It’s the most wonderful time of the year. The 2008 World Series of Poker is in high gear from Las Vegas and, despite being a little over 10 days old, there are still plenty of events to be played. If you’re not familiar with the WSOP, it consists of 55 different tournaments, culminating in the $10,000 buy-in Main Event, which starts on July 3rd. You’ll be able to watch the Main Event for months on ESPN this summer and fall. Harrah’s has moved the taping of the spectacle’s final table back until November, a move which has ignited controversy in the poker world. With 12 events in the books, let’s review the action from the Rio in Las Vegas.
In Event #7, a $2,000 buy-in no limit tournament, Matt Keikoan emerged victorious from a field of 1,593 players. His prize: his first World Series of Poker bracelet and a healthy payday of $550,601. Keikoan cashed 63rd in last year’s Main Event, bringing home $154,194 for his $10,000 buy-in. It was his sixth WSOP cash. Shannon Shorr placed second, picking up $349,141. The final table also has a name you’ll recognize in both the live and online poker worlds: J.C. Tran. The winner of the 2006 PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker, Tran finished seventh and pocketed $94,166. Also cashing in Event #7 were “Minneapolis” Jim Meehan, Thomas “Thunder” Keller, and Dustin “Neverwin” Woolf. All three are WSOP bracelet holders.
In Event #8, Anthony Rivera defeated online poker pro James Mackey heads up to win $483,688 and his first WSOP gold bracelet. It was Rivera’s first Las Vegas WSOP cash overall (he’s cashed in Circuit Events). Mackey won a bracelet in last year’s World Series, bringing home victory in a $5,000 buy-in no limit event. This was a mixed limit event, which means that the type of poker being played rotates every eight hands. In order to succeed, you have to be skilled at Stud, Hold’em, Omaha, Razz, and Triple Draw. A pair of WSOP veterans, Eliz Elezra and Sam Farha, finished fifth and sixth, respectively. Bracelet winner Jeff Madsen and Full Tilt Poker pro Lee Watkinson also cashed.
In Event #9, Rep Porter barreled through a field of 1,236 players en route to a $372,843 payday. He defeated a talented final table that included Nathan Templeton, Devin Porter, and Kevin MacPhee. Event #9 was a $1,500 buy-in, six-handed no limit tournament, which forces players to open up their play compared to how they would act at a standard nine or 10 player table. It was Rep Porter’s 10th WSOP cash. He finished 39th in last year’s Main Event, taking home $237,865 for his efforts. He also finished second in a WSOP Circuit Event in Atlantic City for $192,060 in 2006.
In Event #10, a $2,500 buy-in Omaha/Seven Card Stud Hi-Low-8 or Better tournament (where both types of poker are played), Farzad Rouhani defeated Tom Chambers heads up to win $232,911 and his first WSOP bracelet. It was Rouhani’s seventh WSOP cash lifetime. Also cashing in this event were some of poker’s elite names: Allen Cunningham, Hoyt Corkins, Barbara Enright, and Scott Clements. The latter is the owner of two Omaha bracelets. “Miami” John Cernuto finished third. He’s won three WSOP bracelets: one each in 1996, 1997, and 2002.
In Event #11, a no limit hold’em shootout tournament, Phillip Tom pocketed $477,990 and his first WSOP bracelet. In this shootout tournament, the winner of each table advances to the next day’s play, making each round the equivalent of a sit and go. It was Tom’s fifth WSOP cash in his career; he finished in the money in the 2004 WSOP Main Event. This tournament was a haven for online poker players, including Tim West, Adam Levy, Greg Mueller, Eric Froelich, Alex Jacob, and Isaac Haxton, who finished second in the 2007 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. The final 36 made the money and the top four cashed for more than $100,000.
In Event #12, Jimmy Schultz defeated Zachary Fellows heads up to win $257,049 in the $1,500 limit tournament, marking Schultz’ first WSOP cash. Vinny Vinh cashed for $99,099 and third place. He took down a WSOP Circuit Event at Caesars Indiana in 2005 for over $400,000. He also finished second in the Pot Limit Omaha Championship during the 2005 WSOP. Other names you might recognize who cashed included Marco Traniello, Dewey Tomko, and Erick Lindgren, who scored his first WSOP bracelet in Event #4 of this year’s World Series.
The Main Event of the 2008 WSOP starts n July 3rd. Check out PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker to see how you can qualify. Both offer fully-downloadable clients for the Mac. You’ll be hitting the felts in no time.