http://www.pokerpages.com/pokerinfo/tournamentgallery/wsop/wsop-logo.gif

did anyone follow it this year? i followed the action via podcasts from time to time and reading the results online. i know it's over, but they're just now airing it on ESPN. the field size in the Main Event was just ridiculous. the next pro to win it is going to get crazy respect in the profession. this year there were 8,773 entrants with a total prize pool of $82,676,084.

they also had a new HORSE event w/ a $50,000 buy in. HORSE = Hold'em (both limit and no-limit), Omaha High-Low Split, Razz, Seven-Card Stud, and Eight or Better. seems they kept the buy-in high to keep the game for mostly poker pros.

here's a good link for the results: http://www.pokerpages.com/tournament/schedule1958.htm

i followed it a little bit but wasnt really into it.

Since ESPN broadcasted the final table, i guess it's not much of a spoiler to talk about who won. Jamie Gold won a ridiculous $12M. he was a relatively unknown guy, but he had a very famous mentor in Johnny Chan (http://www.pokerpages.com/players/profiles/3927/johnny-chan.htm). Gold went into the final table with a HUGE chip lead, like 2-3 times as many chips as the guy in second. Allan Cunningham (http://www.pokerpages.com/players/profiles/12500/allen-cunningham.htm) was the most recognizable poker pro left at the final table. He finished 4th at $3.6M. I was kind of rooting for him to win it all.

http://www.pokerpages.com/players/images/photos_200x250/61389.jpg

Jamie Gold - The New WSOP Champion of 2006 Gold, a 36-year-old television producer from Malibu, California. He was born in New York City. Prior to running his own studio, Gold was a Hollywood agent with an impressive stable of talented actors -- including "The Sopranos" star James Gandolfini and "Desperate Housewives" co-star Felicity Huffman. Gold has also represented and credits much of his poker success to mentor Johnny Chan. This is Jamie's 15th time to cash in a major poker tournament, and his first time ever to make it to a WSOP final table. The World Series started in 1970 the year he was born

Name: Jamie Gold
Location: Malibu, CA, United States
Cashes: 15
Total Winnings: $12,100,997
First Place Finishes: 2
WSOP Bracelets: 1
ProRank 1 Position: 12 [ DETAILS ] (http://www.pokerpages.com/ranking/results/61389/jamie-gold.htm)
ProRank 2 Position: 2016
Favorite Poker Game: Texas Hold'em
Hobbies: Playing poker
Favorite Celebrity: James Gandolfini, Felicity Huffman, Jimmy Falon, Lucy Liu, Kristen Davis
Poker Players I Respect Most: 10 Times WSOP bracelet winner Johnny Chan, who has given me poker tips and tutorials