Very weird development involving the 2020 WSOP.

They have announced that a mostly-online $10,000 WSOP Main Event will take place on December 13.

It’s your chance to be a part of poker history by playing in the WSOP 2020 Main Event from anywhere in Nevada or New Jersey on WSOP.com. End up the World Champion! This year’s event will have a unique format, where play starts online and continues down to 9 players. This final table will then pick up play live in Las Vegas and filmed for ESPN. The winner of the US Main Event bracket will then compete against an International Main Event winner from GGPoker for an added $1 million in prize money, the title of WSOP Main Event Champion, and the coveted Championship Bracelet.

Day 1 will start on December 13th (on WSOP.com New Jersey and Nevada), and be paused after 12 hours of play. Day 2 will resume on Monday, December 14th at 12:00 noon PST/ 3:00pm EST and will play down until 9 players are reached. Once 9 players are reached play will be stopped online. Players may choose to accept 9th place prize money or travel to Las Vegas to continue play in a live environment. All players will be tested for Covid-19 prior to participation in the televised events. The final table will be played live at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino on Monday, December 28th until a winner is reached. The heads-up championship will then be played on December 30th with each winner receiving new equal stacks for the additional $1,000,000 prize money, winner-take-all.
Ummm.... what?


So apparently they think someone would make the Main Event final table and NOT choose to travel to Vegas to play it out?




And then after it's over, the winner has to come right back and play a heads-up championship with the GGPoker Main Event winner for another $1,000,000?


But it gets weirder.

Q: What if I test positive for Covid-19?

A: Any player who tests positive for Covid-19 prior to the start of the final table play will be disqualified and receive the minimum final table payout.


So you don't even get to blind off? You just miss the final table?

Even Stu Ungar and Vinny Vinh were given the opportunity to blind off with huge chip stacks, when lying unconscious on the floor from drug abuse. Somehow the unfortunate final tablist with COVID doesn't even get to do that.

The whole thing is stupid. If they're going to need this term to disqualify people with COVID, they shouldn't be holding it at all.

Here's the info links:

https://www.wsop.com/online-players-guide/

https://www.wsop.com/2020/main-event/faqs/