New players are the lifeblood of the poker economy, the saying goes, but catering specifically to those newer players, whether live or online, can be a tricky enterprise. Hammond (Indiana) Horseshoe, not far from Chicago, will give a relatively new approach a shot in next month's WSOP Circuit series, rolling out a 'rookies' event for less-experienced players.
The tournament, to be held at noon on Saturday, September 28, is an entry-level affair in more ways than one. The tourney will be open only to players who have less than $25,000 in lifetime tournament cashes as recorded in the Hendon Mob results database, generally considered the most comprehensive record of results in poker. It's a non-ring event, offered in a series where 19 Circuit rings will be awarded, and it's being offered at a specially-low $200 price point.
Not the first 'rookies' event
The WSOP's veteran social media tsar, Kevin Mathers, noticed the event's presence when the Hammond stop's schedule began to circulate:
The WSOP isn't the first tour or venue to run such a rookies-only event, as such offerings have been around for several years, such as one offered by MGM National Harbor in Maryland in early 2022. By their very nature they tend to be appear sporadically, though this is likely the first time such an event has been hosted under the WSOP brand. The event does not appear on the Hammond stop's primary schedule, which lists only ring events. Instead, it's found on the stop's complete schedule, which adds specialty events, dailies, and satellites to the ring events that headline the series.
That complete event schedule is accessible from the ring-event schedule by clicking the red 'DOWNLOAD SCHEDULE' bar near the top of the page, or it can be viewed directly via this link.
'Rookie' concept receives praise
Mathers' post informing players about the event drew praise from most responders, who viewed the new wrinkle as a welcome development. In response to a comment about the need for checking each registering player's Hendon results, Mathers referred to the Gulf Coast Poker Tour and its founder, Bill Phillips, who has run occasional rookie events in the US's South. Phillips confirmed that players cheating on the concept hasn't been much an issue, with the threat of prize forfeiture included for those who would cheat:
As Phillips noted, as long as players are informed of the restriction, they need not actually be verified unless and until they've cashed in such an event. In Horseshoe Hammond's case, the Circuit action is held in a roomy amphitheater with plenty of sign-up and registration place available, so only the added need of a single trained staffer to do the checking of Hendon results exists.
As another commenter noted, it's possible to have one's results removed from The Hendon Mob and other results databases. Anecdotally, however, that's normally been undertaken by players who have won hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars and don't want to be tracked for other reasons.
The low price point by Circuit standards, $200, is another controlling factor. Few players would be willing to travel long distances to play, and the event is running alongside the stop's main event. Similarly, while the event might be attractive to online players, the reality is that this live event will have an administrative fee that's two and a half or three times what a similarly priced online event might carry.
All these factors work to limit the possibility of cheating the concept by players who have already won more in Hendon-recorded events than the $25K cap. What remains to be seen is how popular the event will be. It will likely need some extra promotion by Horseshoe Hammond and the WSOP to achieve significant numbers, especially since, as a non-ring event, it's not on the stop's primary schedule.
