The Best Final Table We Won’t See
Event #18 is the No-Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball w/Rebuys tournament. The field was small with only 85 competitors, but those few people managed to rebuy 272 times and create a $1,036,035 prize pool to be divided between the top 14 finishers.
Today, the third day of the event, the final table is underway. Check out this line-up:
Seat 1: Jeffrey Lisandro (Salerno, Italy) 461,000
Seat 2: Mike Matusow (Las Vegas, Nevada) 520,000
Seat 3: Tom Schneider (Scottsdale, Arizona) 162,000
Seat 4: Erick Lindgren (Las Vegas, Nevada) 1,104,000
Seat 5: Barry Greenstein (Rancho Palos Verdes, California) 541,000
Seat 6: Tony ‘G’ Guoga (Melbourne, Australia) 394,000
Seat 7: David Benyamine (Las Vegas, Nevada) 410,000
Here’s the kicker. Hardly anyone can see it.
The table is being held on a table NEXT to the ESPN stage. The rail is insane, four- or five-people deep, and those people are frustrated because they can’t see anything. Throw in the official WSOP media, ESPN cameras and crew, and floor staff, there’s nothing to see. Some members of the media tried to go up to the Milwaukee’s Best Lounge so we could watch from above, though that is rather uncomfortable as well, and snap a photo or two, but security instructed us to leave. Immediately.
Why, I asked of some fellow media folk, is the ESPN stage empty with no other final tables running today? Why can’t move this stellar final table over there with more room for the media and lots of room for fans to take seats and watch? WHY? The Poker Shrink informed me that ESPN does not take out insurance on the stage and lounge areas if there is no final table scheduled there. There is no insurance on the area today, and evidently, no one can make a phone call to get it.
Therefore, the players are stuck in a very small space, their friends and family are having a tough time seeing the table, and those against the rail have fans breathing down their necks. The fans are annoyed that they can’t see the best final table of the WSOP so far. The non-official media is pissed at being treated rudely by the floor staff and security team – being shooed from the area and given NO explanation, leeway, or assistance.
After a few weeks of virtually no missteps on the part of Harrah’s and the WSOP, this may be one that they hear about from the players and the media.
Kevin Mathers says:
June 11th, 2008 at 3:45pm
While I agree that it’s silly there’s no insurance, ESPN did record the 2004 2-7 KC Lowball tournament, but they only made it available online. How do you explain NL 2-7 draw to a casual viewer?
California Jen says:
June 11th, 2008 at 4:04pm
Figure out a way. This is too good of a table to miss, in my opinion.
DanM says:
June 11th, 2008 at 4:15pm
NL 2-7 single draw is so easy to understand.
It’s like Razz, but aces are high, and flushes and straights count against you … so the best hand is 2-3-4-5-7. Two rounds of betting: once when you get your first five cards, and one after all the players draw.
Reading your opponent is probably more critical in this game than any other — because you get so little info about your opponent’s hand.
***This is too good of a table to miss, in my opinion.***
OK, OK, I’m on my way! Geesh … tell Tom to shift gears and sit on his big stack now.
Kevin Mathers says:
June 12th, 2008 at 12:17pm
For those that want to see what a 2-7 KC Lowball table could have looked like, http://www.youtube.com/user/barksdail (2004 2-7 KC Lowball final table).
Poker Shrink says:
June 12th, 2008 at 2:19pm
Nice coverage of the table fiasco. Thanks that leaves me open to cover what I have been waiting for: MIKEY WINS!!
DanM says:
June 12th, 2008 at 2:45pm
We actually got some of it wrong … bought what Harrah’s was telling us at face value.
More TK
California Jen says:
June 12th, 2008 at 2:56pm
Actually, according to Boss Pauly just now, we did get it right. It was truly an insurance issue.