WSOP CIRCUIT RETURNS TO HAMMOND THURSDAY
Hammond, IN (October 15, 2013) — Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, IN hosts the WSOP Circuit for the sixth consecutive year beginning this Thursday and lasting through Monday, October 29. With thousand-player fields and six-figure paydays being the norm, the Hammond series has justly earned the reputation as the largest of any on the Circuit schedule.

In 2011, the opening $350 re-entry tournament drew 3,001 entries, handily recognizing it as the largest Circuit tournament to date. The event's winner, Wisconsin resident Aaron Bieck, parlayed his measly $300 buy-in into more than $124,000. Less than a week later, the $1,675 Main Event drew 1,615 entries once again setting an attendance record that remains today. The first prize of $393,584 found its way into the pockets of Hammond regular Robert Chow.

This year's series stands to be another one for the record books with an opening $500,000 guaranteed $365 re-entry event and a $2 million guaranteed Main Event.

The re-entry tournament kicks off the 12-day series at 12 p.m. Thursday with the first of two starting flights. Players eliminated in Thursday's flight can get back in on the action Friday at 12 p.m. With a $500,000 guarantee, the eventual champion is expected to turn his or her buy-in into yet another six-figure score in Hammond.

Those looking for even higher stakes action find their calling in the $1,675 Main Event which begins Friday, October 25 at 12 p.m. This one-of-a-kind tournament boasts a $2 million prize pool, a first for the Circuit, and is expected to challenge the 1,615-entry attendance record.

Other notable events on the schedule include a $365 Pot-Limit Omaha with $100 Re-Buys tournament on October 20, a $365 HORSE event on October 22 and a $1,125 No-Limit Hold'em tournament on October 23.

Schedule of ring events:
  • Event 1A: $365 No-Limit Hold'em Re-Entry, Thursday, October 17, 12 p.m.
  • Event 1B: $365 No-Limit Hold'em Re-Entry, Friday, October 18, 12 p.m.
  • Event 2: $580 No-Limit Hold'em, Saturday, October 19, 12 p.m.
  • Event 3: $365 No-Limit Hold'em, Sunday, October 20, 12 p.m.
  • Event 4: $365 Pot-Limit Omaha with $100 Re-Buys, Sunday, October 20, 5 p.m.
  • Event 5: $365 No-Limit Hold'em, Monday, October 21, 12 p.m.
  • Event 6: $580 No-Limit Hold'em Six-Handed, Tuesday, October 22, 12 p.m.
  • Event 7: $365 H.O.R.S.E., Tuesday, October 22, 5 p.m.
  • Event 8: $1,125 No-Limit Hold'em, Wednesday, October 23, 2 p.m.
  • Event 9: $365 Limit Omaha Eight or Better, Thursday, October 24, 12 p.m.
  • Event 10A: $1,675 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event, Friday, October 25, 12 p.m.
  • Event 10B: $1,675 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event, Saturday, October 26, 12 p.m.
  • Event 11: $580 No-Limit Hold'em, Sunday, October 27, 12 p.m.
  • Event 12: $365 One-Day No-Limit Hold'em, Monday, October 28, 12 p.m.
A full schedule of all ring and non-ring events is available on WSOP.com.

In addition to numerous satellite events, Horseshoe Hammond is doing its part to help swell the Main Event field with cash game and daily tournament promotions. Four times a day between September 1 and October 16 a randomly drawn cash game table high carded for a Main Event seat. An additional seat was earned by the daily tournament winner during those same dates. September 7 through October 12 three Main Event seats were added to the $200 Saturday satellites.

In all, these promotions account for almost 100 Main Event berths earned before the series even starts.

But it doesn't stop there. The grandaddy of all satellites, the $200 No-Limit Hold'em Stimulus Event, begins Wednesday, October 23 at 12 p.m. and boasts 18 Main Event seats added to the prize pool.

Horseshoe Hammond is located just minutes away from downtown Chicago. The 34-table poker room transforms into the poker Mecca of the Midwest spreading numerous of games of all limits around the clock during the WSOP Circuit. Additionally, the newly-renovated casino floor features more than 100 tables games, over 300 video poker machines and 1,500 penny slot machines alone.

More information on the property is available on its website.

Players are encouraged to stay at one of three properties offering special group rates -- Residence Inn, Courtyard, or Fairfield Inn & Suites. Reservations can be made at www.marriott.com.

All official updates from the 12-day Hammond series will be available on WSOP.com and the WSOP Circuit Blog.