WSOP Thoughts

I wonder if it's true that Jamie Gold tipped a million dollars or more.

If true, I also wonder why on earth he would do that.

I am a pretty generous person. I used ot wait tables, and as a result you're getting 20% post-tax, unless you peed in my food or something. I feel the same way about dealers, and make sure they get at least a buck a pot, more with bigger pots, and I often tip them on the way off the table, too. When I cash in a tourney I tip even if I made the bottom cash. It's just what I do.

However, considering 1) the amount of abuse Harrah's heaped upon the players as a result of taking enormous juice for the stated purpose of toking the players and 2) the likelihood that this tip might not see its way in full to those dealers, I don't think I would be quite so generous.

Would I tip? Probably, although some of the pros say they never will anymore. But look at it this way: typical casino tournament directors will tell you 3 to 5% is fair. 5% is 600K. So that's my ceiling on a $12M purse.

I know some would state that the dealers got screwed this year, and therefore they need the tip money. Hey, from all reports Harrah's was greedy as hell and dishonest with their dealer staff, and they were screwed. But although a few grand per dealer might take some of that sting way, I GUARANTEE that Harrah's will use this generosity as an excuse not to treat the dealers any better next year.

The best way for the dealers to improve their position, if such improvement is warranted, is to walk out en masse. Pulling even more money out of the prize pool really isn't going to solve much.



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