When Harrah’s Entertainment acquired the World Series of Poker in 2004, the organization introduced a new award – Player of the Year. The first winner of the title in 2004 was Daniel Negreanu, and the list since includes poker icons Allen Cunningham and Erick Lindgren. This year is a little different. For the first time since its inception, the $10,000 buy-in Main Event will be counted in the standings, making all open WSOP gold bracelet events eligible for Player of the Year points.

 “We’re confident the inclusion of the Main Event to the Player of the Year race will add some drama and excitement to the conclusion of this year’s WSOP,” said WSOP Vice President Ty Stewart.  “The race is wide open this year but, as the past winners confirm, the player who wins this award will clearly be one of the game’s best for years to come.”

The Player of the Year award is based on a points system. Five points are given for cashing in an event, ten points for getting to one of the final three tables of an event and twenty points for making it to the two final tables.  At the final table of a bracelet event, the winner gets one hundred points, second place gets seventy-five points, and third place is awarded sixty points.

The 2009 WSOP “Player of the Year” Award will be awarded during the Main Event Final Table event party in November of this year.