Registration is finally over for the Main Event, and a record 2,461 took to the felt today in their quest to be part of the November Nine and take down the over $9.1m first place prize. Among those who’ve already been eliminated today: Phil Ivey, Jennifer Tilly, Andy Bloch, Jose Canseco, Annie Duke, Allen Kessler, David Williams and Noel Furlong. The leader at the dinner break appears to be Brad Tisdale with about 112,000 in chips. Notables towards the top of the leaderboard: Victor Ramdin, Thomas “Thunder” Keller, Aaron Kanter, Jean-Robert Bellande, Brandon Cantu, Mark Newhouse and Antonio Esfandiari. You can follow the players as they return from their dinner break at the WSOP.com site here.

More updates later this evening…

What’s happening tonight at the WSOP:

Jen and Dan are taking care of the HORSE event, so I don’t need to duplicate their work, but they’re about to return from dinner break 5-handed.

The $2,000 NL Holdem event was won by Brazilian Alexandre Gomes, the first for that country, moving them up big time in the World Standings. Gomes takes home just over $770,000 while Marco Johnson won’t be feeling super with his 2nd place earnings of just over $491,000.

The $1,500 NL Holdem event is down to 40 as they play down to their final table. Among the notables remaining: JC Tran, Men Nguyen, Andy Black, Joe Pelton, Hevad Kahn. Follow their action on the World Series of Poker website here.

Other tournament action, following the leap:
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Happenings from last night and the Sunday preview at the WSOP:

The semifinals of the $10,000 Headsup World Championship have now been set, even if it appeared Lyle Berman didn’t want that to happen. His round of 16 match with David Williams would eventually take over 5 hours, before Berman eventually took it down. That match went so long that the tournament staff decided to start the quarterfinal matches unaffected by the outcome. Those winners were Vanessa Selbst, Jonathan Jaffe, and Kenny Tran. Lyle would face Alec Torelli in their quarterfinal match, and true to form, this match would take over 4 hours with Torelli triumphant in the end. So here’s the semifinals that meet the ESPN360 cameras:

Vanessa Selbst v Alec Torelli
Kenny Tran v Jonathan Jaffe

Other action from yesterday at the jump:

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BREAKING NEWS: GSN does not exercise Season 7 option for GSN. Talks ongoing with GSN to possibly air “parts” of season 7. Press release from WPTE

Happenings from yesterday at the WSOP:

The other final table of yesterday concluded earlier this morning, as Jimmy Shultz took down Event #12 ($1,500 Limit Holdem), eventually beating Zac Flowers in a heads-up battle to win a bracelet along with just over $250,000. Upon his victory, he announced he was donating 25% of his win to the Charleston, SC Fire Department , who lost nine firefighters June 18, 2007. Vinny Vinh, along with his “associates” railing him, finished 3rd.

More info after the jump:
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The Aces Club is the VIP room set up across from the Amazon Room. Players who paid $2,500 as a donation to the Nevada Cancer Institute were granted access throughout the World Series. The ability to pay the fee and gain access is also not publicized, so only those “in the know” are offered the opportunity to buy in.

I’ve heard about it. I even tried to get in one night with WSOP media guru Nolan Dalla, but players were on their break and hovering about the VIP room, so security denied us access. Yep, there is a 24-hour security guard at the door to keep the riff-raff out.

Today, I was conducting an interview with an unnamed poker pro. He just busted out of the $10K stud championship and suggested the VIP room as a quiet area to chat. I didn’t want to like the Aces Club, but I have to admit it was a sweet set-up - very comfortable leather couches, an enormous food spread, and video games. One was a PokerTek-ish flat table heads-up poker game.

Aforementioned unnamed pro told me that he witnessed a game earlier in the day between Phil Ivey and David Williams on the heads-up machine. Evidently, Phil didn’t look at his cards once and smoked David. Smoked like a fine cigar. Smoked like a dinner salmon. Smoked like a…well, you get it. Quite embarrassing.

I’d like to think we’re not missing anything by not having access to the Aces Club, but I’m not so sure. Next mission: Get back into the VIP and beat David Williams at heads-up poker roll around on those couches naked nab some of that free VIP food.

What’s happening at this moment while reading Gary Wise’s latest entry about what’s “good for poker” is really good for poker.

Today brings another two tournaments to the starting line, first at noon is the $2,000 NL holdem event and another large field is expected. The event the pros may be swooning over is the $10,000 Mixed Event “World Championship”. This tournament will have it all for the big cash game specialists as they throw eight games into the mix. This grouping of players will play Triple Draw lowball Deuce to Seven, Limit Holdem, Omaha 8, Razz, Stud, Stud 8, No Limit Holdem and Pot Limit Omaha; playing each game for 8 hands before moving on to the next game in the rotation. Hopefully there won’t be many mixups between the players, dealers, and floor and this becomes a staple of the WSOP schedule.

Play finally finished earlier this morning in the marathon that was event #2, $1,500 NL Holdem. After over two hours of headsup play, Grant Hinkle made an aggressive move, raising and eventually going all in with 10d-4d against James Akenhead’s Ac-Kh. Things were looking good for James, but his was truly aching after the flop came down 10-4-10. A fourth 10 hit the turn and it was over, as Hinkle took the bracelet and over $800,000 in victory. Chris Ferguson finished 3rd, the full results can be found over at Pokernews.

What else happened yesterday:
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I can already tell one of the top-quality media sources during the WSOP will be RawVegas.TV.

Check out how their red-carpet vid of a Bluff Magazine pre-WSOP kickoff party at Tao (the nightclub, not “of Poker“) gets a better interview about poker and the fun side of poker lifestyles than anything you see shot in the Amazon room hallways, and even probably what will end up on ESPN:

In this vid not only will guys like Ed get to see a boppity, cleavacious Jennifer Tilly talk about how and why poker players talk about quitting but don’t really mean it, but also they get to hear about Phil Laak’s freak-of-naturely impressive sperm count and how that may or may not lead to strategy-based pillow talk with a cougar.

I’ll also be interested in following RV’s WSOP video blogs from Patrik Antonius, David Williams, Phil Hellmuth, and Daniel Negreanu. These sorts of things have been tried before with moderate success (Negreanu’s were always good), and now that there’s one place where you can find a handful of them regularly with a little party-hearty mixed in — in high-quality video that always seems to work — how could this channel not become Must-See Internet for any serious poker geek following the World Series every summer? [via Wicked Chops]

Though I’m not sure how official these are, some odds on who’s gonna win the NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship (Feb. 29) are out … and Tom Schneider is listed in the middle of the pack at 45:1 — the same as David Williams, Jennifer Harman, Huck seed, and TJ Cloutier. Duuude. Not bad. Clonie, after all, is 80:1, which is almost as good as Jerry Yang’s 60:1.

Click below to see the full list … and while doing that, think how funny it is that this sorta poker ink comes from marijuana.com. (And Tom says I do nothing for him …)

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While much of Hollywood continues to be shut down due to the ongoing writers’ strike, people like Brittany and Jamie Lynn Spears keep us entertained with their dysfunctional lives. It’s the trainwreck that you can’t look away from… But let’s move on to stars playing poker.

It seems that Mekhi Phifer, currently starring on E.R., likes poker more than the occasional celebrity tournament. He recently held a family Christmas party at his home for 80 people, and a poker game was the big attraction. He even put up the grand prize – two tickets to the Bahamas. For those not invited (like me, can you believe it?), Phifer can be seen in the recently released film, This Christmas, in which he starred and produced.

Early 2008 is the scheduled air time for a BET special called Black Poker Superstars that was recently filmed at Planet Hollywood in Vegas. Stars like Nelly, Anthony Anderson, Orlando Jones, Eddie Griffin, and Mekhi Phifer played in the poker tournament, and Matt Savage served as the tournament director. Poker pro David Williams also attended and provided commentary for the show. Top finishers donated their prize monies to various charities.

Actor Kevin Hart noted, “I have grown a passion for the game. I would love to get to the point where I can rub elbow with David Williams and Mike ‘The Grinder’ in tournaments, and they can say, ‘Hey, this guy is a good player.’”

Recently, Justin Timberlake was bringing sexy back to Australia and wanted to play some real poker during the trip. His management called Crown Casino and requested a game with Joe Hachem, who obliged. In return, Timberlake gave Hachem’s daughters front row tickets to his concert.

Finally, the long-discussed movie about Amarillo Slim is finally in pre-production. Writer Christopher Wilkinson, who also penned Nixon and Ali has secured Nicholas Cage as the lead actor to play Slim. The film is an adaptation of Slim’s book, “Amarillo Slim in a World Full of Fat People: The Memoirs of the Greatest Gambler Who Ever Lived” and will be titled, strangely enough, Amarillo Slim.

LAS VEGAS - Most media veterans would agree that the past few days have lacked the excitement of previous main events, but that changed today when players practically spent an entire level going hand for hand to “get in the money.” Some tables took so long to play a single hand one had to wonder if a player realized stalling was costing themselves money with the fast blind structure. Nevertheless, the tournament reached the 621 mark rewarding the remaining players a longer poker resume.

On the way to dinner John Duthie said he had about 160k. Duthie picked up pocket aces in the big blind with Gus Hansen on the button… but everyone folded. A fine example of not giving up is David Levi who is still working a short stack despite starting Day 2 with only 15k in chips.

Sexy (did I say that outloud?) Fabrice Soulier (….but not as sexy as my husband) is stacked at 325k. Fabrice took 7th against Hellmuth’s 11th bracelet win earlier this summer when the temperature was still in the 90’s.

Mimi Tran (long overdue to be on WPT Ladies Night) and Shirley Williams (sponsored by Bodog) are still in the tournament. Shirley’s table was filmed briefly by ESPN which should provide fun footage as Gavin Smith was on her left.

LAS VEGAS - There were 797 players ready to take their seats at noon today. Still able to go for the gold as of 3:30pm PT are JC Tran, John Duthie - Mr. EPT (see photo), Gus Hansen, Huck Seed, Gavin Smith, Sorel Mizzi, Mimi Tran, Fabrice Soulier, Shirley Williams (David’s mom) and Tobey “Spiderman” Maguire.

The Bodog Lounge is on wheels this year for the 2007 WSOP Main Event. Bodog’s big busty bus came to town yesterday and whisked players from hotels to the felt while enjoying television, sofas, pretty girls and frosty beverages. Who knows, you may get picked up off the street to hang with David Williams, Josh Arieh or Evelyn Ng.

Anyone sporting Bodog’s black & red gear just might have an awaiting carriage ride. The bus driver, John Doe*, drove the bus from Atlanta to Las Vegas and will be parking the monster at the back entrance of the convention center. Yo check it.

*Name changed because I don’t know his name.

LAS VEGAS–Wolfman Eskimo Clark has collapsed three times thus far in the WSOP. Not sure what the doctor’s are recommending but it looks like the odds of Eskimo taking their advice are the same as Al Sharpton showing up to support the disbarment of Michael B. Nifong. Nonetheless, he’s fighting, going deep and proving to be as tough on the inside as the outside.

Phil Hellmuth has made another final table. Albeit, it’s a ten-handed final table rather than the normal nine-handed. How will this work Lance?
Thor Hansen ,who has been cashing like a mofo, introduced me to Norway Poker Pro Tore Lagerborgo in the hallway moments ago.

The World Championship $5,000 Heads-Up NL Hold’em event finally has cards in the air. Pros playing are David Williams, JC Tran, Jen Harman playing Ted Forrest, Freddie Deeb against Daniel Negreanu and a match between Clonie and Amir (like Madonna vs. Bono, no last names needed).

LAS VEGAS–Damnit, I’m gonna have to get a whole new Tom-mocking schtick if he keeps refusing to bust out pre-bubble. Congratulations, Tom! Making the money yet again. Thirty-six left, and he is in a fine average-ish shape. So is his buddy Big Robert.

David Williams and John D’Agostino are at Tom’s table. And — I shit you not — shortly after taking down a pot, Tom pulled down his sweat pants, which are now wrapped around his ankles.

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LAS VEGAS–In the double-bubble quadrant of the Amazon room, over the PA …

Tournament Official (in the Ladies tourney): “Attention players. No more iPods at the table. New WSOP rule. No more iPods or electronic devices now that we are in the money.”

David Williams (still alive and strong in HORSE), snarkily: “Attention players. No more cheating now that we’re in the money.”

LAS VEGAS–It’s official, I’m important. Or at least all the people without badges in the Amazon room think I’m important. Even though Dan seems to think he needs a better one, my press credential seems to work very well at the table since now the players either think I must know something about poker if I’m working the WSOP, or they think they can get on my good side and I will put them on the internet. Bottom line…they no longer think I’m a bored housewife who’s husband stuck me in a tournament to keep me out of the Forum Shops.

High Noon marked the starting time for the $2k NL Hold’em Event, while yesterday’s $1k NL Hold’em (with rebuys) is down to 20ish players. I watched Amir Vahedi make an amazing call with a Qc-Qh-9c board. Amir held pocket sixes against the short stack with A-4. Amir is rocking in Day 2.

Across the ropes is the $5k Stud event started this afternoon and it is another super pro field. Jen Harman, Doyle Brunson, David Williams, Mel Judah, Thor Hansen & Brandon Cantu. It’s no secret the WSOP added many more events this year to allow the old-school players some real time with the “other” poker games including Razz, Omaha, Stud & more limit games with bigger buy-ins. Many pros feel the large field/small buy-in NL Holdem events are “crap shoots” and not only is there a better chance at a bracelet (Tom) in the other events but they are actually more fun since you don’t have to push all your chips in on one hand with a bunch of little newbie players that are afraid of getting out played on the turn and river. Yes, that’s right, I said afraid. And if you are not afraid…you will be. You will be.

Here’s your chance…

joining theBodog International Poker Team.

Not too bad of a deal after Bodog puts you up in Canada this summer for a 30 day video shoot.

Send in your photo soon this offer expires May 6th!

Did anyone else catch High Stakes Poker 3 on Monday? It’s a great episode this week … with Mike Matusow, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey, Antonio Esfandiari, Phil Laak, et al. We see David Williams needled for his bling, and he retorts by skillfully wielding “the Sang” (9-2 … kinda like the Hammer, only a wee-bit stronger). And then Yukon Brad Booth shows up and buys in with a cool $1 million in cash, suddenly posing a new threat to Brian Townsend’s fortress of bills. Awesome, great poker.

But the real battle in this episode (which repeats tonight) seems to be taking place off the table — between the two announcers, Gabe Kaplan and AJ Benza. If this is new shtick … well then good job, because it’s pretty entertaining. But even better, you get the sense they truly don’t like each other and are in the midst of a career catfight … especially when Kaplan calls out Benza for having his agent complain about Gabe to GSN.

Benza, is actually a pretty interesting sparring partner for Kaplan. For one, he’s a former blogger for the not-so-poker blog Oddjack. Before that, his broadcasting claims to fame included a studio brawl with Stuttering John (from Howard Stern) that eventually came to blows in the hallway.

Click below to see what Pokeratizens had to say about these two just last month:

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The first weekend of April will mark the beginning of new era in poker as team-play makes it’s Vegas/Television debut in the form of the US PokerBowl. The theory is that it’s supposed to add a completely new layer of strategy to our beloved game while bringing tournament poker bravado competition to a whole new level. Representing Dallas are TJ Cloutier, Tex Barch, Jeff Littlefield, and yours truly. Our team, the Dallas Kowboys, will fight it out in a televised, collusion-friendly free-for-all.

Opposing players include some of the best in the game, including hometown boys David Williams, Scott Levy, Gregg Merkow, and Webber Kang, who I hear have worked together to win a similarly structured local tournament in the recent past. Even Pokerati Invitational champ, Tom Schneider, has assembled a top tier posse for Phoenix. I’ll soon be tearing my own collusion hymen with my home game crew in Burleson when we adopt this intriguing format for our next regular home tournament. I actually predict that you will see a surge of local team tournaments over the next year. After all, where else can you win from the rail? Other than by fading me, of course.

LAS VEGAS–David Williams comes close to bracelet #2 … finishing in second place in the $5k 2-7 lowball (w/ rebuys) event. Tough final table, too. Daniel Alaei won. Philipe Rouas — who I am pretty sure is the guy who flopped the set of jacks in that $1,500 hand with Michele Lewis (perhaps she can confirm?) — took third.

Apparently David had never played that game before.