Justin Hammer Explains Why He Called Out the WSOP Main Event Champion for Stalling

Justin Hammer on Calling Out the WSOP Main Event Champion

Poker player Justin Hammer has spoken publicly about his decision to call out the reigning WSOP Main Event champion over what he described as stalling during play. The dispute centers on one of the most persistent and contentious issues in tournament poker: the deliberate slowing of play, often referred to as stalling, tanking, or slow-rolling the clock.

Hammer's decision to raise the issue publicly, rather than keep it at the table, has renewed a broader conversation about etiquette, enforcement, and the incentives that drive players to burn time.

What Stalling Means in Tournament Poker

Stalling generally refers to a player intentionally taking far longer than necessary to act, usually to influence the outcome of a tournament without playing a hand.

Typical situations where stalling becomes relevant include:

• Approaching a pay jump, where surviving a few more eliminations increases a player's payout
• Approaching a break or the end of a level, where running down the clock changes the blinds a player will face
• Bubble play, where folding through the field can be more valuable than playing marginal hands
• Satellite and qualifier formats, where the goal is to survive rather than accumulate chips

In these spots, the clock itself becomes a strategic resource. A player who takes maximum time on every decision can effectively freeze the action, forcing opponents to wait and reducing the number of hands played.

Why the Issue Is Controversial

Stalling sits in an uncomfortable gray zone. On one hand, players are generally entitled to use the time they are given, and thinking through a difficult decision is a legitimate part of the game. On the other hand, deliberately running down the clock with no intention of acting in good faith is widely seen as unsporting.

Tournament rules typically give floor staff and dealers discretion to address excessive slow play. Common measures include:

• Verbal warnings from the dealer or floor
• Clock calls, where a player is given a fixed amount of time to act
• Penalties for repeated or egregious delays

Enforcement, however, is often inconsistent. What one floor considers acceptable, another may not, and players frequently disagree about where the line between careful thinking and deliberate stalling actually sits.

The Public Accusation

By calling out the WSOP Main Event champion directly, Hammer moved the debate from the table to the wider poker community. Public accusations of this kind are unusual, particularly when aimed at a player holding the most visible title in the game.

The Main Event champion occupies a unique position in poker. Winning the event brings a level of scrutiny and visibility that few other results can match, and the title carries an informal expectation of sportsmanship. That makes any allegation of stalling against the champion especially sensitive.

Hammer's stated reasoning, as he has presented it, is that the behavior warranted public attention rather than a quiet word. Whether that approach is justified is a matter of opinion, and the poker community has historically been divided on how such disputes should be handled.

The Broader Debate Over Slow Play

The exchange reflects a long-running tension in tournament poker between individual rights and collective pace of play.

Arguments in favor of strict enforcement include:

• Slow play reduces the number of hands dealt, which can hurt the experience for everyone at the table
• Deliberate stalling can distort the competitive integrity of a tournament
• Clear rules and consistent penalties protect players who want to play at a normal pace

Arguments for leniency include:

• Players pay to enter and are entitled to use their allotted time
• Judging intent is difficult, and accusations can be unfair
• Aggressive clock enforcement can rush genuinely difficult decisions

Most major tournament series, including the WSOP, use a combination of dealer discretion, clock calls, and penalties to manage the issue. The effectiveness of these tools depends heavily on how consistently they are applied.

What This Means for Players

The practical takeaway for tournament players is straightforward. Understanding the clock rules in any event you enter matters, and so does understanding the culture of the room.

A few general points are worth keeping in mind:

• Know the clock-call procedure before you need it
• Use your time deliberately, but be aware of how your pace is perceived
• If you believe an opponent is stalling, the standard route is to involve the dealer or floor rather than escalate personally
• Public accusations carry reputational risk for everyone involved, regardless of who is right

For now, Hammer's comments have added another chapter to an ongoing discussion that tournament poker has never fully resolved. The debate over stalling is unlikely to end soon, because the incentives that create it are built into tournament structures themselves.