All-star lineups of professional poker players from Europe and the Americas will do battle in a special event at this September’s World Series of Poker Europe Presented by Betfair. third annual WSOPE series will introduce the Caesars Cup, modeled after golf’s Ryder Cup that pits two international teams against each other to determine an overall winner.
The Caesars Cup is a made-for-TV affair to be produced as part of ESPN’s broadcast package from London, with the event taking place on September 25th, midway through the WSOPE’s two-week run.
The two teams of eight players each will square off at no-limit hold’em, battling in a series of “partners” and “heads-up” matches.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
A Tale of Two 2009 WSOP Final Tables
At the final table of the $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha, crowd and media fave Jason Mercier eventually won out over opponent Steve Burkholder. The top prize of $237,415 pushes Mericer over the $3 million in career tournament winnings since he burst onto the scene last year after winning the EPT San Remo. This is his first WSOP bracelet and most likely not his last.
After facing one of the largest poker tournament fields in history in the $1,000 No Limit Holdem Stimulus Special, Steve Sung was able to face down his heads-up opponent in a knock down drag out duel to take home the $771,106 first place prize and his first WSOP bracelet in his fifth WSOP final table. The win puts him at almost $3 million in career earnings over a very short time.
After facing one of the largest poker tournament fields in history in the $1,000 No Limit Holdem Stimulus Special, Steve Sung was able to face down his heads-up opponent in a knock down drag out duel to take home the $771,106 first place prize and his first WSOP bracelet in his fifth WSOP final table. The win puts him at almost $3 million in career earnings over a very short time.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Tournament Poker with Jeremiah Smith
It was the first hand at a brand new table, and I wanted to implant a firm impression in my opponent’s minds that I was a bit of an idiot. This was a basic strategy I was using through the main event and, well, it was working; that first impression would stick just long enough to force them into a critical mistake. With 300 big blinds the potential reward was well worth the small risk. Under the gun, I looked down at the powerhouse K-3 suited.
Naturally, I raised 2.5x, receiving a lone caller on the button. I made a standard half-pot continuation bet on the Q-8-2 flop, intending to show the hand if I won or fold it face up if raised to establish my desired image.
Naturally, I raised 2.5x, receiving a lone caller on the button. I made a standard half-pot continuation bet on the Q-8-2 flop, intending to show the hand if I won or fold it face up if raised to establish my desired image.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
2009 WSOP Champions Invitational Underway, Day 2 of $1k NLH
The 2009 WSOP Champions Invitational final table is in full swing in the televised arena in the corner of the Amazon Room. What started with 10 former champions has now been narrowed down to only six: Tom McEvoy, Huck Seed, Carlos Mortensen, Jim Bechtel, Robert Varkonyi and Dan Harrington.
This already eliminated include Phil Hellmuth, Peter Eastgate, Doyle Brunson and Berry Johnston. Yes, that does make ten players, which is one more than a usual final table. Hellmuth made the cut with only three chips in front of him, 1,000, 1,000 and 25. We heard him in the hallway last night saying that the only reason they stopped play was so the WSOP could say that he was at the "final" table.
Anyway, McEvoy is the current chip leader with Harrington and Mortensen breathing down his neck. Now that most of the old guys are gone, expect for McEvoy it seems more likely that they'll play down to a champ instead of just until someone falls asleep at the table. The winner gets a shiny 1970 Corvette Stingray. Yay.
The $1,000 No Limit Holdem event is well into Day 2 of play. There are now 395 players remaining out of the roughly 750 who started the day today. Out to a crushing lead is JC Tran, who is not one to give up leads when he has one. They will play through five more blind levels today and call it a day. First place is $771,106 but there is still a lot of poker left until we reach that point, so stay tuned here for updates from the 2009 WSOP.
This already eliminated include Phil Hellmuth, Peter Eastgate, Doyle Brunson and Berry Johnston. Yes, that does make ten players, which is one more than a usual final table. Hellmuth made the cut with only three chips in front of him, 1,000, 1,000 and 25. We heard him in the hallway last night saying that the only reason they stopped play was so the WSOP could say that he was at the "final" table.
Anyway, McEvoy is the current chip leader with Harrington and Mortensen breathing down his neck. Now that most of the old guys are gone, expect for McEvoy it seems more likely that they'll play down to a champ instead of just until someone falls asleep at the table. The winner gets a shiny 1970 Corvette Stingray. Yay.
The $1,000 No Limit Holdem event is well into Day 2 of play. There are now 395 players remaining out of the roughly 750 who started the day today. Out to a crushing lead is JC Tran, who is not one to give up leads when he has one. They will play through five more blind levels today and call it a day. First place is $771,106 but there is still a lot of poker left until we reach that point, so stay tuned here for updates from the 2009 WSOP.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Justin Bonomo Finishes Fifth in 2009 WSOP $40,000 Anniversary Event
Bodog poker pro Justin Bonomo added another stellar performance to his resume with a fifth place finish in the $40,000 buy-in 40th Anniversary Special event here at the 2009 WSOP. Up against one of the most talented fields in recent memory, Bonomo bested 213 of the best No Limit Holdem players in the world to walk away with $413,166 in prize money for his fifth place finish.
For most of the day yesterday, Bonomo lurked in second or third place as the chip counts swung wildly until he pulled away from the field late in the day to surge to an impressive and dominting lead. As the night wore up his lead was chipped away by players like Lex Veldhuis, Greg Raymer, Ted Forrest and Isaac Haxton, all who would end up joining him at the final table.
Bonomo entered the final table sixth in chips and managed to chip up enough at the beginning to rise up to third in chips at one point and outlasted four of his opponents before unfortunately running his pocket jacks into the pocket aces of Haxton.
This was the third WSOP final table for Bonomo and comes only a month after his win at the Las Vegas WSOP Circuit event, in which he bested another star-studded field to walk away with the $227,692 top prize. His career tournament winnings now top $2 million, and it looks like this is just the beginning of an amazing WSOP for Bonomo.
This final table was filmed for TV by ESPN and will be shown on Tuesday, July 28th over a two-hour time slot.
For most of the day yesterday, Bonomo lurked in second or third place as the chip counts swung wildly until he pulled away from the field late in the day to surge to an impressive and dominting lead. As the night wore up his lead was chipped away by players like Lex Veldhuis, Greg Raymer, Ted Forrest and Isaac Haxton, all who would end up joining him at the final table.
Bonomo entered the final table sixth in chips and managed to chip up enough at the beginning to rise up to third in chips at one point and outlasted four of his opponents before unfortunately running his pocket jacks into the pocket aces of Haxton.
This was the third WSOP final table for Bonomo and comes only a month after his win at the Las Vegas WSOP Circuit event, in which he bested another star-studded field to walk away with the $227,692 top prize. His career tournament winnings now top $2 million, and it looks like this is just the beginning of an amazing WSOP for Bonomo.
This final table was filmed for TV by ESPN and will be shown on Tuesday, July 28th over a two-hour time slot.
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