Scandal at the Series: $10m Poker Winner Under Ethics Cloud

by , 23 July 2024

A 38-year-old poker pro, Jonathan Tamayo, has been crowned as the new World Series of Poker Main Event winner. Hailing from Texas and a close friend of 2015 World Series winner Joe McKeehen, who was on the sidelines to give him support, the new champion beat countryman Jordan Griff after 65 hands of heads-up play.

The last man standing in a field of 10,112 players, Tamayo’s prize was $10 million. The runner-up received $6 million, third-placed Niklas Astedt – an online poker legend – earned $4 million, and all final table finishers – of which five were ‘non-American’ – collected $1 million or more. In total, 287 Main Event players received a prize of $50,000 or greater.

A lighted sign is displayed during the World Series of Poker.

The World Series of Poker is typical Vegas – lots of glitz and glam. But, with millions on the line, questions will always be asked about fair play. With $10 million banked, should WSOP Main Event winner Jonathan Tamayo be investigated?

However, no sooner than Jonathan Tamayo strapped his outstanding World Series Main Event bracelet onto his wrist, videos emerged that suggested impropriety. The poker community, particularly forums, has since been in overdrive. The World Series of Poker organization has been tight-lipped despite what appears to be a breach of Nevada Gaming rules.

First the Queens and Then the Earpiece

Three incidents involving Tamayo have caught the attention of naysayers. The first came before the new champion reached the final table, and it involved an unconventional play whereby he instantly passed pocket-Queens pre-flop when facing an early position raise. As the hand happened on the cusp of the final table, some analysts outlined reasons to make the unorthodox pass.

Next to hit the Internet was Tamayo’s celebrations after winning the tournament. Viewers quickly spotted his embrace with Joe McKeehen, which appeared to show an earpiece being removed by the former champion and then handed to another Tamayo supporter. Its recipient, with facial expressions that seemed highly suspect, then placed it into his pocket before continuing with celebrations.

Was the new champion using an earpiece device that could be used to give him beneficial information during play? Once again, observers are divided. Many believe the earpiece originated in McKeehen’s ear – something that suggests that he should have placed it in his own pocket. Others have posted screenshots showing what appears to be an earpiece in Tamayo’s ear during final table play.

Jonathan Tamayo appears to be wearing an earpiece in a screen shot from the WSOP Main Event final table footage.

Poker fans have taken to X to show screen shots of what looks like an earpiece under the hood worn by Jonathan Tamayo. ©X/Twitter.

Item 64 of World Series of Poker 2024 rules state: “Participants are allowed to use approved electronic devices, iPods, MP3 players and other music playing or noise-reduction headsets during Tournament play until the Participants have reached the final table in any Tournament; so long as the approved electronic devices are not used to collude or cheat in any way.”

“Once Participants have reached the final table in any Tournament, all approved electronic devices must be removed. An announcement will be made to Participants once they have reached the final table to remove all such electronic devices. Failure to do so will result in penalties up to and including disqualification.”

Real-Time Assistance – A Software Breach

The World Series of Poker has not announced if it is investigating this possible breach of its rules. It has also yet to comment on the public’s ‘slam-dunk’ charge of Tamayo using assistance from his courtside associates who were operating simulator software to assist him throughout final table proceedings.

The indiscretion was captured on the final table feed supplied by the PokerGO livestream platform. It showed Tamayo regularly returning to his supporters – who were using a laptop and seemingly running simulator software – which he consulted with at times up until the 235th and final hand at the table. Amongst his ‘rail’ was Dominik Nitsche, a German poker pro with almost $20 million in live winnings to his credit.

At the start of the 2023 World Series of Poker organizers issued the following statement: “If caught using RTA/GTO software during a hand, players will be subject to penalty up to and including DQ (disqualification) / trespass.” It continued, “We reserve the right to further penalize a player for using RTA/GTO in any other situation in our sole and absolute discretion.”

In poker, the phrase RTA refers to ‘real-time assistance’ and GTO represents the term ‘game theory optimal’.

Solving the No News Solver Mystery

The World Series’ 2023 warning did not make it into the 2024 set of rules. However, Rule 64 Section C of the World Series of Poker’s 2024 Rules does state: “Participants are prohibited from using betting apps, gaming charts, or any poker information tool while involved in a hand.”

For the avoidance of doubt, throughout proceedings during the 2024 World Series, the following announcement was made: “We do ask you to please do not use any type of poker solvers at any point in time at the table or in the tournament area, if you are found using one of these poker solvers there’s a possibility of being disqualified from this tournament.”

Nevertheless, World Series officials have remained silent. The official World Series of Poker website’s news section was last updated on July 17 – the day before the new champion was announced – it reported on a WSOP Paradise event scheduled to be played in the Bahamas in December.

The Nevada Gaming Commission (and Nevada Gaming Control Board) has also failed to comment on Tomayo’s antics at the World Series of Poker final table where over $31.25 million was distributed between nine ‘winners.’ Nevada Revised Statute 465.075 criminalizes the possession or use of devices, hardware, or software that help you obtain an advantage at playing games. It states:

“It is unlawful for any person to use, possess with the intent to use or assist another person in using or possessing with the intent to use any computerized, electronic, electrical or mechanical device, or any software or hardware, or any combination thereof, which is designed, constructed, altered or programmed to obtain an advantage at playing any game in a licensed gaming establishment or any game that is offered by a licensee or affiliate, including, without limitation, a device that: 1. Projects the outcome of the game; 2. Keeps track of cards played or cards prepared for play in the game; 3. Analyzes the probability of the occurrence of an event relating to the game; or 4. Analyzes the strategy for playing or betting to be used in the game, except as may be made available as part of an approved game or otherwise permitted by the Commission.”

The Cameras Caught It Said WSOP Runner-up

With so much money involved, it is difficult to see how a potential rule break cannot be investigated by World Series officials or the Nevada Gaming Control Board. For his part, runner-up Jordan Griff has given just one interview since his near miss at the Holy Grail of poker.

Speaking to podcaster Doug Polk – who expressed surprise the WSOP staff didn’t “step in” to put a stop to the rail assistance – Griff said about the matter: “I saw him calling things out, 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.”

Griff also pointed out. “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, you know, I thought that if there was anything nefarious going on, as we saw, there were cameras that caught it.”

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Jason Alexander stands in front of a giant World Series of Poker logo.

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