Whatcha Listenin’ To Over There?
Had a post over on Hard-Boiled Poker today where I wrote a bit about musical tastes perhaps reflecting personality in some fashion. There are some poker pros who are semi-known for their musical preferences. Barbara Enright, the first woman ever elected to the Poker Hall of Fame (last July), is a huge fan of fifties doo-wop. Doyle Brunson likes country (big surprise). Annie Duke likes the White Stripes.
Then there’s Phil Hellmuth, who likes to drop references to Eminem into his CardPlayer articles. We know better than that, though. I mean look at the last lines of Play Poker Like the Pros, where the Greatest Hold ’em Player on the Planet tells us he really likes to jam out to Hootie and the Blowfish.
I am not making that up.
Ahem. Moving on . . . . Was listening today to Big Poker Sundays (or PokerRoad Radio — can’t remember which) and they were discussing some of the rules changes for the 2008 World Series of Poker (94 days away!). They talked about Rule #36, obviously designed to reign in RainKhan: “Excessive celebration through extended theatrics, inappropriate behavior, or physical actions, gestures, or conduct may be subject to penalty.” (RipCity told us about that one.) And Rule #88, which declares “Penalties will be given for using the phone at the table, whether in a hand or not.”
Finally they discussed Rule #89, which I think the hosts misconstrued. That’s the one that states “iPhones, iPod Touches, Treos, Blackberrys with headsets are not allowed.” They took that to include iPods (or the like), but I don’t believe Harrah’s is outlawing listening to tunes at the table. I personally never do in live play, though can’t imagine playing online without something spinning in the background.
Like I say, whatever yr feelings about folks with earbuds rockin’ along beside you, I can’t imagine the WSOP actually forbidding ’em altogether.
I mean, they can’t deny the Poker Brat his Hootie, can they?
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I think the actual motivation behind that is not due to music or other distractions, but that all of those devices are internet accessible. I don’t think they want people to obtain any information via the intertubes that they could use at the table.