Dave's WSOP May 21 (partial)
May 21
After going to be at 7:30AM I wake up, feeling good at 8:15AM! This is a critical issue. Sleeping in LV is HARD. I will make sure that I am well rested for Sunday. I will.
I do manage to sleep until 11 AM and I wander over to Binion’s. If you have a seat already when you win a satellite they give you tournament chips. You must then find someone to buy them from you.
Binion’s is HOPPING. At 11 AM there is a lineup of 100 people to register. That is 100 folks who just want to get their WSOP Number which you must have to play in a super-satellite or an event. There is another 100 people lined up to buy into the 10 AM super-satellite. Yes… that’s correct, 100 people are lined up hoping to get into a super satellite which has already been running for an hour!
I wander over the registration desk hoping to find someone to give me $10K. Want to know how crazy poker is? Want to know how berserk the world has gone? OK. I will tell you.
Just as I get to the registration desk there is a man who has just bought in. Drat, missed my chance. No wait… standing beside him is he 22 year old son with $10K in his hand. Dad is a little drunk. Son is looking confused and is completely silent. I say “would you buy the chips from me instead of the bank?†We agree to a price of $9500 and the deal is done. The two of them (as well as two friends of the son who are hangers on) and I go back to the registration table and I wait while they register. I do this so that they are happy that there is no “funny business†going on. Great. Dad and son are both registered. Son plays the $10K event on Saturday. Dad plays Sunday. Now, dad comes back to me and says – a direct quote: “OK, you must be a pretty good player to have won last night. WE DON’T PLAY POKER WHAT SHOULD WE DO? I mean, teach us the secret.â€
Oh… my… God…
They did not, for instance, know that the blinds increase at a times interval. I managed to not burst out laughing (or crying). We have a brief conversation. Everybody wishing everbody good luck and we part ways. I was just stunned.
I go from there for lunch. The fever is on us! The pain is on us baby! I have $14K cash in my pocket in a big dog-choking wad. They are talking about 2400 players! The town has gone crazy. First place will be $5 million. Then, it’s 4, 3, 2 and 1 million for 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th. Miss the final table? No problem. 10-12th spots pay $250,000 each!
Ralph sits quietly through lunch as my business partner and I chat with Buzz Daly who writes for us and who runs a sports magazine here in Vegas. Ralph is completely silent for almost the whole hour. We have finished up. I paid for everybody. Now follows another exact transcription of conversation:
Dave: “I am going for a nap. Ralph, what are you going to do now?â€
Ralph: (long pause) “Lend me $8,000. I am going to play?â€
Dave: “Pardon.â€
Ralph: “Give me eight large I am going to play.â€
I then pull the dog-choking wad of money out of my pocket, peel off $8K and give it to Ralph. Buzz Daly and my partner Randy are … well … amazed.
Buzz: “Why do I have a feeling the Canada U.S. trade this year is going to be a deficit for our side?â€
Dave: “It is hard to imagine NOT going home as a millionaire.â€
Buzz: “Vegas does that to people.â€
So… Ralph is in. That means I have 50% of myself out. 35% to my investing friends and family and 15% action trade with Ralph. The dedication to my book mentions Ralph and that “I have no bigger dream than busting him in 2nd place at the WSOP Championship.†It is now a possibility. THAT would be a goods story.
After nap… time to meet Penn and Teller and play in the media tournament. My hope is to bust the quiet one and see if he will say anything.
After going to be at 7:30AM I wake up, feeling good at 8:15AM! This is a critical issue. Sleeping in LV is HARD. I will make sure that I am well rested for Sunday. I will.
I do manage to sleep until 11 AM and I wander over to Binion’s. If you have a seat already when you win a satellite they give you tournament chips. You must then find someone to buy them from you.
Binion’s is HOPPING. At 11 AM there is a lineup of 100 people to register. That is 100 folks who just want to get their WSOP Number which you must have to play in a super-satellite or an event. There is another 100 people lined up to buy into the 10 AM super-satellite. Yes… that’s correct, 100 people are lined up hoping to get into a super satellite which has already been running for an hour!
I wander over the registration desk hoping to find someone to give me $10K. Want to know how crazy poker is? Want to know how berserk the world has gone? OK. I will tell you.
Just as I get to the registration desk there is a man who has just bought in. Drat, missed my chance. No wait… standing beside him is he 22 year old son with $10K in his hand. Dad is a little drunk. Son is looking confused and is completely silent. I say “would you buy the chips from me instead of the bank?†We agree to a price of $9500 and the deal is done. The two of them (as well as two friends of the son who are hangers on) and I go back to the registration table and I wait while they register. I do this so that they are happy that there is no “funny business†going on. Great. Dad and son are both registered. Son plays the $10K event on Saturday. Dad plays Sunday. Now, dad comes back to me and says – a direct quote: “OK, you must be a pretty good player to have won last night. WE DON’T PLAY POKER WHAT SHOULD WE DO? I mean, teach us the secret.â€
Oh… my… God…
They did not, for instance, know that the blinds increase at a times interval. I managed to not burst out laughing (or crying). We have a brief conversation. Everybody wishing everbody good luck and we part ways. I was just stunned.
I go from there for lunch. The fever is on us! The pain is on us baby! I have $14K cash in my pocket in a big dog-choking wad. They are talking about 2400 players! The town has gone crazy. First place will be $5 million. Then, it’s 4, 3, 2 and 1 million for 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th. Miss the final table? No problem. 10-12th spots pay $250,000 each!
Ralph sits quietly through lunch as my business partner and I chat with Buzz Daly who writes for us and who runs a sports magazine here in Vegas. Ralph is completely silent for almost the whole hour. We have finished up. I paid for everybody. Now follows another exact transcription of conversation:
Dave: “I am going for a nap. Ralph, what are you going to do now?â€
Ralph: (long pause) “Lend me $8,000. I am going to play?â€
Dave: “Pardon.â€
Ralph: “Give me eight large I am going to play.â€
I then pull the dog-choking wad of money out of my pocket, peel off $8K and give it to Ralph. Buzz Daly and my partner Randy are … well … amazed.
Buzz: “Why do I have a feeling the Canada U.S. trade this year is going to be a deficit for our side?â€
Dave: “It is hard to imagine NOT going home as a millionaire.â€
Buzz: “Vegas does that to people.â€
So… Ralph is in. That means I have 50% of myself out. 35% to my investing friends and family and 15% action trade with Ralph. The dedication to my book mentions Ralph and that “I have no bigger dream than busting him in 2nd place at the WSOP Championship.†It is now a possibility. THAT would be a goods story.
After nap… time to meet Penn and Teller and play in the media tournament. My hope is to bust the quiet one and see if he will say anything.
Comments
Suppertime in Vegas. I CANOT get in a poker game. ANYWHERE in Las Vegas. Every list in town is 60 to 80 players deep. I give up. It's time for martinis, steak, and a good night's sleep.
I *knew* it!
You're such a cheeky little monkey.
Have you tried Reno?
Just kidding.
All the best on Sunday... and beyond!
ScottyZ
Try selling those tournament lammers you just bought to someone else?
ScottyZ
I should have friends like you.
Soooo, it's basically the same as the top five spots at the last Regina tournament? Oh wait...
1 million for 5th place. Jesus.
I like the story about the media tournament in Positively Fifth Street. It's about a reporter who has no clue how to play texas hold'em:
"Informed at some length, with the help of a printed chart, that a straight flush and four-of-a-kind both beat a full house, a reporter from Seoul declares, "No, dealer, no!" Protecting her chips with her left hand and forearm, she turns over K-K, which combines with the board to make kings full of sixes, a true Genghis Khan of a hand. "Must fold!" the reporter insists, ruefully shaking her head and releasing demure little giggles. Such a forlorn medley of cards have I welcomed! Sixes and treys take the pot."
I hope you end up with players like this one not only at the press tournament, but at the main event as well. From the sounds of it, it's not as unlikely as I thought!
Really enjoying these reports.
Regards,
all_aces
When I read that quote my hands immediately came up to cover my mouth in horror , and the words came out "OH MY GOD"
Next line in your review " OH MY GOD".
Can You request table changes at the World Series, lol.
Congrads on your awesome start as well, good luck.
It's funny--and sad--that something that means so much to any of us can mean so little to a rich guy who wants to have a good time with his kid.
Let's just hope he is rich. I'd hate to think it's a second mortgage, or the kids college fund. lol Probably wouldn't be a first in Vegas.
WHOA
I am stoked and jealous at the same time...