Thriller Weekend For Poker

Plenty of action as WSOP opens in Vegas Friday sees the start of the 2010 World Series of Poker at the Rio in Las Vegas, where top players from around the world are already starting to arrive. They'll be pitting their skills against their contemporaries in some 57 tough events through to July 17, along with the external action and prop bets that invariably form a part of poker's biggest vibe. The opening weekend promises to be full of action; starting at midday in Vegas is the annual $500 Casino Employees NLHE, won by Andrew Cohen last year, who bested an entry field of 865 other hopefuls. Also kicking off Friday - at 5pm - is the inaugural outing of the new and ESPN televised $50 000 buy-in Player's Championship. Contestants will be playing Limit Hold 'Em; Omaha High-Low Split Eight or Better; Seven Card Razz; Seven Card Stud; Seven Card Stud High-Low Split Eight or Better; No Limit Hold 'Em; Pot Limit Omaha; and 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball for some seriously big money in an event that is certain to draw the big names in the game. In last year's equivalent, David Bach was triumphant and took home $1.2 million. The Player's Championship has the same buy-in as last year's HORSE event, which it replaces; if last year's turnout is anything to go by there should be at least 100 entries, making for a major prize pool. The HORSE event buy-in will go back to the more affordable $10 000 this year, which will hopefully encourage a good turnout. Saturday will see the start of the first of six $1 000 buy-in NLHE competitions. Anticipating large entry fields, the organisers have allowed for two starting days on each of these events, which take place Saturday, and then on June 5-6; June 12-13; June 19-20; June 26-27 and July 1-2. Rounding off what promises to be a highly entertaining weekend is the 5pm Sunday start of the $1 500 buy-in Omaha High-Low Split Eight or Better tournament. Bracing itself for a record year, the Rio has created an additional 58 000 square feet of space for the action to take place, with extra room being created by the absence this year of the live expo stalls. Full details of the schedule are available on the WSPOP website, where poker fans will note that the main event is scheduled to commence July 5 with four starter days to accommodate the heavy entry field. The tourney will play down to the last 9 survivors on July 17, when the television-mandated break until November will be imposed.