WSOP 2013: Controversies, Records, and Notable Wins

The 2013 World Series of Poker (WSOP) reached its midpoint with 31 bracelets still up for grabs, matching the number already awarded. Attendance surged by 27% compared to the previous year, with 40,039 participants setting a new record. The average number of players per tournament was 1,292, and the average prize for a winner stood at $364,308.

Despite the increased attendance, there was a growing number of dissatisfied players, primarily criticizing the organizers' approach to staffing. Player Илюшан noted the presence of elderly dealers, commenting on their competence. In one instance, Mike Saurers faced a controversial hand where the dealer mistakenly declared him the loser despite having the better hand. The dealer's actions led to a discussion with the tournament director, Jack Effel, who compensated Saurers for his buy-in. The exact details of the incident remain unclear, but the dealer was reportedly fired.

In another incident, a dealer failed to keep track of Ben Tollerens' stack in a $1,500 PLO tournament, leading to a missing stack after the lunch break. An interview about the incident was removed from PokerNews but preserved on YouTube. Additionally, David Dias, a one-armed player, was banned from all Harrah's casinos and tournaments after causing a disturbance. Martin '0Piggybank' Finger won a $3,000 6-max tournament, adding a WSOP bracelet to his EPT Prague 2011 main event win. Ken Lind, a first-time WSOP player, won the $1,000 Seniors tournament, earning $634,809. Tom Schneider won his second WSOP bracelet in the $5,000 HORSE tournament, eliminating Vyacheslav Ortynsky and Konstantin Puchkov. Davidi Kitai became the first player to win the 'Triple Crown' (EPT+WPT+WSOP) by winning his second WSOP bracelet in the $5,000 Pot-Limit Hold'em tournament. Dan 'djk123' Kelly is closing in on Konstantin Puchkov's record of 11 cashes in a single WSOP series, with 8 cashes and 2 final tables.