Lost Episode 9: Event #19, $2500 NL Holdem

I woke up on this day with a scratchy throat and a bit of a head cold, a condition that would seem to occur nearly every day after having dealt in the players pavilion. If Harrah's experiences lost time to sick dealers, just imagine how many players they lose. I understand that a commitment has been made to obtain more space for the 2008 WSOP and not use the temporary structure.

I started the day in the $2500 No-Limit Holdem event. Players are allowed into the tournament area approximately 15 minutes before the event starts. Dealers should have their decks spread face up and hand out the chips to each player as they submit their buy-in receipts, checking that the table and seat number are correct. About 2 minutes before the event start, the tournament director starts giving out some instructions with regard to basic rules, and then gives a "shuffle up and deal" instruction to the dealers. Dealers aren't supposed to touch the cards until that moment, because any activity just distracts the players and draws attention from the tournament director's announcements. Part of the instruction often tells the dealers to place the remaining chip stacks at the empty seats and to deal to all ten seats. Often, the 10th seat is reserved by the registration system for late entrants, but you deal to that spot and muck the hand after the last card hits the button anyway. On this day, I happened to get the first hand out particularly swiftly and was just pulling in the cards from the ten seat when the player arrived. I immediately recognized him as Joe Tehan, a top professional player, nodded to him, and when he settled in apologized for having to kill his hand. He accused me of starting early and said that he just heard the "shuffle up and deal" and there was no way I could have gotten all the cards out that quickly, but it was mostly in jest. He continued to chide me a little for a couple of hands, but I could tell that he wasn't trying to be a jerk or anything, he was just trying to pester me a little and see how I reacted. I determined that it was all good natured and laughed it off.

I only dealt four tournament downs in this tournament, but it was pretty full of recognizable players. The most interesting character I dealt to was Sam Grizzle. Everytime I see this grumpy old codger, I think of the ESPN episode where he continues to needle Phil Helmuth and seems to successfully put him on tilt. I read stories later that there was actually a fight, but I think in the end, Helmuth has pretty much gotten the better of old Sam at the tables. I also dealt to Jared Hamby, Bill Gazes, Kido Pham and Max Pescatori before being redirected to the cash game area.

On one of the tables, I had to make my first floor call for a dealer error. I was on a table in the corner of the section with tons of spectators around, and the action at this table had gotten pretty tense. I am not quite sure why, but when the post-flop action was complete (I think there was a bet and a couple of callers), instead of burning and turning, I dropped my deck and reached to move the button (as if the hand was complete). Total mental breakdown, but the deck was in tact, and no action was lost. I was concerned that I couldn't pick it up, because it was resting on the edge of the much cards (but the cut card was on the bottom preserving the stub). So, I called the floor and talked through it, and of course was just told to pick it up and continue. I later wondered if perhaps the floor persons got a chuckle out of the new guy that called for help just to pick up the deck.

In the cash area, I got another down of $75/150 Limit Omaha 8, with a 1/3rd kill and then moved into the high stakes area for $25-50 Pot Limit Omaha 8, $10-25 No-Limit Holdem, $50-100 Pot Limit Holdem, and $100/200 Limit Holdem. They were all great games, but I came to learn not to expect much with regard to tips in these games. Every dollar is appreciated. Every dollar is appreciated. Every dollar is appreciated ....

Since I wasn't feeling too well, I went ahead and asked for early out (EO) and it was granted. I have the next two days off, and if I am feeling better, I planned to play a tournament at Binion's.