PokerRoad Nation Photo Blog
July 14, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
The money bubble has burst, but the final table is still several days away. Welcome to Day 5 of the WSOP Main Event, when the payouts still aren't that high -- busting on this day will only earn $27,000-$36,000, and it cost $10,000 to enter. But the pressure to stay alive one more day is huge.
July 14, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
This is the moment that most of the players have been waiting for -- the Money Bubble. With so many people playing in the biggest tournament of their lives, even a min-cash could be life changing, and give them home-game bragging rights for years to come. But there were 789 players at the start of Day 4, and only 648 would finish in the money, earning at least $21,365. Who would cash, and who would go home after a week of poker with nothing to show for it?
Note: We have no photos posted from Day 3 of the WSOP Main Event. That's okay; Day 4 was far more interesting anyway.
July 12, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
After six weeks of covering WSOP events in the Rio, most members of the poker media needed to cut loose or go crazy (or both). With the Main Event players taking a day off between Day 2b and Day 3, members of the media gathered in the Brasilia Room to play the annual media tournament -- this year, in a Dream Team format with free jerseys.
July 12, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
With Day 1c featuring a large field and Day 1d filled to capacity, Day 2b became the largest tournament restart in poker history, with 2,922 players returning to the WSOP Main Event. With only nine players per table, this day featured the most tables ever in action at the World Series of Poker -- at least at the start of play. Bustouts came quickly, and the field was below "normal" capacity within an hour.
July 11, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
How many players will enter the WSOP Main Event? It's always one of the biggest prop bets every year, and it often starts with the question of whether or not it will attract more than it did the year before. In 2008, Peter Easgate outlasted a field of 6,844 to win more than $9 million, though with the major economic downturn, few people expected to beat that number this year. With four starting days, the first two were down from the year before with 1,116 on Day 1a and 873 on Day 1b (which also happened to be Independence Day). But then 1,696 players signed up on Day 1c, and 2,809 players got into the field on Day 1d as hundreds more were turned away -- the daily capacity had been reached. The final number of 6,494 was smaller than last year, but if there had been room to seat everyone, the field would have eclipsed the 7,000-player mark.
July 08, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
On the first day of the 2009 WSOP Main Event, I had the opportunity to follow WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack as he went about his business. With the exception of a one-hour mid-day meeting and an appreciation dinner, Pollack never stayed in one place very long, moving from room to room, interview to interview, and person to person.
July 03, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
The annual Ante Up For Africa charity tournament, hosted by poker pro Annie Duke and Academy Award-nominated actor Don Cheadle, attracts some of the biggest stars in Hollywood. The tournament raises money for charities dedicated to stopping genocide, particularly in Darfur -- ENOUGH (www.EnoughProject.org) and the International Rescue Committee (www.TheIRC.org).
July 03, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
The World Series of Poker encompasses more than just poker tournaments -- there's also the big prop bets and pre-Main Event parties.
This year, one of the most visible prop bets was a boxing match set up between Liv Boeree and Melissa Castello, called the "Rumble Nowhere Near the Rio." (It was originally called the "Rumble at the Rio," until lawyers got involved.) Why were they fighting? Not really sure. What was at stake? The winner would receive a $1,000 donation to their favorite charity. Who would win? That was the topic of considerable side action.
Meanwhile, one of the biggest parties of the year was being held downtown -- the World Series of Barbecue (WSOBBQ). It's a large affair, hosted by Howard and Suzie Lederer, and it includes a charity poker tournament and a karaoke competition that feature top-quality prizes. But win or lose, everyone always has a great time.
July 03, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
Even with a smaller-than-expected field of 95 players (down more than a third from last year), the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. event is still the second-most coveted bracelet of the summer, next to the Main Event. In addition to the bracelet, the final eight players will be battling for the $1.27 million first prize, the David "Chip" Reese Trophy, and the right to call themselves one of the best all-around poker players in the world.
July 01, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
It's Monday, and the Main Event starts on Friday. The $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. event is playing down to a final table, while the final $1,500 no-limit hold'em event starts with another sellout field (2,818). The WSOP is about to enter the calm before the storm.
June 30, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
The final table of Event #50 ($1,500 Limit Hold'em Shootout) featured an interesting lineup, with former bracelet winner David Williams, female Millie Shiu, and two players who had won their first bracelets earlier this Series -- Marc Naalden and Greg "FBT" Mueller. Williams busted in fourth, followed by Shiu in third (tying the highest finish by a female this year), leaving Naalden and Mueller both battling for their second bracelet of 2009.
June 28, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
Five days ago, Brandon Cantu was heads-up and playing for his second WSOP bracelet. But he couldn't close the deal, and finished as the runner-up to Ray Foley in $1,500 no-limit hold'em. Now at his second final table in a week, Cantu had a huge chip lead and was looking to erase that bad memory by closing the deal with a victory.
June 28, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
The high-prestige event at the WSOP the last few years has been the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. Player's Championship, where the best high-stakes tournament players in the world need to prove themselves as a master of five separate limit games -- hold'em (H), Omaha Hi-Lo (O), razz (R), seven card stud (S), and stud eight or better (E). The first champion in this event was the legendary Chip Reese, followed by Freddy Deeb and Scotty Nguyen.
But this year, the field dropped by more than a third to just 95 players. The economy may be a factor, but with 201 entrants in the $40,000 no-limit hold'em event a few weeks ago, the more likely reason is a lack of television coverage by ESPN. Regardless of the numbers, the best of the best still showed up to compete, and this is certainly the toughest 95-player field ever assembled.
June 26, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
The day before the high-profile $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. event, several of the top pros spent the day outdoors participating in Daniel Negreanu's first annual "Big Swing" charity golf tournament. Back in the Amazon Room at the Rio Casino, Eric "Basebaldy" Baldwin is at the final table, trying to become the fourth player this year to win multiple bracelets.
June 25, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
Only four players in history have won three bracelets in the same WSOP, and nobody has done it since Phil Ivey in 2002. But Jeffrey Lisandro reached the final table of Event #44 ($2,500 Razz) with a big chip lead, and then steamrolled the table in pursuit of his third bracelet this year.
Meanwhile, in the often-ignored Seniors event (Event #44, $1,000 Seniors No-Limit Hold'em), a story was emerging -- one of the players had a close connection to the recently deceased Justin Shronk, and was wearing a lucky t-shirt in his honor. Where have we heard that before? Oh right, Shronk's cousin Brian Lemke won Event #15 ($5,000 No-Limit Hold'em) under similar circumstances. Could Justin Shronk become a multi-bracelet winner by proxy?
June 24, 2009 by Jeff Holsey
The big story of the day is the final table of Event #40 ($10,000 World Championship Pot-Limit Omaha), where five bracelet winners are looking to add to their career totals, while Vitaly Lunkin strives to become the fourth multiple-bracelet winner in 2009. But the secondary final table is Event #39 ($1,500 No-Limit Hold'em), which is unusual because it has not one, but notable pros who have survived the field of 2,700 players.
June 22, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
Casinos are known for keeping clocks and windows out of sight, so gamblers lose all track of time -- and the World Series of Poker is no different. But there is definitely a rhythm to the day, especially after the tournaments stop play at 3:00 am.
June 22, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
At the final table of Event #37 ($10,000 World Championship Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo), Doyle Brunson was playing for his record-tying 11th WSOP bracelet while Jeffrey Lisandro was trying to become the third player to win multiple events this year. Which one would come out on top?
June 22, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
There are 11 high buy-in events on this year's schedule labeled as "World Championships" -- each in a different type of poker. The field sizes are much smaller than most of the prelims, ranging from 96 to 295 in the ones played so far. (The Main Event is the obvious exception to this field size rule.) But the fields tend to be thick with top players, and every table looks like a featured table.
June 22, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
Yesterday's Photo Blog was devoted to the NHL Charity Shootout, but there were still WSOP final tables in action. Fittingly, former professional hockey player and current professional poker player Greg Mueller was playing for his first bracelet on the secondary stage in Event #33 ($10,000 World Championship Limit Hold'em).
June 21, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
Two sports worlds clashed on Wednesday as the National Hockey League infiltrated the World Series of Poker for a charity tournament, bringing some of their top players and the one and only Stanley Cup.
June 20, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
Poker is an individual endeavor, where players often find themselves facing off against their own friends at the tables. But they can also draw support from those same players, talking about poker and sharing fun times on the year-round tournament circuit. They support each other through the hard times, but they are also there to share the triumphs.
June 17, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
Event #29 ($10,000 World Championship Heads-Up No-Limit Hold'em) played through the semi-finals and the Final Four, before play had to stop near midnight. The final two players would have to return tomorrow to play for the bracelet. Meanwhile, in the Brasilia Room, Event #31 ($1,500 H.O.R.S.E) featured several women going deep on Day 2, past the dinner break, hoping to reach the money and tomorrow's final table.
June 17, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
While there are a lot of variations of poker at the WSOP, one tournament visually stands out from the rest -- $10,000 World Championship Heads-Up No-Limit Hold'em. Capped at 256 players to provide an even number of matches, the single-elimination format means a player will have to win eight straight heads-up matches to win the bracelet.
June 15, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
Brock Parker won back-to-back bracelets in short-handed hold'em events, but that won't be the big story of the WSOP. Ville Wahlbeck of Finland leads the WSOP Player of the Year race after cashing in four $10,000 World Championship events and reaching three final tables, finishing 1st, 2nd, and 3rd -- but that won't be the big story of the WSOP either.
None of that matters, because it became obvious on Saturday that the 2009 World Series of Poker belongs to Phil Ivey.
June 14, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
Two days after Brock Parker won his second bracelet of the 2009 WSOP, two more players were looking to tie him. Both Steve Sung and Ville Wahlbeck were still alive with three players remaining in Event #23 ($10,000 World Championship No-Limit Deuce to Seven Draw). Would one of them join Parker as a multiple-bracelet winner?
June 14, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
Erik Seidel is not the flashiest player; he just quietly goes about his business winning tournaments. On Thursday, Seidel reached his 30th WSOP final table, in pursuit of his ninth WSOP bracelet -- a mark reached by only four other players (Johnny Moss, Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, and Phil Hellmuth).
June 13, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
On WSOP Day 12, Brock Parker won his first WSOP bracelet in Event #14 ($2,500 Six-Handed Limit Hold'em). The next day, he entered Event #19 ($2,500 Six-Handed No-Limit Hold'em) -- and won his second bracelet. It's the tenth year in a row that the WSOP has had a multiple-bracelet winner.
June 12, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
When Daniel Negreanu was at the final table of Event #14 two days ago, he spent his breaks playing in Event #18 ($10,000 World Championship Omaha Hi-Lo Split) -- and made that final table as well. Could Negreanu convert his second final table of 2009 into a coveted WSOP bracelet? A couple of top pros, including Annie Duke, were standing in his way.
June 10, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
Sometimes, a story is so good, that you have a hard time believing it, even as it unfolds right before your own eyes. (Or, in this case, camera lens.) Brian Lemke, first cousin to the late, great Justin Shronk, not only made the final table of Event #15 ($5,000 No-Limit Hold'em), but he outlasted top pros David Pham, Isaac Baron, and Mike Sowers to win the bracelet in Shronk's honor.
June 09, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
While the Amazon Room is filled with more than a thousand women for the Ladies' event, Daniel Negreanu plays at his first final table of this year's WSOP, trying to match Phil Ivey by winning a bracelet.
June 07, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
There was a final table full of notables in Event #12 ($10,000 World Championship Mixed Event) on the secondary stage while both Daniel Negreanu and Phil Ivey were going deep in separate events looking to make the final table -- two days after Ivey won his sixth bracelet.
June 07, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
On Friday night, there was an induction ceremony at the Golden Nugget Casino for the Women in Poker Hall of Fame, which was started in 2008. June Field, Jan Fisher, and Cyndy Violette were all honored by their peers in the industry, both male and female.
This first picture is just one of 12, so be sure to click through and check out the rest. (12 photos total)
June 05, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
With more than history on the line, Phil Ivey was at the final table of Event #8 ($2,500 No-Limit Deuce-to-Seven Draw) going for his sixth WSOP bracelet. Rumors were running wild that Ivey had up to $10 million in various prop bets revolving around him winning a bracelet. That totally eclipsed the official first prize of $96,361.
This first picture is just one of 20, so be sure to click through and check out the rest. (20 photos total)
June 04, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
With the huge field in Event #4 ($1,000 No-Limit Hold'em), the field didn't reach the final table until late Tuesday night, so it had to be bumped to Wednesday. That created a rare situation where there were three bracelets at stack in a single day. In addition to the Stimulus event, there was also Event #5 ($1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha) and Event #6 ($10,000 World Championship Seven Card Stud).
This first picture is just one of 25, so be sure to click through and check out the rest. (25 photos total)
June 03, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
On Day 7, our photography doesn't begin until the clock nears midnight, when the WSOP has a different feel -- the crowds have thinned out and most of the donkeys have busted out. Between Event #6 ($10,000 World Championship Seven Card Stud) and Event #8 ($2,500 No-Limit Deuce to Seven Lowball), there were a lot of top pros in action late into the night.
This first picture is just one of 12, so be sure to click through and check out the rest. (12 photos total)
June 02, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
The big story on Day 6 of the WSOP was the final table of the Champions Invitational -- the last event to be recorded by ESPN for several weeks. This first picture is just one of 24, so be sure to click through and check out the rest. (24 photos total)
May 31, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
Sunday marked the debut of ESPN's final table arena, with their crew recording the action of the final table of the 40th Anniversary $40,000 No-Limit Hold'em event. Just outside the arena, 20 former WSOP Main Event champions took their seats in the first-ever Champions Invitational.
This first picture is just the tip of the iceberg, so be sure to check out the rest. (15 photos total)
May 30, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
On Saturday, the WSOP was finally in full swing, with a packed house for $1,000 no-limit hold'em, dubbed "The Stimulus Event." The event sold out in the early morning hours (check yesterday's photo blog to see the long lines in the middle of the night), with nearly 6,000 players split between Saturday and Sunday.
Of course, the $40,000 No-Limit Hold'em was still in action, as was the $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo event. Both are playing down to final tables of nine players on Saturday.
The evening was capped off by the Official WSOP Launch Party, held at the nightclub ND's in the Rio and hosted by Lacey Jones. (16 photos total)
May 29, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
In the past, WSOP bracelets were awarded moments after the final river card was dealt, often after midnight in front of a sparse crowd. This year, players will return to the Amazon Room the next afternoon for a public Bracelet Ceremony, so WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack can give each winner the recognition they deserve.
Meanwhile, Event #2 ($40,000 No-Limit Hold'em) continued into its second day, busting the money bubble at 27 and finishing with 23 players. On the other side of the room, Event #3 ($1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo) set a record with 918 players.
Check out all 19 photos from Day 3 by clicking "View all photos."
May 28, 2009 by BJ Nemeth
As top poker pros arrive at the Rio Casino, so do the fans, eagerly lining the rails for the highly-anticipated 40th Anniversary $40,000 No-Limit Hold'em event. This is one of several new events added to this year's WSOP schedule, and it seems that everyone has a prop bet as to how many players would enter. 150? 200? 250? (@PokerRoadBJ boldly predicted more than 300.)
Rumors were floating around that some top backers weren't putting players directly into this event (perhaps a satellite instead), and other players found it difficult to sell pieces of themselves -- far more were selling pieces than buying.
When the official number was announced at 201 entrants, it seemed to fall in the middle of the betting range, but about a third more than early expectations. WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack was extremely pleased, and you know what that means -- expect this event or something similar to return next year.
To check out all twenty photos from Day 2 of the WSOP, including the batch that was posted late Thursday night, click "View all photos."
May 27, 2009 by Jeff Holsey
In its fifth year at the Rio Casino, the World Series of Poker was officially underway when famed poker brat Phil Hellmuth announced "Shuffle up and deal" shortly after noon on Wednesday to kick off Event #1 ($500 Casino Employees No-Limit Hold'em).
This low-key event gives tournament planners a chance to make sure everything runs smoothly before the real test begins on Thursday with the highly anticipated Event #2 (40th Anniversary $40,000 No-Limit Hold'em). That event will attract some of the biggest names in the world, and plenty of fans and media to sweat the action.
To check out all ten photos from Day 1 of the WSOP, click "View all photos."
