World Series of Poker Circuit Event Schedule Released

While the final cards on Day 2 of the 2008 World Series of Poker were being dealt, the WSOP Media Relations team was hard at work notifying players, the media, and the general public that the schedule for upcoming Circuit Events had been released. The breeding ground for future WSOP pros as well as established players competing in high-stakes tournaments around the United States, the WSOP Circuit Events come with a large amount of prestige. All of the action will begin on October 2nd at Caesars Indiana, just outside of Louisville.

Highlights of the 2008 WSOP Circuit Event schedule include a new stop at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana. Located off the Indiana Toll Road just a few miles east of downtown Chicago, the Horseshoe will play host to one of the richest tournaments ever held in the populated area. While putting out fires in the Rio during the Main Event, WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack commented in a press release, “Playing in a World Series of Poker Circuit event is the best way to hone your live tournament poker skills in a friendly and competitive environment. We continue to fine tune the World Series of Poker Circuit schedule and structures to deliver poker players the best tournaments throughout the year.”

Here’s a look at the schedule:

October 2 -- October 14, 2008
Caesars Indiana
 
October 24 -- November 2, 2008
Horseshoe Hammond
 
November 6 -- November 16, 2008
Harvey’s Lake Tahoe
 
December 5 – December 18, 2008
Harrah’s Atlantic City
 
January 20 – February 9, 2009
Harrah’s Tunica
 
February 12 – February 25, 2009
Horseshoe Council Bluffs
 
March 4 – March 14, 2009
Caesars Atlantic City
 
March 19 – March 29, 2009
Harrah’s Rincon
 
April 12 – April 29, 2009
Caesars Palace
 
May 8 – May 20, 2009
Harrah’s New Orleans

Winners of the Main Events on the 2007-2008 Circuit included online poker pro Jordan Morgan (Grand Casino Tunica), Carlos Uz (Caesars Indiana), Full Tilt Poker Pro Chris Ferguson (Harvey’s Tahoe), Andy Philachack (Harrah’s New Orleans), John Racener (Harrah’s Atlantic City), and five-time bracelet winner Allen Cunningham (Caesars Palace).

During the 2007-2008 season, there were 12 stops on the tour, including two at Caesars Indiana, two in Tunica, and two in New Orleans. This year, ten events will fill the void between the 2008 and 2009 WSOP tournaments at the Rio. If you take a look at the schedule, you’ll notice that there is a large gap between when the final table of the Main Event plays down to nine people on July 14th and the beginning of the first Circuit Event on October 2nd (nearly three months). Last season, an event at the end of August helped even out the tournament schedule. Main Event buy-ins on the Circuit range between $5,000 and $7,500 and each stop hosts about 10 tournaments total. In the Las Vegas summer WSOP spectacle, the Main Event comes with a $10,000 price tag.

The first WSOP Circuit Event was held on January 7th, 2005 in Atlantic City. The 2004-2005 Circuit Events numbered four. The next season, the number of stops tripled to 13. Each tournament over the years has been held at a Harrah’s property, making the casino chain the exclusive home of WSOP play.