It may not be three card brag but this year’s World Series of Poker is certainly grabbing the gambling headlines at the moment. The 2011 World Series of Poker is well underway, with eight events won, five events underway and a further 46 yet to start. However, this year’s championship is being overshadowed by the recent action taken by the FBI and the US Department of Justice, and the fallout that followed, with numerous high profile names not turning out for the annual poker showcase in Vegas.
As always there will be many poker variations being played during the 58 event onslaught but no games of three card brag, I’m sorry. The poker games being played this year include; Texas holdem, Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo, seven-card stud, deuce-seven lowball, razz and mixed games such as the eight game and H.O.R.S.E, all with varying limits.
Unfortunately numerous leading poker professionals are absent from this year’s events for various reasons. The biggest absentee has to be eight-time WSOP Bracelet winner Phil Ivey, who is boycotting this year’s championship as a mark of protest to support the many online poker players who are still to receive their bankrolls from Full Tilt, Absolute Poker, UltimateBet and other online poker sites.
Other missing high-profile poker pros include Chris Ferguson and Howard Lederer, who have both also stepped down from the board of the Poker Players Alliance in the wake of online poker’s Black Friday. Both players are unlikely to be appearing in Vegas this year courtesy of their dealings with Full Tilt and the less than favourable welcome that they may receive.
So three card brag may not have a showcase such as the WSOP to be proud of but nor does it have the difficulties that online poker, and the world of poker as a whole, is currently facing.
