Turn on your TVs, set your DVRs, and get ready for the return of the best poker on television. Tonight marks the start of the latest season of World Series of Poker action and, this time around, it is a truly international affair. The coverage commences with the WSOP Asia-Pacific Main Event action starring none other than Daniel "Kid Poker" Negreanu.
Two hours of coverage from Melbourne begins Tuesday at 9pm ET on ESPN. This opening week in Australia will be followed by two hours of National Championship coverage from New Orleans, then the Main Event action from Vegas begins on August 6th and continues all the way through to November.
However, before our attention shifts to Vegas and the November Nine, first it is Negreanu and the APAC final table who takes the spotlight. The first-ever WSOP Asia-Pacific Main Event drew 405 players who put up AU$10,000 for a shot at the title. The final table features an international array of players from five different countries. Negreanu kicked off the Year of Canada at the WSOP back in April when the final table took place, but he actually isn't the only Canadian that will be featured on tonight's coverage. High stakes cash game player Winfred Yu also made it to the eight-handed final table, as did Benny Spindler, one of a number of top young German pros currently travelling the poker circuit.
There is another familiar face at the table as well. After taking fourth in the 2012 WSOP Main Event, Russell Thomas adds yet another final table appearance to his WSOP resume by making it to the final day of play in Melbourne. Thomas was one of several November Niners who thrived at the Crown Casino in Melbourne during APAC. The 2010 World Champ Jonathan Duhamel final tabled a prelim event, while his fellow November Niner classmate Joseph Cheong finished runner-up to Philipp Gruissem in the High Roller tournament. Thomas' tablemate Jeremy Ausmus also made a final table appearance, proving that for more and more players, making the Main Event final table is just the beginning of a poker career.
The poker and the fun begins at 9pm, but in the meantime, here is a sneak peek at what to expect from Negreanu, Melbourne, and the first-ever APAC Main Event:
And here is a look at the complete 2013 WSOP on ESPN schedule:
|
Network
|
Date
|
Time
|
2013 WSOP Schedule
|
|
ESPN
|
Tue
7/23/2013
|
9-10
pm
|
WSOP Asia-Pacific Main Event final table
|
|
ESPN
|
Tue
7/23/2013
|
10-11
pm
|
WSOP Asia-Pacific Main Event final table
|
|
ESPN
|
Tue
7/30/2013
|
9-10
pm
|
WSOP National Champ Final Table
|
|
ESPN
|
Tue
7/30/2013
|
10-11
pm
|
WSOP National Champ Final Table
|
|
ESPN
|
Tue
8/6/2013
|
9-10
pm
|
2013 WSOP Main Event - Day 3
|
|
ESPN
|
Tue
8/6/2013
|
10-11
pm
|
2013 WSOP Main Event - Day 3
|
|
ESPN
|
Tue
8/13/2013
|
9-10
pm
|
2013 WSOP Main Event - Day 3
|
|
ESPN
|
Tue
8/13/2013
|
10-11
pm
|
2013 WSOP Main Event - Day 3
|
|
ESPN
|
Tue
8/20/2013
|
9-10
pm
|
2013 WSOP Main Event - Day 4
|
|
ESPN
|
Tue
8/20/2013
|
10-11
pm
|
2013 WSOP Main Event - Day 4
|
|
ESPN
|
Tue
8/27/2013
|
9-10
pm
|
2013 WSOP Main Event - Day 4
|
|
ESPN
|
Tue
8/27/2013
|
10-11
pm
|
2013 WSOP Main Event - Day 4
|
|
ESPN
|
Tue
9/17/2013
|
9-10
pm
|
2013 WSOP Main Event - Day 5
|
|
ESPN
|
Tue
9/17/2013
|
10-11
pm
|
2013 WSOP Main Event - Day 5
|
|
ESPN
|
Tue
9/24/2013
|
9-10
pm
|
2013 WSOP Main Event - Day 5
|
|
ESPN
|
Tue
9/24/2013
|
10-11
pm
|
2013 WSOP Main Event - Day 5
|
|
ESPN
|
Tue
10/1/2013
|
9-10
pm
|
2013 WSOP Main Event - Day 6
|
|
ESPN
|
Tue
10/1/2013
|
10-11
pm
|
2013 WSOP Main Event - Day 6
|
|
ESPN
|
Tue
10/8/2013
|
9-10
pm
|
2013 WSOP Main Event - Day 6
|
|
ESPN
|
Tue
10/8/2013
|
10-11
pm
|
2013 WSOP Main Event - Day 6
|
|
ESPN
|
Tue
10/15/2013
|
9-10
pm
|
2013 WSOP Main Event - Day 7
|
|
ESPN
|
Tue
10/15/2013
|
10-11
pm
|
2013 WSOP Main Event - Day 7
|
|
ESPN
|
Tue
10/22/2013
|
9-10
pm
|
2013 WSOP Main Event - Day 7
|
|
ESPN
|
Tue
10/22/2013
|
10-11
pm
|
2013 WSOP Main Event - Day 7
|
|
ESPN
|
Tue
10/29/2013
|
9-10
pm
|
2013 WSOP Main Event - Day 7
|
|
ESPN
|
Tue
10/29/2013
|
10-11
pm
|
2013 WSOP Main Event - Day 7
|