World Series of Poker Europe Kicks Off With a Bang

A total of 105 players made their way to the Casino at the Empire in London, England today, for the first event of the innaugural World Series of Poker Europe. This is the first of two events preliminary to the World Series of Poker Europe's main event, which begins on September 10th.

On Wednesday, before the events started, a pre-event party kicked off the festivities, with many of the players-to-be sharing cocktails and exchanging stories while anticipating the tournament to come. While the party was in full swing, a charity poker tournament took place, "Ante Up For Africa," (diligent followers of the game will recall a similar tournament before the 2007 WSOP main event in Las Vegas) directly benifiting the crisis in Africa's Darfur region. Marissa Chien emerged victorious, taking first place and a $5,000 entry into the Ante Up For Africa tournament scheduled to take place in Las Vegas. After the party's lights finally dimmed, the stage was set for the start of this first WSOP-E event.

The event brought out quite an impressive field of professionals, counting among the ranks such notable players as Doyle Brunson, Phil Hellmuth, Annie Duke, Robert Williamson, III, Kirk Morrison, Jennifer Harman, Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, and many, many more. In fact, the field was comprised almost entirely of professional players. Not surprising, considering that the price tag on the event amounts to more than $3,600 with current conversion rates.

Surprisingly, a few players, including well-known and highly-successful player, Barry Greenstein, pre-registered for the event but failed to show up after the cards hit the felt. Greenstein's stack was dealt to, whittled down through the course of the day's play before finally busting out with Greenstein never making an appearance.

This H.O.R.S.E. event was in many ways different from its counterpart in the U.S. World Series of Poker. Primarly, each table played at its own pace, going through precisely 8 hands of each game before moving on to the next. Each game in the U.S. World Series version of H.O.R.S.E. was assigned its own level, so all players in the event were playing the same game at the same time.

Event play took place across two floors of the casino, given that the casino's poker room itself harbored only nine tables, inadequate to accommodate the entire field. With such close quarters in the poker room, spectators were denied access. Even with elbow room in short supply, players were still afforded the luxury of presenting their shoulders to the services of the on-hand massage therapists.

Marcel Luske went down in history as the first person ever to bust out of a World Series of Poker Europe event, with Gus Hansen having the honor of sending him on his way. In a hand of 7-Card Stud, Marcel found (Ah Jh) 5h, against Hansen, who showed a 2d for the up-card. When the hand was said and done, Luske made only two pair, while Gus picked up a queen-high flush and released Luske from further play.

As play drew to a close, the original field of 105 had been sliced to less than half of its original size, with only 51 players remaining.

Two-time World Series of Poker main event winner and undisputed poker legend, Doyle Brunson, after struggling with jet-lag and a cold deck, made his exit before play ended for the day, as did the other Brunson, Todd. Other notable professionals who won't be seeing day two include Ted Forrest, Andy Bloch, Humberto Brenes, Michael Binger, and even Phil Hellmuth.

This event is a historic one for the World Series of Poker, as it marks the first occasion for a WSOP bracelet to be awarded outside of either Binion's or the Rio in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The combined entries to the event generated a prize pool of just over $350,000. First place will take home $96,929. Only the top 16 players will be rewarded for their time.

More Poker News Articles

Fabrice Soulier Joins Everest Poker's Pro Roster
12am Thu Nov 26th, 2009

To further strengthen its support for French poker in anticipation of the opening of that market, Everest Poker has signed renowned French poker pro Fabrice Soulier as its latest ambassador.

HHPT Co-Sponsors Bayou Poker Challenge Ladies Event Dec. 20
12am Wed Nov 25th, 2009

The HighHeelsPokerTour (HHPT), the first all women's poker tour launched on the East coast, will wrap up their 2009 schedule at Harrah's New Orleans on December 20th where they will co-sponsor the Ladies Event #14 no-limit Hold'em at 12 pm.

OPPAGA Reports on Florida's Online Poker Options
12am Tue Nov 24th, 2009

Given that UIGEA permits individual states to regulate online poker, the Florida Legislature's Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) published a report this week presenting three options available to Florida State lawmakers in order to protect consumers from unlawful internet poker: regulate it, prohibit it, or carry on with the status quo pending federal legislation.

BC Poker Champion Arrested, Charged with Manslaughter
12am Tue Nov 24th, 2009

Just two days after taking down the BC Poker Championships Main Event, Sophon Sek of Cloverdale, BC, was arrested in connection with one of the most storied crimes in the Province's history.

Local Businessman Bags European Poker Tour Vilamoura Bling
12am Sun Nov 22nd, 2009

The European Poker Tour rolled into the Casino Vilamoura last week, instantly generating the richest poker prize pool in the nation of Portugal's history.

Keikoan Captures Harvey's Lake Tahoe WSOPC Championship
12am Thu Nov 19th, 2009

This week marked the finale of the biggest annual tournament series in Northern Nevada, the WSOP Circuit championship at Harvey's Lake Tahoe. While the Main Event saw only a modest turnout, it did boast of a tough final table, and a WSOP bracelet owner as the eventual champion.

WSOP Main Event Champ Joe Cada to Appear on Letterman
12am Wed Nov 18th, 2009

The poker world will receive some late night attention tonight as "The Kid" Joe Cada, the youngest champion in the four decade history of the World Series of Poker Main Event, takes a seat next to embattled talk show host David Letterman.

First Korean Champ of Asia Pacific Poker Tour Crowned in Cebu
12am Tue Nov 17th, 2009

Another stop on the Asia Pacific Poker Tour is in the books, this time it's the APPT Cebu in the Philippines, and for the very first time a Korean player has come out on top.

Pollack Done as Commish of World Series of Poker
12am Sat Nov 14th, 2009

Just three days after crowning Joe Cada as the 2009 Main Event champion, officially closing the special 40th anniversary run of the World Series of Poker, Jeffrey Pollack has resigned his post as Commissioner of the WSOP.

Durrrr Signs as Team Full Tilt's Youngest Member
12am Wed Nov 11th, 2009

Tom "durrrr" Dwan is the newest member of Team Full Tilt, the online site's highest level of affiliation. At 23, Dwan is the youngest of the now 14-person team. The high stakes cash phenomenon was nominated for induction this year into the Poker Hall of Fame until the Hall of Fame Governing Council decided he was too young to meet the "has stood the test of time" qualification.