The 39th annual World Series of Poker (WSOP) gets underway at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, on Friday, May 30, 2008.

That’s just two days away, so if you’re planning to enter the world’s most prestigious poker competition, you better hurry!

Like last year, this year’s WSOP will consist of 55 separate poker tournaments, covering all disciplines of poker and having buy-ins that range from $500 to $50,000.

Key dates for the 2008 WSOP include Friday, May 30, when Event #1, a $10,000 buy-in, pot-limit Texas hold ‘em tourney, begins at noon local time; Wednesday, June 25, when Event #45, the WSOP’s priciest tourney, a $50,000 buy-in, H.O.R.S.E. tourney, begins at 5 p.m. local time; and Thursday, July 3, when Event #54, the Main Event, a $10,000 buy-in, no-limit Texas hold ‘em tourney, begins at noon local time. Main Event play will be suspended on Tuesday, July 15, as soon as the final table of nine players is set, and resume 117 days later on Sunday, November 9, at noon local time. The final WSOP tourney, Event #55, a special two-day, no-limit Texas hold ‘em tournament, with a $500 buy-in and open to WSOP employees only, will begin on July 7 at noon local time.

Here is the full schedule for the 2008 WSOP, listing starting dates and descriptions for all 55 tournaments:

May 30, Event #1, pot-limit Texas hold ‘em, $10,000 buy-in; May 31, Event #2, no-limit Texas hold ‘em, $1,500 buy-in; June 2, Event #3, pot-limit Texas hold ‘em, $1,500 buy-in; June 2, Event #4, mixed Texas hold ‘em, $5,000 buy-in; June 3, Event #5, no-limit Texas hold ‘em with rebuys, $1,000 buy-in; June 3, Event #6, Omaha hi/lo 8 or better, $1,500 buy-in;=A0June 4, Event #7, no-limit Texas hold ‘em, $2,000 buy-in; June 4, Event #8, mixed event, $10,000 buy-in; June 5, Event #9, no-limit Texas hold ‘em six-handed, $1,500 buy-in; June 5, Event #10, Omaha and 7-card stud hi/lo 8 or better, $2,500 buy-in.

June 6, Event #11, no-limit Texas hold ‘em shootout, $5,000 buy-in; June 6, Event #12, limit Texas hold ‘em, $1,500 buy-in; June 7, Event #13, no-limit Texas hold ‘em, $2,500 buy-in; June 7, Event #14, 7-card stud, $10,000 buy-in; June 8, Event #15, women-only no-limit Texas hold ‘em, $1,000 buy-in; June 8, Event #16, Omaha hi/lo 8 or better, $2,000 buy-in; June 9, Event #17, no-limit Texas hold ‘em shootout, $1,500 buy-in; June 9, Event #18, no-limit Texas hold ‘em and 2-7 lowball draw with rebuys, $5,000 buy-in; June 10, Event #19, pot-limit Omaha, $1,500 buy-in; June 10, Event #20, limit Texas hold ‘em, $2,000 buy-in.

June 11, Event #21, no-limit Texas hold ‘em, $5,000 buy-in; June 11, Event #22, H.O.R.S.E., $3,000 buy-in; June 12, Event #23, no-limit Texas hold ‘em, $2,000 buy-in; June 12, Event #24, pot-limit Texas hold ‘em and Omaha, $2,500 buy-in; June 13, Event #25, no-limit Texas hold ‘em heads-up, $10,000 buy-in; June 13, Event #26, 7-card razz, $1,500 buy-in; June 14, Event #27, no-limit Texas hold ‘em, $1,500 buy-in; June 14, Event #28, pot-limit Omaha with rebuys, $5,000 buy-in; June 15, Event #29, no-limit Texas hold ‘em, $3,000 buy-in; June 15, Event #30, limit Texas hold ‘em, $10,000 buy-in.

June 16, Event #31, no-limit Texas hold ‘em six-handed, $2,500 buy-in; June 17, Event #32, no-limit Texas hold ‘em, $1,500 buy-in; June 17, Event #33, 7-card stud hi/lo 8 or better, $5,000 buy-in; June 18, Event #34, pot-limit Omaha with rebuys, $1,500 buy-in; June 18, Event #35, 7-card stud, $1,500 buy-in; June 19, Event #36, no-limit Texas hold ‘em, $1,500 buy-in; June 19, Event #37, Omaha hi/lo 8 or better, $10,000 buy-in; June 20, Event #38, pot-limit Texas hold ‘em, $2,000 buy-in; June 21, Event #39, no-limit Texas hold ‘em, $1,500 buy-in; June 22, Event #40, limit 2-7 lowball draw, $2,500 buy-in.

June 22, Event #41, mixed Texas hold ‘em, $1,500 buy-in; June 23, Event #42, senior citizens only no-limit Texas hold ‘em, $1,000 buy-in; June 24, Event #43, pot-limit Omaha hi/lo 8 or better, $1,500 buy-in; June 25, Event #44, no-limit Texas hold ‘em with rebuys, $1,000 buy-in; June 25, Event #45, H.O.R.S.E., $50,000 buy-in; June 26, Event #46, no-limit Texas hold ‘em six-handed, $5,000 buy-in; June 26, Event #47, 7-card stud hi/lo 8 or better, $1,500 buy-in; June 27, Event #48, no-limit Texas hold ‘em, $2,000 buy-in; June 28, Event #49, no-limit Texas hold ‘em, $1,500 buy-in; June 29, Event #50, pot-limit Omaha, $10,000 buy-in.

June 29, Event #51, H.O.R.S.E., $1,500 buy-in; June 30, Event #52, no-limit Texas hold ‘em, $1,500 buy-in; July 1, Event #53, limit Texas hold ‘em shootout, $1,500 buy-in; July 3, Event #54, no-limit Texas hold ‘em, $10,000 buy-in; July 7, Event #55, WSOP employees only no-limit Texas hold ‘em, $500 buy-in.

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