Good Idea Number One

This is my fourth year covering the WSOP here at the Rio. Many an idea for ‘improvements’ have been floated and tried over the last several years. Some have worked, some have not. This year, however, someone had the brightest idea since the tournament moved to the Rio.

They called it the ‘soft opening’. Meaning that the doors would open, and the action would start before any bracelet events were live. This gave everyone working at or around the WSOP some time to a) set up, b) work out the kinks, c) take a breath, and d) better prepare for the onslaught of humanity that would be the first $1,500 No Limit event (which starts today).

Yesterday was the first event of the WSOP. For the first time since the boom, it didn’t feel like everyone was completely on edge and about to explode. Never underestimate the human being’s need to feel comfortable and at ease. The ‘soft opening’ did just that for the staff, and when the unfettered onslaught of humanity enters the Rio for the $1,500 donkfest today, everyone working at the massive machine that is the WSOP will be 100% more prepared then they have been the past 2 years.