WSOP chips mystery

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2007 W.S.O.P. TWO MILLION CHIP MYSTERY

Harrah's and NGC investigations almost completed


The respected poker publication Poker News has proved extraordinarily professional and patient in trying to uncover a 2 million chip mystery which occurred during the final stages of the 2006 World Series of Poker Main Event in Las Vegas.

At a very late stage of the competition, an additional 2 million chips mysteriously and perhaps mistakenly were added to the chips in play, with the potential to materially benefit any player who received them.

Poker News has been meticulously investigating the issue and requesting explanations from organisers Harrah's Entertainment ever since, although the ongoing investigation by first Harrah's and then the Nevada Gaming Commission has thus far precluded any official statements.

The lack of official information will likely soon be rectified, as it is understood that investigations are now complete and findings from the NGC will shortly be forthcoming.

Poker News has carried out its own investigation in depth, and this week published its thoughts on the issue whilst the industry awaits the NGC statement.

Essentially, the publication's enquiries suggest that neither WSOP winner Jamie Gold nor finalist Allen Cunningham was a recipient of extra chips in the colour up process. Many people speculated that because Gold and Cunningham were the chip leaders that they were the likely candidates, but in Poker News's opinion this was not the case. Gold and Cunningham were coloured up separately, prior to the official colour-up, using the new 100K "mint and chocolate" colored chips, neither player was designated at their table to buy-up chips and therefore had no opportunity to be the beneficiaries of any colour-up error.

Poker News believes that Kevin O'Donnell could have been one of the players to receive extra chips, incorrectly being coloured-up and perhaps getting 1 million extra chips. PN's chip stack analysis shows good data for this player shortly before the colour-up break and shortly after; when there was a 1.05 million chip increase that is not accounted for. Poker News reports Kevin and all the other players were away from the table during the colour-up and therefore could have had no idea that he could have been one of the stacks incorrectly coloured-up. The player appeared shocked that he might have been when interviewed. In any event, O'Donnell busted out of the tournament in 21st place to Allen Cunningham less that 30 minutes after the mistake was made. Every piece of evidence points to Kevin having absolutely no knowledge of the events and no idea this had even occurred.

The second player who may have received a million extra chips is not revealed, with Poker News playing its cards close until the official findings are released. The report comments: "We are not at this time releasing the 'second name' nor the name of the player our research shows may be the other recipient. We believe some form of limited viewing of the surveillance tapes will put this matter to rest. We will, of course, report this information as soon as it becomes "officially" available."