Schedule Announced for 41st Annual World Series of Poker®

Set to Run From May 27 - July 17, 2010 at the Rio® All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS, NV (December 17, 2009) – The 41st annual World Series of Poker® (WSOP®) -- a set ofpoker tournaments open to anyone 21 years of age or older -- returns Thursday, May 27, 2010 when live action and satellites begin. The annual poker extravaganza, which dates back to 1970, is televised exclusively on ESPN from the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas and consists of a comprehensive slate of the game’s most popular variations running from May 27-July 17, 2010.

A total of 57 coveted gold bracelets will be up for grabs in 2010 – equal to last year’s total. July 4th is the tournaments sole “off day”, and will be dedicated to satellites for all those seeking another entry option into poker’s biggest event.

On Friday, May 28, the first open bracelet event will be the $50,000 buy-in Player’s Championship – the most expensive buy-in event to ever open up the World Series of Poker. Playing for the bracelet and the prestigious Chip Reese Memorial Trophy, the event will follow an eight-game format made popular by the late poker legend, and those participating in the mythical “Big Game” around Las Vegas card rooms. Over the first four days, Limit Hold’em, Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better, Seven Card Razz, Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better, No-Limit Hold’em, Pot-Limit Omaha and 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball will be played, with the Final Table being No-Limit Hold’em, as was the case when Reese won the inaugural $50K buy-in event in 2006. ESPN will provide television coverage of this event under the new format.

The opening weekend (May 29-30), features a $1,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em tournament, which last year established a non-Main Event record of 6,012 entrants. The four-day event includes two starting flights, one each on Saturday and Sunday at 12 noon.

Another first at the WSOP this year, the first 5 weekends of the series will feature $1,000 buyin No-Limit Hold’em tournaments with two starting flights. May 29-30, June 5-6, June 12-13, June 19-20 and June 26-27 will offer No-Limit Hold’em players from the weekend warrior to the most advanced player the opportunity to compete in some of the largest fields of the year for huge prize pools and a gold bracelet. A sixth event on July 1-2, will also offer the same event at the same buyin level, just days before the Main Event commences.

The 41st annual WSOP will conclude, as is customary now, with the $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em Championship (aka the Main Event) which begins play Monday, July 5 and should reach its final table (nine players) on Saturday, July 17, at which time play will be halted for the third consecutive year. The famed tournament’s culmination will be held with the “November Nine” from November 6-9, before a live audience with special primetime coverage from ESPN.

"Whatever your game and whatever your bankroll, the 2010 WSOP schedule offers something for everyone,” said WSOP Tournament Director Jack Effel, who will oversee the event for the fifth consecutive year. "We are planning for the largest WSOP ever and look forward to welcoming all players to the Rio in Las Vegas next summer."

The entire convention center of the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino will be exclusively dedicated to the 2010 World Series of Poker for the first time, with tournament tables in the 58,000 square foot Pavilion and the 38,000 square foot Amazon Room. The final number of tables in play is subject to regulatory approval, given just prior to the tournament commencing.

Player comfort is also being addressed by new rules regulating the daily amount of play. Excluding the Main Event, gold bracelet tournaments will begin at 12 noon and 5 PM Pacific Time each day, with a maximum of 10-one hour levels being played for the noon starts, while the 5 PM events playing a maximum of 8 one-hour levels. Day 1 play is expected to conclude at 12:45 AM for noon starts and 2:45 AM for the 5 PM starts. For those advancing past the first day, re-starts for noon bracelet events will be at 2:30 PM, and 5 PM tournaments will restart at 3 PM, with a maximum
of 10 levels being played each day until a champion is crowned. The Main Event features two-hour levels and play begins at 12 noon each day.

Registration for all bracelet events will remain open until the start of the third level(approximately 2 hours, 20 minutes after start time) – or until all available seats have sold. Preregistration for the 2010 WSOP is now available on-site at the Main Cage of the Rio in Las Vegas and online through www.wsop.com. This is the earliest registration has ever opened, as players now have more than five months to register for the first event, and more than six months to register for the Main Event.

Players are encouraged to register in advance to avoid being shutout of their favorite events. Any foreign entrants who wire transfer monies will receive the exchange rate into U.S. dollars at the time of the wire transfer, thus locking in their exchange rate in advance.

New policies and procedures regarding Main Event registration will be detailed in the future, but entrants can expect to be assigned starting days after a certain date. The only way to guarantee your starting day will be to pre-register prior to the determined cut-off date.

All Harrah’s properties in Las Vegas offer special reduced room rates for entrants of WSOP bracelet events. Rates start as low as $69 for players staying at the host property, the Rio. Imperial Palace offers rates as low as $30, and Bally’s, Flamingo, Harrah’s, Paris and Caesars Palace provide WSOP player rates as low as $45-$100 a night. Click here for the special WSOP player hotel rates.

The 2010 WSOP marks the 41st running of the game’s most prestigious annual tournament. In 2009, the WSOP generated the most entries ever (60,875) from 115 different countries that competed for more than $174 million while awarding 57 championship gold bracelets, globally recognized as the game’s top prize.

To view the entire schedule, visit www.wsop.com/schedule where you can download event
structures, pre-registration forms or save the schedule to your calendar and even link it to your Facebook, Twitter or other social network sites. Media can add a WSOP schedule widget to their websites, by going to http://wsop.com/poker-widgets/

Among the highlights of the 2010 schedule:

· 57 gold bracelet events over 51 days.

· Expanded footprint – The giant Pavilion Ballroom (58,000 sq. feet) will be in use this year for poker in the Rio Convention Center. The Pavilion is the largest ballroom at the Rio, and along with the famed Amazon Room (38,000 sq. feet), will make-up the playing rooms for this year’s WSOP. The entire convention space will be used.

· Expanded capacity – Along with expanded footprint, comes more poker tables. A
record 295 tables were utilized last year, and this year’s configuration is still being plotted, but expected to offer about 20 percent more tables.

· No Food Tent – The outdoor food tent will now become an indoor food court
experience. The Miranda Ballroom, last year used as a room for play, will be converted into a food court with a variety of popular food items for players and spectators.

· Sensational Structures & Starting Chips – Drafting off last year’s success, all gold bracelet events in 2010 will feature triple the buy-in in starting chips and deep structures, providing plenty of play.

· $25K 6-Handed No-Limit – A new event this year will be a $25,000 buy-in 6-handed
No-Limit Hold’em 4-day event. Event #52 begins on Wednesday, June 30 at 12 noon.

· $50K Players Championship – The Chip Reese Trophy is up for grabs at the $50,000
buy-in eight-game mixed event, dubbed the Players Championship, which is being
morphed from the $50K H.O.R.S.E. tournament run the past four years. This new eightgame format will serve as the true test of the game’s greatest all-around player and receive star treatment, with ESPN cameras covering the five-day event for television.
Event #2 starts on Friday, May 28 at 5:00 PM.

· Still Plenty of H.O.R.S.E. – A new $10,000 buy-in H.O.R.S.E. Championship
tournament will be offered, to go along with $1,500 and $3,000 buy-ins to the popular
game.

· The 4th annual Ante Up For Africa Celebrity-Charity Tournament -- $5,000 buy-in
No-Limit Hold’em celebrity and charity tournament on Saturday, July 3, (two days
before the Main Event begins) featuring the opportunity for anyone age 21 or older to
enter and be seated at the same table as A-list celebrities and top poker pros.

· The Ladies Only No-Limit Hold’em Championship – On Friday, June 11, featuring a
$1,000 buy-in and helping to raise awareness for the Nevada Cancer Institute, the
official community relations partner of the World Series of Poker.

· The Seniors Only No-Limit Hold’em Championship – On Friday, June 18 , featuring
a $1,000 buy-in for all poker enthusiasts 50 years of age or older.

· June $550 No-Limit Hold’em Tournaments – Every Tuesday, Wednesday and
Thursday at 1:00 PM throughout June, the Rio will host new $550 No-Limit Hold’em
tournaments for those looking for a Hold’em fix. These are one-day structured
tournaments, and not bracelet events.

In addition, a complete array of satellites, from single-table to mega, will be offered beginning from May 27-July 8. Nightly No-Limit Hold’em tournaments will be offered from May 27-July 4 at 7:00 PM and 11:00 PM.

All winners will be required to provide a valid picture ID. Tax forms will be completed for those with winnings in excess of $5,000 net of event buy-in. Players without a Tax Identification Number and foreign players from non-tax treaty countries are subject to up to 30 percentage tax withholding. WSOP reserves the right to cancel, change or modify the tournament or any tournament event, in part or in whole, without notice.

ABOUT THE WSOP: The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is the largest, richest and most prestigious gaming event in the world awarding millions of dollars in prize money and the prestigious gold bracelet, globally recognized as the sport’s top prize. Featuring a comprehensive slate of tournaments in every major poker variation, the WSOP is poker’s longest running tournament in the world, dating back to 1970. In 2009, the event attracted 60,875 entrants from 115 different countries to the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas and awarded over $174 million in prize money. The WSOP in December, 2008 was named the 7th most admired sports brand in North America by the Turnkey Sports Survey, trailing only the older and more established NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NASCAR and PGA Tour among sports properties. In addition, the WSOP has experienced groundbreaking alliances in broadcasting, digital media and corporate sponsorships, while successfully expanding the brand internationally with the advent in 2007 of the World Series of Poker EuropeSM. For more information on the World Series of Poker, please visit thier website at www.wsop.com.

* World Series of Poker and WSOP are trademarks of Harrah's License Company, LLC ("Harrah's"). Harrah's does not sponsor or endorse, and is not associated or affiliated with, This and That or its products, services, promotions or tournaments.

http:blog.billbruce.info

Ante Up For Africa

More Big Name Stars Come Out To Play At The 3rd Annual Ante Up For Africa Celebrity Charity Poker Tournament

LOS ANGELES, CA (June 18, 2009) – Stars Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Brad Garrett, Mekhi Phifer, and top poker professional Phil Hellmuth have joined the growing list of celebrities who plan to play in the Ante Up For Africa charity tournament July 2 at the 40th annual World Series of Poker. Some of Hollywood's biggest stars are expected to go all in for the 3rd Ante Up For Africa (AUFA) Celebrity-Charity poker tournament.

Annually, the largest celebrity poker tournament in Las Vegas, the event is accessible for the public to play with their favorite stars or watch as spectators. A full house of celebrities will join Academy Award Nominee, Don Cheadle and “Celebrity Apprentice Star” and WSOP Bracelet winner Annie Duke at the event taking place during the 2009 WORLD SERIES OF POKER® (WSOP) at Rio in Las Vegas on Thursday, July 2 at 2 PM.

This No-Limit Hold’em poker tournament has an entry fee of $5,000 and provides entrants the opportunity to walk away with a six-figure payday. The event allows players to rub elbows with top Hollywood stars, athletes and poker professionals while contributing to a great cause. Celebrities and athletes will join poker’s most notable players to raise public awareness and funds to support the victims of the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, Sudan.

Among those confirmed to participate, subject to availability, are Cheadle, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Brad Garrett, Cedric The Entertainer, Charles Barkley, Danny Masterson, Herschel Walker, Jason Alexander, Kenny Smith, Montel Williams, DEan Cain, Tia Carrere, Sarah Silverman, Mike Tyson, Nelly, Rob Schneider; Poker Professionals Howard Lederer, Andy Bloch, Tiffany Michelle, Erik Seidel and Phil Hellmuth with more to be confirmed.

The tournament will feature a fast-paced structure designed to complete the competition within five hours. Seating for the tournament is open to anyone age 21 or older. Players can register in person at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, or online through June 18, 2009 at www.worldseriesofpoker.com under the registration tab.

This event, as is every World Series of Poker tournament, is open to the public for viewing and admission is free. The event will take place in the famed Amazon Ballroom in the Rio Convention Center, just one day prior to the start of the WSOP Main Event, the game’s most prestigious poker event.

Cheadle, an accomplished poker player, and Duke, who has more than $4 million in tournament winnings, are committed to raising both public awareness about the tragedy in Darfur and funds to aid its victims. As the world’s richest sporting event, the WSOP awarded more than $180 million in 2008 and attracted participants from a record 124 nations.

In the previous events, many of the in the money finishers volunteered to donate half of their winnings to the charity. Proceeds from the event will go to the ENOUGH Project and Refugees International, organizations whose goals include raising public awareness and providing aid to the survivors of Darfur.
More information about the tournament is available at www.worldseriesofpoker.com. If you would like more information regarding the organization, please log onto www.anteupforafrica.org and follow us on twitter at www.twitter.com/anteupforafrica.

For more information, please contact:
Danika Berry for Ante Up For Africa
db Agency Public Relations
323-544-1482
danika@dbagencypr.com

Seth Palansky for WSOP
702-407-6344
spalansky@harrahs.com

Deanna Pettit for Rio
702-777-7610
dpettit@harrahs.com

About the World Series of Poker
The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is the largest, richest and most prestigious gaming event in the world awarding millions of dollars in prize money and the prestigious gold bracelet, globally recognized as the sport's top prize. Featuring a comprehensive slate of tournaments in every major poker variation, the WSOP is poker's longest running tournament in the world, dating back to 1970. In 2008, the event attracted 58,720 entrants from 124 different countries to the Rio in Las Vegas and awarded over $180 million in prize money. The creation of the new delayed Main Event final table more than doubled ratings on ESPN year-over-year. In December, 2008 the WSOP was named the 7th most admired sports brand in North America by the Turnkey Team Brand Index trailing only the more established NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NASCAR and PGA Tour among sports properties. In addition, the WSOP has formed groundbreaking alliances in broadcasting, digital media and corporate sponsorships, while successfully expanding the brand internationally with the advent in 2007 of the World Series of Poker Europe. For more information on the World Series of Poker, please visit our website at www.worldseriesofpoker.com.
* World Series of Poker and WSOP are trademarks of Harrah's License Company, LLC ("Harrah's"). Harrah's does not sponsor or endorse, and is not associated or affiliated with, This and That or its products, services, promotions or tournaments.

Ante Up For Africa (AUFA) is a non-profit organization founded in 2006 by Don Cheadle, Annie Duke and Norman Epstein. We are dedicated to raising money and awareness for Africans in need. To date, Ante Up For Africa has raised close to $2 million for the cause and has donated to organizations such as Not On Our Watch (NOOW), ENOUGH and The International Rescue Committee. For more information, please log onto www.AnteUpForAfrica.org.

http:blog.billbruce.info

UPDATES:

• Ante Up for Africa Red Carpet and After-Party - Geoff Fisk (PokerListings.com)
• Ante Up For Africa Promo Video

Official World Series Of Poker® (WSOP) Launch Party Saturday, May 30

Lacey Jones To Host Official World Series Of Poker® (WSOP) Launch Party at ND's The Club, Saturday, May 30 at 10:30 PM inside the RIO

LAS VEGAS, NV – With the 40th Annual World Series of Poker, the world’s largest, richest and most prestigious gaming event, set to kickoff at the end of May at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, there’s no better way to celebrate the milestone event by throwing a party at one of the hottest new spots in the city. Everyone 21 and older is welcome to attend the celebration on Saturday, May 30th at ND’s the Club inside the Rio. Festivities begin with a VIP cocktail mixer at 9:00 PM “invite only” and the event officially kicks off at 10:30 PM. “We’re excited that the World Series of Poker chose ND’s The Club as the official launch party venue,” said ND, owner of ND’s The Club. “We welcome all the poker players, poker fans, tourists and locals to this much anticipated event.”

Professional poker player and model, Lacey Jones, is hosting the party, and special guest DJ Digital Boy will provide the music. Do It Right Productions, a full service marketing and PR firm will serve as the event organizer. Event is open to the public, all poker players, pokers fans, tourists and locals are welcome to attend this event. Capacity is limited.

UPDATE:

• Video: Lacey Jones hosts WSOP Kick-Off Party (PokerListings YouTube Channel)

About the World Series of Poker
The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is the largest, richest and most prestigious gaming event in the world awarding millions of dollars in prize money and the prestigious gold bracelet, globally recognized as the sport’s top prize. Featuring a comprehensive slate of tournaments in every major poker variation, the WSOP is poker’s longest running tournament in the world, dating back to 1970. In 2008, the event attracted 58,720 entrants from 124 different countries to the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas and awarded over $180 million in prize money. The creation of the new delayed Main Event final table more than doubled ratings on ESPN year over year. The WSOP in December, 2008 was named the 7th most admired sports brand in North America by the Turnkey Sports Survey, trailing only the older and more established NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NASCAR and PGA Tour among sports properties. In addition, the WSOP has experienced groundbreaking alliances in broadcasting, digital media and corporate sponsorships, while successfully expanding the brand internationally with the advent in 2007 of the World Series of Poker EuropeSM. For more information on the World Series of Poker, please visit our website at www.worldseriesofpoker.com.
* World Series of Poker and WSOP are trademarks of Harrah's License Company, LLC ("Harrah's"). Harrah's does not sponsor or endorse, and is not associated or affiliated with, This and That or its products, services, promotions or tournaments.

About ND’s The Club
ND's The Club debuts a multi-faceted club experience at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. Combining the elements of an interactive production with live performances, ND's introduces an exciting and unique evolution of nightlife to Las Vegas. This nightclub provides a total sensory experience with state-of-the-art technology and integrated performances by talented dancers and singers backed by live music. Interludes with surreal characters, elaborate costumes, and high-tech digital imaging make "ND's The Club" a premier nightlife destination. For further inquires please visit www.ndstheclub.com

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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

http:blog.billbruce.info

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.

http:blog.billbruce.info

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:

• Live Tournament Updates (worldseriesofpoker.com)


• Live Reporting (PokerNews.com)

Links:

• Official Website (worldseriesofpoker.com)


• 2008 WSOP Coverage (PokerNews.com)


• 2008 WSOP section (PokerListings.com)


• 2008 WSOP Coverage (PokerPages.com)

Related Articles / Links:

• Cardplayer.com

http://blog.billbruce.info

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)

http://blog.billbruce.info

2007 WSOP Champion is Jerry Yang

Photo courtesy of Pokerlistings. Photographed by Jesse Clark at Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino

Temecula, CA Resident Wins World Series OF Poker Main Event

LAS VEGAS, July 18, 2007 - Twelve days ago 6,350 players bought in for $10,000 with the dream of becoming this years WSOP champion. Early this morning that dream came true for Jerry Yang when he captured the championshiop bracelet and the first place prize of $8.25 million.

The 39-year-old psychologist and father of six started the final day with a short stack of 8.45 million, however he quickly became the dominant force. Yang played aggressively winning five out of the first nine hands and became the chipleader on hand #14 when his all-in bet on the turn drove Philip Hilm off the pot. Jerry's stack had grown to 25.04 million after the hand giving him the chip lead, which he never relinquished.

Yang has stated he will give 10% of his winnings to charity (Make-A-Wish Foundation, Feed the Children and the Ronald McDonald House).

Final Table Results

1. Jerry Yang $ 8,250,000


2. Tuan Lam $ 4,840,981


3. Raymond Rahme $ 3,048,025


4. Alex Kravchenko $ 1,852,721


5. Jon Kalmar $ 1,255,069


6. Hevad Khan $ 956,243


7. Lee Childs $ 705,229


8. Lee Watkinson $ 585,699


9. Philip Hilm $ 525,934

Related Articles:

• Jerry Yang Wins 2007 WSOP Main Event (John Hartness, PokerNews)


• Jerry Yang is new WSOP Champion (PokerListings)

Bio / Profiles:

• Jerry Yang Player Bio (Cardplayer)


• Jerry Yang Profile (Shirley Rosario, Poker-babes)

Bomb Scare Evacuation

Police Evacuate Entire Hotel In The Middle Of The Night

Las Vegas, July 3, 2007 – I was awakened early this morning by a loud knocking on my hotel room door. I inquired, "Who is it?" as I checked the peephole. The answer woke me from my slumbered state. "Las Vegas Police Department, we're evacuating the building!"

"Yeah right," I thought to myself. This is either one of my buddies idea of a practically joke or someone is trying to get me to open the door so they can rob me. Of course there's always the outside chance that Ashton Krutcher has tracked me down and I'm about to be Punk'd.

Unfortunately, it soon became apparent that this was the real deal. As I was establishing whether the officer was whom he said he was I could hear several other officers, in the hallway, knocking loudly on all the other doors simultaneously. I was instructed to make myself decent, grab my hotel key and evacuate to a specific area outside on the street. I ask if I should take any of my valuables and how long I would be out of my room. He said I needed to get dressed quickly and leave the room, there was no time for anything else. The officer waited while I quickly slid on some shorts, put on shoes, grabbed my keys and wallet, picked up my cell phone then hustled out the door as instructed.

The scene outside...

Guests at the hotel included celebs and some top poker players...

To Be continued after I return home from work today.........

Tips For Forced Evacuation

Take your cash and wallet

Take your cell phone

Get dressed. Make sure you put on shoes and put on a jacket if it's cold outside

Grab your camera. You will want pictures for your blog.

You might want to take your laptop. It might come in handy to pass the time and you'll need if to stay "connected" if you are forced to relocate to another hotel for an extended period.

Event #33 Final Table WSOP

Photo courtesy of Pokernews

$1,500 Pot Limit Omaha w/rebuys concludes with epic 5 hour heads-up battle

LAS VEGAS, June 23, 2007 – I had the pleasure of announcing the final table of Event #33 tonight in the ESPN Final Table Arena. It turned out to be the longest heads-up match of the 2007 WSOP. Alan Smurfit won his first WSOP bracelet, but it wasn't easy. The heads-up play was a grueling 167 hands that lasted 5 hours. The complete final table results were:

1. Alan Smurfit $464,867


2. Qushqar Morad $279,595


3. Van Marcus $190,326


4. Chris Bjorin $129,691


5. Chau Giang $96,005


6. Brandon Adams $75,794


7. Robert Fellner $57,266


8. Sunny Nijran $42,108


9. Hilbert Shirey $30,317

I'd like to applaud the entire team that helped make this final table a smooth and enjoyable experience including BJ Nemeth and ThinkerGirl from PokerNews, ESPN and George Stevenson, Nolan Dalla, and all my WSOP co-workers. These events truly are a team effort.

Click on the links below to view detailed accounts of the competition.

Related Articles:

• Live Reporting Event 33 - $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha w/ rebuys (PokerNews.com)


• "I'm Not A Party Animal, I'm A Poker Animal": Alan Smurfit wins Pot-Limit Omaha w/rebuys (Lianna Shen, PokerListings.com)
• Event 33 ($1,500 PLO w/Reb) Final Results (Nolan Dalla, worldseriesofpoker.com)

Photo Galleries

• Photo Gallery Event 33 (PokerNews.com)

2007 WSOP Coverage

Links to websites with 2007 WSOP Coverage

There is a lot of reporters and media coverage here on the floor at the WSOP. Since I am going to be extremely busy working the event, I have compiled a list of websites that you can view to find updates on this year's WSOP.

Live Updates

• PokerNews


• PokerListings


• PokerPages

Daily Coverage

• WorldSeriesOfPoker


• GutShot


• PokerWire


• PokerPlayer


• thePokerBiz


• PokerWorks


• CardPlayer


• BodogBeat Coverage of the Bodog sponsored players


• PocketFives Coverage of the pocketfives.com forumn members

Pros with regular WSOP posts

• Phil Hellmuth


• Daniel Negreanu


• Shannon Shorr


• Various Pro Blogs from CardPlayer.com

Bloggers

• AimlesslyChasingAmy


• The Poker Profs Poker Blog

I'll try to add to this list if I find any additional sites sites. If anyone knows of any worth mentioning, let us know.

Revamped WSOP website

Site will have many new interactive features

LAS VEGAS, May 30, 2007 – As of June 1st the www.worldseriesofpoker.com website will have lots of new features.

Live streaming video of 17 final tables will be offerred. This will be on a pay per view basis and will come with a years subscription to Bluff Magazine. Bluff Media is the "Official" Digital Media partner of the WSOP. All the information will be up by June 1st.

The site will offer the following:

1. Live audio broadcasts of 13 final tables. You can now listen to the final table direct from your computer or via Sirius Satellite Radio.

2. WSOP TV. This consists of numerous web based TV shows, including:

Morning WSOP Update Desk “Title TBD” (LA) – 14 minute desk based update show covering yesterdays events and looking forward to the current day.
DAILY, 12PM – 12:14PM

Afternoon Update Desk “Title TBD” (LA) – 5 Minute desk based update show covering up to the minute chip counts and breaking news. DAILY, 7PM – 7:05

The Road to the Final Table (LA) – Hourly sesk based update show replacing Afternoon Desk during the Main Event. 1 HOST
FREQ – HOURLY JULY 6 – JULY 17th LIVE

WSOP Call-In “90 minute call in show hosted by pro players. 2 HOSTS. LIVE, FREQ – MON – SUN 10-11:30 LIVE

Daily Floor Interviews (LV) – Daily topical interviews from the tournament floor. Interview length 1-3 minutes. 1 REPORTER. FREQ - DAILY

Restaurant Reviews (LV )- Restaurant review show of popular restaurants at Harrah’s properties in Las Vegas.
FREQ – WEEKLY

Bad Beat Booth – Designated “confessional” area set up for pro’s and Joe’s to come in and tell their WSOP bad beat story. The booth will be open from 2pm to 8pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the prelim events, and each day during the Main Event. Potential donations to the booth can be made with proceeds going to a charitable organization, FREQ – MON, WED, FRI

Pro Video Blogs (vlogs) – Regularly updated vlogs by David Williams, Michael “the Grinder” Mizrachi and other pro’s ,discussing their WSOP experience.
FREQ - DAILY

In the Know – Special editions of RawVegas.tv’s In the Know show starring Antonio Esfandiari pointing out the hottest places for WSOP players to enjoy themselves between breaks and after-hours.
FREQ – AS COMPLETED, TOTAL SHOWS 4-5

On the Button – A weekly series where WSOP tournament dealers tell their best table stories from the tournament.
FREQ – WEEKLY, TOTAL SHOWS 5-6

3. Live Chip counts and updates for all bracelet events

4. WSOP Fantasy Poker Game - Pick a team of your favorite pros and win prizes

5. Featured Bloggs

6. Editorial write ups and much more!

A FREE seat to this years Main Event will also be given away. Simply go to the http://www.worldseriesofpoker.com/winaseat.asp and enter your name.

Link: worldseriesofpoker.com

UFC 71 Liddell vs. Jackson

Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at the MGM Grand Garden Arena

LAS VEGAS, May 26, 2007 – I am glad that my schedule allowed me to be in Las Vegas for this fight. I met Chuck Liddell for the first time last March, in Costa Rica, when we worked on Calvin Ayre Wildcard Poker together. Chuck is a very likeable guy as well as possibly being one of the baddest men on the planet. Chuck has won seven straight fights in the UFC. His last lost was in 2003 to Jackson. I know Chuck has been waiting for this fight for a long time and he is pumped to finally get a chance to avenge his previous loss.

Links:

• IcemanMMA.com
• UFC Official Website

Related Articles:

• Preview: UFC 71 (theClevelandFan.com)
• UFC 71 - Hype vs. Reality (Sprawl 'N Brawl)
• The Iceman cometh (SI.com)

UPDATE:

Jackson hit Liddell with a right hook, in the first round, that knocked Chuck to the mat. After several more strikes on the ground, the match was stopped by ref John McCarthy.

• Anything's possible (Yahoo Sports)
• Jackson KOs the champ for title (Press Telegram - Long Beach, CA

Celebs "Ante Up For Africa"

Event At WSOP To Raise Awareness For Darfur Survivors

The $5,000 buy-in tournament, which is open to anyone, is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. July 5 in the WSOP tournament area in the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino.

Among those who've expressed their intent to play, subject to availability, are Hollywood stars Cheadle, Ben Affleck, Brad Pitt, Jason Alexander, Jennifer Tilley, Hank Azaria, George Clooney, Matt Damon, George Lopez, Danny Masterson, Mekhi Phifer, Ray Romano, Adam Sandler and James Woods.

Basketball great Charles Barkley and poker notables Duke, Erik Seidel, Howard Lederer, Phil Hellmuth, Phil Gordon, Joe Hachem, Andy Bloch, Chris Ferguson, Barry Greenstein, Robert Williamson III, Phil Laak, Doyle Brunson, Phil Ivey, Ted Forrest, Mike Matusow and Clonie Gowan have also expressed plans to compete.

"While a donation is not required to enter, we are respectfully asking players who win prize money to donate half of their winnings to the ENOUGH Project and the International Rescue Committee – organizations whose goals include raising public awareness and providing aid to the survivors of Darfur," Duke said.

"Four years ago, the specter of genocide reared its ugly head in an area of the Sudan called Darfur," said Cheadle, whose role as a hotel manager in the true-life film "Hotel Rwanda" earned him an Academy Award nomination. The movie told the story of the government-sanctioned slaughter of more than a million innocents in Rwanda in 1994.

To keep the action moving, the tournament will feature a fast-paced blind structure that should see the event wrap within five hours. Seating is open to anyone, but is limited, so players are encouraged to pre-register at www.worldseriesofpoker.com/anteup.

Following the tournament there will be a private party at the Vodoo Lounge in the RIO starting at 10pm for those played in the charity event.

Link: worldseriesofpoker.com/anteup

Related Posts:

• WSOP gets on board with charitable causes (ThePokerBiz.com)
• Darfur Charity Tournaments (Pot Commited)

UPDATE 2007-07-05:

• Photo Gallery (PokerWire)

Dot-coms Get Dealt Out

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Losing a block of your largest exhibitors might spell doom for most trade shows.

Officials with the Gaming Life Expo, operated in conjunction with Harrah's Entertainment-owned World Series of Poker, believe otherwise.

With most of the major Internet poker gambling sites not welcome at the upcoming World Series of Poker, Rio executives switched the theme of the four-day show, scheduled for July 5-8 at the Rio Pavilion, from gambling to men's lifestyle.

"To be frank, it was a transition we were planning," said David Koloski, the Rio's marketing director who oversees the expo. The show is free and open to the public, but guests must be at least 21 to enter.

"We saw in the past two years that roughly 80 percent of our audience was male," Koloski said. "We began to make the push to switch the event to exhibitors that cater toward a men's lifestyle."

Expansive booths operated by Internet poker sites such as PokerStars, Bodog, Full Tilt, Paradise Poker, and Ultimate Bet, were the highlights of the expo and main drivers of an estimated 100,000 people visiting the show each of the past two years.

Some of the more well-known professional poker players and past World Poker champions helped bring fans into the booths. But provocatively dressed female models were the other draw. Last year, Bodog offered poker fans a chance to pose in bed with lingerie-clad models who were participating in pillow fights.

Harrah's is not allowing affiliates associated with Internet poker Web sites that still accept wagers from Americans to participate in this year's World Series of Poker. Instead, the booth space inside the 55,000-square-foot Rio Pavilion will be filled by golfing exhibits, race car simulators, alcoholic beverage firms, a working tattoo parlor and an indoor beach volleyball court that will include an all-female tournament.

Koloski said ancillary gambling products will still have a place at the expo, but the show is heading more toward the area of men's lifestyle.

"We had several inquiries from major businesses and products, which allowed us to move away from the gaming stuff somewhat," Koloski said. "If someone wants to promote a poker book or a player training academy, they can still lease booth space. Obviously, the show will be a little different and won't be as crazy as it was. We think it will be a little more high-end."

The Rio has room for 200 booths and Koloski expects the exhibit space to sell out. A 10-foot-by-10-foot booth two years ago leased for $2,000. This year's show has the same space leasing for $2,500, Koloski said.

While the expo operates in conjunction with the 38th World Series of Poker, scheduled to run June 1 through July 17 with 55 events, it is not affiliated with the tournament. The expo will take place during the media-celebrity event and the first three days of the World Series of Poker's main event, the $10,000 buy-in no limit Texas hold'em World Championship. The four days are expected to have the tournament's highest attendance.

Because of the ban on Internet gambling that was approved by Congress and signed by President Bush last year, Harrah's decided to limit the presence of poker dot-coms at the World Series.

"It's pretty simple. We can not be in business with Internet sites that accept wagering business from U.S. residents," World Series of Poker Communications Director Gary Thompson said. "Whatever the expo wants to do is their business, but you're probably not going to see the (Internet poker) presence like you have in the past."

Most on the Internet poker sites also leased out convention area breakout rooms for elaborate player lounges and hospitality suites. Thompson said that aspect will also be missing.

Internet poker gambling sites that don't accept wagers from American customers, such as Ladbrokes, may still lease a hospitality suite.

"They will want to do something for their customers, but it will probably be pretty small," Thompson said.

By Howard Stutz

Source: The Poker Gazette

TDA Summit at the Venetian

Today is the last day of the 2007 Tournament Directors Association Summit held at the Venetian Casino Resort in Las Vegas. There was also a Q & A session, this morning, with lots of interesting topics discussed from various points of view.

On Tuesday we met to discuss and debate the proposed new rules. Everything went smoothly as 40 rules were all approved unanimously. The event was very well organized. We had dinner as a group at the Grand Lux Café around 6pm. The final event of the day was the Tournament Directors Tournament (200+25) at 8pm in the Venetian Poker Room. I was fortunate enough be part of the final table chop splitting 2nd place.

This was our first meeting since 2004, when we met at the Bellagio. I'll be looking forward to the next one.

Related:
2007-02-22: New Tournament Directors Association Rules for 2007

2004 WSOP - Event #1 - 4th place finish

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, April 23, 2004 - Prior to yesterday I had never played in the prestigious World Series of Poker. However, I fancy myself a poker player and supplement my income playing cash games. I decided I would try to play this year. So I woke up yesterday morning and made the 5 hour drive from my home in California to Las Vegas. I arrived just in time to get registered and take my seat for the noon starting time. I don't reccommend driving in the same day (I won't be doing it again) because these tournaments are very long and stamina is vital. I am fairly pleased with myself, all things considered, as I ended up finishing in 4th place. Below is the official Tournament Summary.

Official Tournament Report by Nolan Dalla - The World Series of Poker has established a tradition of hosting a special tournament, specifically designed for casino employees. In recent years, the annual casino employees event has marked the "official" beginning of the world's biggest and most prestigious poker tournament -- as dealers, floorpersons, pit employees, bartenders, executives, and personnel from virtually all areas of the gaming business gather at the Horseshoe in downtown Las Vegas to determine who is most deserving as the casino industry's top poker player.

This year, the casino employees "world championship" went to Carl "Coach" Nessel, a 57-year-old former firefighter from Thousand Oaks, CA. The Coach plays poker regularly and works assorted tournaments part-time – including this year's WSOP where he is employed as a Chip Runner. The Coach survived a grueling poker marathon, which lasted an exhausting 15 hours and 45 minutes. He won his final hand of the night with a pair of Queens against the runner up, Cory Pockat, a Poker Dealer from Colorado Springs, CO. The Coach's ride to victory did not come easy.

Two-hundred seventy-nine players started the tournament promptly at 12 noon. It took 11 hours to play down to the final table, comprised of an well-rounded mix of casino employees. Five of the 9 finalists were from California.

Joe Addesso, originally from San Diego – who works as a Table Games Supervisor in Las Vegas -- was the first player to exit in 9th place. He received $2,520.

A short time later, William Roffe was severely short-stacked and exited in 8th place. Roffe, a Poker Dealer who was playing in only his second hold'em tournament ever, had to be proud of his performance. He collected $3,780.
Stephen Calhoun, a Poker Dealer from Bradenton, FL went out next in 7th place – good for $5,040 in prize money.
An hour into the final table, Roger Jenkins, a Casino Shift Manager from Union City, CA, was the shortest stack. He didn't survive and took 6th place, which amounted to a payday of $6,300.
Mark Richman was bounced off the final table in 5th place, when his hand lost to Cory Pockat's straight. Richman, came in second in chips, but could not sustain the momentum he built mid-way through the tournament. Richman, who has won smaller tournaments here in Las Vegas, was awarded $7,560.

Down to four players, Pockat was close to the chip lead with Bill Bruce, with about $45K each in chips. After a short break, blinds increased to $1K-2K, with betting limits at $2K-4K. Pockat took the chip lead when his A-K made top pair at the expense of Bruce. However, Bruce extracted some revenge a few hands later when he was dealt A-A and won a hand against Pockat. "I knew you had aces when I saw your cards," Pockat said jokingly.

However, Bruce's glory was short-lived. He lost a key hand when the final board showed A-10-10-x-x. Bruce flashed an ace (good for top pair). But the Carl "Coach" Nessel showed down a better kicker -- with A-9.

After a few more orbits, Bruce was short-stacked and made his final stand with A-Q versus Pockat's A-10. Bruce was clearly in a dominant position. But a 10 flopped for Pockat, and Bruce failed to hit his queen. The pair of 10s won the hand, and Bruce went out in 4th place. Bill Bruce, a Poker Floorperson, from Menifee, CA who was playing in one of his first ever live tournament, had $8,882 reasons to be extremely proud of his effort.

With three players remaining, Pockat had the chip lead, with about $65K -- versus about $35K each for both the Coach and Leon Wheeler. One of the most important hands of the tournament occurred when the Coach topped Pockat, with A-K against A-Q. Both players caught an Ace on the turn, and put in four bets before the final card was dealt. The Coach didn't need any help, but got it anyway when a king fell on the river – good for top two pair. The key hand (and $40K pot) put the Coach back near the chip lead.

After a few rounds, Wheeler was severely short on chips and made a raise with A-5, which was called by the Coach, holding Q-2. The flop came Q-8-3, giving the Coach top pair. Wheeler was committed and his last chip rolled into the pot. Two blanks fell on the turn and river, and Wheeler's ace-his was topped by the pair of queens. Leon Wheeler, a Las Vegas Poker Dealer who finished 2nd in this event last year, added a 3rd place finish to his remarkable two-year performance in this event. Based on recent history, Wheeler, who took home $11,350, seems destined to win this event at some point in the future.

The two finalists merrily shook hands as heads-up play commenced, just as the clock struck 3 am. The Coach had a slight chip lead, with about $80K to Pockat's $60K. The Coach won the first five pots, and took a sledgehammer to Pockat's diminishing stack size. Within just a few minutes, Pockat's chip position had dwindled to less than $30K. But just when it the Coach might runaway with the victory, Pockat staged a nice comeback. He managed to draw back to even at one point, and it seemed that the duel might continue through the early morning.
However, the Coach squashed Pockat's comeback bid when he was dealt Q-x and made a pair of queens against Pockat's pocket 10s and took nearly half of his opponent's stack. Down to his last $30K, the final hand of the night was dealt at 3:38 am in front of a surprisingly large crowd, given the late hour:

Pockat: Q-9
Coach: J-J

The flop came 9-7-5, giving Pockat top pair (9s). But the Coach played his hand perfectly, letting Pockat commit all his chips on what amounted to an underdog hand. The turn brought a 3 and the river brought a 10, which meant the Coach's J-J was the winning hand of the tournament.

Afterward, Cory Pockat showed a mix of satisfaction and disappointment with the result. "I really thought momentum was on my side when I got back to even (in chips)," he said. "But in the end, he proved to be the better player." Pockat, making his first significant cash in a poker tournament, collected $22,000 as the runner-up.

But the day clearly belonged to the retired California firefighter, who came to the WSOP to work as a Chip Runner, and play poker on the side. "I'm totally speechless," he said, as he stared at the coveted gold bracelet, awarded to each winner at the World Series. "To get to any final table, let alone the World Series, is an accomplishment that goes beyond anything else in poker," the Coach said. "I saw light at the end of the tunnel when I got (heads-up against Pockat), but the light turned out to be a train," he said complimenting his opponent. "I've been coming here since 1976. It's been a dream and a fantasy that I never thought would come true, but here I am."