Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Texas bill would legalize poker

TEXAS -- November 26, 2008 – An amended bill seeking to legalize and regulate poker rooms has been introduced in the state legislature.

Poker Gaming Act 2009
Democratic State Representative Jose Menendez re-launched HB222 in the House of Representatives after a previous attempt to introduce laws legalizing and regulating poker fell apart at the committee stage.

If passed, the Poker Gaming Act 2009 would require that all poker gaming in Texas be regulated and licensed by the Texas Lottery Commission.

The bill will allow for a wide range of applicants to host poker gaming, including bars, tribal-gaming interests and charitable organizations.

The bill would also form a Poker Gaming Revenue Fund, which would be used on social projects for the homeless.

Menendez told local radio he is not interested in seeing poker rooms "on every corner around the state," pointing out that the aim of this bill was to ensure the game could exist in a regulated format.

Poker, Texas style
Texas is obviously a big poker-playing state, given that it was there that Texas Holdem, the most popular variant of poker in the world today - was invented around a century ago.

Menendez noted that there is a need to amend the current laws banning the game to make room for certain instances in which poker is played, such as the need for a venue to collect a bit of the pot to pay for certain things such as air-conditioning.

He justified the bill on the grounds that requiring licensing would prevent the proliferation of poker rooms and that it would also improve security, given that illegal poker games are an easier target for robbers who know they have nothing to fear from police involvement.

Source: Online Casino Reports

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Friday, October 31, 2008

Joy Miller Interviews Bill Bruce

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Thursday, October 30, 2008

Caesars Palace Classic

LAS VEGAS, NV - October 30, 2008 –- The 2008 Caesars Palace Classic attracted a record number of entries. The field of 311 players eclipsed last year's mark of 286.

Due to the large field size, play went longer than expected on Days 1 and 2. Day 3 will be played on Thursday, October 30th, starting at 2 pm. The 19 remaining players will battle down to the final ten, which will constitute the final table.

Final table play is expected to begin sometime on Thursday evening and will be played through to a conclusion.

The current chip leader is 2007 WSOP Main Event finalist Hevad Khan. Also of interest is Sabyl Cohen, who ranks in third place. Cohen was the highest female player to finish in the 2006 WSOP Main Event. Gold bracelet winner Johnny "World" Hennigan also remains in the running.

20. Johnny D’Silva Bad Aibling (Germany) 17,738
21. William Heimiller Henderson, NV 17,738
22. Tony Ma S. El Monte, CA 17,738
23. Todd Peterson Henderson, NV 17,738
24. Dar Mahboubi Beverly Hills, CA 17,738
25. Keone Young Los Angeles, CA 17,738
26. Noah Schwartz Bay Harbor Island, FL 17,738
27. Kathy Liebert Las Vegas, NV 17,738

Source: Nolan Dalla reporting

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Friday, October 3, 2008

John Juanda Wins 2008 WSOP Europe

WSOPE 2008 Champion John Juanda


John Juanda wins the record breaking Main Event at the World Series of Poker Europe presented by Betfair


LONDON, UK; October 3, 2008 --- At 10:32 am American John Juanda was the last man standing at the dramatic final table of the World Series of Poker Europe played at The Casino at The Empire, Leicester Square. Outlasting a starting field of poker heavyweights including Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey, Phil Hellmuth and Doyle Brunson the newly crowned 2008 WSOPE champion Juanda has taken home the £868,000 cash first prize and a coveted WSOPE winner's bracelet.

Juanda is the first American to win a WSOPE bracelet and his victory in London has ended his own personal drought dating back to 2003. Juanda came into the final table as chip leader and his shrewd and cunning performance throughout has landed him his 4th WSOP bracelet.

In a pulsating encounter which saw the record for the most hands played at a final table emphatically smashed, Juanda had to overcome two determined, rising Russian stars to claim the title. First he eliminated Ivan Demidov, the first man to reach both the WSOP and WSOPE final tables, and then he had to overcome Stanislav Alekhin, the man who had led for long periods of the day’s play. In the final heads up of the six day Main Event which lasted more than 19 hours Juanda revealed a (insert hand) beating Alekhin’s (insert cards).

Attracting the best players from around the world, WSOPE is the most prestigious event to take place outside of the US and compliments the WSOP which takes place annually in Las Vegas.

Beginning on the 19th September this year's WSOPE has seen established pros and Betfair online qualifiers go head-to-head to compete for the millions of prize money on offer.

Taking place at The Casino at The Empire, Leicester Square this year's showcase tournament has featured 1047 entrants for the four sanctioned bracelet events (No-Limit Hold'em / H.O.R.S.E / Pot Limit Omaha and World Championship No Limit Hold'em), with 362 chasing the Main Event dream.

1st Place – John Juanda (£868,800)
2nd Place – Stanislav Alekhin (£533,950)
3rd Place – Ivan Demidov (£334,850)
4th Place – Bengt Sonnert (£271,500)
5th Place – Daniel Negreanu (£217,200)
6th Place – Scott Fischman, USA (£171,950)
7th Place – Robin Keston, England (£135,750)
8th Place – Toni Hiltunen, Finland (£108,600)
9th Place - Chris Elliott, Scotland (£81,450)

Link: WSOPe2008.com

- Report by Nolan Dalla


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Friday, September 19, 2008

World Series Of Poker EUROPE is off and running


WSOPE logo


BIGGEST NAMES, BRACELETS, BROAD TV EXPOSURE
AND THE CHANCE TO DETHRONE THE QUEEN. WORLD SERIES OF POKER EUROPE PRESENTED BY BETFAIR IS OFF AND RUNNING AT THE CASINO AT THE EMPIRE IN LONDON


LONDON, U.K., September 19, 2008 – The 2nd annual World Series of Poker Europe Presented by Betfair has arrived, and so have the biggest names in poker from all across the world.

With ESPN set to televise this year’s WSOPE Main Event in the U.S. and across Europe, the 2008 World Series of Poker Europe will become the most broadly televised poker tournament ever – and the first European poker tournament to receive TV coverage in the United States.

“We had tremendous success at the inaugural World Series of Poker Europe, but are convinced the changes to this year will result in an even better tournament,” said WSOP Director of Marketing Ty Stewart. “Registration is tracking ahead of last year and the lineup of names and the addition of another bracelet event have brought an electric buzz to start off this tournament.”

This television exposure and the chance to win the most prestigious prize in all of poker – a WSOP gold bracelet – is drawing the biggest names in poker.

“Betfair are delighted with the launch of the WSOPE. The player feedback has been tremendously positive and we look forward to this being the largest and most successful tournament in Europe this year,” said Ben Fried, head of poker for Betfair.

Among the players registered to participate in the 2008 WSOPE include the following professionals: 11-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth, 10-time WSOP champion Doyle Brunson, 10-time WSOP champion Johnny Chan, Defending WSOPE Main Event Champion Annette Obrestad, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey, Allen Cunningham, Layne Flack, Patrik Antonius, Gus Hansen, Josh Arieh, Howard Lederer, Robert Williamson III, Barry Greenstein, Chris Ferguson, Mike Matusow, Max Pescatori, Vanessa Rousso, David Williams, Eric Seidel, Michael Mizrachi, Robert Mizrachi, Nenad Medic, David Benyamine, Tuan Le, Eli Elezra, Steve Zolotow, Ted Lawson and November Nine finalists Craig Marquis, Ivan Demidov, Peter Eastgate & Kelly Kim.

Last year, 18-year-old Norwegian Annette Obrestad bested a star-studded field to win the inaugural WSOPE Main Event and take home the largest prize ever for a female in any sporting contest, £1 million. Obrestad, who celebrated her 20th birthday yesterday, returns to defend her crown, against what promises to be another tough field of the game’s best poker players.

The 2008 WSOPE features four gold bracelet events, a £1500 No-Limit Hold’em that opens the tournament today and tomorrow (two start days), plus a £2500 H.O.R.S.E. event (9/22), a £5000 Pot Limit Omaha (9/24) and the Main Event (9/26), a £10,000 No Limit Hold’em World Championship.


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Monday, July 7, 2008

2008 WSOP Main Event - Day One


WSOP logo


The four Main Event Day One starts are complete.


LAS VEGAS - July 7th, 2008 -- The official “first day” is split into four flights spread over four consecutive days. Due to the large size of the field, it became necessary in recent years to play the Day One sessions in four groups, divided as Days 1-A, 1-B, 1-C, and 1-D. The World Series of Poker Main Event began with Day 1-A on Thursday, July 3, 2008. Day 1-B was played on July 4th. Day 1-C was played on July 5th. Day 1-D was played yesterday on July 6th. The combined number of players entered into the 2008 Main Event totals 6,844. This ranks as the second-largest live poker tournament in history. This year’s turnout surpassed 2007 attendance (6,358) by 7.4 percent. Only the 2006 WSOP Main Event was larger than this tournament -- with 8,773 entrants. The 2008 WSOP Main Event winner will collect $9,119,517 in prize money.


Eliminated Players

Jaime Gold (2006 Champion)
Greg "Fossilman" Raymer (2004 Champion)
Dan Harrington (1995 Champion),
Phil Ivey (five-time WSOP gold bracelet winner),
Daniel Negreanu (four-time WSOP gold bracelet winner),
Chris Ferguson (2000 Champion),
T.J. Cloutier (Six-time WSOP gold bracelet winner and Poker Hall of Fame member),
Tom Schneider (2007 WSOP “Player of the Year),
Mark Seif (Two-time WSOP gold bracelet winner),
Huck Seed (1996 Champion),
Noel Furlong (1999 Champion),
Jim Bechtel (1993 Champion),
Berry Johnston (1986 Champion),
Tom McEvoy (1983 Champion),
Bobby “the Owl” Baldwin (1978 Champion),
Maria Ho (the last female player to survive 2007 WSOP Main Event, finishing 38th),
Sabyl Landrum (highest female finisher in the 2006 Main Event),
Jennifer Tilly (Oscar-nominated actress),
Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell (UFC fighter),
Orel Hershiser (World Series (of baseball) MVP and major league all-star)
Jose Canseco (former Major League Baseball player),
David Wells (former Major League Baseball player),
Larry Flynt (Pblisher and free-speech advocate),

Forrest Griffin (UFC Light Heavyweight Champ). Incredibly, just hours after he won the UFC Light Heavyweight World Championship (which took place the night before), the iron man played in the WSOP Main Event.

Remaining Players

Nine former champs remain in the 2008 Main Event. They include – Jerry Yang, Johnny Chan, Phil Hellmuth, Carlos Mortensen, Brad Daugherty, Chris Moneymaker, Joe Hachem, Scotty Nguyen and Robert Varkonyi.

Russian poker player Nikolay Evdakov played on Day 1-D. Evdakov set a new record at this year’s World Series for “Most Cashes in a Single Year” – with ten in-the-money finishes.

Professional golfer Paul Azinger, who is also Captain of the 2008 Ryder Cup Team, played in this day. The best performance in the WSOP ever by a P.G.A. golfer was Rocco Mediate’s 600th place finish in the 2005 WSOP, with 5,619 entrants. Azinger made the cut and will play on Day Two.

Ray Romano (actor) and Shannon Elizabeth (actress) passed the Day 1 audition and will get a call back for Day 2.

Sully Erna (lead singer for Godsmack). This is his third consecutive Main Event. Erna’s performance has been impressive as he cashed both previous years at the WSOP – 713th out of 8,773 entrants in 2006, and 237th out of 6,358 entrants in 2007. He is low on chips, but will continue play on Day Two.

Hal Lubarsky, who was the first blind player ever to cash at the WSOP (197th place in the 2007 Main Event, good for $51,398), played in this day. Lubarsky used a designated “card reader,” who sits behind the player and verbalizes the hole cards and board cards by whispering into his ear. Lubarsky makes all the table decisions. He ended the day with 70,700 in chips, which places him in the top 20 percent of the field.

For the second-consecutive year, Jack Ury was the senior player in the Main Event. At 95-years young, Ury broke his own record (set last year at the spry age of 94) as the oldest player ever to compete in a WSOP event.

Other Notable players advancing from Day 1-A: Scotty Nguyen, Brandon Adams, Mark Vos, Chau Giang, Hasan Habib, Blair Hinkle, Bill Baxter, and Ted Lawson.

Notable players advancing from Day 1-B: Robert Mizrachi, Erick Lindgren, Thor Hansen, Barney Boatman, Tony Hachem, Hoyt Corkins, Dave Colclough, Erick Seidel, Patrik Antonius, Chris Bjorin, Kathy Liebert, Bill Edler, Mickey Appleman, Steve Zolotow, Alex Kravchenko, and Robert Varkonyi.

Notable players advancing from Day 1-C: Chris Moneymaker, Joe Hachem, David Singer, Brad Booth, Evelyn Ng, Nenad Medic, Jeff Madsen, Clonie Gowan, Isabelle Mercier, Liz Lieu, Mike Matusow, Minh Nguyen, Bill Chen, Sammy Farha, Adam Schoenfeld, Jerrod Ankenman, Rhett Butler, Frankie O’Dell, Peter Vilandos, Burt Boutin, Mike Wattel, John Juanda, Brad Daugherty, Mel Judah and Jim McManus.

Notable players advancing from Day 1-D: Phil Hellmuth, Johnny Chan, Jerry Yang, Carlos Mortensen, David Oppenheim, Victor Ramdin, Doug Saab, Gus Hansen, Cliff Josephy, Kirill Gerasimov, Jean-Robert Bellande, Brandon Cantu, Duncan “Pumper” Bell, Thomas “Thunder” Keller, Antonio “the Magician” Esfandiari, John Friedberg, Steve Billirakis, Men “the Master” Nguyen, Hevad Khan, Phil Gordon, Chip Jett, Steve Dannenmann, Bryan Micon, Matt Savage, Jennifer Harman, Allen Cunningham, Scott Clements, Dan Shak, Pat Poels, Paul Magriel, Howard Lederer, Tom Chambers, Lou Esposito, Eric Haber, James Worth, Anders Henriksson, and Bernard Lee.

Additionally:
It’s official. Tournament pro and gold bracelet winner Erick Lindgren is the 2008 WSOP “Player of the Year.”


Specila thanks to Nolan Dalla and the WSOP for information contained in this post.


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World Series Of Poker® Announces 2008-2009 WSOP Circuit Schedule


wsop circuit


New Horseshoe Hammond to Host First Circuit Event & Chicago’s Biggest Poker Tournament


LAS VEGAS – July 7, 2008 – The World Series of Poker® (WSOP) today announced its official schedule for the 2008-2009 season of circuit events, played around the United States at Harrah’s owned casinos throughout the year.

The high-stakes poker tournaments provide poker enthusiasts of all levels the opportunity to compete on a regional basis in a variety of events that include the opportunity to win a seat in the 2009 World Series of Poker Main Event in Las Vegas.

“Playing World Series of Poker Circuit events is the best way to hone your live tournament poker skills in a friendly and competitive environment,” said Jeffrey Pollack, Commissioner of the World Series of Poker. “We continue to fine tune the World Series of Poker Circuit schedule and structures to deliver poker players the best tournaments throughout the year.”

The 2008-2009 World Series of Poker Circuit begins October 2, 2008 at Caesars Indiana and includes stops at Harrah’s properties in Hammond, Lake Tahoe, Atlantic City, Tunica, Council Bluffs (Iowa), Rincon (Southern California), Las Vegas and New Orleans. The entire schedule is as follows:

October 2 -- October 14, 2008:
CAESARS INDIANA

October 24 -- November 2, 2008:
HORSESHOE HAMMOND (Chicago area)

November 6 -- November 16, 2008:
HARVEYS LAKE TAHOE (Nevada)

December 5 – December 18, 2008:
HARRAH’S ATLANTIC CITY

January 20 – February 9, 2009:
HARRAH’S TUNICA (Mississippi)

February 12 – February 25, 2009:
HORSESHOE COUNCIL BLUFFS (Iowa)

March 4 – March 14, 2009:
CAESARS ATLANTIC CITY

March 19 – March 29, 2009:
HARRAH’S RINCON (San Diego)

April 12 – April 29, 2009:
CAESARS PALACE (Las Vegas)

May 8 – May 20, 2009:
HARRAH’S NEW ORLEANS


Circuit schedules are subject to change. For more information on individual circuit events, including event schedules and structure sheets, can be found at each property website or by visiting www.worldseriesofpoker.com


Source: worldseriesofpoker.com

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Wednesday, June 25, 2008

How To Get A Dealing Job In Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS, NV June 25, 2008 – If you're a good dealer with a good attitude and you are willing to work hard there are still dealing jobs available in Las Vegas. Keep in mind you may have to start at the bottom and work your way up.

Do your homework
Ask any poker dealer you know where's a good room to work in. Believe me they know. Go play in the rooms you might like to work and talk to the dealers there. Ask them, how they like it there and how are they treated. Also ask, if they didn't work there, where would they like to work.

Search for job openings
Job openings can usually be found on each casino's website. Make a list of every casino you'd like to work and then go to thier respective websites. You need to make a list because you will rarely get yur first choice. If you can't decide on a list, then go to ALL of them.

Auditions
You will always have to audition. I reccomend calling each casino and asking to speak to the Poker Room manager. The best time to call will be weekdays before 5pm. Let them know you are looking for a job and would like to come down to audition. If they are hiring, they probably have an upcoming audition scheduled (not always). Make sure you ask for the manager don't just ask the first person who answers the phone at the Poker Room extension. At the audition you must be prepared to deal EVERY game that that casino spreads. If you cannot, go back to school. Do not expect to be asked to deal Hold'em, any beginning dealer can deal Hold'em. When in doubt be perpared to deal one hand of Omaha Hi-Lo and one hand of Pot Limit with pot raises on multiple streets, you'll need to be able to give the pot raise amount throughout the hand without counting the pot. If you cannot do this you need more practice. Make sure you show up dressed in dealer black and whites. It shows you are professional and some auditioners, myself included, will automatically reject you if you do not arrived dressed appropriately.

Extra Board / Off Strip Properties
Even if you have experience be prepared to start as extra board with no benifits and you will probably have to start at a property off the strip if you are new to Las Vegas. You will need to be available to work any shift and weekends will be mandatory.

If you live outside Las Vegas, consider setting up several auditions during a one week period and then travel there and audition. I do not advise moving there before securing an offer of employment.

Good Luck and Happy Hunting.

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Thursday, June 19, 2008

2008 World Series of Poker

The 39th annual WSOP is underway and I am BUSY


LAS VEGAS, CA June 19, 2008 – The World Series of Poker has been underway for several weeks now. I keep thinking I'm going to post some blog entries about the happenings and share some behind the scene stories with you all, but quite frankly I don't have much free time this year. It's been a non-stop whirlwind (it is every year). For my friends and family members who have never been to this ginormous event (Charlie's favorite descriptive word of the Series) it's hard to explain. It's two months of non-stop all day hype and excitement leading up poker's most prestigious annual spectacle, the Main Event at the World Series of Poker. I recently read a blog post from one of the media that I thought was quite descriptive. He are some excerpts:

"...the hours are messed up and one day tends to bleed into another...You know that in a week's time words like Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday will cease to matter; only Day 1, Day 2, Day 3. You know that 2 a.m. will, at some point start to feel like 2 p.m., that meals will happen whenever there is time... Your new home is a room the size of an airplane hangar cooled to the temperature of a refrigerator and you'll spend over 500 hours (there)."

You can find her post titled "Desert Calling" in it's entirety on her blog Pot Committed.

So far, at this years WSOP, the Professional Poker Players are doing quite well winning 79% of the gold bracelets (through Event #33). I get lots of emails and phone calls asking about who is doing well and who is the chip leader on this day etc. So I tell you what I'm going to do. I'm going try to compile a list of resources you can check for chip updates, articles andc photos (If you know any links you'd like me to include just contact me). I will add to this list as I discover sources of additional info, so check back to this post regularly.

Live Updates:

Links:

Related Articles / Links:

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Wednesday, March 26, 2008

WPT World Poker Challenge Reno


WPT logo

World Poker Tour stop at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada


Reno, NV March 25, 2008 – I am in Reno for the WPT event at the Grand Sierra Resort. As usual I'm to busy to write much about the event while it's going on, however I do like to provide you with links where you can find as much insight and information as possible. I will post additional links as I run across them so check back each day. The final table is on Friday the 28th at 5pm here. I will be announcing and supervising (along with Brooks Turk) the televised final table which is open to the public. If you'd like to see the event live and purhaps catch yourself on TV in the audience come on down to the Grand Sierra and join the fun.

Live Updates:


Related Articles / Links:

Player's Blogs:


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Friday, March 7, 2008

2008 WSOP Tournament Rules



LAS Vegas, NV March 7, 2008

SECTION I – TOURNAMENT REGISTRATION AND ENTRY

1. As used herein, “Harrah’s” means Harrah’s Operating Company, Inc. and its parent, affiliates and subsidiaries including, but not limited to, Rio Properties, Inc, dba Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. Harrah’s reserves the right to refuse anyone entry into the tournament, in its sole and absolute discretion.

2. Entry into the World Series of Poker (herein “WSOP” refers to all events from May 30, 2008 through July 17, 2008) is limited to persons 21 years of age and older, with proof of age, that Harrah’s, acting in its sole and absolute discretion, deems appropriate. Only one entry is allowed per person, per event as set forth in event descriptions.

3. Participants may register for any 2008 WSOP tournament event in person at the WSOP Registration Area in the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, 3700 W. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, Nevada 89103, beginning May 28, 2008, for scheduled events in the 2008 WSOP. Cash, cashier’s checks drawn from accredited banks and made out to registrants or the Rio, and Rio gaming chips may be used to pay for entry into a WSOP event.

4. Subject to the restrictions described in these rules, pre-registrations can be initiated by downloading a pre-registration form online at www.worldseriesofpoker.com, The completed form and deposit must be submitted to the Rio no later than two weeks prior to the start of the selected event(s). The deposit required is for the full amount of an event one pre-registers for and may be applied to the event registration at the Rio or used for whatever other purpose participants may elect. Pre-registration will remain open until two weeks prior to the start of a particular event. All pre-registrants must finalize their registration on site. Thereafter, participants may register in person at the Rio. Complete instructions can be found at www.worldseriesofpoker.com. Pre-registered participants will need to present proof of identity (passport, driver’s license, state identification card or military identification card) in person at the Rio to complete the registration process and obtain his or her table and seat assignment. Participants wishing to apply the deposit to an event other than what was selected during pre-registration must do so in person at the Rio.

5. Third-party registrations for players are not permitted unless submitted by Official WSOP sponsors; Official WSOP promotional partners, or Official WSOP product licensees. No third-party registrations will be accepted from online gaming sites conducting business with U.S. residents. For more information regarding third-party entries please contact Angele Marshall by email at anmarshall@harrahs.com.

6. Harrah’s may limit the number of entries into any WSOP event and may award entries into any event through any means it deems appropriate. Harrah’s intends to award a limited number of entries through satellite tournaments, third-party marketing arrangements and or other promotional activities in its sole and absolute discretion, and will add the required entry fee(s) to the prize pool.

7. Participants are responsible for payment of any and all taxes, licenses, registrations and other fees associated with tournament registration.

8. Participants must show their current valid picture identification (driver’s license, state identification card, or military identification card) acceptable to Harrah’s at registration and Will Call. If a participant is not a U.S. citizen, a current passport, consular identification or alien registration card is required.

9. Employees of Harrah’s and its parent, subsidiaries, affiliates, owned, operated or managed properties, contractors hired for the operation of the WSOP or parent companies and immediate family members of such employees are not eligible to play in any WSOP events, unless approved in advance by Harrah’s. Immediate Family is defined as: spouse, children and any relative or other person residing in the employee’s place of residence.

10. Individuals who are excluded from casino facilities, either through a government program or by their own request, are not eligible.

11. Each participant must certify their own eligibility.

12. No teams, substitutes, transfers or assisted play will be permitted. Harrah’s reserves the right to accommodate players based on special needs.

13. Cancellations or voids must be completed prior to the start of a particular event. Please contact the Tournament Manager, Daniel Vogel, for a Cancellation Form in the Tournament Offices at the WSOP, by email to dvogel@lvrio.harrahs.com, or by telephoning 702-777-6777. The Cancellation Form must be signed and received prior to the start of a particular event. Email notification is also acceptable provided such notification is received and approved prior to the beginning of the event.

14. By submitting a Pre-Registration Form to Harrah’s for registration in and/or participation in the WSOP, such persons and/or entities agree to these rules.

15. The ability to pre-register as described in these rules is void where prohibited or in any way restricted by law.

16. Entries will be retained for record-keeping purposes in accordance with local legal requirements.

SECTION II – TOURNAMENT SCHEDULING

17. WSOP tournament times are approximate. Harrah’s reserves the right to change WSOP tournament times in its sole and absolute discretion.

18. Harrah’s may cancel, modify, relocate or reschedule the WSOP or any individual event within the WSOP for any reason with prior notification to the appropriate gaming regulators, to the extent such is required.

19. Harrah’s is not responsible for electronic transmission errors or delays resulting in omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operations or transmission, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to or alterations of entry materials, or for technical, hardware, software, or telephone failures of any kind, lost or unavailable connections, fraud, incomplete, garbled, or delayed computer transmissions, whether caused by Harrah’s, users, or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the promotion or by any technical or human error that may occur in the processing of submissions, any of which may limit, restrict, or prevent a participant’s ability to participate in the tournament.

20. Harrah’s is not responsible for injuries or losses arising or resulting from participation in the WSOP and is not liable for any acts or omissions by employees, whether negligent or willful, in the conduct of the WSOP, and is not liable in the event of any equipment or software malfunction. This includes, but is not limited to, any loss of any tournament chips players leave at playing tables during tournament play, except during authorized breaks.

21. If for any reason the Tournament is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical

2008 World Series of Poker, Las Vegas, Nevada – May 28, 2008 through July 16, 2008 Page 3 of 15

failures, or any other causes within or beyond the control of Harrah’s that corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of this tournament, Harrah’s reserves the right at its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Tournament.

SECTION III – PRIZING AND SEATING

22. Prizes and entries are non-transferable. Prize structures depend on the number of entrants and type of event.

23. Winners are responsible for payment of any and all taxes, licenses, registrations and other fees associated with tournament prizes.

24. Winners must show their current valid picture identification (driver’s license, state identification card, or military identification card) acceptable to Harrah’s in order to collect prizes. If a participant is not a U.S. citizen, a current passport, consular identification or alien registration card is required.

25. Entrants will be assigned to a table and seat through a random computer selection.

26. A random seating draw for an event will be determined based on expected participation. Tournament management reserves the right to allow additional table seating beyond expected capacity. In the event tables are added to a tournament beyond the anticipated random draw, those players assigned to the additional tables will be the first to break.

27. If the participant is not present at the start of the tournament, all forced antes and blinds bets will be removed from an absent player’s stack accordingly. If player shows up and still has chips remaining, [s]he may play his or her chips.

28. Harrah’s reserves the right to cancel, change or modify the WSOP at any time, for any reason, subject to all applicable regulatory approval, provided that such modification shall not, as of the date of such modification, materially alter or change any participant’s prize already awarded.

29. No-value tournament chips are used for the tournament and are the exclusive property of Harrah’s and may not be removed from the tournament area or the assigned event. Players found to be transferring chips from one event to another or from one player to another will be subject to penalty in accordance with Rule No. 31.

SECTION IV – PLAYER CONDUCT AND TOURNAMENT INTEGRITY

30. Harrah’s may impose penalties of any kind or nature upon any person who gives, makes, issues, authorizes or endorses any statement or action having, or designed to have, an effect prejudicial or detrimental to the best interest of the Tournament as determined by Harrah’s, acting in its sole and absolute discretion. This may include, but shall not be limited to, expulsion from the event and property, forfeiture of a player’s entry fee(s) and/or loss of the right to participate in this and/or any other tournament conducted by Harrah’s. Additionally, Harrah’s may in its sole and absolute discretion impose penalties of any kind or nature upon any person who, in Harrah’s view engages in inappropriate conduct during tournament play.

31. Harrah’s may disqualify any person for any prize based upon fraud, dishonesty, violation of promotional rules or other misconduct while on the property or otherwise occurring in relation to the World Series of Poker or as otherwise reasonable or necessary for Harrah’s to comply with applicable statutes and regulations, in its sole and absolute discretion. Harrah’s also reserves the right to exclude any individual(s) acting in a disruptive or inappropriate manner.

32. Any attempt by any person to deliberately damage, corrupt or undermine the operation of the WSOP tournament may be a violation of criminal and civil laws and should such an attempt be made, Harrah’s reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent of the law.

33. All decisions regarding the interpretation of World Series of Poker Rules, player eligibility, scheduling and staging of the Tournament, and penalties for misconduct lie solely with Harrah’s, whose decisions are final.

34. Harrah’s employees will use reasonable commercial efforts to consider the best interests of the Tournament and fairness as the top priority in the decision-making process, with the understanding that “best interests of the Tournament and fairness” shall be determined by Harrah’s, acting in its sole and absolute discretion. Unusual circumstances can, on occasion, dictate that the technical interpretation of the rules be balanced against the interest of fairness. Harrah’s decisions are final and can not be appealed and shall not give rise to any claim for monetary damages, as each participant understands that, while poker is primarily and largely a game of skill, the outcome of any particular hand or event is dependent on many factors, including but not limited to the cards dealt, the cards retained and the actions of other participants.

35. Any player who directs any profane and/or abusive language at another player, dealer or tournament staff member or who makes any profane and/or abusive comments about another player, dealer or tournament staff member will be penalized in accordance with Rules No. 31 and/or 51. In particular, the use of the so-called "f-bomb" and "c-bomb" as well as derivatives of those and similarly offensive terms, will subject the offending player to penalties if they are directed at or refer to another player, dealer, staff member, patron or official of Harrah's or the WSOP. In Harrah’s sole and absolute discretion, it

may impose at any time a zero-tolerance policy for profane language whether directed at another person or not.

36. Excessive celebration through extended theatrics, inappropriate behavior, or physical actions, gestures, or conduct may be subject to penalty. Any player that engages a member of the tournament staff during the celebration or utilizes any property of Harrah’s will be penalized in accordance with Rules No. 31 and/or 51. Harrah’s property includes but is not limited to chairs, tournament tables, and stanchions.

37. Any player(s) adjudged or determined by Harrah’s to be colluding with other players will immediately be disqualified from the event, and will not be allowed to play in future WSOP events at any Harrah's Entertainment property.

38. Player or staff abuse will not be tolerated. A player may incur a penalty up to and including disqualification for any abuse towards another player or staff member, and player could be asked to leave the property. Repeated etiquette violations such as touching another player’s cards or chips, delay of game and excessive chatter will result in penalties.

39. The WSOP is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, including gaming, and all aspects of the WSOP are subject to the approval of appropriate regulatory authorities.

40. Tournament Rules and any and all changes in the rules and event descriptions for the WSOP May 30, 2008, through July 16, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada, will be available at the tournament facilities in the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino.

41. Where a situation arises that is not covered by these rules, Harrah’s shall have the sole authority to render a judgment, including the imposition of a penalty, in accordance with the best interests of the Tournament and the maintenance of its integrity and public confidence.

SECTION V – PLAYER LIKENESS AND IMAGE

42. Prior to entering and playing in the Tournament, each participant must execute a Player Release Form. Failure to do so may, at the option of Harrah’s acting in its sole and absolute discretion, subject the player to immediate disqualification at any point in the Tournament. If the player is disqualified he or she shall forfeit all entry fees and not be entitled to any Tournament prize monies or any other prize consideration that he or she may have qualified for at the point of disqualification.

43. Tournament participants may wear apparel with multiple logos, patches or promotional language. However, no individual logo, patch or block of promotional language is to be
larger than 12 square inches. No single company name is to be represented more than once on any individual article of clothing. For players seated at a table taped for television or broadband video coverage, logos may not be added after the beginning of that day’s session of play. In addition, all logos, patches and promotional language are strictly prohibited if they:

(a) Contain any false, unsubstantiated, or unwarranted claims for any product or service, or make any testimonials that Harrah’s, in its sole and absolute discretion, considers unethical;

(b) Advertise any habit-forming drug, tobacco product, handgun or handgun ammunition;

(c) Advertise any malt beverage or any distilled liquor or any non-alcoholic product containing the name of a liquor product other than Milwaukee’s Best Light or another product of the Miller Brewing Company.

(d) Contain any material constituting or relating to a lottery, a contest of any kind in which the public is unfairly treated or any enterprise, service or product that abets, assists or promotes illelgal gambling

(e) Contain any material that is defamatory, obscene, profane, vulgar, repulsive or offensive, either in theme or in treatment or that describes or depicts repellently any internal bodily functions or symptomatic results of internal conditions, or refers to matters that are not considered socially acceptable topics;

(f) Advertise pornographic products of any kind;

(g) Include any element of intellectual property without the owner's consent to such use or gives rise to any claim of infringement, misappropriation or other form of unfair competition;

(h) Disparage or libel any person or product.

(i) Advertise a dot.com gaming site that conducts business with U.S. residents.

(j) Are or might be injurious or prejudicial to the interests of the World Series of Poker, the Rio, Harrah's or its affiliated companies or are otherwise contrary to honest advertising and reputable business in general. This includes but is not limited to the name or logo of any person or entity that uses or has used the trademarks, trade names or logos of Harrah's or its affiliated companies without written authorization from an authorized officer of Harrah's.

(k) In addition, all logos, patches, and promotional language for any dot.net website must contain a clear and visible "dot.net" suffix at least the same size as the site name.

(l) Harrah’s reserves the right at all times to impose a ban on any apparel deemed objectionable by Harrah’s, in its sole and absolute discretion.

SECTION VI – POKER RULES

44. Floor People: Floor People are to consider the best interest of the game and fairness as the top priority in the decision-making process. Unusual circumstances can on occasion dictate that decisions in the interest of fairness take priority over the technical rules. The floor person’s decision is final.

45. Chip race rule: Race-off is defined as removal of a denomination of chip no longer in use. When it is time to color-up chips, they will be raced off with a maximum of one chip going to any player. The chip race will always start at the first player left of the dealer. A player cannot be raced out of a tournament. In the event that a player has only one chip remaining, the regular race procedure will take place. If that player loses the race, [s]he will be given one chip of the smallest denomination still in play. Players found to have lower denomination chips remaining in their stack after the race-off will forfeit those chips unless they are equivalent in value to a chip still in play. Players are encouraged to witness the chip race

46. Side pots: Each side pot will be split as a separate pot. Pots will not be mixed together before they are split.

47. Odd Chips: The odd chip(s) will go to the high hand. In flop games, when there are two (2) or more high hands or two (2) or more low hands, the odd chip(s) will go to the left of the button. In stud-type games, the odd chip will go to the high card by suit. However, when hands have identical value, e.g., a wheel in Omaha 8 or Better, the pot will be split as evenly as possible.

48. Calling-for-clock procedures: Once a reasonable amount of time, which is no less than three minutes, has passed and a clock is called, a player will be given one (1) minute to act. If action has not been taken by the time the minute has expired, there will be a ten (10) second countdown. If a player has not acted on his hand by the time the countdown is over, the hand will be dead. Any player intentionally stalling the progress of the game will incur a penalty in accordance with Rule No. 51.


49. Dead Button: Tournament play will use the dead button rule. Dead Button is defined as a button that can not be advanced due to elimination of a player or the seating of a new player into a position between the small blind and the button.

50. A player exposing his or her cards with action pending may incur a penalty, but will not have a dead hand. The penalty will begin at the end of the hand. All players at the table are entitled to see the exposed card(s), if requested. A penalty may also be imposed if a player throws a card off the table, violates the one-player-to-a-hand rule or engages in similar behavior. Penalties will be invoked in cases of soft-play, abuse or disruptive behavior. All penalties will be imposed at Harrah’s sole and absolute discretion, in accordance with Rule No. 51.

51. In its sole and absolute discretion, Harrah’s may impose penalties that include verbal warnings and missed-hand penalties. A missed-hand penalty will be assessed as follows: The offender will miss one hand for each player at the table, including the offender, when the penalty is given, multiplied by the number of rounds specified in the penalty. Tournament staff can assess one-, two-, three- or four-round penalties or disqualification. Players who receive a missed-hand penalty must remain outside the designated tournament areas for the length of their penalty. The player must notify the tournament staff prior to returning to their seat. Repeat infractions are subject to escalating penalties up to disqualification.

52. A player who is disqualified shall have his or her chips removed from play and no refund will be provided to that disqualified player. Any player who forfeits play for health or other personal reasons after the start of a tournament will have his or her chips blinded off accordingly.

53. A player must be at his or her seat by the time all players have been dealt complete initial hands to have a live hand. Players must be at their seats to call time. “At your seat” is defined as being within reach or touch of your chair.

54. All cards will be turned face up once a player is all in and all action is complete. If a player accidentally folds/mucks their hand before cards are turned up, the Tournament Staff reserves the right to retrieve the folded/mucked cards if the cards are clearly identifiable.

55. If a player puts in a raise of 50 percent or more of the previous bet but less than the minimum raise, he or she will be required to make a full raise. The raise will be exactly the minimum raise allowed. In no-limit and pot-limit, an all-in bet of less than a full raise does not reopen the betting to a player who has already acted. Putting a single oversized chip into the pot will be considered a call if the player doesn’t announce a raise. Putting in two $500 chips on a 300-600 blind level without an announcement will also be considered a call even though it is two chips. If a player puts an oversized chip into the pot and says, “Raise,” but doesn’t state the amount, the raise will be the maximum allowable up to the denomination of that chip. To make a raise with a single oversized chip, a verbal declaration must be made before the chip hits the table surface. After the flop, an initial bet of a single oversized chip without comment will signify a bet equal to the size of the chip.

56. In no-limit or pot-limit, a raise must be made by a.) placing the full amount in the pot in one or more continuous motion(s) without going back toward the player’s stack or b.) verbally declaring the full amount prior to the initial placement of chips into the pot or c.) verbally declaring “raise” prior to the placement of the amount to call into the pot and then completing the action with one additional motion back to the player’s stack. Less than a full raise in an all-in situation does not reopen the betting to a player who has already acted.

57. Players are obligated to protect the other players in the tournament at all times. Therefore, whether in a hand or not, players may not a.) disclose contents of live or folded hands, b.) advise or criticize play before the action is completed, or c.) read a hand that hasn’t been tabled. While in a hand, players may not a) discuss hands or strategy with any spectator, or b) seek or receive consultation from an outside source. The one-player-to-a-hand rule will be enforced. Players who violate this rule are subject to penalty in accordance with Rule 51.

58. Tournament and satellite seats will be randomly assigned. Tournament staff reserves the right to accommodate players based on special needs.

59. The English-only rule will be enforced at all WSOP tables during tournament play.

60. There will be no foreign objects on the table except for a maximum of one card cap. Card caps can be no larger than two (2) inches in diameter and no more than one-half (1/2) inch in depth.

61. Deck changes will be on the dealer push or limit changes or as prescribed by Harrah’s. Players may not ask for deck changes unless a card is damaged.

62. When time has elapsed in a round and a new round is announced by a member of the tournament staff, the new limits apply to the next hand. A hand begins with the first riffle.

63. If a player announces the intent to re-buy before the first card is dealt, that player is playing behind and is obligated to make the re-buy. A player may not miss a hand. If a player runs out of chips during the re-buy portion of a re-buy event, he must re-buy or declare to re-buy before the start of the next deal.

64. Players must keep their highest denomination chips visible at all times.

65. Verbal declarations as to the content of a player's hand are not binding; however at Harrah’s discretion, any player deliberately miscalling his hand may be penalized.

66. In cases where hands are concluded prior to the last card being dealt, the next card to be dealt will not be exposed under any circumstances. This prohibited practice is commonly referred to as “rabbit hunting.”

67. A player who intentionally dodges his or her blind(s) when moving from a broken table must post both blinds and will incur a penalty, in accordance with Rule No. 51.

68. All chips must be visible at all times. Players may not hold or transport tournament chips in any manner that takes them out of view. A player who does so will forfeit the chips and face disqualification. The forfeited chips will be taken out of play.

69. The breaking order for an event will be posted at the beginning of that event. The table to which a player is moved will be specified by a predetermined procedure. Players going from a broken table to fill in seats assume the rights and responsibilities of the position. They can get the big blind, the small blind or the button. The only place they cannot get a hand is between the small blind and the button. Harrah’s reserves the right to alter the breaking order due to unusual circumstances.

70. Play will halt at any table that is at least three players short. In fields greater than 20 tables, players will be moved from the next numerical table at full capacity to the short table. Once a tournament is below 20 tables, players will be moved from the next table in the breaking order that is at full capacity to the short table. Players moving from a full table to a short table assume the same rights and responsibilities of the position as outline in Rule No. 69. In flop games and all other games that use a dealer button, players will be moved from the big blind to the worst position (which is never the small blind) at the new table. In stud games, players will be moved by position (the last seat to open up at the short table is the seat to be filled).

71. There is no cap on the number of raises in no-limit games. In flop games, the initial raise must be at least double the big blind, with all subsequent raises being at least the size of the previous raise. In limit events there will be a maximum of one bet and four raises, even if there are only two players remaining in the hand. Once the tournament becomes heads-up, the rule does not apply. There may be unlimited raises at the heads-up level.

72. In stud-type games, if any of the players' two down cards are exposed due to a dealer error, it is a misdeal. In flop games, exposure of one of the first two cards dealt is a misdeal. Players may be dealt two consecutive cards on the button. The following situations may also be cause for a misdeal, if during the initial deal a) two or more extra cards have been dealt b) the first card was dealt to the wrong position c) cards have been dealt to an empty seat or a player not entitled to a hand or d) a player has been dealt out who is entitled to a hand.

73. If a dealer kills an unprotected hand, the player will have no redress and will not be entitled to his or her money back. An exception would be if a player raised and his or her raise had not been called yet, he or she would be entitled to receive his or her raise back.

74. A dealer cannot kill a winning hand that was turned face up and was obviously the winning hand. Players are encouraged to assist in reading tabled hands if it appears that an error is about to be made.

75. Harrah’s reserves the right to cancel or alter any event at its sole discretion in the best interest of the casino or its players.

76. Poker is an individual game. Soft play will result in penalties that may include forfeiture of chips and/or disqualification. Chip dumping will result in disqualification.

77. Players are entitled to be informed of the pot size in pot-limit games only. Dealers will not count the pot in limit and no-limit games. If requested, dealers may spread the pot so that it can be counted by a player.

78. When heads up in blind games, the small blind is on the button and acts first. When beginning heads-up play, the button may need to be adjusted to ensure no player takes the big blind twice.

79. At the end of the last round of betting, the player who made the last aggressive betting action in that betting round must show first. If there was no bet during the final round, the player to the left of the button shows first, and so on in a clockwise direction. In stud games, the player with the high board must show first. In razz, the lowest board shows first.

80. Players must remain at the table if they still have action pending on a hand.

81. Dealers will be responsible for calling string bets/raises. All players at the table are encouraged to assist in calling a string bet/raise if a dealer fails to identify one. String bets/raises called by a player must be verified by a floor person. A string bet/raise is defined as attempting a bet or raise in multiple movements that include a return to a player’s stack without a prior verbal declaration of intent or include deception intended to induce action our of turn before a player’s action is complete.

82. A player must show cards when playing the board to get part of the pot.

83. Any player registering for multiple events and who makes Day Two or the final table of a

particular event, may transfer his or her buy-in for the subsequent event to another event, or may also receive a refund, upon request, provided that the transfer or refund is approved and initiated prior to the beginning of the event from which a transfer or refund is being requested.

84. Players are responsible for checking their tournament entry receipts before they leave the registration window. All changes must be made before the start of any event.

85. Registration is open until the end of the second level of any event.

86. Late registrants for any event will be subject to the following rules in addition to all other rules. In games with blinds, a player who enters during the first round of play will receive no penalty so long as the blinds have not passed their position. Players who enter after the first round of blinds must wait until their first opportunity to post to begin play. In games with only antes, the player must ante at their first opportunity.

87. Cell Phone Rule: All cell phones and other voice-enabled and “ringing” electronic devices must be silenced during tournament play. A player who wants to use a cell phone must be at least one table length away from their assigned table or be subject to penalty. The hand of any player talking on a cell phone, texting, e-mailing or otherwise communicating electronically while in a hand with action pending will be declared dead. Any player using a cellular phone while in a hand with no action pending (player has gone all-in) will receive a missed hand penalty to be assessed on the next hand. Any player using a cell phone while at their seat even if not in a hand will receive a missed hand penalty. No cell phones or other electronic communication device can be placed on a poker table.

88. Approved Electronic Device Rule: Players are allowed to use as approved electronic devices iPods, MP3 and other music players or noise-reduction headsets during tournament play until they have reached the money in any tournament , so long as the approved electronic devices can not access the internet, send or receive SMS texts and are not equipped with any type of communication device. Therefore, iPhones, iTouch, Treos, Blackberrys, and other similar devices will not be allowed. Once players are in the money in any tournament, all approved electronic devices must be removed. An announcement will be made to players once they have reached the money to remove all such electronic devices. Failure to do so will results in a penalty up to and including disqualification.

89. All chips put into the pot in turn stay in the pot. If a player has raised and his or her hand is killed before the raise is called, the player may be entitled to the raise back, but will forfeit the amount of the call. Any chips put into the pot out of turn fall under action "may or may not be binding".

90. Players must act in turn at all times. Action out of turn may or may not be binding. If a player acts out of turn and the action does not change by the time it is that player's turn to act, that player's action is binding. Action changes only if a player makes an initial bet or raises before the action gets back to the person that acted out of turn. Action does not change when the player in front of a player acting out of turn checks, calls or folds. If a player acts out of turn and the action changes, the person who acted out of turn may change their action by calling, raising or folding and may have their chips returned. Players may not intentionally act out of turn to influence play before them. Players will receive a warning for the first occurrence of acting out of turn, and will receive a penalty, in accordance with Rule No. 51, every time after.

91. Rules governing Live Action Play are detailed in the Live Action Poker Manual that will be located at the Poker Podium within the Live Action side of the tournament area.

SECTION VII - TOURNAMENT OPERATIONS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

92. There will be dinner Breaks for all events that begin at 12 noon and will be anticipated after the end of six levels of play. Dinner Breaks will last 90 minutes. There will be no staggered Dinner breaks.

93. There will be no Dinner Break for events that begin at 5 p.m. An extended break will be awarded after four levels of play and will last 30 minutes. There will be no staggered breaks.

94. Play will end after 10 levels of play for all events that begin at 12 noon. Play will resume the following day at 2 p.m. The Tournament Director may modify this schedule for any reason.

95. Play will end after eight levels of play for all events that begin at 5 p.m. Play will resume the following day at 3 p.m. The Tournament Director may modify this schedule for any reason.

96. Tournament Supervisors are to consider the best interest of the game and fairness as the priority in the decision making process. Unusual circumstances may, on occasion, dictate that the technical interpretation of the rules be ignored in the interest of fairness. The Tournament Supervisor's, or highest authority in the room, decision is final.

97. Upon nearing the “Money” (the first level of the prize pool payout), a “Hand-for-Hand” method of determining player placement within the prize pool and the actual amount of prize pool disbursement within that event will be utilized. This will begin by completing the current hand in progress at all tables. Once all hands are complete, the dealer at each table will deal one hand only, then – once the hand is complete – suspend play. This process will continue until enough players have been eliminated to reach the money. During the Hand-for-Hand process, more than one player may be eliminated during the same hand. If two players are eliminated during the same hand at different tables, both players will “tie” for that place finish. If two players are eliminated during the same hand at the same table, the player who began that hand with the highest chip count will receive the higher place finish.


Source: World Series of Poker


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Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Pre-Registration Opens For 2008 World Series of Poker®

LAS VEGAS - March 5, 2008 – Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc. said today pre-registration for the 2008 World Series of Poker Presented by Milwaukee’s Best Light is now open.

Players will be able to pre-register online at www.worldseriesofpoker.com or in person at the main cage of the Rio® All-Suite Hotel & Casino, host property for the 2008 WSOP. Pre-registration instructions and tournament rules are posted on the website.

“We’ve received only positive comments about the 2008 schedule, which offers WSOP bracelets in eight variations of poker and at multiple buy-in levels,” said Jack Effel, WSOP tournament director. “Because no alternates will be seated at the 2008 WSOP, we encourage players to pre-register early to guarantee their seats. Once again, acceptable forms of payment will include cash, cashier’s checks, wire transfers and Rio casino chips.”

The 39th edition of the WSOP will run from May 30 through July 16, 2008, and will include 55 bracelet tournaments. Buy-ins for open events will range from $1,000 to $50,000. The buy-in for the Main Event – the No-Limit Hold’Em World Championship – will remain at $10,000. The full event schedule is at www.worldseriesofpoker.com.



Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. is the world's largest provider of branded casino entertainment. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada, more than 70 years ago, Harrah's has grown through development of new properties, expansions and acquisitions, and now owns or manages casinos on four continents. The Company's properties operate primarily under the Harrah's®, Caesars® and Horseshoe® brand names; Harrah's also owns the London Clubs International family of casinos and the World Series of Poker®. Harrah's Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its customers through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership. For more information, please visit www.harrahs.com.


Source: Pre-Registration Opens For 2008 World Series of Poker® Presented by Milwaukee’s Best Light (worldseriesofpoker.com)


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Tuesday, February 5, 2008

WSOP Circuit Harrah's Rincon - Main Event

WSOP Circuit Event - Rincon - Final Table
Image courtesy of PokerPages.com



San Diego/Valley Center, CA February 5, 2008 - Day 1 : The Main Event is underway here at Rincon. We've got 148 entrants with a nice representation of poker pros and local amatuers on hand to compete for the coveted WSOP Circuit ring and the first place prize money.

Day 2: - Championship Table: You can watch feature and final tables for WSOP Circuit San Diego Championship Event at http://www.worldseriesofpoker.com/wsoptv/live.asp

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Monday, January 28, 2008

World Series of Poker Circuit Event - Harrah's Rincon

2008 WSOP Circuit Event Rincon
Image courtesy of Pokernews.com


SAN DIEGO, CA, January 28, 2008 – I'm back in California, close to home, for the WSOP Circuit Event at Harrah's Rincon. We've got our first champion here, Frank Lin of Los Angeles, CA won Event #1 today.


Update:

SAN DIEGO, CA, February 4, 2008 – It's been a great week here at Rincon thus far. Lots of familiar faces and people I've known forever stopping by to say hello. Many locals have won Circuit rings for the first time which is what the circuit is all about, giving local players a chance to compete against the traveling pros. We had a great day of mega-satellites today and the Main Event starts tommorrow....


Below is a slideshow of various pics from the preliminary events.



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Wednesday, January 23, 2008

World Series of Poker® Available To More Than 200 Stations


ws2007


Weekly Nationwide Broadcasts Will Introduce WSOP to New Audiences


LAS VEGAS, NV January 22, 2008 – Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: HET) today announced the launch of World Series of Poker® Radio, the official weekly radio show of the World Series of Poker Presented by Milwaukee’s Best Light.

WSOP Radio is produced by Bluff Media and is available to more than 200 stations of the Sports Byline Radio Network. The broadcasts can be heard every Monday from 8 p.m. Eastern Time to 10 p.m. Eastern.

“World Series of Poker Radio is the latest addition to our broadcasting and new media portfolio and opens up a new way for us to connect with our fans and players,” said WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack. “We’re now ‘on the air’ every week with the biggest names in the game, news from the WSOP and insights from top poker analysts.”

Listeners can participate in the show by calling 1-866-925-TALK. Guests will include celebrities, past and present WSOP champions, tournament officials and up and coming players from around the world.

World Series of Poker Radio will be hosted by Nick Geber, a regular commentator on “World Series of Poker Live” and three-year host of Fox Sports World TV’s “Fox Football Friday.” Geber began his broadcasting career at Fox Radio in Los Angeles and has been heard on Sporting News Radio, Sirius Satellite Radio, Sports Byline Radio and the American Forces Radio. He is an avid poker player and regularly plays tournaments and cash games throughout the Los Angeles area.

"I'm very excited to bring poker’s ‘Major League’ to the airwaves," Geber said. "Now sports radio and poker fans can follow and participate in the action of the World Series of Poker every Monday!"

In addition to www.worldseriesofpoker.com and www.bluffmagazine.com, World Series of Poker Radio can be heard on American Forces Radio affiliates, www.sportsbyline.com, Cable Radio Network (CRN) and a variety of local radio affiliates in major markets nationwide, including:

KFCD 990 AM, Dallas
KGOW 1560 AM, Houston
KELA 1470 AM, Seattle
KSLG 1380 AM, St. Louis
WMOH 1450 AM, Cincinnati
KCXL 1140 AM, Kansas City
KSHP 1400 AM, Las Vegas
WSFN 790 AM, Jacksonville
KASR 92.7 FM, Little Rock
KPUA 670 AM, Honolulu
WNKT 107.5 FM, Columbia, S.C.
WXRB 1350 AM, Savannah
KSOO 1140 AM, Sioux Falls
KGNC 710 AM, Amarillo

More stations will be added weekly. World Series of Poker Radio also can be accessed over cell phones using Upsnap beginning January 28.


Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. is the world's largest provider of branded casino entertainment. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada, more than 70 years ago, Harrah's has grown through development of new properties, expansions and acquisitions, and now owns or manages casinos on four continents. The Company's properties operate primarily under the Harrah's®, Caesars® and Horseshoe® brand names; Harrah's also owns the London Clubs International family of casinos. Harrah's Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its customers through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership. For more information, please visit www.harrahs.com.


Source: WSOP Press Release



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Tuesday, January 22, 2008

STATS LLC and World Poker Tour® Partner



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


STATS LLC and World Poker Tour® Partner to Offer Poker Industry’s First Ever Sports-Style Breakdowns and Analyses


Analysis and Stats of Every WPT Final Hand Played Will Be Featured on WorldPokertour.com, Allowing Fans to Study the Game Like Never Before


Los Angeles and Northbrook, IL – January 22, 2008 – STATS LLC, the world’s leading sports information provider, and WPT Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ: WPTE), the leader in worldwide poker entertainment, announced today a partnership to deliver the first ever in-depth analyses and strategic breakdowns for the poker industry.

STATS—which provides data collection and analysis for 85 sports leagues and more than 55,000 events per year, including Major League Baseball, National Football League, and National Basketball Association—will deliver stats and information from every past and present World Poker Tour® (WPT) final table. WPT STATS data results are now available in the WPT player database exclusively on www.worldpokertour.com with new updates following each tournament, allowing poker fans and players to study intricacies of the game in ways never available before.

STATS will compile the aggregate actions of each final table hand in the company’s proprietary databases featuring over 100 tournaments in World Poker Tour history, as well as all tournaments going forward. STATS’ information will detail “playing style” along with situational analysis, breakdowns and trends for a more complete portrait of each World Poker Tour star. Examples include how often a player plays a pot; how often they take a hand to “showdown”; and the average bet size relative to the pot by player.

“This is an incredibly exciting move for us, as it will really change the way the game is studied and played,” said Ken Graiwer, Vice President of WPT Interactive. “This partnership with STATS will really bring poker information up to the level of sports analytics, giving fans and players a whole new perspective on the game. Before, you could watch the show to see how players play and speculate on why—NOW you can actually access statistical information on why they played a certain way and the success of their particular methods. Players can study each other and themselves.”

“We’re excited to partner with the World Poker Tour and unveil new insights for one of the world’s most popular games,” said Steve Byrd, Executive Vice President at STATS. “STATS enjoys a proven history of providing an alternative way for both fans and media alike to view and understand sports. We strongly believe this type of analyses will make the game more enjoyable for the growing legion of World Poker Tour fans.”

In 2003, WPT revolutionized televised poker and brought Texas Hold'em, the “Cadillac of Poker,” to the forefront of international excitement. WPT has turned poker into a sporting event that draws the young and old, men and women and people of all nationalities into the game; it has reshaped the face of poker and has raised the competitive bar to a new level. Now in it’s sixth season, WPT has made over 100 tour stops around the globe, has been licensed for broadcast in over 150 countries and territories, has awarded over $300 million dollars in prize money, created over 80 WPT Poker-Made Millionaires™ and recently announced a partnership with the Chinese Leisure Sports Administration Center to build the first ever National Traktor Poker Championship in China.

Contact: Nick Stamm
STATS, Inc.
847-583-2110
stamm@stats.com

Lyndsay LaGree
World Poker Tour
323-330-9876 (o)
llagree@worldpokertour.com

About STATS LLC
With more than 25 years experience in mission critical sports data collection, processing and distribution - STATS is the world's leading sports information, content and statistical analysis company. STATS offers a world-wide portfolio of sports information solutions - including the company’s hallmark of real-time scores, historical sports information and turnkey fantasy sports operation along with AP editorial content, breaking sports news and photos. STATS’ innovative sports information solutions are utilized in numerous business segments: professional teams; sports broadcast production, cable and satellite networks; interactive television; broadband, wireless and internet; game developers and fantasy sports providers; print media and wire services. STATS has offices in Bangalore, Barcelona, Beijing, Chicago, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Milan, Mumbai, Münster, New York, The Hague and Tokyo.www.stats.com



About WPT Enterprises, Inc.
WPT Enterprises, Inc. (Nasdaq: WPTE) is a company engaged in the creation of internationally branded entertainment and consumer products driven by the development, production, and marketing of televised programming based on gaming themes. WPTE is the creator of the World Poker Tour®, a television show based on a series of high-stakes poker tournaments that airs on the Travel Channel in the United States and is scheduled to begin broadcasting on GSN in early 2008. WPTE is licensed for broadcast globally. WPTE also offers real-money online gaming on its website, www.worldpokertour.com, which prohibits wagers from players in the U.S. and certain other restricted territories. WPTE currently licenses its brand to companies in the business of poker equipment and instruction, apparel, publishing, electronic and wireless entertainment, DVD/home entertainment, casino games, and giftware. The company is also engaged in the sale of corporate sponsorships. For show information, tools for improving poker play, and other WPT news, fans may log on to www.worldpokertour.com. WPTE is a majority-owned subsidiary of Lakes Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: LACO). Photos and media information can be found online at: www.worldpokertour.com


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Wednesday, January 9, 2008

World Series of Poker Circuit Event - Tunica


wsop circuit


TUNICA, MISSISSIPPI, January 9, 2008 – I am in Tunica, Mississippi this month for the WSOP Circuit Event, which is being held at the Grand Casino Tunica. It has been a great tournament so far. The Tournament Director is Jimmy Sommerfeld and the Tournament Coordinator is Robert McGovern who is also the Regional Poker Room Manager for this area. Noted poker writer/humorist Max Shapiro is also on hand reporting writing the daily tournament summaries.

We're doing many player friendly extras such as dinner at LB's Steakhouse for final table players and generous comps for all entrants. Starting chip stacks for all events have been increased to 10,000 for extended "deep stack" play. This Main Event will be televised and there is also a $100,000 Best All-Around Player award. Additionally, when booking a room, mention that you are playing in the poker tournament and you will receive a $49 room rate. Come on down, were having a great time.


UPDATES:

January 11, 2008 – Today we had 1,000 entrants for the $300 buy-in No Limit Hold'em tournament. This was the largest turnout in the history of the Grand Casino Tunica. You can read the final Tournament Report for Event #11 tommorrow to see who comes out on top.


January 19, 2008 - Main Event (Day 1) - The Main Event drew 180 players with 1st place receiving $428,210, each started with a deep-stack of 20,000 in chips. Many recognizable pros were in the field like Michael Mizrachi (6th in this event last year), Tom Schneider, Kathy Liebert, Josh Arieh, Gavin Smith, Bill Elder, David Ulliott, John Phan, Chad Brown, Vanessa Rousso, Gavin Griffin, Chris Reslock, Alex Jacob, Shannon Shorr, Lee Markholt and Darrell Dicken to name a few. Day One played down to 29 players with Mark Garner of Little Rock, AR ending the day as the chipleader with 263,500 in chips.


January 20, 2008 - Main Event (Day 2) - On Day Two we made it into the money and played down to the final nine players. Eighteen places got paid, 10th-18th were as follows:

10th: Jesse Maupin (Rockwall, TX)
11th: Tom Franklin (Gulfport, MS)
12th: Jeremiah Vinsant (Murfeesboro, TN)
13th: Dustin Bailey (Center, TX)
14th: Charles Horvath (St. Clair Shores, MS)
15th: Charles Dwayne Cardin (Madisonville, TN)
16th: Tim Frostad (Regina, SK, Canada)
17th: Josh Arieh (Atlanta, GA)
18th: Jesse Dean (Bonita, CA)

The final nine will return on Tuesday for the final table. Here are thier names and chip count:

John Devia (West Palm, FL) 929,500
Ryan Young (Torrance, CA) 521,000
Giovanni Marcacci (Brooksville, FL) 465,000
Tom Schneider (Scottsdale, AZ) 422,000
Ben Sabrin (Atlanta, GA) 417,000
Donald Nicholson (Oak Ridge, TN) 325,000
Mark Garner (Little Rock, AR) 213,500
Bart Tichelman (Atlanta, GA) 164,000
Jordan Rich (Portland, OR) 147,000

January 22, 2008 - Main Event (Final Table, Day 3)

1st: Bart Tichelman (Atlanta, GA) $428,210
2nd: Donald Nicholson (Oak Ridge, TN) $236,163
3rd: Giovanni Marcacci (Brooksville, FL) $129,760
4th: John Devia (West Palm, FL) $103,808
5th: Ben Sabrin (Atlanta, GA) $77,856
6th: Mark Garner (Little Rock, AR) $64,880
7th: Ryan Young (Torrance, CA) $51,904
8th: Tom Schneider (Scottsdale, AZ) $38,928
9th: Jordan Rich (Portland, OR) $25,952

For additional articles and information regarding the Main Event check out the following links to sites that have live blogging:

WSOP Circuit Grand Tunica (Martin Derbyshire, PokerListings)
World Series of Poker Circuit 2008 (Kaelaine Minton, PokerPages)
WSOP Circuit Tunica Main Event (Logan Leatham, PokerNews)

Links:

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