This was a final table where negotiaton skills were far more valuable than card smarts. Party Sihoki has a great deal-making system that allows players to agree to discuss deals, work out all the details, then confirm a deal and end the tournament – all without ever having to track down a support person. Willingness to talk deal is indicated by players marking a “Yes” or “No” button found at the bottom of their screen. I always find it interesting to keep an eye on the number of players willing to discuss a deal. While you don’t know who has selected what, you can make educated guesses; then find out for sure once someone is knocked out or doubles up and the willing tally changes. Almost always, it’s the short stacks that are interested in deals, while the big stacks prefer to pick off the little guys and give themselves a shot at the first place money.
At this week’s table, no one came in with a huge chip lead over the others. An all-in by a 1.5 million short stack was still going to cost a big stack 1/3 of their chips if they called and lost. Still, I was a little surprised when talk of a deal began almost immediately.
(Insider’s Report) WSOP Circuit Event #1 @ the Grand
ROBINSONVILLE, MS–Just a quickie at the dinner break 112 players remaining from a starting field of 841. Somewhere north of $60,00 to the winner and Yes! Sports Fans, yours truly is hangin’ in there with an average stack.
8:30 PM CDT Update: “We’re in the Money!” I just made $24. 72nd-81st pays $364 on a $340 event.
10:00 PM CDT There is no joy in Robinsonville: 52nd place $570.
Tunica 9/25/06
ROBINSONVILLE, MS–Sure we all call this Tunica but we are, in fact, in Robinsonville, Mississippi in the County of Tunica just up the road from the town of Tunica and no matter what they call it we are on the banks of the Big Muddy, the Mighty Mississippi. The core of the “boyz” all came in last night (me & wildbill & amy). It appears that when the first event of the WSOP Circuit at the Grand goes off today ($300 NLHE) we will all be in the field.
Besides at least two or three circuit events and the perfunctory Super Satellite crap shoot. I will be visiting all of the card rooms in great Tunica err Robinsonville ummm Northwest Mississippi to bring you up-to-date reports on the state of poker here.
The Poker Road has reached its first destination.
WPT Drops the Hammer on Hiatt
Steve Lipscomb and his cronies at the WPT have yet another lawsuit and accompanying P.R. black eye to deal with, this time courtesy of former WPT hostess Shana Hiatt. Hiatt filed suit against the World Poker Tour on Friday in L.A. Superior Court after Lipscomb/WPT interfered with her negotiations for a TV hosting gig on 2 NBC poker shows, including the popular National Heads-Up Poker Championships and a new show in development called Poker After Dark.
According to Hiatt’s complaint, Lipscomb contacted NBC and informed them that Hiatt “was precluded from working for NBC or for appearing in any poker-related television shows” and that WPT “owns Shana Hiatt in poker.” Hiatt claims that WPT is relying on an illegal and unenforceable “non-compete” clause that appeared in a draft of Hiatt’s release from her WPT contract. Hiatt and her lawyers maintain that not only did she not sign that particular draft of the release, but that the non-compete itself is unenforceable under California Law.
In layman’s terms, the law states that any contract that prevents an individual from seeking lawful employment is void. WPT is trying to do just that– prevent Hiatt from getting a new job at something she does well merely to protect their own product and financial bottom line. God help Steve Lipscomb if Hiatt should hold a microphone and interview Phil Hellmuth on another network and get on with her career– he can’t have his WPT video games or pinball machines or DVDs with Hiatt’s likeness on them devalued but one penny. It’s a greedy, disgusting move that makes the WPT only look even more soulless and corporate.
