Lost Episode 2: Event #3, $1500 No-Limit Holdem

The initial dealer assignments at the WSOP are largely made from an alphabetical list of the available dealers for each shift. Since the first day started at the top with last names starting with 'A', all of the tables were assigned well before reaching 'P' on the list. I started on break, and it was sometime before I got into the rotation. Today, the dealer coordinator started the assignments about where she had finished on the previous day, so I got right in the mix. A setup down is required for all tables to kick off any event. Dealers queue up to receive the starting chips, deck setup, dealer button, seat cards, a down card and a pen and then proceed to their assigned table to divvy up the chips. After taking care of the initial housekeeping duties, you basically sit in the box for about 20 mins while players take their seats. It is important to verify their registration, answer questions about the tournament structure, breaks, etc and provide front line customer service. Some tournaments don't credit the dealers during this time to keep from watering down the overall down share from the tournament tip pool, but the WSOP chose to give credit for this time/effort in the box (after the first few days) just as if you had actually been dealing. Quite often, especially early on when there were some tournament registration issues that caused the first few events to start a bit late, the next dealer comes in and pushes you just before the actual tournament starts. You get a chance to build a little repartee with the players as they accumulate, but then you abandon them before revealing the initial fate of the first tournament level.

I carry on a bit about this because it is my contention that I received the worst initial setup down assignment of the entire event. Mind you that this event had a huge turnout, about 240 tables were in use and another 60 players or so were worked into the tournament as alternates. It was the first weekend (Saturday), the most economical buy-in ($1500) and the most popular format (No-Limit Texas Holdem). Of all these tables, I just happened to get assigned #55, which turned out to be quite interesting, but I would push to the next table before knowing so. After setting up the table and greeting a few of the early arrivals, we heard that the start would be pushed back in an attempt to get those standing in line registered and to their tables. My push came, and then as I pushed into the next table there was a bit of a clamor behind me. I stretched to get a look at what was going on, and to my demise I learned that the scrumptious young actress and emerging poker star Shannon Elizabeth had arrived and took her seat (1) just left of the new dealer.

Damn! Bad beat, Jim.

For the first few levels of the no-limit event, I noticed a coincidence that ended up continuing throughout my second day. I was slaughtering anyone with pocket kings. If they got all in pre-flop, someone else had a pair of aces. If they ran into big slick, an ace hit the flop. If they were dominating an underpair, the turn or river would bring trips to their opponent. It was odd, and I didn't make exact count in my notebook, but I think I had 7 or 8 instances where huge pots were determined by a crushing suckout. The worst were later in the afternoon after I got moved to the restart of event #1 (mixed limit holdem) where players were nearing the money and play was pretty tense. I got a chance to deal to a couple of my favorite players in this event. They both had huge chip stacks when I arrived. Unfortunately, their status on the leader board both took big hits that crippled their chances of running deep. The first one was Hoyt Corkins, the latter Cyndy Violette, a former dealer who was very kind, but firm, when I made a slight procedural error. I momentarily slipped into cash game mode and left some bets out in front of players while putting out the flop. It can be a bit of a time saver to clean up the table after players are examining the flop, but its also a little sloppy and during tournaments of this stature, should not happen.

I ended up getting seven tourney downs in event #3 and four more in the event #1 restart, eleven total for my second day, a pleasing number after the first day. I dealt to several other recognizable top tournament professional players (many of the young internet emerging stars), including: David Grey, John Esposito, Nick Schulman, Gavin Griffin, Jon Turner, Eric Froehlich, J.C. Alvardo, Eric Lynch and Jordan Morgan.