WSOP Director of Communications Disputes False Press

The World Series of Poker Director of Communications was taken aback on Wednesday when the phone rang more than usual, the emails piled up, and workers whispered surreptitiously by the water cooler.

Turns out, there's some bad press floating around and it's traveled all the way to the international media, announcing, "Tournament Director Johnny Grooms and Assistant Tournament Director Jack Effel have left their posts." It also was rumored that Director of Tournament Operations Ken Lambert had resigned. Big, bad news traveled at hypersonic speed.

Card Player found it curious that a press release hadn't surfaced on such an important issue, so we called Gary Thompson, who expressed relief at the opportunity to set the record straight.

Ken Lambert, the WSOP Director of Tournament Operations had, in fact, resigned and accepted a new post at the Gold Strike with MGM/Mirage. Thompson exclaimed, "I hate to see Ken leave Harrah's and the WSOP. He was an incredible communicator and representative. It's painful to think he's not with us anymore."

Harrah's recently flew Johnny Grooms out to Las Vegas to discuss the issue of better communications. Harrah's has decided to expand Grooms' role with the WSOP nationally and internationally. According to Thompson, Grooms is still part of the team.

The latest is that Jack Effel was offered a position as poker room director for the Horseshoe in Tunica. Traveling the circuit three weeks a month was not conducive to raising a family with two small children. Effel has not announced whether he'll take the position, but doing so wouldn't affect his post at the WSOP in Las Vegas for 2006. Says Thompson, "We're very hopeful Jack will return for the 2006 World Series of Poker here in Las Vegas."

For the record, Ken Lambert, Johnny Grooms, and Jack Effel are all salaried employees of the Horseshoe in Tunica. Their jobs required them to travel the circuit. According to Thompson, leaving the circuit would not affect their posts at the WSOP.

As the WSOP grows, so is the need for more qualified professionals. Thompson felt that Lambert, Grooms, and Effel had pushed themselves for 47 days and nights and it was too much to expect from them again this year.

Thompson stated, "What we have done is increase the number of tournament and assistant tournament directors. We think it's important that someone be available 24/7 without having to work those hours." He added, "There will be a main director and we haven't decided, yet, who that will be."

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