Just two days ago, the World Series of Poker unveiled the final schedule for this year's WSOP 2025, which will take place from May 27 to July 16. Among the 100 bracelet tournaments in total, we will find many new additions, such as the 100k PLO High Roller, the T.O.R.S.E. event (holdem is replaced by a 2-7 limit triple draw) and the Battle of Ages event, in which players will be divided into playing days according to their age (under 50 flight 1A and over 50 flight 1B).
Of course, there will be the long-standing classics and favourites such as the Millionaire Maker, the huge Colossus, the challenging $50,000 buy-in Poker Players Championship, or the most affordable $300 buy-in Gladiators of Poker. Oh, and the $10,000 Main Event will once again boast the top of all events this year, but it will probably be without Phil Hellmuth!
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The record holder and showman we can't imagine the WSOP without
Whether you love Phil or hate him, no one can take away all the success he has achieved in the WSOP series. In addition to his induction into the WSOP Hall of Fame and two Main Event titles (the 1989 WSOP in Vegas and the 2012 WSOPE in Cannes), he has another 15 bracelets to his credit, putting him on a pedestal in the historical charts that it's highly unlikely anyone will ever be able to top.
In addition to his accomplishments, Phil is also known as a showman, entering the WSOP Main Event each year surrounded by journalists from around the world. Phil has always enjoyed the limelight and everyone is already curious to see what disguise he will come to the casino in every year. We've seen a warrior, Gandalf, Darth Vader, Caesar and a circus principal, but now it looks like there will be no show this year.
The Main Event is no longer about poker skills
In fact, a video surfaced on Phil's X (Twitter) yesterday in which the record holder talked about how the Main Event is a tough marathon, and how he won't be playing it unless changes are made to it. Phil points out that the Main Event is a 10-day marathon that normally takes 12 hours to play.
"Folks, here's a video I never wanted to upload. I've played the WSOP Main Event every year since 1988, but I won't be playing it this year. It's very grueling and I think it hurts the older players much more than the younger ones. Instead of testing poker knowledge and skill, this tournament has turned into an endurance test.
Don't get me wrong, I don't want to miss this event, it's still my favourite tournament in the world. But I'm 60 years old and I don't think I can do it. I know several great players who have come up to me and told me they blew the tournament in the last 30/50/100 players just because they were tired. It's going to hurt me a lot to not play the best poker tournament in the world, but I hope that next year there will be some changes to make it about skill again and not about stamina...."
I am not playing the @WSOP Main Event. It has become an "Endurance contest."
- phil_hellmuth (@phil_hellmuth) February 18, 2025
I truly believe that 80% of the players want changes made to the @WSOP Main Event. 12 hour days, or longer, for 6-7 days in a row, is brutal and disproportionately affects older players pic.twitter.com/7K4OcJOZ56
Phil would like to get the organizers to add a day off to the tournament schedule after, say, the fifth or sixth day of play. A discussion immediately started under this post, with many agreeing with Phil, but there are also those who say that this is useless talk, and that FOMO (fear of missing out; a psychological phenomenon that refers to the fear that others are experiencing something interesting while you are not) will not allow Phil to miss the event. Some send him to play Triton events, others advise him to late reg as late as possible during day 2, and there were some who recommended cocaine for stamina.
What do you think, is Phil right and should the structure of the Main Event really be changed to maintain "fair play"? Or is this just an attempt to impress again and Phil will still be in the game this year after all? Let us know in the comments on our social media!
Source - X (Twitter), PokerNews, PokerListings, Wiki