Now that the World Series of Poker Main Event is on hold until November, the world is turning to London for a fix of championship poker, as the World Series of Poker Europe announces its schedule, venue and the first famous players to confirm attendance.
The first World Series of Poker Europe took place in London last year, sponsored by Betfair. The 2007 WSOPE featured 3 bracelet events and was played across three venues. This year, the WSOPE will be held under just one roof, the stunning Casino at the Empire in Leicester Square, where four bracelets will be awarded in four different events. WSOPE Marketing Director Ty Stewart said:
We are eagerly anticipating World Series of Poker Europe this year. We have enhanced the schedule to provide more variety and game play, greatly broadened the worldwide television exposure and have brought the event under one roof to better the player experience for this prestigious and premiere event.
This year will kick off with a £1,500 Hold’em event, an addition to last year’s H.O.R.S.E., Omaha and Hold’em events. This is the official schedule:
- September 19th – Event #1 – £1,500 – No-Limit Hold’em Day 1A (3-day event)
- September 22nd – Event #2 – £2,500 – H.O.R.S.E. (3-day event)
- September 24th – Event #3 – £5,000 – Pot Limit Omaha (2-day event)
- September 27th – Event #4 – £10,000 – World Championship No-Limit Hold’em (6-day event)
The new “all-under-one-roof” approach is definitely good news for the players, who will now be able to play without worrying where the next table will take them, and even more for poker journalists – commuting between venues to report for last year’s WSOPE was nothing short of an ordeal, so this year poker fans can expect better coverage from happier reporters.
Betfair also announced that several of the November Nine have confirmed they will play at the WSOPE, including David “Chino” Rheem, Peter Eastgate and Ivan Demidov. These and other November Nine players will acquire invaluable practice at the WSOPE, which should help them in a few months when they resume the Main Event final table. Besides, there is the slight but very real possibility of winning bracelets in both WSOP Main Events, a sure way of earning a place in poker legend. Richard Bloch, Betfair Poker’s head of PR, commented on the participation of the November Nine:
This year’s event is simply going to be the best poker tournament anywhere in Europe. Not only will people be competing for a bracelet in the stunning surrounds of the Empire but they will also have a chance to watch and potentially play against the next WSOP winner.
But all players must beware of the reigning WSOPE champion, Annette Obrestad. The young Norwegian pro is still too young to play at the WSOP (she won’t be 21 until 2010,) so she is bound to fight with tooth and claw to keep her crown as WSOPE Champion and to add to her bracelet collection.
More information on the WSOPE – such as how to register and where to find satellites – is available at www.wsope2008.com .
