Now that the WSOP* 2012 schedule has been announced, poker players everywhere are now avidly looking forward to playing in the event, but are you prepared? Do you realize what to expect on-site? Do you understand the best way to prepare for lengthy, grueling days of playing alongside the globe's top rated competitors?
Experienced and new players alike will show up at the event, but realize that many might be taking their very first shot at this key live tournament. Even very experienced live players have not added the main event to their list of tournaments played.
Whatever your experience level, this article is Part 1 of 3 for anybody wanting to prepare:
Schedule: The event runs this year from May 27 to July 16, 2012 and consists of 61 poker tournaments of different varieties (limit and no-limit hold'em, Omaha, etc.) and buy-ins. The most famous event is needless to say the $10K buy-in main event (officially known as Event #61) but you will find a lot of smaller tourneys which players can participate in as well with buy-ins ranging from $1K to $5K. If you'd like to play high roller, you can even play the Big One For ONE DROP, with its rather large $1 million buy-in. An alteration for this year that there will be only 3 starting days for the main event, down from four last year. You can find schedule, structure and rule info at WSOP.com.
Where to stay: The event is at the Rio once again this year. Even though not located on the Strip, this hotel/casino really is located very close for the Strip. Easy hotel options are the Rio itself, the Palms (that is across the street), and any strip hotel, all of which are within a 15 minute cab ride. Caesars Entertainment properties like Caesars, Harrah's, Bally's, etc. normally have a free of charge shuttle going for the Rio. Most do, but not all, so ask the hotel once you're organizing your trip.
Other alternatives are to obtain an apartment, condo or house. This is fairly appealing in the event you plan on going out for a month or longer. Staying at a hotel all that time can get quite exhausting with the constant maneuvering through gaming areas and also the typically chaotic atmosphere of any casino. It also may enable you to eat healthier (much more on that in Part 2 of this series) and also can save on food costs. Drawbacks include a lot more hassles for transportation given that such accommodation is hardly ever close to the strip. Obtaining a spot to stay can be challenging but search for short-term rentals and sub-lets in real estate searches and forums or speak to an area real estate agent in Las Vegas.
Place and layout: The Rio is a typical Vegas hotel, which means it's a giant space filled with gaming, retail, restaurant and hotel areas. The event is held within the convention area at the rear with the hotel/casino. Best advice is to skip the main valet and parking and head to the rear where there is a dedicated valet and parking area especially for the convention space. Tell taxi drivers to drop you off at this valet as well. You'll still be doing some walking but this can lessen it down a ton.
The poker is spread over two large rooms. Inside each is a football field-sized portion of poker tables, a pretty awesome sight for anyone who truly loves poker. One room is where most tournaments begin, plus sit and go and satellite and small tourneys take place. It also is home for cash games, and there is truly a myriad of games offered, all with quite good action. An awards stage is also situated here at which the previous day tournament event winners are awarded their bracelets at noon. It is accompanied by some fanfare, with the playing of every single bracelet winner's national anthem, Olympics-style. During the national anthems dealers pause games and most stand.
The other room is for tournaments only, and usually the later stages of tournaments although some start off there as well. It is also where a number of televised table set ups are, used to shoot feature tables and final tables. If you're a fan, you are able to actually watch final tables being shot for television, despite the fact that seating and standing is somewhat restricted.
Finally, there are a few mostly exclusive players lounges set up by sponsors and also a general eating area. The general eating area has a handful of different food stations serving hot and cold choices. Many pan the food, but there is decent variety and even some healthy options so it's not bad given the scale of the event. There are also a few on-site restaurants but you need to send a friend to reserve a table at those if you expect to use a tournament meal break to eat at any restaurant.
So now you have a basic sense of the WSOP event's layout.
Visit pokerplyr.com for WSOP 2012 Guide -- Part Two which covers "What to bring and How you can prepare." You can also find Part Three at the site.
*World Series of Poker and WSOP are trademarks of Caesars Interactive Entertainment, Inc. or its affiliates (collectively Harrah's). HIE does not sponsor or endorse, and is not associated or affiliated with pokerplyr.com or its products, services, or promotions.
Experienced and new players alike will show up at the event, but realize that many might be taking their very first shot at this key live tournament. Even very experienced live players have not added the main event to their list of tournaments played.
Whatever your experience level, this article is Part 1 of 3 for anybody wanting to prepare:
Schedule: The event runs this year from May 27 to July 16, 2012 and consists of 61 poker tournaments of different varieties (limit and no-limit hold'em, Omaha, etc.) and buy-ins. The most famous event is needless to say the $10K buy-in main event (officially known as Event #61) but you will find a lot of smaller tourneys which players can participate in as well with buy-ins ranging from $1K to $5K. If you'd like to play high roller, you can even play the Big One For ONE DROP, with its rather large $1 million buy-in. An alteration for this year that there will be only 3 starting days for the main event, down from four last year. You can find schedule, structure and rule info at WSOP.com.
Where to stay: The event is at the Rio once again this year. Even though not located on the Strip, this hotel/casino really is located very close for the Strip. Easy hotel options are the Rio itself, the Palms (that is across the street), and any strip hotel, all of which are within a 15 minute cab ride. Caesars Entertainment properties like Caesars, Harrah's, Bally's, etc. normally have a free of charge shuttle going for the Rio. Most do, but not all, so ask the hotel once you're organizing your trip.
Other alternatives are to obtain an apartment, condo or house. This is fairly appealing in the event you plan on going out for a month or longer. Staying at a hotel all that time can get quite exhausting with the constant maneuvering through gaming areas and also the typically chaotic atmosphere of any casino. It also may enable you to eat healthier (much more on that in Part 2 of this series) and also can save on food costs. Drawbacks include a lot more hassles for transportation given that such accommodation is hardly ever close to the strip. Obtaining a spot to stay can be challenging but search for short-term rentals and sub-lets in real estate searches and forums or speak to an area real estate agent in Las Vegas.
Place and layout: The Rio is a typical Vegas hotel, which means it's a giant space filled with gaming, retail, restaurant and hotel areas. The event is held within the convention area at the rear with the hotel/casino. Best advice is to skip the main valet and parking and head to the rear where there is a dedicated valet and parking area especially for the convention space. Tell taxi drivers to drop you off at this valet as well. You'll still be doing some walking but this can lessen it down a ton.
The poker is spread over two large rooms. Inside each is a football field-sized portion of poker tables, a pretty awesome sight for anyone who truly loves poker. One room is where most tournaments begin, plus sit and go and satellite and small tourneys take place. It also is home for cash games, and there is truly a myriad of games offered, all with quite good action. An awards stage is also situated here at which the previous day tournament event winners are awarded their bracelets at noon. It is accompanied by some fanfare, with the playing of every single bracelet winner's national anthem, Olympics-style. During the national anthems dealers pause games and most stand.
The other room is for tournaments only, and usually the later stages of tournaments although some start off there as well. It is also where a number of televised table set ups are, used to shoot feature tables and final tables. If you're a fan, you are able to actually watch final tables being shot for television, despite the fact that seating and standing is somewhat restricted.
Finally, there are a few mostly exclusive players lounges set up by sponsors and also a general eating area. The general eating area has a handful of different food stations serving hot and cold choices. Many pan the food, but there is decent variety and even some healthy options so it's not bad given the scale of the event. There are also a few on-site restaurants but you need to send a friend to reserve a table at those if you expect to use a tournament meal break to eat at any restaurant.
So now you have a basic sense of the WSOP event's layout.
Visit pokerplyr.com for WSOP 2012 Guide -- Part Two which covers "What to bring and How you can prepare." You can also find Part Three at the site.
*World Series of Poker and WSOP are trademarks of Caesars Interactive Entertainment, Inc. or its affiliates (collectively Harrah's). HIE does not sponsor or endorse, and is not associated or affiliated with pokerplyr.com or its products, services, or promotions.
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