One of the first \”big\” WSOP events will be the special, invitational Champions tourney … a non-bracelet freeroll for all previous main event champions, which will be one of only four televised ESPN events. This made-for-TV No-Limit Hold\’em brouhaha — where players are competing for a shiny trophy and a red Corvette — should give the old-dog pros a chance to remind the 21st century WSOP millionaires who\’s really boss … and the Varkonyis and Golds and Yangs a chance to say, \”Hey, I didn\’t just get lucky, Doyle Biznatch!\”
27 players are eligible … and almost all have pre-registered. Bobby Baldwin \’78 has RSVP\’d in the negative. But there\’s one interesting name on the list of non-confirmeds* — well actually there\’re five, but one of these is not like the others … in fact, as a member of the WSOP PAC, he\’s probably on Jeffrey Pollack\’s speed dial:
Mansour Maltoubi \’90
Hamid Dastmalchi \’92
Russ Hamilton \’94
Noel Furlong \’99
Chris Ferguson \’00
None of these are holdouts, from what we\’re hearing … just MIA. (Though we\’re not so sure the WSOP is looking that hard for Russ, because they could always give his invitation to Layne Flack.)
