Missing WSOP Tournament Chips and Sealed Bags? Why and How?

By: willystyle77 – August 02, 2006

Unfortunately my second day at the 2006 WSOP Main Event started out bad. Upon sitting down at table 63, Seat 6, the sealed security bag containing my chips had been opened and chips placed in front of my seat. Upon counting my chips, I immediately notified the dealer Mark, that my chip stack, was short 3200. The dealer called floor and the floors ruling was essentially that it was too bad.

During the first break, the player in seat 3 asked me again how much I was short and stated that his chip stack was missing 5000.

I have 2 problems with this situation notwithstanding the obvious, the first is, what the point of placing the chips in a sealed bag, if the sealed bag is opened outside my presence? The second, why even bother having a sealed bag and chip security if when it comes to a ruling it doesn't matter anyway.

This was clearly not the way to start the day. My chip stack was well above average and while I am responsible for my own play and decisions, I believe that starting the day out on a bad note, can effect the ultimate results.

I am aware that there have been other issues with this situation as discussed in this and other blogs.

The only way this is going to be corrected is for WSOP and Harrah's Entertainment to adopt a more definitive chip security policy with something more of a resolution than "just too bad" which is the answer the floor gave today.

I urge anyone else with this problem to comment on it in this blog and to make a written inquiry to the WSOP, Harrahs Management and the appropriate gaming authority, which I believe is the only course of action.

willystyle77's blog

Did you not get a copy of one of the many forms you signed last night?
You should have. And yes this is not the first time this has happened in the last six weeks. And yes a player should not trust the sealed bag but instead should DEMAND a signed form each night and at each break. I know its a pain but why work so hard and play so hard to have someone steal your chips. Yes, I does happen and yes everyone will deny it. Just Ask Todd Brunson.

Poker Shrink - "Keeping Your Head in the Game"

Poker Shrink – August 2, 2006 – 12:09am

I have a signed card for the accurate number of chips. They just did not happen to be there when I got there this morning. I counted the stacks out in front of the entire table the amount was short 3200.

willystyle77 – August 2, 2006 – 12:42am

This has not been verified, but you may be able to get a refund.

And since the official prizes have been announced and CAN'T be changed now ... they could write this and other refunds off as the "added money" to the prize pool.

Still, you are right to say it affects the competition ... and thus all such incidents should be minimized as much as possible. As we all know, poker is never perfect, but it's a worthwhile goal for tournament staffs to pursue.

Dan Michalski – August 2, 2006 – 12:18am

Just a followup, I spoke to Jack Effel on this issue and to say the least, he was not at all receptive that there could be any kind of problem, right down to alluding that many people have difficulty counting at 3:30 AM.

In any case, I believe I gave him some pretty definitive information to look at, so I am hopeful that will give him another way to look at this. Dan, I will send you a copy of the complete letter to Jack Effel if you want to post it on Pokerati as this issue surely affects great numbers of people.

willystyle77 – August 2, 2006 – 2:14am

It will be interesting to see if the chip counts equal 87,700,000 once we reach the final table...

April Kyle – August 2, 2006 – 6:51pm

Welcome to PokerBlog.

Dan Michalski – August 2, 2006 – 12:19am

Thanks for the welcome!

willystyle77 – August 2, 2006 – 12:45am

Thanks or adding the picture of the bagged chips, but the relevance of it is that the bags were opened prior to a number of people arriving, me included. The security bag is really kind of pointless if they are opened outside the player's presence. I am also fairly sure the security cameras are going to show an issue occured because the posted chip counts at the end of the first day for sure don't match what was showing on the table on the morning of August 1, 2006 for day 2A.

willystyle77 – August 3, 2006 – 4:42am