Welcome back to the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino and the 2018 World Series of Poker (WSOP) for Day 1 of the Event #33: $50,000 Poker Players Championship!
Always one of the most anticipated events on the WSOP schedule, the Poker Players Championship pits the best-of-the-best against each other in an 8-game mix across five days of intense poker action. Mixed game tournament regulars will see players emerge from the darkness that is the high-stakes cash game worlds located in Bobby's Room and Ivey's Room located at Bellagio and Aria respectively in an attempt to be crowned the next Poker Players Champion.
Many of the world's best consider this tournament their main event as winning in this 8-game format against these players is believed to be one of the toughest challenges on the WSOP schedule. A roll call of previous winners sees a serious who's-who of the poker world capturing WSOP gold. Two players have won this event twice with Brian Rast (2016 and 2011) and Michael Mizrachi (2012 and 2010) ascended to the top to capture their third WSOP gold bracelet with each of their second wins.
Three other high-stakes cash game regulars have been spending plenty of time frequenting the mixed games in Bobby's Room already this WSOP, and three of them are also previous winners. Mike Gorodinsky (2015), John Hennigan (2014), and Matthew Ashton (2013) all won this event in consecutive years, and are all considered in a group of the world's best and most talented mixed game players.
In 2017, it would be a relative unknown compared to the list of previous winners emerging victorious over the 100-player field when the United Kingdom's Elior Sion defeated Johannes Becker heads-up for the $1,395,767 first prize, his first WSOP gold bracelet, and the David "Chip" Reese Memorial Trophy. Also making an appearance at the final table included Isaac Haxton, Daniel Negreanu, and Paul Volpe, while the likes of Shaun Deeb, Ashton, Scott Seiver, Mike Matusow, and James Obst registered an in-the-money finish.
$50,000 Poker Players Championship Past Results
| Year | Champion | Country | Players | Prize Pool | First Prize |
|---|
| 2017 | Elior Sion | United Kingdom | 100 | $4,800,000 | $1,395,767 |
| 2016 | Brian Rast | United States | 91 | $4,176,000 | $1,296,097 |
| 2015 | Mike Gorodinsky | United States | 84 | $3,696,000 | $1,270,086 |
| 2014 | John Hennigan | United States | 102 | $4,896,000 | $1,517,767 |
| 2013 | Matthew Ashton | United Kingdom | 132 | $6,336,000 | $1,774,089 |
| 2012 | Michael Mizrachi | United States | 108 | $5,184,000 | $1,451,527 |
| 2011 | Brian Rast | United States | 128 | $6,144,000 | $1,720,328 |
| 2010 | Michael Mizrachi | United States | 116 | $5,568,000 | $1,559,046 |
| 2009 | David Bach | United States | 95 | $4,560,000 | $1,276,806 |
| 2008 | Scotty Nguyen | United States | 148 | $7,104,000 | $1,989,120 |
| 2007 | Freddy Deeb | United States | 148 | $7,104,000 | $2,276,832 |
| 2006 | David "Chip" Reese | United States | 143 | $6,864,000 | $1,716,000 |
Note: The Poker Players Championship was played as H.O.R.S.E. from 2006 to 2009 before switching to the current 8-Game format from 2010 onward. The final table was played as No-Limit Hold'em from 2010-2011.
The schedule for the Poker Players Championship will see players begin with 250,000 in starting chips with each day playing six 100-minute levels with a 15-minute break after each level. Late registration is open for ten levels, or approximately until Day 2 (Saturday June 16th), at 10:20 p.m. (PDT).
The PokerNews Live Reporting Team will be on hand to provide continuous live updates of every wheel, scoop, and outdraw live from Event #33: $50,000 Poker Players Championship. Action is underway from 3:00 pm (PDT), so stay tuned right here to PokerNews.com for all your live reporting needs.
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