National Championship Set to Begin at Noon
The 2010/2011 World Series of Poker Circuit began nine months ago and visited 15 different venues offered, offering 154 gold-ring events in the process. More than 20,000 poker players flocked to its tournaments, but now only 100 players have earned the right to compete in the first-ever National Championship $1 Million Freeroll.
Today’s 100 qualifiers each earned their spot in one of four ways: Fifteen spots were awarded to the $1,500 Main Event winners from each stop, 15 spots were given to the Best All-Around Player (aka Casino Champion) at each stop; 36 seats were reserved for all the players who managed to make the final table at the four Regional Championships; and 37* “at-large” spots were awarded to the top point earners on the WSOP-C National Leaderboard.
*There were some double qualifiers who allowed for more spots to be applied to the National Leaderboard. In addition, 18-year-old John Riordan, who won the Main Event at the Palm Beach Kennel Club stop, was not eligible to play the National Championship because of his age. The legal age to play in Las Vegas is 21. As such, his spot was converted to one additional at-large position.
Not only are the players competing for their share of a $1 million prize pool, they’re also playing for the first WSOP gold bracelet of the season. To begin, each player will start with 20,000 in chips. The plan for the tournament is to play eight levels on Day 1, play down to the final table of nine on Day 2, and finish it out on Day 3. In the race are some pretty notables names such as World Poker Tour Player-of-the-Year Andy Frankenberger, Ali Eslami, Dwyte Pilgrim, Allen Kessler, Steve Zolotow, Brett Richey, David “Doc” Sands, Steven Brecher, and Shannon Shorr, just to name a few.
Needless to say, a year’s worth of anticipation will climax this weekend at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. Cards will be in the air in a little over an hour, so be sure to join us then for all the action and eliminations from the WSOP-Circuit National Championship!