WSOP mulls re-buy events for 2009

It’s being reported that the management for the World Series of Poker are strongly considering removing re-buy events for the 2009 series. The primary driver? Many players feel that the re-buy events allow players with bigger bankrolls to “buy” a bracelet. Also, many players that don’t have 6 figure bankrolls and higher have stayed away from these events. Some of the fields from the 2008 World Series of Poker re-buy events had less than 100 entrants.

Daniel Negreanu is a member of the “anti re-buy” camp and feels that it takes away from the prestige of winning a bracelet if you’re able to re-buy enough times to make it deep in a field. “I am 100 percent against re-buy tournaments at the WSOP,” stated Negreanu. “They are fine for other venues, but not for a bracelet.”

Layne Flack however, had a different opinion: “That’s bullshit, it’s not like there is no play. The field is huge.” He went on to allude to the fact that Doyle Brunson may have “bought” a bracelet in the early 70’s, when the fields were very small and deal making was common.

Regardless of the outcome, it will likely generate controversy similar to the change for the final table format of the Main Event for 2008. While that format is almost certainly coming back for 2009 and beyond, the jury is still out on whether re-buy events will ever be a part of World Series of Poker events.