Inside Straight -- News

Hundreds Turned Away From World Series of Poker Main Event
Players Left Stunned, Angry
By Stephen A. Murphy

“Right now, I’m in shock. It’s way beyond disappointment.”

Those words came from Mickey Appleman, a longtime veteran of the World Series of Poker who doesn’t believe he has missed a main event since he first started playing the tournament 30 years ago. That streak ended this year when Harrah’s closed off additional entries to day 1D of the 2009 main event after reaching the day’s capacity.

WSOP Communications Director Seth Palansky believes “at least 500 people” and probably more were turned away from the main event on July 6, the final day 1 of the main event.

“We’re sympathetic because our goal is to accommodate everyone who wants to play. But once we run out of space, there’s gaming licenses at stake,” said Palanksy. “People could start registering on March 1, 2009. It’s hard to say we didn’t give them opportunity to register.”

Harrah’s ultimately decided not to offer alternate spots or allow play to run 10-handed on day 1D.

As recently as 2006, alternate spots were offered for the main event. In past years, day 1 of the main event had featured 10-handed tables, and even 11-handed tables.

“You can’t function a tournament properly with alternates,” said Palansky. “And the consideration of going 10-handed quickly went away because if we didn’t play all days 10-handed, we were not going to play one day 10-handed. It would affect the integrity of the tournament, because you’d have a different set of circumstances.”

The decision left hundreds of players shocked, confused, and angry. Several well-known players were unable to register on day 1D, including Patrik Antonius, T.J. Cloutier, Layne Flack, Ted Forrest, Brandon Adams, and Richard “chufty” Ashby.

“We are sorry, and I am sorry,” WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack told the hundreds of players who were shut out from the tournament.

This was not the first year that players were turned away from the main event, according to Palansky.

“We have closed it in the past. We had issues last year and in 2007 and in 2006,” said Palansky, who couldn’t provide an estimate of the number of players who were turned away in past years. “It’s a common thing, but for some reason, players in the poker community don’t decide to use better judgment and show up earlier to register.”

Trevor McCarthy, who flew in from Australia to play in his first World Series, said that he certainly would’ve played an earlier day 1 if he thought there was a chance that day 1D might sell out.

“An official on the floor — I would’ve loved to have gotten his name — told me yesterday, ‘Harrah’s likes money. We will not cap it,’” said McCarthy. “I’ve been here for the four days, but I’ve been trying to satellite in. I’m spending a lot of money on a hotel.”

Needless to say, McCarthy wasn’t pleased that he was shut out from the biggest tournament in the world.

“I’ve never played in the World Series,” said McCarthy. “It’s my first time in Vegas, and you know what? I don’t think I’ll be back.”

Jeffrey Lisandro Wins World Series of Poker Player of the Year Award
Mathematically Clinched the Award With Ville Wahlbeck’s Elimination
By Stephen A. Murphy

It’s official.

After a historic summer, Jeffrey Lisandro officially clinched the World Series of Poker Player of the Year award when Finnish pro Ville Wahlbeck was eliminated from the main event on day 3.

Lisandro captured three bracelets in the 2009 World Series, winning the razz world championship, the seven-card stud eight-or-better world championship, and a $1,500 seven-card stud event. He also finished ninth in the seven-card stud world championship.

Lisandro was humble and seemingly stunned after winning his third bracelet this summer (and fourth of his career).

“It took me so long to get the first one,” he said. “To get three in one year, it’s amazing.”

The main event was included in the overall points system for the Player of the Year award in 2009, but Lisandro’s record-setting performance left only Wahlbeck with a chance to beat him.

Wahlbeck accumulated six top-13 finishes in this year’s World Series, and won his first career bracelet in the world championship mixed-games event, for $492,375. But once he was knocked out of the main event, it became mathematically impossible for anyone to catch Lisandro.

Although nothing can be taken away from Lisandro’s achievement, the WSOP points system for its Player of the Year award has come under criticism, especially with the formation of the “November Nine.” With two bracelets from earlier in the summer, Phil Ivey has a chance to match Lisandro’s three-bracelet feat if he is able to take down the main event and pass Lisandro in overall winnings for the summer.

However, the points system for 2009 is in the books, and it will not be up for review until next year’s World Series.

This was not the first time that Lisandro had been in the Player of the Year hunt, as he finished second to Tom Schneider in 2007. With his impressive summer, Lisandro has catapulted to No. 7 in the Card Player 2009 Player of the Year race, as of this writing.

Ivey, Seidel, McEvoy, and Sexton Make Hall of Fame List
Ten Players Considered for the Hall
By Stephen A. Murphy

Phil Ivey’s summer has probably helped his cause. As the youngest seven-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner in history, Ivey headlined a list that Harrah’s released in July that contained 10 players who will be considered for inclusion in the 2009 Poker Hall of Fame class.

“After a five-week process that saw hundreds of votes cast weekly on WSOP.com, the public has made clear who they think should be inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame,” Harrah’s stated in a press release. “It will now be up to the current Hall of Famers and a panel of media members to determine who actually does join this exclusive club.”

Three former world champs made the list, including Tom McEvoy, Dan Harrington, and Scotty Nguyen. Mike Sexton, the popular World Poker Tour announcer who was promoted heavily by his sponsor site PartyPoker.com, also made the group of nominees — as did Erik Seidel, who holds eight bracelets and one runner-up finish in the main event.

Rounding out the list are Tom Dwan, Barry Greenstein, Men Nguyen, and Daniel Negreanu.

Harrah’s did not indicate which players received the most votes, stating only that those 10 players received the most votes from the public.

As for who actually makes the Hall of Fame, that is up to the voting panel — comprised of current members of the Hall of Fame and select members of the poker media. The panel may vote for a person not on the publicly created list, as new names might be added by the Poker Hall of Fame governing council.

Members of the panel can vote into the Hall of Fame as many players as they see fit, but only people who receive at least 75 percent of the entire panel’s approval will be inducted.

The induction ceremony will once again take place at the main-event final table in November.

Criteria for the Hall of Fame
Players:
• Must have played poker against acknowledged top competition
• Played for high stakes
• Played consistently well, gaining the respect of peers
• Stood the test of time
Non-players:
• Contributed to the overall growth and success of the game of poker, with indelible positive and lasting results.