World Series of Poker Buzz

Every year, the World Series generates some interesting discussion points. Here are three that have the poker world buzzing as we conclude this year’s installment of poker’s biggest event.

Each Day is Not Created Equal
As we go to press, 6,494 players entered the $10,000 main event. The winner will get $8.54 million. The main event has offered multiple starting days the last few years. But this year, all hell broke loose on the fourth of those days when more players than there were available seats tried to squeeze into the final heat.

According to the WSOP, at least 500 people were turned away on day 1D. This is the first time that players have ever been turned away from the WSOP main event. The first three days drew 1,116, 873, and 1,696, respectively, which is well below capacity.

More Chips + More Levels = Skill
The WSOP provided triple the buy-in in chips for each tournament this year, and also introduced a few additional levels. It was intended to increase the skill level in each event.

Did it work? It appears so, as players who identified themselves as pros or semipros won a larger percentage of bracelets than in any of the past few years. For the first time since 2003, there were numerous multiple-bracelet winners in a single Series, including a number of top pros.

TV Coverage = Turnout
Sure, the economy is in the pits. Is that the reason that the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. event had only 95 entrants this year versus the 148 who put up the cash in 2008? Probably not. Nobody was really expecting a 35 percent falloff in the event that’s viewed as the real main event amongst top pros.

Instead, it has something to do with stud eight-or-better hands being too boring for TV.

In 2006, the inaugural year of the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. world championship, the tournament played out on ESPN at a final table where only no-limit hold’em was played. Deviating from the limit mix of games upset some pros, so the final table has reverted back to the mixed format ever since.

Interestingly, according to the WSOP, this year the Players Advisory Council was notified that unless there was no-limit hold’em, ESPN would not broadcast the prestigious event. The purists won out, and since sponsors would not get airtime, fewer players were put into the H.O.R.S.E. event.