After a flurry of criticism from players, extensive coverage from the poker media and probably some consultation with their attorneys, the leadership of the Partouche Poker Tour has decided to honor the tournament guarantee made for its Main Event in Cannes, France.
As the players came to the felt today to work down to the final table on Sunday, it was announced by PPT owner Patrick Partouche that the €5 million guaranteed prize pool of the event would be honored instead of the roughly €4.3 million that the 580 entrant field had created. In the statement that was posted on Twitter by poker professional David Williams, Partouche discussed the situation and informed the players of his decision.
Partouche clearly seemed to be trying to play both sides of the equation in that statement, not admitting wrongdoing but announcing the guarantee would be honored. “Ever since my somewhat controversial announcement concerning the end of the Partouche Poker Tour, it has come to my attention that there has been a certain amount of disruption in the media which may have led our players to be convinced of the existence of a guaranteed prize pool,” Partouche said in the translated statement.
“While the official rules show clearly that the only guaranteed sum was that of €500,000 to the overall winner, I do acknowledge that there may have been some misunderstanding caused by the way this event was promoted in the media,” Partouche continued. “I have therefore asked the Partouche Group to bear the consequences and make up the difference by adding €736,880 to the prize pool (writer’s note: to bring the total to the €5 million figure).”
Following yesterday’s announcement by Partouche, as reported here on Poker News Daily, that this would be the final event of the five-year old tour, further evidence came out regarding the guarantee of this year’s Main Event. One of the most critical pieces of evidence (other than the plethora of web sites, screen shots and casino advertising that had been gathered by players) was a video of a Partouche official, Jean-Jacques Ichai, from last year’s tournament finale. That video – and what Ichai stated in it – seemed to have been the tipping point regarding the debate.
In the video, Ichai promoted the 2012 version of the PPT Main Event as having a “guaranteed prize pool of €5 million.” On the Partouche Poker Facebook page, Ichai admitted that he “didn’t have memory of my TV interview” and that, when Partouche took the stage yesterday in a hastily arranged press conference, that Partouche had no knowledge that the video existed. In admitting this, Ichai stated that he would offer his resignation from the organization for adding to the confusion.
Upon receiving Ichai’s resignation letter this morning, Partouche would not hear of it. “I have never turned my back on my troops, even through the toughest of times when storms have raged around us,” he stated. “I refuse, therefore, to accept the resignation that was submitted to me.”
As to his statements on Thursday regarding the closure of the PPT, Partouche was adamant that the tour would still close upon the conclusion of the Main Event on Sunday. “I cannot go back on my word and my decision stands that the PPT will be no more,” Partouche says.
Players, naturally, were elated about the news from Partouche regarding the guarantee. “Glad they finally did the right thing, regardless of the reason,” Peter Jetten stated over Twitter. “Partouche will honor the guarantee,” ESPN’s Andrew Feldman wrote over Twitter, “Smart move but, unfortunately, too late for the tour.” Jason Mercier (one of the most vocal players regarding the situation) asked, “What are the changes to the prize pool at Partouche” before wondering if the potential for legal action pushed the company to cover the guarantee.
With the controversy now seemingly behind them, the final PPT Main Event and the players have moved on. 34 players remain at this point, including such notables as Dan Smith, Tristan Wade and Williams, and the player who emerges on Sunday as the final PPT champion will take home a €1,172,850 first place payday.
