Joe Giron/WSOP Greg Merson won both the 2012 WSOP main event and Player of the Year award.
There may not be a $1 million buy-in event this year, but the 2013 World Series of Poker schedule looks more promising than ever, with an effort to improve and innovate once again. The poker world will converge on the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas from May 29 to July 15, with 62 events offering players around the world a chance to become an instant icon of the game.
The WSOP main event will take place from July 6 until July 15 when the final table of nine will be reached. Similar to 2012, there will be three starting days and three Day 2s before the field comes together on July 11 for Day 3. The November Nine format will return once again in 2013 with the final table scheduled for Nov. 4-5. The final table will be broadcast on ESPN.
After the customary casino employees event, which begins the world’s largest poker festival, four more events lead up to one of the most exciting offerings on the 2013 schedule. Event 6 is dubbed the “Millionaire Maker” as the winner of this $1,500 single re-entry event will earn $1,000,000. “The prize pool will be altered from standard WSOP events to ensure this first place payout,” the WSOP said in a press release.
“Dreams are dealt each year at the World Series of Poker,” said Ty Stewart, executive director of the WSOP. “From the opening weekend, where we will make yet another millionaire, to the main event, which awards the largest single prize in the world, the WSOP is an annual affirmation about the strength and global appeal of the game.”
There will continue to be a focus on no-limit events, especially on weekends, as the WSOP hopes to attract those weekend warriors who plan to visit Las Vegas for only a few days before returning to work. Each weekend in June will offer a $1,500 and $1,000 buy-in no-limit hold ’em event.
The WSOP will hold its first turbo event on June 19, where blinds will increase at 30-minute intervals during the first four levels, 40-minute intervals for levels 5 to 17, and the WSOP-standard 60-minute intervals beyond that. The $1,000 buy-in event is scheduled for two days.
“Bring your bankroll, whatever it is, and come have the time of your life,” said WSOP tournament director Jack Effel, who will oversee the tournament for the eighth consecutive year. “We think this is the most diverse schedule we’ve ever had and we’ll be ready for an all-time turn-out at the 44th annual WSOP.”
For those with massive bankrolls, the WSOP is offering a $111,111 buy-in High Roller bracelet event on June 26 where the customary 3 percent house fees that typically go to the casino will be donated to the charity ONE DROP. There will also be a $1,111 buy-in “Little One For One Drop” on July 3, with $111 of that going to ONE DROP.
One of the more intriguing adjustments on this year’s schedule is on the ladies’ event. The buy-in is listed as $10,000, but ladies will receive a substantial discount and be able to enter the event for only $1,000. There has been much debate regarding men entering this event (by law they are allowed to do so) and perhaps this change in price tag will allow the WSOP to reach its desired result.
Besides the High Roller, the $50,000 Poker Players’ Championship and $25,000 six-handed no-limit hold ’em events are the most expensive on the schedule. After seeing strong turnouts last year, the Mixed-Max, ante-only and four-handed events will returning 2013 as well.
In addition to the 62 bracelet events, an Open Face Chinese event ($5,000 buy-in) and Bracelet Bounty event ($560 buy-in) will be played in Vegas as non-bracelet events. The WSOP is also holding three non-bracelet “Deep Stack” events a day with buy-ins of $135, $185 and $235.
Pre-registration will open for all events on March 4 at WSOP.com.
Below is the complete schedule for the 2013 WSOP. ESPN’s broadcast schedule will be announced in the coming months.
2013 World Series of Poker Schedule
Event
Date, Time
Tournament
Buy-in
Winner
1
May 29, noon
Casino Employees Event no-limit hold ’em (two-day event)
$500
TBD
2
May 29, 5 p.m.
Eight-handed no-limit hold ’em (four-day event)
$5,000
TBD
3
May 30, Flight A: 11 a.m., B: 5 p.m.
No-limit hold ’em (three-day event)
$1,000
TBD
4
May 31, noon
Six-handed no-limit hold ’em (three-day event)
$1,500
TBD
5
May 31, 5 p.m.
Omaha/seven-card stud high-low eight-or-better (three-day event)
$2,500
TBD
6
June 1, Flight A: 11 a.m., B: 5 p.m.
Millionaire Maker (three-day event)
$1,500
TBD
7
June 2, noon
No-limit hold ’em (three-day event)
$1,000
TBD
8
June 2, 5 p.m.
Eight-game mix (three-day event)
$2,500
TBD
9
June 3, noon
No-limit hold ’em shootout (two starting days, five-day event)
$3,000
TBD
10
June 3, 5 p.m.
Limit hold ’em (three-day event)
$1,500
TBD
11
June 4, noon
Six-handed no-limit hold ’em (three-day event)
$2,500
TBD
12
June 5, noon
Pot-limit hold ’em (three-day event)
$1,500
TBD
13
June 5, 5 p.m.
Seven-card stud high-low split eight-or-better (three-day event)
$5,000
TBD
14
June 6, noon.
No-limit hold ’em (three-day event)
$1,500
TBD
15
June 7, noon
HORSE (three-day event)
$1,500
TBD
16
June 7, 5 p.m.
Heads-up no-limit hold ’em world championship (three-day event)
$10,000
TBD
17
June 8, noon
No-limit hold ’em (three-day event)
$1,500
TBD
18
June 8, noon
No-limit hold ’em (three-day event)
$1,000
TBD
19
June 9, 5 p.m.
Pot-limit hold ’em (three-day event)
$5,000
TBD
20
June 10, noon
Omaha high-low split eight-or-better (three-day event)
$1,500
TBD
21
June 11, noon
Six-handed no-limit hold ’em (three-day event)
$3,000
TBD
22
June 12, noon
Pot-limit Omaha (three-day event)
$1,500
TBD
23
June 12, 5 p.m.
Seven-card stud (three-day event)
$2,500
TBD
24
June 13, noon
No-limit hold ’em (three-day event)
$1,500
TBD
25
June 13, 5 p.m.
Omaha high-low split eight-or-better (three-day event)
$5,000
TBD
26
June 14, 10 a.m.
Seniors No-limit hold ’em Championship (three-day event)
$1,000
TBD
27
June 14, 5 p.m.
Mixed-Max (three-day event)
$3,000
TBD
28
June 15, noon
No-limit hold ’em (three-day event)
$1,500
TBD
29
June 15, 5 p.m.
HORSE (three-day event)
$5,000
TBD
30
June 16, noon
No-limit hold ’em (three-day event)
$1,000
TBD
31
June 17, noon
Pot-limit Omaha high-low split eight-or-better (three-day event)
$1,500
TBD
32
June 18, noon
Six-handed no-limit hold ’em (three-day event)
$5,000
TBD
33
June 18, 5 p.m.
Razz (three-day event)
$2,500
TBD
34
June 19, noon
Turbo no-limit hold ’em (two-day event)
$1,000
TBD
35
June 19, 5 p.m.
Pot-limit Omaha (three-day event)
$3,000
TBD
36
June 20, noon
No-limit hold ’em shootout (three-day event)
$1,500
TBD
37
June 20, 5 p.m.
Limit hold ’em (three-day event)
$2,500
TBD
38
June 21, noon
Four-handed no-limit hold ’em (three-day event)
$2,500
TBD
39
June 21, noon
Seven-card stud high-low split eight-or-better (three-day event)
$1,500
TBD
40
June 22, noon
No-limit hold ’em (three-day event)
$1,500
TBD
41
June 22, 5 p.m.
Six-handed pot-limit Omaha (three-day event)
$5,000
TBD
42
June 23, noon
No-limit hold ’em (three-day event)
$1,000
TBD
43
June 23, 5 p.m.
2-7 Lowball (no-limit, three-day event)
$10,000
TBD
44
June 24, noon
No-limit hold ’em (three-day event)
$3,000
TBD
45
June 25, noon
Ante-only no-limit hold ’em (three-day event)
$1,500
TBD
46
June 25, 5 p.m.
Pot-limit Omaha high-low split eight-or-better (three-day event)
$3,000
TBD
47
June 26, noon
One Drop High Roller (three-day event)
$111,111
TBD
48
June 26, 5 p.m.
Six-handed limit hold ’em (three-day event)
$2,500
TBD
49
June 27, noon
No-limit hold ’em(three-day event)
$1,500
TBD
50
June 27, 5 p.m.
Six-handed 10-game mix (three-day event)
$2,500
TBD
51
June 28, noon
Ladies no-limit hold ’em championship (three-day event)
$10,000 (Men), $1,000 (Women)
TBD
52
June 28, 5 p.m.
Six-handed no-limit hold ’em (three-day event)
$25,000
TBD
53
June 29, noon
No-limit hold ’em (three-day event)
$1,500
TBD
54
June 30, noon
No-limit hold ’em (three-day event)
$1,000
TBD
55
June 30, 5 p.m.
The Poker Players’ Championship (five-day event)
$50,000
TBD
56
July 1, noon
No-limit hold ’em (three-day event)
$2,500
TBD
57
July 2, noon
No-limit hold ’em (four-day event)
$5,000
TBD
58
July 3, noon
Little One For One Drop (four-day event, unlimited re-entry first four levels)
$1,111
TBD
59
July 3, 5 p.m.
2-7 Triple Draw Lowball (limit, three-day event)
$2,500
TBD
60
July 5, noon
No-limit hold ’em (three-day event)
$1,500
TBD
61
July 5, 5 p.m.
Pot-limit Omaha World Championship (three-day event)
$10,000
TBD
62
July 6-15
No-limit hold ’em World Championship
$10,000
TBD
Andrew Feldman
ESPN.com
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