We have sexism, racism, authoritarianism, totalitarianism, nationalism, fascism, and reentryism. It’s time to bring the isms down, and the World Series of Poker (WSOP) is playing its part.
The folks behind the most iconic poker brand in the world have released another flurry of events. As it did the last time a piece of electronic paper appeared on my Gmail account amid adverts for Harry’s Razors and Barefoot Writers, an all-out attack on reentryism is the headline.
The WSOP has added 17 more eggs to the basket, and 12 of them belong to a genre named ‘The Freezeout Series” priced between $500 and $5,000. According to the press release, more than 40-events afford you a single shot. I have no idea why the moon looks bigger here in LA than it does in the UK, but I know the WSOP wouldn’t be making this decision if it were bad for business.
Mystery Bounty
One of those freezeout events is the $1,500 buy-in Mystery Bounty No-Limit Hold ’em.
On Sunday, June 28 at 11 am, competitors in this event will begin with a 50,000 starting stack and a bounty. After elimination, they hand that bounty to the player who sent them crashing into the rail.
In a standard bounty competition, each player knows the amount of the bounty, and in this event, that amount is $100. However, like a baseball game – there is a catch.
One hundred people will hold a mystery bounty; only they are not aware of this. Once registration ends, players who have won a bounty (eliminated or still in the competition), can jump on the stage, waltz over to the ‘redemption area’, and spin a randomised wheel to see how much they’ve won.
And get this.
There are 80 bounties worth $2,500, ten worth $10,000, six worth $25,000, three worth $100,000, and one worth $250,000.
That’s $1m, folks.
The Super High Roller
If you do win the $250,000, and find yourself standing there like Eve holding a palm leaf wondering what to do with it, then the WSOP has an answer for you.
For the first time in WSOP history, there is an event pitched at the $250,000 price point. It takes place on June 27 at noon and will be a three-day event.
The WSOP has confirmed that there will not be a $1m buy-in Big One for One Drop this year, and so this represents the wealthiest buy-in of the festival, and it’s history (outside of the One Drop).
$25k News
The high roller action doesn’t end there.
A few press releases ago, the WSOP stuck the knife into the back of the $10,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold ’em Championship.
Now, we know why.
In 2020, there will be a $25,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold ’em event capped at 64-players. Entry is on a first-come, first-served basis, and it will be one of the earliest games on the calendar, scheduled for a 6 pm start on May 31.
There is also a $25,000 No-Limit Hold ’em event slated for May 29, and a $50,000 Pot-Limit Omaha on July 7.
Next up, the WSOP.com Online Gold Bracelet Schedule, and then that’s a wrap for the 51st Annual WSOP.
The New Events
May 27 – $1,000 NLHE Freezeout
May 29 – $25,000 NLHE
May 31 – $25,000 NLHE Heads-Up
Jun 4- $1,500 NLHE Freezeout
Jun 7 – $1,000 FortyStack NLHE
Jun 11 – $2,500 NLHE Freezeout
Jun 15 – $500 NLHE Freezeout
Jun 18 – $3,000 NLHE Freezeout
Jun 19 – $2,500 9-Game Mix
Jun 21 – $5,000 NLHE Freezeout
Jun 27 – $250,000 NLHE Freezeout
Jun 28 – $1,500 Mystery Bounty NLHE
Jul 6 – $5,000 Mixed NLHE/PLO
Jul 7 – $50,000 PLO
Jul 9 – $1,500 Fifty-Stack NLHE
Jul 12 – $800 NLHE DeepStack
Jul 13 – $1,000 Super-Turbo NLHE