Rule changes at the 2009 WSOP

 

Last year we saw the "Hevad Khan" rule implemented -- you know, the one about excessive celebration-- this year's rule change (rule 30) has been dubbed the "Phil Hellmuth" rule:

Rule 30 is essentially a Player Code of Conduct. Section A states, “The competitive integrity of all Tournament play at the World Series of Poker is paramount. All participants must adhere to the spirit and letter of the Official Rules of the WSOP which forbid play or any action that is illegal, unethical or constitutes cheating or collusion in any form.” It then goes in detail explaining what cheating and collusion is considered.

Section B (this is the major change) states, “All participants are entitled to expect civility and courtesy from one another at every Tournament table and throughout the Tournament area. Any individual who encounters behavior that is not civil or courteous — or is abusive in any way — is encouraged to immediately contact a Tournament official.”

As a long time poker player this is one of my biggest pet peeves, and I'm glad Harrah's is trying to do something about it. I really can't stand abusive behavior at the tables, whether it's directed at another player or at the dealer.

The issue boils down to entitlement; some players feel that because they play well, this entitles them to win --especially against players that don't play well. Well guess what? That's not how poker works, and we all know it! Bad plays have to be rewarded, and sometimes it will be you on the receiving end of those beats. Poker is lot like NASCAR, no matter how perfectly you are playing, sometimes things happen that are out of your control, and you get caught in a 12 car pileup.

Hopefully, Harrah's will enforce the rule, but my feeling is they will use the rule simply as a deterrent (like a video surveillance system that isn't plugged in), and only get involved in major conflicts.

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