Do you plan on heading to Las Vegas this summer to take a shot at some big buy-in tournament poker? If so, you'd better pack a lunch.
Three major poker tournaments, consisting of more than 100 events, are now on the calendar for the June-July time frame. With Harrah's
World Series of Poker (June 1-July 17), the
Bellagio Cup III (June 11-July 13), and The Venetian's
Deep Stack Extravaganza II (June 1-July 1) all running concurrently, players have unlimited options when it comes to games, buy-ins, and structures.
The
World Series of Poker has added more events, doubled the amount of starting chips for all events, and added a number of mixed-game events. The 55-event 2007 schedule exceeds the 46 events in 2006. Last year,
WSOP events attracted more than 42,000 entrants from 56 countries. The events paid out more than $171 million, which, according to Harrah's, is the largest purse in competitive sports.
Bellagio will return with its competing tournament that gives the no-limit hold'em player an alternative to the huge
World Series of Poker. The
Bellagio Cup III contains 28 events, with buy-ins ranging from $1,590 to the $10,300 for the championship event, which starts on July 10. The series, all no-limit hold'em events, contains five $1,590 events, 13 $2,620 events, nine $5,180 events, and the $10,300 championship event.
Some other details about the
Bellagio Cup III also should be noted. It is also spreading four $1,590 supersatellites in which as many seats as possible will be awarded to its $10,300 championship event. The supers take place on Sunday, July 8, and Monday, July 9, at 1 p.m. and 10 p.m. each day.
If you get the itch to play late at night, Bellagio will also offer $1,080 second-chance tournaments daily at 8 p.m. from June 11 to July 7. These tournaments will provide players $5,000 in chips with 40-minute levels. In order to attract late
WSOP bust-outs, registration for these nightly tournaments will be open until level four of the blinds. Also, all winners of the events with buy-ins of more than $1,500 will receive a $25,000 seat into next year's
World Poker Tour Championship and a gold bracelet.
Rounding out the list is the second installment of The Venetian's successful
Deep Stack Extravaganza tournament series.
The buy-ins for the events in the
Deep Stack Extravaganza II are $330, $540, and $1,060, making this series the most affordable of the three. It also promises players plenty of play, because the amount of starting chips for all of the events is doubled.
With its reasonable buy-ins and plenty of satellites, the
Deep Stack Extravaganza II will most likely repeat the success of its first version that took place in February. That 19-event series attracted 4,600 entrants and generated a combined prize pool of more than $1.6 million.
So, whatever or wherever you decide to play, Vegas will be poker crazy this summer, thanks in part to the action that Harrah's, Bellagio, and The Venetian have planned.
