Las Vegas Weekly

July 12, 2010 · 12:43 PM

Rene Angelil, Bruce Buffer, Gabe Kaplan remain in contention at WSOP

By Robin Leach

Chuck Liddell, Angelica Bridges, Carrot Top, Bruce Buffer and Bridges' Fantasy castmates at the grand opening of the Bruce Buffer Poker Room at the Luxor on July 2, 2010.

Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

A slew of celebrities were eliminated during weekend play of the World Series of Poker’s Main Event, but Celine Dion’s manager husband Rene Angelil is still alive, and he resumed play today at noon. Celebrities still playing today are Gabe Kaplan of Welcome Back Kotter fame and UFC ring announcer Bruce Buffer.

WSOP Players of the Year still in are Las Vegas hometown heroes Daniel Negreanu and Allen Cunningham and 2003 champion Chris Moneymaker. Defending champion Joe Cada, who won $8.5 million last year, is still in contention with Johnny Chan, who won in 1987 and 1988, and Eric Buchman, who was in the Final Nine last year.

This Saturday, the Final Nine will be determined from the 27 players left standing by Friday. While I’m away on vacation, I’ve asked my pal poker player Michael Craig, who busted out on Day 1, to comment on this year’s WSOP experience.

Celebrities eliminated so far include Ray Romano, Orel Hershiser, Shanna Moakler, J-Kwon, Scott Ian, Anthony Rapp, Shane Warne, Emmitt Smith, Jason Alexander, Sara Jean Underwood and Shannon Elizabeth. The highest Main Event finish and cash by a celebrity is by Gabe, who finished 13th in the 1991 championship.

It all began with more than 7,300 players last week, and after a day off yesterday, it’s down to some 2,550 who started at noon today. In November, the Final Nine play for one winner to take home the nearly $9 million purse.

Contributor Seth Palansky of WSOP reported to Vegas DeLuxe this morning: “We have 2,557 players left in the Main Event out of 7,319. So 35 percent of the players remain. They are back today playing Day 3, which is the first time that the field is combined where everyone is playing at the same time.

“They are playing four levels today, which equates to 8 hours of playing time. We should end the night around 10:30 with about 1,100 players left. Canadians hold three of the top 14 spots at the moment, including first overall by David Assouline from Hampstead, Quebec, the Beverly Hills of the Montreal area.

“The money bubble is at position 747, which means you have to make it that far to receive a payout. The final 747 players win money, but the 1,810 who don’t simply bust out with no cash win.”

Jason, forever George Costanza of Seinfeld and who performed his one-man show The Donny Clay Experience at Planet Hollywood this year, survived Day 1 but was eliminated midway through the weekend’s second round.

He told WSOP’s live blog: “Being an actor may help a little bit, but not against the pros. Against some novice players, it can create a bit of an edge. I can create a kind of impression during a hand. But, frankly, if I have time to spend thinking about how I am going to perform, I’m probably in the wrong hand. There may be a couple of times where an actor can have an edge, such as when you are bluffing. It can help there. But if you are trying to hide a hand that’s really good, there is no actor in the world that can pull that off.”

It is the fourth consecutive year Jason has played the WSOP Main Event here. “I make time to come here, no matter what else I am doing. This is the dream-maker. This is the place where you can say, ‘If the planets align, I can actually win this.’ It’s also very exciting. … If you are a people person and you love the game of poker, and if you are crazy enough to dream that dream, then this is the place you want to be.

“You bet I will be back for the 2011 WSOP. Absolutely!”

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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