I use the phrase \”last minute\” loosely, because it\’s possible this changed occurred back in 2007 and I just missed it … but Change100 points out there\’s been a change in how the WSOP calculates its Player of the Year. It used to be that HORSE and the main event didn\’t count — the intent being to create a \”triple crown\” for anyone who might manage to win all three in their lifetime … main event, POY, and $50k HORSE.
But now, according to the official WSOP website, POY points come from all open events (meaning seniors, ladies, and casino employees don\’t count) except the main event. I suppose it\’s not a bad change — maybe it is, who knows, will reserve judgment for now — but I know I heard some complaints about the old system before from Greg Raymer and others … the beef being that making the final table in HORSE hurts you a lot in the Player of the Year race because you missed out on so many other POY events in that five days.
UPDATE: Change informs me that the change was made last week.
OPINION OF THE MOMENT: OK, I like it … why shouldn\’t this big event count towards Player of the Year? Fuck, it probably should count double. And it doesn\’t take away from the Triple Crown concept … in fact, facilitates it greatly, as winning the HORSE Championship and any other bracelet in the same year would take one a long way towards knocking out two of the three triple-crown prongs in one WSOP swoop. I wonder how much, if at all, the added excitement Harrah\’s must\’ve seen around the June 7 Belmont Stakes factored into a decision that makes a WSOP Triple Crown a slightly more realistic possibility.
Limiting POY points to only open events also seems right, so all contenders theoretically have the same chance.
