Should Ivey get to avoid the feature table?

Gossip is that he didn't want to be featured on Day 3, and organizers obliged. Then after controversy of special treatment, they stuck him there on Day 4. What do you all think?

*wsop SPOILER ALERT*

Ivey then goes busto on the feature table and seemed out of his element. I can't help but to wonder whether he would still be in the tourney on a regular outer table.

I mean I think they shouldn't be allowed to put him on the feature table more than once or twice as that is perhaps unfair as there is less pressure at outer tables. However, normal players cannot decline (as far as I know) to be put on the feature table so why should he be able to? Especially when less experienced players are at an even larger disadvantage when put on the feature table as it's brand new to them and incredibly nerve wracking. I don't think he's bratty or anything for asking not to be put on it but I don't think he should be able to decline if they put him on once or twice.

You gotta beat the best to win the tournament! Sooner or later

Yes, I believe he should be able to decline. He gets selected more than the average player, and even though it is good for TV ratings, it is that much more pressure on the player. Not to mention that his play style can be more exploited in future tourneys.

watching him and esfandeari looks like they were bored and just wanted to get out

I think all participants should be treated equally. There is a whole different way of playing at the featured table. Maybe that table should be made of willing participants? I mean... Hes not playing just to for ratings, hes playing to win.

If the floor has the discretion of which table is "featured" then they can do what
they want.

The funny thing to me is that the goal of the whole tournament is to get to THE feature table. With ALL the lights and attention.

I laugh whenever I hear someone say that they don't want to be at a feature table that shows cards and how they play.

But in the main event I try to give players some slack because of how tired they are after several days of play. And, how frustrating it must feel to have a decent run and then moved to a "feature" table where you run cold.

I find it hard to believe that Ivey would be intimidated by bright lights and attention or his play is affected by the discovery of his cards and play in previous hands. He's been there before.

I think Altman called Ivey's river shove based on gut instinct of how the hand played out. And the fact that it was Ivey - he either has the nuts or nothing in that spot.

Good luck !

He shouldn't get any special treatment they all paid 10k.

The tournament organizers are within their rights to put Ivey at the feature table as much as they like, I believe, but in the interest of fairness and overall gameplay they should refrain from putting him there 24/7. The feature table plays the slowest of all tables bc of the technical setup and such required to televise it and this gives the players less hands per hour. Given that the tables break and redraw each day, it would be unfair for Ivey to be at a slower table significantly more than the average player in the field.

There are plenty of well known pros who play in the Main Event, so the organizers should rotate these players into the feature table as opposed to concentrating solely on Phil Ivey.

no he or anyone should not get to choose, the tournament can make their own rules he is a participant he is not in charge!

no he shouldnt be able to get out of it--the most excellent coverage of wsop main event for so many years is a big reason poker became so popular and profitable for so many players--if no one had seen chris win--if that hadnt been on tv--different world

It is very hard for any player. Ivey is one of the best but sometimes it is not his day and someone else took his chips.

Yes I've can decline....he be in more feature tables than the average player...so yes he do have that right

The case of the organizers, whom to show on TV. But I don't think it's interesting for the audience to look at the Amateurs. If we take into account the wishes of all the inhabitants of heaven will show no one to the final table.

When you're a pro, you're a pro. That's just how the game works. I don't understand why he would mind being no the featured table. He shouldn't be worried about that kind of stuff anymore.

I think it's fine for Ivey to request not to be put on the feature table BUT if the tournament director says he has to sit, he has to comply.

I have to say putting anyone on a feature table is fine with me. But .... if they try to put u on FT just because u are PHIL IVEY is not fair. Integrity is a thing and EVERYONE should be treated equal. Draw cards and see who get the festure. Forget TV ratings poker is poker not a movie

Its good for television to have pros at the FT, but I think picking players randomly would be the fair way to go about it.

Its good to have top pro's competing against each other for the ratings but i think they need to keep their integrity by having the player that drew the featured or second featured table together and not let players opt out of it. I would rather watch 10 random players play than have a tournament appease one player's request to not be featured. They all signed the same agreement at registration just like how Tran was required to show the pocket cam his hole cards at the WSOP.

I think that Phil Ivey shouldn't have the option to whine about it. If we did this at our local cardroom the tournament director would disqualify us and that would be that for your tournament and they might even tell you to go home for the day from the poker room.
That is what would happen at my local poker room if you whined about your seating assignment in a tournament.

if they want his star-power they should be paying for it!

otherwise he should be able to opt out

if he is a volunteer that is

wkshaggy said:

He shouldn't get any special treatment they all paid 10k.

Click to expand...

Maybe too much attention is disadvantage to his game... I mean I´m sure if they start concentrating on certain players too much there comes a point they don´t want it.. But ofcourse generally they won´t be able to deny being on cam.

Well, if no other player can refuse to be on feature table then Ivey should not either, BUT they also should not specifically choose his table, which they absolutely do. Not like they just put all the table numbers in a hat and pick one to feature. So in reality, they are profiting from the image of the pros (which you sign away at the start of tourney), without giving any benefit to those pros, not only that, they are giving information to the field about the play of whatever pro. NO WAY I would want to be on TV if I were them. Unless I had a masterclass or some random product that was more important to me than winning overall.

You can read the rules at WSOP.com. Basically, they have the right to do anything they want. They can move you, they can force you to show hole card to floor if the camera doesnt catch em... It's kind of ridiculous imo. If you do not sign the release form giving them rights to your image, they can DQ you at any time, even after the start, for no stated reason, just their "discretion". Of course the upside is all that TV exposure makes grows the fields.

You enter tournaments knowing these things, table movement will happen. even if you feel, you don't want to move. you have to and need to accept it. even if hands change that is how it is and it is fine with a lot of players I know. part of the game need to learn to deal with it. showing whole cards they have the right to do that. if you don't want the attention then you should play somewhere else. he should be out I think part of tournaments tv exposure is apart of it and always will be so don't get upset going into the tourneys knowing these things happen.

I wouldn't want to sit at the feature table either for two main reasons.

1 - I don't want to look dumb on camera.

2 - I am playing with people who don't want to look dumb on camera.

That being said, I don't think anyone should be able to refuse to be at the feature table as I am sure its something you consent to when joining the tournament but I am also not a player the producers are hoping to feature.