WSOP Update #8

A couple of interesting final tables will decide a champion today.

First, the $1500 No-Limit Hold'em event is down the the final 9 players, from a starting 2304. Likely one of the biggest tournaments in poker history (aside from the WSOP Main Event, which is expecting 12,000 players this year), making a fantastic payoff for the winner in relation to the relatively low buy-in. This is probably about as close as it gets to a Freeroll at the WSOP, and likely the reason why many of the big names in poker have elected to skip the event. The final table reads not like a list of "who's who", but instead more like "who the heck...". A few players can boast some previous WSOP experience.

Shane Stacey, currently in 6th place, finished 15th in the same event last year. Osmin Darden (possible relation to Paul Darden?) has cashed in previously this year, although only for a little over $3000 from a $1500 buy-in, but currently sits in 5th place. Dean Bui has already cashed in 2 other times this year for a profit of over $20,000, but if short-stacked in 8th place.

At another final table, this time the $5000 World Championship Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better, the names are a little more familiar. Howard Lederer (3rd), his sister Annie Duke (4th) and WSOP Main Event Champ from 2000 Chris "Jesus" Ferguson are all in decent shape, as the final table is fairly evenly balanced from top to bottom. Play continued until 6:30am, in order to get to the final table, sparking a visit from Phil Hellmuth, checking in on the action.

Phil hadn't shaved, and was still wearing the same clothes from the day before, Lederer inquired "What are you doing up? It looks like you haven't slept." Hellmuth replied, "After I busted in that yesterday, I've been playing Chinese Poker all night." At least he hasn't crashed a race car into a light pole.... yet. If you don't know what I'm referring to, last year Phil was allowed to drive a Race Car built for Ultimate bet Poker (the site Phil helped create with a buddy of his), and crashed it into a light pole, causing him some injuries that may have hurt his chances at the Main Event. To see the crash, check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9D1grMtmLLM

It was a real crash, but the commercial turned this into an opportunity to show how, unlike Phil, their website will not crash.

In a couple of other notable events, the $1500 Pot-Limit Omaha W/ReBuys is down to 41 players from the starting 320. With the top 36 getting paid, look for players like Ted Forrest, Clonie Gowen, Eric Seidel and Layne Flack to use their experience to make it in the money.

For the $1500 Seven Card Stud, the most notable name remaining may well be Jerry Buss. Famed owner of the Los Angeles Lakers, Buss has 3 previous cashed at the WSOP, as well as a heads-up appearance at the final table of a WPT event, where he was schooled by Layne Flack, who frequently gets invites to Buss's home poker games and Laker games. I guess a good performance here would help Buss recover from a miserable showing by his team in the NBA finals.