Poker Forum

CincyLady wrote

Matt, you mentioned about the player that had been DQ'd in another Final table, and while it wasn't the WSOP in Vegas, it still was a WSOP product (a WSOPCE) using the same rules (in fact the TD at the time quoted the main WSOP rules when he DQ'd the guy) that governed the Vegas WSOP.

Does that change what you had to say in the Article (where it was my impression that you considered it apples and oranges, since one was a WSOPCE and the other the WSOP in Vegas)?

I mean, shouldn't the rules be universal, especially after the powers that be have stated that they are using the same WSOP rules for the WSOPCEs to disqualify another player for acting the same way as Scotty did?

BTW, one other option in regards to booze in the events, is to perhaps say (like they did with iPods and such) that no booze allowed at the FT.

This also makes twice now that we the public have seen in the WSOP that Name players seem to get special treatment that Jane/Joe Players do not (with Phil Hellmuth being the other player to get special treatment after the fact, just because he was a name brand player or something).

The rules should be for everyone, not just name players.

I had a feeling that it was a Harrah's property which makes the special treatment angle seem even worse. I totally agree with you that the rules need to be the same for everybody.

Izzie_Nutz wrote

Matt, I have the utmost respect for you and what you have done for the game. I also understand your difficulty in really coming down on the tough side of this issue. But I completely disagree with the assertion that nothing should be done to penalize Scotty Nguyen after the fact.

This sport needs its organizers, or governing bodies in the parlance of other sports, to protect the image and integrity of the game. When there is a fight on the baseball diamond, the players involved are fined and it is made public. This serves a very very important function in baseball, football, etc. in protecting the image of the sport. But it would serve an even more important function in poker since the vast majority of people who watch the sport also participate in the sport. To allow a major incident like this to go by without publicly penalizing the player involved sends a horrible message to those who participate in the sport online, in casinos and in their local poker halls.

We already have a terrible situation with online poker where it has come to the point where virtually anything goes in the chat window. I have complained about abusive table language to the administrators at Pokerstars and been told that "smack talk" is part of the game. Far too many casinos now also take this approach and fail to control the abusive and aggressive talk that many players use to gain advantage in the game.

To allow this highly publicized HORSE incident to transpire with no public penalty for the player involved does nothing but reinforce the idea that any sort of behavior is acceptable at the poker table, when in fact many tournament rules say the exact opposite as you have so clearly pointed out.

The WSOP management, in the absence of any other governing body, should penalize Scotty, or at least come to some agreement with him on some publicized action, beyond a simple apology, that clearly sends the message that this kind of behavior, or anything even remotely close to it is not acceptable in public tournaments or cash games.

You do know that this table happened months ago so it is not only because the event was televised that we can go back. The situation needed to be handled at the time and it was not so now they need to make sure that this NEVER happens again!

Matt, thanks for taking the time to answer a few of these. I appreciate it.

I SEEN IT BUT IT WAS HARD TO BELIEVE,I HAVE NEVER SEEN HIM GET OUT OF LINE, WOW ITS HARD TO BELIEVE,BUT SOMETIMES PEOPLE DO THINGS THEY REGRET TOMORROW,I HAVE DONE THE SAME THING WHEN I DRINK, SO LETS FORGET IT AN GO ON,HE IS DESERVING AN A NICE GUY.

Matt,

I don't know how the TDA works in regards to it's members, but here is a thought.

If there is some sort of dues paying membership, then perhaps one way to make sure something like this doesn't happen again, is that if a Casino is a dues paying member of the TDA, that if they are found to be in flagerant violation of either the TDA rules, or even their own (Casino) rules, that the TDA has the authority to fine the Casino in Question.

Most likely I'm dreaming here that this would actually happen, but it is an idea to make sure that the rules are applied to all, and not just to John/Jane player, while the 'Name Brand' players seem to be getting a pass.

have to admit it did make interesting t.v

Matthew Savage wrote:

You are never going to stop savers or percentages swapped are never going to be stopped but they do need to be in the open in my opinion.

I am a Life Member of the Professional Golfers Association. The PGA has a rule about "savers" or prize splitting, if caught makng such a deal, you will be fined and suspended, possibly for life. Can you imagine if the public thought that Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Pamer (whoever the current greats are) had cut a deal for the money won and would be playing for the "trophy" only.

Poker needs to organize and ENFORCE the rules equally on all.

MtMike wrote

Matthew Savage wrote:

You are never going to stop savers or percentages swapped are never going to be stopped but they do need to be in the open in my opinion.

I am a Life Member of the Professional Golfers Association. The PGA has a rule about "savers" or prize splitting, if caught makng such a deal, you will be fined and suspended, possibly for life. Can you imagine if the public thought that Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Pamer (whoever the current greats are) had cut a deal for the money won and would be playing for the "trophy" only.

Poker needs to organize and ENFORCE the rules equally on all.

That would be ideal and would be the case if poker players did not have to put up their own money.

That's MtMike's point. Sponsors should put up the money as they do in other 'sports'.

davega wrote

That's MtMike's point. Sponsors should put up the money as they do in other 'sports'.

then poker wont be poker,