Tournament officers have been undoubtedly wanting to launch the schedule for the 56th annual World Series of Poker, and gamers have been simply as wanting to obtain it, excited to make their plans for the summer season competition.
Then Phil Hellmuth went and threw a moist blanket over the whole factor by saying that he’ll skip the principle occasion.
Hellmuth has his causes, and even makes some legitimate arguments, but it surely’s not a great search for the bracelet GOAT to inform an already-aging poker inhabitants that not solely are senior gamers lifeless cash in the principle occasion, however so is an previous Hall of Famer.
“12-hour days, or longer, for six to seven days in a row is brutal and disproportionately affects older players,” Hellmuth identified.
“It’s still my favorite event in the world, don’t misunderstand me. I don’t want to miss it. But I know that I can’t do [it]. I’m 60 years old. I don’t think I could have done it at age 50.”
Although it’s not as dramatic as threatening to burn down a constructing, it’s a shock transfer for somebody who has constructed their poker id across the WSOP model and even traditionally late and over-the-top principal occasion entrances.
“We try to make decisions in the collective best interests of the entire field,” WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart mentioned to Poker.org. “Recreational gamers are an enormous a part of the principle occasion, and lots of have sensible issues like trip days, time away from household and price of journey.”
WSOP employees have been reportedly made conscious of Hellmuth’s determination again in December, informing them throughout the WSOP Paradise competition within the Bahamas about his intention to skip the match.
“We’ve been unwilling to compromise on the value and traditions of the event with 120-minute levels and an ultra-deep structure,” Stewart continued. “We really feel enjoying 5 ranges per day with the chance for a number of days off is a contented medium for a match that’s already 15 days.”
Hellmuth’s determination to sit down out triggered a public relations disaster large enough to warrant a one-hour telephone name from Daniel Negreanu, who’s a former board member of the Players Advisory Council and is an envoy for brand new proprietor and on-line poker website GGPoker.
The 50-year-old ‘Kid Poker’ commiserated with Hellmuth, however disagreed that modifications ought to be made.
“The WSOP main event is special because of its long-standing consistency as a $10,000 buy-in, a freezeout, and with two-hour levels. All three of those things have been in place for over 50 years now.”
Tradition vs. Practical Changes
The first ever WSOP in 1970 was decided by a vote. Poker lore says that everybody voted for themselves, after which reluctantly agreed on Johnny Moss the second time round. That might have been the final time that the WSOP winner precisely decided the perfect participant on this planet, though arguments may very well be made for Doyle Brunson and Stu Ungar.
“I don’t think that the World Series of Poker main event is measuring skill [anymore],” Hellmuth causes.
He is each proper and mistaken. We would all agree that the principle occasion winner is rarely the very best participant on this planet, however there’s no denying that the cream all the time rises to the highest.
It simply has to. The construction is just too deep for the overwhelming majority of novice gamers to outlive. Hellmuth says that older gamers have bother avoiding a giant blow up, however that’s additionally the case with leisure gamers. When the blind ranges are lengthy, there’s extra alternatives for errors.
A sooner construction would solely improve variance and make it simpler for amateurs to win. But in the event you strive telling a bucket-list principal occasion participant that it’s of their finest curiosity to hurry issues up, and even register late, they’ll inform you to get bent. Dead cash didn’t go all the way in which to Las Vegas to spew $10,000 in a number of arms. They need extra play – each second of these two-hour ranges.
So, if the degrees aren’t altering, how in regards to the buy-in? Those with an inflation calculator are fast to level out that again in 1970, $10,000 was value about $82,000 in immediately’s {dollars}. (No marvel there was solely seven gamers!)
The reverse can be true. This 12 months’s schedule features a $300 buy-in occasion. That identical $300 could be value simply $36 in 1970. Can you think about them handing out a bracelet to somebody who gained a $36 match?
Raising the buy-in would undoubtedly scale back the variety of gamers and shorten the occasion, however it will be a special match, a principal occasion in title solely. Also, there are already loads of excessive rollers on the 2025 schedule, together with a buy-in of $250,000.
The largest perpetrator for the principle occasion’s now two-week length is beginning stacks. Back within the day, gamers obtained greenback for greenback on their buy-ins. For a $10,000 entry, you bought 10,000 in beginning chips. During the poker increase the stacks doubled, then tripled, then quadrupled.
Today, gamers begin the principle occasion with 60,000. That resulted in additional than 600 million in play for final 12 months’s record-setting area of 10,112. Is it any shock the match lasted 15 days?
You might lower the beginning stacks again to 50,000, which might theoretically scale back the match size by a median of about 17%. That would shave off two complete days, or enable for shorter enjoying classes general, however good luck going backward with the gamers. (In reality, there have been some calling for 100,000 stacks in the principle occasion which might push the match to a few weeks!)
The Fix
Since neither facet appears prepared to budge, I provide an answer impressed by the late ‘Miami’ John Cernuto, who personified the match ironman, however who like Doyle Brunson additionally discovered it tough to play in the principle occasion throughout his later years.
“I can’t go 10 days,” Cernuto admitted again in 2022. “But it’s not the 10 days that kills me. It’s the 40 days prior.”
In 2003, there have been 36 occasions. That quantity has tripled to 100 stay occasions, with extra to be introduced on-line.
There’s no signal that the WSOP is prepared to cut back the quantity of tournaments they’re providing any time quickly, so why not simply transfer the principle occasion to the start of the sequence?
It looks like a win for everybody concerned. Those who’re principal occasion purists nonetheless get their two-week match, whereas those that are involved about endurance get to relaxation up throughout the month of May to arrange for battle.
How a lot nicer wouldn’t it be to have a good time the eventual principal occasion winner someday in the course of the sequence when everybody remains to be on the town and in a (comparatively) good temper? It would additionally take the sting out of busting the principle occasion, figuring out that there have been nonetheless 4 to 5 extra weeks of bracelet alternatives left to go.
Another Record Is Unlikely
The WSOP principal occasion has damaged data for entries the final three years, however will Hellmuth’s declaration break the streak? It’s no secret that the poker inhabitants is growing old, and there are undoubtedly some gamers who will take his feedback to coronary heart and determine the match isn’t for them anymore both.
However, the jury remains to be out on if Hellmuth will stick together with his personal plan. Some have even begun to put facet bets on if the 17-time bracelet winner will relent and present up for a last-minute grand entrance.
Regardless of what the senior inhabitants decides to do, I consider we’re headed for a slight decline in the principle occasion. Reports point out that some worldwide vacationers are more likely to avoid the U.S. throughout the Trump administration resulting from tariffs, boycotts, and elevated scrutiny on the border for these from sure nations. Although the U.S. financial system is anticipated to proceed to develop, how inflation impacts the poker group is but to be decided.
I don’t assume the 2025 champion will care a lot, although. $10 million remains to be a pleasant payday whether or not you beat a record-breaking area or only a actually, actually huge one, particularly in the event you nonetheless have your complete life forward of you to spend it.
Julio Rodriguez is the Publisher and Editor-In-Chief for Card Player Media, having began with the corporate as a stay match reporter on the 2006 WSOP. Originally from Miami, Florida, he now lives in Las Vegas together with his spouse and daughter.
*Photos by World Series of Poker, PokerGO, and Card Player
