Lapt Event Cancelled

[JaysForLife 0]

http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/artic...-pokerstars-netNine Final Tablists Will Play in Vina Del Mar, Chile, in January 2009 for the TitlePokerStars announced today that they will hold a freeroll for the final 89 players who still had chips remaining when Mexican gaming officials shut down the $2,500 no-limit hold’em Latin American Poker Tour main event in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico, on Saturday, Dec. 6. The freeroll will be held on PokerStars.net, and the players will begin the tournament with as many chips as they each had remaining when play was cancelled. The online freeroll will be played down to the final nine players, who will then be flown down to the LAPT event in Vina del Mar, Chile, which is taking place Jan. 20-22, 2009, where they will contest the final table for a television taping and the LAPT title. PokerStars has also added $50,000 to the existing prize pool. Among those 89 players who still held chips were Team PokerStars pros Greg Raymer and Victor Ramdin.Here is what Sarne Lightman, the LAPT director of marketing, had to say regarding the decision: “We know that many of our remaining players really wanted the opportunity to finish this tournament and earn their shot at an LAPT title. Although the tournament was suspended and the prize money distributed, PokerStars still wants to offer its players this extra opportunity. PokerStars will also be adding $50,000 in prize money to the final table.”

[FourFlusher 0]

Dr. Pauly was there:http://taopoker.blogspot.com/

[JubilantLankyLad 1,957]

http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/artic...-pokerstars-netNine Final Tablists Will Play in Vina Del Mar, Chile, in January 2009 for the TitlePokerStars announced today that they will hold a freeroll for the final 89 players who still had chips remaining when Mexican gaming officials shut down the $2,500 no-limit hold'em Latin American Poker Tour main event in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico, on Saturday, Dec. 6. The freeroll will be held on PokerStars.net, and the players will begin the tournament with as many chips as they each had remaining when play was cancelled. The online freeroll will be played down to the final nine players, who will then be flown down to the LAPT event in Vina del Mar, Chile, which is taking place Jan. 20-22, 2009, where they will contest the final table for a television taping and the LAPT title. PokerStars has also added $50,000 to the existing prize pool. Among those 89 players who still held chips were Team PokerStars pros Greg Raymer and Victor Ramdin.Here is what Sarne Lightman, the LAPT director of marketing, had to say regarding the decision: "We know that many of our remaining players really wanted the opportunity to finish this tournament and earn their shot at an LAPT title. Although the tournament was suspended and the prize money distributed, PokerStars still wants to offer its players this extra opportunity. PokerStars will also be adding $50,000 in prize money to the final table."

that's awesome. the prize pool has been distributed already, so stars bucks up $50k + travel costs etc so that someone can win MORE money and claim the LAPT title.stars understands.

[El Guapo 8]

werrrrrd.We've talked about this before, but worth repeating.I am continually amazed at how a country like Mexico loses millions of dollars every year by jacking folks for just a few hundred. Those stories get told and lots of folks chose to vacation elsewhere as a result.Mexico is amazing and has so much to offer. The people are great, the beauty of the place is off the charts...and yet the government can't pull their stupid heads out of their asses and figure out a safe way to exploit the potential world tourist dollars.Just amazing. Then this happens. Another blown opportunity.pretty sad.

Especially the affluent. I had a couple colleagues who will not go to Mexico. They cannot handle the crime, the kids trying to sell them their junk on the street and how the staff of the hotels are paid and treated. So they go to Hawaii. It's a little more money, but they can afford it, and not have to deal with any of that B.S.

[NoSup4U 0]

werrrrrd.We've talked about this before, but worth repeating.I am continually amazed at how a country like Mexico loses millions of dollars every year by jacking folks for just a few hundred. Those stories get told and lots of folks chose to vacation elsewhere as a result.Mexico is amazing and has so much to offer. The people are great, the beauty of the place is off the charts...and yet the government can't pull their stupid heads out of their asses and figure out a safe way to exploit the potential world tourist dollars.Just amazing. Then this happens. Another blown opportunity.pretty sad.

Especially the affluent. I had a couple colleagues who will not go to Mexico. They cannot handle the crime, the kids trying to sell them their junk on the street and how the staff of the hotels are paid and treated. So they go to Hawaii. It's a little more money, but they can afford it, and not have to deal with any of that B.S.

QFT this is the thing. Rich people with tons of money to spend on stuff HATE Mexico. They can't stand the nuisance of having people beg or try and sell them stuff constantly. I feel like I'm pretty oblivious to most things, but even laying on the beach could get super annoying if your eyes weren't closed because you were saying 'no' to the same 4 guys walking up to you every 5 minutes trying to sell you something. That, plus the fear of very uncomfortable situations like being pulled over for fake stuff and stories like Bob's where the cops took his friends into an alley scare the crap out of people. The government down there is just SOOOO dumb because just in AZ there is a ton of tourist money every summer that goes to southern california and hawaii that would love to go to Mexico but its just too scary for most.Mark

[no not baxter 0]

F stars for not reimbursing ppl who had laready busted...like lol! seriously give an extra 500 to people still in but not reimburse the others? its so ****ing ridiculous and so tilting, usually stars gets everything right but gawd they really ****ed the people who had already busted over.

[FCP Bob 1,321]

F stars for not reimbursing ppl who had laready busted...like lol! seriously give an extra 500 to people still in but not reimburse the others? its so ****ing ridiculous and so tilting, usually stars gets everything right but gawd they really ****ed the people who had already busted over.

You are joking right.Nothing that happened in any way shape or form affected the people who already busted.That being said if I were Stars I would consider an online freeroll for them as a token but no way do they get their buyins back.

[cubsfan44 0]

F stars for not reimbursing ppl who had laready busted...like lol! seriously give an extra 500 to people still in but not reimburse the others? its so ****ing ridiculous and so tilting, usually stars gets everything right but gawd they really ****ed the people who had already busted over.

I dont understand..Why should stars reimburse players that already busted?

[Freddec 0]

F stars for not reimbursing ppl who had laready busted...like lol! seriously give an extra 500 to people still in but not reimburse the others? its so ****ing ridiculous and so tilting, usually stars gets everything right but gawd they really ****ed the people who had already busted over.

From what I've read about the situation I think Stars pretty much did the best they could have done to handle this matter. If had busted I would have already forgotten about this tourny and looking forward to the next......

[no not baxter 0]

You are joking right.Nothing that happened in any way shape or form affected the people who already busted.That being said if I were Stars I would consider an online freeroll for them as a token but no way do they get their buyins back.

no i am not joking. I came down here to play 3.7k worth of buyins and payed for a pretty expensive flight and hotel rooms. I did not win a package. I payed out of my own pocket because I thought I was going to be able to play the 1k side event too. Them canceleing that event cost me $, how do you not understand that? Im sort of not that rich so losing that equity sorta sucks. Like giving everyone $500 that cashed in the event, come on. Secondly, and less importantly, the tournamnet got totally ****ed up and payed out 89 people, when it was supposed to pay out 27. Obv play way different if i know that (dont think this is too important tho).Also, stars shuts off their tournament internet on a sunday when people are grinding their sunday majors and paying rake to them. So people have to either grind on a shitty hotel internet (wasnt even grindable had to have someone takeover) or use an aircard (hella expensive in mexico...and i didnt even have one)...Like what are you doing stars, how do you not see the people playing outside the tournament room with tons of laptops grinding your tournaments and paying you money. ****ing pathetic.Also, next time dont book a place that has shitty food and internet plz.I mean, I LOVE stars. They always do everything right, def the best in the biz but I really think I should be reimbursed.

[cubsfan44 0]

no i am not joking. I came down here to play 3.7k worth of buyins and payed for a pretty expensive flight and hotel rooms. I did not win a package. I payed out of my own pocket because I thought I was going to be able to play the 1k side event too. Them canceleing that event cost me $, how do you not understand that? Im sort of not that rich so losing that equity sorta sucks. Like giving everyone $500 that cashed in the event, come on. Secondly, and less importantly, the tournamnet got totally ****ed up and payed out 89 people, when it was supposed to pay out 27. Obv play way different if i know that (dont think this is too important tho).Also, stars shuts off their tournament internet on a sunday when people are grinding their sunday majors and paying rake to them. So people have to either grind on a shitty hotel internet (wasnt even grindable had to have someone takeover) or use an aircard (hella expensive in mexico...and i didnt even have one)...Like what are you doing stars, how do you not see the people playing outside the tournament room with tons of laptops grinding your tournaments and paying you money. ****ing pathetic.Also, next time dont book a place that has shitty food and internet plz.I mean, I LOVE stars. They always do everything right, def the best in the biz but I really think I should be reimbursed.

I agree with everything but the bolded part (but I think you understand why though). Hadnt thought about the fact that you went down to play multiple tournies. I dont know if they 'owe' you something though or if you should just chalk it up to variance. As for the second bolded part thats on you imo not stars. What I mean is its up to you to check out the place youre headed to not stars. The whole thing is a mess for sure though and I definitly feel for anyone that went down there. Life throws you lemons sometimes though thats just the way it is.

[no not baxter 0]

I agree with everything but the bolded part (but I think you understand why though). Hadnt thought about the fact that you went down to play multiple tournies. I dont know if they 'owe' you something though or if you should just chalk it up to variance. As for the second bolded part thats on you imo not stars. What I mean is its up to you to check out the place youre headed to not stars. The whole thing is a mess for sure though and I definitly feel for anyone that went down there. Life throws you lemons sometimes though thats just the way it is.

ya i agree with the first part but i def expect stars to book a high quality resort and not some dump for their tournaments

[cubsfan44 0]

ya i agree with the first part but i def expect stars to book a high quality resort and not some dump for their tournaments

While I agree with you that I would expect them to also, they certainly dont owe it to you.....Take my advice though. Dont spend your whole time down there bitching about the bad beat so to speak and just make the most of it. (not saying youre doing this just saying dont) The money's already spent and Im sure like most of us you could use a vacation away from the pokers anyways.

[cubsfan44 0]

Oh and also LOLDonkaments

[no not baxter 0]

While I agree with you that I would expect them to also, they certainly dont owe it to you.....Take my advice though. Dont spend your whole time down there bitching about the bad beat so to speak and just make the most of it. (not saying youre doing this just saying dont) The money's already spent and Im sure like most of us you could use a vacation away from the pokers anyways.

ya def not doing that, obv hella drunk right now and still having a fun time...i mean i think i am quite a fair person, i just think they owe me somethingalso f getting owned by mexican chicks when u try to talk to them and they just respond by saying "MEXICO"

[king1305 0]

ya def not doing that, obv hella drunk right now and still having a fun time...i mean i think i am quite a fair person, i just think they owe me somethingalso f getting owned by mexican chicks when u try to talk to them and they just respond by saying "MEXICO"

"donde esta el vagino"

[Canuckickstan 2]

Also, stars shuts off their tournament internet on a sunday when people are grinding their sunday majors and paying rake to them. So people have to either grind on a shitty hotel internet (wasnt even grindable had to have someone takeover) or use an aircard (hella expensive in mexico...and i didnt even have one)...Like what are you doing stars, how do you not see the people playing outside the tournament room with tons of laptops grinding your tournaments and paying you money. ****ing pathetic.

I don't get this part, did they cut off internet service to the hotel ?

[no not baxter 0]

I don't get this part, did they cut off internet service to the hotel ?

stars setup a different internet separate from the hotel. the hotel internet was hella pittzy

[PrtyPSux 0]

You are joking right.Nothing that happened in any way shape or form affected the people who already busted.

you are joking right?Ask me if I would have skipped 6 bellagio tourneys, booked a flight etc.. if there was a disclaimer that said "we don't really know the laws down here, and theres a chance this tourney gets shut down on day 1" I had a great time down there, but I wasn't trying to leave on vacation, I went because if I make the TV Ft and I win the first Mexican tourney ever I probably become a superstar down there...turns out I had 0 shot. The "nothing affected the busted players" argument EVERYONE is making is ridiculously silly, it's not an online tourney, it's a mismanaged live event that cost people a lot of money, time and effort to go to. I had the chiplead at the table like 30 minutes before it got stopped, I had the worst players I've ever seen at my table folding down to 4 bb's and then doubling through my KJ or whatever...turns out they were playing infinitely better than I was and they didn't even know it. Turns out I was the absolute worst player at my table. Then I bust 10 minutes before it's shut down when I could have doubled my buy in by folding another orbit.

[FCP Bob 1,321]

no i am not joking. I came down here to play 3.7k worth of buyins and payed for a pretty expensive flight and hotel rooms. I did not win a package. I payed out of my own pocket because I thought I was going to be able to play the 1k side event too. Them canceleing that event cost me $, how do you not understand that? Im sort of not that rich so losing that equity sorta sucks. Like giving everyone $500 that cashed in the event, come on. Secondly, and less importantly, the tournamnet got totally ****ed up and payed out 89 people, when it was supposed to pay out 27. Obv play way different if i know that (dont think this is too important tho).I mean, I LOVE stars. They always do everything right, def the best in the biz but I really think I should be reimbursed.

I wasn't aware that there was also a $1K tourney that was supposed to be played. Factoring in your points if I were Stars I would probably offer a freeroll to all the players who entered the main event as a gesture.The fact that you didn't get a chance to play a $1K tournament doesn't make it equitable to be refunded your buyin for a tournament that you had already busted out of though.

you are joking right?Ask me if I would have skipped 6 bellagio tourneys, booked a flight etc.. if there was a disclaimer that said "we don't really know the laws down here, and theres a chance this tourney gets shut down on day 1" I had a great time down there, but I wasn't trying to leave on vacation, I went because if I make the TV Ft and I win the first Mexican tourney ever I probably become a superstar down there...turns out I had 0 shot. The "nothing affected the busted players" argument EVERYONE is making is ridiculously silly, it's not an online tourney, it's a mismanaged live event that cost people a lot of money, time and effort to go to. I had the chiplead at the table like 30 minutes before it got stopped, I had the worst players I've ever seen at my table folding down to 4 bb's and then doubling through my KJ or whatever...turns out they were playing infinitely better than I was and they didn't even know it. Turns out I was the absolute worst player at my table. Then I bust 10 minutes before it's shut down when I could have doubled my buy in by folding another orbit.

Your point about playing differently would have validity if any of the other players was aware that the tournament was going to be shut down. My friend Tony Basile went fairly deep at the WSOP Main Event this year and his table moved to the Main TV Table the hand after he busted and if he had of made it he would have received about a $15K bonus from Stars. The hand was a marginal one and if he knew the table was moving he wouldn't have gone broke that hand but he didn't know. Should he be mad because he wasn't aware that he lost that opportunity when nobody at the table knew they were moving next hand ? Also, since you busted you didn't have the opportunity in the normal way that you don't in any tournament.I understand the frustration and anger that the screwed up situation is causing but the people with the main complaint are the ones who were still in the tournament and those are the ones that Stars is trying to do things for.I think yours and NNB's anger is genuine but to a lot of people a lot of the complaints are going to look like people angling for something that they don't deserve.

[Pivvy2001 0]

I think yours and NNB's anger is genuine but to a lot of people a lot of the complaints are going to look like people angling for something that they don't deserve.

As far as how NNB and JC come across, I think that you are incorrect. If I was in either of their shoes, I would be livid with the treatment the came about through this debacle. The situation with your friend in the Main Event is wholly not analogous. Your friend was aware throughout the tournament that there was a chance of getting moved to the TV table and getting a bonus, he just didn't know if and when it would happen. JC, NNB, and everyone else in the LAPT event had no idea that there was a risk of a sudden cancellation, which if they were aware was even a remote possibility (such as moving to the TV Table), then it might have altered their play. The fact is that the entire tournament got screwed up, not just for the people that were still alive, but for everybody. In my opinion, arguing otherwise is exceptionally one-sided. If a baseball game is rained out before the fifth inning, it is replayed and everyone gets tickets for the next game, even those who left after the first inning (I hope that was a better analogy than BaseJester's from the other thread).Also, none of this considers the cost of attending a tournament that didn't get played out fully, both in terms of travel expenses and in terms of opportunity cost (which NNB and JC both pointed out). I don't think it is angling that they receive exactly what they paid for..... a completed tournament.In most lines of work, if a client hires someone to do a job and they begin performance on that job and then the client cancels for a reason that is entirely the client's fault, I don't think that the other party sounds like a whiner when they ask to receive their just compensation.

[FCP Bob 1,321]

As far as how NNB and JC come across, I think that you are incorrect. If I was in either of their shoes, I would be livid with the treatment the came about through this debacle. The situation with your friend in the Main Event is wholly not analogous. Your friend was aware throughout the tournament that there was a chance of getting moved to the TV table and getting a bonus, he just didn't know if and when it would happen. JC, NNB, and everyone else in the LAPT event had no idea that there was a risk of a sudden cancellation, which if they were aware was even a remote possibility (such as moving to the TV Table), then it might have altered their play. The fact is that the entire tournament got screwed up, not just for the people that were still alive, but for everybody. In my opinion, arguing otherwise is exceptionally one-sided. If a baseball game is rained out before the fifth inning, it is replayed and everyone gets tickets for the next game, even those who left after the first inning (I hope that was a better analogy than BaseJester's from the other thread).Also, none of this considers the cost of attending a tournament that didn't get played out fully, both in terms of travel expenses and in terms of opportunity cost (which NNB and JC both pointed out). I don't think it is angling that they receive exactly what they paid for..... a completed tournament.In most lines of work, if a client hires someone to do a job and they begin performance on that job and then the client cancels for a reason that is entirely the client's fault, I don't think that the other party sounds like a whiner when they ask to receive their just compensation.

When I was referring to how complaints will come across I was mostly referring to some of the things I've read in other places and not NNB and JC as they've articulated why they feel the way that they do and their feelings are valid while some other things that I've seen reek of people who are just trying to angle their way into some money.The thing is that for people who busted the tournament was completed. Up until the point that they busted nothing about the tournament was different. I'm not saying that people shouldn't be pissed and it's possible that Stars is making a pretty large mistake in not going overboard with compensation for everybody since those same players will be very hesitant to enter any other LAPT events in countries other than Mexico as well.My point I guess is that to expect your buyin back from a tournament that you've busted from because of events that happened after you busted isn't reasonable.

[Pivvy2001 0]

My point I guess is that to expect your buyin back from a tournament that you've busted from because of events that happened after you busted isn't reasonable.

I respect that point and I see what you are saying. But it doesn't change the fact that you would play differently if you knew that the structure was going to be different and so it is reasonable to expect something. Now, with all of the other bonuses being given to players that have made it to the final 89, I think that it is unquestionable that those who busted earlier got the shaft by not knowing the structure of the tournament in advance. It seems to me that continuing to reward those still left is a nice approach by Stars that they should be commended for. However, that does not change the disservice to the other players involved. After all, it is up to Stars to get the tournament properly licensed before it begins. And if this was totally out of their control somehow, then the variance should affect them not the players.

[Governator 54]

I respect that point and I see what you are saying. But it doesn't change the fact that you would play differently if you knew that the structure was going to be different and so it is reasonable to expect something. Now, with all of the other bonuses being given to players that have made it to the final 89, I think that it is unquestionable that those who busted earlier got the shaft by not knowing the structure of the tournament in advance. It seems to me that continuing to reward those still left is a nice approach by Stars that they should be commended for. However, that does not change the disservice to the other players involved. After all, it is up to Stars to get the tournament properly licensed before it begins. And if this was totally out of their control somehow, then the variance should affect them not the players.

The thing is the 89 remaining players had no idea it was happening either and was playing to win it as well. If employee A receives a surprise bonus in mid-summer for his brilliant work and employee B doesn't receive anything because he didn't do great work, employee B can't argue that had he known he would've worked harder. Everyone is in the same boat, so it's unreasonable to ask for additional money when everyone was just doing their regular job but the exceptional ones got rewarded.

[FCP Bob 1,321]

I respect that point and I see what you are saying. But it doesn't change the fact that you would play differently if you knew that the structure was going to be different and so it is reasonable to expect something. Now, with all of the other bonuses being given to players that have made it to the final 89, I think that it is unquestionable that those who busted earlier got the shaft by not knowing the structure of the tournament in advance. It seems to me that continuing to reward those still left is a nice approach by Stars that they should be commended for. However, that does not change the disservice to the other players involved. After all, it is up to Stars to get the tournament properly licensed before it begins. And if this was totally out of their control somehow, then the variance should affect them not the players.

The argument about changing the way you would play is not a valid one as long as every player in the tournament had the same information in my opinion.People should be upset because the LAPT screwed up and didn't make sure that everything was as it should be but not because they would have played differently.In retrospect all the players who busted should probably have the tournament fees refunded to them.