The 2014 World Series of Poker technically begins on Tuesday, featuring a slate of big events that should draw in many of the biggest names in the game for the high buy-in events and the return of what was one of the favorite events of the 2013 schedule.
The reason that “technically” is used to start us off here is that the first bracelet of the 2014 WSOP has already been handed out. Battling through a final table that featured Ylon Schwartz, Matthew Ashton and Athanasios Polychronopolus, Germany’s Dominik Nitsche emerged as the first non-U. S. player to take down the WSOP Circuit’s National Championship, held in Atlantic City over this Memorial Day weekend. In the four-year history of the tournament, no one from Europe had ever made the final table, let alone win the tournament. In defeating the 126 player field, Nitsche earned his second WSOP bracelet and a $352,800 payday.
On Tuesday, the WSOP will begin full force. The traditional starting event for the summertime festival, the $500 Casino Employees Event, will kick off at noon and defending champion Chad Holloway is expected to be in the field to defend his championship. That will be a difficult option in the two-day tournament, as the field is normally a large one that provides a few “ringers” in professional players who are employed in some manner by any casino around the world.
At 4PM on Tuesday, the “big guns” will be out in droves for the first big buy-in event of the 2014 WSOP. The $25,000 Mixed Max No Limit Hold’em event will take the stage with its unique format. The first day of the four-day tournament will be a traditional nine-handed table, with Day Two playing out six-handed, Day Three playing out four-handed and Day Four ending the tournament as heads up competition. This tournament was contested last year with a much lower buy-in ($3000) and saw Isaac Hagerling defeat Max Steinberg for the title, with Jeremy Ausmus, Jason Koon, Yevgeniy Timoshenko, Dan Healey, Chris Johnson and Brandon Cantu around for the final day festivities.
As the $25K Mixed Max and the Casino Employees Event will be going on their Day Twos on Wednesday, there is only one tournament with a scheduled start. The $1000 Pot Limit Omaha event should draw a pretty heavy crowd with plenty of gamble for one of the most exciting games in poker. Last year’s version of this tournament was a $1500 buy-in event, won by Josh Pollack over Noah Schwartz.
There is only one event scheduled to start on Thursday but it too should be replete with top name professionals. The $10,000 Limit 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball, one of the more difficult disciplines of poker, will feature name pros on every table as they set off on their three-day journey. The event was only a $2500 buy in tournament in 2013, but the final table was stocked with familiar faces. Scott Seiver, David Baker, David Chiu and Brian Brubaker fell along the way as Eli Elezra conquered Daniel Negreanu to take home the WSOP bracelet.
Friday’s schedule has two $1500 events in a NLHE Shootout and Seven Card Razz, but many will be saving their energy up for Saturday’s festivities. The $1500 “Millionaire Maker” makes its triumphant return to the WSOP after a stunning debut in 2013. Last year’s tournament brought in a record 6343 entries, making it the largest non-Championship Event field in the 44-year history of the WSOP. Benny Chen was “made a millionaire” in last year’s event, defeating Michael Bennington to take home a $1,199,104 payday.
The format for the “Millionaire Maker” is the same for 2014 as it was last year. The first leg of the field heads off to the baize battlegrounds at 11AM and, if someone gets eliminated prior to 5PM, they have the option of entering that round of play also. Both rounds in 2013 drew nearly identical numbers, meaning that a throng of players reentered the tournament and some players decided to wait back and play the late round perhaps to gain an advantage (maybe mental, maybe overall). Whatever option a player takes, a minimum $1 million bounty awaits the victor when they are crowned on June 2.
There is no such thing as a “day off” at the WSOP, and the first week will conclude with two more tournaments guaranteed to fill the Rio. Event #9, another $1000 No Limit Hold’em affair, will start at noon and, at 4PM, the $10,000 Limit Omaha Hi-Low Split 8 or Better tournament will take to the felt. In all Omaha Split events in 2013, the biggest one was a $5000 buy in, won by Danny Fuhs over Christopher George and featuring Robert Mizrachi, Brian Hastings, Vlacheslav Zhukov and Jeff Lisandro at the final table.
It is Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Halloween and Mardi Gras all rolled into one big blitz of tournaments over the next seven weeks. It is that time of year again as the 2014 World Series of Poker gets ready to make history.
