Is The Wsop Doomed To Massive Errors?

[psujohn 0]

We're all familiar with the huge number of complaints lodged against the way the various WSOP events unfolded. 2 million extra chips in play, events changed at the last minute, events added at the last minute, complaints about marked cards, complaints about inexperienced dealers and inexperienced floor people. It's easy to point a finger at Harrahs and say they're not doing a good job but in all fairness no one else has ever run a series of tournaments NEARLY as large as the last two WSOPs. It's easy to say that Harrahs should hire experienced dealers/floorpeople but I think the reality is there aren't enough available experienced dealers. Other casinos certainly aren't going to lend out their employees for a month and even if they might be willing to do so their own poker rooms are hopping during the WSOP.It seems to me that without some radical changes the WSOP is doomed to be a poorly run series of tournaments. Radical changes would be things like splitting the events between different casinos, capping entrants, running the events throughout the year, etc. They can potentially improve things by getting some better decision makers in at the top and having them more active throughout the series but I fear that unless the field sizes decline drastically we'll find that the WSOP (and the ME in particular) will never be smooth sailing.

[Blacksheep626 0]

The WSOP is in a huge learning phase of their operation and is now dealing with certain problems for the first time in its entire existence. Harrah's is using these problems as a learning experience and is trying to figure out ways to improve the entire WSOP from top to bottom. Some examples is how they used a structured break because of all the complaints last year. But one of the problems is the amount of players and it is really tough sometimes to plan in that regard because you dont know whats happeneing player wise alot of times till the very end. One thing the Rio can do is change rooms because supposedly they have a larger ball room where the expo was taking place during the WSOP. Another thing you gotta realize is that the series has grown to almost 10 times as many participants as when moneymaker won and that was only 4 World Series ago which is a totaly abnormal growth rate. So just have patience the WSOP is going to get its act together it just might take it a few years.

[albasuna 0]

Yah the WSOP is huge and is very hard to control and Harrahs is very young at this whole WSOP thing but an argument against those excuses is that with the amount of money going through the hands of Harrahs you'd expect more.

[TCTC 0]

I have been an avid reader of this forum since its inception and have been a professional poker player since I was in college more than 15 years ago. I even use to play poker on a semi-regular basis against Daniel in LA and Vegas BEFORE he became famous. He was always a fun guy to play poker with then and I have always thought highly of Daniel. Even more now since it doesnt appear the money and fame have changed him a great deal. I am giving a brief description of my background because even though I am a "newbie" here, I have been around for a long time and have some experience and knowledge. If you need to flame me for this post or anything else, then feel free. I am sure I have heard much worse at the poker table, lol.I am posting now for the first time because of Daniel's latest blog about the WSOP and the extra $2.4 million in chips. I dont know how to post a link to it, but the link is in Daniel's latest blog about Tampa Bay. First off, let me say that it was an excellent article and like Daniel said, it is one every poker player neeeds to read. This is what has finally compelled me to post, I feel so strongly about this issue and totally agree with Daniel.I left my thoughts on the other site at the end of the article and I will cut and paste it below:This was an excellent article.....A well written and informative piece.... There are only two things that I STRONGLY DISAGREE with about the likely chip color-up mistake. First, is the assumption that it was a mistake by the floor staff that did the chip color-up.... Isnt it possible that it wasnt a mistake by the floorperson and that the floorperson was working with one of the players to help give that player an advantage?.... I mean perhaps a specific player made it a point to be the table captain and collect all the lower denomination chips from the other players. All of us poker players that have played in tounaments know that its easier for one player to collect all the chips and then only that player has to color up with the floorperson....We all know this saves alot of time. So, if this table captain does this and makes a deal with the floorperson, then this player can get an extra $2 million in chips and if they get caught all the floorperson has to do is say it was an "honest" mistake. I mean its so easy to dismiss as an honest mistake and there is very little chance of getting caught. I'd say its VERY VERY tempting for a player and the floorperson doing the chip color-up to cheat. There is $12 million at stake with almost no chance of getting caught. Since its easily dismissed as an honest mistake if someone sees it. Secondly, if it was an honest mistake and the player and floorperson werent cheating together then I strongly disagree that the player or players that received the extra chips where unaware of the mistake. All of us that have been in a similar position during chip color-ups KNOW EXACTLY how many chips we have to color-up and we KNOW EXACTLY how many chips we get back in return. Even if we go on a 20 minute break and leave before the color-up we obsessively count what we leave behind to get colored-up and as soon as we get back we obsessively count how many larger chips we received to be sure we got the right amount of chips back. So, there is no way the benefitting player or players didnt know they received an extra $1-2 million in chips. NO WAY!!!! Not when there is $12 million on the line. You wouldnt be able to prove in a court of law that the player actually knew, but the court of public opinion is all that matters at this point. The poker community deserved to know who benefitted and deserves to hear this player or players response. I would think the the security tapes wouldve caught the player or players that benefitted. When the mistake happened it was under alot of scrutiny and was taped, so it shouldnt have been hard to find out who received the extra $2 million in chips. If this tape shows the player or players that benefitted with the extra $1-2 million and the floorperson that made this mistake then we could investigate it further to see if there is any connection between the parties involved. This could possibly help us find out if it was an honest mistake or not. There maybe a lot more to this story. Like all investigative journalism you have to start somewhere and then continue to push forward to find out the truth. This article is a great start, but now we need someone else with the resources to pick up the ball and to continue moving forward with the investigation. Sincerely, TCI know this is a long first post and flame away if you need too, but if you dont agree with what I have to say thats ok. Then just simply do as Daniel asked and read the article. I think its important that the poker community keeps this controversy going since that is the only way to get Harrah's to take notice and do something about it. We need Harrah's to step up to the plate, the integrity of poker and its future is at stake here. This is an extremely important issue and it needs to be investigated. Sincerely,TC

[finztotheleft 0]

Welcome to the forum TCTC !

[LeighWdWTravel 0]

II know this is a long first post and flame away if you need too, but if you dont agree with what I have to say thats ok. Then just simply do as Daniel asked and read the article. I think its important that the poker community keeps this controversy going since that is the only way to get Harrah's to take notice and do something about it.

Actually, it was a very good post and extremely well written. Owning my own business, I also tend to agree. When those chips are in your hands, you know to the $1 how much you have. (as I do my ledgers) My only thought is, it had to be a very limited number of players involved. (maybe just one, lending credence to the cheating theory). If it were many more than that, someone would have caught that they had more chips and brought it to the attention of the floor staff. Serious players are concerned with the integrity of the game, and that is a lot of chips for multiple people to overlook. If it were a simple color up error, the person who did it needs to be fired, no questions asked. You simply cannot make a 2M error and not expect some consequences