#456 - WSOP Notebook #29 - Amazon Forty-Seven/Seat Two Clues

I’m sitting on the balcony of the compound, smoking a Havana Bolivar Belicoso and making these entries by stepping inside when the mood strikes. This will be my last entry before playing in the Main Event tomorrow, Thursday, July 3, Day 1-A.

1. I’m seated at Amazon Blue Table #47, Seat 2. Definitely stop by and say hello. Or, if you’re not in Las Vegas, root along silently but strongly.

2. I just removed the Evil-Eye Curse that has been hounding me this Series. I was schooled in someone expert in the ways of the Old World, and carefully performed the ceremony in the kitchen of the Compound.

3. I’ve written, prior to this entry, over 16,000 words this WSOP, and I probably owe you about 3,000-5,000 more from entries I’ve started but not yet posted. We’ll get there, somehow.

4. I went to the big World Series party last night, thrown by Howard and Suzie Lederer and Steve Zolotow. It was a little overwhelming. Phil Ivey and his charity poker tournament were now part of the shindig so it moved to the gigantic, lavish, three-tiered swimming pool at the Golden Nugget. For me, it was too big and too loud. Mind you, if it had remained the intimate gathering of friends it started as six years ago, maybe I wouldn’t have been invited. And, I noted as I sucked down filet mignon from the buffet, they spent a fortune making this a special night for hundreds of people in the poker community. Finally, they were now raising a pile of money for charity as well.

But even though I said hello to many good friends, it was too big and too loud for me. I took off early (though not after enjoying an incredible cigar hand-rolled on the spot by a master cigar roller).

My favorite moments from the party were at the parking valet. I spent a few moments with Phil and Barbara Gordon, positively beaming with their infant son Alexander cradled in Barbara’s arms, tiny Full Tilt cap perched on his head. After they got in their car - Phil didn’t even stay around for the karaoke, which should tell you how much fatherhood has changed him - Melissa Hayden said, “Did you notice how Barbara never let that baby out of her arms the entire party? Her whole world is wrapped up in Alexander now.”

As we all pondered this, I decided the situation called out for some Michael Craig-style perspective. “Yeah,” I said, “She’s so selfish. Like she thinks she’s the first woman to ever have a baby. I mean, I just missed finishing in the money in the $1,500 HORSE and you know what Barbara said to me about it? Not a thing. Like she didn’t even know John Juanda stayed in with deuces against my kings and hit a two-outer. Some people.”

While we were still waiting for our cars, Allen Cunningham asked me where I got my goofy shoes. I was stunned. I completely blew it, not realizing for a ridiculously long time that we were wearing identical Keen sandals.

We ended the conversation by talking about strategy behind picking a starting day for the Main Event. Jason Newitt and Beth Fischman mentioned that Saturday, 1-C, could be the best day because of all the people hung over from Fourth of July celebrations. Melissa said Sunday, 1-D, might contain few online tournament hotshots because it’s such a big online tournament day that they might plan their Main Event start away from it. Allen said it didn’t matter, because no matter when you started you’d face a table of nine players you never met before.

I said, “I’m playing on Thursday because I heard Wayne Newton is going to sing.”

So there.