2009 World Series of Poker – Day 4 From the Rail

Posted by AlCantHang | Filed under Bloggers on the Rail

Day 4 turned out to be exactly what we thought it would be. Near 3,000 players started Day 1a of the $1,000 “Stimulus Special” and it was pure craziness. Dealers yelling out “seat open” so often that it went from interesting to comical to barely noticeable within an hour. Players filled the Amazon room, Brasilia Room, and the Miranda Room. Some poor souls were even forced to play in the hallways of the casino (pictured above). They had to deal with the curious wanderers and folks trying to their way to pool at the Rio. Action everywhere.

The players came and they left quickly. Of the ~3,000 that started, only 375 would be around for Day 2. The hallways were full of bad beat stories and crying calls to the loved ones back home. Chain smokers crowded around the ashtrays outside the Poker Kitchen taking turns bending any ear that would listen to their tales. Most of the major pros were waiting for their spots to pick on the softer underbellies, but few would survive the carnage either.

Amanda Baker and Paul Sexton were just a few to get through the day with chips. It was a solid structure for the buyin and a great value, it was just too tough for most to avoid the sick mine field with their sanity in check or a seat in the game. Most are now looking forward to their next tournament or sitting back analyzing their first WSOP event.

The day wasn’t all about the $1k craziness. We also had the $40,000 tournament play down to it’s final table and the $1,500 Limit Omaha/8 was down to 19 players by the end of the night. These were the two big games that had the rail packed to the point of being impassable. Big names were in the games and sitting right up by their fans.

Records are being set each day and the first weekend of the WSOP has kicked everything in gear. Day 4 ended with a World Series of Poker Launch Party but we will get back to that later.