08 Feb 12

Top Ten World Series Of Poker Innovations: Part 1

Following the announcement of the 2012 WSOP schedule last week, we look at some of the biggest innovations to come out of the series.

Last week, the full schedule for the 2012 World Series of Poker was announced, with a wide array of new changes to the format. It seems every year the WSOP gets a facelift, so we decided to look back on some of the biggest innovations to come out of the series since it started in 1970.

10. The Big One for One Drop

This one might seem a little premature, considering it has not happened yet, but this year's $1 million buy-in event could prove a real spark for the WSOP.These events are highly unlikely to become the norm on the poker circuit, and winning this does not automatically you the best in the world; but come on.....it's a million dollar buy-in.

It was not that long ago that the thought of the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. tournament was considered a ludicrous buy-in, so when at least 22 players (And counting) are expected to participate in an event twenty times the size of that, it will certainly get the world (Poker and otherwise) talking.

Guy Laliberte is bringing a seven-figure buy-in to the WSOP

9. WSOP Hall of Fame

When the World Series started, poker players were considered second-class citizens. Although it is still by no means the most reputable of professions today, the public perception has changed massively. Whether of not the WSOP Hall of Fame helped changed the reputation of the game is unlikely, but if it did anything at all, it possibly helped the reputation of poker among the poker players themselves.

You don't win any money for being a hall of famer, but its inclusion in 1979 has helped cultivate a rich sense of tradition and identity for the WSOP.

Dan Harrington and Erik Seidel inducted in 2010

8. Player of the Year

The creation of the WSOP Player of the Year Award in 2004, coincided with the boom created by Chris Moneymaker one year earlier. The fields were significantly larger, and the number of events had increased massively. Money and bracelets were always the top priority for the pros, but the Player of the Year award gave a third criterion for bragging rights.

It almost carries with it as much kudos as a bracelet itself, it gives us all an additional reason to rail the players, and of course another reason for the players to engage in WSOP prop bets.

7. Player's Championship

With the high variance and massive field sizes in No Limit events after the boom, all of a sudden the biggest names were getting lost in the crowd. Final tables were no longer a 'whose who' of poker.

This changed in 2006 when the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. event was created. The combination of high buy-in and lesser played formats meant that only the biggest players in the game bought in for the event, it guaranteed a well known televised final table.

In 2008 the event also featured the Chip Reese Memorial Trophy, in honour of the late inaugural champion of this event. In 2010 the format changed again, the H.O.R.S.E. event became the player's championship, which included triple draw, PLO, and No Limit Hold'em being added to the rotation of games.

Some people think the event is elitist, some think it is the real main event. Whatever your thoughts, there is no doubt that this is one of the most railed events of the year.

Michael Mizrachi with the Chip Reese Trophy

6. The ESPN Live Stream

Televised poker in the US is in a fast decline following Black Friday, but one ray of light last year was ESPN's live coverage of the WSOP. Not only was the WSOP broadcast on ESPN live, all the events were streamed online for the entire series.

For the first time we got to rail live, unedited footage of the WSOP. Not only that, the quality of the broadcasts were superb, and have really set the bar high for televised poker for years to come.