The main event is underway at the World Series of Poker. They expected more than 6,000 men and women to compete for a $10,000,000 grand prize, but the final official number is 5,661. No word yet on what the money will work out to.
Paul Phillips, who earned a million and a half on the World Poker Tour, writes about how he plans to make it through the next week of 14-hour days and nights at the WSOP $10,000 No-Limit Hold’Em Champtionship — with the help of chemicals. He also admits to making a rookie mistake in an earlier event at WSOP’05 that cost him $350,000.
After Greg Raymer won last year’s Main Event while wearing those weird glasses, at least one other player has decided to go the distraction route — whenever he’s in a hand, he pulls an Elmo costume over his head. I’m sure ESPN got their cameras on that Sesame Street moment.
CardPlayer has the best live coverage of the WSOP Main Event, including the first really good Bad Beat story, involving Jennifer Harman, a full house, and a runner-runner straight flush.
Meanwhile, ESPN has announced its schedule for televising the various WSOP events, starting July 19th and continuing through November.