I'm Stepping Out...
My attempt to qualify for the WSOP ended the other night on step 4 of 6. It was a decent idea to give it a shot, and I only bought in once for $11+1. My game at the moment is in a SnG kind of mood, if you know what I mean.

Finding a Step 1-2 game on Party isn't particularly hard. There seems to be 5-6 running at any given moment. Step 3 was a little harder to find a game for, but nothing compared to step 4 (and up I presume). I'd go on but it's not as interesting as what I really want to get to.

I noticed one player, going by "Gamboholic_" that seemed to be playing a lot of the steps single tables. Which I thought was quite odd. Then I decided to look a little closer. I found this user playing simultaneously on a Steps 5 and 6, while waiting for a game to start on a Steps 3 and 4. That's some pretty intense Sit and Go action if you ask me.

A few people chatted during the games saying that it's a bot. I don't know if it's a bot or not. The user in question's play was solid, and I have a hard time believing a bot could play that well.

My Theory:
I think Party might be filling a few of the seats in the mid-upper steps with people playing, but not collecting. I guess you could say a prop, but one who's main purpose is to prevent as many people as possible from advancing in the Steps, thereby reducing the number of WSOP packages that they'll have to give away.

Do I have any proof. Nope, just an educated guess on my part.

Speaking of the WSOP package that is offered to the winner of a Step 6 table, this is what it says on Party's pages.

"There are 6 Steps to the top where a fabulous WSOP package worth $13,500 awaits the winner."

That's it, it doesn't say a word about a buyin to the main event, or any event for that matter. Seems kind of purposefully vague to me.
- posted by NumbBono @ 1:25 PM