Evelyn Ng, Justin “ZeeJustin” Bonomo, and David Williams.

Last time out, Dream Team Poker held its first open tournament at Caesars Palace. The event attracted 148 teams and 444 players, selling out the Caesars poker room. In the end, Team ACED, led by 2006 WSOP Main Event Champion Jamie Gold, took down the title. Although Gold has since parted ways with the Merge Gaming Network site, his name is forever entrenched in Dream Team Poker history. Gold and company pocketed $59,000 for recording the top team finish and Danny Nelson from Team BikerHaven.net grabbed $24,000 for claiming the individual title.

Coming in second place at Caesars in the team competition were the Claddaghs, who earned $33,000. Other top finishers included The Clones (third place for $15,000), Party at the Mansion (fourth place for $10,000), and the Hellmuth Busters (fifth place for $6,000). One-third of the 2008 WSOP November Nine turned out at Caesars, as did Phil Hellmuth, Johnny Chan, Todd Brunson, Paul Wasicka, Mike Matusow, Erica Schoenberg, and T.J. Cloutier. Also in attendance was Bonomo, who along with Matt Parvis and Eric Morris took down the inaugural Dream Team Poker event as part of Team Bluff.

Each player will begin with 10,000 starting chips and blind levels last 40 minutes. The price of poker begins at 50-100 and antes kick in at Level 3, when blinds are 150-300. A 10 minute break occurs after every three levels and teammates are not seated at the same table until 14 to 16 players remain. Teams that registered prior to July 1st received a customized jersey and play begins at 2:00pm Pacific Time on both July 12th and 13th. Individual payouts amount to 40% of the prize pool, while team payouts make up the remaining 60%.

Other players slated to enter the third Dream Team Poker tournament include Barry Greenstein and Joe Sebok (Team PokerRoad), Gavin Smith (Team Zurvive), Pamela Brunson (Team Pushers), Liz Liu (Team Chili Poker), and Barbara Enright, Paul Darden, and David Levi, who will make up Team Bookmaker Poker.

July 12th also marks Day 5 of the 2009 WSOP Main Event, which kicked off on Friday with the first of four starting days. A total of 1,116 entrants took to the felts on Day 1A, down from 1,297 last year. Today’s field is expected to be smaller due to the July 4th holiday in the United States. The $10,000 buy-in tournament will play down to its final table on July 15th, when it will be paused for four months. Last year, Danish poker pro Peter Eastgate earned $9.1 million for the victory and became the youngest WSOP Main Event winner ever at age 22.

The Dream Team Poker event will be held inside the Amazon Room, home of the 2009 WSOP. Registration is now open at the Rio cage and can be paid via casino chips, cash, or cashier’s check. We’ll have full tournament results for you right here on Poker News Daily.

Pros gear up for 2009 WSOP Main Event

Thousands of hopeful rounders have swamped the Amazon Room at the Rio for the first of four Day 1s of this WSOP's $10,000 buy-in flagship event.

And the pros are licking their chops.

"This is the biggest tournament of the year," Full Tilt's Gavin Smith told PokerListings.com. "This is the one I always look forward to!"

Irish pro Andy Black echoed Smith's sentiments.

"It's the biggest tournament in the world and the best one. It's a great day, Day 1 of the Main Event."

The tournament is expected to attract more than six thousand players in search of a multi-million dollar first prize and a shot at poker immortality.

Last year, Denmark's Peter Eastgate defeated 6,843 other entrants to claim a $9,152,416 first prize.

In 2007, meanwhile, Jerry Yang came from nowhere to beat out 6,357 players, taking $8.25 million for first before disappearing from the poker landscape once more.

Yang is back for 2009 and told PokerListings he's eager to reclaim the top spot.

"I've been waiting for so long, waiting for one year," he said. "I'm going to play my best and see what happens."

Neither Yang nor Eastgate's purses hold a candle to the $12 million 2006 champ Jamie Gold earned for topping a field of more than 8,700 competitors.

But the former champs will have both have their work cut out for them if they want to make another deep run.

Since 2003, only Greg Raymer has been able to replicate his tournament-winning success in a later year, finishing 25th in the 2005 Main Event after winning in 2004.

Among those players to show up for Day 1a action are former L.A. Dodger Orel Hershiser, PokerListings blogger Jason Mercier, actors Jason Alexander and Brad Garrett and rapper Nelly.

This year's Main Event will see the field divided into four flights on Day 1 and two flights on Day 2, with the survivors coming together for the first time on Day 3 next Friday.

Tournament organizers have tweaked the structure and given players 30,000 in chips compared to last year's 20,000, but despite the deeper stacks the field will only play four two-hour levels on Day 1.

As in 2008, the Main Event will play down to a nine-handed final table before the tournament is suspended until November.

The new "November Nine" will then reconvene at the Rio to play out the tournament's climactic hands in what promises to be another raucous spectacle of an event.

PokerListings.com will have live and comprehensive coverage of the 2009 Main Event in the WSOP section.

Tune in throughout the tournament for live updates, chip counts, video features and cutting-edge blogs from the Rio.

Visit PokerListings.com

iPoker network launches celebrity bounty

Players on the iPoker network can bang heads with some of the biggest names in the game and bag a bounty or two while they’re at it. Qualifiers for the Celebrity Bounty Bash will take their seats in a star studded line up which is set to include former World Champions Scotty Nguyen and Jamie Gold, WSOP bracelet winner Marty Smith plus Tony G, Neil Channing and Montell Williams.

Mortensen leads WSOP Champions Invitational

Of the 20 former champs who started the day, 10 survivors will return to face off for the Binion Cup and a restored 1970 Corvette starting at 3 p.m. today.

After Mortenson, the contingent of famous names includes reigning champ Peter Eastgate as well as poker icons Doyle Brunson and Dan Harrington.

Short-stacked Phil Hellmuth - as has now seemed to become the custom - has been allowed to survive to see the TV cameras on Day 2, even with only 1,125 to his name.

Full chip counts are as follows:

Carlos Mortensen: 42,375

Tom McEvoy: 31,000

Jim Bechtel: 30,475

Doyle Brunson: 20,250

Dan Harrington: 19,975

Peter Eastgate: 18,425

Huck Seed: 15,400

Robert Varkonyi: 13,450

Berry Johnston: 7,625

Phil Hellmuth: 1,125

2005 champ Joe Hachem bubbled the final table, while Mortensen amassed his monster stack by eliminating the likes of Jamie Gold, Greg Raymer and Chris "Jesus" Ferguson.

Given the full slate of events on tap at the Rio today, the Champions Invitational won't be getting the full live-update treatment, but check out the PokerListings blog for Day 2 highlights as it plays down to a winner.

Visit PokerListings.com

40 years of the WSOP: The new millenium

Back in 1991, Jack Binion was asked to look into the future and see where the WSOP might go.

Jack had no way of knowing how the WSOP would explode in popularity, bringing thousands to his casino in search of fame and fortune and said he expected a slow, steady 10 to 15 percent growth rate.

The last winner of the twentieth century was Jesus himself, Chris Ferguson.

He took home $1.5 million after outlasting 512 other players in the 2000 Main Event.

Poker author and fifth place finisher Jim McManus chronicled the final table in his book Positively Fifth Street.

The final battle between Ferguson and T.J. Cloutier was epic, with T.J. overcoming Ferguson's huge chip lead only to lose when his A-Q was out-flopped by Fergusons' A-9.

In the preliminary events, Jennifer Harman, Phil Ivey and Howard Lederer each won their first bracelet and Ferguson won another in 7-card stud.

Carlos Mortenson won the title in 2001 playing at the first final table with nine players, including poker standouts Mike Matusow, Phil Gordon, Phil Hellmuth and Dewey Tomko.

An unknown patent attorney Greg "Fossilman" Raymer came in 12th in the $1,500 Omaha Hi/Lo event that year.

2002 saw a whopping 39 preliminary events, three of which were won by Phil Ivey.

Robert Varkonyi was the Main Event champion, besting 631 hopefuls on his way to winning a then-record $2 million in his first ever WSOP event.

"I won my buy-in in my first ever single-table satellite," Varkonyi told PokerListings.

"I was extremely surprised to make the final table, it was completely unexpected. I was totally pumped with adrenaline, not nervous, just totally out of control excited to be there."

The fact that Varkonyi was a recreational - not professional - poker player caused some to doubt his chances, including Phil Hellmuth, who Varkonyi had doubled through earlier with Q-10 against his A-K.

During the televised final table, Hellmuth memorably promised to shave his head if Varkonyi were to pull out a win.

Eventually Hellmuth was forced to get a trim, but the name Robert Varkonyi was really lost in the shuffle with what happened next.

There is no poker aficionado who does not remember every moment of the 2003 Main Event.

The final nine, outlasting the record 839 who started, included Sammy Farha, Dan Harrington, Jason Lester, Amir Vahedi, David Grey, and David Singer.

But in their midst was a mild-mannered accountant who had dreamed of playing the Main Event since he saw the movie Rounders years earlier.

When Chris Moneymaker turned his online-qualifying win into $2.5 million, poker would never be the same.

Somewhat forgotten was the fact that Layne Flack had his second consecutive two-bracelet WSOP that year or that Ferguson, Hellmuth, Johnny Chan, Men "the Master" Nguyen and John Juanda each won two bracelets as well.

Women poker players did well in 2004 with Kathy Liebert, Cyndy Violette and Annie Duke each winning bracelets in open-field events.

But the story that year was the phenomenal increase in Main Event participants due in no small part to Moneymaker's historic win.

A total of 2,576 played and of course Greg Raymer won the $5 million dollar prize. Just like Moneymaker, Raymer had won his seat through an online satellite at PokerStars.

The 2005 WSOP was held outside of Binions for the first time, though the final two days of the Main Event took place in the old haunt.

Aussie Joe Hachem came out on top of the 5,619 person field, taking home $7.5 million.

His supporters' cheers are now legendary as was the final table that had a wide array of talent from the recently paroled Mike Matusow to the loveable everyman Steve Dannenmann.

The final table was also the site of the memorable meltdown from Ireland's Andy Black.

Raymer made a believer of everyone by coming close to repeating, finishing 25th in the big show.

Jennifer Tilly became the first celebrity player to win a bracelet and Doyle and Todd Brunson became the first father/son combo to win bracelets the same year.

If it were not for Jamie Gold, the 2006 WSOP would be remembered for its Player of the Year, Jeff Madsen.

Madsen became the youngest bracelet winner in history taking down the $2,000 NLHE, then won his second bracelet in Short-Handed NLHE six days later.

He also had two third place finishes - one in Omaha 8 and another in Stud Hi/Lo, an astounding feat at any age.

But Gold's $12 million win, outlasting the largest Main Event field ever at 8,773, is the story of 2006 as much for Gold's brash and controversial style as for the legal dustup that his win caused when another player claimed Gold had promised him half.

As if preordained, 2007 Main Event winner Jerry Yang was the anti-Gold. Quiet, pious, unassuming, Yang won $8.25 million with an aggressive, steam-roller approach to the final table that his co-finalists could not match.

With 6,358 players entering, there were 2,415 fewer than the previous year, only the second time in WSOP history that the number of entrants to the Main Event decreased.

Steve Billirakis was crowned the new-youngest bracelet winner in history, breaking Madsen's record from the previous year. Hellmuth won his record 11th bracelet and had a then-record 63 WSOP cashes.

Last year's WSOP set records for attendance (58,720), countries represented (118), and prize pool ($180,676,248).

It also saw the introduction of the November Nine, which ratcheted up the interest in and attention to the final table.

For poker purists who had been decrying the lack of "professional" winners of the Main Event, this final table had many players for whom poker was not just a hobby.

Runner-up Ivan Demidov went on to place third at the WSOP-Europe, David "Chino" Rheem is a respected pro, and eventual $9.1 million winner, the taciturn Dane Peter Eastgate, has proved himself a worthy title-holder.

2008 had a rash of memorable bracelet winners in preliminary events from the brothers Hinkle (Grant and Blair) to first-time bracelet-winners Erick Lindgren, David Singer, Kenny Tran, Nenad Medic, David Benyamine, JC Tran, and John Phan all breaking their "one of the best to never win a bracelet" record - now currently held by Andy Bloch.

So what is in store for 2009?  What records will be set, which will be broken?  Who will be the big story, the one talked about another forty years from now?

Will a big name take the big title, or will another "relative" unknown take poker's biggest prize?

For those answers and a whole lot more, follow PokerListings' Live Reporting from the Rio throughout the 2009 WSOP.

Related Articles:

• 40 years of the WSOP: The beginning
• 40 years of the WSOP: The 70s
• 40 years of the WSOP: The 80s
• 40 years of the WSOP: The 90's

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Phil Hellmuth the favorite to win WSOP Champions Invitational

A total of 34 players have won the WSOP Main Event, but some of them have already passed away, including three-time winners Johnny Moss and Stu Ungar. Only living champion who has indicated that he will not play the event is 1978 champ Bobby Baldwin.

Poker Brat is the favorite of the tournament of champions.

Hellmuth has smallest odds for winning the tournament, 9:1. A strong group of former champions all have 23:2 odds. The 2005 champ Joe Hachem, 2004 Main Event winner Greg Raymer, 1998 world champion and reigning HORSE champion Scotty Nguyen, 1996 Main Event champion and 2009 Heads-Up Poker Championship winner Huck Seed, 1995 WSOP Main Event victor Dan Harrington and 10-time bracelet winners Doyle Brunson and Johnny Chan.

Reigning champion Peter Eastgate has 13:1 odds, even though he feels like he should be the favorite:

“I should be one of the strongest [players] as I have emerged from the second biggest field,” he said. “However, you can’t disregard the champions like Doyle Brunson, Huck Seed and Phil Hellmuth, who have proven to stay on top ever since they won their championships.”

The winner of the biggest ever WSOP Main Event, Jamie Gold, who has 15:1 odds for winning the tournament, is also excited about the tournament:

“There is a 40-year history of excitement and prestige surrounding the WSOP,” he said. “This event will celebrate all of it and give us a once in a lifetime opportunity to compete with each other. We’re going to have a great time.”

The least favorite of bettors with 65:1 odds is Russ Hamilton, the 1994 Main Event Champion and the main suspect of the super user cheating scandal at Ultimate Bet. Though, it is fairly easy to predict that Hamilton will not participate in the tournament, as he has lost pretty much all the respect of the poker community.

The winner of the tournament will not win money or a bracelet, but he will take home a commemorative trophy named in honor of the Series-founding Binion family as well as a restored 1970 Corvette.

Sources: pokernewsdaily, pokerlistings

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Phil Hellmuth the favorite to win WSOP Champions Invitational

Phil Hellmuth Favored to Win WSOP Champions Invitational

According to betting lines posted on Bodog, Ultimate Bet pro and 11-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth is the favorite to win the WSOP Champions Invitational, fetching 9:1 odds. The tournament will consist solely of former Main Event champions.

Hellmuth took down the 1989 Main Event, earning an automatic entry into the WSOP Champions Invitational. The non-bracelet event kicks off at the beginning of the 2009 festivities on May 31st and crowns a winner the next day. The “champion of champions” will take home the Binion Cup along with a brand new car. Jack Binion will be on-hand for the festivities and present the trophy. A total of 34 players have won the previous 39 Main Events, although seven have since passed away (Johnny Moss, Puggy Pearson, Stu Ungar, Hal Fowler, Jack Strauss, Jack Keller, and Bill Smith).

Hellmuth leads the field at 9:1 odds. Just behind him and coming in at 23:2 (or 11.5:1) are 2005 WSOP Main Event winner and Team PokerStars Pro member Joe Hachem, 2004 WSOP Main Event Champion Greg Raymer, new Expekt Poker pro and reigning HORSE Championship winner Scotty Nguyen, 2009 Heads-Up Poker Championship winner Huck Seed, 1995 WSOP Main Event victor Dan Harrington, and 10-time bracelet winners Doyle Brunson and Johnny Chan. Last year’s Main Event winner, Peter Eastgate, is fetching 13:1 odds and holds the record as the youngest champion of the feature tournament ever at age 22. Eastgate took home $9.1 million for his efforts in the second largest Main Event field in history, 6,844 runners.

Four former Main Event champs sit at 15:1 odds. Jerry Yang trumped the field in 2007 for $8.25 million, his lone WSOP cash to date. Members of that final table watched Team PokerStars Pro member Hevad “RaiNKhaN” Khan boisterously play his way through the event, ultimately grabbing sixth place for just under $1 million. Jamie Gold, the winner of the largest Main Event field ever in 2006, is also generating 15:1 odds. Gold is a former ACED Poker pro, but recently parted ways with the Merge Gaming Network site. Tied in odds with Gold and Yang is the man many would credit with sparking the modern poker boom, former Tennessee accountant Chris Moneymaker, who won it all in 2003. Full Tilt Poker pro Chris Ferguson is also fetching 15:1 odds. The man they call “Jesus” took down the first Main Event of the new millennium.

Robert Varkonyi and Tom McEvoy, who won the 2002 and 1983 WSOP Main Events, respectively, are both going off at 19:1 odds. Also seeing 19:1 odds is 1991 World Champion Brad Daugherty, who took home an even $1 million for his efforts and bested Don Holt heads-up. Several brand name pros are coming in at 24:1, including Noel Furlong, Jim Bechtel, Hamid Dastmalchi, Mansour Matloubi, Berry Johnston, and Bobby Baldwin.

At the bottom of the field and coming in at 65:1 is Russ Hamilton, the 1994 Main Event Champion. Last September, Hamilton was found to be “the main person responsible for and benefiting from the multiple cheating incidents” on Ultimate Bet, according to the Kahnawake Gaming Commission. The revelation came after members of the online poker community linked Hamilton’s Las Vegas home to one of the accounts involved in the scandal, Sleeplesss. The events were revealed to the entire world as part of a November feature story on the CBS News program “60 Minutes” and a joint investigation with the Washington Post newspaper.

The WSOP Champions Invitational is one of four tournaments that will comprise ESPN’s television coverage this year. It will air on August 4th from 8:00pm to 10:00pm ET. Also seeing time in the spotlight will be the $40,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament commemorating the 40th running of the WSOP, the Ante Up for Africa charity poker tournament, and the Main Event. The tournament series itself begins on Wednesday, May 27th with the $500 Casino Employees event. The $40,000 festivities begin the following day.

2009 WSOP: Champions Invitational

In fact, if you're not part of that select group of 33 players with World Series of Poker Main Event bracelets, you'll be watching the Champions Invitational from the sidelines.

The Invitational, which kicks off May 31st, is a freeroll event open only to the 25 surviving Main Event champions. It's one of only four WSOP events to be broadcast on ESPN this summer.

There's no cash prize and there's no WSOP bracelet, but the winner will take home a commemorative trophy named in honor of the Series-founding Binion family as well as a restored 1970 Corvette.

"This is going to be one hell of a photo op," said WSOP media director Nolan Dalla. "I think the buzz from this event will perhaps be higher than anything else, save the Main Event."

Thirty-three players have won the Main Event over its 39-year run.

Eight of those winners - including three-time winners Johnny Moss and Stu Ungar - are deceased, and 1978 champ Bobby Baldwin has reportedly already indicated he won't play.

Among the rest of the champs, however, there is palpable excitement.

"Of course I'm playing!" 1989 champ Phil Hellmuth told PokerListings.com. "It's one of four ESPN events, and I love playing with my peers."

"I definitely intend to play," said 2004 winner Greg Raymer. "I love the concept and have suggested exactly an event like this to [WSOP commissioner] Jeffrey Pollack several times in the past."

Reigning champ Peter Eastgate, meanwhile, told PokerListings.com he thought he should be considered a favorite.

"I should be one of the strongest [players] as I have emerged from the second biggest field," he said.

"However, you can't disregard the champions like Doyle Brunson, Huck Seed and Phil Hellmuth, who have proven to stay on top ever since they won their championships."

By Eastgate's math, his primary competition should be 2006 champion Jamie Gold, who took a $12 million first prize for defeating the largest field in Main Event history - 8,773 runners.

In comparison, the young Dane's victory last November saw him defeat 6,843 other entrants to claim a $9,152,416 top prize.

Like most of the champions PokerListings talked to, Gold was excited about the prospect of facing off against his peers with little but pride on the line.

"There is a 40-year history of excitement and prestige surrounding the WSOP," he said. "This event will celebrate all of it and give us a once in a lifetime opportunity to compete with each other. We're going to have a great time."

Raymer agreed.

"I am very proud of my accomplishment in 2004," he said. "The group of champions is very select and it is an honor to compete with them in this event."

That said, though all of the former champions indicated their intention to play in the event, Hellmuth suggested his primary focus will be on the Series' bracelet events this summer.

"[The Champions Invitational] will be fun to play in, but there is no bracelet for first place," he said. "So I'll try my hardest, but I will be looking out of one eye for bracelet events while I'm playing it."

Dalla told PokerListings he thought the Champions Invitational would fill a void with the armchair poker fan.

"I think we can agree that the [WSOP events] in recent years have gotten to the point where all we are likely to see in most final tables is anonymous faces," he said. "That's not a bad thing.

"But the public wants to see the legends, too. And this is a great way to ensure that happens, at least once a year. Add Jack Binion's name plus a cool car for first place, and this should be a lot of fun."

The Invitational kicks off May 31st at noon Vegas time and will be broadcast on ESPN beginning August 4th.

Of course, you can catch all of the action live in the PokerListings.com World Series of Poker section as soon as play gets underway.

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Dream Team Poker Announces Tournament During 2009 WSOP

Dream Team Poker will present the third tournament in its history in July. Fresh off a sold out event at Caesars Palace, the team gaming concept will make its way to the Rio from July 12th to 13th during the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP). The buy-in is $560 per person, or $1,680 per three-man team.

The last time out, 148 teams and 444 players mobbed Caesars Palace for a sold out tournament, the first one held by Dream Team Poker that was open to the general public. In the end, Team ACED, which consisted of then-ACED Poker pro Jamie Gold, Ashley Nataupsky, and Houston Waldie, dominated the field and banked nearly $60,000. Other teams that finished in the money included The Claddaghs (second place for $33,300), The Clones (third place for $15,984), Party at the Mansion (fourth place for $10,656), and the Hellmuth Busters (fifth place for $6,660). Players who hit the felts included Bodog Poker pro Justin “ZeeJustin” Bonomo, Ultimate Bet personality Phil Hellmuth, Johnny Chan, David Williams, Paul Wasicka, and T.J. Cloutier. Needless to say, the poker world was out in full force.

Dream Team Poker CEO Daniel Delshad will now bring his company’s popular concept to the world’s biggest stage: The 2009 WSOP. The tournament will take place concurrently with the end of the $10,000 buy-in Main Event, which will air as part of ESPN’s coverage of the festivities. Delshad told Poker News Daily, “After the success of our Caesars Palace event, we were able to get some time with WSOP officials and discuss an opportunity to bring Dream Team Poker to the Rio. To be able to get a turnaround that quickly is a testament to our success and the WSOP bringing new ideas to their game.” The WSOP Main Event will play down to its final table on July 15th and then be paused until November for the second straight year. On July 12th and 13th, the featured tournament will be playing out Day 5 and Day 6.

The first 300 teams that register will receive customized jerseys to don when they hit the Dream Team Poker felts. Although the number of tables that the tournament will have available has not yet been determined, a crowd surpassing the 444 players who showed up to Caesars is not out of the question. Delshad was elated at the event’s timing: “It gives us a lot more time to promote it. For us, the real excitement is to be in the Amazon Room at the same time as the Main Event. It’s a step higher than just being at the WSOP.” Registration for Dream Team Poker’s WSOP tournament will open on July 3rd. The organization will also have a booth in the halls of the Rio throughout the seven week WSOP festivities.

Among those who have expressed interest in creating a team is Jason Lilly, the individual winner in Dream Team Poker’s inaugural tournament, which was held at the Hard Rock in November. In addition, Joe Sebok has asked for Dream Team Poker officials to reserve him a spot. The tournament’s rules will remain much the same. Delshad told Poker News Daily, “People will still be wearing jerseys, but we’ll be on a bigger floor. We are still going to have time outs for players to talk to teammates who have been eliminated. We look at this as a good opportunity for people to continue to learn about the strategy of team gaming.” Taking down the invite-only Hard Rock event was Team Bluff, which consisted of Bonomo, Eric Morris, and Matt Parvis.

Delshad revealed to Poker News Daily that Dream Team Poker has plans to take the brand outside of the United States, as it has revolutionized the notion that poker is an individual sport. Team scores are determined by adding up the position that each player finished in. Only the two best scores are counted and the team with the lowest tally wins. Teammates are not seated at the same table until 14 to 16 players remain and any team that is represented in the final 27 runners receives a time out. Players also compete for individual prize money in addition to banking on their team’s success.

Poker News Daily would like to thank Delshad for giving our readers a unique insight into the Dream Team Poker concept.

WSOP adds Dream Team Poker event

"After seeing the terrific response to the recent Dream Team Poker tournaments in Las Vegas, we thought a team-based event would be a fun addition to the end of the WSOP," said Jeffrey Pollack, WSOP commissioner.

"The Dream Team Poker event is one of the many new elements added in 2009 that will help make this summer a memorable one for all WSOP players and fans."

Although it's not a bracelet event, the Dream Team tournament will take place at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino July 12-13. It has a $560 buy-in per player, or $1,680 per team.

The first 300 teams to preregister on DreamTeamPoker.com will receive personalized jerseys for the tournament.

While relatively new to the poker scene, Dream Team Poker has found quick success with its events in Las Vegas. It hosted its inaugural event in November 2008 and followed that up with a successful event in March 2009.

The inaugural event was invitation only and sold out within weeks. Justin Bonomo, Eric Morris and Matthew Parvis made up the three-man team that won the first event while Jason Lilly from Team Flop was the individual winner.

The second event was open to the public and saw 148 teams fill the Caesars Palace poker room for another sold-out event.

Team Aced, led by Jamie Gold, took down the Caesars event. Danny Nelson playing on Team Bikerhaven.net was the individual winner.

Dream Team Poker has a patent-pending team-based tournament structure. Not only are participants playing for an individual prize, they're playing for points for their team to win.

"The WSOP and the Rio have really shown their commitment to the players in continuing to innovate and try new concepts," said Daniel Delshad, Dream Team Gaming CEO.

"Bringing our brand to the Rio during the WSOP and onto the most hallowed ground in the sport is a powerful way to introduce Dream Team Poker to the world."

Dream Team Poker will also have a booth outside of the Amazon Room throughout the World Series of Poker with staff on hand to answer questions about the tournament and to explain the rules and structure.

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