Let’s just have the WSOP every few months
When the World Series of Poker announces the schedule for the year’s big poker festival, I often say something like, “It seems like the WSOP just ended.” This time, it really did just end, as the pandemic shifted the 2021 WSOP to the fall. But the 2022 WSOP is coming up in just three months and Caesars has released the full schedule for the 53rd running of the series.
It is back to its regular spot on the calendar, starting May 31 and finishing up July 20. The $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em World Championship, the verbose way of saying “Main Event,” will begin July 3 and run through July 16. There will be four starting flights, one each day through July 6. Days 2A and 2B will be on July 7, while Days 2C and 2D will be on July 8. Everyone who makes it through will combine in a single field for Day 3 on July 9.
After that, it’s straight through to the end of the Main Event. The first day of the nine-handed final table is on July 15 and will play down to four players; the champion will be crowned the next day.
First WSOP on the Strip
One of the most exciting aspects of this year’s World Series of Poker is that it is on the Las Vegas Strip for the first time, leaving the Rio for Paris and Bally’s, the latter of which will soon be renamed Horseshoe. Caesars says that the facilities can house over 600 poker tables, the largest tournament capacity in WSOP history.
The main cage will be at Paris, while the television stage will be at Bally’s Event Center. The two venues are connected.
To celebrate the move to the Strip, there will be a $500 buy-in event opening weekend called “The Housewarming,” featuring a $5 million guaranteed prize pool.
A sampling of the new events
As is typically the case, there are some new tournaments at the WSOP. The $1,000 buy-in Million Dollar Bounty, slated for July 2-4. The first day is a normal tournament day. Starting on Day 2, though, players earn a random bounty prize for each player they eliminate. One of the bounties will be $1 million.
The Tournament of Champions is different this year. The final tournament on the schedule, it is a $1 million freeroll for the players who win bracelets this summer, as well as anyone who won a gold ring on the 2021-2022 WSOP Circuit.
Other highlights include the Heads-Up No-Limit Hold’em Championship increasing to a $25,000 buy-in, the $777 Lucky Sevens event with a $777,777 guaranteed first prize, and the $1,979 Poker Hall of Fame Bounty tournament. In the latter, all Poker Hall of Fame members get to play for free, but each of them also has a bounty on their head equal to the year they were inducted into the Hall. The 2022 Poker HOF inductee will also be announced during the tournament.
And, of course, the WSOP.com online bracelet events are back. There will be at least one each Sunday during the WSOP.
The complete 2022 World Series of Poker schedule and tournament structures can be found at WSOP.com.
Image credit: PokerGO.com
