WSOP Circuit Returns to Harveys Lake Tahoe
First Event Draws 407 Players – Up 17 Percent from Same Event Last Year
STATELINE, NV – A poker blizzard has hit Northern Nevada.
For the seventh consecutive year, the Harveys Lake Tahoe Casino is hosting a World Series of Poker Circuit tournament series. This year’s schedule runs nearly two full weeks and includes ten “Gold Ring” events, which are taking place from November 12th through 22nd.
Tournament buy-ins range from $345 (for seven events) up to $1,600 for the Main Event Championship. Each event winner receives a gold ring, which symbolizes a victory on the WSOP Circuit.
The first event, a $345 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em tournament, began on Friday at noon. The competition attracted 407 players. Last year’s same tournament attracted 348 entrants. Hence, this year’s figure represents a 17 percent increase over the previous year.
The impressive opening number at Harveys Lake Tahoe is consistent with big turnouts so far at all WSOP Circuit stops. All four WSOP Circuit events have experienced increases in both attendance and prize money. Numbers were up significantly at Council Bluffs, Hammond (Chicago), and Southern Indiana. A new addition to this year’s schedule held at the IP Casino-Resort and Spa in Biloxi also saw strong numbers.
Several inches of snow on the ground and a winter wonderland atmosphere outdoors could not freeze the enthusiasm of hundreds of poker players from all over the West who made the trek to the High Sierras and Harveys Lake Tahoe. The casino-resort is located on the south shore of crystal blue Lake Tahoe, beneath a wall of snow-capped mountains, making for one of the most astounding views of any poker destination in the world.
Indeed, Harveys Lake Tahoe is one of the most beautiful resorts in North America. Aside from plenty of poker and gaming, a wide variety of attractions beckon those who enjoy both the indoors and outdoors.
Already packed with several feet of snow on the highest plateaus, the adjacent Heavenly Ski Resort is scheduled to open November 19th. The ski lift and village is located only a five-minute walk from Harveys. Another world-class ski report, Squaw Valley, which hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics, is scheduled to open soon. Squaw Valley is about a 30-minute drive from Harveys Lake Tahoe.
The poker action here is just as enticing. Few may remember that the WSOP had its origins, not in Las Vegas, but rather in Northern Nevada. The first WSOP-style tournament was played in Reno at the Holiday Casino in 1969. That first gathering of poker players was called the "Second Annual Gambling Fraternity Convention," and was won by Crandell Addington, later a Poker Hall of Fame inductee. Poker patriarch Benny Binion was so impressed with the concept that he held the first WSOP the following year at Binion's Horseshoe in Las Vegas in 1970.
Now some 41 years later, poker remains alive and well in the Reno-Lake Tahoe area. In addition to the ten scheduled gold ring events, there are nightly No-Limit Hold'em tournaments and plenty of mega-satellites. Cash games are going on inside the poker room around the clock.
Poker players can still make hotel reservations by calling 1-800-HARRAHS. Ask for a special tournament player’s rate under the code: "WSOP1" Hotel rates are $39 weekdays and $69 for Friday nights. Saturday nights are based on availability. Hotel reservations can also be made online at http://www.harveystahoe.com.
This year, all WSOP Circuit players accumulate points which are used to qualify towards the WSOP Circuit National Championship tournament, to be held in May 2011 in Las Vegas. The $1 million freeroll tournament will be nationally televised and will be open to only 100 qualifiers. For the first time ever, a WSOP gold bracelet will be presented to the winner.
Staff and management at Harveys have been gearing up for the past few months in preparation for this year's Tahoe Circuit. Poker room manager Vince Contaxis took some time out with WSOP.com in 2009 to talk about the Circuit, his poker room and to share a little bit about himself. You can find the full interview here.
The 2010-2011 World Series of Poker Circuit schedule – which includes all upcoming tour stops and dates -- can be viewed here.