The big end of the year Five Diamond Poker Classic is back at Bellagio on the Las Vegas Strip beginning on November 28th. The main event will once again be the $15,000 WPT Doyle Brunson Classic from December 13th to the 19th. Full Five Diamond schedule below:

Fri, Nov 28 at 2pm - No Limit Hold’em - $500+$40
Sat, Nov 29 at 12pm - No Limit Hold’em - $2,000+$100
Sun, Nov 30 at 12pm - No Limit Hold’em - $2,500+$100
Mon, Dec 1 at 12pm - No Limit Hold’em - $3,000+$120
Tue, Dec 2 at 12pm - No Limit Hold’em - $5,000+$180
Wed, Dec 3 at 12pm - No Limit Hold’em - $2,000+$100
Thu, Dec 4 at 12pm - No Limit Hold’em - $2,500+$120
Fri, Dec 5 at 12pm - No Limit Hold’em - $3,000+$120
Sat, Dec 6 at 12pm - No Limit Hold’em - $5,000+$180
Sun, Dec 7 at 1pm - Super Satellite - No Limit Hold’em - $1,500+$90
Mon, Dec 8 at 12pm - No Limit Hold’em - $5,000+$180
Tue, Dec 9 at 12pm - Seniors - No Limit Hold’em - $2,500+$120
Wed, Dec 10 at 1pm - Super Satellite - No Limit Hold’em - $1,500+$90
Wed, Dec 10 at 10pm - Super Satellite - No Limit Hold’em - $1,500+$90
Thu, Dec 11 at 12pm - No Limit Hold’em - $5,000+$180
Thu, Dec 11 at 10pm - Super Satellite - No Limit Hold’em - $1,500+$90
Fri, Dec 12 at 1pm - Super Satellite - No Limit Hold’em - $1,500+$90
Fri, Dec 12 at 10pm - Super Satellite - No Limit Hold’em - $1,500+$90
Sat, Dec 13 at 12pm - WPT Doyle Brunson Classic - $15,000+$400
Sun, Dec 14 at 12pm     WPT Doyle Brunson Classic - $15,000+$400
Mon, Dec 15 at 12pm     WPT Doyle Brunson Classic - $15,000+$400
Tue, Dec 16 at 12pm     WPT Doyle Brunson Classic - $15,000+$400
Wed, Dec 17 at 12pm     WPT Doyle Brunson Classic - $15,000+$400
Wed, Dec 17 at 2pm     No Limit Hold’em Club WPT - $500+$40
Thu, Dec 18 at 12pm    WPT Doyle Brunson Classic - $15,000+$400
Fri, Dec 19 at 12pm - WPT Doyle Brunson Classic - Final Day

The 2009 Wynn Poker Classic is scheduled from February 26th through March 19th, 2009.  All events start at 12 Noon and are two days except for the $10,200 Championship Event, March, 16th thru 19th.

2009 Wynn Classic Tournament Schedule:
Wed 2/25/09 - Single Table Satellites
Thu 2/26/09 - $545 No-Limit Hold’em Flight 1
Fri 2/27/09 - $545 No-Limit Hold’em Flight 2
Sat 2/28/09 - $1060 No-Limit Hold’em
Sun 3/1/09 - $545 Omaha/8
Mon 3/2/09 - $1060 No-Limit Hold’em
Tues 3/3/09 - $1060 No-Limit Hold’em
Wed 3/4/09 - $1575 No-Limit Hold’em
Thu 3/5/09 - $545 No-Limit Hold’em
Fri 3/6/09 - $1060 No-Limit Hold’em
Sat 3/7/09 - $2080 No-Limit Hold’em
Sun 3/8/09 - $1060 Omaha/8
Mon 3/9/09 - $1060 No-Limit Hold’em with re-buys
Tue 3/10/09 - $1060 No-Limit Hold’em
Wed 3/11/09 - $1575 No-Limit Hold’em
Thu 3/12/09 - $1060 Pot-Limit Omaha with re-buys
Fri 3/13/09 - $2080 No-Limit Hold’em
Sat 3/14/09 - $3100 No-Limit Hold’em
Sun 3/15/09 - Super Satellites
Mon thru Thu - 3/16/09 - 3/19/08 - $10,200 No-Limit Hold’em Championship

For more information on the 2009 Wynn Classic visit wynnpoker.com or contact the Wynn poker room at 702-770-7654.

Players who log 15+ hours of live action play in the Rio Poker Room qualify to play in their weekly $12,000 Sunday Showdown at 3pm.  Hours must be recorded from Sunday at 12pm to the current Sunday at 11:59am, prior to the tournament.  Players who are staying at any Harrah’s property need only log 8 hours of live play at the Rio to qualify for the Sunday Showdown.

Qualifying players will receive 200 in starting tournament chips for every hour played during the qualifying period.  Sunday Showdown rounds are 20 minutes long.

Sunday Showdown Prize Distribution:
1st place - $2,100, 2nd place - $1,500, 3rd place - $1,200, 4th place - $1,000, 5th place - $800, 6th place - $700, 7th place - $600, 8th place - $525, 9th place - $450, 10th place - $375, 11th place - $300, 12th place - $300, 13th place - $300, 14th place - $300, 15th place - $300, 16th place - $250, 17th place - $250, 18th place - $250, 19th place - $250, 20th place - $250

For more info contact the Rio poker room at 702-777-7650.

The brand new Aliante Casino is the newest member of the Station Casino family in the Las Vegas valley with its Grand Opening on November, 11th, 2008.  The Aliante Station boasts a beautiful 12 table poker room, currently there are no tournaments but there are plans to have a regular schedule in the coming months.  Aliante poker room management has decided to try 2-10 spread limit hold’em as the staple for the new room, in lieu of a the common 4-8 limit hold’em game.  And, of course, the new Aliante poker room participates in all Station Casino Jackpots and Promotions.

Station Poker Room November Bonus - Win $2,500!
Get Four 8’s on any Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday in November and get a $2,500 Bonus!

Station Casinos $300,000 Poker Plus Tournament will be held at the Texas Station Casino January 17 & 18, 2009. To Qualify for this tournament you must play a minimum of 50 hours of Live poker at any Station Casino between November 1 & December 31 and YOU’RE IN!

See your local Station Casinos Poker Room for more Poker Plus details.
1st Place - $40,000
2nd Place - $15,000
3rd Place - $10,000
4th Place - $7,500
5th Place - $5,000
6th Place - $4,000
7th Place - $3,000
8th Place - $2,500
9th Place - $2,000
10th Place - $1,500
11th - 20th Place - $1000
21st - 30th Place - $750
31st - 50th Place - $500
51st - 400th Place - $200
Chip leaders on Day 1 - Split $6,000
All Players knocked out 1st Day - $65 each

For more info contact the Aliante Station Poker Room at 702-692-7777.

Throughout November Poker Players have a chance to win a free Buy-In and Re-Buy into the Eldorado Winter Poker Weekend!  Use your Club Eldorado Card while playing in any live Poker game and you have the chance to win a free Buy-In and Re-Buy into the Eldorado Winter Poker Weekend Tournament of your choice. Hours are logged during the month of November 2008 only.

The top 25 players with the most hours’ logged win one $50 dollar Buy-In and one $50 dollar Re-Buy into the tournament of their choice. Events are open to everyone; registration begins two hours before each event.

Friday, December 19 at 6PM - No Limit Hold’em Event
$60 Buy-In ($50+10) = 1,500 in Tournament Chips
One optional $50 Re-Buy = 2,000 in Tournament Chips
One $5 Staff Bonus = 1,000 in Tournament Chips

Saturday, December 20 at 3PM
No Limit Hold’em Event
$60 Buy-In ($50+10) = 1,500 in Tournament Chips
One optional $50 Re-Buy = 2,000 in Tournament Chips
One $5 Staff Bonus = 1,000 in Tournament Chips

For more information contact the Eldorado Poker Room at 800-777-5325.

See your local Station Casinos Poker Room for more Poker Plus details.
1st Place - $40,000
2nd Place - $15,000
3rd Place - $10,000
4th Place - $7,500
5th Place - $5,000
6th Place - $4,000
7th Place - $3,000
8th Place - $2,500
9th Place - $2,000
10th Place - $1,500
11th - 20th Place - $1000
21st - 30th Place - $750
31st - 50th Place - $500
51st - 400th Place - $200
Chip leaders on Day 1 - Split $6,000
All Players knocked out 1st Day - $65 each

November Bonus - Win $2,500!
Get Four 8’s on any Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday in November and get a $2,500 Bonus!

The Grand Sierra Casino Poker Room is giving players their Rake Back in November and December.  Players will receive 2% of their tournament rake back in Comp Dollars and will also earn $2 in comps for every hour of live play in the Grand Sierra Poker Room.

The Grand Sierra is also offering poker players fantastic room rates, if you book a room before November 25th, 2008 you can get the great low rate of $25 per night.  Poker Room rate after November 25th will be $30 per night (mention code CASPGDE), to book call 1-888-547-2081.

For more info contact the Grand Sierra Poker Room at 775-789-2313.

The Orleans Casino Poker Room is hosting their $100,000 Free-Roll Tournament on December 9-10, 2008.  To qualify for the Orleans $100K Free-Roll players must have at least 80 hours of Live rated play between October 1st and December 1st, 2008.  1st place in the Orleans Free-Roll will receive a guaranteed minimum payout of $30,000.

For more information contact the Orleans Casino Poker Room at 702-365-7150.

The poker room at the Sahara Hotel and Casino will host the 2008 Poker Employees Championship Tournament. All current and former employees of a licensed public card room are eligible to play. In an interesting twist “peripheral and support” employees such as poker journalists, authors, tournament promotion companies and poker cruise staff will also be included in the events.Single table satellites begin on November 30th with four NLHE events on the schedule.Monday December 1st 1:oo PM $120 buy-inTuesday December 2nd 1:oo PM $230 buy-inWednesday December 3rd 1:oo PM $340 buy-inThursday December 4th 1:oo PM $550 buy-inEmployees of The Poker Atlas will be there!

The Atlantis Poker Room is awarding $100 High-Hands every hour, 24 hours a day!  The $100 High Hand is paid hourly to the qualifying high hand, up to $2,400 per day!  Qualifying hand must be a full house or better with both hole cards playing.  There also must be a minimum of $20 in the pot and at least 4 players dealt into the hand.

For more information contact the Atlantis Poker Room at 775-954-4142.

The Venetian poker room is bringing back the very popular Deep Stack Extravaganza for a three week run in November. The first event kicks of on November 1st and there is a deep stack No Limit Hold’em tournament every day from then until the $2,500 event on November 23rd.

Here are the numbers for the 2008 DSE IV at the Venetian.  Registration for each tournament begins at 9pm on the day prior to the event. Tournament play begins at 12pm.

SAT - 11/01/08 - $540 - No-Limit
SUN - 11/02/08 - $1,060 - No-Limit
MON - 11/03/08 - $330 - No-Limit
TUE - 11/04/08 - $330 - No-Limit
WED - 11/05/08 - $330 - No-Limit
THU - 11/06/08 - $330 - No-Limit
FRI - 11/07/08 - $540 - No-Limit
SAT - 11/08/08 - $540 - No-Limit
SUN - 11/09/08 - $1,060 - No-Limit
MON - 11/10/08 - $330 - No-Limit
TUE - 11/11/08 - $330 - No-Limit
WED - 11/12/08 - $330 - No-Limit
THU - 11/13/08 - $330 - No-Limit
FRI - 11/14/08 - $540 - No-Limit
SAT - 11/15/08 - $540 - No-Limit
SUN - 11/16/08 - $1,060 - No-Limit
MON - 11/17/08 - $330 - No-Limit
TUE - 11/18/08 - $330 - No-Limit
WED - 11/19/08 - $330 - No-Limit
THU - 11/20/08 - $330 - No-Limit
FRI - 11/21/08 - $540 - No-Limit
SAT - 11/22/08 - $540 - No-Limit
SUN - 11/23/08 - $2,500 - No-Limit
MON - 11/24/08 - Day 2 - $2,500 - No-Limit
TUE - 11/25/08 - Day 3 - $2,500 - No-Limit

The great poker room at Planet Hollywood is no more. Two weekends ago, the room was converted into a high rollers gaming lounge and the number of poker tables was cut in half and tossed out onto the casino floor. When we last checked there were eight tables roped off from the slots and tourists at the very back edge of the Planet Hollywood casino near the shopping mall. Truly a sad ending to a really good poker room.

Staff told us there would be some temporary half walls erected to separate the new poker “room” from the rest of the casino but no matter what they do in the short term, what was a really comfortable player friendly poker room… is no more.