Event 2 - $40,000 No Limit Hold'em Day 1 | 2009 World Series of Poker

05-28-2009 07:26 UTC-12

Esfandiari Slips Into His Seat

Shamus

Antonio Esfandiari has just sat down over at Table #81. Perhaps anticipating the lack of comfort he will likely be facing with Justin Bonomo, David Chiu, and others at his table, Esfandiari has chosen to wear what appear to be hotel-provided slippers to today's event.

05-28-2009 07:21 UTC-12

No Comfortable Seats

Shamus

As anticipated, nearly every table in today's $40K event is loaded with the world's top no-limit hold'em players.

Tom "durrrr" Dwan hasn't shown up yet over at Table #70, but when he takes his seat he'll have Phil Ivey on his left, and David "The Dragon" Pham a couple of seats over. Not too far away at Table #60, Shaun Deeb, Gavin Smith, and Eli Elezra are seated together. And at Table #58 are Brian Townsend, Greg Mueller, Doyle Brunson, and Shannon Shorr.

Click on the Chip Counts tab for names of some of today's entrants.

Level: 1

Blinds: 200/400

Ante: 50

05-28-2009 07:10 UTC-12

Shuffle Up and Deal!

Shamus

Jack Effel, Jeffrey Pollack and Peter Eastgate

As players continued to find their seats, WSOP Tournament Director Jack Effel made some opening announcements regarding rules and procedures, including explaining the new penalty tracking system. He then handed the mic to WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack, who introduced 2008 WSOP Main Event Champion Peter Eastgate, who then kicked things off with the traditional announcement to dealers to "Shuffle up and deal!"

We're underway! Names of the many notables in today's field coming up.

Tags: Jack Effel Jeffrey Pollack Peter Eastgate

05-28-2009 06:12 UTC-12

Welcome to the 40th Anniversary $40,000 No-Limit Hold'em!

[user25067]

It's the largest buy-in no-limit hold'em event the WSOP has ever hosted and as we speak, several hundred of the world's best players are gathering outside the Amazon Room in anticipation. Prop bets on the number of players (Barry Greenstein has the over on 220), last-longers, and last-minute percentage swaps are going on out in the hallway as the floor staff prepares the "orange" quadrant for the onslaught of poker pros.

For their forty-dime buy-in, players will receive 120,000 in chips to start, with 200-400 blinds and a 50 ante. Levels will last 60 minutes each. We're scheduled to shuffle up and deal at 12:00 PDT.

Keep it here at PokerNews for wall-to-wall coverage of this special 40th anniversary event.