The 2007 World Series of Poker was the 38th annual World Series of Poker (WSOP). Held in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino, the series featured 55 poker championships in several variants. As a WSOP custom since 1976, each of the event winners receive a championship bracelet in addition to that event's prize money. The series culminates with the $10,000 No-Limit hold'em "Main Event", which has attracted thousands of entrants since 2004. The winner of the WSOP Main Event, who wins a multimillion-dollar prize, is considered to be the World Champion of Poker.[1]
Most of the tournaments played at the WSOP are variants of Texas hold'em, a game where each player may use a combination of the five community cards and two hole cards to make the best hand. Another poker variant with community cards is Omaha, in which each player is dealt four hole cards and must use two of them in conjunction with three of the five community cards to make the best possible five-card hand. In contrast to games with community cards, some variants, such as stud or draw, deal each player separate hands with no common cards. Seven-card stud deals each player two hole cards, followed by four face-up cards one at a time, and then another hidden card, with betting after each round. Other games played at the 2007 tournament included Razz, H.O.R.S.E., and Deuce-to-Seven. Prior to 2000, seven-card stud was the most common game in U.S. casinos, but today hold'em has almost totally eclipsed the once popular game.[2]
Within each of these poker variants, a myriad of options exist. For example, depending on the betting structure, a tournament might be described as no-limit, limit, or pot-limit. Games may include other variations on the rules governing the execution of the specific game such as shootout, eight or better, or heads up.
With 54,288 total entries and a combined prize pool of $159,796,918, the 2007 WSOP was the largest series of poker tournaments ever.[3] For many, winning a share of the prize pool was all that mattered, while others sought the glory associated with winning a bracelet. This dichotomy could not have been illustrated better than a deal negotiated at the Senior Championship event. Tony Korfman wanted the money while Ernest Bennett wanted the glory. Rather than leave their fates to chance, the two of them ensured they got what they wanted. In exchange for splitting the prize money, Korfman agreed to let Bennett win the bracelet.[4] After winning $8.25 million in the Main Event, Jerry Yang and his wife retired.[5] "My winning today also means a lot to me, because I know that I can use this money to do a lot of good for other people out there," Yang said[6] before donating over a million dollars to charity.[7] Upon winning his record eleventh bracelet, Phil Hellmuth said, "the bracelets have always been a really huge deal, to me more than the other guys, because I knew that they represented history."[8]
Age and disability was another story line of the 2007 WSOP. At 21 years and 10 days old, Steve Billirakis became the youngest person to ever win a WSOP bracelet.[9] At the other end of the spectrum, 94-year-old Jack Ury was the oldest person to ever participate in the Main Event.[3]Hal Lubarsky, a blind man, finished in 197th place at the Main Event.[10][11]
This denotes a bracelet winner. The first number is the number of bracelets won in 2007. The second number is the total number of bracelets won. Both numbers represent totals as of that point during the tournament.
Place
The place in which the player finished.
Name
The player who made it to the final table
Prize ($)
The amount of money, in U.S. Dollars ($), awarded for each finish at the event's final table
Results
Event 1: $5,000 World Championship Mixed hold'em Limit/No-Limit
At the time of his victory, Steve Billirakis was the youngest person to have won a WSOP bracelet.
This event kicked off the 2007 WSOP. It was a $5,000 buy-in Mixed (alternating between limit and no-limit) Texas Hold'em tournament.
3-day event: Friday, June 1, 2007, to Sunday, June 3, 2007
Note: While seven cards were dealt, only five cards are used to determine the Winning hand. The five cards used to determine the Winning hand were the three aces and two fours, one of the cards not used was not recorded.
Event 6: $1,500 Limit Hold'em
3-day event: Monday, June 4, 2007, to Wednesday, June 6, 2007
3-day event: Tuesday, June 5, 2007, to Thursday, June 7, 2007
Number of buy-ins: 690
Total prize pool: $941,850
Number of payouts: 63
Winning hand:A♦10♠9♦4♥
Reference:[21]
Final table
Place
Name
Prize
1st
Alex Kravchenko (1/1)
$228,446
2nd
Bryan Devonshire
$140,336
3rd
John Varner
$92,301
4th
J.R. Reiss
$60,749
5th
Bryan Andrews
$43,796
6th
Yueqi "Rich" Zhu
$33,907
7th
Jordan Morgan
$25,430
8th
Jeffrey Calkins
$18,837
9th
Richard Ashby
$13,657
Ninth-place finisher Richard Ashby was eliminated simultaneously along with Ron Ware (10th place) on the final hand of day, 2 by Jordan Morgan. Therefore, he never appeared at the official final table.[22]
Event 10: $2,000 No-Limit Hold'em
Durkee after winning the $2,000 no-limit Hold'em event
3-day event: Wednesday, June 6, 2007, to Friday, June 8, 2007
This event was played in a shorthanded format, no more than six players per table, with no more than six players occupying a table at any time during the tournament.
3-day event: Thursday, June 7, 2007, to Saturday, June 9, 2007
Phil Hellmuth won his eleventh WSOP bracelet, the most of any player. He was previously one of three players with ten bracelets the others being Johnny Chan and Doyle Brunson.
Event 16: $2,500 H.O.R.S.E.
Richburg at the 2007 WSOP
3-day event: Saturday, June 9, 2007, to Monday, June 11, 2007
Number of buy-ins: 382
Total prize pool: $878,600
Number of payouts: 40
Winning hand: 6-4-3-2-A-(4–3) (Razz) (card suits do not matter in Razz)
Razz is a form of stud poker that is normally played for ace-to-five low (lowball poker). The object of Razz is to make the lowest five-card possible hand from the seven cards you are dealt. In Razz, straights and flushes do not count against you for low, and the ace always plays low. The best possible Razz hand is 5-4-3-2-A, or 5 high, also known as "the wheel" or "the bicycle". Deuce-to-seven Razz is also sometimes played.
Event 17: $1,000 World Championship Ladies No-Limit Hold'em
Boyer after winning the Ladies World Championship event
3-day event: Sunday, June 10, 2007, to Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Event 41: $1,000 World Championship Seniors No-Limit Hold'em
Bennett at the 2007 WSOP
3-day event: Monday, June 25, 2007, to Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Number of buy-ins: 1,882
Total prize pool: $1,721,620
Number of payouts: 153
Reference:[56]
Final table
Place
Name
Prize
1st
Ernest Bennett (1/1)
$348,423
2nd
Tony Korfman
$217,503
3rd
Rod Clarida
$142,147
4th
Ed Smith
$95,907
5th
Thomas Catanzaro
$65,080
6th
Leon Lewis
$47,953
7th
Jack Deutsch
$35,965
8th
Ray Abels
$26,546
9th
Charles Anderson
$20,209
Bennett and Korfman made a deal before heads-up play began. Korfman agreed to let Bennett win the title uncontested if Bennett agreed to split the prize money. They split the cash evenly with each taking home roughly $293,000.[4] With 1,882 entrants over the age of 55, this was the largest Senior's event ever.[15]
Event 42: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better
3-day event: Monday, June 25, 2007, to Wednesday, June 27, 2007
This event set a World Series of Poker non-main event and live poker attendance record with 3,151 entries breaking the previous record of 2,998 set earlier in the third event of the 2007 WSOP. At the time it was also the third-highest entry total in all live Poker events behind just the 2006 and 2005 main events which had 8,773 and 5,619 entrants respectively.[15]
Event 50: $10,000 World Championship Pot-Limit Omaha
Mizrachi after winning the $10,000 World Championship Pot-Limit Omaha
3-day event: Sunday, July 1, 2007, to Tuesday, July 3, 2007
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^"Casino Employees No-Limit Hold'em (Event 2)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"No-Limit Hold'em (Event 3)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
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^"Pot Limit Hold'em (Event 4)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"Omaha/Seven Card Stud Hi-Low-8 or Better (Event 5)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"Limit Hold'em (Event 6)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"Pot Limit Omaha with rebuys (Event 7)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"No-Limit Hold'em w/Re-Buys (Event 8)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better (Event 9)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"Event 9, Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better Live Updates". Pokerlisting. Archived from the original on 2012-02-22. Retrieved 2009-05-17.
^"No-Limit Hold'em (Event 10)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"World Championship Seven Card Stud (Event 11)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"No-Limit Hold'em / Six Handed (Event 12)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"World Championship Pot Limit Hold'em (Event 13)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"Seven Card Stud (Event 14)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"No-Limit Hold'em (Event 15)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"H.O.R.S.E. (Event 16)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"World Championship Ladies Event No-Limit Hold'em (Event 17)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"World Championship Limit Hold'em (Event 18)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
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^"No-Limit Hold'em (Event 19)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"Seven Card Stud Hi-low-8 or Better (Event 20)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"No-Limit Hold'em Shootout (event 21)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"No-Limit Hold'em (Event 22)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"Pot Limit Omaha (Event 23)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^The final hand was a straight, and the suits have not been reported
^"World Championship Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better (Event 24)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"No-Limit Hold'em (Event 25)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"H.O.R.S.E. (Event 26)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"No-Limit Hold'em (Event 27)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"No-Limit Hold'em (Event 28)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"Seven Card Razz (Event 29)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"No-Limit Hold'em / Six Handed (Event 30)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"World Championship Heads Up No-Limit Hold'em (Event 31)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 28 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"Seven Card Stud (Event 32)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"Pot Limit Omaha W/Re-Buys (Event 33)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"Limit Hold'em (Event 34)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"No-Limit Hold'em (Event 35)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"World Championship Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better (Event 36)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"Pot Limit Hold'em (Event 37)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"No-Limit Hold'em (Event 38)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"World Championship H.O.R.S.E. (Event 39)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 2009-06-29. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"Mixed Hold'em limit/no-limit (Event 40)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"World Championship Seniors No-Limit Hold'em (Event 41)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-low Split-8 or Better (Event 42)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"Limit Hold'em (Event 43)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"Omaha Hi-Low Split (Event 44)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"No-Limit Hold'em / Six Handed (Event 45)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"Seven Card Stud Hi-Low-8 or Better (Event 46)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"No-Limit Hold'em (Event 47)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"2-7 Triple Draw Lowball with rebuys (Event 48)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 2009-07-06. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"No-Limit Hold'em (Event 49)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"World Championship Pot-Limit Omaha (Event 50)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"S.H.O.E (Event 51)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"No-Limit Hold'em w/Re-Buys (Event 52)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"Limit Hold'em Shootout (Event 53)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"World Championship No-Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball w/Re-Buys (Event 54)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
^"World Championship No-Limit Texas Hold'em (Event 55)". Official Results of the WSOP. Harrah's Entertainment. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.