New Extremes At The 2009 World Series of Poker

The World Series of Poker (WSOP) has added new events to the 2009 slate of poker events. The world famous poker tournament series has added the smallest buy-in tournament ever, and the largest buy-in no-limit tournaments ever. A $1000 “special stimulus” No Limit Holdem tournament is being added along with a $40,000 No Limit Hold’em event, the richest no-limit tournament ever at the WSOP.

Both of these events mark historic changes for the World Series of Poker.  The $40,000 no limit tournament is the first time that a Texas Hold’em tournament will have a bigger buy-in that the WSOP Main Event.  The WSOP has never had a no-limit tournament bigger than the main event for fear that it would diminish the significance of the Main Event.  The $1,000 “special stimulus” event is an interesting marketing ploy playing on the proposed special stimulus package currently being proposed by President Barack Obama.  This is certainly a smart PR move in what could potentially be a down year for the WSOP in this uncertain financial global climate.

Another unsurprising revelation is that the Main Event final table will once again be delayed by three months to be played in November.  The “November Nine” are scheduled to begin playing at the final table on November 7th with the winner being crowned three days later.  The WSOP final table will most likely begin airing on November 10th, although no television broadcast schedule has yet been announced by ESPN or the World Series  of Poker.