    
Le premier tournoi des World Series of Poker est lancé : près de 3000 joueurs s'y sont pressés, et il est "sold-out". Les joueurs recalés qui n'ont pas pu s'inscrire font la queue, afin de pouvoir glaner les fauteuils laissés vides par les premiers perdants. Ils sont tous venus pour l'occasion, Joe Hachem, le gagnant 2005, Chris Moneymaker, Greg Raymer, TJ Cloutier, Doyle Brunson, Luca Pagano, Fabrice Soulier, Isabelle Mercier, John D'Agostino, Paul Jackson, Phil Ivey, Chris Ferguson, Howard Lederer, etc. Sur les grands écrans LCD qui bordent la salle, le match de football France-Espagne est diffusé. Fabrice Soulier suit avec attention l'avancée du match et bondit fréquemment de son siège pour ne manquer aucune action. La salle, gigantesque, se vide à vue d'oeil : les joueurs n'ont que 1500 jetons et des dizaines de joueurs sautent chaque heure. Fabrice, Luca, Joe et beaucoup d'autres ne pourront pas résister à cette large part de hasard qui domine parfois le poker dans de tels tournois. Demain, un autre tournoi, et de nouveaux espoirs.  
  
The first tournament of the World Series of Poker is launched : almost 3000 players are packed in the big room, and it is even sold-out. Players who hadn't taken time to buy their ticket wait to have a seat, as many of them are now empty because of eliminated players. All the big names (and the unknown) are here : Joe Hachem, last WSOP champion, Chris Moneymaker, Greg Raymer, TJ Cloutier, Doyle Brunson, Luca Pagano, Fabrice Soulier, Isabelle Mercier, John D'Agostino, Paul Jackson, Phil Ivey, Chris Ferguson, Howard Lederer, etc. On the big LCD screens which are located around the room, the soccer game between France and Spain is broadcasted. Frabice Soulier leaves very often his seat to follow the soccer game, sometimes forgetting he has some poker hands to play. The big room becomes very quickly half empty : dozen of players are eliminated every ten mintues, due to the structure of the tournament and the low stack everyone gets at the beginning (1500 chips). Fabrice, Luca and Joe, as well as many others, are out as hazard sometimes strike in such big tournaments. Tomorrow is another day, and will bring new hopes. |
