This years WSOP will feature 55 events, ten more than last year.  This means ten more chances for someone to walk away with one of the gold bracelets that are awarded to each tournament winner.  There are currently three players tied with 10 bracelets apiece: Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, and the “Poker Brat,” Phil Hellmuth.  All three of those players are expected to play in many of the events, including the Main Event, which will start July 6th, and run through the 17th. 

Another difference in this years event from the past is the number of lower buy-in tournaments.  Of course the word “lower” is relative, but a reason the prices have believed to be dropped is so even more people will buy in to an event and that will cause an even bigger cash prize.  Out of the 55 events, nearly 1/3rd of them will have a buy in of 1500 dollars, which is very reasonable considering it is the biggest poker tournament spectacle in the world. 

If these buy-ins still are too high for you there is always the option of playing in one of the satellite tournaments.  These satellite tournaments don’t really have a set time, you just have to keep your ear out to hear when another one is opening up.  Don’t think this will be an easier alternative to playing in the big game.  A lot of the times even the professional players play in the smaller tournaments in an attempt to save some money for the big money cash games that surround the WSOP.

Also, if you find yourself in the unfortunate position of being knocked out of the tournament early, you can play in one of the second chance tournaments.  The second chance tournaments give you a chance to turn your bad luck into some good luck, and more importantly, into a little money. 

While many casual fans only care about the winner of the Main Event, the hardcore fans keep an eye on another event.  The H.O.R.S.E. tournament is considered by the hardcore fans, and professional poker players, to be the most important event out there.  H.O.R.S.E stands for Hold’em, Omaha, Razz, Seven-Card Stud, and Seven-Card Stud high-low Eight or Better.  The participants of this event play each one of these events for one blind period, then switches to the next game.  Because of the skill required to play all of these games, the pros normally called the winner of the H.O.R.S.E. tournament the best player in the world.  Also, the buy-in for this event is 50,000 dollars, more than any other tournament.  Last year Chip Reese, regarded as one of the sharpest, smartest minds in poker, won the H.O.R.S.E tournament and links 1.7 million dollars to his bankroll.

Then of course there is the Main Event.  The Main Event brings all kind of people out.  Sometimes it seems that anyone with 10,000 dollars lying around, the buy-in, will pay there way into the big one.  These people are what the pros like to call “dead money,” but it sure makes for an interesting crowd.  Also, “dead money” players can still get lucky too.  In fact, nobody expected Gold to get anywhere near the final table, but he parlayed that into 12 million dollars.  There is surely an aspect of luck to the main event, and to prove that, Gold hasn’t done much in the way of tournament poker since his big win last year.  But, if you are lucky enough to even get to the final table, you probably don’t have to worry about doing too much for the rest of your poker career, because you’ll be set for life.

Complete Tournament Schedule:

Event 1) June 1, 2007 Fri 12noon World Championship Mixed Holdem (Limit/No Limit) (3 Day event) $5,000

Event 2) June 1, 2007 Fri 5PM Casino Employees No Limit Holdem (2 day event) $ 500

Event 3) June 2, 2007 Sat 12noon No Limit Holdem (3 day event) $ 1,500

Event 4) June 3, 2007 Sunday 12noon Pot Limit Holdem (3 day event) $ 1,500

Event 5) June 3, 2007 Sun 5PM Omaha/Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo (3 day event) $ 2,500

Event 6) June 4, 2007 Mon 12noon Limit Holdem (3 day event) $ 1,500

Event 7) June 4, 2007 Mon 5PM Pot Limit Omaha w/Rebuys (2 day event) $ 5,000

Event 8) June 5, 2007 Tues 12noon No-Limit Holdem w/Rebuys (3 day event) $ 1,000

Event 9) June 5, 2007 Tues 5PM Omaha Hi-Lo (3 day event) $ 1,500

Event 10) June 6, 2007 Wed 12noon No Limit Holdem (3 day event) $ 2,000

Event 11) June 6, 2007 Wed 5PM World Championship Seven Card Stud (3 day event) $ 5,000

Event 12) June 7, 2007 Thurs 12noon No Limit Holdem / Six Handed (3 day event) $ 1,500

Event 13) June 8, 2007 Fri 12noon World Championship Pot Limit Holdem (3 day event) $ 5,000

Event 14) June 8, 2007 Fri PM Seven Card Stud (2day event) $ 1,500

Event 15) June 9, 2007 Sat 12noon No Limit Holdem (3 day event) $ 1,500

Event 16) June 9, 2007 Sat 5PM HORSE (3 day event) $ 2,500

Event 17) June 10, 2007 Sun 12noon World Championship Ladies Event No-Limit Holdem (3 day event) $ 1,000

Event 18) June 10, 2007 Sun 5PM World Championship Limit Holdem (3 day event) $ 5,000

Event 19) June 11, 2007 Mon 12noon No Limit Holdem (3 day event) $ 2,500

Event 20) June 11, 2007 Mon 5PM Seven Card Stud Hi-lo (3 day event) $ 2,000

Event 21) June 12, 2007 Tues 12noon No Limit Holdem Shootout (2 day event) $ 1,500

Event 22) June 13, 2007 Wed 12noon No Limit Holdem (3 day event) $ 5,000

Event 23) June 14, 2007 Thurs 12 noon Pot Limit Omaha (2 day event) $ 1,500

Event 24) June 14, 2007 Thurs 5PM World Championship Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo (3 day event) $3,000

Event 25) June 15, 2007 Fri 12noon No Limit Holdem (3 day event) $ 2,000

Event 26) June 15, 2007 Fri 5PM HORSE (3 day event) $ 5,000

Event 27) June 16, 2007 Sat 12noon No Limit Holdem (3 day event) $ 1,500

Event 28) June 17, 2007 Sun 12noon No Limit Holdem (3 day event) $ 3,000

Event 29) June 17, 2007 Sun 5PM Razz (2 day event) $ 1,500

Event 30) June 18, 2007 Mon 12noon No Limit Holdem / Six Handed (3 day event) $ 2,500

Event 31) June 19, 2007 Tuesday 12noon World Championship Heads Up No Limit Holdem (3 day event) $ 5,000

Event 32) June 19, 2007 Tues 5PM Seven Card Stud (2 day event) $ 2,000

Event 33) June 20, 2007 Wed 12noon Pot Limit Omaha W/Rebuys (2 day event) $ 1,500

Event 34) June 20, 2007 Wed 5PM Limit Holdem (3 day event) $ 3,000

Event 35) June 21, 2007 Thurs 12noon No Limit Holdem (3 day event) $ 1,500

Event 36) June 21, 2007 Thurs 5PM World Championship Omaha Hi-Lo (3 day event) $ 5,000

Event 37) June 22, 2007 Fri 12noon Pot Limit Holdem (3 day event) $ 2,000

Event 38) June 23, 2007 Sat 12 noon No Limit Holdem (3 day event) $ 1,500

Event 39) June 24, 2007 Sun 12noon World Championship HORSE (5 day event) $50,000.00

Event 40) June 24, 2007 Sun 5 PM Mixed Holdem (limit/no limit) (3 Day event) $ 1,500

Event 41) June 25, 2007 Mon 12noon World Championship Seniors No Limit Holdem (3 day event) $1,000

Event 42) June 25, 2007 Mon 5PM Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-lo (2 day event) $ 1,500

Event 43) June 26, 2007 Tues 12noon Limit Holdem (3 day event) $ 2,000

Event 44) June 27, 2007 Wed 12noon Omaha Hi-Lo (2 day event) $ 2,000

Event 45) June 28, 2007 Thursday 12noon No Limit Holdem / Six Handed (3 day event) $ 5,000

Event 46) June 28, 2007 Thurs 5PM Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo (3 day event) $ 1,000

Event 47) June 29, 2007 Fri 12noon No Limit Holdem (3 day event) $ 2,000

Event 48) June 29, 2007 Fri 5PM 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball (Limit) W/Rebuys (2 day event) $ 1,000

Event 49) June 30, 2007 Sat 12noon No Limit Holdem (3 day event) $ 1,500

Event 50) July 1, 2007 Sun 12noon World Championship Pot Limit Omaha (2 day event) $10,000

Event 51) July 1, 2007 Sun 5PM S.H.O.E (2 day event) $ 1,000

Event 52) July 2, 2007 Mon 12noon No Limit Holdem w/Rebuys (3 day event) $ 1,000

Event 53) July 3, 2007 Tuesday 12noon Limit Holdem Shootout (2 day event) $ 1,500

Event 54) July 4, 2007 Weds 12 noon World Championship No Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball w/Rebuys (2 day event) $ 5,000

Event 55) Main Event. July 6, 2007 Fri 12noon World Championship No Limit Texas Holdem Day 1A 3000 people $10,000

July 7, 2007 Sat 12noon Day 1B 3000 people

July 8, 2007 Sun 12noon Day 1C 3000 people

July 9, 2007 Mon DAY OFF

July 10, 2007 Tues 12noon Day 2

July 11, 2007 Wed 12noon Day 3

July 12, 2007 Thurs 12noon Day 4

July 13, 2007 Fri 12noon Day 5

July 14, 2007 Sat 12noon Day 6

July 15, 2007 Sun 12noon Day 7

July 16, 2007 Mon DAY OFF

July 17 2007 Tues 12noon Final Table