World Series of Poker

I'll be there for the main event July 3.
Who else is going?

 

You entering or covering, Buck?

 

I won a qualifier in December, so I'm playing in the main event.
We head into town the night of July 2. I won't find out which opening-day pool I'm in until I get there.

 

Excellent. Good luck.

 

Thanks.
I'm pretty excited about it.
I know other people around here take part of visit Vegas during the tournament, so I figured I'd find out if anybody is going to be around then.
We've got a bunch of friends going with us, but the more the merrier.
Unfortunately, I can't down there before the start of the main event.

 

http://www.pokernews.com/news/2008/05/comprehensive-look-wsop-final-table-delay-one.htm

What's everyone think of the WSOP changes to the main event? I think it should increase the buzz for poker. You have to give Jeffrey Pollack some credit; he formerly worked in NASCAR marketing. This could be a boon for poker.

 

It makes sense from a marketing/exposure perspective, but my initial reaction was negative.
I enjoy poker, and increasing interest in poker potentially increases the number of producers at the table, which in turn potentially increase my bankroll.
But I think poker is at close to a saturation point.
The key to marketing poker is getting rid of the ridiculous UIGEA.
Let's get that out of the way, first, then we can weigh the possible benefits of repackaging the WSOP main event.
The latter helps Harrah's and ESPN; the former would help all of us.

 

Nuevo Laredo hold 'em? Nuevo Leon hold 'em?

 

The UIGEA is a shoddy, unenforceable load of crap, and it already appears to be in its death throws.

 

I don't like the delay. Not at all.

I don't like the idea of players being able to take a few months off to work on their game before the final table.

 

If you wade through thousands to make the final nine, I'd say you're probably a decent player; four months of even intense practice and instruction won't make you unfairly better. And even if it does, all nine players have that same option.

The UIGEA is a joke and should be disbanded. Online poker alone would make this country $3 billion in revenue annually. To act as if outlawing poker is a moral issue when horse racing and lotteries exist online, well, you can shove that sanctimonious bull up your giggy.

 

No, not unfairly better. But it will completely change the dynamic of the final table.