photos by flipchip/lasvegasvegas.com
The 2006 WSOP is under way with the 'Shuffle Up and Deal' command from Tournament Director Robert Daily.
Shuffle Up and Deal! With those four magic words Robert Daily, 2006 World Series of Poker Tournament Director, officially opened the 2006 WSOP at the precise hour of Noon. The Rio Resort in Las Vegas welcomed the thousands of fans and players to this year's big poker show located in the Amazon room of the Pavilion Convention Center.
Thousands of players and fans crowd into the corridors outside the WSOP tournament area.
If today's turnout for event #1, a casino employee tournament, is any indication of the interest and support for this Mother of All Poker Tournaments then expect records to fall faster than the dead money. Last year's event #1 attracted 662 players for the $500 buy-in No-limit Hold'em event while this year's turnout was capped at 1100 players. Rumors circulating on the floor said tomorrow's first open event, a $1,500 buy-in No-limit Hold'em tournament was already at capacity. In 2005 the event hosted 2,305 players and paid the defending champion, Allen Cunningham $725,405.
Some of the eleven hundred casino players in the 2006 World Series of Poker tournament area.
The 2006 WSOP Tournament of Champions is also going live at the WSOP tournament area. The final table is playing this afternoon and the ESPN crew is filming the event for a later national TV broadcast. The table is an all-star lineup including last year's defending champion, Mike Matusow along with Daniel Negreanu, Andrew Black, Mike Sexton, Kido Pham, and Chris Ferguson. Gus Hansen was included in the lineup but was the first player to be eliminated followed by Daniel Bergsdorf. This event will provide the audience with some great poker action and should be top level entertainment. The crowds had filled the limited seats and waited patiently for more than two hours to watch all the former WSOP champions take a shot at the $1,000,000 first prize. Real time updates are available at Poker Wire.com.
A look at the Stat board for event #1.
LasVegasVegas traditionally posts a WSOP first day photo of Dick Gatewood, Sam's Town Poker Room Manager (elderly white haired gentleman in center)...must be an easy table, Dick still has chips.
WSOP Media Director Nolan Dalla hard at work at the 2006 WSOP.
$1,000,000 and a nice trophy await the winner of the 2006 WSOP Tournament of Champions.
Gus Hansen always has time for fans wanting a photo or autograph.
Fans, chips and dealer are ready for the start of the Tournament of Champions' final table.
Located outside is the PokerTentKitchen with stand up tables, burgers, hotdogs and pizza.
