 This past summer in July, the Federation Internationale de Poker Association (FIDPA) announced that the Bellagio Cup was the first tournament played under the FIDPA tournament rules. Many of the players wondered what those rules were exactly, so we asked for a copy--none were available.
Now another tournament is underway at Bellagio, this time its the Festa al Lago. Again the FIDPA is creating a lot of publicity about another major tournament operating under the international rules. Again, we asked for a copy of the rules and again--not available.
Interesting, they are using rules for a big poker tournament but no one has a copy of the rules. By the way, Jack McCelland the tournament director at Bellagio and perhaps the most respected TD in the United States is a member of the FIDPA board.
The FIDPA is an organization founded by Marcel Luske and Michelle Lau in 2007, to: "establish a standardized set of rules and procedures that would bring consistency to tournament play, throughout the world." Not a bad idea but we are now seeing another tournament at Bellagio, played under FIDPA rules and we still can't get a copy of the rules. The website FIDPA.com, we were pointed to, does not exist. By the way Marcel Luske also founded the International Poker Federation (IPF) in 2002. Everyone seems to be giving Marcel a pass on performance because he is such a nice guy.
Does the poker world really need yet another group of poker players with no experience at organizational practices making up a name (XYZ) and talking and acting like they are going to do something for "all of poker." We have already seen the limp results from the World Poker Association (WPA) with their executive infighting and tea party poker etiquette rules.
Was there something wrong with the Tournament Director's Association (TDA)? They have strong support, actual printed rules and an open format for discussion and evolution of those rules. Do we need the FIDPA? Does it actually exist or is this just some PR pipedream talked about during long airline flights between international poker events.
So simply question for the FIDPA: Where the hell are these rules?
 One of the continuing struggles in poker is to institute standardized rules for all tournament play. There is honest debate among both players and tournament directors on many of the rules. I attended last year's Tournament Directors Association meeting and was impressed with the diversity of views on how rules should be written and applied.
So it was heartening today at the start of Day Three of the World Poker Tour Championship at Bellagio to see some true rule cooperation. Before the cards were in the air, reknown and respected Tournament Director Jack McCelland stood up with Daniel Negreanu and asked the players their opinion of the "Show One Show All" rule. Daniel has written often in his blog that the application of the rule, particularly at Bellagio is not what was intended.
Interpretation #1: If you show your cards to one player, you must show them to all players. This is a rule everyone agrees on.
Interpretation #2: If you show one of your cards to the table, you must show both cards. This is a rule that most players do not think is appropriate.
So Jack stood up and asked the players about the #2 application of the rule. The players nearly unanimously voted against it. At which point Jack changed the rule at Bellagio.
Now that is cooperation.
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Later in the day another new rule:
The Bellagio has implemented another new rule for the money bubble. If a table has players who are all in, they do not reveal their hole cards until all the tables either complete their hands or also reach an all-in situation. That way, players at other tables don't have the advantage of knowing whether a short stack at another table has busted, therefore allowing them to fold into the money.
 While there are a lot of new rules at this year's World Series, most of them have resulted in better play and substantially fewer penalties to seated players.
The biggest rule change, as far as player penalties goes, is the F-Bomb rule (new text below). Players (and most floor staff) have universally hated this rule since it was first put on the books. Thankfully, this year the WSOP organizers have taken the lead in amending the rule. Now players can be penalized only if they direct their "F" expressions at another player, dealer or staff person. This one rule change has lower the penalties by over 90%.
In fact, a quick survey of the media and staff who are always on the floor has turned up less than a dozen penalties through the first 38 WSOP events. It actually appears that the players have become, if not more civilized, at least more respectful of the other players. And since everyone knows there are limits to what a player can say to a floor person, most of the arguments I have witnessed are directed at the rules or rulings and not at the individual in the suit.
A kinder, gentler poker game anyone?
P.S. All of the previous comments reflect only observations during WSOP tournament play. We take no responsibility for reporting or commmenting on live cash play, particularly after 2 AM coupled with the consumption of multiple beverages.
New F Bomb Rule below:
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There is confusion about the application of the "Show One Show All" rule.
The rule clearingly does not mean, if you show one hole card you must show both. That is another rule (Show One Show Both); the rule does mean that if you flash a card to one player, others players at the table may ask to see that card.
But the "professional" players do not agree with the rule as written and often add a "professional etiquette" twist to the rule.
"You have the right to ask to see what cards a player showed, but the right is if you think there's collusion going on," Clonie Gowen said of the so-called "show-one-show-all" rule. "The rule is not so you can pick up information from other players. The reason is to keep people from colluding."
I was sure it was a game of 'incomplete information' but it appears its either more subtle than that or Clonie has been hanging out too much with Phil.
LAKE TAHOE, NV--I just asked none other than Dr. Tim's lover favorite assistant tournament director to clarify something that we have had much debate about here. In this particular WSOP Circuit main event, they redrew for seats at three tables. Why not two, once they are into the money, I inquired.
"We do it at three tables, then two, then one," he explained.
Um, OK, but why?
"You mean other than because that's how [legendary WSOP tourney director] Jack McClelland taught me to do it?"
So I'm following Richard Wyrick -- aka Deadeye Dick -- and I think he knows I'm happy to be his sounding board whenever he wants to talk poker strategy. He probably also knows that I keep coming up to him offering unsolicited advice whenever he's on a break now, but hey, I demand the most from my athletes. When the going gets tough ... it's simple: you should try to play well. That's the best way to win.
Just got a little more info on tournament director Jack Effel's "no coaching" declaration.
Apparently, WPT champion Martin de Knijff was doing more than offering friendly advice to one of his poker cronies. He allegedly had secured himself a red media badge, allowing him access to "the moat," and from there he was "coaching" at least one of his fellow Swedes still alive in the main event. Not while in hands, of course (at least not as far as I know), but in between hands with regularity -- presumably in Swedish.
And that's a no-no ... particularly now that so much is at stake with every observation and decision.
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