WSOP 2016 - Schedule And Preview

S tarting Date: May 31, 2016

Venue: Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada

On-site Registration: Available Since April 1, 2016

Eligibility: 21-years-old or older * 50 years-old-plus for the Senior Event ** 65 years-old-plus for the Super Senior Event

Acceptable IDs:

US RESIDENTS:

• Driver’s Licence
• US Passport
• Passport card
• Military ID
• Permanent Resident Alien Card

ALL OTHER COUNTRIES:

• Foreign passport
• Driver’s Licence

ALL TIME WSOP RECORD - 69 GOLD BRACELET EVENTS

Last year, the most famous poker festival in the world broke the 100,000-entry mark and awarded over $210 million in total cash prizes. Players from 111 different countries competed against each other for a record-breaking 68 WSOP gold bracelets. Those 68 lucky winners won on average $558,571 with American Joe McKeehen dominating his competition after winning the $10,000 Main Event for $7,683,346.

2016 is set to be yet another record-breaking year. Forget about 68, 69 will soon be the new WSOP record in terms of gold bracelets handed out in one year. The record is due to be broken on Tuesday, July 12, 2016 with the start of the Little One for One Drop No Limit Holdem Event. According to the 2016 schedule, that event will be the 69th of the series. Of course, the actual 69th gold bracelet of the Las Vegas’ World Series of Poker will be handed much later, in November, to the $10,000 Main Event winner.

What’s New In This Year’s WSOP?

Eight new tournaments will be added to this year’s WSOP schedule:

• Event #4: $1,000 Top Up Turbo No Limit Holdem (the satellites winners just prior to the event will have the unique opportunity to double their stack).
• Event #12: $565 Pot Limit Omaha with unlimited re-entries
• Event #23: $2,000 No Limit Holdem
• Event #40: $2,500 Mixed Triple Draw Lowball
• Event #45: $1,500 Mixed No Limit Holdem/ Pot Limit Omaha
• Event #53: $1,500 Mixed PLO8/O8/Big O
• Event #54: $888 Crazy Eights Eight Handed No Limit Holdem
• Event #61: $1,000 Tag Team No Limit Holdem

The most surprising and interesting event is probably the WSOP Team Event. The Event is scheduled to start on July 6, 2016, with the final table set for July 8. Each team must have at least two players but no more than four and they must register together - it’s $1,000 per team. Players in a team can switch between themselves at any time as long as they aren’t active in a hand. The winners will receive each a gold bracelet.

Besides the events, the organizers will also surprise their long-time poker customers with some structure tweaks: the top 15% of the contestants will be In the Money as compared to previous years when only the top 10% cashed in.

But what does it mean? First of all, more players than ever will cash in (50% more to be exact compared to 2015) - most probably setting a WSOP record. Also players will reach the ItM phase much earlier - in some events on Day 1, even. However, the prize structure will be much flatter which means less money for the final table participants. The minimum payout will be one-and-a-half times the buy-in while the winner will cash in less, on average, compared to 2015 ($558,571). In other words, the new structure is good for the recreational players, but somehow bad for the grinders who eye one of the top 3 spots at every WSOP event.

The starting times have also been revamped for this year. Most of the tournaments will start one hour earlier than in 2015, at 11 AM and 3 PM respectively. Which means the tournaments will end sooner for the day, a good thing for all of us, participants and viewers alike. However, there will be some crowded events that will start even earlier at 10 AM like the Colossus, Millionaire Maker, Monster Stack, Crazy Eights or the Seniors and Super Seniors events.

The other key changes for this year’s WSOP include:

• Bigger stacks
  • The starting stacks for the $10,000 events will be 66% bigger from 30,000 chips last year to 50,000 in 2016.
  • MAIN EVENT IS INCLUDED.
• Structure Tweaks
  • No more pre-ante - post-ante similar blind levels (instead of a 100-200 level followed by 100-200-25, there will be only the 100-200-25 level).
  • The duration of a WSOP event will decrease as a result.
• One flight at a time
  • Players may only register one flight at a time in advance in the multi-entry, multi-flight WSOP events.

The 2016 WSOP Full Schedule

May 31 - 9 AM: Live Action

• $1/$3 and UP No Limit Holdem Cash Games and $2/$4 and UP Limit Holdem.
• Pot Limit Omaha, Omaha 8, Razz, Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud 8, 2-7 Triple Draw, A-5 Triple Draw, Badugi cash games also available.
• Live Action is opened till July 18,2016.

May 31 - 9 AM: Single Table Satellites

• Running 24 hours till July 10, 2016 based on demand
• The buy-in ranges from $55 and beyond.

May 31 - 9 AM: Mega Satellites

• Daily $185 buy-in turbo NLHE mega satellites (10 entries = $1,500 event ticket + $100 cash) running till July 7, 2016.
• Daily $575 and $1,100 buy-in speciality mega satellites running till July 7 at 8 PM.
• Many other NLHE and non-NLHE mega satellites for the big-buy-in events including the Main Event running till July 11, 2016.

May 31 - 2 PM: Daily Deepstacks

• Non-bracelet poker tournaments scheduled at 2 PM, 5 PM, 7 PM and 9 PM every day till July 18, 2016.
• The buy-ins range from $135 to $365.

June 1 - 11 AM: Event #1: $565 Casino Employees No Limit Holdem

June 2 - 10 AM: Event #2: $565 The Colossus II No Limit Holdem

• Two starting flights each day at 10 AM and 4 PM respectively from June 2 to June 4.
• Re-entry - players may register again on other starting flights if they fail to advance initially.
• $7 million guaranteed up $2 million from last year
• $1 million guaranteed to the winner.
• In The Money phase will be reached on Day 1.
• 5,000 starting chips with blinds at 25/50.
• 30-minute levels on Day 1 and 60-minutes blind levels on Day 2 and beyond.
• The Colossus II champion will be crowned on June 7.

June 4 - 3 PM: Event #3: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship

June 5 - 2 PM: Event #4: $1,000 WSOP.com Top Up Turbo No Limit Holdem

• 20-minute levels.
• Players qualifying from the $55 single table satellites on WSOP.com or live at Rio just prior to the event will be able to double their starting chips.

June 5 - 3 PM: Event #5: $1,500 Dealers Choice/Six Handed

• Dealer will choose the game from a variety of poker games: NLHE, LHE, Razz, 7-Card Stud, 7-Card Stud Hi-Lo, 7-Card Stud Hi-Lo/8, PLHE, PLO, PLO8, Big O, LO, O8, 2-7TD, 1-5TD, Badugi, Badeucy, Badacy, 2-7 NL Draw, NL 5-Card Draw

June 6 - 11 AM: Event #6: $1,500 No Limit Holdem

June 6 - 3 PM: Event #7: $1,500 2-7 Draw Lowball

June 7 - 11 AM: Event #8: $1,500 H.O.R.S.E.

• Mixed event: Limit Holdem, Omaha Hi-Lo Split-8, Seven Card Razz, Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo Split 8.
• June 7 - 3 PM: Event #9: $10,000 Heads-Up No Limit Holdem Championship
• Maximum of 512 players.

June 8 - 11 AM: Event #10: $1,500 Six-Handed No Limit Holdem

June 8 - 3 PM: Event #11: $10,000 Dealers Choice/Six-Handed

• Dealer will choose the game from a variety of poker games: NLHE, LHE, Razz, 7-Card Stud, 7-Card Stud Hi-Lo, 7-Card Stud Hi-Lo/8, PLHE, PLO, PLO8, Big O, LO, O8, 2-7TD, 1-5TD, Badugi, Badeucy, Badacy, 2-7 NL Draw, NL 5-Card Draw

June 9 - 11 AM: Event #12: $565 Pot Limit Omaha

• Unlimited re-entries.
• Lowest ever price point for this variant.

June 9 - 3 PM: Event #13: $1,500 Seven Card Razz

June 10 - 10 AM: Event #14: $1,500 Millionaire Maker No Limit Holdem

• 5-day event with two flights on June 10 and 11.
• Winner AND runner-up have each a $1 million guaranteed cash prize.
• The players eliminated on Day 1A cannot re-enter on Day 1B.

June 10 - 3PM: Event #15: $1,500 Eight Game Mix/Six Handed

• Mixed games: Limit Holdem, Omaha Hi-Lo Split-8, Seven Card Stud, Razz, Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo Split-8 or Better, No Limit Holdem, Pot Limit Omaha, 2-7 Triple Draw.

June 11 - 3 PM: Event #16: $10,000 2-7 Draw Lowball Championship

• No Limit
• One re-entry allowed.

June 12 - 11 AM: Event #17: $1,000 No Limit Holdem

June 12 - 3 PM: Event #18: $3,000 H.O.R.S.E.

• Mixed games: Limit Holdem, Omaha Hi-Lo Split-8, Seven Card Razz, Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo Split 8.

June 13 - 11 AM: Event #19: Pot Limit Omaha

June 13 - 3 PM: Event #20: $10,000 Seven Card Razz Championship

June 14 - 11 AM: Event #21: $3,000 Six-Handed No Limit Holdem

June 14 - 3 PM: Event #22: $1,500 Limit Holdem

June 15 - 11 AM: Event #23: $2,000 No Limit Holdem

June 15 - 3 PM: Event #24: $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship

• Mixed games: Limit Holdem, Omaha Hi-Lo Split-8, Seven Card Razz, Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo Split 8.

June 16 - 11 AM: Event #25: $2,500 No Limit Holdem

June 16 - 3 PM: Event #26: $1,500 Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better

June 17 - 10 AM: Event #27: $1,000 Senior No Limit Holdem Championship

• Entrants must be 50 years of age or older.

June 17 - 3 PM: Event #28: $10,000 Limit Holdem Championship

June 18 - 11 AM: Event #29: $1,500 No Limit Holdem

June 18 - 3 PM: Event #30: $3,000 Six-Handed Pot Limit Omaha

June 19 - 10 AM: Event #31: $1,000 Super Seniors No Limit Holdem

• Entrants must be 65 years of age or older.

June 19 - 3 PM: Event #32: $10,000 Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better Championship

June 20 - 11 AM: Event #33: $1,500 Summer Solstice No Limit Holdem

• 5-day event with 90-minute blind levels

June 20 - 3 PM: Event #34: $1,500 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball

June 21 - 11 AM: Event #35: $5,000 Six-Handed No Limit Holdem

June 21 - 3 PM: Event #36: $2,500 Mixed Omaha/Seven Card Stud Hi-Low 8-or-Better

June 22 - 11AM: Event #37: $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha

June 22 - 3 PM: Event #38: $3,000 Six-Handed Limit Holdem

June 23 - 11 AM: Event #39: $10,00 Six-Handed No Limit Holdem Championship

June 23 - 3 PM: Event #40: $2,500 Mixed Triple Draw Lowball

• Limit event.
• Mixed lowball games: A-5 Triple Draw, 2-7 Triple Draw and Badugi.

June 24 - 10 AM: Event #41: $1,500 Monster Stack No Limit Holdem

• Two-flights on June 24 and 25, single entry event.
• Players start with 15,000 chips.
• Day 2 is scheduled on June 26 while the final table is set for June 28.

June 24 - 3 PM: Event #42: $3,000 Shootout No Limit Holdem

• Maximum 2,000 players allowed.

June 25 - 3 PM: Event #43: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better Championship

June 26 - 11 AM: Event #44: $1,000 No Limit Holdem

June 26 - 3 PM: Event #45: $1,500 Mixed No Limit Holdem/Pot Limit Omaha

• Eight-handed 3-day event.

June 27 - 11 AM: Event #46: $1,500 Bounty No Limit Holdem

• Every player has a bounty on his head.

June 27 - 3 PM: Event #47: $10,000 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball Championship

• Limit event.

June 28 - 11 AM: Event #48: $5,000 No Limit Holdem

• 30-minute blind levels.

June 28 - 3 PM: Event #49: $1,500 Seven Card Stud

June 29 - 11 AM: Event #50: $1,500 Shootout No Limit Holdem

• Maximum of 2,000 players allowed.

June 29 - 3 PM: Event #51: $10,000 Pot Limit Omaha Championship

• Eight-handed 3-day event.

June 30 - 11 AM: Event #52: $3,000 No Limit Holdem

June 30 - 3 PM: Event #53: $1,500 Mixed PLO/8 - Omaha/8 - Big

July 1 - 10 AM: Event #54: $888 Crazy Eights - Eight Handed No Limit Holdem

• Two flight event on July 1 and 2 with re-entry - once eliminated, the player can choose to re-enter on the next flight.
• Players starts with 5,000 chips; the blind levels are 30-minutes long.
• Day 2 will be on July 3. The final table is set for July 5.
• The winner of the Crazy Eights has $888,888 in guaranteed prize money.

July 2 - 3 PM: Event #55: $50,000 The Poker Players Championship/Six Handed

• 5-day event.
• Mixed games: Limit Hold'em, Omaha Hi-Lo Split-8, Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Razz, Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better, No-Limit Hold'em, Pot-Limit Omaha, 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball

July 3 - 11 AM: Event #56: $1,500 No Limit Holdem

July 3 - 3 PM: Event #57: $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better

July 4 - 11 AM: Event #58: $1,00 No Limit Holdem

• 30-minute blind levels.

July 5 - 11 AM: Event #59: $5,000 No Limit Holdem

• 4-day event.

July 5 - 3 PM: Event #60: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Low-8 or Better

July 6 - 11 AM: Event #61: $1,000 Tag Team No Limit Holdem

• Team Poker is back at the WSOP.
• A team can be comprised of 2 to maximum 4 players. The members of a team must register together.
• The buy-in is $1,000 PER TEAM.
• Players in a team can switch between themselves at any time as long as they aren’t active in a hand.
• The winners will receive each a gold bracelet.

July 6 - 3 PM: Event #62: $25,000 High Roller Pot Limit Omaha

• Eight-handed 4-day event.

July 7 - 11 AM: Event #63: $1,000 No Limit Holdem

July 7 - 3 PM: Event #64: $3,000 Pot Limit Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better

July 8 - 11 AM: Event #65: $1,000 Ladies No Limit Holdem Championship

• Entry event is $10,000 but all poker ladies have a special discounted buy-in price of just $1,000.

July 8 - 1 PM: Event #66: $1,000 WSOP.com Online No Limit Holdem

• 1-day online event.
• Unlimited re-entries allowed.

July 8 - 1 PM: Event #67: $111,111 High Roller for One Drop No Limit Holdem

• One re-entry allowed.
• All the rake from this event will go to the One Drop Charity Foundation.

July 9 - 11 AM: Event #68: $10,000 Main Event No Limit Holdem Championship

• Three starting flights and three Day 2s; Day 3 is scheduled for July 13. The Main Event will play down to the final 9 on July 18. The final nine players will return on the green felt on October 30 and November 1 to play out the final table live on ESPN.
• All Final 9 will receive at least $1 million.
• The ‘Shuffle Up and Deal’ announcement won’t be made by a celebrity/WSOP Main Event winner anymore, but by the lucky winner of a charity auction (part of the One Drop Foundation) that took place last month. Besides this special privilege, the winner also has a front row seat at the event, a tour of the TV production set-up, plus a poker training session with 2010 WSOP Player of the Year Frank Kassela.

July 12 - 3 PM: Event #69: $1,111 The Little One for One Drop No Limit Holdem

• 5-day event, three starting flights.
• Unlimited re-entries allowed.
• Players start with 5,000 chips.
• All the rake from this event will go to the One Drop Charity Foundation. Players who donate an extra $111 to the One Drop Foundation will receive 5,000 chips more.