WSOP: Big One for One Drop

After a record-breaking 2011 that saw the World Series of Poker (WSOP) and World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) smash all sorts of records, the WSOP are already working on a schedule for 2012 that will go one better.

The full schedule for the 2012 WSOP is not expected to be announced before the New Year, but there is one exception. The Big One for One Drop is the $1 million buy-in poker tournament and it will form part of the itinerary for the 43rd annual WSOP, to be held once again at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino.

Despite the heart stopping $ 1million price tag, 22-players have already committed to play. The WSOP has a minimum 22-player ruling meaning that this ambitious event will almost certainly go ahead. The event is the brainchild of One Drop Chairman and Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte. Not only is Laliberte the mind behind the competition but he is also going to be one of the 22 players vesting $1 million in order to take his seat in the big game. Two recent acquisitions to the roster are former WSOP champion Jonathan Duhamel and Triple Crown winner Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier.

The Big One for One Drop not only has a monstrous price tag but it hopes to raise some monstrous amounts of money for the charity it represents. For each person who ponies up the $1 million, $111,111 will be guaranteed towards the One Drop charity. In addition to those amounts the individual players are also promising to give away percentages of their winnings should they be successful and cash in the tournament itself.

Did You Know?

Martin Staszko, the 2011 WSOP Main Event runner-up, was introduced this week as the latest member of Team PokerStars. He made his Team PokerStars Pro debut at the EPT stop in Prague in December 2011.