2008 WSOP Update: Day 1A of the WSOP Main Event Underway

Poker pro Shawn Rice, somewhere in the photo above, is among the pros who have already busted on Day 1A of the 2008 WSOP Main Event.

Day 1A of the 2008 WSOP Main Event kicked off today at noon, and the big story brewing is that the number of runners is looking to be down from last year's 6,358. And Harrah's ain't talking about it, refusing to share with media or anyone how many are in the field today (rumor is around 1400). They've even gone as far as blocking the number generally visible on the tournament clocks located throughout the Amazon Room. All we can see now is that 907 players remain at the dinner break.

The early chipleader is "friends and family" player Christopher Kero with 118,700 in chips. Big names at the top include David Rheem, Kido Pham, Glum Girl, Dustin Dirksen and ever-present Blair Hinkle.

Pros sent home early include Davidson Matthew, Gavin Smith, Chad Brown, OMGClayAiken, Katja Thater, a woman, Taylor Caby, Lyle Berman, Dan Harrington, Freddy Deeb, James Mackey, Vanessa Selbst, a woman, Durrrr, a ginger, Devilfish, a chav, David Benyamine and 2007 final table-ist Raymond Rham.

Keep track of chip counts here.

Adam Sandler Also Played the Ante Up for Africa Charity Poker Tournament

Adam Sandler couldn't hide his excitement of playing in the Ante Up for Africa charity poker tournament yesterday

Not much more to say than the headline above. We have tons of photos from the first 3 and a half minutes of the event yesterday before all the celebs busted, so we're dumping some more on you.

See a few more shots of Adam from a different angle by clicking thumbnails below.

And oh yeah, Johnny World Hennigan took down the event and won a bunch of money. He was asked to give 50% of it to charity and he ended up giving it all away because apparently pros like him and John Phan are out to make us seem like bigger assholes than we already are.

They Say the Best Things In Life Are Free

Well, not all things that are free.

One of our readers found this Craigslist listing for the told-you-we're-not-making-this-sh!t-up All In: The Poker Musical. Apparently Harrah's is giving away free tickets to the show this weekend.

Or you can pay 55 bucks a pop for them here.

We're guessing all the players who seem content with wasting $10k on donkey-ass moves during the WSOP Main Event today will go for the latter.

Shannon Elizabeth on Ante Up for Africa Red Carpet at the 2008 WSOP

We didn't quite listen to what Shannon Elizabeth had to say in the video below from the Ante Up for Africa poker tournament yesterday at the 2008 WSOP. Something about actors being tired doing poker players who act while playing poker at the World Series of Poker. Or something. We don't know. Honestly we were distracted by that cute vein Shannon has on her forehead and the British glam girl with huge breastesses who walked by near the end of the video and who somehow made an appearance in our photos of Ben Affleck yesterday.

Watch Shannon Elizabeth on RawVegas.tv here

Jeffrey Pollack Reads, Loves Wicked Chops Poker

"I read Wicked Chops and I love it!"

That's what WSOP commish and famed blogger Jeffrey Pollack reportedly told Michele Lewis the other day.

And to think we thought he came here just for the photos of girls on the rail.

2008 WSOP Update: The Year of The Pro(TM) Not Dead Yet

Well, it looks like it all comes down the the Main Event this year to determine if the 2008 WSOP will forever be known as The Year of the Pro^TM or as something else. Fortunately, as reader "Mike" pointed out here, the man who won the $10,000 PLO tournament, Marty Smith, is in fact an Irish pro, which definitely helps.

:: Event #52 ($1,500 No Limit Hold'em) - Pro poker player David Daneshgar took this one down, winning his first WSOP bracelet and banking $625,443. Daneshgar defeated Scott Sitron (not a pro), for the title. Ginger pro Dan Heimiller finished third. Get full results here.

:: Event #53 ($1,500 Limit Hold'em Shoot-out) - Survivor's Jean-Robert Bellande could've put away The Year of the Pro^TM race with a win, but he came up just short of his first bracelet. JRB lost heads-up to Matt Graham, who is arguably pro material with four cashes in this year's World Series of Poker. Graham banks $278,180 for the win. Get full payouts here.

Main Event starts tomorrow at noon PST. Check back with WickedChopsPoker.com for regular updates.

2008 WSOP Band of Bloggers: Get full recaps and payouts from WorldSeriesofPoker.com here. Get Dr. Pauly's take on WSOP happenings here. Please please don't forget Pokerati here. And get Poker Prof's recap and more photos here.

Ben Affleck, Matt Damon Don't Play Poker Anymore, Are Good Tippers

This video can best be summed up as: don't have kids.

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon were in Las Vegas today to play in Don Cheadle and Annie Duke's Ante Up for Africa charity poker tourney. Both said that they really won't be playing poker anymore, and one of the major reasons was because they both have kids.

So yeah, don't have kids.

In unrelated news, apparently Affleck is a legendary tipper.

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon in Las Vegas for Ante Up for Africa

Charles Barkley Thinks We're Jackasses

Charles Barkley is awesome. No way around it. Even if he thinks the so-called "media" (which he is a part of) are "jackasses." Not that we disagree with Sir Chuck, but sometimes it hurts being called a jackass. Although this isn't one of those times.

Regardless, good to see Charles in Las Vegas again...hope the pit bosses are ready.

Charles Barkley in Las Vegas for Charity Poker Tournament

Don Cheadle and Mekhi Phifer Have Similar Taste in Ed Hardy Shirts

If we were the type of guys who posted on a poker forum run by sanctimonious old douchebag pricks, we'd probably make a Phil Ivey joke here. But we're far better than that. Seriously, we are. Don't laugh. So yeah, Don Cheadle, aka one of the coolest dudes alive, and Mekhi Phifer were among the celebs who played today in the Ante Up for Africa poker tournament and incidentally both showed up wearing the same not-so-limited limited edition Ed Hardy t-shirt (which apparently runs about $2k).

Matt Damon Among Celebs Playing Today in the Ante Up for Africa Poker Tournament

Matt Damon (above), the actor who starred in the only decent poker movie in the past decade and who stole the show in Team America, joined his bud Ben Affleck at the tables today in the Ante Up for Africa poker tournament at the 2008 WSOP.

Another shot of Matt similar to above and one for the ladies after the jump . . .

Ben Affleck Among Celebs Playing Today in the Ante Up for Africa Poker Tournament

Actor Ben Affleck was among the A-list celebs who played in today's Ante Up for Africa poker tournament today at the 2008 WSOP. Click away below to see the rest of the photos our trusty photog got of Ben playing today.

For more girls on the rail, at the table, or within eyeshot of some notable pro at the 2008 WSOP, go here.

Google Image Photo Dump of Some Celebs Playing the Ante Up for Africa Event Today

Don Cheadle and Annie Duke's Ante Up for Africa poker tournament at the 2008 WSOP got underway today. Lots of celebs ponied up the $5,000 buy-in to play for something called "charity".

We'll have some pics from the event shortly but until then below is a photo dump of google images we found for some of the celebs in attendance.

Jeff Madsen and Phil Ivey's Cuz Smokey Rap Battle Video

As promised in this post, we just put up a YouTube video of Jeff Madsen's rap battle with Phil Ivey's cousin Smokey at last night's World Series of Barbecue at the Golden Nugget.

Jeff Madsen is the white guy.

Check it out below or on YouTube here.

UPDATE: Yeh the audio blows. It's from a phone but Madsen's moves straight from 8 Mile are worth the watch.

2008 WSOP Gingers of the Day

They're multiplying! Like gremlins or something, except way creepier.

2008 WSOP Update: The Year of the Pro(TM) Back In Jeopardy as Phil Hellmuth, Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi Do Not Win Bracelets

The Grinder failed to rack up his first WSOP bracelet last night.

Uh oh.

:: Event #50 ($10,000 Pot Limit Omaha) - Errr. Eeee. Hmm. Well, Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi entered final table play as chip leader, but he couldn't pull through that first WSOP bracelet, eventually falling in third. Instead, Marty Smith, who is not even a pro, took the title, his first bracelet, and $859,549. Even worse, and this is truly scary, Marty Smith is...ugh...a ginger. Get full payouts here.

:: Event #51 ($1,500 H.O.R.S.E.) - After Grinder not winning a bracelet, all eyes were on Phil Hellmuth. Could Hellmuth keep hope alive for The Year of the Pro^TM at the 2008 WSOP? It was such a main storyline that nobody was even paying attention to the fact that Phil was going for his 12th bracelet. Didn't even cross anyone's mind. It was all about The Year of the Pro^TM. But following in the steps of The Grinder, Hellmuth finished third. Instead, James Schaaf took his first bracelet, banking $256,412. Get full payouts here.

:: Event #52 ($1,500 No Limit Hold'em) - There is still hope though. Three guys we consider pros by any measurable standard, Matt Matros, David Daneshgar, and Dan Heimiller, who happens to be THIS GINGER, enter final table play stacked second, fourth, and sixth respectively. If Heimiller pulls out his second bracelet, will that make this The Year of the Ginger? (patent pending) They all trail chip leader Corwin Cole (not a pro). Get full final table chip counts here.

:: Event #53 ($1,500 Limit Hold'em Shoot-Out) - A field of 823 whittled down to 72, paying out first $278,180. Some pros still alive and fighting to ensure this year is their year include Jean-Robert Bellande, Hoyt Corkins and Kenna James (see their brokeback moment here), and David Bach. Get chip counts here.

2008 WSOP Band of Bloggers: Get full recaps and payouts from WorldSeriesofPoker.com here. Get Dr. Pauly's take on WSOP happenings here. Please please don't forget Pokerati here. And get Poker Prof's recap and more photos here.

Poker News Made Better with Venezuelan Hottie Gabriela Vergara

Some poker news to go along with photos of Venezuela hottie Gabriela Vergara, who plays the seductress on the Univision version of Desperate Housewives, if you care and aren't already clicking away at the thumbnail images below.

• British guy on holiday loses poker game, gets naked, plunges to death. [link]

• Assistant principal at elementary school gets nabbed for running underground poker room in Texas. [link]

• Same story above but this time involves girls stuffing cash in their bras. [link]

• The poker player once described by Nolan Dolla as a "ball-busting, cantankerous curmudgeon" passed away on Saturday. [link]

• Norman Chad counts the ways the World Series of Poker is better than the Olympics. [link]

• Poker nights helping to populate Jews in Britain. [link]

• Some poli-blogger on what poker and craps say about Obama and McCain. [link]

• WSOP Europe announces schedule. [link]

2008 WSOP Update: Grinder Goes for First; Hellmuth Takes Aim at 12th

Phil Hellmuth (above) is in the hunt for bracelet #12 again.

Just one more tournament before the Main Event begins. After the spectacularly-breasted J.C. Tran bagged his first WSOP bracelet yesterday, all eyes will be on Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi this afternoon. With the Grinder in contention for bracelet #1 today, it might be time to consider a new official moniker for the 2008 World Series of Poker: The Year of the Best Without a Bracelet^TM. Although that title is a little complicated, as to be the best without a bracelet you also must be a pro, so actually it just lends more support to it being The Year of the Pro^TM. Interesting...VERY...interesting.

:: Event #50 ($10,000 Pot Limit Omaha) - As mentioned, the story here is if Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi can capture his first bracelet. He'll bring the big stack to the final table with 1,767,000. Grinder is followed by non-pro Brandon Moran with 1,286,000. Get final table chip counts here.

:: Event #51 ($1,500 H.O.R.S.E.) - It was an up and down day for Phil Hellmuth. Or perhaps even a rollercoaster. Despite some ups and downs, Hellmuth finished the day as big stack with 287,500. Pretty sure we don't need to explain the implications of a Hellmuth win, not only for his bracelet count but for a little thing we like to call/trademark The Year of the Pro^TM. Hellmuth is followed by James Schaaf, who is not to be confused with Snarf, with 236,500. Some other big names of the 20 remaining include no one. Get full chip counts here.

:: Event #52 ($1,500 No Limit Hold'em) - The last mega-field tourney before the Main Event had 2693 entrants with 228 remaining at the end of the day. Keith Carberry will take the chip lead to Day 1 with 203,000. Get full chip counts here.

For another good, insightful look at yesterday's action, read Dr. Pauly here.

2008 WSOP Band of Bloggers: Get full recaps and payouts from WorldSeriesofPoker.com here. Get Dr. Pauly's take on WSOP happenings here. Please please don't forget Pokerati here. And get Poker Prof's recap and more photos here.

2008 WSOP Ginger of the Day

This one is so gross, we can't post it on our home page.

Click 'continue' . . . if you dare.

The Spectacularly-Breasted J.C. Tran Wins His First Bracelet

We might as well just call this post the J.C. Tran All-Star Boob Spectacular.

In honor of the spectacularly-breasted J.C. Tran winning his first WSOP bracelet, this post will be a little overboard on the cleavage. We imagine many, many browsers in Corporate America will be quickly minimizing right now.

Tran overcame a Double-D sized chip disadvantage in heads-up play to capture the Event #49 ($1,500 No Limit Hold'em) title. For the win, Tran banked $631,053. Get full final table payouts here. Click the thumbnails for the full sized version of the photos. More pics after the jump. We'll work on getting J.C. himself to be our Friday Night Parting Shots.

If The Spectacularly-Breasted J.C. Tran Wins This Tournament, Well, You Don't Even Wanna Know

The spectacularly-breasted J.C. Tran (above) has fought his way back to even in his heads-up battle against Rasmus Nielsen for the Event #49 title. Many consider J.C. now the "Best Without Bracelet." He's definitely the best-breasted without a bracelet.

In honor of a potential J.C. win, well, remember that movie There Will Be Blood. Well, our site will be just like that movie, except replace "Blood" with "Boobs."

Follow the action here.

Girl on Girl: Jennifer "Jennicide" Leigh

The below is WCP contributor Michele Lewis' latest interview in her "Girl on Girl" series at the WSOP. Stay tuned for more interviews with some of the coolest, hottest girls in poker. Check out Michele's blog at michelelewis.com.

Jennifer “Jennicide” Leigh has been a favorite on and off the poker table. She’s sweet and social with a firm opinion on women’s bodies. No, get those naughty thoughts out of your mind… she’s not referring to her recent appearance in Playboy but actually how strongly she feels that women need to be comfortable with eating and having curves rather than starving themselves.

Leigh admits she played poker 24/7 when she first started because she “wanted to try and learn as much as I could.” However, her attendance at the 2008 WSOP remains to be seen. Her experience of traveling the circuit… often presented tiring situations even when she cashed. She hasn’t ruled out the WSOP completely for there are people, places and things she loves in Las Vegas; however, she’s enjoying a balanced life at home focusing on her time with friends and family.

Thump to the jump to read more on Jennicide’s future plans and viewing guys through rose colored glasses.

2008 WSOP Update: J.C. Tran Goes After First Bracelet (Again); Phil Hellmuth Takes Aim at Number 12

While most of the attention was on the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. event, some big names were making their mark on other 2008 WSOP tournaments this weekend.

:: Event #48 ($2,000 No Limit Hold'em) - Unfortunately none of those big names were in this one. Brazalian Alexandre Gomes took this won down, banking $770,540 and his first bracelet. Get full payouts results.

:: Event #49 ($1,500 No Limit Hold'em) - The mega-field of 2,718 is down to its final nine. Rasmus Nielsen is the chip leader, stacked at 2,998,000. The spectacularly-breasted J.C. Tran (above) once again goes for bracelet number one, entering the final table second overall in chips with 1,438,000. Joe Pelton, who a couple years ago had a cool girlfriend but we haven't heard much from since, is third with 1,093,000. Get full chip counts here.

:: Event #50 ($10,000 Pot Limit Omaha) - Nice turn-out as 381 signed up, creating a first place prize of $859,532. Josh Arieh just killed it on Day 1, ending play as big stack with 343,700. He's followed by Guillaume Patry with 226,400. Some other big name big stacks include David Williams (142,900), David Singer (128,200), Nenad Medic (101,800), and The Intense Stare of Scott Clements (88,600). Get full chip counts here.

:: Event #51 ($1,500 H.O.R.S.E.) - All the big names who went all Big Brown in the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. entered this one. In total, 803 runners signed up creating a first place prize of $256,412. Phil Hellmuth ended the day as chip leader, stacked at 46,400. He's closely followed by "Salty" Joe Hachem (37,500) and Lorenzo Lamas (36,700). Get full chip counts here.

Get full J.C. Tran photo spread here.

The Year of the Pro(TM) Reclaims Official 2008 WSOP Moniker Race

Scotty Nguyen keeps the Year of the Pro^TM alive at the 2008 WSOP.

With Scotty Nguyen's victory in the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. event and some strong showings by other pros this weekend, The Year of the Pro^TM has reclaimed its lead as official moniker of the 2008 WSOP.

After Nguyen's win, The Year of the Pro^TM now has 147 points, catapulting it over Jacobo Fernadez's Own Personal Playground (130 points). Also still in contention are Good for Poker (121) and The Year of the Random Guy We've Never Heard Of (98).

To everyone's disappointment, David "The Dragon" Pham* has not dominated the bracelet count, denying us the opportunity to dub this The Year of the Dragon**.

* Not a real dragon.
** Not a real year of the dragon.

Erick Lindgren Takes 2008 WSOP Player of the Year Lead

With his third place finish in the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. event, Full Tilt Poker pro Erick Lindgren overtook the lead for 2008 WSOP Player of the Year.

Lindgren now has 245 points, 10 ahead of Barry Greenstein, who moved into second place with math math math 235.

Previous leader, Jacobo Fernadez, has cashed again (making it seven for the year) but fell back to third with 232.

Get full standings here.

Scotty Nguyen Wins $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. Event; The Year of The Pro(TM) Off Life Support

In what all "pros" as well as "years" at the 2008 WSOP considered a "must-win" situation, Scotty Nguyen, a pro, won the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. event early this morning, giving The Year of The Pro^TM what could best be described as a "serious shot in the arm" for official moniker of this year's World Series.

Fortunately for the pros, the deck was stacked in their favor going into the event. From our pick to win it, Huck Seed, to Barry Greenstein (who counts twice) and Erick Lindgren, the odds were in favor of a pro pulling this one out.

In the end it was Nguyen, baby. The title gave Scotty $1,989,120, his fifth WSOP bracelet, and poker journalists everywhere a chance to make plays on the words "Win" and "Nguyen" in their tournament recap headlines.

Nguyen defeated Mike DeMichele ($1,243,200) for the championship. Erick Lindgren finished third ($781,440). Get full payouts here.

Jean-Robert Bellande Is Surviving the 2008 WSOP

Captain Obvious could see our headline above coming a mile away. Wow. Not creative.

Regardless, or as stupid people say, "irregardless," Jean-Robert Bellande has seen his stature in the poker world rise since his stint on Survivor. And while he admittedly is a bit down on his 2008 WSOP results, he's certainly not out of opinions on just about anything. Take it away, JRB.

VIDEO: Jean-Robert Bellande 2008 WSOP vlog

Jean-Robert Bellande on the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. event
More RawVegas.tv 2008 WSOP vlogs

2008 WSOP Update: Erick Lindgren Leads $50k H.O.R.S.E. Final Table; Ryan Hughes Wins Second Bracelet

Right now, we'd say it's a coin flip as to whether the 2008 WSOP will end up earning it's The Year of the Pro^TM moniker that we trademarked when all is said and done.

Some of this argument simply hinges on this: when exactly do you qualify as a "pro?" We're certainly not willing to play the role of God and make that assessment for people. But then again, how else will we know for sure? It's so daunting.

:: Event #47 ($1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo) - Case in point. Ryan Hughes, who won a Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo event last year, took down this one, earning his second WSOP bracelet. Even though only 7 people in the poker world have heard of Hughes before and only 3 would recognize him walking down the street, Hughes is a pro, right? We say an emphatic "yes" to that question, btw. For the win, Hughes banks $183,368. Get full results here.

:: Event #45 ($50,000 H.O.R.S.E.) - Here's a chance for the pros to put a stake in the ground and say, "Dammit, this is the year of us!" Full Tilt Poker pro Erick Lindgren will bring the chip lead to the final table, stacked at 3,680,000. A win here would all but cement Lindgren as the 2008 WSOP POY. The same could be said for the man in third, Barry Greenstein, who is stacked at 1,955,000. Scotty Nguyen is second overall with 3,535,000. And our perennial pick to win it, Huck Seed, is sixth overall with 1,200,000. Get full final table chip counts here.

:: Event #48 ($2,000 No Limit Hold'em) - Lots of collective WSOP cashes in this group but no one that you'd really look at and say, "Yeah, he's a pro." Get final table chip counts here.

:: Event #49 ($1,500 No Limit Hold'em) - This one had 2,718 entrants, playing down to 215 early this morning. First place pays $631,053. A surprising number of big named pros remain, although chip leader