Poker Blog and Poker Gossip

I know the story about the 2008 WSOP Final Table Delay broke over a week ago, but to be honest I had no idea what it was actually about. I kept hearing people talking about how they were delaying the final table and automatically assumed they were talking about delaying the airing of the final table… so what I thought, there usually is a delay between the time of the actual final table and the airing of it anyway, so I didn’t think this was anything big…. until today.

I was looking for some poker news today and found some links to the USA Today coverage of the final table delay, so I decided to take a closer look. Apparently, for those who are as oblivious as I am, ESPN wants to delay the actual PLAY of the final table 3 months! This is one of the dumbest things I have ever heard. I can understand the point of view that the WSOP want to make it a big media spectacle and get people talking, but couldn’t they do that in say 2-3 weeks and not 3 months? So much can change in 3 months and it completely changes the game. Here are some of the reasons why I think this is a BAD move….

Reads/Tells - During play much of a players’ time at the table is looking for reads and tells on his opponents. Over a 3 month period, this player could discover these reads/tells and use them against his opponents.

Steroids - Oh wait, this is poker… I guess this wouldn’t apply.

Skill/Coaching - 3 months will allow players a ton of time to improve their game. This is NOT fair. Players should be playing at the final table with the same skill they used to get there.

Hitmen - After all, there is A LOT of money on the line. We live in scary times where you can have people taken out for 5 figures. All I gotta say is just hope you don’t get some shady people at that final table!

I agree that it will create a more interesting poker game, and possibly do some good to raise awareness for the game, but I just don’t think it really will be the same poker game that we have become accustomed to.  Could you imagine if they started doing this at the Olympics!

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WSOP* Seat Giveaway Qualifier
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There has been a lot of talk about the many changes being considered for this year’s WSOP main event, but no news has received more attention than the possibility of a 3-month delay for the final table. On the forums at 2+2 and various other sites, such as Pokerati, this point is the subject of some very hot debates. The reasoning behind the delay would be to broadcast the final table live on ESPN.

Proponents of the change see this as being a huge thing for the poker world. Bringing the possibility of huge sponsorships with national companies, national media exposure for both the final table players and for the WSOP in general, plus the chance to move the final table to a larger venue with more access for those who wish to physically attend. The WSOP stands to bring major attention to the event, should they finalize the change.

Those who are more skeptical about the idea are wondering how certain situations are going to be handled and what affect the wait would have on the outcome of the final table. Questions have been raised about what would happen should a player be unable to attend, due to unforeseen circumstances. Others speculate on players losing their momentum during the wait time. These factors, and more, certainly are valid points of consideration.

It should be interesting to see how things play out if the WSOP does make the final decision to adopt this change. I’m sure that in the comings days, more will be released about the changes and the WSOP will go public with any changes to the format. Until then, we are left to discuss just what this could mean to the game of poker and the WSOP, on the whole.

It is that time of year again… Harrahs have announced the WSOP schedule for 2008.  Once again the event will be televised exclusively by ESPN and it will take place at the Rio All Suites Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In addition, the 55-event schedule for 2008 includes a total of eight $1,500 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em tournaments, which traditionally draw the largest fields except for the Main Event. The WSOP has also added a second start day for the first of the $1,500 no-limit competitions to accommodate the expected number of entrants.

“This is our most exciting schedule yet,” said Jeffrey Pollack, commissioner of the WSOP. “Both amateur and professional poker players will have new opportunities to compete for a WSOP bracelet and can choose from the widest variety of games and buy-ins ever offered in one poker tournament and certainly at the WSOP.”

On a good note, they have gotten rid of the tent, which almost killed some players last year.  Last year, 54,288 entrants who ranged in age from 21 (bracelet winner Steve Billirakis) to 94 (Main Event contestant Jack Ury) competed for the poker world’s largest total prize pool of nearly $160 million.

2008 WSOP Schedule of Events

DATE EVENT BUYIN
May 28 Registration Opens, Live Action & Satellites Begin
May 29 Registration, Live Action & Satellites
May 30 World Championship Pot-Limit Hold’em (3 day event) $10,000
May 31 No-Limit Hold’em (4 day event) Day 1A $1,500
June 1 No-Limit Hold’em Day 1B
June 2 Pot-Limit Hold’em (3 day event) $1,500
June 2 Mixed Hold’em (Limit/No-Limit) (3 Day event) $5,000
June 3 No-Limit Hold’em w/Re-Buys (3 day event) $1,000
June 3 Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better (3 day event) $1,500
June 4 No-Limit Hold’em (3 day event) $2,000
June 4 World Championship Mixed Event (3 day event) $10,000
Limit Holdem, Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better,
Seven Card Razz, Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud
Hi-Low Split-8 or Better, No-Limit Holdem,
Pot-Limit Omaha, 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball

June 5 No-Limit Hold’em / Six Handed (3 day event) $1,500
June 5 Omaha/Seven Card Stud Hi-Low-8 or Better (3 day event) $2,500
June 6 No-Limit Hold’em Shootout (3 day event) $5,000
June 6 Limit Hold’em (3 day event) $1,500
June 7 No-Limit Hold’em (3 day event) $2,500
June 7 World Championship Seven Card Stud (3 day event) $10,000
June 8 Ladies No-Limit Hold’em Championship (3 day event) $1,000
June 8 Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better (3 day event) $2,000
June 9 No-Limit Hold’em Shootout (3 day event) $1,500
June 9 No-Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball w/Re-Buys (3 day event) $5,000
June 10 Pot-Limit Omaha (3 day event) $1,500
June 10 Limit Hold’em (3 day event) $2,000
June 11 No-Limit Hold’em (3 day event) $5,000

June 11 H.O.R.S.E. (3 day event) $3,000
Limit Holdem, Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better,
Seven Card Razz, Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud
Hi-Low Split-8 or Better

June 12 No-Limit Hold’em (3 day event) $2,000
June 12 Pot-Limit Holdem/Omaha (3 day event) $2,500
June 13 World Championship Heads Up No-Limit Hold’em
(256 player max) (3 day event) $10,000
June 13 Seven Card Razz (3 day event) $1,500
June 14 No-Limit Hold’em (3 day event) $1,500
June 14 Pot-Limit Omaha W/Rebuys (3 day event) $5,000
June 15 No-Limit Hold’em (3 day event) $3,000
June 15 World Championship Limit Hold’em (3 day event) $10,000
June 16 No-Limit Hold’em / Six Handed (3 day event) $2,500
June 17 No-Limit Hold’em (3 day event) $1,500
June 17 World Championship Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8
or Better (3 day event) $5,000
June 18 Pot-Limit Omaha W/Re-Buys (3 day event) $1,500
June 18 Seven Card Stud (3 day event) $1,500
June 19 No-Limit Hold’em (3 day event) $1,500
June 19 World Championship Omaha Hi-Low Split-8
or Better (3 day event) $10,000
June 20 Pot-Limit Hold’em (3 day event) $2,000
June 21 No-Limit Hold’em (3 day event) $1,500

June 22 World Championship H.O.R.S.E. (5 day event)
Limit Holdem, Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better,
Seven Card Razz, Seven Card Stud,Seven Card Stud
Hi-Low Split-8 or Better $50,000

June 22 Mixed Hold’em (limit/no-limit) (3 Day event) $1,500
June 23 Seniors No-Limit Hold’em Championship (3 day event) $1,000
June 24 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-low Split-8 or Better (3 day event) $1,500
June 25 No-Limit Hold’em w/Re-Buys (3 day event) $1,000
June 25 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball (Limit) (3 day event) $2,500
June 26 No-Limit Hold’em / Six Handed (3 day event) $5,000
June 26 Seven Card Stud Hi-Low-8 or Better (3 day event) $1,500
June 27 No-Limit Hold’em (3 day event) $2,000
June 28 No-Limit Hold’em (3 day event) $1,500
June 29 World Championship Pot Limit Omaha (3 day event) $10,000

June 29 H.O.R.S.E. (3 day event)
Limit Holdem, Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better,
Seven Card Razz, Seven Card Stud,
Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better $1,500

June 30 No-Limit Hold’em (3 day event) $1,500
July 1 Limit Hold’em Shootout (2 day event) $1,500
July 2 Media Event
July 2 Satellite Day
July 2 Ante Up For Africa Charity Event (1 day event) $5,000
July 3 World Championship No-Limit Texas Hold’em
Day 1A 2,500 Players $10,000
July 4 Day 1B 2,500 Players $500
July 5 Day 1C 2,500 Players
July 6 Day 1D 2,500 Players
July 7 OFF
July 7 Casino Employees No-Limit Hold’em (2 day event)
July 8 Day 2A
July 9 Day 2B
July 10 Day 3
July 11 Day 4
July 12 Day 5
July 13 Day 6
July 14 Day 7
July 15 OFF
July 16 Final Table