Sabotage and Subterfuge
With many amateurs making their first deep runs in a WSOP event, and over a million dollars on the line for first place, the crowd of spectators lining the rail has grown as the field shrinks. Several wives, children, best friends, and likely many backers, have been seen wandering across the ropes and into the Amazon Room's tournament area, trying to sneak some words of encouragement across the boundary.
The floor recently issued a warning to all players and spectators to prevent such activity, especially with payouts climbing above the $5,000 mark. The advisement included an ominous threat to assess a penalty to any player who is witnessed conversing with a supporter who has crossed the rail, showing that the WSOP staff is serious about preserving the integrity of this record-setting tournament.
As spectators heeded the call and cleared the area, one ingenious player could be heard plotting what is, perhaps, the perfect crime.
The plan involved sending decoys from the crowd to speak with deep stacked players, in the hopes of drawing them a one-round penalty for violating the floor's warning. While poker is the ultimate game of deception, sending double-agents to submarine your opponent's chance of even seeing a hand is the very definition of dirty pool.