Mike D. or ‘Israeli Mike’ as he’s known in the poker world, is a subject of more than one post in the Diary. When he first started playing at the Mirage, he appeared to be happy and friendly. Time passed and he became the Briar Patch in the rock pile. Not only did he play high limit but he could be the most antagonistic and hard to get along with player out of a group of players, that didn’t even like their moms, that ever sat at the table. His mood of the day always depended on winning/losing.

Over the years, I’ve called a floor supervisor many times because he chose to throw the cards into my shoulder when he lost a hand or he’d start gesturing at me and swearing and a few hundred other little moves that made me very aware that he was going to try and make me miserable. Lots of dealer put up with it, which of course, makes my job and everyone else following those dealers, have a miserable time with a tyrant that knows he’s got you trapped for half an hour. He’s claimed, many times while playing, “I’m an asshole!”

The update is that he’s not been playing much poker at Bellagio. He’s been in the Sports Book and I’ve passed him many times. Each time, I’ve greeted him with, “Hi Mike.”

He occasionally grunts back a ‘hello’ or mumbles something that would be classed as a greeting.
Why do I bother? Hey, kids, you just aren’t going to wear me down. I might take a recess in greeting you but I always come back around because I believe people should get along.

Last week Mike was playing $75-$150, 7 Card Stud but I didn’t deal to him. A few nights later he was in a $15-$30, 7 Card Stud game and I did deal to him. He started with backed up Kings, made trips on 5th street and got beat by a flush on the river. He did the ‘masturbating motion’ with his right hand at me and started speaking to the guy next to him in a foreign language. I ignored him as much as possible.

The following night I dealt to him again, same game and limit. He zinged the cards into the rack once but was fairly civil through my down.

The next night, I walked through the Sports Book and he was sitting alone at the end of an aisle. I walked up with, “Hi Mike. Can I talk to you?”

He couldn’t escape as I stood right in front of his chair. He looked down and wouldn’t give me eye contact as he asked, “What do you need?”

I said, “When I deal to you, it always turns out bad.”

He said, “Tell me about it.”

I wasn’t conceding anything with win or lose, I just meant the whole situation was always unpleasant, for both of us.

I said, “I don’t know why. It really never changes.”

Still looking at the floor, he said, “I give up on poker. I don’t care about it anymore. I’ve been sick for 8 months and I only have 60% chances.”

I reached over and rubbed his shoulder for a few seconds and said, “I’m really sorry you’ve been sick.”

I walked away. He never looked at me once during the conversation. Am I sorry he’s been sick? Yes. I think health is the most important part of our lives, if you aren’t well, it’s difficult to clear your mind to anything else.

Is he a bad guy? I don’t know what he’s like away from the casino but I judge people’s actions towards me as a guideline for how I feel about what goes on in their ability to deal with other people and situations. When I see you across the table, and all you ever give me is the shitty side of your attitude just because I deal poker, how could I possibly think you were a great, wonderful, humanitarian type of human being? Maybe you don’t give a damn how the poker room staff views you…if so, carry on. You’re the one that’s trapped in there.