BY TOM SOMACH

The third and final event of the inaugural World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) in London, England began is under way.

Event #3, the so-called Main Event, is a no-limit Texas hold ‘em tournament with a buy-in of 10,000 British pounds, or about $20,000 U.S.

More than 350 people have entered the week-long Main Event, meaning the total prize pool will be in excess of 3.5 million British pounds, or more than $7 million U.S.

Because there is no casino in London large enough to accommodate the large field of tournament entrants, the early Main Event action is taking place at three different casinos in the city: the Empire Casino, the Sportsman Casino and the Fifty Casino.

In a few days, after most of the field has been whittled away, the remaining players will all converge at the Empire Casino for the remainder of the tournament.

The winner of the Main Event will be considered the “winner” of the first WSOPE, and will receive, in addition to prize money, a championship gold bracelet.

The honor of American poker is on the line.

Europeans have won the first two events of the inaugural WSOPE, and the first two bracelets, so an American must win the Main Event or else the U.S. will be shut out from collecting any gold for the first time ever in a WSOP competition.

Among those entered in the WSOPE Main Event are: Erick Lindgren, 11-time WSOP bracelet-winner Phil “Poker Brat” Hellmuth Jr., 2004 WSOP Main Event winner Greg “Fossilman” Raymer, Daniel Negreanu, Erik Seidel, Annie Duke, Jen Harman, Phil Gordon, Barry Greenstein, Humberto “El Wacko” Brenes, Beth Shak, Hoyt Corkins and Dave “Devilfish” Ulliot.

Also entered are: Liz Lieu, Ted Forrest, Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, Robert Mizrachi, Andy Bloch, John Juanda, WSOPE Event #1 winner Tom “The Pokermeister” Bihl, Scotty Nguyen, Howard “The Professor” Lederer, Jeff Lisandro, 10-time WSOP bracelet-winner Doyle “Texas Dolly” Brunson, Pamela “Daughter of Doyle” Brunson, Todd “Son of Doyle” Brunson, Dave Colclough, Gus Hansen, Thor Hansen and Paul Wasicka.

(E-mail Tom Somach at tomsomach@yahoo.com.)