photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

Unofficially, The World Series of Poker has started at Caesars Palace Poker Room with Mega Satellites 3 times a day, every day, May 1st thru the 27th. The official start of the 2008 WSOP at the Rio Resort is May 30th. Players compete for Caesars Palace $500 WSOP buy-in chips good for all events in the 2008 WSOP. In addition to the Mega Satellite is a full complement of SnG's running round the clock.

No more standing in long lines for hours at the Rio to enter WSOP events. If a satellite player collects a single Caesars Palace WSOP buy-in chip they can use it to enter any event and make up the difference with cash. Caesars Palace will take care of registering the player at the Rio and leaving only one thing for the WSOP player to do, stop by Will-Call for your seat assignment. Actually two things, you have to find the seat.

This year's WSOP will be the longest WSOP in the history of the tournament. May 30,2008 is day 1 of event 1, the $10K buy-in World Championship Pot-Limit Hold'em, and the action continues until the final day of the final table of the Main Event on November 10, 2008. That's more than five months from start to finish.

Schedules and conditions for the Caesars Palace WSOP satellites after the jump...

photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

For the first time in World Series of Poker history, those reaching the final table this year will have their table delayed four months.

In true reality show fashion, between July 16 and Nov. 9, we will now know the stories of all final table players, as well as be able to follow how they do in other tournaments in between.

In addition, the very players at the final table will have time to research and strategize their opponents during the intermission.

Nov. 9-10 will be the final table, with quick editing to air on ESPN on Nov. 11.

photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

As we race towards the end of the first decade of the 21st century, we often forget about poker's humble origins, particularly in Las Vegas a city that implodes the old and rebuilds the new.

The WSOP has come a long way since the first year when the players voted on best all around player. Johnny Moss got the nod in 1970 and since then, a freezeout style tournament has determined the bracelet winners.

I recently took a peek at the list of early bracelet winners. The early 1970s was dominated by the legends... Johnny Moss, Puggy Pearson, Sailor Roberts, Jack Strauss, Bill Boyd.

photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

1973 was the Year of Puggy as he took down three bracelets out of six total WSOP events played that year. Puggy won the Main Event, the $1K NL event, and $4K Seven-card Stud. Granted one of those was the equivalent of a two-table SNG, but those were some tough players. They also had two $3K buy-in Deuce to Seven events that year.

The later-half of the 1970s was dominated by Doyle Brunson, Bobby Baldwin, and Gary Berland. They combined for thirteen bracelets including three world championships. Berland picked up five bracelets in a three year stretch and Brunson collected six from 1976-79.

Check out the list of 1970s bracelet winner's after the jump...

photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

When I first starting playing poker in a casino environment, Seven Card Stud was the game. That was when the riverboat casinos first opened in Biloxi, MS in the early 1990s. I also played a decent amount of low-limit Stud in Atlantic City in the years prior to Rounders popularizing Texas Hold'em.

I wish there were more opportunities to play Stud at the 2008 WSOP, but sadly there are only four pure events (and two of those are 8 or better) and six Stud-centric events including the only Razz event and Event #10 is a mixed tournament consisting of half Omaha 8 and half Stud 8.

Here's the schedule of Stud events at the 2008 WSOP:

Event #10 Thursday, June 5, 2008 5:00 PM
$2,500 Omaha 8/b and Stud 8/b

Event # 14 Saturday, June 7, 2008 5:00 PM
$10,000 World Championship Seven Card Stud

Event # 26 Friday, June 13, 2008 5:00 PM
$1,500 Razz

Event #33 Tuesday, June 17, 2008 5:00 PM
$5,000 World Championship Seven Card Stud 8/b

Event #35 Wednesday, June 18, 2008 5:00 PM
$1,500 Seven Card Stud

Event #47 Thursday, June 26, 2008 5:00 PM
$1,500 Seven Card Stud 8/b

Of course, I did not include the three HORSE events at the 2008 WSOP. You get to play Stud or Stud 8 in 40% of the games. With the exception of a hundred or so people on the planet, the $50K HORSE Championship might not fit into your budget. However, there's a couple of lower buy-in HORSE events that seem appealing...

Event # 22 Wednesday, June 11, 2008 5:00 PM
$3,000 H.O.R.S.E.

Event # 45 Wednesday, June 25, 2008 5:00 PM
$50,000 World Championship H.O.R.S.E.

Event # 51 Sunday, June 29, 2008 5:00 PM
$1,500 H.O.R.S.E.

And then there's the Mixed Game Championship on Wednesday, June 4, 2008 5:00 PM. It's a new this year and has a $10,000 buy-in. It's listed as Event #8 on the WSOP schedule. It has some Razz, Stud, and Stud 8 play in there.

According to BJ Nemeth...

The World Championship Mixed Event is a mix of several different poker games, like H.O.R.S.E., but without a cool name. Event #8 is much more confusing than H.O.R.S.E, however.

In Event #8, there are three different types of levels, and within each level, the game switches every eight hands. (One pass of the button, for games with a button.) Levels last 60 minutes.

LEVEL A
Deuce-to-Seven Triple Draw
Limit Hold'em
Limit Omaha Eight or Better

LEVEL B
Razz
Seven Card Stud
Seven Card Stud Eight or Better

LEVEL C
No-Limit Hold'em
Pot-Limit Omaha

For the first hour of play, you're playing deuce-to-seven triple draw, limit hold'em, and Omaha eight or better, switching every eight hands. The second hour of play, you're playing razz, seven card stud, and seven card stud eight or better, switching every eight hands. The third hour of play, you're playing no-limit hold'em and pot-limit Omaha, switching every eight hands.

Here's a direct link to the structure sheet.

photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

Are you an Omaha guru waiting for a shot at a coveted WSOP bracelet? Do you cringe when you only get two cards dealt to you instead of four? Are you a total action junkie and love getting your money in with a flush draw and a gutshot? Are you sick of Texas Hold'em?

If you answered yes to any of those four questions, then you need to check out the list of Omaha themed events at the 2008 WSOP. There are ten bracelet events in total and include two $10,000 buy-in World Championship events.

6 Tuesday, June 3, 2008 5:00 PM
$1,500 Omaha High-Low 8/b

10 Thursday, June 5, 2008 5:00 PM
$2,500 Omaha 8/b and Stud 8/b

16 Sunday, June 8, 2008 5:00 PM
$2,000 Omaha 8/b

19 Tuesday, June 10, 2008 12 Noon
$1,500 Pot Limit Omaha

24 Thursday, June 12, 2008 5:00 PM
$2,500 Pot Limit Hold'em/Omaha

28 Saturday, June 14, 2008 5:00 PM
$5,000 Pot Limit Omaha (Rebuys)

34 Wednesday, June 18, 2008 12 Noon
$1,500 Pot Limit Omaha (Rebuys)

37 Thursday, June 19, 2008 5:00 PM
$10,000 World Championship Omaha 8/b

43 Tuesday, June 24, 2008 12 Noon
$1,500 Pot Limit Omaha 8/b

50 Sunday, June 29, 2008 12 Noon
$10,000 World Championship Pot Limit Omaha

Most of these events start at 5pm and unlike last year, they will not be held inside the poker tent.

photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

The 2008 World Series of Poker is a little more than two months away. Have you figured out what events you're going to play in this year?

Live action will start at the Rio in late May. The 2008 schedule has been tweaked once again. This year will have 55 events but there will be a total of eight $10,000 buy in world championship events, more that in previous years. Instead of starting the WSOP with the Casino Employees No Limit Hold'em event, that tournament will close out the 2008 WSOP. It begins on Monday, July 7, 2008 at noon.

Satellites begin at the Rio starting at 9am on Wednesday, May 28, 2008. The $50K HORSE event will begin on June 26th. The Main Event will have four flights of Day 1, with Flight 1A starting on July 3rd. The final table is scheduled for July 16th.

[Editor's Note: All the WSOP Events are listed in our Vegas Poker Tournament Directory - human edited, updated weekly]

Check out the 2008 WSOP schedule after the jump...

photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

Tonight brings the final installment of original programming from ESPN of the 2007 World Series of Poker. The final table of the $50,000 HORSE event #39. Like most of the poker establishment I believe this is the true contest for the annual world championship poker player. Unlike the WSOP $10K Main Event this one involves serious buy-in money and the $50K acts as a filter to eliminate most of the luckbox players. Instead of a final table with a bunch of one-trick no-names you'll recognize most of these players.

photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

Tonight brings us another two hours of poker from the 2007 WSOP. Not only is the $50K HORSE the most prestigious poker event but the most interesting from a strictly poker view. The star studded field was so top heavy that three former WSOP World champions found themselves sitting side by side. Everyone that is anyone in the world of poker took a seat in WSOP Event #39, considered by many to be the true championship event. Players must be skilled at all of the currently popular poker games--Hold'em, Omaha, Razz, Stud and Eight or Better.

photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

Photos from Day 6 of the 2007 WSOP Main Event have been posted in the LasVegasVegas Flipchip Poker and Las Vegas Photo Gallery. Close up in your face pics of the 36 players remaining in the quest for a seat at the world's most famous poker table, the final table of the World Series of Poker $10,000 Main Event. This is also the day the monster WSOP Poker Room at the Rio Pavilion is packed up to disappear for another year.

Poker's premier writer Dr Pauly of Tao of Poker posted his original Main Event Day 6 Recap here.

photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

ESPN's Tuesday coverage of the 2007 World Series of Poker brings another two hours of exciting action from the $50K HORSE Event #39 played this past summer at the Rio Resort Las Vegas. Tonight is the first of three weekly evenings of HORSE poker from the 2007 WSOP brought to you on ESPN Sports TV. ESPN coverage of the 2007 WSOP begins at 8 PM in most areas; but, check local listings for your exact times.

Flipchip's 2007 WSOP Photos of Main Event Day 5 now available in the LasVegasVegas Flipchip Photo Gallery. But first, a little history of the pivotal Day 5 of the WSOP Main Event.

112 players of the 6,358 that started the 2007 main event returned for Day 5, all guaranteed to receive no less than $58,570. Day 5 will end with 36 men left in the hunt after Maria Ho, the sole female was eliminated in 38th place for $237,865. One former WSOP Champion remains, 1998 Winner Scotty Nguyen. Most eyes appear to be on Philip Hilm and Tuan Lam as they are the guys with the most chips. Future champion Jerry Yang continues to stack chips and stay invisible.

Direct from Tao of Poker, poker's premier writer, Dr Pauly. Read his original Main Event Day 5 Recap here illustrated with more Flipchip photos.

LasVegasVegas Flipchip Photo Gallery is adding hundreds of new photos weekly of Las Vegas Casinos.

photos by flipchip • lasvegasvegas.com

photos by flipchip / lasvegasvegas.com - Las Vegas, NV

ESPN Tuesday evening coverage of the 2007 World Series of Poker continues this evening with two more hours of action from the $10,000 Main Event. 337 players began Day 4 with the entire group guaranteed to receive some serious money. Dario Mimieri is the Day 4 chip leader, Jeff Weiss is second and Kenny Tran comes in third on the chip count. Day 4 will end with many of the big names and former champions gone from the 112 that progress to day 5. 2007 ESPN Main Event coverage tonight begins at 8 PM in most areas; but, check local listings for exact times.

More Flipchip photos with Tao of Poker's Dr Pauly's original Main Event Day 4 Recap here. Flipchip's 2007 WSOP Photos of Main Event Day 4 now available in the LasVegasVegas Flipchip Photo Gallery.

LasVegasVegas Flipchip Photo Gallery has added hundreds of new photos of Las Vegas Casinos. Photos added daily.

photo by flipchip/lasvegasvegas.com

photos by flipchip / lasvegasvegas.com - Las Vegas, NV

Harrah's Entertainment, owner of the World Series of Poker, has released the dates for the 2008 WSOP. The 39th annual WSOP will run from May 30 through July 17, 2008. The location remains at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The schedules and details for individual events are still being worked according to WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack.

A major problem of the 2007 WSOP was the many hours of wait time spent in the long, long lines waiting to register for events during the opening weekend. The 2008 WSOP will open the WSOP Poker Room the week of May 26th to alleviate the problems. Players will have the opportunity to register early and avoid the lines. More details as they become available.

photos by flipchip / lasvegasvegas.com - Las Vegas, NV

photos by flipchip / lasvegasvegas.com - Las Vegas, NV

ESPN 2007 World Series of Poker coverage on Tuesday evening brings two more hours of action from the $10,000 Main Event. 797 players began Day 3, the first time all of the 2007 Main Event players have been together. Gus Hansen starts the day as the chip leader, wild man Hevad "Rain" Khan with the second biggest stack and Jeff "Mr. Rain" Banghart is third on the chip count list. Day 3 saw 661players make the money with 337 players surviving Day 3 to move on to play on Day 4. ESPN Main Event coverage on Tuesday begins at 8 PM in most areas; but, check local listings for exact times where you live.

More Flipchip photos with Tao of Poker's Dr Pauly's original Main Event Day 3 Recap here. Flipchip's 2007 WSOP Photos of Main Event Day 3 now available in the photo gallery.

LasVegasVegas Flipchip Photo Gallery has added hundreds of new photos of Las Vegas Casinos. Photos added daily.

photo by flipchip/lasvegasvegas.com

The past week's ESPN WSOP Main Event broadcast gave some airtime to Bill Spadea. He's the guy with the straw hat, cut-off sleeves and the 'almost x-rated' tattoos. Spadea rode his poker savvy deep into the 2007 WSOP Main Event, eventually being eliminated on Day 6, just shy of a seat at the world's most coveted final table. Spadea took home $429,114 for 13th place. I collected a number of pics of the 'tattoo guy' during his 6 day run at the 2007 World Series of Poker.

Close-up of the Spadea's artwork after the jump...

photo by flipchip/lasvegasvegas.com

ESPN Main Event coverage continues Tuesday evening with another two hours of the 2007 World Series of Poker. Approximately 1000 players began their Day 2 with dreams of taking home the winner's $8.5 million in cash and a guarantee of poker immortality. By the end of the day about 450 players survived to move on to Day 3. ESPN Main Event coverage on Tuesday begins at 8 PM in most areas; but, check local listings for exact times where you live.

More Flipchip photos with Dr Pauly's original Main Event Day 2b Recap here. Flipchip's 2007 WSOP Photos of Main Event Day 2B now available in the photo gallery.

LasVegasVegas Flipchip Photo Gallery has added hundreds of new photos of Las Vegas Casinos so take some time to puruse these images. Come back often as photos are added daily.

photo by flipchip/lasvegasvegas.com

A summary of OJ Simpson's Las Vegas problems plus Flipchip photos of Simpson's Trail to the Jail. Details on the Prof's Las Vegas News Blog.

photo by flipchip/lasvegasvegas.com

Tuesday night poker on ESPN brings another two hours of the 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event Day 2A. 1034 players, about half the remaining total continue playing for the winner's share $8.5 million in cash and poker immortality. By the end of the day 350 survived to move on to Day 3. ESPN Main Event coverage on Tuesday at 8 & 9 PM in most areas; but, check local listings for exact times where you live.

More Flipchip photos with Dr Pauly's original Main Event Day 2a Recap here. Flipchip's 2007 WSOP Photos of Main Event Day 2A now available in the photo gallery.

photo by flipchip/lasvegasvegas.com

We've added photos to the Flipchip 2007 World Series of Poker Gallery in the last couple of days. Most of the new gallery entries are the women of poker captured by Flipchip's cameras during the 2007 WSOP at the Rio Resort in Las Vegas.

Watch the ESPN Poker Show tonight and then continue your 2007 WSOP experience by perusing the Flipchip images from the WSOP tournament floor. More photos are being added so come back soon to see all of your favorite players , all of the poker action and, if you were there, you may even see yourself.

photo by flipchip/lasvegasvegas.com

Tuesday night poker on ESPN brings another two hours of the 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event Day 1D. The officical total for entrants in the 2007 WSOP Main Event is announced to be 6,358 with a prize pool close to $60 million giving the winner $8.5 million and the top 621 players receiving prize money. By the end of tonight's two hours of poker another 662 players will move on to Day 2. ESPN sends it your way on Tuesday at 8 & 9 PM in most areas; but, check local listings for exact times where you live.

More Flipchip photos with Dr Pauly's original Main Event Day 1d Recap here. More Flipchip 2007 WSOP Photos after the jump...

photo by flipchip/lasvegasvegas.com

Tuesday night poker on ESPN brings another two hours of the 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event Day 1C. A large crowd of 1743 playes were seated for the third day. This is the biggest Day 1 to date. Day 1C might best be remembered as the day that Phil 'Crash" Hellmuth ran the race car into a light pole in the Rio's back parking lot. By the end of tonight's two hours of poker show just under 700 playes will remain for to play another day. It all comes to you on ESPN TV at 8 & 9 PM in most areas but check your local listings for exact times.

Read Dr Pauly's original Main Event Day 1c Recap here.

photo by flipchip/lasvegasvegas.com

Tuesday is here again so grab the snacks, reserve your favorite chair, fine tune the Hi-Def, mute the phone and watch the latest two hours of premier 2007 WSOP poker from ESPN. This week we get to enjoy event #55, the Main Event, day 1B. 2,852 players took a seat for the Noon start time and when play ended for the day 587 remained to play again on day 2. A few more former world champions, some movie people, plenty of easy money, and more of the continuing cell phone controversy. treat yourself to Dr. Pauly's recap of Day 1B for his unique perspective on the World series of Poker. Many more Flipchip photos after the jump, all taken on Day 1B of the 2007 WSOP main event.

photo by flipchip/lasvegasvegas.com

Tuesday night we get the first two hour installment of eight weekly sessions covering the 2007 WSOP Event #55, the big one, the really big one, the $10,000 final No-Limit Hold'em Tournament to determine the 2007 WSOP World Champion. That's right, sixteen hours of big time poker bliss delivered to you in the comfort of your home through the magic of television. This week we relive all the drama and excitement of Day 1A. Cards flying across the felt of more than 10 dozen poker tables to hundreds of players all dreaming of taking home the $8,250,000 in cash and that bracelet.

Flipchip Photos of the 2007 WSOP Winners only at LasVegasVegas Flipchip Photo Galleries. Complete 2007 WSOP stats at the Poker Prof's World Series of Poker 2007 Information Page. Complete WSOP poker from Dr Pauly of Tao of Poker.

photo by flipchip/lasvegasvegas.com

Tuesday night is World Series of Poker night on the ESPN television channel. Get set for another 2 hours of high stakes tournament poker from the Rio Resort in Las Vegas. The first hour covers event #13, the $5,000 buy-in World Championship of Pot Limit Hold'em. The second hour we get to relive event #31, $5,000 buy-in No Limit Hold'em Heads-Up and event #32, $2,000 buy-in 7 Card Stud. My time to compare the real to the Hi Def TV defined final video record to the live show. Flipchip Photos from the events with final outcome details (including winners) of the Tuesday Night ESPN Poker Shows follow after the jump.

photo by flipchip/lasvegasvegas.com

Don't Click if you're avoiding all knowledge of the final finish until you see it on ESPN TV. For these purist fans: Watch the ESPN Poker Show on Tuesday Night; then, come back and click for Flipchip's Photos of same.

Complete 2007 WSOP stats at the Poker Prof's World Series of Poker 2007 Information Page. Complete WSOP poker from Dr Pauly of Tao of Poker.

photo by flipchip/lasvegasvegas.com

"There's the rest of the world, and there's me" -- Phil Hellmuth after winning a hand in WSOP event #28, $3K NLHE.

Tuesday is 2007 WSOP on ESPN night. I would watch the show just for the HD broadcast. Picture so great its better than being there and I know. I was there and I have Hi Def TV hooked to a noiseless HD sat signal that improves on reality, and as an added bonus, I can see the hole cards. ESPN's WSOP is better than live. Note to self: Send ESPN a note of thanks for covering the events in HD. This week's episode is one of the great ones for sheer entertainment value.

If you're one of the dozen or so people that have avoided any knowledge of the WSOP so you can watch the Tuesday shows then please avoid the jump. Of course, if you don't come back after the show you'll miss some Flipchip views that are only available here.

Complete 2007 WSOP stats at the Poker Prof's World Series of Poker 2007 Information Page. WSOP poker from Dr Pauly of Tao of Poker.

photo by flipchip/lasvegasvegas.com

Saturday's post offers some of the poker portraits of famous faces playing in the 2007 WSOP. Most of these players are well kinown to the camera and fans but they become just another poker face when they take a seat at the World Series of Poker. Some you've already seen, some not. More Flipchip poker faces after the jump...