One of the highlights for me of the World Series of Poker this year was the $40k Hold’em event that kicked the series off. For one, I’m always blown away by these tournaments with huge buy-ins-$40k is what I’d call the big time. But what made this event really special were all the big poker names in attendance-Doyle Brunson, Phil Galfond, Vanessa Rousso, Phil Hellmuth, Tom Dwan, Daniel Negreanu and Phil Ivey. Vitaly Lunkin won the event, taking home a gold WSOP bracelet and $1,891,012.

The $40k event was held in honor of the 40 year anniversary of the World Series of Poker. However, I know I wasn’t the only poker fan hoping that the WSOP organizers, seeing the success of the event, would make it an annual thing. Unfortunately they won’t be, and the organizers announced that the event would not be on the calendar for 2010.

Seth Palansky, WSOP Communications Director, said, “This $40k was a good event. It was a successful event. But it made sense because it was the 40th annual World Series of Poker… That event doesn’t really fit when you’re not in your 40th year.” So I say, bring on a $41k event next year!

Palansky mentioned that the event, along with a special Champions Invitational event for 40 years of WSOP, might return in ten years with a bigger buy-in to celebrate 50 years of the World Series of Poker.