WSOP 2009

Finally ... the poker saga is approaching . In a few days WSOP 2009 will start in Las Vegas.

The 2009 WSOP schedule will have a tough act to follow with last year's Series setting substantial new records. Despite a wretched global economy, an online poker market that has yet to fully recover from the US government's obsession with blocking its citizens from playing $5 Sit and Gos in their pajamas, and an overall drop in poker's sponsored overhyping, 2008 saw records in both overall entrants and total prize money.

Nearly 58,000 players battled for their share of over $180,000,000 in total prizes over the course of 55 events. It's truly refreshing to see so many poker players still flock to the WSOP and stimulate the poker economy, proving that there are still millions dedicated to the game. Peter Eastgate, a Denmark native, ended up winning the Main Event and over $9 million.

The 2009 WSOP schedule looks almost identical to last year's version: numerous $10,000 championship events, lots of mixed events, and a slight increase with 57 total events. I was happy to see Harrah's stick with the championship events, which creates the feel of several mini Main Events throughout the WSOP. While most still agree that No Limit Hold'em is the ultimate tournament game of choice, it's also refreshing to see so many mixed events worked into the schedule. Besides several Pot-Limit and Limit events, HORSE, Stud, and Omaha also make healthy appearances. Even Lowball will have 3 events and Razz will have 1.

With so much money being invested in everything from sports events to movies to video games to poker tournaments, sequels with minor tinkering are far easier to pull off and have become the norm rather than truly creating something creative and new. Despite high fees, questionable playing conditions, and inordinate marketing that ultimately lessens the player experience, Harrah's has done a solid job since they took over the tournament. Perhaps sticking with what has worked in the past isn't such a bad thing.

Good luck everyone !

Annie Duke fired !

What a grand finale for the Celebrity Apprentice!

Annie Duke's first words after the last boardroom :

"I know people are wondering how I could go from saying I respected Joan in the last boardroom to the private interview where I said she was not a nice person and she had made the fight personal for me. I am aware it seemed like a weird juxtaposition from the boardroom to the final private interview last episode but here is what happened in between. I tried to extend some sort of “good game” to Joan. Just tell her I respected her for getting to the final two. And the video below is what a got in return. I particularly love where she says “I won’t allow America to hear it.” Makes that last interview of mine make more sense, I think."

Throughout the second season of NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice the rivalry between poker pro Annie Duke and comedian Joan Rivers was heated to say the least. So it was only fitting that those two contestants go head-to-head in the final episode to determine who Donald Trump would name his “celebrity apprentice”.

The three-hour season finale had the two contestants each working on creating an event and auction for people attending a Cirque de Soleil show. Duke and Rivers were each given a team of recently fired contestants to help them with the task. During the task the design firm that both Duke and Rivers were too use quit after finding Rivers too difficult to work with.

Despite raising nearly three times as much money for charity during the final task Duke was fired after Trump chose the 75 year old Rivers as his second celebrity apprentice. During the season Rivers had compared Duke to Adolf Hitler and made numerous disparaging comments about poker players in general.

As the winner Rivers was awarded $250,000 for the charity she was playing for.