The 2020 WSOP Main Event late registration rules are “awful,” according to veteran commentator Norman Chad. See what poker players and industry representatives are posting on Twitter.
The World Series of Poker recently announced the official 2020 tournament dates for its annual showcase, with the Main Event scheduled to run from July 1st to July 14th.
Although full “tournament structure” sheets for 2020 bracelet events remain unavailable, one clause contained within the December 11th release has stirred debate on social media.
The decision by executives to allow for “Day 2” WSOP Main Event late registration in 2020 provoked an immediate reaction from longtime commentator Norman Chad, who called the policy “awful.”
Allowing Day 2 late registration for the World Series of Poker Main Event is an awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful decision by my friends at the WSOP.
It just strikes me as awful.
— Norman Chad (@NormanChad) December 11, 2019
Chad sharply criticized “unlimited re-entry” formats in WSOP Europe bracelet events less than two months ago, and was quick to relay his concerns with the “Day 2” aspect of WSOP Main Event late registration to WPT Executive Tour Director Matt Savage.
It corrupts the integrity of the competition.
Everyone should start off on equal footing.
Part of the challenge of the Main Event is having to navigate 7 days of play to reach the final table.
You start on Day 2, just to reach Day 3, you spend half as much time on the felt.
— Norman Chad (@NormanChad) December 11, 2019
Savage, who has been a mainstay as a poker tournament director for well over a decade believes that the “late registration” extension into Day 2 doesn’t provide an unfair advantage to skill-based players.
Why should late reg stop early on Day 2 then?
Why not later on Day 2, in case of traffic?
Why not on Day 3 before the money bubble?
Why should most of field have to dodge variance on Day 1 while others walk in halfway to the money?
How did you become a tournament director?
— Norman Chad (@NormanChad) December 12, 2019
Twitter user “J.B.” pointed out in a separate reply to Part Time Poker‘s own Matt Kaufman, that waiting until “Day 2” to register potentially “has a lot of advantages” for select players.
He's not wrong. Just the pure edge of having to evade variance for one less day is a pretty decent advantage. Doubling your starting stack on Day1 doesn't really accomplish much either so regging Day2 has a lot of advantages.
Doesn't mean I'm not in favour of it though.
— J.B. (@TheAntiHeroLife) December 11, 2019
However, that view is not shared by live and online poker veteran Jason Mercier, who says it’s a “disadvantage” to wait until Day 2 to register the WSOP Main Event — adding that the policy is “good for the game and for the tournament.”
It’s a disadvantage to buyin on day 2
More players enter the tournament because of this option. a lot of which are recs who would just skip otherwise
The endurance test notion is pretty silly, skipping one day- in a 8-9 day tourney.
There is no downside to having this option
— Jason Mercier (@JasonMercier) December 13, 2019
Longtime poker player and fan Matt Salsberg opined that the “Day 2” WSOP Main Event late registration is “helpful,” but Norman Chad stood firm behind his register on time or don’t play methodology to how the WSOP Main Event should be structured.
What, suddenly you are the 'awful' monitor?
Anyway, Hollywood boy toy, how come poker always rewrites the rules?
What's wrong with you register at the start of play, or you don't play? That's how the rest of competitions handle it other than, say, the presidential primaries.
— Norman Chad (@NormanChad) December 12, 2019
Former WSOP Main Event 6th place finisher Kenny Hallaert countered that the new Day 2 late registration policy “solves a lot of logistical problems” — but that opinion likewise failed to impress Norman Chad.
Tournament directors — like dirty cops — alway stick together. https://t.co/P0AuOSwapE
— Norman Chad (@NormanChad) December 12, 2019
WSOP Main Event “Day 2” Registration (Conclusion)
Since Norman Chad’s October 19th call on the carpet of influential poker personalities, players who routinely participate in WSOP bracelet events have responded by providing their informed feedback on several contentious topics revolving around the longest-running poker tournament series.
I mean, you folks can spend weeks arguing about BB Ante & weeks on markup shaming, but where are all the high-minded poker bigwigs leaning out the window & shouting, “I’m mad as hell & I’m not going to take it anymore” when it comes to UNLIMITED re-entry at WSOP bracelet events?
— Norman Chad (@NormanChad) October 19, 2019
So, is the 2020 WSOP Main Event late registration policy ‘good’ or ‘bad’ for poker?
The answer to this question probably depends, but either way it is highly unlikely that the Day 2 late registration policy will create significant uproar once July 2020 arrives, as the change from “Level 3” to “Level 6” late registration isn’t that significant — aside from the obvious advantage/disadvantage/distinction of being able to skip Day 1 action entirely.
As communicated in previous articles, the final say (and the responsibility that comes along with that) belongs to the World Series of Poker brand. Regardless of what is decided in the end, the WSOP attracts well over 100,000 tourists and 150,000 players annually to the Las Vegas showcase tournament series. This in turn provides much-needed gaming, lodging, and retail economic stimulus to the world’s most famous gambling destination during the summer months.
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