Poker tournament coverage is often on the cutting edge with regular use of new media technologies — falling somewhere behind porn and still ahead of the mainstream — and today the Vine app seems to be all the rage … or at least will have been for about 6 seconds.
I’m not sure yet if these video snippets are the next Instagram, the next Draw Something, or video Pinterest … but whatever it is, there’s more and more #WSOP on Vine by the day (despite WSOP/ESPN no-video policies that are like sooo 2011-12). It seems early adopters are still trying to figure out what exactly makes for a good, um, vine, but view these moving squares all together (and turn on the volume for some) and you’ll get a sense of the WSOPatchwork — as seen in quick video loops of chip porn, hallway meet-n-greets, WSOP worker vids, tableside commentary from a world-class DJ, and even a marriage proposal that, well, er … see for yourself … over and over and over and over again, until you’re done forever …
- WSOP wonderland
- Wow factor?
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Yesterday afternoon, 1,197 people started with $10,000 and a dream, to win the Main Event of the World Series of Poker. By the time play ended after 1am this morning, only 643 get to return on July 8th for day 2a. Mark Garner was the day 1a chip leader with 194,900. Other notable names near the top: Brandon Adams, Kido Pham, Chau Giang, Tim West, Darren “Gigabet” Dicken, Hasan Habib and Ray Romano. You can find chip counts of all the survivors of day 1a here.
The talk among those in the poker media appears to be Harrah’s concern on the number of entrants who’ve registered so far for the Main Event. They may have finally crawled over the 5,000 figure this morning, but with talk of day 1d being “sold out”, and the “green box conspiracy”, it may be doubtful that they reach last year’s 6,358 figure. Today’s figure will be interesting because of the 4th of July holiday if they can match the 1,545 that played on day 1b last year. If not, expect the discussion will begin anew on whether the final table delay played a part in the decrease, and what measures that Caesars’ will undertake for the 2009 Series (ie. raising the buyin, moving it overseas, etc.).
One thing for certain, I think the players won’t be tortured with the vocal stylings of Wayne Newton with the UNLV marching band. Expect other Harrah’s properties entertainers to kick off the festivities for the other day 1’s.
12:10pm UPDATE: Pauly reports that as of 11:00am, just over 1,100 signed up for day 1b.
More updates during the day, stay tuned…
The RSVP’s for the Ante Up for Africa tournament (July 2) are coming in. Confirmed celebrity charity players so far:
Don Cheadle
Matt Damon
Ben Affleck
Adam Sandler
Ray Romano
Charles Barkley
Jason Kidd
Kevin Pollack
Cheryl Hines
George Lopez
Joe Trohman (Fall Out Boy)
Sweet … as the song goes, “Ain’t no party like a J. Kidd party ‘cuz a J. Kidd party don’t stop!”
It’s a $5k buy-in for a luck-heavy blind structure. Remember when the concept of paparazzi-able celebs playing terrible poker used to make for good TV? Click here for a special registration form for Event #167.
The beneficiaries of this event (which raised $700k last year) are enoughproject.org and notonourwatchproject.org.
Here are some pictures snapped at the WSOG, by yours truly in between rounds at the tasty complimentary buffet organizers had set up inside. Mmmm, ribs.
[flickr album=72157605136451317 num=11]
Rating: A-
This is one of the best comedies I’ve seen in a long time. I laughed myself to tears during several parts of the movie. I walked into the theater with low expectations and left thinking about seeing it again.
The casting was brilliant, as many of the actors are experienced improv comics and had no problem adding their own flavor and likely varying quite a bit from the original script. From Woody Harrelson to Ray Romano, from Richard Kind to Dennis Farina, and from David Cross to Chris Parnell, most everyone took their characters to the highest level. Even Cheryl Hines surprised me – only because I’m not terribly familiar with her work – in her deadpan scenes.
Numerous poker players were strewn throughout the film, like Doyle Brunson, Phil Hellmuth, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Laak, and Antonio Esfandiari. Gabe Kaplan had a main role, which wasn’t tremendously impressive but an integral and sometimes funny role nonetheless. Phil Gordon played a recurring role throughout the movie as the tournament commentator, and he was fantastic. Some of his lines were the best of the movie.
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I’ve long thought that poker and fiction generally don’t mix well — at least not in the modern poker era when you’ve got so much got so much comedy, drama*, and pervy shenanigans going on in real poker life. But the newest poker movie, The Grand, may be different. Not only does it have an intriguing cast — Woody Harrelson, Dennis Farina, Ray Romano, David Cross, Cheryl Hines, Richard Kind, Chris Parnell — but also it’s improvised during a real poker tourney Curb Your Enthusiasm style.
The movie opens in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York City, and Philadelphia next Friday. Click here to see the trailer … and we’ll have to see how many of you/us actually go see the film.
ALT HED: Lucky You 2?
*NSFW
