One of the reasons the WSOP $1,000 buy-in events have proved so popular is that the "average" player has the chance to play alongside their favorite pros. That is apparent today, especially when it comes to some of the Team PokerStars Pros in the field.
We've witnessed a few players happily engaged in conversation with Team PokerStars Pro (USA) Dennis Phillips, who if you recall took third in the 2008 Main Event. Likewise, Team PokerStars Pros Fatima Moreira De Melo (Netherlands), Dario Minieri (Italy), and Randy Lew (Online) have been cordial in their roles as poker ambassadors.
While not everyone can make it to Vegas to take on these pros, anyone outside the U.S. is able to play them on PokerStars. Not only that, there is a strong likelihood that these pros and others will be attending upcoming tournaments on the Latin American Poker Tour, European Poker Tour, and Asia-Pacific Poker Tour. If you want your chance to qualify there tours and take on a Team PokerStars Pro, be sure to visit PokerStars for all the details.
The WSOP hasn't always offered open $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em events. In the past, there were $1,000 rebuy events, ladies events, and seniors events, but typically the open events had a minimum buy-in of $1,500. During the 2009 series, the WSOP held one open $1,000 NLHE event which was appropriately nicknamed the "Stimulus Special," as it was meant to be a cheaper alternative for people who had been affected by the recession here in the United States.
Last year WSOP bumped the number of open $1,000 NLHE events to six total. This year, five of these $1,000 events were held with this being the last of the bunch.
Below is a chart showing the winners of all the $1,000 events from 2009 through today. (Note, this table does not include Ladies Events, Seniors Events, or Rebuy Events.)
Who will be the next player to join this prestigious list of winners? Stay tuned to PokerNews to find out!
On a flop of , the "Alabama Cowboy" Hoyt Corkins got his chips all in holding and was ahead of his opponent's . We didn't catch the turn card, but we do know that the spiked on the river to put an end to Corkins' day.
Tony Dunst raised to 225 from middle position and found a late-position caller. It was heads up to the flop, which both players checked. When the appeared on the turn, Dunst led out for 300, his opponent called, and the appeared on the river.
Dunst wasted little time in betting 800, his opponent called, and the dapper dressed turned over for a rivered straight. The late-position player mucked as Dunst chipped up to 4,500.
On a flop of , Eric "basebaldy" Baldwin checked to his sole opponent in middle position, who checked behind. The dealer proceeded to burn and turn the , prompting Baldwin to bet 350. It was enough to scare his opponent off and take down the hand.
We're unsure of the bet sizes, but after a flop of we know David Galo bet out from the small blind and the player in the hijack raised only to have Men "The Master" Nguyen push all in for 2,000 total. Both the other players called and Galo was the only one not at risk of elimination.
Nguyen: (ace-high flush draw)
Hijack: (pair of kings)
Galo (set of sixes)
Galo's hand was in the lead and both the other players would need help to stay alive but the turn and river brought the and giving Galo a boat and the other two the boot.
These $1,000 buy-ins are notorious for the fast action and crazy hands; after all, the smaller starting stacks and increasing blinds pretty much force the action. In our latest pass through the Pavilion Room, we literally saw some four players bust with pocket aces. Needless today, it is a minefield out there.
![[user198205]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
, the "Alabama Cowboy" Hoyt Corkins got his chips all in holding 
and was ahead of his opponent's 
. We didn't catch the turn card, but we do know that the 
spiked on the river to put an end to Corkins' day.
flop, which both players checked. When the 
appeared on the turn, Dunst led out for 300, his opponent called, and the 
, Eric "basebaldy" Baldwin checked to his sole opponent in middle position, who checked behind. The dealer proceeded to burn and turn the 
, prompting Baldwin to bet 350. It was enough to scare his opponent off and take down the hand.
(ace-high flush draw)
(pair of kings)
(set of sixes)
and 
giving Galo a boat and the other two the boot.
