What I do have, however, is way more live game downs than most other dealers. I certainly haven't made the most money in tips among the 120 dealers, but I bet I am in the top 20.
The poker room had been cordoned off with a floor-to-ceiling divider to separate the main event from the live games and the second-chance tournament. When I got there, the main event was down to 67 players, with Kathy Liebert, TJ Cloutier, and Chad Brown being the only well-known pros still in contention.
By the end of the night, that number was paired down to the final 27, with Cloutier and Brown still alive. Also still playing are many of the guys who have been playing all week in the qualifiers.
Having dealt games in both the main event and the qualifiers, I have noticed an advantage that the qualifying players have over the pros who simply pay the $10,000 to play in the one event.
The qualifying players are all used to each other.
Several times, I saw a pro give up chips to a qualifier in situations where I, as well as the other qualifiers, knew the pro should have folded based on the betting patterns we have seen for two weeks here in Biloxi.
Although the pros do not want to wear themselves out playing these all-night qualifiers, they might have gained some useful knowledge and stayed in the main event longer. Just my humble opinion.
Side Pots:
- Malady of the day: My back still aches but not as bad. I have learned how to sit to relieve some of the tension. My pinkies have developed what I can only describe as "dealer callouses". Nice.
The new problem is that my fingernails hurt on my right hand. The reason is that I cannot keep particles of green felt from getting underneath the nails every night. My left hand holds the deck and stays off the table. But my right hand sweeps chips, pushes chips, sweeps cards, counts pots, etc. and picks up the felt under the nails as a lovely bonus.
- Funniest Line of the Day: "Man, this table's looser than two out of my last three girlfriends!"
- Wildest table of the day: I dealt to a $5-$10 no-limit cash table with Chris Moneymaker, Gavin Smith, and everyone's favorite intoxicated businessman, Wade from Montgomery. Gavin was well-oiled and in rare form, keeping the table in stitches. At one point, Wade challenged the table to a quarter-tossing contest and won six straight $100 challenges.
Gavin Smith
- Best Story From the World Series of Poker: About halfway through the WSOP, several attractive women started coming to the casino to cash-in chips. Unfortunately, these were chips from the tournament that had no monetary value. In fact, it says right on the chip "No Monetary Value". Evidently, players had been taking chips with them from the tournament (which is not allowed) and using them to tip strippers.
- I have to cut the blog short today because instead of going in at 6:30 pm, I go in at 11:30 am to deal the $200 ladies-only event. To get warmed up for it, several of the ladies signed up for last night's second-chance tournament and it was a blast. The ladies are way more talkative and fun than the brooding, silent men players.
