World Series of Poker starts tonight on ESPN (1 Viewer)

[BrianAe]

Who's watching? OK, so we all know the final results from the news, but I'm hoping that there is still plenty of good action to be seen. I'm also looking forward to ESPN's superior production values compared to other televised poker tournaments.

 

[Patrick Sun]

The problem is that the episodes of big tournament ($10,000 buy-in) with the $5 million first prize won't start until August 17th.

Tonight features a smaller $2,000 buy-in No-Limit Texas Holdem game for the 9 p.m. EDT timeslot, and then a 1,500 buy-in 7 card stud tourney in the 10 p.m. EDT timeslot.

Here's how the schedule will play out on ESPN:

 

[BrianAe]

Thanks Patrick. I didn't realize that. I guess the good news is that there will be much more programming from this years tournament.

 

[John_Lee]

I've avoided coverage, so am still capable of being surprised by the ending. So please spoilerize not-yet-realized developments, or indicate ahead of time that spoiler protection will not be afforded so us lucky few will know to avoid the thread.

 

[Rob Willey]

It will be kind of fascinating to get a taste of the other games played at the World Series. I'm looking forward to it.

Rob

 

[NolanJ]

WARNING:

espn.com main headline shows the picture of the winner of the main event.

This borders on stupidity along with Bravo's on air commercials.

 

[Brook K]

Thanks Patrick, I thought they were only showing "a taste" of the other action last night and were going to start the main event next week.

I did enjoy seeing the stud tournament. Might have to try playing some of that online.

Fox Sports is going to show a tournament in a week or two using only a 5m time delay.

 

[Quentin]

Are any of the televised pre-main events going to show Ben Affleck's recent win, or was that actually for points going into the 2005 main event?

 

[Chris]

I find it pretty watchable TV.. more excilerating then most

It's good to see some Omaha played, though, as it's the game I'm much more familiar with/enjoy..

 

[Patrick Sun]

The 7-card Stud hour was pretty damn close to being a cure for insomnia. The highlight was Men the Master's spit take.

Omaha makes my head hurt (especially when the low hand isn't in effect unless certain community cards meet the low hand condition, which I can never remember correctly).

 

[BrianAe]

I don't know, besides the comparitively low stakes, I found it enjoyable. I liked the high production values and the fact that it was final table coverage. The first no limit hold em' tournament was even better. Thumbs up so far...

 

[Patrick Sun]

From what I've read, that heads-up battle in the 7-card stud game went on for 4 frikkin' hours!

 

[Philip_T]

I love this show. These guys/gals are unbeleivable. I play with a group of guys once a month or so and when if I where to actually try and figure out how many outs I had left, I'd have a brain hemerage. I got to thinking last night while watching WSOP, when are the corporate sponsors going to start ruining the game by buying players to plaster their products name all over their hats/clothing? I cringe at the day I hear the winner say "1st of all, I'd like thank *insert sponsors name here", they really put together a good strategy and kept me in the game, blah blah blah. God I hope it never comes that. Okay, rant off.

 

[Brook K]

You're right Patrick, Omaha was a bear to figure out. I liked the stud tourmament, though Men had a lot to do with it. What little I saw of the hold 'em match last night looked like a lively table. I taped it but it will be a few days until I have time to watch.

Affleck's tournament didn't have anything to do with the World Series or WPT. It was at the "California State Poker Championships" which they were having over multiple days at Commerce Casino in L.A. at the same time as my infamous f-up during a small tournament at the Bicycle that I ranted about in After Hours last month.

Some of the guys have website hats from sponsors but I think I read an article that Binion's put the kibosh on a lot of the sponsor stuff appearing on camera this year since they now are accumulating "official" sponsors for the event.

 

[Rob Willey]

Have you noticed the enormous Levitra logo on the felt? It's kinda funny seeing Levitra right next to "the flop".

Rob

 

[BrianAe]

Last nights episodes were kind of disappointing. I thought the action was a little stale and the personalities on the final tables were weak. Doug Boyd's crew makes me want to puke...

 

[Patrick Sun]

I wanted the Fishman to lose so badly. I also can't stand Dutch Boyd's crew. Punkass poker playas.

 

[Brook K]

Agreed. And Fish got insanely lucky to win on those board pairs, but of course his "crew" is going to rule the poker world.

I'm mad I forgot about the Fox broadcast last week. Though at eight hours I would have missed some of it anyway in my stone age videotape world. Still it would have been cool to see how things really progress in a big tournament.

I'm finally starting to get the bug to play again. We got a flier from the Las Vegas Hilton the other day, and one from Caesar's today. But my wife isn't interested. See says we've been "too many times".

She doesn't understand that it isn't possible to go to Vegas too many times.

I've noticed a lot of the bars are holding poker tournaments now, just like "trivia nights" and what have you. Anybody played in a bar? Just wondering what it's like and how professional it is.

 

[Rob Willey]

The broadcast was four hours, then immediately re-shown. The actual final table took about three hours, forty minutes.

Rob

 

[Brook K]

Thanks Rob, my info came from the poker writer's article on ESPN's Page 2 and he talked about watching for 8 hours.