In the part of the world I know, you'll find people who talk about big ol' good'uns and good ol' big'uns. In the part of the poker world I know, today begins the biggest of the good'uns and the goodest of the big'uns. Five minutes ago, in the wake of speeches by everyone from the World Series Commissioner to comedian George Wallace, the 2007 World Series Main Event began.

The beginning of the 2007 World Series

The teeth-gnashing over just how big the big one will be has been as pronounced this year as any before. Changes in Harrah's buy-in policy have been thought to severely curtail the number of entrants to this poker world championship. However, at this moment in the Amazon Room, there is no indication of shrinkage. Harrah's revised the schedule a week ago to include a fourth Day 1 flight. That's another indication Harrah's is being optimistic about the size. Regardless, we won't know anything about final numbers for four days. Only then will we be able to talk about potential first prizes and whether any records will be broken.


A fraction of the media crush here

For the third straight year, Team PokerStars Blog is hunkered down in our bunker at the Rio. For the past five weeks, the words on this page have come only from my feeble little brain. In an effort to give you a wider view of this most important event in poker, I've brought in two good friends and fellow bloggers. Simon Young is a PokerStars blogger and has covered events all over Europe, most recently working beside me at the European Poker Tour Grand Final in Monte Carlo. Craig Cunningham was a member of the 2006 World Series Team PokerStars Blog and has come back for a second year of it. You'll also be seeing the work from some of the finest photographers in the business, including Neil Stoddart and Eric Harkins (not to mention Harkins' entire staff at Image Masters).

For now, we all wade into the humanity and inhumanity that will take place over the next eleven days. I am already sweating and wondering how long it will be before we start to see light.

For now, let's begin the big'un.