The Big Game with Andy Beal:

When I came in to work, Andy was playing Gabe Kaplan, heads up. I started on a break and it gave me the perfect opportunity to drift up through the area. Andy had his chips in a plastic, carry tray, and was standing up, talking to the ‘corporation’ on Table 1. He and Gabe had been playing on Table 7.

Gabe was still seated and had someone, male, sitting behind him. His chips were also racked up in carrying tray. They were waiting for Security to escort them to the cage.

As I approached, Andy turned around, saw me and gave me a big smile and ‘hello’. He started to shake my hand but instead gave me a hug. He was jubilant, having fun. He said he didn’t see me on his last trip and I replied that he was playing during the day, and I worked at night. He told me that he beat Johnny Chan on that trip. He double exclaimed, “I beat Johnny Chan! Three times! Can you believe it?”

He followed up with the fact that Johnny might not be the same caliber of player as Chip and Doyle.

Johnny walked up just as the last words came out of Andy’s mouth. Andy never even slowed down, went right into, “Hi, Johnny, How you doing?”

Johnny mumbled something like ‘hello’ and went on by.

Andy’s hair was short and newly trimmed, I complimented him on the hair cut and he said he did it himself with the vacuum…the gizmo that allows you to cut your own hair in an even manner. I laughed and exclaimed, “No way!”

I told him goodbye, had to cut and run for work. “Always nice to see you.”