Tom McEvoy may not be a household name for the new poker fans, but rest assured, he is a dominant player with an impressive history in WSOP Events. Tom won the World Championship in 1983 and has 3 other WSOP bracelets on his wrist as well. Now he can add The Binion Cup to his prestigious collection. In a competition of the poker elite, McEvoy came out on top.
The winning hand was a simply 10c9d that he turned into a straight leaving Varkonyi only one out left in the deck. If the 4c didn’t show, McEvey was walking with the hardware. He got a club, but it was the K of clubs and that was all she wrote. The cash payday for this event was a mere $1,970, but the winner also received The Binion Cup and a fully restored 1970 Corvette Stingray Convertible. More importantly, McEvoy now has the right to brag about beating every past WSOP Champion that was seated at the table.
In other tournaments…
Event #4 continued on from the field of 6012 and we are not looking at the final day of the tournament. With only 50 players left, we will hopefully have a champion of The Stimulus $1,000 NL Hold’em event early in the evening. Top prize for the event is $771,106 and play will resume at 1:00pm on Tuesday.
Event 5 wrapped up its first day by eliminating an impressive 90% of the field. Only 81 players remain from the original 809. Jason Mercier appears to be the chip leader in the $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha Event, but official counts have not yet been released.
Event 6, the $10,000 7 Card Stud World Championship Event, will continue on, but still has a long way to go. 142 players started the day and there are still 101 remaining. The top 16 positions will be played and Matt Glantz is the current chip leader with 100,000 in his stack. Todd Brunson and Eli Elezra are also some of the bigger names on the Day 1 leader board.
If you are an Omaha Hi-Low player, Thang Luu is a name that you never want to hear has just been seated at your table. His reputation as one of the world’s best Omaha players was solidified further on Sunday night when he won his second WSOP Omaha Hi-Low bracelet. It is a rare occasion that a player can defend a WSOP championship, but he has done exactly that.
Earlier in the tournament, he jokingly made a comment that the bracelet for the winner was exactly like the one he had on his wrist, except that there was a 9 where there was an 8 on his. Unfortunately for the other players, they will never get to see it since he has both of them on his wrist now.
The final hand of the tournament had Luu in heads up action against Ed Smith. Smith tried to get in cheap and Luu was having none of it. He made a raise that had Smith all but committed for his stack. After a flop of Q54, Luu made a bet that would have all of Smith’s chips in the middle and now the turn and river would decide his fate. When the cards were turned, Luu was ahead with top pair and there was little hope of Smith catching up. A 5h and a 10d sealed his fate and Luu had seemingly done the impossible and repeated at the Omaha Hi-Low champion.
In other tournaments… Event #4 finished up its second day as Day 1b concluded with about 700 players left remaining from the field of 6012. The third day of action will continue through late Monday night and should continue to move quickly as they are already into the money. The top 621 players will cash.
The Champions Invitational initially seemed like it was going to be like a bunch of buddies sitting around to play cards on a Friday night, but that tone quickly changed as everyone competitive nature took over. As of this posting, they are down to the final three with McEvoy holding a 2:1 chip advantage over the rest of the table.
Event 5, the $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha tournament started to day with 809 people making it to the felt. The top 71 players will be paid and as of this posting, they were already down to 198. Chip counts were not currently available, but we should have more information in our overnight report.
The World Championship of 7 Cards Stud, Event #6 $10,000 buy in, also started today. The field was rather small with only 142 players going after the coveted title. As the tournament is just getting started, there are no significant updates to report, but more information will be posted on the overnight summary.
Friday September the 19th the second annual World Series of Poker Europe will get underway. The first event will be a No Limit Holdem, it’s a no re-buy event with each player starting with 6000 in chips. This year there are some changes, namely that the event will be played under one roof. The Casino at the Empire will host all four events at the years World Series of Poker Europe. As in Vegas where all the events are played at the Rio, the hope is to start a tradition in London. For all the North American fans out there ESPN will be airing eight hours of coverage from the tournaments in London. An Event has been added this years, making four bracelets up for grabs. The biggest question coming into this years events is will someone from the other side of the pond be able to walk away with one of the coveted bracelets. Last year Europeans won all three events, and the all the Americans will try be to become the first to win a bracelet in Europe.
Last years winners will be trying to defend there titles and make history by becoming the first player to win two World Series of Poker Europe bracelets. Thomas Bihl won last years HORSE event when he beat Jennifer Harman heads up. Last year the HORSE final table was littered with poker superstars like Jennifer Harman, Chris “Jesus” Ferguson and Kirk Morrison, no doubt the event directors will be looking for a similar showing. You can expect the HORSE tournament to be full of poker greats again this year because it will be the hardest bracelet to win in my opinion. Last years Pot Limit Omaha event was won by Dario Alioto, he also managed to make a final table in Pot Limit Omaha at the World Series in Las Vegas this year. Omaha last year brought out some big names who made big cashes Tony G finished third and Roland De Wolfe had a respectable eleventh place finish.
Last years Main Event in Europe looked as if a familiar face may win his first World Series bracelet ever in Europe. Gus Hansen was cruising, but he busted out tenth, the favorite was gone and it was anybody’s tournament. Up and coming superstar Annette Obrestad, showed her potential by taking home her first bracelet. Annette showed the world her aggressive bluffing style and may just have won the biggest tournament by a women in poker history. No doubt Obrestad will show up at this years World Series looking to build on the success she found last year. There were a lot of big names players in the top thirty last year and the event organizers will be looking for much of the same. Last year Patrik Antonius finished 29th, Erik Lindgren finished 26th, Annie Duke is 21st and Kenny Tran almost made the final table finishing in 16th.
Predictions
Event #1 – No Limit Hold’ em – The North American pros will be geared up and put a lot effort in to trying to win this event. Look for some good showing by top names players like Phil Hellmuth, Daniel Negreanu and Erik Lindgren. I think the North Americans will have to wait as Annette Obrestad wins her second World Series of Poker bracelet. Annette will be looking to prove that she is here to stay and be the first player to win two World Series of Poker will do just that.
Event #2 – HORSE – In my opinion the HORSE event is the most intriguing event at every World Series of Poker. The big names always show up and you can be assured that they will be at the final table. Scotty Nguyen won the HORSE world championship in Las Vegas at the World Series and I think you will see a lot of the same names fighting for the win in Europe. Look for another good result from Erik Lindgren, he is a great all around player and is confident after his player of the year at the World Series in Vegas. The first American to win a World Series of Poker Europe will be Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, and it will come in this event.
Event #3 – Pot Limit Omaha – Omaha has become a big game in the poker world, probably fits right behind Texas Hold’ em on the popularity scale. Europeans tend to be well rounded Omaha players and I think they will come away with another bracelet in this tournament. Last years winner Dario Alioto will have a good showing again, but I think he will come up short as Roland De Wolfe takes home the bracelet. Roland is an excellent Omaha player and I think he finally has a big win in this event.
Event #4 – Main Event No Limit Hold’ em – The main event will be everybody’s main goal, all the top pro’s want to win this title. Last year a lot of big names had big showings at this tournament, but I think you will learn a few new ones this year. Jennifer Harman will have a good showing in this tournament and Patrik Antonius will make the final table. With the bitter taste of last years bubble finish Gus Hansen will redeem himself and win the World Series of Poker Europe Main Event. Gus will be motivated and he will grind out the victory for his first bracelet.
Well we all know predictions are just that, predictions. I think Annette Obrestad, Chris Ferguson, Roland De Wolfe and Gus Hansen win the four bracelets. Of course there is the chance amateur players show up and win some tournaments, but there is no way for me to pick them. I truly enjoyed last years World Series of Poker Europe and I look for the same entertainment value this year. It all gets started on Friday September the 19th and without a doubt someone’s dreams will come true.
The World Series of Poker Europe kicks off in less than two weeks from the Empire Casino in Leicester Square in London, England. Last year was the first ever WSOP Europe and this year promises to be a fantastic event. The World Series of Poker Europe is a set of three bracelet events. The events are H.O.R.S.E, Pot Limit Omaha, and No-Limit Holdem.
Last years H.O.R.S.E. event drew 105 players and the final table was an all-star field. Joe Beevers, Alex Kravchenko, Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, Kirk Morrison, Jennifer Harman, and Thomas Bihl were all vying for the first ever WSOP-E bracelet. Jennifer Harman and Thomas Bihl faced each other heads up, and after a long heads up match, Thomas Bihl won the bracelet and £70,875 top prize.
165 players entered the Pot Limit Omaha Championship. The final table included pros Tony Guoga, Dario Alioto, and Andy Bloch. Dario Alioto emerged victorious and claimed the £234,390 top prize. This was a European record for a top prize in an Omaha event.
362 players entered the £10,000 buy-in No-Limit championship. It was apparent early on that there was a new rising star of poker in the field. Annette Obrestad skillfully navigated her way through the pro heavy field and made the final table of the event. She was only the third woman in the history of the World Series of Poker to make a main event final table. There was an additional reason her accomplishment was followed so intently by the world. She was 18 years old.
Obrestad masterfully navigated her way through the final table and in the end accomplished three feats. First, she was the first WSOP-E Main Event winner. Next, she was the first female to win a Main Event in World Series of Poker history. Finally, she is the youngest bracelet winner ever. One point I personally find amusing is the fact that although Obrestad is a Main Event Champion, she still will not be able to play at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas until she is 21.
In the end, the three events at the WSOP-E in 2007 were swept by Europeans. The 2008 WSOP-E promises to be just as historic and exciting. Unlike last year, this year’s event is held at only one location. Organizers hope that the central location will give the event greater exposure. The biggest names in the world will turn out for the event including Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, Phil Hellmuth, Phil Ivey, Daniel Negreanu, Jennifer Harman, and Ted Forrest.
Personally, I predict a very strong showing by Americans in the H.O.R.S.E. event. Many H.O.R.S.E. events become showcases of overall poker talent. Pot-Limit Omaha will likely be dominated by Europeans once again. I have played in PLO tournaments that have been heavy with European players and I will attest that they are very tough Omaha players. One of my proudest moments in poker was a final table I made in PLO. The reason I was so proud was that the field was ½ European. The Main Event will likely be dominated by online players. While many pros don’t like to admit it, the internet players are beginning to dominate NL Holdem. Those that hone their skills online have a huge advantage over live players, and this field will be at least ½ full of online regulars. I don’t see Obrestad repeating as Main Event champion.
The WSOP-E begins on September 19th. During the WSOP-E, I will bring you news and updates regarding the biggest poker event in Europe.
Binion’s Horseshoe – The Original Home of the World Series of Poker
The World Series of Poker (WSOP) originally started back in 1968 as an invitational event at the Holiday Hotel and Casino in Reno, NV. The event was won by Crandell Addington. The World Series of Poker as we know it today started back in 1970 as a set of cash games that drew the best Poker players in the world together to compete for the title of WSOP. Binion’s Horseshoe in Las Vegas, NV was the venue for this new World Series of Poker. The champion was determined by a vote and Johnny Moss emerged as the winner. For his win, Moss received a silver cup.
The next year, the champion was determined by a freezeout tournament and Johnny Moss again emerged the victor. 1973 saw the introduction of the first preliminary WSOP tournament. Bill Boyd won the Five Card Stud event for a grand prize of $20,000. Every year through 2003, the event was held at Binions. Many champions emerged victorious throughout the years including Doyle Brunson, Stu Unger, “Amarillo Slim” Preston, Johnny Chan, and Phil Hellmuth.
The Main Event was not the only poker tournament held at the World Series of Poker. Over the years bracelet events have been held in all forms of poker including Seven Card Stud, Pot Limit Omaha, H.O.R.S.E. and Lowball. Some games that have come and gone over the years include Five Card Stud, Five Card Draw, Ace to Five Draw, Match Play, Mixed Doubles, and Women’s Seven Card Stud.
The Rio – Home of the World Series of Poker
In 2004, Harrah’s Entertainment purchased the Horseshoe and the rights to the World Series of Poker. The event was then moved to the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino with the last two days played at Binions downtown. 2004 was the last year that any portion of the WSOP was held at Binions. Since then, the even has been held at the Rio. 2004 also saw Chris Moneymaker parlay an online satellite into a world title. Since then, the popularity of poker has exploded and ushered in the current Poker Boom.
By the time of the 2006 World Series of Poker, the fields had grown to such epic size that the Main Event was view much like a lottery. A new event was created to showcase the elite of the poker world and try and bring back some of the old school luster of the World Series of Poker. This event was the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. event. Chip Reese emerged as the first champion of the event and since then the event has showcased the best of the poker world.
The Main Event is still the World Championship of Poker. Each year thousands of players make the journey out to Vegas to try and put their name in the record books. This year’s World Champion is still to be determined. Harrah’s decided to delay the final table until November to allow for increased coverage of the event. The “November Nine” will reconvene on November 9th and play down to the final two. Those players will return on November 10th to play for the title and the $9 Million top prize.
