The icy stares of stone-faced gambling gurus sometimes create a tension so thick, you can cut it with a proverbial knife. This is the World Series of Poker (WSOP), where card players from around the world throw down with each other to prove that they are the most skilled or the luckiest in the world. Or both. Names like Unger, Chan and Brunson are as revered in poker as names like Jordan, Montana and Ruth are in their sports. Now it’s time to crown the next legend.
The festivities began on May 31 at the Rio but The Main Event starts on July 9. The last nine players remaining will battle it out at The Final Table on July 18 until a champion is crowned. That’s 50 days straight for poker addicts, enthusiasts and people who just want to feel a bit of the action.
WSOP skyrocketed to an iconic mantle in American pop culture in 2003 when pocket cameras were inserted into the felt tables giving television viewers a chance to see what each player was holding in real time. It also coincided with the Cinderella run of champion Chris Moneymaker whose everyman quality and improbable gold bracelet win made him an instant celebrity. Since then, the poker wave rose even higher and eventually evened out.
However, as a game for players, WSOP is fully mainstream now, with the 2016 version featuring 69 separate events in which competitors can win gold bracelets. Buy-ins range in price from as little as $569 to as much as $111,111. With all the different events going on, there is something for everyone. You can bet on that.
Rio, times and buy-ins vary, through July 18. wsop.com/2016
