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July 4th, 2007. WSOP-2007 Event #54, World Championship $5000 2-7 NL Lowball Draw w/Re-buy.

1 hr 32min after Event #54 started. A late registered player with 8200 chip went to sit at table 8 seats 6. The whole table went off and then the rest of the tables went off. Players include Barry Greenstain, Daniel Negreanu and Andrew Black all want to talk to tournament director before they continue to play this event. The whole field was almost out of control. (Tony G. made command on himself: Tony G. didn't say anything. Normally he is loud, he is one of the few pros didn't say anything and waiting for the TD decision this time). What a problem. The reason behind of this was because of

WSOP-2007 rule #81: Late registrants for any event may incur a chip penalty. Players will lose one round of blinds/antes dead money into the pot for every 15 minutes late after a tournament has begun up to a maximum of three (3) rounds of blinds/antes.

WSOP-2007 is usually reserve 1-2 seat per table for the late registrants, full amount of the starting chips is always set on the tables when tournament starts. Table 8 seat 6 at today's Event #54 was under this situation. In the end of the first level, the chips had left at table 8 seat 6 was about 7000. According the normal procedure, the floor supervisor went to table 8 seats 6 picked up the chips whatever left at that seat. That seat had not been sold yet. But that particular seat has been sold few minutes after the chips had been picked up. A late registrant went to the table with 8200 chips = 10,000 starting chip - (200+100 blind+50 ante x 6 hands)x3 rounds. For all the player at table 8 had just saw the floor man picked up 7000 chips from seat 6, then send a player with over 8000 chips to that seat. Obviously, it seems not fair for the rest of the players. But they didn't know the inside situation under this issue. Of course they would go off to complain to the tournament director. The tournament had to stop for about 20 minute until the assistant tournament director Jimmy Summerfield read enforced WSOP-2007 rule #81 to them. Tournament has been continued after 20 minutes.

People may wondering, where is Phil Hellmuth when this was happening? As we know, Phil Hellmuth normally late for the tournament, there is no reason for Phil miss this tournament because this is $5000 buy in w/re-buy and most of the pros playing this event includes Johnny Chan, Doyle Brunson, Chris Ferguson, Howard Lederer, Andy Bloch, Minh Ly and at least 50 pros. How would Phil miss this big party.

There was one seat (table 5 seats 2) still open after the tournament resumed. Of course, that's Phil Hellmuth's seat. He has arrived about 2 hours 30 min after the tournament started. The tournament was on 1st 15 min break. He had 1250 chips left. If the tournament hadn't paused for 20 minutes, Phil's 1250 chips would have been totally blinded off. Phil went to the see Jimmy right away after he saw 1250 chips left for his seat. But as soon as he read WSOP-2007 Rule #81, he went back to his seat ready to play. Of course he was ready to re-buy as well. That was class. I respect that.

From my view to look at this, rule #81 is given unlimited penalty to the players has intention to be late. It has only given limited penalty to the late registrants.

The WSOP-2007 Rule #81 is just happened to become Anti-Hellmuth rule.