9
Close-To-Closing Thoughts
We’ve reached the final nine. Sometime in the early morning on Saturday, a new champion will be crowned.
It’s been a long World Series, and I thought I’d use this day off to discuss some of my impressions from this year’s WSOP.
Youth is Served – Again
With each progressing year, it’s becoming increasingly clear that poker can be mastered by young people with sharp minds. Each year we see players celebrate reaching the legal drinking age by winning bracelets. Eric Froelich gained his second bracelet this year. He’s all of 22. Jeff Madsen won two bracelets within a month of his 21st birthday—likely a record that will never be broken. Next year will introduce a new wave of talent as will the year after that.
This is not a Bubble
Those who thought the poker bubble would quickly burst were wrong. The game continues to grow. Perhaps in the next few years we’ll cease to be astonished by the size of the fields and we’ll just treat poker for what it is—another great American pastime.
Organization is Critical
Harrah’s approach to the WSOP has (I hope) been an embarrassment to the corporation. The staff was poorly trained and poorly paid. Chaos often ruled the day. It’s worth nothing that the tournament directors in 2004 and 2005—Matt Savage and Johnny Grooms—we’re both fired after doing respectable jobs. Let’s hope that one of these two is brought back next year.
Beyond the issues of staff competence, tournament poker players need to find a collective voice. Harrah’s took a 10 percent rake from the $1,500 events, which is ridiculously high.
Given the problems with the WPT, it seems clear that players need to find a way to collective negotiate with WPTE and Harrah’s. We need to have a voice in the community that will say, “You can’t treat us like this. No way.”
A Moment of Self-Promotion
My book, Hunting Fish: A Cross-Country Search for America’s Worst Poker Players, goes on sale today.
If anyone like to email me with questions or thought, fire away: jayATtrans-city.com
Tomorrow, the final table.
