On Tuesday night, September 9th, cable channel ESPN will air Days 1C and 1D of the 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event. The action begins at 8:00pm ET for Day 1C and 9:00pm ET for Day 1D. Last week, ESPN aired the highlights from Day 1A and Day 1B, which featured Erick Lindgren, Scotty Nguyen, Daniel Negreanu, Hoyt Corkins, and Jamie Gold.
Day 1C began with country music signer Andy Griggs, who performed his song “It’s All About the Money,” an appropriate tune to open play in the second largest WSOP tournament ever held. WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack also told the crowd on hand that players who reach the final table of a WSOP event would now receive “final table jackets,” starting a new tradition.
Among those in the field on Day 1C were poker author David Sklansky. One of the leading poker minds, Sklansky authored “Theory of Poker” and also taken home three World Series of Poker bracelets. Huck Seed’s run through the 2008 Main Event came to a screeching halt just a few minutes into Day 1C. He held 9-7 on a board of 3-7-7-Q, but ran into his opponent’s A-7. Seed was out-kicked and sent to the rails.
Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier, who showed up to the recently-held Asia Pacific Poker Tour Main Event like The Joker, will also be in the field on Day 1C. This effusive poker pro took down the 2008 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, cashing for $2 million. Also in the field is World Poker Tour host Mike Sexton, who made the final table of the $10,000 buy-in World Championship of Pot Limit Hold’em, the very first event of the 2008 WSOP.
Other notables on Day 1C included “Hustler” magazine creator Larry Flynt, 2007 WSOP Main Event fifth place finisher John Kalmar, David Singer, John Juanda, Clonie Gowen, Jeff Lisandro, J.C. Tran, and online poker pro Chad “lilholdem” Batista.
Day 1D began with United States Congressman Robert Wexler rallying poker players in the Amazon Room with the words, “Two years ago, under a Republican-controlled Congress, the United States Congress took your right to play poker on the internet away. With your help, we’re going to change that wrong-headed law.” Wexler, a Democrat, is the author of the Skill Game Protection Act, which would absolve poker and other games of skill from current internet gambling law.
Due to the large number of players who registered on Day 1D, some tables started off play ten-handed. Among those in attendance was Doyle Brunson, who has ten WSOP bracelets and 31 in the money finishes. He finished 16th in the $50,000 HORSE tournament, taking home $124,320. Others in the field included “Survivor: China” contestant Jean-Robert Bellande. In an early hand, Bellande’s opponent hit a royal flush and won himself a $100 massage gift certificate.
Day 1D competitors also included several highly-accomplished poker players: Johnny Chan, David Williams, Carlos Mortensen, Gus Hansen, Allen Cunningham, and Men “The Master” Nguyen.
Another member of the poker community who was featured prominently on ESPN’s WSOP coverage last week, Jerry Yang, will begin his title defense Tuesday night. Here is a look at the remaining television schedule for the World Series of Poker. All times are Eastern:
September 9th through September 30th: 8:00pm to 10:00pm
October 7th through October 28th: 9:00pm to 11:00pm
November 4th at 8:00pm: WSOP Main Event final table preview show
November 11th from 9:00pm to 11:00pm: WSOP Main Event final table
