In the video above, you can watch the reigning World Series of Poker Main Event champion Greg Merson talking about the 2013 Main Event. At that point he was still in the tournament and perhaps feeling confident, but he was recently eliminated, finishing 167th which is pretty respectable.
The Main Event has changed dramatically over the years, and now the tournament is so big it has to be staggering when compared to the old school events. On Friday the field was narrowed down to 648 players, all of whom will take home a minimum of $19,000 for their efforts. The last player eliminated was Farzad Bonyadi, a twenty-year World Series of Poker veteran who has three bracelets. The drama of having Bonyadi go down when he went all-in just punctuated the new reality of this tournament. There were only 34 players back in 1977 when Doyle Brunson repeated as Main Event champion, and Johnny Chan was able to win a second title in a row in 1988 by beating a field of 167 players.
The popularity of poker, it’s presence on TV, the acknowledgement now by many that it’s a game of skill, and the innovations in online gaming and tournaments have permanently altered the poker landscape. These trends are not slowing down, particularly now with smartphones and mobile apps expanding the playing field even more. Access now extends beyond the smoky poker table or even the computer screen, as we can play anywhere, 24/7. You can easily play casino games on Android phones by clicking here and seeing the best options. The new generation of players flooding Las Vegas for the World Series will only keep growing. Also, public sentiment has changed to the point that politicians realize that this game of skill should be afforded the proper respect and regulation.
It will be fascinating to see if we’ll ever have another back-to-back Main Event winner again. Now that the doors have been blown wide open, it seems practically impossible given the sheer number of poker players. The odds are definitely against it.
