Poker Pros Talk to Gambling 911 About WSOP Cheating Scandal

The recently-concluded World Series of Poker (WSOP) is now enmeshed in its biggest scandal in years.

Jonathan Tamayo, 38, from Humble, Texas, just outside Houston, won the 2024 WSOP Main Event last week, beating out 10,111 other competitors and earning the $10 million top prize.

But there was controversy.

Between hands, Tamayo would often go over to the rail, an area where spectators watched the action from, and confer with pals who were analyzing the hands using a laptop and a computer program called a “solver.”

The program would analyze Tamayo’s decisions after the fact and determine whether or not he had made the best decisions statistically.

It was akin to a baseball player striking out and then going back to the dugout and watching video of the strikeout to see what he did wrong.

After Tamayo‘s big win, some people questioned whether he had cheated, although there is no WSOP rule against what he did.

Others said even though it was legal, it wasn’t ethical.

That’s because even though the post-hand analyses don’t change anything because the hands are already over, they could provide insights into how to play a future hand against a specific opponent.

Last Sunday, on YouTube, Jordan Griff, who finished as the Main Event runner-up to Tamayo, gave his take on the scandal.

“I saw him calling things out,” Griff said. “I saw him going to the rail, but you know, at no point did I see what was on the laptop or try to eavesdrop on what he was saying.

“In any sport, you don’t go over to the other team’s sideline, the other team’s dugout, and say, ‘Hey, what film are you guys looking at? You know, can I take a look?’

“So now there may have been suspicions in my mind. I thought that if there was anything nefarious going on, as we saw, there was cameras that caught it. I think using RTA (real time assistance) is going to give an advantage. Everyone can debate how large that is, and how much it will really help a person. I think it’s hard to quantify that.”

So was Tamayo a cheater?

Or is the whole scandal just a case of sour grapes from a whining sore loser?

Gambling 911 this week interviewed some top poker players, including four former WSOP Main Event winners, to get their takes on the situation.

Here are their responses:

Greg “Fossilman” Raymer, 2004 WSOP Main Event winner: “It clearly wasn’t cheating. The staff appeared to know what was going on and did not even ask them to stop. So it clearly can’t be properly considered cheating, especially after the fact. Should it be banned going forward? I am fine with handling this either way. Unless you are going to wall out the audience, there will always be some sort of coaching from the rail. Even if it’s just a reminder to a short-stacked player to either shove-or-fold any hand they play, coaching will happen.  If they choose to ban electronics on the rail, I’m fine with that. But I’m also fine if they permit their continued use. I think the most important thing is to come up with some very clear rules that are written such that they are easy to understand and easy for the staff to correctly apply them.”

James McManus, author of the books Positively Fifth Street and Cowboys Full: The Story of Poker and former poker columnist for the New York Times: “The WSOP rules committee had specifically come out and said players could view solver information between hands or after a hand is over. Tamayo and his rail did not violate that ruling. If on second thought, however, after watching this play out with such a huge audience and so much money on the line, the WSOP and other tournaments want to prohibit using solvers altogether during play, which is probably a real good idea, then change the rule ASAP. Poker is not a team sport. As the solvers and other tech keep advancing, the more we do to enforce the letter and spirit of the old one player to a hand rule, the better.”

Jeff Madsen, winner of four WSOP bracelets: “I wouldn't say it's cheating, but it seems against the rules or at least the spirit of the rules that the WSOP was more adamant about this year. People were literally posting pics and calling out people throughout the summer who were looking at GTO Wizard (a solver) at the table in between hands. So it’s kind of ridiculous it's happening at the Main Event final table when people were going so hard on random individuals doing the same thing but on their phone in a $600 tourney.”

Tom McAvoy, 1983 WSOP Main Event winner: “I don't consider it cheating, but I feel it should be banned in the future.“

Matt Savage, World Poker Tour executive tour director: “The WSOP rule says simply this— no coaching in the tournament area during play is allowed. Tournament breaks are not considered during play. I also don’t think we need a perfect definition of what coaching is because I think of this quote about pornography (by former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart)—‘Intelligence is like pornography. I can’t define it, but I know it when I see it.’ Replace intelligence with coaching because I know it when I see or hear it.”

Fred Wallin, sports radio talk show host and celebrity poker tournament participant: “If it was after the hand was over, it’s fine with me. It’s the same as reading a book on poker after the hand was over. Perfectly fine in my opinion.”

Chris Moneymaker, 2003 WSOP Main Event winner: “I don’t think it’s cheating. It may be banned in the future, but it will just be done offsite and relayed. Unfortunately this is part of poker and will hurt the industry, but some will choose to do it.”

Jamie Gold, 2006 WSOP Main Event winner: “I believe he acted within the rules as they exist now. However, it does feel like there needs to be a change so that players can't use RTA or have a group coaching session in between every hand. On breaks, sure, they can ask for advice. There may be a need for a longer delay in showing the others players hands on TV or livestream to discourage this as well. I believe the WSOP will be looking at this and make a fair decision moving forward as it basically amplified an issue that exists for all events now.”

Vanessa Kade, 2021 Poker Stars Sunday Million online tournament winner: “I don't know him directly, but he's a friend of a friend. So while I don't like what they were doing, I'm going to abstain from officially commenting on this one.”

By Tom Somach

Gambling 911 Chief Correspondent