In today’s starting event, the $5,000 short-handed no–limit, you’d expect to see some tough tables. With a $900,000 prize expected for first place, you could expect all the pros to be out for this one. And the high buy-in would keep away most of the kitchen table crowd.

Erick Lindgren had Nick Schulman as the button to his big blind. And the Devilfish, who quickly accumulated a big stack, had Howard Lederer, with a stack of almost equal size, immediately to his left.

As I surveyed the room, I came to think that no one in the room regretted her draw more than Jennifer Harman. Harman was in the 1 seat of table 37. Seat 2, Phil Laak. Seat 3, Hoyt Corkins.

Laak seemed to be playing well and he was gathering chips. But what really bothered Harman was the table banter.

In a hand during the 100-200 blind level, it was folded to Harman, who completed from the small blind. Laak checked his option. The flop came Js-Qs-9h, and Harman bet 200. Laak called. The turn was the 4c. Harman bet 700; Laak called. The river brought the Tc and both players checked.

Harman turned over Qd-3d, for top pair. Laak waited a few moments before declaring, “Slow-roll a chop!” He showed Q-2. The pot was split.

Harman turned to Laak and said, “I bet you’re really fun at a bar, but not at a poker table.”

Blind Structure
Interestingly enough, the first issue brought up was the new blind structure for 2007.  In essence, the players argued that there was more play in the beginning but little or no play when it counted.  Effel was immediately responsive to the issues being raised, clearly stating that the intention was to make each event last approximately 24 hours.

Linda Johnson made a good point about the steepness of the structure’s increasing curve after a certain level, but Effel did not seem to think that the missing levels necessarily impacted play that much. He did say that that they have heard the complaint numerous times, and they are going to address it.  In 2008.

“These are changes that definitely need to be made, and will be made for 2008.  The structures will not be adjusted this year.  Players have seen the published structures and have had plenty of time to adjust their strategy,” Effel said. 

Poker Pavillion
There were a number of issues about the tent and Jeffrey Pollack immediately responded by stating, “On a scale of 1 to 10, our intentions with the tent were a 10.  Unfortunately, what has actually transpired has been a 1.”  Pollack showed a definite interest in making whatever changes they could, but said they were handcuffed by not having the ability to handle cash in the tent.  For this reason, neither the satellites nor cash games can be placed in the pavilion.

Space Issues
In reality, the underlying issue is not the tent, but the lack of interior space dedicated to the WSOP.  Pollack pointed out that the convention center rooms are used by other businesses for conferences/conventions throughout the series and poker operations are limited to the Amazon Room (and now the tent). 

Part of this problem also involves the spectators bothering players while they are playing in an event.  Bill Gazes pointed out that it’s kind of hard to focus when you have three people trying to look at your hole cards while offering commentary on how you play each street in a hand. 

Pollack said they are working on a long-term solution for the space issue, but nothing will be finished until 2009.  There will be at least one more year in the Amazon Room, with a setup similar to this year in 2008.

Sequestered Final Tables
Pollack’s first comment about the “sequestarium” was that it needs major fixing for the local audience.  He said that if the live webcast final tables do indeed return in 2008, they will be greatly improved.  They have made some very important adjustments by allowing at least a few family members/guests in the sequestered area.  If the webcasts return next year, he said that in all likelihood the players would still be sequestered, but a live audience would be allowed in some fashion (without any contact with the players).

Conclusion
Having an open forum in this manner was, according to Rafe Furst, “uncprecendented.”  It is refreshing to see how willing WSOP officials are to the many issues players have.  It is very difficult for them to make sweeping changes once the series begins, but they have made a number of “tweaks” along the way.  It is unfortunate that many of these issues will not be addressed until 2008, but at least they are listening and seem genuinely interested in making adjustments when possible. 

Oh, he’s come close. He’s cashed 14 times and made five final tables. But you can tell when talking to Gordon that that’s not good enough. The fact that his best friend, Rafe Furst, won a bracelet last year in the $1,500 Pot-Limit Hold’em event has only added to the pressure Gordon is surely putting on himself. After his wife Barb entered the $1,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold’em event, I overheard someone joking about the possibility that Gordon’s best buddy and wife would win a bracelet before he does. Ouch.

Having watched Gordon’s play over the years, I am of the opinion that it’s only a matter of time before he ends this dubious streak. When it comes to playing no-limit Texas hold’em, there are very few players on the world who are better than he is and about five million who are worse. While observing his play at the start of today’s $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em event, I was struck by a thought—this is Phil’s time.

He was in rhythm early on. On one hand he limped from early position with A-Q and got raised all in by a player in middle position. When the action got back around to Gordon, he didn’t hesitate to make the call. His read was dead-on; his opponent could only show A-J and would end up busting on the hand. “I wouldn’t have called with A-10,” Gordon said as he was stacking his chips.

A round later he raised from under the gun and got called by the small blind. The flop came 947. Gordon bet and got called. The turn was the 7. The small blind checked, Gordon bet, and the small blind raised. Gordon called. The 5 on the river was a blank. Gordon bet and his opponent called, paying off Gordon’s aces.

He could seem to do no wrong until the last hand before the break. He opened with a larger than usual raise and was called by an older gentleman. Gordon had 76 and the turn gave him a straight flush draw. Gordon raised his opponent all in, but the man had flopped a set of fives and wasn’t going anywhere. Gordon didn’t improve his hand, and the loss put a slight dent in his chip stack. The break couldn’t have come at a better time as it allowed him to shake off the loss and regroup.

I’ll be following his progress most of the day….