by Mario Alfonsi | Published on Dec 16, 2020 | Updated on Dec 16, 2020
When the World Series of Poker (WSOP) announced a 2020 Main Event, with a special finale taking place live at The Rio in Las Vegas, it was generally welcomed as a positive development as the live poker scene slowly goes back to life.
A number of poker venues in the city followed suit, recently launching their own live tournaments.
However, as COVID-19 cases continue to rise, and the threat of the virus not going away anytime soon, one high-profile player is calling on the poker community to stay safe by not participating in live events.
Isaac Haxton recently shared his thoughts on the current situation in a series of tweets, urging his fellow players to stop playing live poker.
Poker is ramping up in Vegas, with upcoming WSOP and Wynn 10ks. Meanwhile, despite limited testing, 1% of Nevada residents have tested positive for COVID just in the last 2 weeks. Please stop playing live poker. Please, please don't travel for poker.https://t.co/4bKRUIDFDk
— Isaac Haxton (@ikepoker) December 9, 2020
The elite pro also shared a real-time COVID-19 tracker in the US, which showed that 1% of Nevada residents have been infected by the virus within just two weeks. And because the state was only conducting limited testing, the real figure is expected to be much higher, as more positive cases may have gone undetected.
1% have tested pos but with a >20% pos rate per test, it's clear most cases are going undetected. More like 3-5% had it in last 2 weeks.
In a poker room with 100 people, it's virtually a lock that a few are contagious. No amount of masks and plexiglass makes that appealing.— Isaac Haxton (@ikepoker) December 9, 2020
Haxton, one of the world’s most successful high-stakes poker pros, is concerned that playing and travelling for live poker games will only do more harm than good, considering that the setting makes players and staff more prone to contracting the virus.
That’s despite safety protocols being implemented, such as the wearing of masks and plexiglass barriers being installed at tables. The American poker pro has also pleaded with operators to stop holding “irresponsible” events and prioritize health and safety over profits.
Some Poker Players Are “Misinformed“
Haxton’s views gained a lot of support from the poker community, though quite a large number also do not share his opinion. Expounding his thoughts, the high-stakes player acknowledges that some of his fellow players who agree with him are those who usually play online, and who have enough funds to sustain their needs despite taking time off from the live felts.
Haxton also accepts it’s a hard decision to make for the small-stakes grinders who play live poker for a living. He also isn’t discounting the fact that some may disagree with him. He believes these players are currently making incorrect choices simply because they are misinformed.
A lot of players have the perception that it is now safe to go outside and play live poker because the government is allowing casinos to welcome patrons. What Haxton wants to do is to make these players realize that the threat of the deadly coronavirus still lingers. He added that live poker games could further increase the number of positive cases, which would then lead to another complete shutdown.
