So the WSOP dealer rating system that everyone’s been arguing about? It just took a wild turn. Mixed game veterans – the guys who’ve been playing 2-7 Lowball and Razz since before most of us knew what a gutshot was – are organizing what amounts to a full-scale revolt against the ratings.
I caught up with a group of them during a break in the $10K Stud Championship yesterday (where, ironically, the dealing was absolutely stellar). They’re not happy.
The Core of the Complaint
What’s got them fired up: The rating system treats all dealers equally, regardless of what game they’re dealing. Sound reasonable? Not if you understand how specialized some of these games are.
“Look, dealing No-Limit Hold’em is like driving an automatic,” one player told me, asking to remain anonymous because he “still needs to play here.” “Dealing mixed games is like flying a helicopter while juggling. Through a thunderstorm.”
The math backs them up. A typical NLHE hand involves two cards per player, five community cards, straightforward betting. Done.
But take something like PLO Hi-Lo. Four cards per player. Split pots that need precise calculation. Side pots when players go all-in for different amounts. Qualifying lows. Players mucking half their hand to play for one side. It’s exponentially more complex.
Where Things Get Messy
The ratings themselves aren’t the whole problem – it’s how they’re being applied. Several sources inside the WSOP (who definitely didn’t want their names attached to this) confirmed that dealers are actively avoiding mixed game assignments.
Why risk your rating on a 2-7 Triple Draw table where one miscounted draw could tank your score?
This creates a vicious cycle. The best mixed game dealers get lower ratings because the games are harder. They request easier assignments. Mixed games get staffed with less experienced dealers. Players complain more. Ratings drop further.
One dealer I’ve known for fifteen years put it bluntly: “I can make the same money dealing hold’em with zero stress. Why would I volunteer for Stud/8?”
The Proposed Solutions Are… Interesting
The veterans aren’t just complaining – they’ve actually thought this through. Their main proposal? Game-specific ratings. A dealer would have separate scores for different variants.
It makes sense on paper. Just like how Phil Hellmuth might dominate NLHE but struggle at PLO, dealers have specialties too.
But WSOP staff pointed out the logistical nightmare. They’d need to track which dealers are qualified for which games, schedule accordingly, and manage multiple rating pools. In a series running 90+ events? Good luck.
The compromise floating around is weighted ratings – essentially giving dealers a degree-of-difficulty bonus for complex games. Think of it like gymnastics scoring.
The Bigger Picture Nobody Wants to Discuss
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: The rating system exposed something the poker world has been ignoring. We’ve created a tournament ecosystem where dealing the most skillful, complex games is actively discouraged.
The money’s the same. The difficulty is triple. The criticism is harsher (because mixed game players tend to be, shall we say, particular about proper procedures). Where’s the incentive?
I remember the 2019 WSOP when they literally ran out of qualified Stud dealers during the $10K Championship. They had to pull dealers from other events and give them crash courses during breaks. Players were furious, but what was the alternative?
The old-school solution was simple: mixed game dealers got paid more. Somewhere along the way (probably when corporate gaming companies started viewing dealers as interchangeable cogs), that disappeared.
What Happens Next
The WSOP says they’re “reviewing feedback” about the rating system. Having covered poker long enough to speak fluent corporate-ese, that usually means they’ll make minor tweaks and hope everyone forgets by next summer.
But the mixed game community isn’t backing down. There’s talk of a formal petition, maybe even organizing their own dealer appreciation fund for mixed game specialists. (Though knowing poker players and their relationship with tipping, I’m not holding my breath on that one.)
The real test comes during next year’s mixed game festivals. If top dealers keep avoiding these events, if the mistakes keep piling up, if the games slow to a crawl… well, the WSOP might not have a choice but to act.
Until then? Tip your mixed game dealers extra. They’ve earned it.
