WSOP Main Event down to 27 players
This year’s main event is down to 27 players. Many big name players were able to go deep in the tournament this year but were unable to make the final 3 tables. For a short period of time the producers at ESPN were drooling over the possibility of having both Mike Matusow and Phil Hellmuth at the final table. Neither of these guys were able to survive to move onto day 7.
The most popular player left in the main event at this point has to be Brandon Cantu. Brandon is well known for being an aggressive player and he’s my pick to win the tournament. He’s also rather personable, so it will be interesting to watch the coverage on ESPN this year. Also among the final 27 is Phi Nguyen, another well known player.
Aside from a few people other people who have mediocre reputations in the poker world, the rest of this year’s final 27 is unknown to the public. It’s going to be an unprecedented year for TV coverage. It’s possible that this will be the only year that ESPN delays the final table for such a long period of time. However, there have been minimal complaints so far. The main reason for this is that not many people will actually be directly affected by the new format. I also think it is becoming more apparent to the players that if you are able to make the final table, you are going to have a much greater opportunity than players have had in the past. The issue of delaying the table is merely one of convenience.
The TV coverage at this year’s main event is already shaping up to be entertaining. Phil Hellmuth showed up on day 1 dressed as a military general, accompanied by an army of Ultimate Bet girls. Some of you might have seen the most recent UB commercial featuring Hellmuth dressed up with the UB army. If you haven’t, consider yourself fortunate. If you are interested in watching more of Phil’s table antics, you won’t be disappointed this year. Phil was forced to sit out of the tournament after being given a penalty for berating another player.
Some of you might be aware that for a long time Phil Laak has been dating Hollywood actress Jennifer Tilly. This year, Phil enlisted the help of a Hollywood make-up artist to make him look like an old man. Phil was able to make it through most of day 1 without anyone knowing who he was, including the tournament directors. In an interview with the guys at PokerRoad.com, he said that he even went around talking to people he knew and nobody was able to figure out who he was.
For those of you who can’t wait to watch this year’s World Series, coverage will begin July 22nd on ESPN. The main event final table will not be be played until November and then it will air shortly after on television. Stay tuned for updates and analysis as the tournament field gets narrowed down to the final 9 players.
Related posts:
- Pre-Day 7 Notes About the Main Event
- WSOP Main Event Final Table Is Set
- Main Event Final Table To Be Delayed 4 Months
- Main Event Final Table Predictions
- Patrick Antonius Turned Away From WSOP Main Event
Categories: WSOP Events
