The main event of the 2009 World Series of Poker once again will start in July and finish in November.

Energized by added buzz and a 50 percent boost in TV ratings last fall on ESPN, the delayed final table returns for a second straight year in the 57-event 2009 WSOP official schedule released today.

The $10K main event field will be whittled down to the final 9 on July 14 after 11 days of play, then resume action for the title “Nov. 7-10.” (NOTE: Not sure why four days are listed for the final in November; last fall they played it off in two days.)

The 57 gold-bracelet events, spread over 50 days, are two more than last year and include a one-time-only $40K buy-in tourney May 28 as the first open event, commemorating the 40th anniversary of the World Series.

If that’s a bit steep, two days later on May 30-31 there’s a special “stimulus” event with a $1K buy-in that probably will attract more than 5,000 players (second only to the main event) and generate a prize pool topping $5 million!

“Whether you play poker around the kitchen table or consider yourself a professional you will find a comfortable seat at the 2009 World Series of Poker,” said Jeffrey Pollack, WSOP commissioner. “This year’s schedule offers more variety than ever before and we look forward to welcoming players from around the world to our 40th extravaganza this summer.”

Here’s the complete schedule, and here are some other highlights:

* The world championship $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. event, a five-day tournament, starts June 26.

* The $10,000 main event will have four starting days, from July 3-6.

* No re-buy events this year (the theory being that allowing unlimited re-buys give an unfair advantage to deep-pocketed players who can essentially “buy” their way to a gold bracelet.)

* The third annual $50K buy-in H.O.R.S.E. tournament, with an enhanced gold bracelet and the Chip Reese Memorial Trophy awarded to the winner.

* Ten World Championship $10K buy-in events and seven of the popular $1.5K no-limit hold’em events.

Uncategorized | No Comments »

Poker is having a good run in the courts, lately.

Last week, a county judge in Pennsylvania ruled that poker is a game of skill, then dismissed charges against a man and his girlfriend who were running a no-rake game in his garage. The judge said that because poker is a skill game, it failed to meet the state’s test for unlawful gambling. So, all charges were dropped.

Now, a jury has reached the same conclusion in a case in Colorado. The jurors found a man not guilty of illegal gambling (running a poker league) because the statute specifically excludes “bona fide contests of skill.” The jury decided poker was a skill game and freed the defendant.

In a statement today, a very happy Poker Players Alliance rep said, “The not guilty verdict cements the rights of Colorado citizens to enjoy the American pastime of poker and will allow law enforcement to use its scarce resources to investigate real unlawful activity in the state, not poker games.”

The third case was last week’s ruling by a three-judge Court of Appeals panel in Kentucky that the governor did not have jurisdiction to order the seizure of 141 Internet gambling domain names, including those belonging to mammoth online poker rooms such as PokerStars, Ultimate Bet, and Full Tilt Poker. A day later, the Commonwealth said it would appeal to the Kentucky Supreme Court.

I highly recommend this story posted today at pokernews.com, which has more about the Kentucky case and also tells of a UIGEA “backfire” that is costing the New Hampshire State Lottery megabucks!

Uncategorized | No Comments »

Players who support online poker — and even folks who don’t play the game but want their freedoms restored/protected by the Obama Administration — are flocking by the hundreds to comment on behalf of online poker at change.gov. (See LDP column on this topic.)

Whether you voted for Mr. Obama doesn’t matter. If you’re a fan of online poker and would like to give your opinion to the incoming president, you should click here. You’ll have a chance to vote on the online poker issue as one the new Administration should tackle, plus add your comment. It takes just a minute to log in so you can participate.

My comment is No. 352. Every response matters because it’s been promised that the highest-voted issues and comments will be reviewed by the new president’s staff for action.

Click here for a CardPlayer.com story giving more details, and here’s a link to a helpful instruction chart by the Poker Players Alliance.

Uncategorized | 4 Comments »

From the nose-bleed levels of the poker world comes the bold — and foolhardy? — challenge by young hotshot Tom “durrr” Dwan that he’ll play anybody online and give them a 3-1 payoff edge.

It works like this: Dwan puts up $1.5 million to a challenger’s $500,000. You play four tables of no-limit poker simultaneously heads-up with minimum $200/$400 blinds for 50,000 hands. To win durrr’s $1.5M, all you have to do is finish at least $1 ahead of your starting stack (minus the rake). If you finish under your starting amount, durrr gets your $500K.

The bigger variable actually is that cash won or lost while playing counts, meaning that someone could lose millions — and go completely broke! — trying to win the initial challenge bet.

Phil Ivey

First to accept durrr’s challenge was none other than Phil Ivey, who has always been ready to play anyone, anytime for any stakes. Close in line behind Ivey were David Benyamine and Patrik Antonius.

In this PokerRoad Radio interview with Barry Greenstein, Ivey reveals he’ll probably be an underdog to start the match but can’t resist the 3-1 odds on his money and the challenge itself.

Uncategorized | No Comments »