FULL TILT POKER BLOG

Week 1 at the WSOP, A Review

Posted by jgreenspan | Filed under Uncategorized

The first open event kicked off last Tuesday, and by the end of the today we’ll have seven hard days of poker under our belts. It seems an apt time to review some of the trends developing at the 2006 WSOP.

No Pro Domination
Last year, the first open event set a precedent that was followed for the rest of the series. In 2005, the initial final table had three household names (Scott Fischman, Allen Cunningham, and David “Devilfish” Ulliott). Cunningham went on to win the event, and in the following weeks spectators watched as a parade of the world’s best-known players – Arieh, Ivey, Doyle Brunson, Todd Brunson, Chan, and Greenstein — accumulated bracelets.

This year, Carlos Mortensen was the only well-known player to make the final nine of the first event, and he quickly busted after losing three consecutive races. The event winners with the greatest name recognition thus far are Dutch Boyd and Rafe Furst; both are first-time bracelet winners.

Boyd bested last year’s World Champ, Joseph Hachem, to win the event. This was the only high profile matchup seen thus far.

Continued Emergence of the Online Pro
The number of players capable of competing effectively continues to rise. In the late stages of tournaments, the fields are full of players, some quite young, who are actually full-time online pros. When one of these players makes a final table, they have great support from their online peers who cheer in the nearby bleachers.

This year, it seems there is a true community of online players who support one another.

Improvements Abound
Last year the staff of the Rio was overwhelmed by the size of the first event. People waited hours to register. Logistical difficulties continued for the entirety of the WSOP. This year, however, the tournaments start on time and for the most part proceed smoothly.

There are far better amenities and far less smoke, which makes the experience more pleasant.

The staff’s inexperience shows on occasions, but by and large, things are going quite well.

Prize Pools Remain Healthy
Event #2 drew 2,700 players, an increase form last year. But the greater number is likely attributable to the longer alternates list that tournament directors decided to keep and not to a greater overall attendance. A $2,000 buy-in no-limit event drew 1,900 players. The $3,000 limit hold ‘em tournament had 415 registrants.

While it’s hard to tell if there’s any real increase in attendance from last year, it’s safe to say that poker’s popularity isn’t waning in a significant way.

Elsewhere at the Rio
The Rio Convention Center is massive, and others events come and go as the WSOP rolls on. So far, the following groups have shared the convention space with the WSOP:

Western Roofing Contractor’s Expo
Sample sessions: “Let’s Talk Synthetic Roofing Products” and “What Ever Happened to the 3-Tab Shingle?”

IDEX Reborn Convention. (Apparently this had something to do with making dolls and teddy bears.)
Sample session: “Learn to Sculpt Your Own Baby Face”

Right now, we’re sharing the Rio with some sort of preteen/teen dance competition. We see a lot of young people wearing glitter-covered unitards and far too much eye makeup. It’s a bit disturbing.

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