It’s time for the 2009 Southern Poker Championship, a stop on the seventh season of the World Poker Tour. Hosted by the Beau Rivage Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi, the event runs from January 14th through 17th. In past seasons, the January WPT stop has traditionally been the World Poker Open in Tunica, Mississippi, but this year the Southern Poker Championship, which is essentially a combination of the World Poker Open and Gulf Coast Championship events, is running in its place. Follow your favorite online poker stars in the event on PocketFivesLive.com.
The last time the WPT stopped in Biloxi, Bill Edler beat out a field of 256 entrants to take home the $747,615 first place prize and title of Gulf Coast Poker Champion back in September of 2007. At that same event, PocketFiver Jonathan FieryJustice Little just missed the televised final table, finishing in seventh place for $93,451.
If you’re playing in this year’s event, register for coverage on PocketFivesLive.com. It’s completely free and a great way to let your friends, family, and the entire online poker community know how you’re doing.
Perhaps this year the field will be even larger, as some of the preliminary events have already attracted over 500 entrants. Several PocketFivers started out 2009 on the right foot in a number of these events, making it all the way to the final table. Eric jakz101 Crain finished second in a $500 buy-in No Limit Hold’em event, earning $28,255 in the process. The very next day, another PocketFiver, Michael benvo123 Benvenuti, took down a $1,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament, winning $63,898 and a seat into the Main Event.
The $10,000 event kicks off on Wednesday, January 14th. A winner will be crowned three days later. Each player will receive a starting chip stack of 30,000 and blinds levels last 90 minutes each, followed by a 10 minute break. Depending on the number of entrants, play will run for five or six levels on Day 1. On Day 2 (Thursday), the field will play until 36 contestants remain. The six-handed final table will be determined on Day 3 (Friday) of the four day event. As is the case with WPT events, the winner gets the cash as well as a $25,000 entry into the WPT Championship, held at the Bellagio in April.
For live updates of all PocketFivers playing in the event, be sure to check out PocketFivesLive.com, your source for WPT coverage, starting on Wednesday, January 14th for all of the action leading up to the final table. We’ll talk to you soon from Biloxi!
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