Tuesday, June 30, 2009

The World Series of Sleep Deprivation

Updated on July 1st I updated this from a previous article about players complaining about the long days at the WSOP.  That sits as a backdrop to the final table that is currently going on for the HORSE event.  The final table started over 17 hours ago and it is currently almost 8 am in Vegas.  If anyone thinks that this is a test of a skill at this point you are kidding yourself.  Certainly the two players at the table are not going to complain because they are in a position to win a very coveted bracelet.  My argument is that it is not the levels or structures that need to be changed it is the DAYS.

Skill is triumphing?

If you look at the winners of this year’s bracelet events what you will see is a laundry list of recognizable pros.  Which is exactly what the WSOP wants.  The players also are very happy with the outcomes up to this point figuring that there time will come (and they are likely right).  My argument is that you can not claim something is a game of skill when the biggest skill is being able to stay awake or which amphetamines you are taking.  So while pros are likely ecstatic that skill is triumphing I actually question that.

Why I will not be playing the Main Event this year

If you do not live in Las Vegas and you are not used to the conditions and such many people have a “home field” advantage on you.  Pros have been arguing for exactly this type of structure for years and indeed I think you should see a good professional poker player presence in the final days of the Main Event.  So that is good right? Maybe.  The ratings for last years WSOP were very good and there was basically no one at the final table that anyone knew.  Simply put if you are not from Vegas they are stacking the deck against you with this structure.  You either need to be used to playing with no sleep, very young or incredibly lucky.

Asking the players what they want is not the answer

I have done consulting for both online and offline poker in the last 5 years. If you ask the customers what they want it should really only be part of the equation.  In other words you might just need to hurt some big name pros feelings to get the right thing done.  If you are not aware there is a player’s counsel that helps the WSOP coordinators determine what is best for poker.  This of course is a good thing but at some point I hoped that it would be mentioned “what if players are playing for more than 12 hours, is that humane treatment for your customers?”  Sadly I doubt that was brought up much because I have never met a poker player alive that does not think that with the right structure and amount of chips they could outlast Phil Ivey.

So who are the real customers?

The real customers are the people that make up the bulk of the entries at the World Series of Poker.  In addition to that I would say ESPN is next in line (1 and 1a respectively).  So your established pros are really about 5^th because the reality is they will play in scuba gear if need be.  I think most of poker is mistakenly under the impression that television viewers want recognizable players at the final table.  Maybe if your name is Negreanu or Hellmuth (maybe Annie Duke now).  The average person has no clue who most pros are (and yes that goes for Phil Ivey).  So why do they watch? The same reason they watch the lottery at 10pm each night, in fact, the WSOP is better because you actually get to see the person win the lottery.

Let’s be clear

I am not arguing against skill and a better structure but I am in fact arguing for consideration of the players that lead relatively normal lives.  Some of those players have skills as well.  Poker is about making the best decisions over and over again and currently the way things are constructed compromises that.  I am a big fan of what Harrah’s has done with the WSOP but this is a point where they are really dropping the ball.

My prediction for the Main Event

I am not playing this year’s Main Event, the reason is simple I am predicting that they will struggle with the amounts of chips in play.  To stay on schedule they will need to run the player’s very long hours.  I hope I am wrong but if the preliminary events are any indication I think it might be time for Jeffrey Pollack to step in and make some adjustments.  For many people playing in the WSOP is a dream of a lifetime and as someone who has played it four times it definitely lives up to the hype.  I do not however think that players should be using toothpicks to keep their eyelids up or get wired out of their minds when day six roles around.  That is not good for the majority of customers nor is it good for television.
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