The World Series of Poker is three days away if you count the Casino Employee No-Limit Hold’em on Thursday as event #1 (the WSOP says it’s event #1). The first WSOP event open to everyone and the first to be filmed by ESPN for national television broadcast will begin on Friday, June 3rd, at high noon in the Pavilion at the Rio Resort. Friday’s event #2 will be a $1,500 buy-in No limit Hold’em affair that signals the official start of the 2005 World Series of Poker. Saturday will see another $1,500 Hold’em tournament, only this time it is Pot Limit. The final table of the Friday No-Limit event will begin at 2:00 pm and continue until we have our first 2005 WSOP bracelet winner.
The tournament format will be two days for each event, excepting the final $10K world championship and some special events. Each event will begin at noon and play until the final table is determined. The final table will be played the following day beginning at 2:00 pm and continuing until someone leaves with a coveted WSOP gold championship bracelet. Interested in playing in the televised events or just want to know which WSOP tournaments will be filmed and when they will be broadcast then visit the World Series of Poker TV broadcast schedule.
I stopped by the Rio today and wandered around the Pavilion with camera in hand. The workers were busy setting up the tournament tables, getting the lighting into place and all of the other hundreds of tasks needing to be completed before the 2005 WSOP puts out the welcome sign. Spaces outside the Pavilion, conveniently close to the action, are becoming shops that will offer everything from snacks and drinks to a complete line of WSOP clothing. Today, the corridors outside the Pavilion were empty of people; but, I felt a sense of anticipation of the many thousands of players, fans, media, dealers and tournament officials that will be filling the space come Friday.
The 2005 World Series of Poker Photo Gallery is now available with a few of today’s pictures. Photos will be added daily throughout the 44 day run of the tournament so visit often. This year LasVegasVegas will provide complete coverage of all the tournament action and our trademark tournament gallery filled with our exclusive photographs of everything WSOP. Dr. Pauly of Tao of Poker will be on the tournament floor everyday providing readers his unique view of the World Series of Poker. Anyone that reads his blogs already knows he is an accomplished writer, gripping author and, best of all, a seasoned poker player. You are guaranteed to be informed and entertained with Pauly covering the 2005 WSOP and you will only find him here.