New WSOP 2007 Rules Released

Information about this years version of the 'Granddaddy' of all poker tournaments keeps rolling in. The rules for the 2007 World Series of Poker have just been released, there are 93 in all. Here are a few of the more interesting variations for this year's tournaments.

The Modified F-Bomb Rule: Any player who directs any profane and/or abusive language at another player, dealer or tournament staff member or who makes any profane and/or abusive comments about another player, dealer or tournament staff member will be penalized in accordance with Rules No. 22 and/or 46. In particular, the use of the so-called "f-bomb" and "c-bomb" as well as derivatives of those and similarly offensive terms, will subject the offending player to penalties if they are directed at or refer to another player, dealer, staff member, patron or official of Harrah's or the WSOP. In Harrah's sole and absolute discretion, it may impose at any time a zero-tolerance policy for profane language whether directed at another person or not.

So the modification of the F-Bomb rule that players have been asking for since it first was instituted is now in place. You will not be penalized for uttering F---! when the two-outer hits on the river. You must direct abusive language at someone to be penalized. I assume the "zero tolerance" policy will be brought out when the TV cameras appear.

Here is an interesting part of the next rule: Repeated etiquette violations such as touching another player's cards or chips, delay of game and excessive chatter will result in penalties.

Excessive chatter is now being recognized as a potentially penalty inducing etiquette violation. I hope to be around when this one gets applied for the first time on 'you-know-who' or even on 'what's his name, you know that guy from you know where.' Cameras will be rolling for several of these, I am sure.

Under the "Apparel" rules there are several "Do's and Don'ts," here are two I found interesting:

- Advertise any habit-forming drug, tobacco product, handgun or handgun ammunition;

My question on this one would be: Is Viagra habit-forming?

Also in the apparel category:

-May not contain any material that is defamatory, obscene, profane, vulgar, repulsive or offensive, either in theme or in treatment or that describes or depicts repellently any internal bodily functions or symptomatic results of internal conditions, or refers to matters that are not considered socially acceptable topics;

I am just going to let that one stand on its own.

Here's one that is going to cause a lot of grief, if they actually enforce it.

There will be no foreign objects on the table except for a maximum of one card cap. Card caps can be no larger than two (2) inches in diameter and no more than one-half (1/2) inch in depth.

Are they really going to tell that nice man from Iowa to put away the picture of his three kids? And what about that fossil Greg Raymer has used in the past? It's much bigger than the rule allows.

There is a clarification if not a resolution of the "Show One, Show All" rule.

At the end of a hand, if a player exposes one hole card, he or she must also show the other hole card if asked to do so by any player.

And they wrote down a clear rule on Cell Phones.

A player who wants to use a cellular phone must step away from the table. Any player on the cell phone or texting a messaging when the dealer delivers the first card from the deck will have a dead hand. No cell phones can be placed on a poker table

All 93 rules can be found at worldseriesofpoker.com. Please go to your respective blogs and poker forums to discuss and/or rant. Check back at Pokernews.com for live coverage of every event at the 2007 WSOP.