Events Main Tour Schedule Our marquee international tournaments where winners enter the illustrious Champions Club™ and have their name etched on the coveted Champions Cup™. The final table is set for the 2020 World Series of Poker (WSOP) $10,000 Main Event on WSOP.com! On Monday, the surviving 71 players from a 705-entry field returned to battle for one of nine.

Stoyan Madanzhiev won the 2020 World Series of Poker main event. Or so he thought.

Two months ago, the Bulgarian pro defeated a 5,802-entry field in the $5,000 no-limit hold’em main event for $3.9 million during the international-facing series on GGPoker

But after last week’s announcement of a hybrid main event that will combine the Nevada and New Jersey-facing WSOP.com, the international-facing GGPoker, and a live element taking place at King’s Casino and the Rio, Madanzhiev took to Twitter to voice his displeasure over calling the new event the main event.

So if I won the “51st Annual World Series of Poker Main Event” What will the December one be?
The 52nd
51.1
51 2.0
51 alfa
?
Just wondering #wsoppic.twitter.com/6hhk20pdVZ

— Stoyan Madanzhiev (@Stoyan_Mad) November 14, 2020

WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart helped make Madanzhiev’s point in the press release regarding the event when he said, “There must be a World Champion in 2020.” Stewart’s phrasing indicates that a main event champion hasn’t been crowned this year.

In a follow-up tweet a couple days later, Madanzhiev alluded to the fact that if he was aware that the tournament he played online in the fall wasn’t the main event, he probably wouldn’t have fired multiple bullets in the tournament.

It would have cost him seven-figures in earnings, but the point still stands.

Looking back, If I had known I wasn’t playing the “actual” world series of poker, I probably wouldn’t have reentered. Or maybe even played. It worked well for me but I wonder how many others fell for this false advertising trap? #wsop#scam
*interview for @CardPlayerMediapic.twitter.com/85MyF1ivHF

— Stoyan Madanzhiev (@Stoyan_Mad) November 17, 2020

It sparked a discussion on social media among many high-profile members of the poker community, with most players echoing a similar sentiment.

'There must be a World Champion in 2020,” said Ty Stewart
There is his name is Stoyan Madanzhiev https://t.co/sav5Uyc0Rj

— Sam Greenwood (@SamGreenwoodRIO) November 13, 2020

No one:
Absolutely no one:
WSOP/GG: A SECOND 2020 MAINEVENT … BUTTHISTIMECRAMTHE 9 FINALISTTOGETHER ON 1 TABLE IN LASVEGAS!!

— Melissa Burr (@burrrrrberry) November 13, 2020

World Poker Tour Events 2020 Europe

Remember all that fuss about the 5k WSOP Main Event having like 40 starting days or something, nobody would’ve cared about that if they thought that it wasn’t the actual 2020 WSOP Main Event lmfao

World Poker Tour Events 2020 Schedule

— Jeff Madsen (@JeffMadsenobv) November 18, 2020

Is it true the @WSOP branded a main event as the 'main event' this summer and some poor kid won it and now they are saying he isn't the 2020 Main Event Champ?
…not making any accusations. only asking a question.

— Matt Glantz (@MattGlantz) November 15, 2020

For me, if whoever won the online ‘Main Event’ in the summer isn’t reigning @WSOP champion, then whoever wins this freakish hybrid in December won’t be either. https://t.co/qODloqJyNd

World Poker Tour Events 2020 Boston

Zynga poker change profile picture. — Barny Boatman (@barnyboatman) November 14, 2020

Didn’t we already have an online WSOP Main Event?
What happens if someone wins the GG event and can’t get into the USA?
I don’t hate the overall idea (if we weren’t in a pandemic) but this isn’t the “Main Event” – should be called something like Pandemic Poker Event 2020. https://t.co/lldCpoghEo

— Joey Ingram #passion (@Joeingram1) November 13, 2020

World Poker Tour Events 2020 Nyc

One of the few people to defend the idea was six-time WSOP bracelet winner and GGPoker Ambassador Daniel Negreanu. Ironically, Negreanu’s signature was at the bottom of the letter congratulating Madanzhiev on his victory.

Negreanu’s main argument was that the WSOP main event should always be a $10,000 buy-in freezeout. The GGPoker event was a $5,000 buy-in with unlimited re-entries.

A key difference from the summer series $25 million GTD $5k event is this is a $10k FREEZEOUT no re-entry
Also the final 9 on https://t.co/tOa6L4yo0q and https://t.co/KbqGE6HJxR will each play down to a winner live,with those 2 facing off for an extra milly https://t.co/EGpvAEGzJp

V slot rollen racing. — Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker) November 13, 2020

When confronted by Madanzhiev about his take, Negreanu pointed to the 2019 WSOP Player of the Year race when he was crowned the champion and then had that title taken away.

Also remember I have experience with this personally! I was crowned the 2019 WSOPPOY!
Then later had that taken away because of a point miscalculation.
Just saying, I feel your pain with this one.

— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker) November 16, 2020

Some of the funnier takes on Twitter stemmed from the rule about what would happen if player contracted COVID-19 before the live final table. Unlike traditional rules for medical emergencies, where a player’s stack is simply blinded out of the tournament, under the current rules, if a player contracts the virus before the live final table, they would be disqualified and given a ninth-place payout.

Rounders 2:
He's down on his luck but Mike McD is one of the 5 guys who FT each year
He puts his last 10k in WSOP ME- FTs 1st/9. Knish talks sense into him and he sells 85% at ICM to Teddy KGB. Worm doesn't quarantine and gives him covid. Drives truck 35 years to pay off Teddy https://t.co/R8ucDBBuUR

DDR3 memory controller (up to 1600MHz), Intel Turbo Boost 2.0 (3.10GHz), HT technology 16GB max7 / PC3-MHz DDR3, non-parity, dual-channel capable, two 204-pin SO-DIMM sockets. System automatically clocks down for processors with 1333MHz DDR3 memory controller DVD burner, 12.7mm Ultrabay Enhanced, removable.

— Mike McDonald (@MikeMcDonald89) November 13, 2020