On Sunday, World Series of Poker (WSOP) officials reminded the community that the first open bracelet event on the 2012 docket, a $1,500 No Limit Hold’em tournament, had not yet sold out. Registration for this Noon PT blockbuster is set to close around 4:40pm PT in Las Vegas on Monday and a very healthy crowd is expected. The three-day tournament will crown a champion midweek.

In terms of capacity for each tournament, WSOP officials Tweeted on Monday, “We can accommodate 4,700+, but some events are capped @ certain # players.”

On Twitter, members of the online poker community came alive as the first events of the 2012 WSOP began. Searching for his first WSOP bracelet is U.K. pro Chris moorman1 Moorman, who made a splash by earning over $1 million at least year’s series. Moorman cheered on Twitter, “Its TIMEEEEEE! (as @brucebuffer would say). Well, in 3 hours. Gl to me, my horses, my friends, and my fellow Brits over next 50 days.”

Justin win0rgohome Zaki, who made the final table of the World Poker Tour’s Seminole Hard Rock Showdown last September and final tabled a WSOP event in 2010, was already in Sin City and awake bright and early. He lamented on Twitter, “Up at 8:30am. Is it because today is the 1st day of WSOP and I’m so excited or is it because I haven’t adjusted to the time difference?”

Also up early on a day that many compared to Christmas morning was Sean WormNorton Getzwiller, who Tweeted, “Waking up early like a little kid on Xmas day… Only one thing on my mind! #Hardware #WSOP2012.” You might recall that Getzwiller won his first bracelet last year in a $1,000 No Limit Hold’em event for $611,000 after defeating a field of over 4,000 players.

Christmas analogies ran rampant on Twitter. Take American Steven SteveyBallGame Merrifield (pictured), for example, who shared his emotions the night before the 2012 WSOP began: “Like trying to go to sleep on Christmas Eve – it’s go time tomorrow! WSOP Event #2 $1,500, would love to see some blue lights early.” Merrifield made two final tables at the 2011 WSOP.

Another popular analogy for the first day of the WSOP was the first day of school. Although this author would much prefer presents to homework, Tony DrunkPPlaya Gargano Tweeted, “The start of the World Series of Poker feels a lot like the first day of school… Only I have a ‘murse’ instead of a Trapper Keeper.” Gargano last cashed in a WSOP tournament in 2010.

Several poker players couldn’t make it out to the Las Vegas casino right away due to other obligations. Among that group was former #1 playeron PocketFives and former bracelet winner Cliff JohnnyBax Josephy (pictured), who Tweeted on Monday, “It’s the time of year poker players dream about. I, however, am in NY watching 8 boys have a water balloon fight after a sleepover #NextWk?” Monday is the Memorial Day holiday in the United States, which kept many PocketFives members occupied.

Several poker players couldn’t make it out to the Las Vegas casino right away due to travel SNAFUs. In that camp was the United Kingdom’s Jack jackellwood Ellwood, who vented, “Flight from Newcastle to Heathrow delayed, will miss connection to Vegas. Nooooo! Thanks BA, try again tomorrow. Not the best start to WSOP.”

Ellwood later updated his nearly 700 Twitter followers: “Plus side, I get to see @adelewrightson for a few more hours. Down side, I have to say goodbye again. Also found a A$1,000 chip in my wallet that I didn’t know I had.”

Also not at the 2012 WSOP yet was former #1 player Bryan theczar19 Piccioli, who was headed to Las Vegas on June 1st: “Kinda wish I was with all the other degens playing the first $1,500 event at WSOP today, but having fun at home. See y’all Friday night.” Piccioli has over $4.6 million in tracked cashes in his PocketFives profile.

Melanie Callisto 5 Weisner (pictured) was viewing from afar as well, letting the world know she’d make it out to the world’s most prestigious tournament series this weekend: “WSOP starts tomorrow and while I will not be there until the 2nd, I’d like to see a few of my friends win bracelets this week! #teamwindy.” Weisner owns a music degree from New York University and could be singing along to the U.S. national anthem should she win a bracelet.

Warming up for the WSOP by trying to get her gamble on was former PocketFivesLive reporter Jessica Welman. The Kentucky native and poker reporter was frantically scouring Las Vegas for a game of Texas Hold’em Bonus, but Tweeted, “Good news: didn’t have to gamble in the PH Pleasure Pit. Bad news: cause there’s no THB @ Planet Hollywood. #THBnanza.”

We’ll keep you up-to-date on the latest WSOP news right here on PocketFives.