What Is 2011 World Series of Poker Circuit

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Last updated: April 15, 2026

Quick Answer: The 2011 World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) was a series of regional poker tournaments held across the United States from August 2010 to May 2011, featuring 19 stops and awarding gold rings to winners. It served as a qualifying path to the 2011 WSOP National Championship.

Key Facts

The 2011 WSOP Circuit featured 19 tour stops across the U.S., running from August 2010 to May 2011.
Each event awarded a gold ring to the winner, a symbol of achievement in the Circuit series.
Players earned points based on finishes to qualify for the 2011 WSOP National Championship.
The top 100 players in the WSOP Circuit National Leaderboard advanced to the National Championship.
The 2011 WSOP National Championship was held in May 2011 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, with a $1 million prize pool.

Overview

The 2011 World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) was a year-long series of regional poker tournaments designed to expand the reach of the World Series of Poker beyond its flagship Las Vegas event. Organized by Caesars Entertainment, the Circuit series brought high-stakes No-Limit Hold’em and other variants to casinos across the United States, offering players a chance to win gold rings and qualify for a national championship.

Running from August 2010 through May 2011, the 2011 WSOPC season included 19 designated tour stops, each hosted at partner casinos such as Harrah’s New Orleans, Caesars Atlantic City, and the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. These events attracted thousands of amateur and professional players, creating a structured, points-based pathway to the inaugural WSOP National Championship.

19 official stops were held across the U.S., beginning in August 2010 and concluding in May 2011, with each stop lasting 7–10 days.
Winners of major events at each stop received a coveted WSOP gold ring, a symbol of prestige similar to a WSOP bracelet.
Players earned Circuit National Leaderboard points based on their finishing positions, with deeper runs yielding higher point totals.
The top 100 point-earners across all Circuit events qualified for the 2011 WSOP National Championship in Las Vegas.
The 2011 WSOPC series helped democratize access to elite poker competition, allowing players outside Las Vegas to compete for WSOP-level honors.

How It Works

The WSOP Circuit was structured to mirror the prestige of the main World Series of Poker while offering a more accessible format for regional players. Each stop featured multiple tournaments with varying buy-ins, culminating in a Main Event that awarded the most points and the most prominent prize.

Gold Ring: Awarded to winners of major events; 19 rings were given out per stop, making it a highly sought-after symbol of achievement.
Leaderboard Points: Distributed based on finish and buy-in level; a first-place finish could earn up to 500 points, while smaller events awarded fewer.
Tour Stops: Each of the 19 locations hosted a 7–10 day festival with 10–15 events, including No-Limit Hold’em, Omaha, and mixed games.
Qualification: The top 100 players on the National Leaderboard earned entry into the 2011 WSOP National Championship.
National Championship: Held in May 2011 at Caesars Palace, it featured a prize pool exceeding $1 million with the winner receiving $250,000.
Eligibility: Open to players aged 21+; no prior WSOP qualification was required, making it accessible to amateurs and pros alike.

Comparison at a Glance

Below is a comparison of the 2011 WSOP Circuit to the main World Series of Poker and the National Championship:

Feature	2011 WSOP Circuit	Main WSOP (2011)	WSOP National Championship
Number of Events	19 tour stops, 10–15 events each	58 bracelet events	1 invitational event
Location	Multiple U.S. cities	Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas	Caesars Palace, Las Vegas
Prize	Gold ring + leaderboard points	WSOP bracelet + cash	Cash + title
Qualification	Open entry	Open entry	Top 100 on Circuit leaderboard
Top Prize (approx)	$250,000 (per Main Event)	$8.7 million (Event #58)	$250,000

This structure allowed the WSOP Circuit to serve as both a standalone tour and a feeder system for elite competition. While the main WSOP offered larger prizes and global prestige, the Circuit provided consistent high-level play with lower barriers to entry.

Why It Matters

The 2011 WSOP Circuit was a pivotal development in poker’s evolution, bridging the gap between local tournaments and the elite WSOP stage. By creating a national points system and a championship event, it elevated the status of regional poker and incentivized consistent performance.

The Circuit expanded the WSOP brand beyond Las Vegas, increasing national engagement and media coverage.
It offered amateur players a realistic path to compete for WSOP-level recognition without traveling to Nevada.
The gold ring became a respected accolade, often displayed alongside bracelets by professional players.
The points-based leaderboard encouraged season-long participation, boosting player retention and casino revenue.
It laid the foundation for future WSOPC National Championships, which continued annually through 2020.
The 2011 format influenced other poker tours to adopt circuit-style qualification systems for major events.

Overall, the 2011 WSOP Circuit marked a strategic expansion of poker’s competitive landscape, making elite tournaments more inclusive while maintaining high standards of play and prestige.