Negreanu Criticizes the WSOP 's one-dimensional lineup

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... Anyone think it's possible a lot of players might do a boycott of the WSOP like they did the WPT ? Wonder what would happen if they went to Jack Binion and formed some sort of newer WSOP. Hmm, anyone else think that could happen? I'm sure that's something he really wants back.

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The so-called WPT boycott was more talk than action. I do not see anything trumping the WSOP. A few may be upset about the lack of variety in the games offered but that won't keep 3000 from entering the first $1500 NL tournament or 8000 from the ME. Jack is a great marketer but neither he nor any pro could sway numbers like that.

[DonkeyChip]

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It plays the best on TV.

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I would think some of the other games would play as well or better than HE. Omaha (straight or split) for example has more amazing hands, ones where the current nuts turns into garbage with the turn of a card or hands where multiple players get huge hands.

I agree with DN and the OP, we're saturated with HE and need more of the other games. Maybe they could try adding a game that is a 'variation' of HE, like Crazy Pineapple (i.e. a game that many HE players might feel more comfortable trying). But bring back HORSE, please. Fischman didn't even get to defend his title, correct?

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Turnouts for this year's WSOP events.
<font color="red">6/20 $2,000 7 card Stud High-Low 8/B: 279 </font>
<font color="red">6/20 $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha: 291 </font>
<font color="red"> 6/22 $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha: 239 </font>
<font color="red">6/25 $5,000 7 Card Stud: 192 </font>
<font color="red">6/28 $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha: 134 </font>
<font color="red">6/29 $5,000 Limit Hold 'em: 269 </font>
<font color="red">6/30 $1,500 Seven Card Razz: 291 </font>
<font color="red">7/2 $5,000 Omaha High-Low 8/B: 224 </font>
<font color="red">7/4 $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha: 165 </font>
<font color="red">7/6 $5,000 No-Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball: 85 </font>



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Thank you for this information. This reminds me of a TV show that is facing cancellation and the president of its fan club organizes a letter writing campaign to save the show. The players want hold 'em. As much as many of us would like to see mixed events, hold 'em is the game of choice for the masses. I don't blame Harrah's at all for focusing on it and dropping these &lt; 300 entries tournaments.

[Autocratic]

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It plays the best on TV.

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I would think some of the other games would play as well or better than HE. Omaha (straight or split) for example has more amazing hands, ones where the current nuts turns into garbage with the turn of a card or hands where multiple players get huge hands.

I agree with DN and the OP, we're saturated with HE and need more of the other games. Maybe they could try adding a game that is a 'variation' of HE, like Crazy Pineapple (i.e. a game that many HE players might feel more comfortable trying). But bring back HORSE, please. Fischman didn't even get to defend his title, correct?

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Omaha is considerably harder to follow for the average viewer. No way would it ever be as popular.

[marsvolta619]

Joe Average isn't going to be able to follow the rules of most 8/b games, and throw in a mixing of a-5 or 2-7 they won't be able to tell the difference. Can anyone think of Norman Chad talking up a nice PLO 8/b play?

[MCS]

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To me it as much poker as blackjack is.

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That's ridiculous. If you don't see how this game is more "poker" than blackjack is, I don't know what to tell you.

What, in your mind, defines a game as "poker"? I agree that the five-card hand thing is unusual, but it's still a game based on trying to win money by making better decisions than your opponents.

Here's the thing: it requires "poker-type skills" to be an expert player. To me, that makes it poker.

[dmk]

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Turnouts for this year's WSOP events.
<font color="red">6/20 $2,000 7 card Stud High-Low 8/B: 279 </font>
<font color="red">6/20 $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha: 291 </font>
<font color="red"> 6/22 $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha: 239 </font>
<font color="red">6/25 $5,000 7 Card Stud: 192 </font>
<font color="red">6/28 $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha: 134 </font>
<font color="red">6/29 $5,000 Limit Hold 'em: 269 </font>
<font color="red">6/30 $1,500 Seven Card Razz: 291 </font>
<font color="red">7/2 $5,000 Omaha High-Low 8/B: 224 </font>
<font color="red">7/4 $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha: 165 </font>
<font color="red">7/6 $5,000 No-Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball: 85 </font>



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Thank you for this information. This reminds me of a TV show that is facing cancellation and the president of its fan club organizes a letter writing campaign to save the show. The players want hold 'em. As much as many of us would like to see mixed events, hold 'em is the game of choice for the masses. I don't blame Harrah's at all for focusing on it and dropping these &lt; 300 entries tournaments.

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most of these are $5k+ events. if they made, say, half of these events between 1000-2500, you'd get a much larger turnout. especially for tournaments like NL2-7. of course the turnout will be horrible when its 5k+rebuy!! if it was just a 2k event, you'd see those #s multiply.

WSOP is hold'em heavy because nobody but guys like us play anything besides hold'em, and dont want to watch it on T.V.

I agree, though, I'd like to see more stud and razz next year.

[pipes]

I believe the first year they just played mixed cash games and voted on the champ. But right after that I think the WSOP was just one winner take all NLHE poker tournament. They felt NLHE would be the best game to decide the best poker player.

So those who say that Harrahs moving to a heavier NLHE schedule is going against the tradition of the WSOP seem a little misguided. If anything, it is somewhat going back to what it originally was.

So Harrahs is destroying poker by only having one Stud8b event? I don't see how. What matters most is what ESPN decides to broadcast. Since they'll never televise this game it doesn't matter.

[pipes]

IMO This quote is a joke
"
I can't tell you how upset I am with the mockery that has become of the schedule. No longer is the WSOP about the poker, about protecting the integrity of the game, or about giving the players what they want. Nope, it's all about the bottom line. *Sigh* It just infuriates me and I know I'm not alone. "

Yeah most poker players I know are not about the bottom line. The Professor Lederer is working 60 hours a week trying to find a cure for cancer. Johnny Chan is out there helping the Katrina victims.

This is a joke.