2007 WSOP Main Event...

[Talking Poker]

With FOUR Day 1s and TWO Day 2s, I decided not to even bother with any of the reports until now.... Here are some notes of interest.

There are 797 players remaining in the Main Event.


Tournament Notes (through End Day Two)

-- The $10,000 buy-in championship event attracted 6,358 players. This qualifies as the second-largest live poker tournament in history. Only the 2006 main event attracted more entries (8,773).

-- Former World Series of Poker Champions who played in the main event included:

T.A. "Amarillo Slim" Preston, 1972 (eliminated on Day One)
Doyle Brunson, 1976, 1977 (eliminated on Day One)
Bobby "the Owl" Baldwin, 1978 (eliminated on Day One)
Tom McEvoy, 1983 (eliminated on Day Two)
Berry Johnston, 1986 (217,900 in chips starting Day Three)
Johnny Chan, 1987, 1988 (eliminated on Day One)
Phil Hellmuth, Jr., 1989 (eliminated on Day One)
Brad Daugherty, 1991 (eliminated on Day One)
Jim Bechtel, 1993 (eliminated on Day Two)
Dan Harrington, 1995 (eliminated on Day Two)
Huck Seed, 1996 (280,500 in chips starting Day Three)
Scotty "the Prince" Nguyen, 1998 (107,800 in chips starting Day Three)
Chris "Jesus" Ferguson (160,900 in chips starting Day Three)
Carlos Mortensen, 2001 (254,700 in chips starting Day Three)
Robert Varkonyi, 2002 (182,700 in chips starting Day Three)
Chris Moneymaker, 2003 (eliminated on Day Two)
Greg "Fossilman" Raymer, 2004 (eliminated on Day One)
Joe Hachem, 2005 (eliminated on Day Two)
Jamie Gold, 2006 (eliminated on Day One)

-- Defending world champion Jamie Gold, of Malibu, CA was eliminated on Day 1-D. He sat at the ESPN feature table and played about four levels (two-thirds of the day) before busting out.

-- This year's main event attracted several celebrities. The following notables were eliminated on Day One:

Antonio Tarver (World Light Heavyweight Boxing Champion)
Nelly (singer and four-time Grammy Award winner)
Shannon Elizabeth (actress)
Jose Canseco (former Major League Baseball star)
Jennifer Tilly (actress)
Norm McDonald (actor and comedian)
Ray Romano (actor and comedian)
Hank Azaria (comedian and voice of "The Simpsons")
Sully Erna (songwriter and singer from Godsmack)
Rick Tocchet (former NHL star)
Tommy Vu (real estate tycoon and infomercial guru)

These celebrities survived past Day One:

Montel Williams (talk show host) – eliminated on Day Two
Brad Garrett (actor and comedian) – eliminated on Day Two
Jason Alexander (actor and comedian) – eliminated on Day Two

These celebrities are playing at the start of Day Three:

Tobey Maguire (actor) – 152,900 in chips starting Day Three
Todd Phillips (film director) – 275,000 in chips starting Day Three

-- This year two players, Barbara Enright and Phil Hellmuth, Jr. were inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame. Both were eliminated on Day 1-D.

-- The second annual $50,000 buy-in H.O.R.S.E. championship was included on this year's schedule. Both winners from the previous two years busted out on Day One. Chip Reese and Freddy Deeb were eliminated from the main event.

-- The oldest player ever to enter the WSOP in its 38-year history participated in this year's tournament as 94-year-old Jack Url, from Terre Haute, IN survived the first day, but was eliminated on Day Two.

-- Michael Binger came very close to setting a new WSOP record for the "Most Cashes in a Single Year." He had eight in-the-money finishes this year. However, he busted out on Day Two of the main event, about 300 spots short of the money. He is tied for the record with Chris "Jesus" Ferguson (2003), Humberto Brenes (2006), and Phil Hellmuth (2006) – all with eight cashes in a single year.

-- On Day 1-A, the first elimination of the 2007 WSOP took place when a player was dealt A-A and lost to another player with the A-K of clubs. Three clubs flopped making a flush, which meant the first casualty of the World Series went out just moments after the start of the tournament.

-- A total of 621 places will receive prize money. Payouts start at $20,320. The top prize is $8,250,000.

-- by Nolan Dalla