World Series of Poker to halt all-nighters

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- The idea of the all-night poker game is waning for the early events in the 2011 World Series of Poker.

Caesars Entertainment Corp. announced recently that the 42nd World Series of Poker will begin May 31 and run through July 19 at the Rio.

The entire schedule, including events, dates, times, and buy-ins, will be released later this month.

The one change in the tournament will be the addition of hard stop times for all bracelet events.

Players will compete in a maximum of 10 wagering levels per day.

Once 10 levels are completed, remaining players will have their chips bagged and tagged and return the next day to continue on in the tournament. Regardless of how many players remain in a tournament, hard stop times will be enforced after 10 levels of play.

The move could end the all-night early rounds that often ended as the sun rises above the Strip.

What won't change is the tournament's Main Event, the $10,000 buy-in No-limit Hold 'em World Championship.

Canada's Jonathan Duhamel will begin defending his title on July 7, the first of four starting days that run through July 10. The final table of nine is expected to be reached July 19 -- without a hard stop time. The nine will then return to the Rio in November to play for the championship.

Duhamel, a Quebec resident, outlasted a field of 7,319 competitors to earn more than $8.9 million in November.

The 2010 World Series of Poker attracted a record 72,966 entrants from 117 different nations who competed in 57 events and for a share of a prize pool of more than $187.1 million.