Well, we are fifty tournaments down in this years World Series of Poker and all focus will start to turn towards the Main Event 1a starting on Monday. It has been a quite eventful tournament to say the least so far, with thrills and spills a plenty in WSOP 2010.

None more so than in event #50 the $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha, where crowd control was required at stages to separate a rather animated rail. The event was down to the final table, when a bit of needle began to creep in between Chance Kornuth and fellow Colorado citizen Kevin Boudreau. In one hand between the two Boudreau took down a hefty pot, before turning to the rail exclaiming “PAID OFF LIKE A FISH! PAID OFF LIKE A FISH!” This action sparked a tense exchange between the warring factions on both sides and extra security had to be drafted in to separate the rail to different sides of the room.

Ironically, it was Boudreau and Kornuth who ended up heads-up in the event, with Kornuth having the last laugh taking down the $508,090 first prize. A delighted Kornuth quickly called his father straight after the finish, shouting loudly on the phone “Bracelet, Baby.” It clearly meant a big deal to the relatively unknown Kornuth, who only had one previous WSOP cash to his name. Boudreau retired to the rail collapsing into his friends arms, I’m sure the runners-up cheque for $313,792 will soften the blow.

In event #49 the $1,500 No-Limit Hold‘em tournie, Mike Linn prevailed to pick up a massive $609,493 for his efforts. Another first time winner, but hardly surprising, considering who may have been giving him some coaching. For Linn’s Uncle is none other than the honourable legend Barry Greenstein. Besting a huge field of 2,543, Linn from La Jolla, CA took the prize from Taylor Larkin also from the US heads-up.

The only outstanding event from the first fifty tournaments is the Tournament of Champions, which is due to recommence on Saturday subject to certain conditions. Play may be held over until Sunday 04^th, if some players involved have commitments in other events. Mike ‘the mouth’ Matusow currently leads the event with 85,500 chips, but with seventeen players still left, it looks sure to carry over till Sunday.

The final few days of play will now quite rightly lead up to the Main Event on Monday 05^th. When the highlight of the poker season will commence with day 1a registration and then for the next five days registration will continue. The Main Event will then play out down to the final nine players by July 17^th, before the lucky nine will reconvene sometime in November to fight it out for the title and the huge first prize. The poker world has suffered some kicks in the teeth recently, with scandals, government intervention internationally and a whole host of other unwelcome distractions’. So, here’s hoping this years Main Event will have all the excitement of recent times and we can be rightly proud of our new world champion, whoever it may be.