39th Annual World Series of Poker Main Event Day 1a | 2008 World Series of Poker

07-03-2008 02:43 UTC-8

2008 Main Event Begins at Noon

The 2008 Main Event, known more formally as Event 54, $10,000 World Championship No-Limit Texas Hold'em, begins at noon. It's Day 1a, the first of four identical-in-length Day 1 sessions that will see the first bit of a field of several thousand hopefuls slowly pared away.

Last year, Jerry Yang emerged from a 6,358-player field to win the massive $8,250,000 first-place prize. Day 1a registration lists have yet to be released, but there will be plenty of big names on hand on each of the four starting days.

We'll have extensive coverage from the floor of the Amazon Room, with multiple reporting teams bringing you the latest news from the event. Join us right here at noon for the most famous words in poker: "Shuffle up and deal!"

Tags: Jerry Yang

07-03-2008 11:05 UTC-8

Doors Open!

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A bit late, but the doors to the Amazon Room are finally open and players who are registered for Day 1a have started streaming into the room. Tournament Director Jack Effel is announcing certain table redirects (feature table, secondary feature table, etc.) over the PA system, only adding to what is going to very quickly become a mass of confused humanity.

Upon arriving at their seats, players will find a bottle of All In energy drink or All In water on the table in front of their stack, and an Everest Poker seat cushion on their chair. Expect it to be a while yet before we get underway.

Tags: WSOP

07-03-2008 11:18 UTC-8

Pre-Game Rituals

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The WSOP Main Event is the highest buy-in tournament most of this amateur-heavy field has or ever will play and many of these first-timers have their own rituals for getting their energy and focus up. We've seen grown men splayed on the floor in yoga stretches, others running in place and shadow-boxing, and dozens of players jamming to their iPods behind their hats and sunglasses as their starting tables come together.

And, of course, almost everyone seems hell-bent on getting that perfect shot of the Amazon Room on their cell phone cameras.

Tags: WSOP

Level: 1

Blinds: 50/100

Ante: 0

07-03-2008 11:24 UTC-8

Shuffle Up and Deal

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Wayne Newton and the UNLV Marching Band have finally started play. Cards are in the air!

Tags: the UNLV Marching Band Wayne Newton

07-03-2008 11:31 UTC-8

An Added Bonus

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Tournament Director Jack Effel just announced that the first person to make a royal flush during the Main Event will receive a $100 gift certificate from Professional Massage, the official massage therapist of the WSOP.

The Amazon Room, for being packed to the brim with poker players and spectators, had been pretty quiet before that announcement. Afterwards there was a brief increase in the chatter over the clicking and clacking of poker chips, but it quickly subsided.

07-03-2008 11:36 UTC-8

He's Here, Baby

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During the opening days of the Main Event, ESPN always picks a table holding one of poker's superstars to play in the Final Table arena. As play started, there were only seven players seated under the bright lights and who might be filling one of those empty seats was a matter of some speculation.

That is, until Scotty Nguyen walked onto the set, medalliions swinging as he took the stage. "Good luck, Scotty!" a woman sitting nearby said and Scotty said, "Thank you baby", as he took his seat. The last time Scotty sat at that table was just a few days ago, when he won the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. World Championship.

07-03-2008 11:40 UTC-8

1995 World Champion Dan Harrington

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One of the biggest names in today's field is 'Action' Dan Harrington. With two bracelets, numerous WSOP cashes and a WPT title under his belt, Dan is best known for winning the Main Event back in 1995 when first prize was only a paltry $1,000,000.

Dan is also famous for his deep runs in this event in back-to-back years when he finished 3rd in 2003 and 4th in 2004.

He is already living up to his nickname, being very active early on today, collecting four of the first five pots of the day!

Tags: Dan Harrington

07-03-2008 11:41 UTC-8

Early Action for Benyamine

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David Benyamine has already been involved in two big pots, both times folding to large bets on the turn. He's already down to 12,500.

Perhaps he's distracted by that camera and/or boom mike hovering over his table. Or maybe by that person sitting at the very next table, his fiancée Erica Schoenberg.

07-03-2008 11:43 UTC-8