WSOP Round Up: Jerry Yang’s WSOP ME Bracelet Up For Auction & a Change of Date for the WSOP National Championships

WSOP Round Up: Jerry Yang’s WSOP ME Bracelet Up For Auction & a Change of Date for the WSOP National ChampionshipsThe former World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event champion, Jerry Yang seems to be in a spot of bother. When Yang won the title back in 2007 he was awarded with $8.25 million, a custom made Corum watch and of course the custom made Corum gold bracelet. The 136 grams of 18-carat white gold encrusted in 120 diamonds that is the ultimate prize for every poker player.

PokerNews have broken a story that the 2007 WSOP gold bracelet is due to be sold in a public auction held by the Internal Revenue Service. So what has Yang been up to…or not up to as the case may be? The reason cited on the Notice of Public Auction Sale stipulates:

 ‘Under the authority in Internal Revenue Code section 6331, the property described below has been seized for nonpayment of internal revenue taxes due from Taxpayer. The property will be sold at public auction as provided by Internal Revenue Code section 6335 and related regulations.’

So, the next time your child complains that they do not get enough pocket money, just explain to them that $8.25 million is not even enough to survive on these days!

While one gold bracelet is being ripped off the wrist, I have news of a change of date for the next WSOP gold bracelet that will be placed on a wrist. The ninth season of the WSOP Circuit (WSOPC) tour will culminate in a season ending finale that will take place at Harrah’s in New Orleans. The WSOP National Championships has been moved forward to 22-24 May 2013, to allow players more time to travel once all of the spots have been determined and verified.

The event, which is sponsored by Southern Comfort 100 Proof, is the only gold bracelet event that takes place, inside the United States, but outside of the WSOP Vegas extravaganza that begins on 30 May 2013. The WSOP organizers refer to the event as ‘a celebration for the WSOP grinders and some of the top performers from official bracelet events.’

The WSOP is ponying up a $1 million guarantee and the top 100-players from the circuit tour that achieves qualification will free roll into the event. Those players will be selected based on their performances, either winning or through point’s accumulation, throughout the season. 26-players have already qualified leaving 74-places still up for grabs with seven stops still remaining in the fight for points – Rex Clinkscales and Ari Engel currently top those charts.

Joining those 100 grinders will be some of the best players the WSOP have seen in the past two seasons. Invites will go out to the top 100 Player of the Year (POY) points earners from 2011 & 2012. They will have to pay $10,000 to enter the event, but it will be seen as incredible value. Last seasons champion was Ryan Eriquezzo who defeated 157-players to take the first prize of $416,051.

The WSOP won’t know who is going to attend until the last minute, but there is the potential for a $2 million event with just 200-runners, so it’s going to be a case of ‘who wants the value?’

The final table will be filmed by ESPN and aired on July 30 2013.