The World Series of Poker was a big deal long before poker became the game of regular folks and shows on the sports networks. It was traditionally held at Binion's in downtown Las Vegas, before the IRS took over the casino.
This year, the WSOP tour has been running at Harrah's properties around the country and the grand finale takes place today at 4 pm at the Rio. Cardplayer magazine delivers the final table action live. Final players and their chip counts are here. It won't be the bells and whistles you are used to on television. No chance of seeing those cards in real time. It will be streaming audio only. However, in addition to the live stream, there will be commentary by pro players. If you're interested in poker, it's not to be missed.
Entry fee into the championship is $10,000. That amount used to limit it to celebrities and professionals. Now much of the field consists of regular folks who have won their way in via satellites online. At one online outlet, winning a tournament with an entry fee of $315 got you a trip to the championship event, including hotel and the $10,000 entry fee. If there were enough players, the top 2-5 winners in a satellite would go. Better yet, you could play a $10 single table game, win your way into a $36 single table game, and win your way into the $315 event.
In 2003, Chris Moneymaker started at the $39 level and won his way to the top prize, then $2.5 million dollars. This year, countless others have tried to follow in his footstps, swelling the ranks of the tournament to over 5600 and the top prize to $7.5 million.
Alas, I am not one of the 5600 this year. I spent between $100 and $200 trying to win my way in, starting at the $10 tables. I got to the final satellite level twice, once placing as high as 38 out of a field of 400-500. Last year at this time, I was still playing limit games, afraid to even try no limit hold 'em, the game of the big event. So I have big dreams.
Checkraise is a regular poker column by Justene Adamec. It appears every other Friday.
Article comments
1 - Temple Stark
Poker for regular folks - with appropriately special wide cards so they couldn't as easily be slipped up sleeves - was a big deal long before the World Series of Poker.
Playing poker is hard when it's for money. You really do need to have a poker face. Some of these guys in the tournaments - with their incessant chatter - that would bug the hell out of me. Mostly because of the lame jokes.
I do watch some of this on TV - and I wish they'd go 20-30 minutes every now and then without showing those at home everybody's hand. Just stick with one person to get a better feel for how the game really is - and how lost you can be unless you know what you're doing.
2 - Eric Olsen
Poker? I don't even know her.
Thanks Justene!
3 - Tan The Man
I'm surprised Dan Harrington isn't at the final table again.
4 - Justene
Apparently, there used to be televised poker where you didn't see the cards. Apparently it didn't attract enough viewers and it is the technology that allows you to see the cards that has added to the boom.
There must be more people who don't mind and even enjoy not knowing the cards because the stands at the tournaments are full. You won't know the cards on the live streaming audio.
Often the incessant chatter is designed to get at players who hate it.
5 - Mark Sahm
I think knowing the player's cards on TV lets you know what people fold with, or who takes the stack with a bluff.
When playing, I can't stand bowing out to an all-in without knowing what they had. But then, that could be why I usually lose! :o)
6 - Phillip Winn
Yeah, I think that being able to see the cards, and therefore knowing what it is on which the winners and losers base their decisions, is what makes the shows worth watching. It's... educational.
7 - Temple Stark
I agree. I love knowing the cards. Educational. All understood. but I was talking just occasionally - a round, a few rounds.
8 - WSOP
WSOP has always had a buy-in of $10.000 which was a big boney back in 1970's when this tradition got started. By 2009, inflation has eaten a lot of the buy-in value. The buy-in should be more like a big round figure $100,000 now, if they want to keep the event for WSOP pros, celebrities and rich only.
9 - Roberto
The buyin is always of $10.000 but every year the players increase.
According to me, in few years, the buy-in cost will be more than $10.000
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11 - shinwtf
I'm a poker player my self but i usually play over the net..and sometimes its hard to make a decision if you would fold or not..its hard to bluff cause they dont see you're face reactions..but reading you're suggestions will be a new knowledge for me.so thank you so much guys.