Hail to the Victors

Thursday, June 4, 2009 - Gene Bromberg

There’s a new tradition here at the World Series of Poker. In years past the bracelets would be awarded when the final table came to an end–which oftentimes was very, very late at night. And even though winning a bracelet is one of the signature achievements in poker, the actual presentation was sometimes an anticlimax. When it’s 5:30 in the morning, there’s no one in the stands, and the Amazon Room itself is 90% empty, it’s hard to muster much energy for the bracelet ceremony.

That’s now been changed. Every day at 2pm WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack and Tournament Director Jack Effel take the stage on a small dais built next to the Final Tale Arena and introduce the previous day’s bracelet winners to the crowd. Play is suspended as the newly-crowned champions are welcomed on stage, given a Harrah’s Diamond Rewards Card (an extra perq) and then, of course, are presented their gold World Series of Poker bracelets. Then the national anthem of the winner’s country is played (maybe that’s gilding the lily, a bit) and the winner given a final ovation.

It’s an outstanding idea, one that properly recognizes those who have captured poker’s greatest prize and also gives the fans a chance to see the new champions (and check out their bracelets up close). Today saw bracelets awarded to three Americans–Jason Mercier, Steve Sung, and Freddie Ellis. Ellis, a veteran of high-stakes seven-card stud games in Atlantic City, won the World Championship in that game yesterday after besting Eric Drache in a marathon heads-up match:

I’ve said a number of times before that Harrah’s seems to have this running-the-WSOP thing down, and additions such as the bracelet ceremony go a long way to making the World Series of Poker an even richer and enjoyable experience. And I’m anxious to hear the reaction in the room the first time we hear the French national anthem, the Vietnamese anthem, the Brazilian national anthem. The flags will be wavin’.

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One Down

Thursday, June 4, 2009 - Gene Bromberg

So that’s one week down for the World Series of Poker, six more to go. Approximately. It’s always hard to keep track of time in Las Vegas, especially so during the WSOP. I guess we’ll know to leave when they throw us out.

But it’s been another long busy day that’s turning into a long busy night. Steve Sung won his first bracelet tonight, as did Jason Mercier, and coming on the heels of wins by Vitaly Lunkin and Thang Luu (both of whom won their second bracelets) this Series might eclipse 2008 as the Year of the Pro. Longer structure and deeper stacks should translate into the best players having more time to display their skills. So far that’s been the case.

The Seven-Card Stud World Championship is now heads up, with poker legend Eric Drache battling Freddie Ellis for the bracelet (and if you don’t know who Eric Drache is, then shame on you). And four other tournaments are winnowing their fields one by one toward final tables of their own tomorrow or the day after. It’s been a long day, it’ll be a long night, and we’re gonna enjoy six more weeks of the same.

Tags: 2009 world series of poker, 2009 wsop, amazon room, jason mercier, Rio, steve sung, vitaly lunkin, world series of poker, WSOP

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