Will Kassouf... (5 Viewers)

[upNdown]

So obviously no one wants to be a table with kassouf.

But I saw a video in passing the other day of negraneus (sp) last hand in a tournament. The guy pulls out his phone, narrates, and plays his hand. I don’t watch poker content generally, so I had never thought of this that much.

I’m not sure anything would annoy me more. I don’t want to be at any table with people videoing, vlogging, narrating, etc., and I can’t believe it’s allowed.

I’ve gotten to sit with a ton of extremely well known pros, and I never have any remote clue as to who they are. It’s so much fun to sit at a table and get to know the folks while playing.

Not to sit there watching someone make content in a shared setting.

I get it’s 2025 and I’m an old man yelling at clouds, but it’s a big ick. For me similar to people taking calls on speaker phone in public places.

On the other hand, Daniel has been on a “normalize calling clock” crusade this summer. He makes it clear to his tablemates that he will call clock if you’re taking too long, and that he’ll call clock on you sooner if youve been wasting time on every action.
So while I don’t want the pulling the camera out guy at my table, I definitely want the calling clock guy at my table.

 

[Rakrul]

Dnegs has a WSOP press card (that he applied for), I belive. So that's why he's allowed to film at the table and other tables. It's not like there's no other poker media filming the tables.

 

[augster123]

Dnegs has a WSOP press card (that he applied for), I belive. So that's why he's allowed to film at the table and other tables. It's not like there's no other poker media filming the tables.

yeah, i believe the rule is he can't film anything at featured tables and he can only film on other tables after he is all in, and all betting is closed.

this is my first year following his vlogs - i usually skip everything that isn't hand review or poker thoughts. it's amazing how many events he plays. i don't think i could ever just binge watch a bunch of episodes. i just like 10-15 mins of content each day by him.

it's also remarkable how big of a draw he is to the game. it's obvious the rail at his table is always abnormally large. i wouldn't compare it directly to the tiger woods effect on sundays, but that sort of thing. random games that no one would care about get streamed time if he's at the final table.

overall i respect him and what he's done for the game. in addition, he's made an active effort to introduce modern theory to his approach, which a lot of older guys are too proud/stubborn to do.

 

[TheBigTater]

Kassouf is a royal PITA but he is a product of the TV poker culture that rewards childish tantrum behavior and over the top table talk.

Perfect example/reason for using a shot clock. Even though I dislike the concept of the shot clock it is becoming a necessity due to the endless tanking and overall dramatics by these diva type players.

He’s certainly not the first but has become one of the ugliest examples of bad behavior at the tables.

 

[chippitydoodah]

I think its more about this

 

[Chris Manzoni]

The only thing that bothers me more than WK is the seemingly endless parade of poker players on X who insist on painting the WSOP staff as villains or equally as bad as WK. Just so stupid. Like really really stupid people. WK may be awful, but he is genuinely sick; his wiring is bad and ultimately he needs help. Poker players who say "Deal with it" or "The WSOP are in the wrong here" are simply low IQ individuals.

 

[Frogzilla]

On the other hand, Daniel has been on a “normalize calling clock” crusade this summer. He makes it clear to his tablemates that he will call clock if you’re taking too long, and that he’ll call clock on you sooner if youve been wasting time on every action.
So while I don’t want the pulling the camera out guy at my table, I definitely want the calling clock guy at my table.

Needs to be something where other tables or the dealer can call clock on you. Ike Haxton had a 10 minute payjump stall where he already had >95% of his stack in pre. The stall helps all the other players at his table so none of them have much incentive to clock.

 

[upNdown]

Needs to be something where other tables or the dealer can call clock on you. Ike Haxton had a 10 minute payjump stall where he already had >95% of his stack in pre. The stall helps all the other players at his table so none of them have much incentive to clock.

I’ve seen discussion on this. I saw the TD rules quoted as saying anybody in an event can call clock on anybody else. I haven’t seen a WSOP rule quoted. But I also saw a clip of a hand, presumably from the Main, (it was probably on Dnegs blog) where a guy had gone all in except for one chip, then a guy who had him covered over-shoved, and the one chip guy sat there tanking. And then when the floor came over to count him down, the guy was whining that somebody not even at the table can call clock.

So I think it’s happening.

 

[Frogzilla]

I’ve seen discussion on this. I saw the TD rules quoted as saying anybody in an event can call clock on anybody else. I haven’t seen a WSOP rule quoted. But I also saw a clip of a hand, presumably from the Main, (it was probably on Dnegs blog) where a guy had gone all in except for one chip, then a guy who had him covered over-shoved, and the one chip guy sat there tanking. And then when the floor came over to count him down, the guy was whining that somebody not even at the table can call clock.

So I think it’s happening.

Oh ok. I didn’t realize it. Thats good rule but I’ve never seen it happen. And then yea, this kind of stuff needs to be normalized. Good on dnegs. And the guy whining can fuck off.

I got ITM in one event at Aria, as soon as ITM they warned the field that “if you’re caught stalling at a payjump its a 1 round penalty” but I got frisky with A3dd and didn’t get to stay long to see if that ever got enforced. First time hearing that warning. Another good sign though. It’s been a long summer and Vegas has had it with the euros

 

[Kam]

 

[KHarp1]

Remember the good ole days when we thought Hellmuth was a pain in the a?!

 

[sethwanab]

It has to be a mental illness, cause how else can he think of so many things to say constantly. His mouth is going 100 mph and its rapid fire for hours of non-sense. That would be supper hard to do without thinking of what else to say and pausing.

 

[Kam]

Remember the good ole days when we thought Hellmuth was a pain in the a?!

Yeah, Tony G, the ‘mouth’, hellmuth are all extremely tolerable and polite compared to this clown.

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

It has to be a mental illness, cause how else can he think of so many things to say constantly. His mouth is going 100 mph and its rapid fire for hours of non-sense. That would be supper hard to do without thinking of what of what else to say and pausing.

Baaa, its just patter. Like a freestyle rapper, hes got crutches and phrases he uses to bridge the bullshit together. He's definitely annoying but its a persona hes built up, I just think he was more annoying and heated due to the stress and pressure.

 

[upNdown]

Baaa, its just patter. Like a freestyle rapper, hes got crutches and phrases he uses to bridge the bullshit together. He's definitely annoying but its a persona hes built up, I just think he was more annoying and heated due to the stress and pressure.

That could be. But I don’t discount what @Old State said - he might just be a sociopath.
Either way, it doesn’t really matter - nobody wants to play at his table. And as he learned this year, at some point, that matters.

The idiots who say the WSOP did him dirty aren’t seeing the big picture. Whether or not you can find specific rule violations is just missing the point. The tournament directors are responsible for the overall success of an even, they’re empowered to do so, and you want them to exercise that power (unless you’re an angle shooting sonofabitch.

 

[KHarp1]

I don't see how any rational person can say he was treated dirty, he was warned, given penalties, more penalties, asked to leave the area (multiple times) to serve his penalty, became verbally abusive to staff, and others, and had to be escorted out. These must be the same people that believe the persistent felon, you know the one with a 10 page rap sheet, should get another chance...so they can reoffend again, and again.

 

[Mongoose]

Just saw the video earlier today of him being escorted out. I didn’t see everything that led up to this, but geez, what a freakin tool. Never shuts up. Good riddance…

 

[Tham6165]

I think his behavior is somewhat obnoxious. But if that is what gets the other players at your table on tilt then so be it. No rules state that you can't be obnoxious. You just can't cross the lines of calling other players curse words or threatening them. If so you get your penalty. If you don't like your penalty. The wsop should be able to make your " time out" longer if you throw a fit. But the wsop should make sure its uniformally applied. If not I think they could open themselves up to a lawsuit for penalizing some players and not all the same way. Even though WK has built his own reputation of a consistent violater.

He does utilize multiple facets to get under peoples skin. Berating their play. But that's no diffrent then Hellmuth for the last 30+ years in the wsop. WK is more abrasive but in his banter imo. But how would the wsop draw the line of how much you say. I don't think they can. Only in what you can and can not say.
His slow play is constant. But multiple other players do the same thing. Especially when they are at pay jumps. Not necessarily like WK when they aren't even in ITM yet.
It would get very old the constant babbling if I was stuck at the same table with him for hours.
It's the wsop job come up with rules for 2026 to institute some type of clock. They dealers all have ipads at their tables. I'm sure the wsop can find a way to allow time for the ones who don't abuse stalling on a consistent basis. Even maybe allow players to accumulate more time as the days go on if they didn't use their time from the days previous. But if you ran yourself out of time say on day 4. Then maybe you get just 1 or 2 minutes day 5 I.e. But other players would have whatever they have accumulated from the days prior.
The wsop staff will never be perfect in making every rule that is the new standard. But I think they do a damn good job running as many tournaments as they do simultaneously without many hiccups.

 

[Mongoose]

I’m sure that all of us have put up with all kinds of characters at a table. For this action to be taken, it had to be “extremely” disruptive and he was abusive to the staff.

 

[ekricket]

I just don’t think it’s right to hate on people with mental handicaps if that’s what you think is happening here. Just because they have a handicap that irritates you is no excuse to act hateful or demean them or wish ill will on them.
Do you guys get hateful when a person in a wheelchair slows down your plane loading/unloading?

If he’s a normal guy being an asshole then that’s different. But to read posts that essentially say “he has a mental problem, screw him I hope he goes to hell” is disturbing on many levels.

 

[Mongoose]

I just don’t think it’s right to hate on people with mental handicaps if that’s what you think is happening here. Just because they have a handicap that irritates you is no excuse to act hateful or demean them or wish ill will on them.
Do you guys get hateful when a person in a wheelchair slows down your plane loading/unloading?

If he’s a normal guy being an asshole then that’s different. But to read posts that essentially say “he has a mental problem, screw him I hope he goes to hell” is disturbing on many levels.

Agreed

 

[Deucekies]

The idiots who say the WSOP did him dirty aren’t seeing the big picture. Whether or not you can find specific rule violations is just missing the point. The tournament directors are responsible for the overall success of an even, they’re empowered to do so, and you want them to exercise that power (unless you’re an angle shooting sonofabitch.

The people taking Will's side against the WSOP staff are the same people who think they should be able to go into a casino (or any place of business) and treat the staff however they want.

And I do *not* think he's mentally handicapped. Possibly neurodivergent, but you can't tell me he doesn't know exactly what he's doing.

 

[Jimulacrum]

Just watched the Doug Polk video about this guy. If that's an accurate representation, he should have been flat DQed out of the tournament at the point where he became such a problem they had to institute a 10-second shot clock on him. When you make yourself such a problem that the house has to invent new temporary rules for just you to make the game manageable, you can GTFO.

Making someone count out every action to give him 10 seconds is ridiculous. Once you get to that point just kick his ass out. Imagine if they had to go to such lengths for everyone, or even just one person per table. It would bring the whole event to a standstill. There's no reason to allow one man to knowingly, intentionally interfere with the functioning of the event like this.

Moreover, the character of his actions indicates that he's doing it on purpose, with at least partial intent of antagonizing people in ways that advantage him—whether because they make plays at him, they lose their patience, or they even attack him and get kicked out. I'm sure it's possible he's abusing amphetamines, or even intentionally using them for "performance enhancement" in that they allow him to keep up the endless talking, but that doesn't really matter. The conduct is what matters, and it's unacceptable.

I just don’t think it’s right to hate on people with mental handicaps if that’s what you think is happening here. Just because they have a handicap that irritates you is no excuse to act hateful or demean them or wish ill will on them.
Do you guys get hateful when a person in a wheelchair slows down your plane loading/unloading?

If he’s a normal guy being an asshole then that’s different. But to read posts that essentially say “he has a mental problem, screw him I hope he goes to hell” is disturbing on many levels.

Even if what's on display here is a diagnosable disorder, to call it a "mental handicap" is a little out there. It's not like the guy has cerebral palsy or schizophrenia. It's nowhere near comparable to being in a wheelchair. Koussef is a fully functioning, high-performing individual. He's a poker pro with hundreds of tournaments under his belt and $2M+ in confirmed winnings. He has free will and chooses to behave the way he does.

You might be able to convince me of a panic disorder if it was just the talking, but repeatedly running out the clock too? C'mon, that's too calculated. And even a panic disorder wouldn't give him unlimited license. He would still need to go.

 

[Jimulacrum]

cash games and tournament play are different beasts. he appears to be a competent tournament player, but from gleaning insights from his own words, it also appears hes getting most of his "edge" from his incessant chatter which you can get away with more in large fields of players who arent accustomed to you versus sitting down with regs at a cash game.

Cash players can just leave the game or sit out in protest until the house does something about him.

In a tournament, he has a captive audience, and frankly I think he enjoys that part. It's like his own little rotating group of hostages.

 

[Old State]

His behavior isn’t justified by being some absurd strategy. Find another mainstream sport or competition where berating your opponents would be tolerated.

I feel bad for the people who got unlucky to have to sit with him. Likely several first timers and mostly non pros who made a trip out there and payed for travel, lodging, etc for this memory and he is running his mouth for hours.

I’m honestly surprised someone hasn’t snapped and beat the shit out of the guy. I was at a large amateur tournament fundraiser once and a guy who was drunk was running his mouth for hours…similar to this jackass. A big…and up to that moment…extremely nice guy picked the guy up by his throat and slammed him on the ground. Shut him right up

 

[Syzygyy]

Guy is insufferable to watch. Surprised no one snaps back at him, I’d tell him to STFU

 

[Deucekies]

I’m honestly surprised someone hasn’t snapped and beat the shit out of the guy. I was at a large amateur tournament fundraiser once and a guy who was drunk was running his mouth for hours…similar to this jackass. A big…and up to that moment…extremely nice guy picked the guy up by his throat and slammed him on the ground. Shut him right up

If someone did that, they would have gotten *maybe* a one-round penalty based on what we saw.

 

[buzzmonkey]

He allegedly stole £100 from a friend at a roulette table. So there may be some pattern of additional sketchiness outside of verbal barrages. But I honestly think the ban was more related to his constant inability to accept the floor's decisions. He managed to get all the way to Jack and there was no disagreement along the chain of management.

 

[cpac54]

Guy is insufferable to watch. Surprised no one snaps back at him, I’d tell him to STFU

That's exactly the kind of reaction a guy like Kassouf wants though.

Rather just call the clock every single time and smile ear to ear while doing it.

 

[Highli99]

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. Let’s make poker fun again.