Fully Vaccinated Players Only at 52nd Annual WSOP
The 52nd Annual World Series of Poker is now less than four weeks away. It begins at 11 am on September 30 with its traditional curtain-raising $500 entry Casino Employees Hold’em event. Just four hours later the action goes up several notches with $25,000 required to play the second of 88 scheduled events, a H.O.R.S.E. tournament.
Masks adorn a statue of Benny Binion, creator of the World Series of Poker, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The state has a mandatory face covering policy in effect for anyone in a public space.
That same day a third event begins, titled the ‘Covid-19 Relief No Limit Hold’em Charity Event’ some proceeds from this $1,000 entry competition will go towards the benefit of frontline health workers.
During early August the WSOP’s owners, Caesars Entertainment, came under fire regarding a rule which stated organizers reserved “the right to remove any Participant from any WSOP Event at any time prior to or during the WSOP Event, in its sole and absolute discretion, for any health or safety-related reasons, including but not limited to, if Participant is determined by [Rio Casino] in its sole discretion, to have received a positive test result for COVID-19 or come into close proximity (within 6 feet for 15 cumulative minutes) of any person who has tested positive for COVID-19, or if Participant refuses to undergo any health and safety screening required by [Rio] to participate in a WSOP Event.”
“If Participant is removed from a WSOP Event pursuant to this paragraph, and for no other reason, Participant shall not be entitled to any compensation or remuneration of any type other than what Participant had already been awarded prior to being removed from the WSOP Event. However, for the avoidance of doubt, should Participant be disqualified for any additional reason or reasons that subject Participant to penalties pursuant to the Official Rules, those penalties shall apply.”
The prospect of being removed from a televised World Series of Poker tournament that had cost anything between $500 and £250,000 to enter with no recompense sent shockwaves through the poker community. Social media was ablaze with individuals indicating they would boycott the event, not through a concern of contracting Covid-19 but fear of losing a costly tournament entry fee.
Olive Branch
Five days later WSOP organizers damped the flames and played down the possibility of an instant exclusion by issuing a statement which read: “Consistent with our current CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidelines, WSOP participants who are known to have been exposed to a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 will not be required to leave the tournament and quarantine if they are fully vaccinated.
“Exposed players are still required to remain asymptomatic and meet all the CDC requirements for ‘fully vaccinated’ such as proper timing, but the clarification offers an olive branch to players who arrive at the series having taken all the precautions.”
The Vaccinated Only
Last week there was another development with WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart announcing: “Anyone attending the 2021 World Series of Poker will be required to show proof that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. This is not a decision we have taken lightly – it is made with no agenda beyond protecting player eligibility and the operations of a unique televised gaming event”.
“The nature of poker is to be in close proximity with your opponents for extended periods of time, and a seat at the World Series of Poker is a commitment for both our company and the participants. We want players to be excited for their return to the WSOP, while offering the greatest level of protection and limiting complications during the tournament this fall.”
The Rules Are the Rules
Despite this, the rule allowing organizers to “remove any participant from any WSOP event at any time prior to or during the WSOP Event, in its sole and absolute discretion” remains in section one of the WSOP’s list of 129 rules.
The online registration area of the WSOP’s website also reminds players “the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino reserves the right to modify any and all Official Tournament Rules at any time in the interest of health and public safety.”
It is noteworthy there has been a massive surge in Covid-19 cases in Nevada since mid-July. The current seven-day average of new cases for the state is in excess of 1,100. At the start of June, the daily average was 142. It rose to 450 by the start of July and hit its highest figures since January 2021 during the final days of August.
Won’t Come from the Land Downunder
Another steadfast rule is the wearing of facemasks. With the state of Nevada remaining under a mask mandate for indoor public gatherings, all WSOP players must have their nose and mouth at all times. Will players bemoan this rule given the inability to read opponents’ facial expressions?
Mask wearing and the fear of expulsion from ongoing tournaments will not concern many Aussie players. Australia’s borders are currently closed and international travel from Australia remains limited to some very specific exemptions. Poker playing is not one of them.
At the last WSOP Australian players excelled winning four World Series bracelet events and amassing over $16.5 million in prizemoney.
