5 Poker Pros Who Missed WSOP 2021 Due to COVID-19

08:51
05 Nov

As live poker continues to poke its blurry-eyed head out of isolation – we see a return to the World Series of Poker. Here are 5 poker pros who missed WSOP 2021 live (with focus on the Main Event), due to COVID-19 and why.

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Chris Moneymaker

In August, Chris Moneymaker tweeted that he’d not be returning to WSOP this year due to health concerns with his 9 year old son. He later mentioned other people he knew of that had died or struggled with COVID. However, once WSOP announced that vaccine passports would be necessary for entry – Moneymaker hinted that this may sway him. With the Main Event underway though, there’s no sign of a return yet.

REALLY hate it but canceled my trip to El Paso and Vegas for the @WSOP. My 9 year old cant be vaccinated and I do not want to bring the virus home to him. @ACR_POKER#nextyearihope

— Chris Moneymaker ⭕ (@CMONEYMAKER) August 6, 2021

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Vanessa Kade

After winning the PokerStars 15th Anniversary Sunday Million, Canadian Vanessa Kade looked fit to take the WSOP by storm. Kade has already cashed in numerous WSOP 2021 events (live and online). However, despite taking all necessary precautions – being vaccinated, and wearing a mask when required – Vanessa tested positive for COVID after feeling unwell, urging all players that she’d come in to contact with to get tested. Vanessa was hoping to recover and get the all-clear before the Main Event, but there is no sign of this so far…

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Alexandru “Papa” Papazian

No 1. On the Romanian all time money list, Alexandru Papazian won a bracelet in the 2017 WSOP online $888 Crazy Eights. Back in August this year when WSOP announced the vaccination passport, Papazian had a very different reaction to Moneymaker and called for players to boycott WSOP live.

At a time when division runs high, poker should be inclusive for everyone. We do not bring religion, politics or medical choices to the table. This stance is unscientific, illogical and dangerous. The only logical reaction to this is to boycott @WSOP this summer. https://t.co/IMohODBv6A

— Alexandru Papazian (@betweenjobs21) August 27, 2021

Some argued that this tweet did bring politics to the table where it didn’t belong. Others defended his stance as the passport reducing accessibility to the game. Either way, the charged reactions didn’t put Papazian off his game– he went on to win the WSOP online Crazy Eights again (along with another bracelet) a week later.

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Alex Foxen

Alex Foxen has been a strong feature on both the live and online circuits with total earnings of almost $20million, and has won two consecutive GPI player of the year awards. Where Alexandru Papazian somewhat reasonably argued that vaccination passports eroded the accessible nature of live poker – Foxen took a bit more of an extreme view and "accused the WSOP of ‘becoming an arm of pharmaceutical influence’".

It’s really unfortunate to see the @WSOP become the next arm of pharmaceutical influence. Even sadder to see otherwise rational people cheer for the medical apartheid. Why ignore natural immunity? Why ignore that the vaccines don’t confer immunity, or prevent you from spreading?

— Alex Foxen (@WAFoxen) August 27, 2021

Although unlike Papazian, Foxen hasn’t won any WSOP online titles this year –he has certainly made some significant cashes. 

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Kristen Bicknell

Another topflight female Canadian player – Kristen Bicknell holds three WSOP bracelets and total earnings of around $5.5million. An open anti-vaxxer and partner of Alex Foxen, Kristen’s language around WSOP’s vaccination passports was arguably more extreme than her partners, declaring that the attempt by WSOP to keep everyone as safe as possible was an ‘utterly illogical tyranny’.

I am boycotting this utterly illogical tyranny.

I'm tired of playing along with rules and mandates that don't make sense. https://t.co/a4qyRzqEHH

— Kristen Bicknell (@krissyb24poker) August 27, 2021

So, does that mean Kristen won’t be attending the WSOP live Main Event? I’m not sure her position on this is particularly clear…