EPL Proves to be Anything But Epic

Initially touted as the most prestigious poker circuit on the planet, the Epic Poker League already seems to be on the wain. Less than 100 players turned out for Main Event #2. We discuss its current failure here in this opinion piece.

Erik Seidel's brilliance has been one of the few saving graces for the EPL

Need for the EPL?

Given the sheer number of tournament poker events worldwide, a definitive measure of "greatness" is hard to obtain. A quick browse at the poker All Time Money list, and it's hard to argue with the first four names of Erik Seidel, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth and Phil Ivey.

However, Jamie Gold's ranking of fifth sticks out like a sore thumb, and underlines the fundamental flaw in the All Time Money List. The list can be skewed by a single, monster cash, such as Gold's $12 million WSOP Main Event victory back in 2006. The ATM list is no bonafide measure of greatness because it does not account for consistency.

It's even harder to come up with an objective ranking of players when you have several pros abstaining from smaller buy-in events. Phil Ivey skipped the 2011 WSOP altogether. Despite announcing himelf to the poker world back in 2005 by winning the EPT Baden, Patrik Antonius has almost disappeared from the tournament circuit. Meanwhile charismatic Dane Gus Hansen is playing fewer and fewer events.

Not So Epic

So, the logic behind the Epic Poker League was commendable. Let's try and gather the cream of poker players (through an invitation only concept based on tournament winnings, major titles and cashes) and make them fight it out in a star-studded field.

But, just two events in, and the Epic Poker League is already in the doldrums. A paltry 97 players turned out for Main Event #2, despite 300 players being listed in the EPL's Global Poker Index. In order to try and generate more interest, the EPL has resorted to holding a $1 million freeroll next January.

Two events, and two scandals. The EPL came under scrutiny when the controversial David "Chino" Rheem took down its inaugral championship. Rheem, who had been accused of scamming players and failing to repay his debts, was not the ambassador the EPL desired.

The EPL received more unwanted publicity when it revoked Michael DiVita's $20k seat in Main Event 2. After winning a seat in the Pro/Am event, DiVita was turned away when it was discovered he was a registered sex offendor.

Admittedly, these two events were somewhat out of the EPL's hands. Could it have handled them any better? Who knows. The EPL came under fire for taking too long to release an official statement on "Chinogate".

Reasons for Failure

EPL Commissioner Annie Duke

The broader failure of the EPL can be attributed to several factors.

By nature, tournament poker is unpredictable. Even Erik Seidel has admitted that the variance is phenomenal. Tournament poker's unpredictability is one of its major draws - ordinary folk such as Darvin Moon can go out and make a name for themselves. Trying to slap an official rankings tag on tournament poker could be sending out the wrong message.

The EPL and its Global Poker Index conveys this elitist hierarchy of poker players. Surely, to encourage the growth of tournament poker, we should be stressing its accessibility instead - that even the layman can acquire a seat and taste success. Admittedly, the EPL is a prestige thing for several pros, but wouldn't they be happier if more recreational players were taking to the felt?

What about the players? Plenty of stellar names have warmed to the EPL, including Seidel, Hellmuth, Mike Matusow and Jason Mercier. But doesn't a series that prides itself on prestige pine for the involvement of the game's most formidable player, Phil Ivey? Many of poker's household names just aren't bothered. Less than a third of the EPL's Global Poker Index turned up for Main Event #2 - a resounding disappointment.

Another fault can be found in the EPL's qualification criteria. A player is awarded an automatic, five year membership if he boasts over $4 million in live tournament winnings, and 3 major titles. This may encourage pros to rest on their laurels, rather than fully embracing the current tournament schedule. What does the EPL hope to decipher - the most accomplished tournament player over the past 20 years, or the current star of today?

The EPL's tournament emphasis also bypasses the interest that surrounds the cash game exploits of players such as Isildur1.

Finally, there's the competition. The EPL faces stern competition from more established, international tournament circuits such as the WPT and EPT. A cluttered tournament calendar also includes NAPT, APPT, LAPT and WSOP events. Sponsored pros such as Daniel Negreanu and Jason Mercier have to fulfil contractual obligations, meaning PokerStars EPT events will take priority over the EPL.

It may seem premature to condemn the EPL as an abject failure. But it sure seems to be heading for an early grave.