Lost Episode 7: Event #15, $1500 No-Limit Holdem

It was another huge field Saturday no-limit holdem event, with all of the tables in the amazon room and outlying overflow areas initially being used for the tournament. There were another 40 or so alternates for this event and I recall how amazingly fast they were brought into the fold. In a field this large, someone seems to be all-in every moment of the early going, and dealer cries of "seat open" are heard almost immediately and continuously. By the way, we are trained to allow the player who busts out the dignity of gathering his emotions as well as his belongings and leave the vicinity of the table before calling out the empty seat - and never, never say "man down" or "dead man walking". There have been instances of players physically collapsing, and the tournament directors take umbrage to anything that sounds remotely like a false cry for help, especially if meant in jest. A network of floor supervisors snatch up the seat cards from the dealers who have openings and move them along to a table near the rear of the tournament area. That dealer is instructed to "shuffle once, cut, and high card the table", then the floor deals out random seat cards and the players at this table are all sent to empty seats at other tables. The dealer sets his deck and prepares for a full table of alternates, who are waiting anxiously in the wings. This method of starting ten alternates all at the same table is pretty cool. They get to start on equal footing, rather than joining a table with a mix of large and small stacks.

My assignment on this day was in the restart area just behind the main stage. Since there were two events from yesterday that would be continuing in this area, after all of the alternates were brought in, and some space was cleared for cash and satellite play, this area was one of the first in the table break order. I was only able to deal five tournament downs before they broke my table and redirected me to the cash game section. During those tournament downs, I had the pleasure of dealing to Thor Hansen, one of the most liked and respected poker professionals around. I also dealt to John Myung and Lee Watkinson. After an initial dead spread, I was soon dealing some of the biggest live games of my short career.

The first table was $75-150 limit Omaha 8. This is probably one of the most challenging games to deal. I enjoy playing Omaha, holding four hole cards is like playing six different holdem hand combinations and the chances to make or improve your hand result in lots of action. The problem for the dealer is that lots of players gamble it up and since it is a split high/low game, there can often be 3 or 4 players at showdown. Lots of cards exposed at the very end make reading hands a little harder, and the players already know what they have and want to move on to the next hand. Add to that the fact that you are continuously stacking chips during the hand to prepare for the split pot, which distracts you from analyzing what sort of holdings they might be betting with. To top it off, the $75 bet increments are surely the most cumbersome to handle mathematically, but at least this particular game wasn't pot-limit. Players at this level are very experienced, bet and call very fast and pretty much run the game, so you just try your best to get the cards out and keep up with them.

The next table was $10-25 no-limit holdem, and procedurally, dealing this game is a breeze in comparison. It is a much larger stake than I am used to dealing, though, and each decision can lead to thousands of dollars rather than the tens of dollars in the $1-2 games I deal back home. I did learn one thing on this day. I already knew that in red chip games (those whose smallest chip denomination is $5), the white chips are considered change used for tips, rake, etc. and do not play in all-in bets. Well, in this game the small blind is two red chips and the big blind is a green chip, so it would seem to be a mix, and there was some confusion/disagreement at the table whether the red chips play in all-in bets. The players involved in the hand were not concerned and just wanted to move along to the next hand, so I inquired with a floor person that I have a lot of respect for during a break. Technically, the big blind is a full bet and the small blind is a partial bet (usually half), so this is truly a green chip game. Odd red chips should not be considered in play for those all-in bets.

After a $50/100 limit holdem table and a short break, I pushed into the high limit tables, a small section of four tables that were separated into a special walled off area with dedicated floor supervision and extra space and brush/cocktail service. My first game was $100/200 limit badugi and deuce-to-seven triple draw (round of each), both lowball draw games with a distinctly different dealing procedure than I am accustomed to. Badugi is a four card game where the best hand is A,2,3,4 of four different suits. Both games are action-packed and attract the big gamblers, since you can not beat them sitting back and playing tight. I got one down each at the other three tables in this section, $10-25 no-limit holdem, $75-150 pot limit Omaha, and $100-200 limit holdem. Where else am I going to get a chance to deal black chip games?