Now that the World Series of Poker is over, it’s time to make our way back South for the beginning of our poker season. By the time this column hits the stands, we’ll be into the main event of the World Poker Open at Gold Strike in Tunica. No worries, though, if you’ve missed out, because August and September offer plenty of opportunities.
In the southern end of the state at the Beau Rivage, join us for the Gulf Coast Poker Championship (Aug. 22-Sept. 2). This event was expected to be the biggest of the year in 2012 for the Mississippi tournament circuit.
Unfortunately, Hurricane Isaac had other plans, grinding everything to a halt and forcing the casinos to close and evacuate just three days into the schedule. This year will be bigger and better.
Tournament director Eric Comer and poker room manager Johnny Grooms have put together the absolute best structures combined with affordable buy-ins, sure to draw tourists and regular grinders. Event 1 kicks off Aug. 23 with a $340 buy-in and a 200K guarantee. There will be the usual daily no-limit lineups at noon, tons of 5 p.m. mega satellites and nightly (7 p.m.) $100 tournaments with a leaderboard offering a main-event entry to the top finisher.
The $1,580 main event kicks off Aug. 30, and is expected to pull in record numbers. Special hotel rates are available, but are expected to fill up quickly so book well in advance. You can find more information at beaupoker.com.
Once you make your hotel arrangements for the GCPC, plan to stick around after the main event and head over to the IP casino just across the bridge for the second WSOPC stop of the year. Beginning Sept. 5 and running through the 16th, this event is run by Poker Tournament Consultants, with tournament director Bill Bruce. I’ll have more information next issue about the event lineup, but you can count on the standard $365 ring events, plenty of single-table satellite action and a massive main-event prize pool.
This event falls so early in the WSOPC lineup that the fields usually are relatively small. This is probably the best opportunity of the year to snap off a ring against smaller fields and less competitive table draws. Not to say the IP won’t draw a familiar face or two. The usual regional players are certain to show up, vying for points in an attempt to lock up seats for the national freeroll at season’s end.
I plan to be at both events, as the beginning of fall poker in Mississippi is my favorite time of year.
— Jennifer Gay is Ante Up’s Mississippi Ambassador. She can be contacted at facebook.com/aceofjewels or at jennifergay80@hotmail.com.
