You Can Bet On It!

The best of the best are going to be doing their thing at the annual World Series of Poker at Binion's Horseshoe in Downtown Las Vegas. The tournament began April 16 with a $2,000 Limit Hold'Em event.
There are daily championships, including Pot Limit Hold 'Em, Seven Card Stud, Omaha High Low Split, etc.

The side game action is fast and furious, where you can spot former world champions playing against each other in huge games with stacks of hundred-dollar bills and piles of $500 and $1,000 chips.

Also, there are daily satellite tournaments that, if you are fortunate enough to win, buys you into the big one. That's the $10,000 No Limit World Championship of Poker. For a poker player this is the Super Bowl of poker tournaments. If you win this event you become an instant poker immortal, plus you take home around $2 million in cash. Not only do you need a lot of skill and your fair share of luck, you'll also need a great deal of stamina, both physical and mental. Last year there were 631 entries with the total prize money awarded at $5,931,400. The winner was Robert Varkonyi, who hails from New York City. In second place was Julian Gardner from Manchester, England. The foreign players have fared really well over the years and the popularity of poker around the globe is obvious when you see how many countries are represented.

This year the five-day event begins on May 19 and concludes on May 23. The buy-ins range from $1,000-$5,000.
The world championship is $10,000. Anyone who is older than 21 and has the cash may enter.

For more information either call Binion's Horseshoe or pick up a brochure at the poker room. If you don't want to play but would like to check out the action, visitors are welcome. There is no admission charge.

Congratulations to Bobby Baldwin, the newest inductee into the Poker Hall of Fame. It's a well-deserved honor for the 1978 World Champion who continues to play big-time poker with skill and class. The Hall of Fame is better for having him in it. As always…good luck!