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WSOP Director updates status of 2020 WSOP series

All eyes are on the upcoming, longest running and the richest poker tournament, the World Series of Poker (WSOP) event in Las Vegas which is now just two months away. While the poker fanatics were marking their calendars with the WSOP dates, the pandemic Coronavirus appeared out of the blue cancelling and postponing numerous live poker tours around the world.

The WSOP stands out on the poker calendar, with hundreds of thousands of poker players flocking to the middle of the Nevada desert each year. The 2020 WSOP might have a little change with regards to the holding of the 51st edition of the prestigious poker festival. While many poker admirers are concerned that the series won’t take place due to COVID-19, Daniel Riolo and Steven Liardeaux interviewed Gregory Chochon, director of the WSOP who addressed the issue on a French radio show called ‘RMC Poker Show’.

Currently, there are 203,617 coronavirus cases across the globe and 8,227 deaths. This scenario has forced the postponement of famous poker tours and shutting down of educational institutes, casinos, gyms, restaurants, pubs and so on. Most of the poker rooms in the United States have been temporarily ceased operations. According to the Bravo poker app, there were less than 100 cash games spread on Monday night in the entire country. 

Chochon said that the WSOP continues to manage the impact of the pandemic on a daily basis. According to him, the festival draws enthusiasts from over 100 countries, making a field of nearly 80-85% of the attendance by the American players itself. He admitted that the situation in America is “getting closer” to what is happening in Europe.

“We are a few weeks behind [Europe],” Chochon told the show. “The Wynn has just announced its closure, we are very close to the total containment so I do not know what will happen in the coming weeks but this is what is likely to happen. It seems to be the next logical step.” In January, Seth Palansky, Vice President of Corporate Communications for the WSOP said that they were “monitoring the situation” and the schedule “remain intact and are planned to go on without interruption.”

“There can still be a lot going on by the end of May,” Chochon said in the interview. “Maintaining, canceling or postponing is really too early to make a final decision. We are going to take the time but we are studying all the scenarios.”

The hosts asked him the possibility of the WSOP, asking whether the event will receive a green light from the authorities. Chochon replied saying, “It’s never too late. There are always scenarios where we can shift the event slightly and find solutions. We will be able to react quickly. I cross my fingers like everyone else so that the crisis is over but we will be able to react at the last moment.” Chochon still expects that the 101-event series will run as planned, hoping that the coronavirus scare would fade eventually.

For more updates on WSOP 2020 or other poker tournaments around the world, keep reading GutshotMagazine.com and stay tuned!

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