2009 W.S.O.P. Schedule Released

[Chipless Wonder]

Updated: January 26, 2009, 10:12 AM ET

Special $40,000 tournament added

By Andrew Feldman, ESPN.com

The game plan hasn't changed: bigger and better. Harrah's announced that the 2009 World Series of Poker will feature a record-setting 57 events and will run from May 26 to July 15. The revamped schedule will feature many new events and include something for every poker player aspiring to accomplish the dream of winning a WSOP bracelet.

The landmark WSOP comes on the heels of a record year in 2008, when the WSOP generated the most entries ever (58,720) from the most countries ever (124). They also competed for the largest prize pool ever ($180,774,427), which included 55 championship gold bracelets, globally recognized as the sport's top prize.

Most notably new in 2009 will be a $40,000 no-limit hold 'em event honoring the 40th anniversary of the WSOP. There will also be 10 $10,000 buy-in "World Championship" events, up from eight in 2008, and 39 events with buy-ins for less than $2,500. Due to the tough economic times, a "Stimulus Special" tournament will be held on the opening weekend for only a $1,000 buy-in. According to a release by Harrah's, "[The event] is anticipated to draw the largest-ever live tournament field outside the Main Event and offer a prize pool approaching $5,000,000."

Going in the opposite direction and to the surprise of many, the WSOP removed the five rebuy events on the 2008 schedule and four $5,000 events in exchange for more prestigious $10,000 events and an additional two events under $2,500.

"Whether you play poker around the kitchen table or consider yourself a professional, you will find a comfortable seat at the 2009 World Series of Poker," said WSOP commissioner Jeffrey Pollack. "This year's schedule offers more variety than ever before and we look forward to welcoming players from around the world to the Rio for our 40th annual extravaganza this summer."

After the success seen in 2008, one major item will remain the same: the November Nine format. The final nine players remaining in the main event will once again go on a four-month hiatus before coming back to play out the action Nov. 7-10. After an amazing turnout to see Peter Eastgate win the 2008 championship, this year's finale will take place in front of a live audience and will receive special prime-time coverage on ESPN. The main event will feature four starting days, and it will take eight days of play to reach the final table.

Poker players will also continue their charity work in 2009. The third annual $5,000 "Ante Up For Africa" event will take place on July 2 and the ladies-only tournament (which strives to raise awareness for the Nevada Cancer Institute) will be played on June 7.

Below is the complete schedule for the 2009 WSOP. The schedule of televised events has not yet been released, but events will be broadcast on ESPN starting this summer.

2009 World Series of Poker Schedule

Event Number Date, Time Tournament Buy-in Winner/ESPN Air Date

1 May 27, noon Casino Employees Event no-limit hold 'em (two-day event) $500 TBA
2 May 28, noon 40th annual no-limit hold 'em (four-day event) $40,000 TBA
3 May 29, noon Omaha high-low split eight or better (three-day event) $1,500 TBA
4A May 30, noon No-limit hold 'em (four-day event) $1,000 TBA
4B May 31, noon No-limit hold 'em (four-day event) $1,000 TBA
5 June 1, noon Pot-limit Omaha (three-day event) $1,500 TBA
6 June 1, 5 p.m. World Championship seven-card stud (three-day event) $10,000 TBA
7 June 2, noon No-limit hold 'em (three-day event) $1,500 TBA
8 June 2, 5 p.m. 2-7 draw lowball (three-day event) $2,500 TBA
9 June 3, noon Six-handed no-limit hold 'em (three-day event) $1,500 TBA
10 June 3, 5 p.m. Pot-limit Omaha/hold 'em (three-day event) $2,500 TBA
11 June 4, noon No-limit hold 'em (three-day event) $2,000 TBA
12 June 4, 5 p.m. World Championship mixed event (three-day event) $10,000 TBA
13 June 5, noon No-limit hold 'em (three-day event) $2,500 TBA
14 June 5, 5 p.m. Six-handed limit hold 'em (three-day event) $2,500 TBA
15 June 6, noon No-limit hold 'em (three-day event) $5,000 TBA
16 June 6, 5 p.m. Seven-card stud (three day-event) $1,500 TBA
17 June 7, noon Ladies no-limit World Championship (three day-event) $1,000 TBA
18 June 7, 5 p.m. World Championship Omaha high-low split (three day-event) $10,000 TBA
19 June 8, noon Six-handed no-limit hold 'em $2,500 TBA
20 June 9, noon Pot-limit hold 'em $1,500 TBA
21 June 9, 5 p.m. HORSE (three-day event) $3,000 TBA
22 June 10, noon No-limit hold 'em shootout (three-day event) $1,500 TBA
23 June 10, 5 p.m. World Championship 2-7 draw lowball (three-day event) $10,000 TBA
24 June 11, noon No-limit hold 'em (three-day event) $1,500 TBA
25 June 11, 5 p.m. Omaha/seven-card stud high-low $2,500 TBA
26 June 12, noon Limit hold 'em $1,500 TBA
27 June 12, 5 p.m. Pot-limit Omaha high-low split $5,000 TBA
28 June 13, noon No-limit hold 'em (three-day event) $1,500 TBA
29 June 13, 5 p.m. World Championship heads-up (three-day event) $10,000 TBA
30 June 14, noon Pot-limit Omaha (three-day event) $2,500 TBA
31 June 14, 5 p.m. HORSE (three-day event) $1,500 TBA
32 June 15, noon No-limit hold 'em (three-day event) $2,000 TBA
33 June 15, 5 p.m. World Championship limit hold 'em (three-day event) $10,000 TBA
34 June 16, noon No-limit hold 'em (three-day event) $1,500 TBA
35 June 17, noon Pot-limit Omaha (three-day event) $5,000 TBA
36 June 18, noon No-limit hold 'em (three-day event) $2,000 TBA
37 June 18, 5 p.m. World Championship seven-card stud high-low split (three-day event) $10,000 TBA
38 June 19, noon Limit hold 'em $2,000 TBA
39 June 20, noon No-limit hold 'em (three-day event) $1,500 TBA
40 June 20, 5 p.m. World Championship pot-limit Omaha (three-day event) $10,000 TBA
41 June 21, noon No-limit hold 'em shootout (three-day event) $5,000 TBA
42 June 21 , 5 p.m. Mixed event (three-day event) $2,500 TBA
43 June 22, noon Seniors World Championship (three-day event) $1,000 TBA
44 June 22, 5 p.m. Razz (three-day event) $2,500 TBA
45 June 23, noon World Championship pot-limit hold 'em (three-day event) $10,000 TBA
46 June 23, 5 p.m. Omaha high-low split $2,500 TBA
47 June 24, noon Mixed hold 'em (limit/no-limit, three-day event) $2,500 TBA
48 June 25, noon Pot-limit Omaha high-low split (three-day event) $1,500 TBA
49 June 26, noon World Championship HORSE (five-day event) $50,000 TBA
50 June 26, 5 p.m. Limit hold 'em shootout (three-day event) $1,500 TBA
51 June 27, noon No-limit hold 'em (three-day event) $1,500 TBA
52 June 28, noon Triple chance no-limit hold 'em (three-day event) $3,000 TBA
53 June 28, 5 p.m. Seven-card stud high-low (three-day event) $1,500 TBA
54 June 29, noon No-limit hold 'em (three-day event) $1,500 TBA
55 June 29, 5 p.m. 2-7 triple draw lowball (three-day event) $2,500 TBA
56 June 30, noon Six-handed no-limit hold 'em (three-day event) $5,000 TBA
57 July 3 -- July 15 No-limit hold 'em main event $10,000 TBA

Source: Special $40,000 tournament added - Poker - ESPN

[Chipless Wonder]

In my imaginary little world, I'll earn ~ $25,000 in profits over the next three months, leaving me enough time to plan my flights and hotels with 28 days advance notice.

11 June 4, noon No-limit hold 'em (three-day event) $2,000 TBA

13 June 5, noon No-limit hold 'em (three-day event) $2,500 TBA

15 June 6, noon No-limit hold 'em (three-day event) $5,000 TBA

32 June 15, noon No-limit hold 'em (three-day event) $2,000 TBA

36 June 18, noon No-limit hold 'em (three-day event) $2,000 TBA

57 July 3 -- July 15 No-limit hold 'em main event $10,000 TBA

[otbdave]

Is there a reason you are not playing the lower buyin NLHE events close to the main event instead of taking two weeks off? It would condense your stay a little bit...

Any why not just book the stay, you know you are going :P

Here is my schedule: http://www.badbeatspoker.net/forum/b...oin-vegas.html

[Chipless Wonder]

Not enough chips.

[otbdave]

Ahhh I did not realize the structure was different. I am pretty much locked in by the situation. I don't graduate until June 14.

[JBabel]

They haven't released the structures yet but from reading some of the info released already (from Harrah's and Daniel N.'s blog):
Harrah's is spouting this to be a 'value' year for the WSOP (from the $1K event that is estimating 5000+ players on 5/28 to the removal of the rebuy events (to make events even for people with smaller bankrolls).
Daniel stated that he thinks the structures will be similar for all events with possible removal of a level here and there to make the lower buy-in events go a bit faster.
Dana and I plan on being in Vegas sometime around 6/4-6/11ish and I am looking into which events to play. I really would like to play the $1500 NLHE shootout on 7/10 and either a couple more $1500 events or the $2500 NLHE on 7/5. Plus I might do some Venetian Deep Stack action on other days. Can't wait!

Jarrod

Edit-yep, 6-hey played the Big One in '05 maybe....

[SparX]

sigh i'll tell them where they can shove their "value"...

I assume u mean june, jarrod... from 7/4-7/15 there is really only one tournament of note =)

[Sandy Cheeks]

sigh i'll tell them where they can shove their "value"...
=)

I'm with you on that Chris, I don't think you get the value of some of the other venues. I will be shopping for some of the other events and find some nice deep stacks to jump into while I'm out there.

[Chipless Wonder]

More Chips, Better Structure in 2009 World Series of Poker
BY: STEPHEN A. MURPHY | [email protected]
PUBLISHED: Monday Mar 09, 2009 05:05 PM

Players in Main Event Will Begin with 30,000 in Chips
More chips. Better structure.

Those four words will be music to the ears of many poker players who have criticized the World Series of Poker in the past for not providing enough starting chips and for not allowing enough play in the later stages of its tournaments.

Jack Effel, the tournament director of the WSOP, has confirmed that players will receive more starting chips in 2009 than in any previous year in WSOP history.

“We’ve tripled the chips (in relation to the buy-in) for every event,” said Effel. “Now some people might say, ‘Oh, you must’ve eliminated levels.’ On the contrary, we’ve added levels.”

Several events — from the $10,000 world championship events to the $1,500 no-limit hold’em events — will feature new levels in 2009 to allow for slower-moving blinds.

Effel said the tough economic times played into the tournament organizers’ decision to add more starting chips, but said that the increase in starting chips will most likely be a permanent change.

“It’s a tough economy, so we wanted to make sure our poker players were getting the most value,” said Effel. “But this is about making the tournaments better for the longevity.”

Shane Schleger, a popular poker blogger and a regular on the tournament trail, has played his fair share of WSOP events. Over the past few years, Schleger estimates he’s played between 60-70 WSOP events. Although he’s hesitant to call the changes a major success, since they don’t alter the duration of the levels, he sees the changes as potentially very good for the game.

“Anything that brings more recreational players into the event, I’m all for it,” said Schleger. “It is more fun to play with more chips, but it doesn’t make as big of a difference as other aspects of the structure.”

Schleger said the two other essential factors in making up a good structure are the duration of the levels and the level jumps.

For the 2009 WSOP, the duration of the levels (60 minutes in most tournaments) has not changed, but there have been a few new levels added to address some of the 2008 level-jump shortcomings.

Main Event

Each player in the main event will start off with 30,000 in chips (as compared to 20,000 in chips in 2008). As of right now, the blinds structure is scheduled to mirror 2008, with 120-minute levels.

$40,000 No-Limit Hold’em Event

In this new event, players will start with 120,000 in chips. However, blinds will begin at 200-400 with a 50 ante and increase every 60 minutes.

$10,000 World Championship Events

In 2009, there are 10 $10,000-to-enter world championship events, including the main event. The other nine are in seven-card stud, mixed games, Omaha eight-or-better, deuce-to-seven draw lowball, heads-up no-limit hold’em, limit hold’em, seven-card stud eight-or-better, pot-limit Omaha, and pot-limit hold’em.

While there are now 30,000 in chips to begin all of these tournaments, they have kept the same 60-minute levels as they had in 2008 — with the exception of the main event, which has 120-minute levels.

In the seven-card stud world championship, while it begins with limits of 200-400 (just like last year), it skips the 250-500 level that was featured in 2008 and moves directly to 300-600.

In the mixed event, however, it appears as though all previous levels remain from 2008, with the addition of a new level in 2009. A 18,000-36,000 limits level was added in 2009. In 2008, the tournament jumped from 15,000-30,000 to 20,000-40,000.

In Omaha eight-or-better, the 18,000-36,000 limits level was also added, while keeping all of the previous levels in 2008.

In deuce-to-seven lowball, there was no $10,000 equivalent in 2008, so comparisons are not possible.

In the heads-up no-limit hold’em event, heads-up specialists will be pleased to see the exact same structure as they saw last year (with 20-minute rounds). But, like all other $10,000 tournaments, players will receive 30,000 in starting chips in 2009.

In the limit hold’em event, the 18,000-36,000 limits level (with blinds of 9,000-18,000) was added for the 2009 version.

Comparisons to the seven-card stud eight-or-better championship are not applicable since there was only a $5,000 world championship in 2008.

In pot-limit Omaha, there is a similar blinds structure as there was in 2008 (apart from the starting chips).

In the pot-limit hold’em event, the tournament structure also appears to be unchanged from 2008 besides the starting chips.

$50,000 H.O.R.S.E. Event

With 150,000 in starting chips in 2009, the blinds will start at 400-800, as opposed to 300-600 from last year. Levels will last 90 minutes. In 2008, players started with 100,000 in chips.

$1,000 No-Limit Hold’em Event (“Stimulus Special”)

In another new event to 2009, the $1,000 buy-in event will give players 3,000 in starting chips to match the World Series’ new “triple the buy-in” formula. This tournament’s structure will be similar to last year’s $1,500 no-limit hold’em events, but will also feature a 25-25 level to start off the tournament, as well as a 75-150 level. Last year’s $1,500 no-limit tourneys started at 25-50 and went from 50-100 to 100-200. Levels will last 60 minutes.

$1,500 No-Limit Hold’em Events

These popular tournaments will now give players 4,500 in starting chips (as opposed to 3,000 in 2008). Like the “Stimulus Special,” there will now be a 75-150 level, but the first level of blinds will be 25-50 (just as it was in 2008). However, the WSOP has added a 1,200-2400 with a 300 ante level (Level 14). Previously, the tournament went from 1,000-2,000 with a 300 ante to 1,500-3,000 with a 400 ante.

Ladies/Seniors Events

The Ladies and Seniors events will also feature the new 25-25 level to begin the tournament, while having its players start out with 3,000 in chips. Both tournaments will also have a 75-150 level that was not in place in 2008. Players will begin with 3,000 in chips.

Other Events

The structure in many of the other events was also altered besides the starting chips, depending upon the tournament. In the $1,500 limit hold’em events, the blinds actually move slightly quicker in the early rounds so that they may slow down in the later rounds and provide more play.

To view the 2009 tournament structures in these events or any others, go to Harrah’s World Series of Poker website. As of 5 p.m. PST on Monday, some but not all of the event structures have been updated. The official announcement of the structures is expected later this week.

The changes listed above are not yet official and by no means include all of the changes made to the the 2009 WSOP events.


Source: More Chips, Better Structure in 2009 World Series of Poker - Poker News - CardPlayer.com

[JBabel]

Thanks for the link Scott, this is great news, I think I'm going to play the 1,500 PLHE on 6/8 now for sure as well as the 2,500 NLHE on 6/5 and the 1,500 NLHE shootout on 6/9. Can't wait!

Jarrod