The World Series of Poker (WSOP) Paradise series is underway, and poker players attending should be aware of a rule change that will impact the use of electronic devices at the table.
Jonathan Tamayo won the WSOP Main Event for $10 million this past summer in Las Vegas. Controversy surrounded the victory after poker fans noticed his rail, which included poker pros Joe McKeehen and Dominik Nitsche, had a laptop open with apparent real-time assistance (RTA) software visible.
Tamayo would occasionally converse with his rail during the final table, and that led some to question if he had an unfair advantage. But no one has presented any evidence to prove he broke any rules or won the tournament because of an edge gained from his rail. Still, the WSOP did not have a rule in place to prevent potential controversies such as this from arising. They do now, however.
There are a few other additional new rules for the series, including banning electronic devices at the table altogether when a tournament is down to three tables. Players are also not permitted to place their cell phones or any electronic devices on the table or table rail during play.
