Vegas messes with your internal clock, which is why the newsletter will come out Wednesdays for the rest of the World Series of Poker.
It’s an odd, empty feeling here in the media room this year. There’s no Seth Palansky, no interns working for college credit and the staff who’ll be here to handle chip counts, results, etc don’t come in until the late afternoon. At least I’m getting in some exercise as I walk the halls answering questions, attempting to resolve issues, and the other things that make up part of my duties behind the @WSOP Twitter account.
It’s been an eventful opening week at the 2021 WSOP full of large fields, technical hiccups, and the usual assortment of events that happen each year here at the Rio. Let’s start with the top story from the WSOP
Reunion Beats Expectations with Almost 13,000 Entries
The pessimists in the poker community scoffed at the idea that the opening weekend event of the WSOP: $500 The Reunion would reach the $5,000,000 guaranteed prize pool, needing just under 12,000 entries across the three opening flights. When Day 1A closed registration at 2,649 entries prospects were increasing of a possible overlay. Day 1B drew a field of 4,455 entries to make Day 1C a sweat on if they can reach the guarantee. The hallways were filled throughout the day on Sunday and when everything was calculated the field of 5,869 entries meant a total prize pool over $5.4 million with 1,820 players recording a tournament cash. There was likely no one as happy to make the money as George McBride:
Tuesday night brought back the five remaining players as Long Ma bagged the chip lead after Day 2 and never relinquished it, earning over $513,000.
Jeremy Ausmus and Connor Drinan Win Second Career Bracelets
The opening weekend of the WSOP featured a trio of pros earning their second gold bracelets. Event 3: $1,000 COVID-19 Charity Relief drew a field of just 266 entries on Thursday, likely because of the late start time (6pm) and a super-turbo format. Five players returned on Friday as Jeremy Ausmus claimed his 2nd bracelet for a modest $48,861.
In Event 5: $1,500 Omaha 8 or Better - Connor Drinan, who some consider poker players’ favorite poker player, earned his first live bracelet and second overall when he topped a field of 607 players, cashing in for $163,252.
Martin Zamani and Mark Herm Win Second Online Bracelets of 2021
The ongoing tradition of players winning two World Series of Poker bracelets in a single series continued for another year in the early Monday morning hours as Martin ‘bathroomline’ Zamani took down WSOP.com Online Bracelet 1: $5,300 NL Hold’em Freezeout for $210,600. Zamani won his other online bracelet in July in WSOP.com Event 19: $888 PLO Crazy Eights. Mark ‘NJ_AcesmakerA’ Herm joined Zamani in the 2021 double-bracelet winner’s club in WSOP.com Online Bracelet Event 2: The BIG $500 for $89,356. Herm earned his first bracelet of the year on WSOP.com PA in Event 1: $500 Keystone Kick-off, collecting $48,420.
Michael Perrone Rapidly Wins $1,000 Super Turbo Bounty
Event 10: $1,000 Super Turbo Bounty Freezeout was done in a day as 1,640 hopefuls wanted to be there at the end to win over $152,000. Michael Perrone has had some success with a couple rings on the WSOP Circuit, but he was super excited to know he was the most recent WSOP Bracelet winner on Twitter:
More Week 1 WSOP Bracelet Winners
Event 1: $500 Casino Employees stayed in the Caesars family as Caesars Palace poker dealer Jimmie Barnett raked in over $39,000.
Jesse Klein emerged atop a stacked final table to win Event 2: $25,000 HORSE for over $552,000.
Tyler Cornell’s first live tournament win was good for over $833,000 in Event 6: $25,000 NL High Roller Eight-Handed.
Jaswinder Lally won Canada’s first bracelet of the WSOP at the Rio in Event 7: $1,500 Dealers Choice Six-Handed.
Millionaire Maker, Flip & GO, Ladies Highlights WSOP Week 2
The big opening event of the weekend starts Friday at 10:00am with the first of two flights of Event 17: $1,500 Millionaire Maker, guaranteeing the winner at least $1,000,000.
The debut of Event 20: $1,000 Flip & GO - presented by GGPoker will surely interest those who want to either go bust or make the money in a single hand. Two flights run Sunday at 10am and 4pm. The concept is simple - you’re dealt three cards and a flop is dealt. You discard one card and the turn and river are played out. Win the hand and you’re in the money playing later Sunday evening.
Event 22: $10,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold’em Championship, starts at 11:00am Monday. Women are able to enter for a 90% discount
Also part of the next week’s WSOP lineup are three $10,000 Championship events - Thursday’s $10,000 Limit Hold’em Championship, Saturday’s $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship and Tuesday’s $10,000 Short Deck Championship. What they may lack in field size, they’re expected to make up in star power.
The full WSOP live bracelet schedule is located at WSOP.com/tournaments.
Jason Koon Latest GGPoker Ambassador
The latest player to join Team GGPoker was announced Sunday at the Rio as Jason Koon is their newest Global Ambassador.
EPT Prague is BACK
PokerStars announced the return of the European Poker Tour (not many will count the currently running EPT Sochi Open) as they make their return to Prague at King’s Casino Prague December 8-19 with the usual full array of tournaments at all sorts of buy-in levels.
One Last Thing…
If you like playing mixed games and want to win a $30,000 Platinum Pass, Robbie Strazynski of CardPlayerLifestyle is hosting a $200 HORSE tournament at the Westgate Thursday October 7 at 12pm.