To be backed or not!!

[M3boy]

Recently I have had a genuine offer of backing in the WSOP 06.

The idea being, they would back me in the first week of the WSOP with the view to winning enough $'s to keep entering and finally have a go at the main event.

I for one see no wrong in asking to be backed, whats the worst that can happen? They say NO - so you have lost nothing, cept for a bit of face maybe.

With regards to the offer I have had, I am still considering it - being married and having a family makes the decision VERY hard as I could (possibly) be away for a month. Also, I would obviously have to cover my living expenses.

[AndrewT]

my 2 pence... again!

Keep an eye on that bankroll Junior - all those two pences add up...

[Junior Senior]

my 2 pence... again!

Keep an eye on that bankroll Junior - all those two pences add up...

will do!
... as for the figures used in my examples in my previous posts, they are purely illustrative - i can afford more than 2p sit n go's 

[The Baron]

Some excellent posts in this thread.

Anyone else read card player a few months back when they interviewed Llayne Flack? He was started off by Johnny Chan backing him for a tourney. He saw class plays in Flack one night and told him to leave his cash game get some sleep and he'd put him into the next day's tourney. (which I think he won) Look at Flack now. If it can turn out like than they why shouldn't you accept backing and why shouldn't you seek a backer?

I'm not sure that being backed means you dont necessarily have all the tools. It's a growing part of the game and I think it's very necessary.

[I KNOW IT]

In my opinion one name sums up whether a backed player is any good or not. T J Cloutier. IMHO the greatest tournement player in the world, bar none.

He said in an interview, that theres a very long list waiting to back him,and I dont doubt it.
Like I said earlier, there is a multitude of reasons why a person asks  or gets asked to be backed, its just in the UK we look at it in the negative.

[vampitup]

I think this is one of the best threads I have read for a while.

I don't really understand why people are so negative about people who are backed/want to be backed to play in big events.  I don't think that anyone can automatically assume people are bad players if they are asking to be backed to play in big events.

I know players who are very good players but don't play in any big events, but could do well in them.  It's a question of disposable income and if that income only stretches to 10 and 20 rebuys then thats what they play.  But if they were offered backing to play in some decent events they may well be able to get a foot on the ladder.

That's a bit of a catch 22 situation - you want to play in decent events with a decent structure - but it's hard to be able to afford it on a consistent basis. 

It's personally a bit of a situation I find myself in.  I want to play in some decent comps which aren't a cr@pshoot, but don't want to start spending big money doing so. 

[AndrewT]

In my opinion one name sums up whether a backed player is any good or not. T J Cloutier. IMHO the greatest tournement player in the world, bar none.

He said in an interview, that theres a very long list waiting to back him,and I dont doubt it.
Like I said earlier, there is a multitude of reasons why a person asks  or gets asked to be backed, its just in the UK we look at it in the negative.

There's a very good reason why TJ is always backed, and that's because without backing, he probably wouldn't be able to enter any big tournaments. There's a classic study in bankroll management right there; no matter how good your poker is, stay away from the craps tables.

[dpommo]

You can be a talented player and have no money, a la TJ Cloutier, Gus Hansen. The best example being Stu Ungar, who was almost always backed, having posessed no money management skills.

BUT... these are world class players who have massive leaks away from the table. Yes I would feel confident if asked to back one of these players, but that's very different to backing somenoe who plays at your local casino and has had a bit of success, imo.

[popdog/elsadog]

I was contacted by email about a month ago, by an organisation looking to provide backing for cash and mtt players. In my case this was a genuine offer to fund entries to the bigger on-line mtt's with an all entry fee and split winnings formula. The commitment levels of number of mtt's played per week/month is high and the lions share of winnings goes to the sponser. In my case I politely declined, but for anyone interested in being sponsored these people are out there watching, just play well and wait for the email.

[JoeStrummer]

Some interesting and thought provoking replies but Dpommo sums it up in a nutshell. World class player’s v egotistical wannabes. Now that may be a tough appraisal but looking through the replies it is almost certainly true. Reality checks are in order.

[ariston]

Fair enough Joe, all the time we have spent answering your initial thread in detail and you still think we are all egotistical wannabes. Its your right to have your oppinion and you will fit in real well on blonde. Why not come along to an event and let us wannabes show you what we can do 

[Nem]

Some interesting and thought provoking replies but Dpommo sums it up in a nutshell. World class player’s v egotistical wannabes. Now that may be a tough appraisal but looking through the replies it is almost certainly true. Reality checks are in order.

I agree totally.

[Heid]

Some interesting and thought provoking replies but Dpommo sums it up in a nutshell. World class player’s v egotistical wannabes. Now that may be a tough appraisal but looking through the replies it is almost certainly true. Reality checks are in order.

Can mine be made out to H Foster please? Just leave the amount and total boxes blank - I'll sort those out  

[I KNOW IT]

I remember talking to Paul Maxfield about sponsorship deals, his opinion was , he didnt want it. for the following reasons :
He didnt like the idea that if he won ,he would have to give a % back.

He didnt fancy the thought of writing articles each  week, month.

This conversation was about 2 weeks prior to his WPT cash of $1.7 million, so it doesnt really matter now.
 Paul was in the position to fund himself before the WPT cash on the basis that he used to hand pick his events for the year
,unlike some who seem to try and play everywhere and in every event. These people could in no way take part unless they had a backer.

There maybe only a couple of events maximum that take part in Europe each year with a big enough 1st prize to able to fund these non-backed poker careers.

[The Baron]

I remember talking to Paul Maxfield about sponsorship deals, his opinion was , he didnt want it. for the following reasons :
He didnt like the idea that if he won ,he would have to give a % back.

He didnt fancy the thought of writing articles each  week, month.

This conversation was about 2 weeks prior to his WPT cash of $1.7 million, so it doesnt really matter now.
 Paul was in the position to fund himself before the WPT cash on the basis that he used to hand pick his events for the year
,unlike some who seem to try and play everywhere and in every event. These people could in no way take part unless they had a backer.

There maybe only a couple of events maximum that take part in Europe each year with a big enough 1st prize to able to fund these non-backed poker careers.

Paul is of the same opinion now too. He sees being sponsored as having a normal job with lots of work involved. However I'm sure he has put people into events before so maybe he sees backing as ok.

It was really refreshing to hear Paul's views on this as it was totally different from what I expected. It'd be nice to hear other pros (and players with larger bankrolls) views on sponsorship and backing.