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Las Vegas -  With the 41st Annual World Series of poker fast approaching and it looks like it will be another wild ride.  The 2010 World Series of Poker is the 41st annual World Series of Poker (WSOP). It will be held at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, and will run from May 27 to July 17. Though the number of tournaments scheduled remains the same as last year at 57, there are some differences. The tournament culminates in the $10,000 No Limit Hold'em Championship that begins on July 5, concluding with the return of the November Nine concept for the third year, with the Main Event finalists returning on November 6.

A big change from previous years is the complete revamping of the $50,000 buy-in tournament. Since it began in 2006 the 'BIG' tournament has been H.O.R.S.E. (rotating between limit Texas hold 'em, Omaha 8-or-better, Razz, stud, and stud 8-or-better). In 2010, it becomes an "8-game" mixed tournament, rotating between the five H.O.R.S.E. games followed by rounds of no-limit hold 'em, pot-limit Omaha (high only), and limit 2–7 triple draw. In 2006 the tournament switched solely to No-limit Hold'em once the final table was reached. After considerable criticism, the next year the tournament followed the true H.O.R.S.E. format through to the end of the tournament. This year, with television viewers a major consideration, play again switches exclusively to No-limit Hold 'em once the final table has been reached. The tournament, now known as The Poker Player's Championship, will be this year's first open event (The opening event is restricted to casino employees).

Though last year's $40,000 No-limit Hold'em tournament was a one-time only event, the concept of a larger entry fee tournament tailored for professional players was discussed by players and WSOP officials alike. Most of the top professional players, including Humberto Brenes and Chris Ferguson, felt that the Main Event should remain a $10,000 event. Phil Hellmuth, though he has complained about the "idiots" at the tables stated the $10,000 Hold'em Championship should remain financially in reach of the amateur players, even if it means 6,000 to 8,000 person fields and a more difficult road for a top professional to take the crown. Some players, such as T.J. Cloutier and David Skalansky, felt the buy-in of the tournament could be increased to match the rate of inflation. As a seeming compromise between the $10,000 Main Event and the $40,000 of last years special tourney, this year they have added a $25,000 No-limit Hold'em short-handed (six-person) tournament to go along with the Poker Player's Championship.

Additionally, last year's Stimulation Special was such a success that this year they will hold four $1,000 entry tournaments spread throughout the six weeks of the Series. Again, like last year, the re-buy tournaments have been left off of the schedule. It was widely felt that the unlimited re-buy tournaments allowed players a chance to buy their way to a bracelet.