Are You Ready for Some Razzle Dazzle?
The 2014 World Series of Poker continues today with the start of Event #7: $1,500 Seven-Card Razz, the first of two razz events this summer. In recent years only one razz tournament graced the calendar, and it featured a $2,500 buy-in. Now, aficionados of the game can enjoy it twice if they so choose, first with today's $1,500 buy-in and from June 6-8 in Event #18: $10,000 Seven-Card Razz Championship.
Last year's $2,500 buy-in tournament attracted 301 players and was won by Bryan Campanello, who defeated David Bach in heads-up play to capture the $178,052 first-place prize. What's more, Campanello showed that a young player could compete in what has traditionally been known as an older person's game.
Among those who will be in action today are Matt Smith, who will be playing his first WSOP bracelet of the summer, November Niner Steve Gee, and Chris "Fox" Wallace who cut his chops playing online high-stakes razz. Of course others have stated their intentions of playing if they bust Event #6: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout, including European Poker Tour Season 8 Grand Final champ Mohsin Charania and the 2012 WSOP razz champ Phil Hellmuth, who won his 12th bracelet that year.
Cards are scheduled to get in the air at 4 p.m. local time, which is less than an hour from now. The plan is to play ten one-hour levels, which will take us into the early morning hours of Saturday.