WSOP No Limit Hold'em Championship: Schedule, Coverage, Analysis for Main Event

After over a month and more than 50 events of poker action, the $10K WSOP No Limit Hold'em Championship is here. The Main Event begins on the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

This is, of course, the 58th and most prestigious and lucrative event at the World Series of Poker. Open play lasts through the weekends. That means players can choose to begin their Main Event on Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

Participation has been up 8.5 percent during the 2011 WSOP, but many are expecting a smaller field for the Main Event. Last year, the Main Event had a record-setting 7,319 player field and $8,944,310 top prize.

However, the feeling is that the results of Black Friday will limit the field. With the elimination of many of the satellite tournaments, and thousands players' online winnings currently frozen, it is thought that many players will not be able to fund their entry into the tournament.

Despite that, it is still going to be a deep field, and that field will whittle itself down over two weeks to the "November Nine" on July 19. Then, as the name suggests, the nine players comprising the final table will break until November. 

Check out the schedule for the 2011 WSOP Main Event:

July 7: Day 1a

July 8: Day 1b

July 9: Day 1c

July 10: Day 1d

July 11: Day 2a

July 12: Day 2b

July 14: Day 3:

July 15: Day 4:

July 16: Day 5:

July 17: Day 6

July 18: Day 7

July 19: Day 8

On Day 7, the field is reduced to 27 players, and then they quickly move to Day 8 and determine the November Nine.

Coverage: Coverage will begin on July 14 during Day 3.

All coverage will be on ESPN3.com and ESPN 2. There will be a 30-minute delay on the coverage.

ESPN is dedicated to bringing better than ever access to the event. Here is ESPN's poker manager Matthew Volk on the subject:

"For the first time viewers at home will have the best seats in the house for the World Series of Poker, poker’s premier event. Fans will see hole cards post-flop and get an inside look at all of the strategy, angst and competition of the world’s best players vying for a seat at the most prestigious final table in the sport."