WSOP final table delay 'ruins integrity'
13th May, 2008
An opinion piece written for business news network Bloomberg has poured scorn on the decision by World Series of Poker (WSOP) event organisers to postpone its final.
Earlier this month it was confirmed that the final table of the world's most popular poker tournament would be held some four months after participants have earned their seat at the event.
That means that the 12 days of action this summer - which will whittle down the number of poker players from 7,000 to just nine - will be followed by a massive lull in action ahead of the final showdown.
Proponents of the plan have claimed it will afford finalists the chance to improve their skills as well as taking advantage of lucrative sponsorship deals, but according to Bloomberg's Joe Saumarez-Smith the decision is a sorry reflection of the state of the industry.
"For me, and for many others in the poker community, it is an extraordinarily stupid decision," Mr Saumarez-Smith wrote. "It is a plan that ruins the integrity of the tournament and stinks of corporate greed being placed above the interests of the game of poker."
He continued: "Poker has clearly benefited from the involvement of big corporations like Harrah's and ESPN … But there are things you can mess with and things you cannot. This year's changes have overstepped that line."
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