Negreanu's comment on deal making in Card Player...

[GoneFishing]

If this is a repeat of earlier discussion-sorry.

I just got around to reading November Card Player (one with John Juanda on cover)

p.24 Negreanu is writing about the World Series of Poker Shootout. I'm pretty sure that is the one that Annie Duke ended up winning (head's up against Hellmuth, which was fun to watch).

Anyway - in the article Daniel mentions that Hellmuth 'half-kiddingly' says he can't wait for Daniel to get knocked out, so other players can make deal.

Now, I don't know if any deals were actually made - and I know that it happens all the time that deals are made and pots are chopped at the final table etc. etc.-

-but actually reading this about an event on t.v. that was portrayed as a $2million winner take all tournament kinda bothers me...

If there's any issue that's gonna kill poker on tv - gotta think this one is it. (You think that Tiger and Vejay make deals before The Masters? I think not!)

BTW- good editorial by Barry Shulman on this topic in same issue

[JaBlue]

How would you like to be Phil Hellmuth in this situation and play for 13 hours to get to heads up play only to walk away with nothing? Dealmaking is a part of poker; whether Daniel Negreanu's competitive nature agrees with it or not.

[samurai_tony]

tiger and vijay dont play for the prizemoney, they play for the sponsorship money that comes from winning which is HUGE, there is a far far greater incentive to win that event, they cant split sponsorship...with poker players the prize pool is their primary source of income and with nothing for second it would simply be foolish to throw away several hundred thousand dollars on what may well just come down to luck. I Dont think it kills tv poker at all, it's prefectly understandable and noone would blame them for doing it.

[sammysusar]

the major difference in this case was it was not their own money. when someone else puts up the money their rules should be followed. same can almost be said now for the WPT since they are giving back to the players with PPT freeroll events.
that being said, there is no way the players would ever admit to a deal and espn would probably not want to investigate because that would be hurting their own product.
i think next years event is going to be a 100 person field of the point leaders at the wsop and wsop circuit tour so this should not be an issue next year.

[MelchyBeau]

Each player recieved an appearance fee, thus he was being payed for his work that day.

Melch

[TimTimSalabim]

Tiger and Veejay do not make deals because they don't put up their own money to play. Deals will always be a part of poker as long as players put up their own money, and I doubt it has ever or will ever affect TV popularity of poker.

And I guarantee if Tiger and Veejay ever put up their own money for a 2 million dollar headsup match, that a) some sort of deal would be cut before the 18th hole and b) you wouldn't see that part on television.

[mojorisin24]

I agree with Sammy Susar (and Mike McGwire) that although chops are obviously an accepted part of poker in major tournament play, it would be inappropriate for players to chop a pot on a freeroll that is nationally televised.