The final table will take place to coincide when they have finished airing the rest of the WSOP and the first days of the main event. The actual final table will take place one day and be aired the next (apparently, it will take two days, giving a final day to the heads up battle). This is what I have read.

Both ESPN and the Rio believe this will increase viewership and interest in the event. Whether it does remains to be seen.

The interesting thing is that all of the final table players are being paid 9th place money and will then have the chance to win more in November. The gap and the money will supposedly allow all of the players to seek coaching if they want and come back entirely different players. So, all of the information gathered during the week, if not forgotten, could be, and most probably will be, useless. Makes for a strange tournament.

Michael Siskin