Phil Ivey at the WSOP(credit:
xanboozled)
Registration for the final Day 1 of the 2009 WSOP was fast and furious, with a lot of players turned down due to the 3,000 player cap. 6,494 players registered for event across the four days, guaranteeing a first prize of just over $8 million – significantly less than the likes of Peter Eastgate and Jamie Gold scooped for their efforts.
Critics have cited Harrah’s decision to hold one of the opening days on 4th July – Independence Day in America where people traditionally spend time with their families – as the primary reason for imbalance. It was rumoured Full Tilt pro and highly revered cash game player Patrik Antonius was one of the players snubbed. Day 1D saw the likes of former final tableist Ivan Demidov and Phil Galfond, known for his exclusion from the ‘durrrr challenge’, eliminated. Phil Ivey, David Benyamine and Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier all survived the day with above average chip stacks.
No WSOP would be complete without a host of wacky proposition bets. Tom Dwan offered Matthew ‘ADZ’ Marafioti, high stakes PokerStars player, $5,000 if he could down 10 shots of alcoholic drink Patron without being sick. The canny Dwan won, as Marafioti was escorted out of the casino premises for repeated use of the ‘F-word’. The ‘World Series of Ro-sham-bo’ – rock, paper scissors – is another funky side event. Sponsors of the World Series – Jack Link’s Beef Jerky – have thrown in a tasty incentive for players. Anyone who makes quad jacks in the tournament will receive a 3 day supply of beef jerky worth $100.
Meanwhile it has emerged the impregnable Phil Ivey turned down the opportunity to be filmed at the ESPN feature table on Day 1C. By rejecting media attention, Ivey will hope he retains an element of mystery about his game, which he can use to power through the field. His actions have also been described as selfish, as he’s denied the other nine players $10,000 (the sum ESPN offers players at the feature table). Ivey reportedly offered every play at the table $5,000 as compensation, and promised to ship them $50K each should he triumph in the Main Event.