The 2010 World Series of Poker schedule was released before the end of 2009, a change from previous years but likely due to some prematurely leaked information regarding the 2010. With the schedule and detailed information about the tournaments released more than five months in advance, players could begin registering for tournaments and planning their poker summer activities.
As with the 2009 Series, there will be 57 events in 2010 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, but many other changes are in store for players, media, and poker fans.
Pertaining to dates for the 41st annual Series, live registration and satellite action will begin on May 27 and the first tournaments will begin on Friday, May 28 with the traditional Casino Employees No-Limit Hold’em and the newly created Player’s Championship 8-Game Mixed 5-Day event with a $50,000 buy-in, the latter of which will be the tournament to award the Chip Reese Memorial Trophy as previously given to the winner of the $50,000 HORSE event. With regard to the Player’s Championship, it will also conclude on Day 5 with a strictly no-limit hold’em final table that will be televised by ESPN.
Other important dates on the schedule include each of the first five weekends, all of which will host a $1,000 buy-in no-limit hold’em event with two starting days. The Ante Up for Africa charity tournament will return for a fourth year on July 3, and the $10,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Championship (Main Event) will begin on July 5 and wrap with the final nine players on July 17. The November Nine of 2010 will then be held to determine the Main Event winner from November 6 through 9, 2010.
With regard to other notable events on the schedule, a new event to begin on June 30 will be the $25,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em 6-Handed tournament, offering the highest buy-in with the exception of the Player’s Championship. The Ladies Only No-Limit Hold’em Championship will be held on June 11 with only a $1,000 buy-in, and seeking to raise awareness for the Nevada Cancer Institute, and the Seniors Only No-Limit Hold’em Championship will commence on June 18 for players 50 and older, also with a $1,000 buy-in.
The layout of the Rio Convention Center as it pertains to the WSOP will be different in 2010, as the entire area will be dedicated to the World Series. The 58,000-square foot Pavilion room will hold tables, as will the 38,000-square foot Amazon Room used in years past. The Brasilia Room that was used for tournament space last year will host the satellite events, and the Miranda Room will be the new home of the indoor food court, as opposed to being relegated to an outdoor makeshift tented space in the past.
The amount of play each day will be regulated, ensuring that players starting a tournament at noon will play no more than 10 one-hour levels and conclude before 1am, and those Day 2 restarts will begin at 2:30pm. Those players starting events at 5pm will compete for 8 one-hour levels and end before 3am, and Day 2 restarts will be at 3pm the following day. On every day of the WSOP, the maximum number of levels played will be 10, which will keep Day 2 players seeking seats at final tables from playing extraordinarily long days.
Structures and chip stacks will mimic those of the 2009 Series, with deep structures and triple buy-in starting stacks to begin each tournament.
Pre-registration is currently open online at WSOP.com or in person at the Main Cage at the Rio in Las Vegas. Those choosing to register on site at the time of the events will be able to buy in through the end of the second level and any break time before the third level. And concerning the main event and others that reached maximum capacity last year, new policies are being designed and will be announced before the start of the 2010 WSOP, though it is being reported that late registrants for the Main Event will be assigned a start day rather than being given an option. But the WSOP staff is encouraging all players to pre-register early and wire transfer money to secure seats in tournaments.
According to WSOP Tournament Director Jack Effel, “Whatever your game and whatever your bankroll, the 2010 WSOP schedule offers something for everyone. We are planning for the largest WSOP ever and look forward to welcoming all players to the Rio in Las Vegas next summer.”
And without further ado, behold the 2010 World Series of Poker tournament schedule:
| Event 1 | May 28, 12pm | $500 Casino Employees NLHE (2-day) |
| Event 2 | May 28, 5pm | $50,000 Player’s Championship 8-Game Mixed (5-day) |
| Event 3 | May 29, 12pm | $1,000 NLHE (4-day) |
| Event 4 | May 30, 5pm | $1,500 Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 (3-day) |
| Event 5 | May 31, 12pm | $1,500 NLHE (3-day) |
| Event 6 | June 1, 12pm | $5,000 NLHE Shootout, 2,000 players max (3-day) |
| Event 7 | June 1, 5pm | $2,500 2-7 Limit Triple Draw Lowball (3-day) |
| Event 8 | June 2, 12pm | $1,500 NLHE (3-day) |
| Event 9 | June 3, 12pm | $1,500 Pot-Limit Hold’em (3-day) |
| Event 10 | June 3, 5pm | $10,000 7-Card Stud Championship (3-day) |
| Event 11 | June 4, 12pm | $1,500 NLHE (3-day) |
| Event 12 | June 4, 5pm | $1,500 Limit Hold’em (3-day) |
| Event 13 | June 5, 12pm | $1,000 NLHE (4-day) |
| Event 14 | June 5, 5pm | $1,500 2-7 No-Limit Draw Lowball (3-day) |
| Event 15 | June 6, 5pm | $10,000 7-Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 Championship (3-day) |
| Event 16 | June 7, 12pm | $1,500 NLHE 6-handed (3-day) |
| Event 17 | June 8, 12pm | $5,000 NLHE (3-day) |
| Event 18 | June 9, 12pm | $2,000 Limit Hold’em (3-day) |
| Event 19 | June 9, 5pm | $10,000 2-7 No-Limit Draw Lowball Championship (3-day) |
| Event 20 | June 10, 12pm | $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha (3-day) |
| Event 21 | June 10, 5pm | $1,500 7-Card Stud (3-day) |
| Event 22 | June 11, 12pm | $1,000 Ladies NLHE Championship (3-day) |
| Event 23 | June 11, 5pm | $2,500 Limit Hold’em 6-handed (3-day) |
| Event 24 | June 12, 12pm | $1,000 NLHE (4-day) |
| Event 25 | June 12, 5pm | $10,000 Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 Championship (3-day) |
| Event 26 | June 14, 12pm | $2,500 NLHE 6-handed (3-day) |
| Event 27 | June 14, 5pm | $1,500 7-Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 (3-day) |
| Event 28 | June 15, 12pm | $2,500 Pot-Limit Omaha (3-day) |
| Event 29 | June 15, 5pm | $10,000 Limit Hold’em Championship (3-day) |
| Event 30 | June 16, 12pm | $1,500 NLHE (3-day) |
| Event 31 | June 16, 5pm | $1,500 HORSE (3-day) |
| Event 32 | June 17, 12pm | $5,000 NLHE 6-handed (3-day) |
| Event 33 | June 17, 5pm | $2,500 Pot-Limit Hold’em/Omaha (3-day) |
| Event 34 | June 18, 12pm | $1,000 Seniors NLHE Championship (3-day) |
| Event 35 | June 18, 5pm | $10,000 Heads-Up NLHE, 256 players max (3-day) |
| Event 36 | June 19, 12pm | $1,000 NLHE (4-day) |
| Event 37 | June 19, 5pm | $3,000 HORSE (3-day) |
| Event 38 | June 20, 5pm | $10,000 Pot-Limit Hold’em Championship (3-day) |
| Event 39 | June 21, 12pm | $1,500 NLHE Shootout, 2,000 players max (3-day) |
| Event 40 | June 21, 5pm | $2,500 7-Card Razz (3-day) |
| Event 41 | June 22, 12pm | $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 (3-day) |
| Event 42 | June 23, 12pm | $1,500 NLHE (3-day) |
| Event 43 | June 23, 5pm | $10,000 HORSE Championship (3-day) |
| Event 44 | June 24, 12pm | $2,500 Mixed Hold’em (3-day) |
| Event 45 | June 25, 12pm | $1,500 NLHE (3-day) |
| Event 46 | June 25, 5pm | $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 (3-day) |
| Event 47 | June 26, 12pm | $1,000 NLHE (4-day) |
| Event 48 | June 26, 5pm | $2,500 8-Game Mixed (3-day) |
| Event 49 | June 28, 12pm | $1,500 NLHE (3-day) |
| Event 50 | June 28, 5pm | $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha (3-day) |
| Event 51 | June 29, 12pm | $3,000 Triple Chance NLHE (3-day) |
| Event 52 | June 30, 12pm | $25,000 NLHE 6-handed (4-day) |
| Event 53 | June 30, 5pm | $1,500 Limit Hold’em Shootout (3-day) |
| Event 54 | July 1, 12pm | $1,000 NLHE (4-day) |
| Event 55 | July 1, 5pm | $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship (3-day) |
| Event 56 | July 2, 5pm | $2,500 NLHE (3-day) |
| Event 57 | July 5-8, 12pm | $10,000 NLHE Championship |
For non-bracelet tournament action, the Rio will host $550 buy-in no-limit hold’em tournaments every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 1pm from June 1 to 30. There will also be nightly no-limit hold’em tournaments every single night at 7pm for a $340 buy-in and at 11pm for a $200 buy-in, and the nightly events will run from May 27 to July 4.