World Series Of Poker Kicks Off With Moment Of Silence For Late Doyle Brunson

The 54th annual World Series of Poker officially got underway on Tuesday with the traditional $500 Casino Employees event, which is open only to those who work in the gambling industry.

The customary ‘shuffle up and deal’ announcement was delivered by WSOP Vice President and Tournament Director Jack Effel, who led the players in the room in a moment of silence for the recently departed Doyle Brunson.

Brunson, a 10-time WSOP bracelet winner who was in attendence at the first ever summer series back in 1970, passed away earlier this month at the age of 89.

“As we get another WSOP underway, we’re reminded how indebted we are to the colossal impact Doyle had on the WSOP and the game of poker itself,” said Effel. “Doyle was the sport’s biggest ambassador who helped bring poker to the mainstream. He is a legend that we had the honor to work alongside for more than 50 years. We owe so much to Doyle and look forward to setting records this summer as a special tribute to his legacy.”

Players were also shown a tribute video to Brunson, which you can watch below.

Brunson was laid to rest in a private funeral in late May, however his son and fellow Poker Hall of Famer Todd Brunson announced on Twitter that “there will be a celebration of life during the WSOP that all will be welcome to.”

This is the second year that the WSOP will play out on the Las Vegas Strip, splitting events between the Paris Casino and the newly-rebranded Horseshoe Casino.

Tournament organizers are hoping that this will be the biggest turnout in the history of the series, with 95 live events playing out between May 30 and July 18.

Visit the Card Player 2023 World Series of Poker page for schedules, news, interviews, and the latest event results.