2008 WSOP, Day 28: Horsin’ Around

All eyes on the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. event (Event No. 45) which kicked off yesterday.

Like you, I read the reports about how tourney staff had removed tables, creating more space for extra media there in the front left corner of the Amazon Room. When everyone finally registered, there were 148 runners total -- exactly the number who entered last year. Kind of jibes with how the entire Series has gone thus far, with numbers mostly mirroring last year’s in most events (aside from those Omaha events, which have uniformly attracted more entrants).

Also noticed how PokerNews had assigned extra bloggers and reporters to cover this one, which combined with a smaller field means more comprehensive coverage. I liked seeing all 148 players in the chip counts right off the bat. (I’m guessing media was provided with a list for this one, although PokerNews might’ve been able to identify everyone anyhow.) That’s something that isn’t really feasible with most events. Take the last one I covered, the Deuce-to-Seven Triple Draw event that had 238 enter (Event No. 40). Even with several reporters we were only ultimately able to identify a little over a third of the field by the end of Day 1.

Thanks to the slow structure, almost all of the 148 are coming back today. Just eight fell out, including Phil Hellmuth, David Williams, Amnon Filippi, Shun Uchida (who finished runner-up in Event No. 40), and Jamie Pickering (who was runner-up to Vanessa Selbst in Event No. 19).

I’m off again today (Thursday), but will be back in the Rio on Friday where I’ll join Don Peters to help cover Event No. 46, the $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em Short-Handed event. So I’ll be around to catch some of the buzz as the H.O.R.S.E. plays out the last three days of its scheduled five.

Yesterday was a fun day with Vera. We started off having brunch with the PokerGrump over at a place called Hash House a-Go Go. It’s just a couple of miles off the strip and all three of us definitely recommend it for some good eats. Vera and I then spent the afternoon goofing around the Mandalay Bay-Luxor end of the strip.

We had considered visiting the Shark Reef Aquarium, but decided against. Instead on a lark we ended up on this Imax motion simulator thingy in the Luxor. Was a little like spending 15 minutes inside a bad Mystery Science Theater 3000 film.

Our group included just us and a family of five, and the kids’ mostly whiny comments were the funniest thing about the whole ride. There was some sort of nonsensical narrative associated with the “adventure” -- something to do with finding a much-cherished obelisk. A couple of minor thrills but mostly a bunch of applesauce. Aside from the hokey “plot,” the thing felt pretty damn dated from a technology standpoint. Indeed, looking it up online I see the whole production was put together fifteen years ago.

“I don’t get it,” said one of the kids as we walked out. Dad couldn’t really explain it either.

We had thought about going back out later, but ended up just taking it easy, creating our own simulator of home life here at the apartment (eating in, watching some tube). We were both a bit fatigued, Vera from the time change, and me from having worked the three previous days.

We’re rested up now, though, and are looking forward to heading over to the Mirage for dinner and the Love show tonight. Meanwhile, you can head on over to PokerNews for yr H.O.R.S.E updates.