2010 WSOP, A Reporter’s Notebook

Slept past noon again today, the body -- and mind, probably -- still recovering from the extended workout of the last two months.

This was my third summer helping cover the World Series of Poker for PokerNews. Like I did in 2008 and 2009, I posted here throughout the summer, sharing some of my experiences reporting on the sucker. For both of those years I did a compilation post at the end collecting links to all the WSOP posts, so I thought I’d do that again today. (Here’s the 2008 compilation, and here’s the one for 2009.)

As those of you who’ve been reading know, these aren’t really reports on the Series as much as personal reflections -- hopefully providing something a little different (and maybe even interesting) about some of what happened at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino since late May.

2010 WSOP, Day 1: Exile on Hotel Rio Drive
Despite not being assigned to work, I go in on the first day of play anyway and reunite with several friends. Without wheels of my own, I remain for much of the day, including seeing the start of the $50,000 Player’s Championship (Event No. 2).

2010 WSOP, Day 2: The Grand Games
My first assignment was to help cover Event No. 3, the first of six open-field, $1,000 buy-in no-limit hold’em tourneys on this year’s schedule. Here I offer some thoughts about the significance of these $1K or “grand” games.

2010 WSOP, Day 3: Groundhog Day
Probably a little early in the Series to bring up this movie, but I’m alluding to having worked Day 1b of Event No. 3, where rather than move forward in the event it seems like we’re starting over again.

2010 WSOP, Days 4-11: Catching Up
This year I took an eight-day detour from the WSOP early on to go help cover the LAPT Lima event in Peru. (Here is a post with links to all of those trip reports.) Here I’ve returned and am catching up on some of the big stories from the beginning of the 2010 WSOP.

2010 WSOP, Day 12: Rejoining the Spectacle
I wound up over at the Rio on a day off again, and actually ended up working nearly a full shift when a colleague fell ill. Helped a bit covering Event No. 17 ($5,000 No-Limit Hold’em), during which Shannon Elizabeth took a picture of Hellmuth, Ferguson, Williams, and me (no shinola).

2010 WSOP, Day 13: The Real Tournament of Champions?
I move over to help cover Event No. 19, the $10,000 Deuce-to-Seven Draw Championship (No-Limit), the field for which is so stacked it inspired the title question.

2010 WSOP, Day 14: Late Night Draw
A short post about a long night covering Day 2 of Event No. 19, the $10,000 Deuce-to-Seven Draw Championship (No-Limit).

2010 WSOP, Day 15: No Time
Refer in passing here to my birthday, spent covering the final of Event No. 19. Also throw in a few remarks here about the first day of the Ladies Championship (Event No. 22), which generated so much talk.

2010 WSOP, Day 16: On Covering the Ladies Event
I moved over to Day 2 of Event No. 22, the $1,000 buy-in Ladies Hold’em Championship, about which I share a few reflections here.

2010 WSOP, Day 17: Ladies Event Final Table
During which Robbie, the Tournament Director, sprays me with Red Bull and I race into the Ladies room.

2010 WSOP, Day 18: Beating 2-4
A day off, and the Poker Grump plays some $2-$4 limit hold’em with me. During which he draws and plays his celebrated deuce-four.

2010 WSOP, Day 19: The Day One Debate
Back to work, covering Day 1 of Event No. 28, the $2,500 Pot-Limit Omaha event. Here I open up the question regarding how best to report on these first days of three-day events.

2010 WSOP, Day 20: Which Event Is This?
Moving into that part of the schedule in which every day there were five or six different events going, often right alongside one another. I was still on Event No. 28 here (Day 2).

2010 WSOP, Day 21: Crazy Rhythms
On reporting from the final table of Event No. 28, the $2,500 Pot-Limit Omaha event won by Miguel Proulx.

2010 WSOP, Day 22: Heads Up!
A fun day for me. Got to work with Snoopy, helping cover Day 1 of Event No. 35, the $10,000 Heads Up No-Limit Hold’em Championship. And Vera Valmore arrived for her week-long visit.

2010 WSOP, Day 23: The Act You’ve Known for All These Years
Another awesome day. Vera and I go see Cheap Trick perform the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper album plus a number of their own hits over at the Paris. Power pop FTW!

2010 WSOP, Day 24: The Match Without End
Ducky and I are at the Rio until 6 a.m. covering what was supposed to be the last day of Event No. 35, the $10,000 Heads Up No-Limit Hold’em Championship. Only it didn’t end (the final two would come back the next day to finish).

2010 WSOP, Day 25: Ivey, Ivey, Ivey
Phil Ivey wins his eighth bracelet, that final table playing out in front of me while I cover Day 2 of Event No. 38, the $2,500 Pot-Limit Hold’em/Pot-Limit Omaha event.

2010 WSOP, Day 26: Observing Obrestad
I share some thoughts about watching Annette Obrestad play in Event No. 39, the $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em Shootout.

2010 WSOP, Day 27: Boom Boom (Out Go the Lights)
Just after we finish up with the final table of Event No. 39, the $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em Shootout, the power went out in the Rio. “Cover your chips!” were the first words cried out.

2010 WSOP, Day 28: Lull
Just four events on the WSOP schedule that day. Of those I was assigned to help cover Day 1 of Event No. 44, the $2,500 Mixed Limit/No-Limit Hold’em event.

2010 WSOP, Day 29: Fun and Games
I help with Day 2 of Event No. 44, and Benjo tells me my balls are too small.

2010 WSOP, Day 30: “You’re Winning This One”
Gavin Smith wins a bracelet. Of course, FlipChip told him he would the day before.

2010 WSOP, Day 31: Break in the Routine
A day off, part of which I spend having lunch with the always interesting Tommy Angelo.

2010 WSOP, Day 32: The Grand Games, Part 2
I began the summer helping cover one of the $1,000 buy-in NLHE events, and I was back on them again near the end, this time helping with Day 2 of Event No. 47. A few more reflections here about the so-called “donkaments.”

2010 WSOP, Day 33: Games People Play
Here I allow myself a little bit of room to vent some about the various complaints surrounding the WSOP, its coverage, and so forth.

2010 WSOP, Day 34: Hard to Deny, Must Be July
Not difficult at all while at the WSOP to lose track of what the calendar says, and instead think of the world as organized into Day Ones, Twos, and Threes.

2010 WSOP, Day 35: In Person
I help cover Day 1a of Event No. 54, the last of the open-field $1,000 buy-in events, in which a number of friends and acquaintances were playing.

2010 WSOP, Day 36: On the Schneid
I sit down to chat with my friend and 2007 WSOP Player of the Year Tom Schneider about his Series and the state of poker, generally speaking.

2010 WSOP, Day 37: Feeling Gravity’s Pull
Still on Event No. 54, and starting to feel the wear and tear of all those 12-, 13-, 14-hour (and longer) days.

2010 WSOP, Day 38: The Last of the Preliminaries
Still covering Event No. 54, and starting to look ahead to the Main Event.

2010 WSOP, Day 39: From Where I’m Sitting
On the first day of the Main Event (Day 1a), I helped cover what was a fairly exciting final table for Event No. 54.

2010 WSOP, Day 40: A Few Calculations
Looking at some of the early numbers for the Main Event, and also remarking on some of the struggles had by the so-called “name” players at the ME.

2010 WSOP, Day 41: Rejoining the World (Series)
Getting back in the swing of things at the Main Event, including reuniting/visiting with some buds on media row. This was also the day I had the privilege of interviewing Nolan Dalla, WSOP Media Director.

2010 WSOP, Day 42: Day 1d Anecdotes
A player asks me advice about how to play the Main Event. I also meet Chris Cosenza (Ante Up!).

2010 WSOP, Day 43: Following the Action
On Day 2a of the Main Event, including a fairly bizarre hand involving Chris Moneymaker and Bryan Pellegrino.

2010 WSOP, Day 44: The Return of the World Poker Tour
A pretty cool day off (my last), spent in part attending a press conference for the WPT with California Jen. I meet and chat with several folks there, including Mike Sexton, Vince Van Patten, Jesse May, and Matt Savage.

2010 WSOP, Day 45: Tournies & Trophies, Gin & Juice
I take third in the WSOP Media tournament (of 130). How do I celebrate? By going to see Snoop Dogg, of course.

2010 WSOP, Day 46: The Odd Couple
A report from Day 3 of the Main Event, during which I watched Robert Varkonyi and Vanessa Selbst mix it up more than once.

2010 WSOP, Day 47: The Roving Reporter
I spend the first part of Day 4 of the Main Event watching the last hands in the Pavilion Room played this summer, then I trek over to the feature tables.

2010 WSOP, Day 48: The Long Walk
Day 5 of the Main Event. Players falling left and right. The scene reminds me of an old Stephen King novel.

2010 WSOP, Day 49: Intense
Up to Day 6. They played down from 205 to 78 this day, so the stakes (for the players and for those reporting on them) were going up, up, up.

2010 WSOP, Day 50: Almost There
My last day helping cover the WSOP for PokerNews (Day 7 of the ME) was another wild one.

2010 WSOP, Day 51: The End
While the November Nine is being decided, I catch an early flight. Here I try to thank the many wonderful folks with whom I worked all summer.

Back to our regular programming (i.e., once a weekday posting) starting tomorrow. And thanks again for reading along this summer.