dinner with j pollack

[HarryDemetriou 0]

If he is sincere in listening to the views of others then thats a big step in the right direction. The next step would then be implementing the better ideas and views for the benefit of everyone concerned with the WSOP.Unfortunately my personal encounters with marketing types is thay are more often than not full of hot air like politicians who say an awful lot but the contents of which have little or no substance (after all it is their job to try and keep everyone happy and that usually means telling people what they want to hear).I eagerly await with anticipation whether or not he can earn my and other players respect and trust and that we really will be treated like VALUED customers.

[Oziumrules 0]

Hopefully this is the 1st step to a change....

[Tateisgo 0]

Unfortunately my personal encounters with marketing types is thay are more often than not full of hot air like politicians who say an awful lot but the contents of which have little or no substance (after all it is their job to try and keep everyone happy and that usually means telling people what they want to hear).

I was thinking the same thing while reading the blog.Especially when I hear stuff like:"He gave me no promises that the schedule would in fact change, but he did say that he is going to rip it apart if he had to."That just sounds like pillow talk to me.I'm not saying that he should promise to change the schedule. But, when someone is sounding too eager to please or too on my side about an issue, it makes me think they're just telling me what I want to hear.Hopefully this isn't the case, and things will improve.

[IndyJoe 0]

Unfortunately my personal encounters with marketing types is thay are more often than not full of hot air like politicians who say an awful lot but the contents of which have little or no substance (after all it is their job to try and keep everyone happy and that usually means telling people what they want to hear).

I was thinking the same thing while reading the blog.Especially when I hear stuff like:"He gave me no promises that the schedule would in fact change, but he did say that he is going to rip it apart if he had to."That just sounds like pillow talk to me.I'm not saying that he should promise to change the schedule. But, when someone is sounding too eager to please or too on my side about an issue, it makes me think they're just telling me what I want to hear.Hopefully this isn't the case, and things will improve.

I seriously doubt they will change the '06 schedule, but maybe there's hope for next year. Sounds like Danny won a tournament.

[cemo76 0]

I think they are just trying to make DAniel think they are listening. When in fact they are just trying to SHUT him up. I am sure most of the big Poker Shooters listen to Daniel and read his posts. THe WSOP knows that he influences the POker Community so they are putting on this "Happy FAce" for him. THey won't change the format cause they know they will make a SIck amount of money from the turnout.Anyone get the feeling DAniel Won the superstars Tourney?

[Gypsie 0]

I am going to Tunica in January and I am very dissapointed in the schedule for the WPO. They did what Daniel was most afraid of and turned the entire event into nothing but hold 'em, unlike last year, when there was a variety of games that could be played. I enjoy hold 'em like the rest of the poker world, but cards are cards, and games are games, you have to mix it up and have different games. Not everyone wants all hold 'em all the time. So, because of that fact, I will be playing in the WSOP Circuit event, at least they have Omaha, and Stud, albeit limited, at least it's there.Lets just hope that the WSOP listens to the masses and keeps the tradition of the WSOP alive. Benny would be rolling in his grave if he knew that his baby was turning into a monster.The Gypsie

[HarryDemetriou 0]

Lets just hope that the WSOP listens to the masses and keeps the tradition of the WSOP alive. Benny would be rolling in his grave if he knew that his baby was turning into a monster.The Gypsie

Now you must all apprecite that I'm the last person who is going to defend the WSOP but.......................They are actually listening to the masses because the masses want no limit hold em tournaments so this is something they cannot be attacked on. No Limit tournaments are the ones that get most support and as such it is right that the bulk of tournaments should be no limit ones.However I prefer to compare the WSOP to a democratically run country and democracy is about protecting the rights of the minorites as otherwise the masses will overun and overwhelm those in the minority through majority mob rule.As such they have a duty to defend poker in all its forms and not go down the route of the Bellagio (say) who just have no limit tournaments and offer absolutely no other forms of poker tournaments nowadays.The WSOP should keep those non holdem events such as Stud and Omaha and Razz and Triple Draw etc etc and should most definitely keep/reinstate the multi discipline events and I believe this very strongly despite the fact that I do not play rotation games and the more specialist forms of poker.Sometimes people forget that you only have big fish in the sea because there are little ones (everything is relative) and that without little fish you cannot by definition have big fish.Maybe not the best analogy but babies grow up to be adults and they don't all grow up to be identical...some become doctors whilst others become lawyers and dare I say it some even become poker players.Poker is similar and despite some common basics each poker discipline has different demands and skills but doing away with these other disciplines will actually be detrimental to No Limit Holdem long term (imho).

[Petoria 0]

Lets just hope that the WSOP listens to the masses and keeps the tradition of the WSOP alive. Benny would be rolling in his grave if he knew that his baby was turning into a monster.The Gypsie

.................Poker is similar and despite some common basics each poker discipline has different demands and skills but doing away with these other disciplines will actually be detrimental to No Limit Holdem long term (imho).

The most true statement I've heard today. I wish you were talking to J Pollack instead of Daniel. Daniel is great, but I think you'd play hardball with the guy.

[HarryDemetriou 0]

Poker is similar and despite some common basics each poker discipline has different demands and skills but doing away with these other disciplines will actually be detrimental to No Limit Holdem long term (imho).

The most true statement I've heard today. I wish you were talking to J Pollack instead of Daniel. Daniel is great, but I think you'd play hardball with the guy.

Not so sure...negotiating is not one of my strong points. Often I come across as being way too antagonistic and aggressive when it is often far more productive to just sit and really listen to someone. Another of my faults is I tend to get so worked up over these kinds of issues I tend to just keep on non stop and not let the other person get a word in at all so they tend to switch off and an opportunity is missed to really get a point of view across.As a non American I also find it very difficult to communicate as my opinions seem to have less weight not to mention the fact that when I speak it seems to sound like I have a mouth full of marbles to many in the USA. Also I am not as high profile as other players such as Daniel but I will give it my best shot if I get the chance to ever speak to Mr Pollack.At least this is a start and we have to walk first before we can run but I am glad others would agree that different forms of poker are linked to each other and as such mutually beneficial to one another.

[Bohica 0]

I'm hoping for the best along with the rest of you, but I also feared that Daniel was merely being stroked when I read the blog. I sincerely hope I'm wrong though.Harry, what is your opinion about this matter. Are the powers that be merely trying to assuage Daniel, and thereby comfort/silence the rest of the Pro Poker community as it were?

[mrdannyg 274]

Lets just hope that the WSOP listens to the masses and keeps the tradition of the WSOP alive. Benny would be rolling in his grave if he knew that his baby was turning into a monster.The Gypsie

.................Poker is similar and despite some common basics each poker discipline has different demands and skills but doing away with these other disciplines will actually be detrimental to No Limit Holdem long term (imho).

The most true statement I've heard today. I wish you were talking to J Pollack instead of Daniel. Daniel is great, but I think you'd play hardball with the guy.

I disagree with that statement. Obviously many skills necessary for other games are useful to NLHE. but it seems that learning other disciplines would not enhance your NLHE ability as much as simply playing NLHE. I think it would be difficult to successfully argue that playing games other than NLHE would make you a better NLHE player than simply playing NLHE.however if the argument is that other games will keep people interested in poker longer and therefore enhance the success of NLHE as a cause of that, then that is a reasonable argument. i just realized that's probably what harry meant.on another note, I just bought the WPT season 2 DVD. I'm always impressed by Harry's play and character at the table. Definitely one of the gentleman players of the poker world.Cheers,Daniel

[hime 0]

As a non American I also find it very difficult to communicate as my opinions seem to have less weight not to mention the fact that when I speak it seems to sound like I have a mouth full of marbles to many in the USA. Also I am not as high profile as other players such as Daniel but I will give it my best shot if I get the chance to ever speak to Mr Pollack.

I'd have to dig up the link, but there's a page somewhere else where they interviewed... man, I am drawing a blank. But they got two other names that agreed with Daniel, I'm sure it's been discussed here already.And Harry, you're perfectly easy to understand, but then I have an affinity for all sorts of Euro accents. (Too much British TV and such.)

[dblbassted 0]

I am going to Tunica in January and I am very dissapointed in the schedule for the WPO. They did what Daniel was most afraid of and turned the entire event into nothing but hold 'em, unlike last year, when there was a variety of games that could be played. I enjoy hold 'em like the rest of the poker world, but cards are cards, and games are games, you have to mix it up and have different games. Not everyone wants all hold 'em all the time. So, because of that fact, I will be playing in the WSOP Circuit event, at least they have Omaha, and Stud, albeit limited, at least it's there.Lets just hope that the WSOP listens to the masses and keeps the tradition of the WSOP alive. Benny would be rolling in his grave if he knew that his baby was turning into a monster.The Gypsie

Welcome to tunica.... I've been dying to get in to some live Omaha games, but the only tables running in the entire county seem to be HE and stud..... I love stud, but playing at a 2-5 stud table does nothing for me. I played in a few of the WSOP Circuit events there earlier this year, and it was a sad week for the Omaha/Stud players. I expected the same for this year's WPO and was not disappointed. The Grand has a slightly more promising roster of events for its big series in early 06... -Ted

[HarryDemetriou 0]

I'm hoping for the best along with the rest of you, but I also feared that Daniel was merely being stroked when I read the blog. I sincerely hope I'm wrong though.Harry, what is your opinion about this matter. Are the powers that be merely trying to assuage Daniel, and thereby comfort/silence the rest of the Pro Poker community as it were?

Personally I did not get the feeling at all that the guy was stringing along Daniel and it is just completely wrong for anyone to assume that this is the case.If anything positive is ever going to come about with talking with other interested parties then it is EXTREMELY important that we all show a little faith and trust in each other or it would be a complete waste of time even having any form of discussion in the first place.I simply prefer to look on this kind of event as a means of exchangeing ideas and information with others on how we all feel about things.My comments about marketing types were just that - namely my own from previous experiences with people in marketing and were not intended to be taken as "Mr J Pollack is full of hot air." If anyone got that impression then I am truly sorry.Lets have a little faith and belief in others and not jump to conclusions without proper foundation.Plenty of time to formulate opinions later on after we have had time to judge people on their actions.Remember actions speak louder than words and we will have to wait and see what authority and licence J Pollack has to implement change to The WSOP which could hopefully benefit us all.

[HarryDemetriou 0]

Keping people interested in poker is a part of my argument but hthis could be a very long seperate thread all by itself.I was referring more to how each discipline can help you improve in other disciplines.eg. In Stud stealing antes and blinds is a skill that you develop by fully utilising having the highest upcard with low cards behind you when acting late after the bring in.Triple Draw teaches you how to bluff when you get a brick, or how to stand pat with garbage to set up a steal on the end.Omaha teaches you not to draw to non nut flushesLimit Hold em teaches you about position and how to not play garbage from early position.The list is endless but it is to these types of things to which I refer.No Limit holdem is more about reading your opponents and playing your opponents cards rather than your own and as such it means you are going to have a lot more decisions to make and as such need to have more diverse abilities/skills if you are going to get things more right than your opponents.But as I sadi this is a whole new thread if not a twenty volume version of Super System 3.

[tennis_balls 0]

was reading the blog today and i don't know the meaning of this acronym.thanks

[DanielNegreanu 141]

H.O.S.E. stands for:Hold'emOmaha Eight or BetterStudStud Eight or Better

[byaaatch 0]

as far as the WSOP for 2006 I cant imagine there being any changes to the schedule. You would think that maybe with more people expressing their opinions there maybe changes for 2007. but one hard thing to overlook is the amount of people signing up to play the holdem events. With that much money out there how can you not still see the WSOP as being successful and holdem is their ticket to it.

[moneymike80 0]

I am going to Tunica in January and I am very dissapointed in the schedule for the WPO. They did what Daniel was most afraid of and turned the entire event into nothing but hold 'em, unlike last year, when there was a variety of games that could be played. I enjoy hold 'em like the rest of the poker world, but cards are cards, and games are games, you have to mix it up and have different games. Not everyone wants all hold 'em all the time. So, because of that fact, I will be playing in the WSOP Circuit event, at least they have Omaha, and Stud, albeit limited, at least it's there.Lets just hope that the WSOP listens to the masses and keeps the tradition of the WSOP alive. Benny would be rolling in his grave if he knew that his baby was turning into a monster.The Gypsie

Where have you seen the schedule for the WPO???? I haven't found it yet, but I would much rather play at the gold strike than at the grand.MJ

[Dmunnee 0]

Not so sure...negotiating is not one of my strong points. Often I come across as being way too antagonistic and aggressive when it is often far more productive to just sit and really listen to someone. Another of my faults is I tend to get so worked up over these kinds of issues I tend to just keep on non stop and not let the other person get a word in at all so they tend to switch off and an opportunity is missed to really get a point of view across.As a non American I also find it very difficult to communicate as my opinions seem to have less weight not to mention the fact that when I speak it seems to sound like I have a mouth full of marbles to many in the USA. Also I am not as high profile as other players such as Daniel but I will give it my best shot if I get the chance to ever speak to Mr Pollack.I think you underestimate the power of someone recognizable on TV in the poker world. Especially since the WSOP is an international event, I'm sure they can't discount the fact that NLHE is not the biggest game overseas. I accidentally posted in the general poker forum, but I wanted to add that the idea for a S.H.O.E. event with the final table being NLHE is the greatest idea ever.

[RotoJeff 0]

I knew Jeffrey from one of his earlier gigs, a brief one with a now-defunct company called Broadband Sports. The company itself was the Enron of Dot-coms, but he came on late in the game, far too late to prevent the trainwreck. My interactions with him were all fairly positive - he was sincere in his efforts to try to fix a series of wrongs, but unfortunately was all too powerless to effect any significant changes. From what I've read here, he's in a better spot. I'd be fairly optimistic.

[HarryDemetriou 0]

I knew Jeffrey ......... but unfortunately was all too powerless to effect any significant changes. From what I've read here, he's in a better spot. I'd be fairly optimistic.

One of the major problems with large corporations is the actual process of bringing about change.Due to the company size people have to more often than not report to their superior who have to report to their superior ......all the way up to board/director level.How much power he actually has remains to be seen and it will be interesting to see how much licence he has to bring in changes. Most usually changes that improve the bottom line (profits) get easy approval whilst others that may increase profits long term but cost the company short term take an eternity to implement if indeed they ever get adopted at all.

[Bohica 0]

I'm hoping for the best along with the rest of you, but I also feared that Daniel was merely being stroked when I read the blog. I sincerely hope I'm wrong though.Harry, what is your opinion about this matter. Are the powers that be merely trying to assuage Daniel, and thereby comfort/silence the rest of the Pro Poker community as it were?

Personally I did not get the feeling at all that the guy was stringing along Daniel and it is just completely wrong for anyone to assume that this is the case.If anything positive is ever going to come about with talking with other interested parties then it is EXTREMELY important that we all show a little faith and trust in each other or it would be a complete waste of time even having any form of discussion in the first place.I simply prefer to look on this kind of event as a means of exchangeing ideas and information with others on how we all feel about things.My comments about marketing types were just that - namely my own from previous experiences with people in marketing and were not intended to be taken as "Mr J Pollack is full of hot air." If anyone got that impression then I am truly sorry.Lets have a little faith and belief in others and not jump to conclusions without proper foundation.Plenty of time to formulate opinions later on after we have had time to judge people on their actions.Remember actions speak louder than words and we will have to wait and see what authority and licence J Pollack has to implement change to The WSOP which could hopefully benefit us all.

Thanks for the reply Harry.I didn't mean it to sound as though I thought Mr. Pollack was merely a corporate stooge/shill sent out to spread back-slaps and handshakes. As I said, I was merely afraid that that may have been the case. I just hoped for your opinion on the matter (and others of course).I'm more than willing to hope for the best, as you suggested, and will do whatever small amount I can to further this cause. I was hoping for (and was thrilled with) your response, and I in no way intended to nor wished to attribute an unfriendly impression of the going's-on to you. Thanks again for the response, and I don't think you're difficult to understand when you speak. Now, my mother-in-law...that's another story.