In breaking news from the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP), the $1,000 buy-in Stimulus Special tournament is officially sold out. A field of 6,000 players will take to the felts over two starting days in the largest non-Main Event field in WSOP history.
It’s the third record broken in four tournaments that have comprised the 2009 WSOP thus far. In Event #2, the $40,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament commemorating the 40th running of the WSOP, the largest non-Main Event prize pool of $7.7 million was recorded. The event attracted 201 runners, who created the record-shattering purse that bested the $7.1 million that was on the line in the $50,000 HORSE Championship in 2007. In Event #3, a $1,500 buy-in Omaha High-Low Split tournament, the largest field ever for that genre of poker turned out, 918 players. Both Event #2 and Event #3 are ongoing inside the massive Amazon Room.
On Saturday, the first day of play in the $1,000 buy-in Stimulus Special No Limit Hold’em event will commence, with 3,000 poker hopefuls taking to the felts. On Sunday, another 3,000 players will begin their quest for the massive first place prize, with the survivors convening for Day 2 on Monday and the start of Level 11. The total prize pool is over $5 million and the winner will take home more than $750,000. WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack commented in a press release distributed by tournament officials on Saturday afternoon, “The demand for the Stimulus Special could be felt the moment we announced it. We welcome all the first-time players to the World Series of Poker and wish everyone good luck in their pursuit of a gold bracelet.”
As of Thursday, the number of players registered for the Stimulus Special stood at 2,500. By Friday, the field had grown to 3,000. It then took just 20 hours for the tournament to sell out at 6,000, with a statement by Harrah’s appearing on the news wires at 2:00pm ET. Every player at its final table will receive a six-figure payday, or more than 100 times the buy-in. The previous record for the largest non-Main Event field was 3,929, set last year in a $1,500 buy-in No Limit Hold’em event.
On Tuesday, the first $1,500 buy-in No Limit Hold’em event will kick off from the Rio. It’s officially the seventh event of the 2009 WSOP. Players who were unable to play in the $1,000 Stimulus Special may instead wish to compete in one of the following similar tournaments on the horizon:
Event #7: $1,500 buy-in No Limit Hold’em – Tuesday, June 2nd
Event #9: $1,500 buy-in No Limit Hold’em Six-Handed – Wednesday, June 3rd
Event #11: $2,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em – Thursday, June 4th
Event #13: $2,500 buy-in No Limit Hold’em – Friday, June 5th
Two other $1,000 buy-in events will occur during the 40th running of the WSOP. A Ladies’ World Championship kicks off on Sunday, June 7th. Last year, Svetlana Gromenkova emerged as its champion and pocketed a healthy $224,000 for her efforts. On Monday, June 22nd, the Seniors’ World Championship begins. Last year, Dan LaCourse banked $368,000 for the win in the event. Both are not “open” events like the Stimulus Special, which is the first open $1,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament to be held since 2006.
Stay tuned for the latest news, notes, and nuggets from the 2009 WSOP right here on Poker News Daily.
