2008 WSOP event schedule
For the first time, the World Series of Poker will begin and end with a $10,000 tournament. The 55-event schedule will begin May 30 with the World Championship in pot-limit hold 'em and end November 11 with the final table of the no-limit hold 'em main event.
The schedule for 2008 includes eight $1,500 buy-in, no-limit hold 'em tournaments, which, with the exception of the main event, traditionally draw the largest fields. The WSOP also has added a second start day for the first of the $1,500 no-limit competitions to accommodate the expected number of entrants.
"This is our most exciting schedule yet," said Jeffrey Pollack, commissioner of the WSOP. "Both amateur and professional poker players will have new opportunities to compete for a WSOP bracelet and can choose from the widest variety of games and buy-ins ever offered in one poker tournament, and certainly at the WSOP."
With eight $10,000 buy-in tournaments (up from two last year) and 20 $1,500 tournaments (up from 16 last year), players with high and low bankrolls will be able to take their shot at a WSOP bracelet. The $50,000 HORSE championship also will return for its third straight year, but without one of its previous champions, Chip Reese, who died earlier in December. However, Reese will not be forgotten. Future winners of the $50,000 event will receive a trophy named after the poker legend.
In addition to HORSE, a new World Championship mixed game has been added to the schedule. Consisting of limit hold 'em, Omaha high-low split eight or Better, razz , seven-card stud, seven-card stud high-low split-eight or better, no-limit hold 'em, pot-limit Omaha and 2-7 triple draw lowball, this new tournament is sure to bring out the biggest and the best in the game.
Another new staple of the WSOP schedule is the "Ante Up For Africa" tournament, which debuted last year. Organized by poker player Annie Duke, actor Don Cheadle and Norman Epstein, dozens of Hollywood celebrities and poker professionals raised more than $700,000 for the Ante Up For Africa non-profit organization in 2007. Founded in 2006, the organization is dedicated to raising money and awareness for Africans in need.
Although there was a lack of major alterations to the tournament schedule, one major change was the removal of the tent that caused many problems for players last year. From the heat to its stability, it wasn't a success.
"The poker tent is gone," Pollack said. "We heard folks loud and clear last year, and there will be no tents used for tournament play at the 2008 WSOP."
July 3 will be the first of four start days for the 2008 main event. Last year, 6,358 entrants competed for a prize pool of $59.8 million. Players can choose their main event start date as long as seats are available on the selected date.
Below is the complete schedule for the 2008 WSOP. Events in bold will be broadcast on ESPN. The media and the "Ante Up For Africa" tournaments will be held July 2.
| Date | Event # | Tournament | Buy-In | ESPN Air Date/Winner |
| May 30, noon | 1 | World Championship pot-limit hold 'em (3 day event) | $10,000 | July 22 |
| May 31, noon | 2 | No-limit hold 'em (4 day event) | $1,500 | July 29 |
| June 2, noon | 3 | Pot-limit hold 'em (3 day event) | $1,500 | August 5 |
| June 2, 5 p.m. | 4 | Mixed hold 'em (3 day event) | $5,000 | August 5 |
| June 3, noon | 5 | No-limit hold 'em with rebuys (3 day event) | $1,000 | August 12 |
| June 3, 5 p.m. | 6 | Omaha high-low split, eight or better (3 day event) | $1,500 | Thang Luu |
| June 4, noon. | 7 | No-limit hold 'em (3 day event) | $2,000 | Matt Keikoan |
| June 4, 5 p.m. | 8 | World Championship mixed event (3 day event) | $10,000 | Anthony Rivera |
| June 5, noon | 9 | No-limit hold'em six-handed (3 day event) | $1,500 | Rep Porter |
| June 5, 5 p.m. | 10 | Omaha/Seven card stud high low, eight or better (3 day event) | $2,500 | Farzad Rouhani |
| June 6, noon | 11 | No-limit hold 'em shootout | $5,000 | Philip Tom |
| June 6, 5 p.m. | 12 | Limit hold 'em (3 day event) | $1,500 | Jimmy Shultz |
| June 7, noon | 13 | No-limit hold 'em | $2,500 | Duncan Bell |
| June 7, 5 p.m. | 14 | World Championship seven card stud (3 day event) | $10,000 | Eric Brooks |
| June 8, noon | 15 | Ladies no-limit hold 'em (3 day event) | $1,000 | Svetlana Gromenkova |
| June 8, 5 p.m. | 16 | Omaha high-low split, eight or better (3 day event) | $2,000 | Andrew Brown |
| June 9, noon | 17 | No-limit hold 'em shootout (3 day event) | $1,500 | Jason Young |
| June 9, 5 p.m. | 18 | No-limit 2-7 draw lowball with rebuys (3 day event) | $5,000 | Mike Matusow |
| June 10, noon | 19 | Pot-limit Omaha (3 day event) | $1,500 | Vanessa Selbst |
| June 10, 5 p.m. | 20 | Limit hold 'em (3 day event) | $2,000 | Daniel Negreanu |
| June 11, noon | 21 | No-limit hold 'em (3 day event) | $5,000 | Scott Seiver |
| June 11, 5 p.m. | 22 | HORSE (3 day event) | $5,000 | Jens Voertmann |
| June 12, noon | 23 | No-limit hold 'em (3 day event) | $2,000 | Blair Hinkle |
| June 12, 5 p.m. | 24 | Pot-limit hold 'em/Omaha (3 day event) | $2,500 | Max Pescatori |
| June 13, noon | 25 | World Championship heads-up no-limit hold 'em (256 player max, 3 day event) | $10,000 | Kenny Tran |
| June 13, 5 p.m. | 26 | Razz (3 day event) | $1,500 | Barry Greenstein |
| June 14, noon | 27 | No-limit hold 'em (3 day event) | $1,500 | Vitaly Lunkin |
| June 14, 5 p.m. | 28 | Pot-limit Omaha with rebuys (3 day event) | $5,000 | Phil Galfond |
| June 15, noon | 29 | No-limit hold 'em (3 day event) | $3,000 | John Phan |
| June 15, 5 p.m. | 30 | World Championship limit hold 'em (3 day event) | $10,000 | Rob Hollink |
| June 16, noon | 31 | No-liimit hold 'em, six handed (3 day event) | $2,500 | Dario Minieri |
| June 17, noon | 32 | No-limit hold 'em (3 day event) | $1,500 | Luis Velador |
| June 17, 5 p.m. | 33 | World Championship seven card stud high slow split, eight or better (3 day event) | $5,000 | Sebastian Ruthenberg |
| June 18, noon | 34 | Pot-limit Omaha with rebuys (3 day event) | $1,500 | Layne Flack |
| June 18, 5 p.m. | 35 | Seven Card Stud (3 day event) | $1,500 | Mike Rocco |
| June 19, noon | 36 | No-limit hold 'em (3 day event) | $1,500 | Jesper Hougaard |
| June 19, 5 p.m. | 37 | World Championship Omaha, high-low split, eight or better (3 day event) | $10,000 | David Benyamine |
| June 20, noon | 38 | Pot-limit hold 'em (3 day event) | $2,000 | Davidi Kitai |
| June 21, noon | 39 | No-limit hold 'em | $1,500 | Michael Woo |
| June 22, noon | 40 | 2-7 triple daw lowball (limit, 3 day event) | $2,500 | John Phan |
| June 22, 5 p.m. | 41 | Mixed hold 'em (3 day event) | $1,500 | Frank Gary |
| June 23, noon | 42 | Seniors no-limit hold 'em (3 day event) | $1,000 | Dan LaCourse |
| June 24, noon | 43 | Pot-limit Omaha high-low split, eight or better (3 day event) | $1,500 | Martin Klaser |
| June 25, noon | 44 | No-limit hold 'em with rebuys (3 day event) | $1,000 | Max Greenwood |
| June 25, 5 p.m. | 45 | World Championship HORSE (5 day event) | $50,000 | August 19 |
| June 26, noon | 46 | No-limit hold 'em, six handed (3 day event) | $5,000 | Joe Commisso |
| June 26, 5 p.m. | 47 | Seven card stud high-low, eight or better (3 day event) | $1,500 | Ryan Hughes |
| June 27, noon | 48 | No-limit hold 'em (3 day event) | $2,000 | Alexandre Gomes |
| June 28, noon | 49 | No-limit hold 'em (3 day event) | $1,500 | J.C. Tran |
| June 29, noon | 50 | World Championship pot-limit Omaha (3 day event) | $10,000 | August 26 |
| June 29, 5 p.m. | 51 | HORSE (3 day event) | $1,500 | James Schaaf |
| June 30, noon | 52 | No-limit hold 'em | $1,500 | David Daneshgar |
| July 1, noon | 53 | Limit hold 'em shootout | $1,500 | Matthew Graham |
| July 7, noon | 55 | Casino employees no-limit hold 'em | $500 | Jonathan Kotula |
| Date | Day of Action |
| July 3, noon | Day 1A - 2,500 Players |
| July 4, noon | Day 1B - 2,500 Players |
| July 5, noon | Day 1C - 2,500 Players |
| July 6 | Day 1D - 2,500 Players |
| July 7 | OFF |
| July 8, noon | Day 2A |
| July 9, noon | Day 2B |
| July 10, noon | Day 3 |
| July 11, noon | Day 4 |
| July 12, noon | Day 5 |
| July 13 | Day 6 |
| July 14, noon | Day 7 |
| November 9 | Play until heads-up |
| November 11, early morning | Final Table |
Event 54 will be televised on September 2 until October 28th. There will be a preview show on November 4 and the two-hour final table show will be aired on November 11th. For poker TV listings, click here.
