WSOP 2008: The Year Of The Pro?

News / Chris Edwards / 25 June 2008 / Leave a comment

With many high profile players winnings events, a lot of poker fans are labeling this years World Series as 'The Year Of The Pro', says Chris Edwards

Here we will compare this years winners with the last two years to see if this is the case. What constitutes a pro? Barry Greenstein states it as a person that might not get much tv time, but who makes their living from the game. Many players considered pros do not play full time, but can be regarded as TV Pros. We will highlight internet and live players who have had a lot of media coverage over the last 3 years.

2006

Dutch Boyd - $2500 NLHE 6max
David Williams - $1500 7 Card Stud
Sam Farha - $5000 Omaha 8 or Better
Max Pescatori - $2500 LHE
Allen Cunningham - $1000 NLHE w/Rebuys
Lee Watkinson - $10,000 PLO
Chip Reese - $50,000 HORSE
David Pham - $2000 NLHE Shootout
Jeff Madsen - $2000 NLHE + $5000 NLHE 6max
Phil Hellmuth - $1000 NLHE w/Rebuys

Total = 10 Players

Although this was the year Jamie Gold won the Main Event, at the time he was an unknown player. There were also some well known cash game players who won bracelets, such as Daniel Alaei and Ralph Perry, but these players have mostly stayed out of the limelight over the last few years.

2007

Tom Schneider - $2500 Mixed 8 or Better + $1000 Stud 8 Or Better
Allen Cunningham - $5000 PLHE
Phil Hellmuth - $1500 NLHE
Eli Elezra - $3000 Stud 8 Or Better
Hoyt Corkins - $2500 NLHE
Freddy Deeb - $50,000 HORSE
Ram Vaswani - $1500 NLHE
Erik Seidel - $5000 NL 2-7 w/Rebuys

Total = 8 Players

Last year saw even less famous players doing well, with a lot of amateurs taking advantage of the low buyins and frequent Hold'em events.

2008

Nenad Medic - $10,000 PLHE
David Singer - $1500 PLHE
Erick Lindgren - $5000 Mixed Hold'em
Mike Matusow - $5000 NL 2-7 w/Rebuys
Daniel Negreanu - $2000 LHE
Max Pescatori - $2500 HA
Kenny Tran - $10,000 NLHE HU
Barry Greenstein - $1500 Razz
Phil Galfond - $5000 PLO w/Rebuys
Dario Minieri - $2500 NLHE 6max
Layne Flack - $1500 PLO w/Rebuys
David Benyamine - $10,000 Omaha 8 Or Better

Total So Far: 12

Even before the end of this years series, we have more named players winning bracelets than the previous two years. This is because of there being more higher buy-ins, with nine $10,000+ events, not to mention the $5000 rebuy events. Last year there were only three $10,000+ events. There is also less high stakes side action going on this year, so the professionals are having to play the tournaments.

With three more large buy-in events still to come, the $50k HORSE, $10k PLO and of course the $10k Main Event, plus the amount of bracelet bets that have happened this year it is justifiable to declare 2008 the year of the pro.