Lost Episode 27: Event #55, $10K NL HE, Day 2B

Today saw the return of those who survived days 1C and 1D.  Its interesting dealing a tournament that is so big that you see completely different players from day to day.  Officially, its the second largest field for a poker tournament in history, only surpassed by last year's main event.

There are still lots and lots of dealers and up-downs are the norm once again.  I got a chance to talk with a dealer coordinator and it seems that I might have one or two more days left.  It is not clear when or how they will thin the field of dealers.  It seems almost as if they don't want to tell anyone to leave and are just sort of counting on natural attrition.  

There are many recognizable faces playing today, but I somehow manage to avoid being assigned to any of their tables.  I did have Michael Binger at one of my tables, he made the final table last year, and if he were to advance through this huge field for a back to back appearance, it might be considered one of the single most significant achievements in poker.  People still refer to Dan Harrington's back to back final tables in 2005 and 2006 as a preeminent feat.  Those were large fields as well, but half the size of last year's event.

I dealt to a very attractive female player with a lot of chips named Maria Ho.  I had never heard of her before, and at this point there were still quite a few women still in the field.  But as the ESPN television broadcasts would be viewed months later, I learned that she was the last lady standing with about three tables left, which should have earned her a very nice paycheck.

I had a lot of breaks on this day and only managed six main event tournament downs.  Add those to eight yesterday and the 37 from the four days labeled one, and my total grows to 51.  I didn't think I was going to be working much longer, and my feelings were re-enforced the next day when I showed up and did not have an initial assignment for day 3.  After the dealers who had tables, left the room, the dealer coordinator gave us all a little pep talk and said most of us would get some work today, but it might be awhile.  She gave out break table assignments for several dealers and then told the rest of us to come back at 2pm.  

Quite a few dealers went ahead and signed the early-out sheet and I overheard a couple of them trying to negotiate a deal.  "If I leave now today, can I be assured an assignment tomorrow?"  The answer was that no assurances would be made, but that they still needed lots of dealers and there were several more days of the main event remaining.  I decided that, as much as I would like to work, that it was unlikely I would get much and didn't really want to spend most of the day waiting around on uncertain, indeterminable break.  So I offered out, then took my vest to the uniform room.  I've got a chance to work a couple more big events since then, and its always sad when your services are no longer needed.  No one from Harrah's really layed me off, made mention of my termination, or even thanked me for my time.  I thought that was a little bit odd, but most of the experienced dealers seemed to accept it without comment.