The poker world has been arguing about what’s good and what’s bad for poker ever since the realization that the Poker Boom was coming to close started to set in –a debate that has picked up some steam in recent weeks.
Despite all the arguing there is little in the way of a consensus as to how move the game forward. Somehow the community is split on many of the examples people have cited over the years; some coming down on the side that they are good for poker while others feel they are bad for poker. While these splits aren’t 50/50 (some are probably closer to 80/20 or 90/10) the debates are still raging.
So with that in mind, here are my takes on five such topics.
Super-High-Roller tournaments
Good for poker.
I’ve changed my mind on this one recently. While I used to see them as a playground for the rich, I now think of Super High Rollers as poker’s All Star Game; a chance for fans to see the best of the best (or the most popular) in the world of poker play for astronomical stakes.
The reason I’ve “evolved” on this issue is that SHR’s are now drawing decent sized fields, and it’s not the same 20 players in every event. I’m perfectly fine with a group of 20 SHR regulars and a revolving group of 50-100 other players competing in these with one caveat:
I don’t like the idea of counting SHR’s in Player of the Year races or in All-Time lists. Keep all this stuff separate, just like All Star Game records.
Reentry tournaments
Bad for poker.
I’ve been on the fence when it comes to reentry tournaments for quite some time, but I’m becoming more and more convinced that they are bad for poker, with one specific exception: I don’t mind reentry tournaments that allow a player who busts on Day 1a to reenter on Day 1b.
Other than that, reentry tournaments serve no purpose except to artificially enhance the numbers of a tournament. This might draw some players here and there in the short-term, but this isn’t good for long-term growth in my opinion. Casual players don’t like the idea of reentries, and as Matt Savage has pointed out, it also affects the host casino.
I think of reentry events like a baseball team buying 5,000 tickets and selling them for $5 in order to get a sellout. It sounds good when the announcer says “sellout crowd today,” but it’s not helping the bottom line; it’s a sales pitch.
Strictly enforced tournament rules
Bad for poker.
What I’d personally like to see are relaxed tournament rules, but heightened penalties for consistent rule breakers. Strict rules are a bit of a drag, and poker players do pretty well self-policing their games on minor issues.
Everyone should get a pass here and there, but when a player is constantly in the middle of a controversy and trying to shoot angles then tournament staff should take swift and severe action.
What I would like to see is something like soccer’s yellow cards, where you get a warning for minor things, or you get a yellow card for a real infraction or for multiple small infractions. Furthermore, the penalties you accrue carry over for a certain amount of time, so subsequent penalties get progressively stiffer and you’re already on a short leash.
For this to work TD’s would have to join forces in some way and keep tabs on player conduct, but I feel it’s feasible.
I’d like to see penalties reach stages such as time period to lifetime suspensions from TDA run events. If we want to cut down on people trying to skirt the rules we need to really punish them, and hit them where it hurts.
Talking shop at the tables
Horrible for poker.
Is this even debatable? How can any player in their right mind think this is a good idea in any way?
Not only are you possibly educating the bad players, or making them try harder which is just as bad, but you’re identifying your own skills and your own level of thinking to everyone else at the table.
Don’t do it. I don’t care if you found a new friend and you both love to talk about poker, stop doing it, STOP!
Nuanced commentary
Good for poker on a live feed; bad for poker on a highlight episode.
A live feed needs to fill a lot of dead air, and anyone watching a live feed of a poker tournament is likely already an experienced practitioner, so I don’t think detailed, professional commentary is “educating the fish.”
However, when it comes to WPT and WSOP televised events let’s keep it fun, exciting, and most of all light.
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