Episode #99: Jeffrey Pollack

MAIN TOPIC

Jeffrey Pollack, commissioner of the World Series of Poker, joined us for an insightful look at issues at play for this year's edition of Poker's Greatest Marathon. To listen to the show, click here. Highlights:

NEW SCHEDULE: This year's schedule (and TV coverage) includes a much more varied list of games. Jeffrey said it was in response to players' requests, and next year's schedule will reflect how this years' is received.

IT'S A BIG RESPONSIBILITY: Jeffrey equated the Series to an entire sports season compressed into less than 2 months. He says disputes are inevitable, but this year they've beefed up training for dealers and other personnel and expect the player experience to be better than ever. Restrictions on logos have been reduced as well.

RULES INFRACTIONS: Jeffrey addressed the discussions with Jamie Gold that concluded last month with no penalty, but he reminded players that retroactive penalties (such as sitting out a few rounds in a future tournament) can be enforced.

MAIN EVENT FIELD: Jeffrey reiterated that he's not predicting any amount of players for the Main Event, but the Series is prepared to host 10,000. He said the success of this year's event will be judged on quality, not quantity.

ONLINE QUALIFIERS: The WSOP is not accepting entries paid for by online poker sites, and Jeffrey said he couldn't address what may or may not happen to players who win their seats through online sites and then buy-in directly. And he said it's buyer beware on seat scams that have developed. Be careful out there.

SPECTATORS/SATELLITES: The spectator experience will be much improved this year, Jeffrey said, including the Final Table viewing areas. And check the WSOP Web site soon for details on satellites.

THE WORLD SERIES BRAND: Jeffrey isn't worried about the effects of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, and says he's not expecting any changes once Harrah's becomes a private company. He's excited about the brand's expansion into Europe, and says he's open to expansion into Florida, but it's unlikely given that Harrah's doesn't own any properties here.

OTHER TOPICS

LUCKY US?: The Eric Bana/Drew Barrymore movie Lucky You opens tonight. Despite horrid reviews, Chris is taking his bride to see it. Let's hope at least seeing real poker players makes it somewhat worth it. And The Grand, a movie that was screened at the Tribeca Film Festival, improvised the final table. Now, that's kinda cool.

HARVARD EDUCATION: The Wall Street Journal this week wrote about a poker symposium at Harvard University where the discussion was about whether poker is a game of skill. We know the answer, but it's nice to know other people are talking about it.

POKER LEGISLATION: U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Fla., says he'll introduce a bill that says poker is a game of skill. And in Florida, we're awaiting the governor's signature before celebrating better poker conditions in the Sunshine State.

YOU WANT ACTION ON US?: Chris quickly dismissed an offer for he, Fasso and I to each have a share of each other's action at the World Series of Poker. With the stakes involved, seemed like a good risk. Hope he finds a way to explain it to the wife.

WORLD SERIES OF GOLF: Look for it on NBC in June. Here's the deal: Golfers put up $10,000. In groups of four, they bet, raise or call after each shot on the golf course. Once your money is gone, so are you. You just need to beat your group to get your buy-in back, and beat 14 players to win the $250,000 grand prize.

ANTE UP, LONDON CHAPTER: We heard from the London contingent. Mighty cool that you guys are getting together.

ONE-MINUTE MYSTERY: It's on hiatus this week so Columbo can prepare for a special edition for next week's 100th episode.

HAND OF THE WEEK

It's a special audio edition! Our hero gets his boat sunk by quad 5s. Ouch. Our advice: Sometimes there's nothing you can do in a hand. But here, we would have raised preflop with our AQ, and probably checked on the river. But it's unlikely any of those actions would have changed the result.

- SCOTT

Comments

[Erwin Blonk]

My roll call is in :)

About pooling the buy-ins, I'd go for that. Just cut everyone an after taxes part of any money won, according to the percentage of the buy-ins payed by each. So if Scott and Fasso each buy in for $1000 and Chris for $2000. Chris gets 50% of any money won and Scott and Fasso get 25% each. If I ever get to go the the WSOP or other tournament or tournament series, I try and do that.

[Boil Dunce Son]

Just saw on the news that the Queen of England is visiting America
http://news.sky.com/skynews/picture_gallery/0,,70141-1264167,00.html , ostensibly to visit the Kentucky Derby,
My guess is that she's really over to be the special guest on show 100, she'll be talking about "how not to go broke with a Queen in your hand".

[Boil Dunce Son]

Maybe you or Chris could go for taking a small percentage of each other's action if not wanting to go for a full split, with a group of friends taking part I'd feel that would help get everyone rooting for each other.

With all the Ante Up nation as witnesses it's not like anyone would be able to "do a Jamie Gold" on the others ;-)

Anyway best of luck to you guys in the WSOP I'm going to get a vicarious thrill out of seeinghow you guys get on. I just missed getting a free seat in the Razz event by 3 places in a big satellite the other day, but it was only due to anteup that I even thought of playing the satellite .

Mark - UK

[Chris Cosenza]

Mark,

That Queen comment was hilarious, and now the cat's out of the bag. I'll have to practice my Windsor Wave to say goodbye to Her Majesty now!

[khaaaaaaaan]

just FYI, if you do take a piece of each other (he he he) the wsop will pay you each out separately if the winner states it. That way you all pay your own taxes!

Its such a common occurrence they make it easy for ya.