2007 WSOP Preview: The Schedule
Harrah’s faced an apparent no-win situation when they set up the WSOP schedule. While they’ve been criticized for having too many hold’em events (some top pros derisively call it the “World Series of Hold’em”), hold’em is clearly the most popular game right now. So how do you satisfy everyone?
Simple — add more events! That keeps plenty of hold’em while sprinkling the schedule with other games. The 55 events offered this year aren’t just a record — they’re more than the first seven years of the WSOP combined, and more than twice as many events as the 2001 WSOP.
There’s nothing new about adjusting the WSOP schedule. As it grew over the years, different games have fallen in and out of favor, and WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack promises more changes in the future. Here’s a quote from the recent WSOP Media Conference Call:
Jeffrey Pollack: “When we came up with the [$50,000] H.O.R.S.E. event for last year, that was a way for us to signal that we were gonna start taking a fresh look at the schedule every year. And that was sort of our opening statement, if you will.”
So what level of change has the WSOP schedule seen historically? Here’s a basic breakdown of every fifth year (including the last five), and what percentage of the events were hold’em:
1975 - 5 events (2 hold’em events = 40%)
1980 - 12 events (3 hold’em events = 25%)
1985 - 13 events (3 hold’em events = 23%)
1990 - 15 events (4 hold’em events = 27%)
1995 - 24 events (8 hold’em events = 33%)
2000 - 24 events (9 hold’em events = 38%)
2003 - 36 events (17 hold’em events = 47%)
2004 - 33 events (19 hold’em events = 58%)
2005 - 42 events (29 hold’em events = 69%)
2006 - 45 events (34 hold’em events = 76%)
2007 - 55 events (33 hold’em events = 60%)
There is good news for players who are sick of hold’em — the 22 non-hold’em events offered this year are the most ever. And even with the increase in events, there is one fewer hold’em event than last year.
While Harrah’s has added 10 events to the schedule this year, it should be noted that at 47 days, the WSOP is only one day longer than last year. They achieved this by increasing the number of double-event days to 20.
The 55 events this year break down like this:
Hold’em: 33
Omaha: 8
Seven Card Stud: 7
Draw: 2
Mixed Games: 7
You might notice that those numbers add up to 57 — I counted the two mixed hold’em events as mixed games and hold’em. There are also 13 events that have been labeled as “World Championships.” Here’s how they break down (once again, the mixed hold’em championship counts in two places):
Hold’em: 7
Omaha: 2
Seven Card Stud: 2
Draw: 1
Mixed Games: 2
Now let’s take a more in-depth look at this year’s WSOP schedule.
THIRTEEN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
For the first time, some of the preliminary events (nearly 1 in 4) will officially be labeled with “World Championship” status.
But what does that mean? Do these events award special bracelets to distinguish them from non-World Championship bracelets? Does victory include a World Championship trophy? If the only change is in the name, I’m not impressed — that’s just semantics. I hope Harrah’s has planned something more than a name change to make these events special.
Here are the 13 events given World Championship status:
Event # 1 - $5,000 Mixed Hold’em
Event #11 - $5,000 Seven Card Stud
Event #13 - $5,000 Pot-Limit Hold’em
Event #17 - $1,000 Ladies Event (No-Limit Hold’em)
Event #18 - $5,000 Limit Hold’em
Event #24 - $3,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split
Event #31 - $5,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold’em
Event #36 - $5,000 Omaha Hi-Low Split
Event #39 - $50,000 H.O.R.S.E.
Event #41 - $1,000 Seniors Event (No-Limit Hold’em)
Event #50 - $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha
Event #54 - $5,000 No-Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball w/ Rebuys
Event #55 - $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em
My Thoughts: As far as I can tell, Event #54 is the only no-limit 2-7 draw lowball w/ rebuys event, not only at the WSOP, but in the world. It seems odd to call yourself a world champion of a tournament game that is only played once per year.
In the same vein, I can’t find any record of mixed hold’em (limit & no-limit) being played in a tournament before. It’s strange that the first time the game is ever played (Event #1), it will be a “World Championship” event.
Meanwhile, lowly razz is also stuck with just one event (#29), but it doesn’t get the World Championship designation. I presume it’s because the buy in is considered too low for a championship. But since this is still the biggest razz tournament in the world, the winner should be considered the world’s razz champion.
If the $1,500 buy in for razz is considered too low, then why do the ladies and seniors (with $1,000 buy ins) receive World Championship treatment? And why no championship for the casino employees? Is it because of their $500 buy in?
It’s interesting that Event #31 ($5,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold’em) is given World Championship status, because NBC’s National Heads-Up Championship is also held at a Harrah’s-owned casino — Caesars Palace. Is that supposed to make this one more prestigious, even though the NBC event has a $25,000 buy-in?
HOLD’EM: 33 EVENTS
One could still make the argument that this is the “World Series of Hold’em.” With 33 hold’em events, there are only four starting days that don’t include a hold’em event. And it should come as no surprise that nearly 70% of the hold’em events are no-limit. There are actually more no-limit hold’em events than all non-hold’em events combined (23 vs. 22).
The past few years, the entry level $1,500 no-limit hold’em events have attracted the largest fields (over 2,000 players). This year, Harrah’s has increased their number from two to six. That’s right, there will be six $1,500 no-limit hold’em events. If you miss one, you won’t have to wait any longer than seven days for the next one.
Here is the complete list of all 33 hold’em events:
Event # 1 - $5,000 Mixed Hold’em (World Championship)
Event # 2 - $500 Casino Employees No-Limit Hold’em
Event # 3 - $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em
Event # 4 - $1,500 Pot-Limit Hold’em
Event # 6 - $1,500 Limit Hold’em
Event # 8 - $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em w/ Rebuys
Event #10 - $2,000 No-Limit Hold’em
Event #12 - $1,500 Six-Handed No-Limit Hold’em
Event #13 - $5,000 Pot-Limit Hold’em (World Championship)
Event #15 - $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em
Event #17 - $1,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold’em (World Championship)
Event #18 - $5,000 Limit Hold’em (World Championship)
Event #19 - $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em
Event #21 - $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em Shootout
Event #22 - $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em
Event #25 - $2,000 No-Limit Hold’em
Event #27 - $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em
Event #28 - $3,000 No-Limit Hold’em
Event #30 - $2,500 Six-Handed No-Limit Hold’em
Event #31 - $5,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold’em (World Championship)
Event #34 - $3,000 Limit Hold’em
Event #35 - $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em
Event #37 - $2,000 Pot-Limit Hold’em
Event #38 - $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em
Event #40 - $1,500 Mixed Hold’em
Event #41 - $1,000 Seniors No-Limit Hold’em (World Championship)
Event #43 - $2,000 Limit Hold’em
Event #45 - $5,000 Six-Handed No-Limit Hold’em
Event #47 - $2,000 No-Limit Hold’em
Event #49 - $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em
Event #52 - $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em w/ Rebuys
Event #53 - $1,500 Limit Hold’em Shootout
Event #55 - $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em (World Championship)
My Thoughts: Hold’em is still the most popular form of poker right now, and Harrah’s is merely satisfying the demand that is already out there.
However, I worry about bracelet dilution. Maybe it’s just me, but I never liked the idea of identical events the same year. Why do we need six $1,500 no-limit hold’em events? Yes, all six will be packed with players eager to play, but I worry about the long-term effects of giving out so many identical bracelets.
The same thing can be said for the expansion to 55 events. If too many bracelets are given out, they lose inherent value.
I’m looking forward to Event #31 ($5,000 World Championship Heads-Up No-Limit Hold’em). Heads-up is very popular right now, and with only 256 seats, they may be turning a lot of people away, even with a $5,000 buy in.
OMAHA: 8 EVENTS
The number of Omaha events have increased from 5 to 8 this year, not counting the five mixed games that include Omaha. If Omaha is your game of choice, this could be your year.
Event # 7 - $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha w/ Rebuys
Event # 9 - $1,500 Omaha Hi-Low Split
Event #23 - $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha
Event #33 - $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha w/ Rebuys
Event #36 - $5,000 Omaha Hi-Low Split (World Championship)
Event #42 - $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Low Split
Event #44 - $2,000 Omaha Hi-Low Split
Event #50 - $10,000 Pot Limit Omaha (World Championship)
My Thoughts: This is an excellent mix of Omaha offerings, from $1,500 entry-level events to a true $10,000 World Championship.
SEVEN CARD STUD: 7 EVENTS
Like Omaha, seven card stud has seen an increase — from 4 to 7 games this year.
Event #11 - $5,000 Seven Card Stud (World Championship)
Event #14 - $1,500 Seven Card Stud
Event #20 - $2,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split
Event #24 - $3,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split (World Championship)
Event #29 - $1,500 Seven Card Razz
Event #32 - $2,000 Seven Card Stud
Event #46 - $1,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split
My Thoughts: Another nice mix of buy ins, concentrated in the middle of the schedule — from June 6-20, there is only one day without a stud event in progress. If you’re a stud fan, adjust your plans accordingly.
DRAW: 2 EVENTS
There are twice as many draw events as there were last year! Okay, so that makes ... two. Draw poker just hasn’t had much “draw” during the recent poker boom. (When I first wrote that, I didn’t notice the pun. I tried to rewrite it, but eventually just added the quotation marks. My apologies.)
Event #48 - $1,000 2-7 Triple-Draw Lowball w/ Rebuys
Event #54 - $5,000 No-Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball w/ Rebuys (World Championship)
My Thoughts: Before the addition of the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. event, the $5,000 2-7 Draw Lowball was the preliminary bracelet most desired by the top pros. It always features a relatively small field that’s absolutely packed with pros, and it’s a great opportunity for spectators to see their favorite players without the crowds of the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. event.
MIXED GAMES: 7 EVENTS
There were no mixed games in the 2005 WSOP, and only one in 2006 — the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. event. It was so successful that it helped fuel a post-Moneymaker boom in mixed games, particularly online. So Harrah’s answered the call and put seven mixed games on the schedule with entry fees to suit every taste.
Event # 1 - $5,000 Mixed Hold’em (World Championship)
Event # 5 - $2,500 Omaha/Seven Card Stud Hi-Low
Event #16 - $2,500 H.O.R.S.E.
Event #26 - $5,000 H.O.R.S.E.
Event #39 - $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. (World Championship)
Event #40 - $1,500 Mixed Hold’em
Event #52 - $1,000 S.H.O.E.
(Note that I’ve listed the mixed hold’em events under both mixed games and hold’em.)
My Thoughts: I think the $1,000 S.H.O.E. event is going to be popular. There’s no razz (for all the razz-haters out there), and its $1,000 buy in makes it one of the best bargains in the WSOP. It falls on a Sunday just five days before the Main Event (when the poker frenzy is nearing its peak), and the only other event that day is $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha. This should give everyone (including Harrah’s) a clear view of the demand for mixed games.
On the flip side, I don’t think the mixed hold’em events are very compelling. Every 30 minutes, the game will switch from limit to no-limit, with the blinds twice as big during the limit portion. It feels like an event that was created for the sake of itself, rather than any compelling desire by the players. Keep an eye on this one, because if I had to bet, I’d say this is going to be a one-year experiment that is never heard from again.
Finally, the marathon $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. event has been expanded from three days to five. This was unavoidable, because the event ran so incredibly long last year; at least now, Harrah’s, fans, and the media will be ready for it.
NEXT ARTICLE: THE MAIN EVENT
Now that I’ve broken down this year’s overall schedule, I’m going to take a closer look at this year’s Main Event. Stay tuned.
WSOP Preview: The Schedule
Monday, April 2, 2007
