Doug Polk has taken a step back from playing tournaments in his own card room following the results of an online poll.
Polk was straight up with his question to his followers on X: is it a bad look for him to be playing events in his own card room and possibly winning tournaments?
Surprisingly, 29.5% of respondents reckoned that Polk shouldn’t be doing that.
Is it a bad look for the owner of a card room to play cash games at their own room?
— Doug Polk (@DougPolkVids) November 26, 2024
Should Doug Polk Step Away from Playing at The Lodge?
The controversy began to escalate when Polk expressed surprise at the negative reactions from certain players who do not want him to participate in tournaments at The Lodge.
Known for his competitive spirit and outspoken nature, Polk has been a significant presence in the poker community for many years now.
However, his return to playing at The Lodge has been met with resistance from some players who feel that his participation could overshadow their own performances or create an uncomfortable atmosphere, or maybe this is even an indication of a lack of trust.
Incredibly, we’re talking about almost 15,000 votes here, but we can be sure that almost all of them are not Lodge Card Club patrons.
So does this poll really matter? Don’t get us wrong, we understand that customer opinions are important here but Polk’s reputation in the industry is rock solid.
It’s also a factor that many people will travel to Austin, Texas, in the hope that they can get a few hands in with one of the most high-profile players in poker history. It’s literally the whole point of them travelling to the card room.
Sadly, Polk, clearly wanting to do the best for his business, appears to be willing to take a step back.
“Crazy to me that 3 out of 10 people think its a bad look for me to play tournaments @LodgePokerClub. While I think they are dead wrong, I will likely be stepping away from playing in tournaments at the Lodge moving forward. I prefer cash anyway 😆.”
One poster, Dan Ross, was of the opinion that it is never positive for the house owner to win their own tournament but we think this is an outdated view in an era where we know the characters so much more.
“Nothing positive comes from a cardroom owner winning their own tournament – you’re in totally unregulated Texas where shady shit happens in some of the state’s cardrooms 36 hours a day. Why add to it by giving people reason to question the legitimacy of the game?”
Polk added that he even encourages his employees to get stuck in and play and that it’s only state laws which prevent this in other jurisdictions.
This backlash stems from concerns among some players about fairness and favoritism. Critics argue that Polk’s status as a high-profile player could lead to an uneven playing field, where less experienced players feel intimidated or overshadowed by his presence.
Crazy to me that 3 out of 10 people think its a bad look for me to play tournaments @LodgePokerClub.
While I think they are dead wrong, I will likely be stepping away from playing in tournaments at the lodge moving forward.
I prefer cash anyway 😆 https://t.co/pGwNLOqDbm
— Doug Polk (@DougPolkVids) November 26, 2024
In light of these criticisms, Doug Polk has defended his right to compete in tournaments at The Lodge, even as he appears to be backing away.
Tony Burns, Executive Director of the Moneymaker Tour, expressed an opinion that Polk was doing the right thing by not playing any of his own events any more.
“Most players know us and our reputation that we wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize the integrity of the game we’ve worked hard at and love.
“I’m frequently asked why I don’t play in events on the Moneymaker Tour. Since I often have access to the chips, make rulings or work with ones that make the final ruling, I’ve made the decision not to play to avoid the perception.
“Truth of the matter is that there are players that don’t know us, conspiracy theorists, and others that look to blame their misfortunes on something.”
Six-time WSOP bracelet winner Josh Arieh was more supportive, stating that Polk’s standing in the community has earned him the right to be trusted.
“I think your honorable reputation has earned you the right to do so. Yes, there are some spots this would look bad, but if you won, people wouldn’t call foul. They would just compare it to a lightning strike of luck.”
Polk appears to have decided upon leaving the tournaments alone while sticking to cash games, which at least his passion in the game.
“I will be continuing to play cash games at Lodge Poker Club and might play the odd big tournament. If that is something that upsets you, then please do not sign up to play at our club when we have an event going!”
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