WPT should be sued

[Deorum]

[ QUOTE ]
Chicks who are very pregnant shouldn't play in multi-day high-stakes poker events. Isn't that stunningly obvious? If it wasn't obvious before the tourney, it should be by now. And the WPT nor Ted Forrest are responsible for her physical well-being. She made the decision to take that risk. What's shocking isn't that WPT didn't postpone the event--what's shocking is that a poker player would risk her health and the life of the fetus to continue playing poker.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with everything mentioned here. The part in bold was what first came to mind. Seriously, 9 months pregnant, having horrible pains, you look down to see yourself covered in blood, and you keep playing? WTF? I wonder if that'll make the TV cut.

[[Phill]]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Chicks who are very pregnant shouldn't play in multi-day high-stakes poker events. Isn't that stunningly obvious? If it wasn't obvious before the tourney, it should be by now. And the WPT nor Ted Forrest are responsible for her physical well-being. She made the decision to take that risk. What's shocking isn't that WPT didn't postpone the event--what's shocking is that a poker player would risk her health and the life of the fetus to continue playing poker.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with everything mentioned here. The part in bold was what first came to mind. Seriously, 9 months pregnant, having horrible pains, you look down to see yourself covered in blood, and you keep playing? WTF? I wonder if that'll make the TV cut.

[/ QUOTE ]

Of course it will, WPT wants nothing more than half the audience thinking they forced a pregnant woman to play, risking her babys health.

[Kevmath]

According the the Card Player article, Liu was 4 months pregnant. Annie Duke was 8 months pregnant when she finished 10th at the WSOP final table.

[aig]

[ QUOTE ]
According the the Card Player article, Liu was 4 months pregnant. Annie Duke was 10 months pregnant when she finished 8th at the WSOP final table.

[/ QUOTE ]

FYP

[kioshk]

If she had given birth at the final table, would the baby be dealt in?

[[Phill]]

Good question. Technically the baby was at the tournament at all points, but didnt buy in or play a stack.

Im pretty sure if the imbilicle cord was still attached the baby could take over under Roberts Rules of Poker, subclause 16d - aka the Conjoin Twins Clause (CTC).

[Phntm]

I think that its messed up, that people come on here bash JJ, for christ's sake she was 4 months preggers, as far as I know, you can still do just about anything at that point. I don't think there is any negligence on her part, BUT I also don't think that any tournament should be stopped. I think it is ridiculous to consider, part of tournaments is physical stamina, and I don't want to sound like a complete a sshole, but I don't think it is fair to Ted, to postpone or rescehdule, etc. It completely changes the ebb and flow especially HU. I am sure there are many instances where people have endured under much pain and duress, to change the rules and allow a medical break is not keeping in line with tournament procedures (although I am sure many of these precedents were set long before the current influx of female poker players, it may be time to make some adjustments)
All in all, I think that JJ's performance was herioc to say the least, I really hope everything is ok with her.
As far as suing the WPT.. They did not force her to stay, she could have left, had she chosen to.
Once again, best wishes to JJ and her family.

[kassdog]

I think she's an idiot for having blood everywhere and chose to continue to play. What a great mother she is going to be. Kid falls down some stairs and starts screaming and she'll say wait I think I can win this hand. What an idiot.

[AJackson]

I can't believe she stuck around.

Obviously a pregnant women is very sympathetic, but where does WPT draw the line? What if someone has a heart attack? What if the spouse of a player is involved in a serious accident? They have no idea how long the delay would be, should everyone have to change their travel plans? Also, they have serious dollars invested in the television production and most of that would be lost if they rescheduled. Why should they take on this major expense? Who knows if facilities or film crew will be available in one, two or whatever number of days it takes for her to get back.

IMO, since she stayed, WPT clearly made the correct call.

[oil doe]

JJ Liu is not the first player to have to make a decision to either play or sacrifice a final table appearance because of a potential medical condition. But, because the WPT does not allow deals, JJ was probably put in a more difficult position than past players.

In the 1999 WSOP $2500 Stud Event, one of the final table players, Ross Lichen, suffered a heart attack and was hospitalized the night before the final table. After some discussion among the players and Lichen's representative, it was decided that Lichen would receive fifth-place prize money of $24,875. But just letting his chips blind off would have given Louis Asmo (the player to the right of the dead stack) an advantage. Asmo was a classy guy and supported the proposal that the stack be removed from play. Lichen actually wanted to leave the hospital to play, but was talked out of it - aided by this creative and admittedly fair solution. Since the WPT does not allow deals, this solution would not have been an option had this been a WPT event.

In 2003, Karina Jett went into labor with the Jett's first child. At the time, Chip was at the remaining three tables of the Four Queens Poker Classic's $1000 NLHE. He left, but the remaining players took a vote to refund his buy in from the prize pool. His stack was also removed from play.

I can't say for certain what JJ's decision would have been had a deal been possible. But the WPT's "no deal" policy left her with fewer choices than players have had in non-WPT events.

Congratulations on your stellar performance JJ - you and Dan are in my thoughts.

Amy Calistri