How to get into the WSOP

Insiders Guide

I would like to tell you that this is a very exciting time in which to be a fan - or player - of the greatest card game ever invented: poker. No, I am not simply referring to the fact that we now live in an Information Age in which the glories of Internet technology allow us to access thrilling games of online poker any time of day or night. Nor am I referring to the fact that 21st century America is populated with more casinos in a broader number of states and counties than at any time before in our national history. And I am not even referring to the fact that we’re living in a decade which has seen the greatest jump in televised poker competition of all time.

No, when I said that this is an incredibly time exciting time for poker lovers, I was referring to the fact that we are getting deep into the summer of 2006. The days are getting hotter, the thongs are getting smaller, the beer is getting colder and the World Series of Poker is drawing closer, day by day. If you enjoy poker on any level, this is an annual cause for celebration and excitement.

Perhaps, after watching the World Series of Poker on television for a number of years, and perhaps even traveling to Vegas to witness the great event live a time or two, you have determined that 2006 is the year in which you will make the leap from observer to participant. Yes, it is quite possible that you are among the growing number of amateur players who feel you have had gathered sufficient expertise to tangle with the pros in the biggest poker tournament known to man or beast.

If that is the case, you might have some very basic questions about how to move forward with your plans. Specifically, how the heck does an amateur player whom nobody has ever heard of find him- or herself involved with the game on a WSOP competitive level? Well, this question has two basic answers. Let’s take a look at them individually.

The first way to make the leap from amateur status to WSOP contender status is to engage in some online satellite tournaments, which are held continually at a broad number of popular gaming Web sites. Poker Stars in particular has earned notoriety for hosting satellites which have turned amatuers like Chris Moneymaker and Greg “Fossilman” Raymer into World Series of Poker champions. The buy-in fee for most satellites is very reasonable, usually under $50.

However, if you are feeling so confident in your poker acumen and have some some loose change to spend, you can also take the alternate route of simply paying $10,000 and buying your way directly into the main event no-limit Texas Holdem competition at the World Series of Poker. In recent years, this has also proven a successful formula, most recently in 2005 when Joseph Hachem jumped from amateur to champion after making the $10K buy-in. As you might imagine, this approach is only recommended for those who can truly say that they have the disposable income necessary to make such a risk.