World Series Of Disorganization
Jon Eaton
May 20th, 2005
Last weekend I took off to Memphis. The plan was to hang out for the weekend with my friend and fellow PokerTrail'er Matt, and then head to New orleans for the World Series Of Poker Circuit. I was planning on playing in the $200, $300 and $500 events.
After a lot of partying and laziness in Memphis, we finally got on the road late in the afternoon this past Tuesday. Unfortunatey, we arrived after the event was sold out! Even all of their alternate seats were gone. It was unbelievable how packed the casino was! I thought it was more chaotic than even the World Poker Open, because Tunica is used to that tournament and is big enough for it.
The registration process was a complete joke. The line formed at least three hours in advance, making over 500 people wait in a line around the casino floor and back towards the main entrance. Amazingly, Harrah's doesn't seem to think that these people should be on the floor gambling!
So, with my late arrival, I was shocked to finally get to play in the $200. After the first break, they had allowed 25 more alternates to enter--and myself and Aaron "GambleAB" Bartley managed to get in. However, we were stuck with the starting stack of 1,000 chips and the blinds were 50-100!
I didn't get any luck going my way, and was quickly out. I knew it would take at least one race to win for me to be in contention, so I went all-in from the small blind with pocket sevens after four people limped. The under-the-gun player called with K-Q off-suit for the last of his chips and won the race, so I was half stacked already. Then, my Kh-Jh ran into K-Q off-suit for the last of my chips.
After the event was over, Aaron and myself waited in line for the next day's $300 touranment. After nearly four hours, we were finally registered. Today, we arrived for the tournament at close to noon, and I once again was on the rail after a few orbits! I had got all-in in a three-way pot for over 2,500 chips with Ad-Kh against pocket queens and tens, and didn't get any help.
As if that wasn't bad enough, I had left shortly after that for a bit and then returned, ready to use my free parking pass for the garage. I pull up to the street and wait--for 40-freaking minutes! The line never moved! I pulled up to the garage, and was told to get back in line. Extremely agitated, I went to the valet, and prepared to pay to get my car parked.
The problem is, their parking rates are ridiculous, just like the entire parking situation in this town! If you stay for over six hours, they charge $25! In Kansas City, I pay $10 and can park for as long as I wish! Oh, did I mention Harrah's then had a sign up that the valet was open to DIAMOND CLUB MEMBERS ONLY?
Yes, that's right, Harrah's was DENYING a paying customer to their casino any chance at parking. Instead of hustling to get my butt inside to gamble, they were making me wait for over an hour! Finally they parked my car and I went inside to watch the tournament and get ready to register for the $500 touranment.
Then, the fun starts... I find out the tournament is ALREADY sold out! Yes, it's 1:45 p.m., a full two hours and 15 minutes before registration is even supposed to open. Harrah's had decided to change the registration process without telling anyone! In fact, everyone in the touranment was shut out of the event!
Instead of making their paying customers wait in line, they started a system where you get a ticket that gives you a specified time to register. Which is all fine and dandy--except for the fact that over 1,000 players were anticipating the same times and procedures as the day before!
Luckily, Aaron and I scored a ticket from someone and got registered. However, the entire stay in New Orleans has been extremely upsetting. I wish I had something nice to say about Harrah's in New Orleans and the WSOP-Circuit, but they've left me completely sour.
I hope that in the future they can correct these obvious leaks in their system. If they don't, they just might not have this many players looking to line up for next year's event...
