In previous years, the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Player of the Year race ended when the first cards were dealt in the Main Event. Now, WSOP officials will include Main Event results towards the Player of the Year standings.
The race for one of poker’s most prestigious titles will run through November, when the conclusion of the $10,000 buy-in Main Event occurs. WSOP Vice President Ty Stewart commented in a press release distributed by Harrah’s on Monday, “We’re confident the inclusion of the Main Event to the Player of the Year race will add some drama and excitement to the conclusion of this year’s WSOP. The race is wide open this year, but as the past winners confirm, the player who wins this award will clearly be one of the game’s best for years to come.”
Player of the Year points are accrued based on a person’s finish in an event. Each winner takes home 100 points toward their Player of the Year tallies, second place grabs 75 points, third place takes home 60 points, fourth place nabs 55 points, and fifth place earns 50 points. Cashing in an event will net a player five points and making the final three tables good for at least 10 points. Reaching the final two tables will register 20 points for the Player of the Year standings. No Limit Shootout, Limit Shootout, and Heads-Up events each have their own scoring system to reflect the varying tournament structures. In each case, the winner of an event takes home 100 points.
The winner of the Player of the Year race will be recognized at a special ceremony during the final table of the 2009 WSOP Main Event in November. This year, all open events count towards the Player of the Year standings; the $500 buy-in Casino Employees Event and $1,000 buy-in Ladies and Seniors Championships (Events #17 and #43, respectively) do not. Thang Luu and Vitaly Lunkin lead the Player of the Year standings at the time of writing by virtue of taking down the two open WSOP events that have concluded. The winner of the $1,000 buy-in Stimulus Special will also receive 100 points when the tournament wraps up on Wednesday.
Last year’s Player of the Year race was won by Full Tilt Poker pro Erick Lindgren, who logged his first bracelet, three final tables, and five total cashes. In 2007, Tom Schneider was in the winner’s circle after nabbing two bracelets, making three final tables, and recording three in the money finishes. In 2006, many remember Jeff Madsen becoming the youngest bracelet winner ever. That year, he earned Player of the Year honors after winning two pieces of hardware and making four final tables in four cashes.
In 2005, Allen Cunningham was the Player of the Year after earning one bracelet, reaching an amazing four final tables, and lodging five in the money finishes. In 2004, the first time that a Player of the Year award was given out, Team PokerStars Pro member Daniel Negreanu emerged victorious after making five final tables and winning a bracelet.
This year, a total of 57 WSOP bracelet events will take place inside the massive Amazon Room at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas; 54 will count towards the Player of the Year standings. Satellite and second chance tournaments are not tracked.
The Main Event of the 2009 WSOP kicks off on July 3rd with the first of four starting days and will begin airing on cable station ESPN beginning on August 18th. For the second straight year, the prestigious tournament’s final table will be pushed back until November in order to coincide with television coverage. Its finale will air on Tuesday, November 10th, just hours after play concludes inside the Rio.
