I am sometimes amazed at how much people know about house rules…just kidding. Because if the truth is known, the rules they are talking about must be the rules used in their own home game. The worst part of the scenario is that they want to argue about it even when they are wrong…that would include arguing with the supervisor and we all know the bottom line is the house decision is final. So when in Rome do as the Romans do.

I jumped into a $20-$40, 7 card stud game and the 1s had a roll of quarters in front of him. He went all-in about halfway through my down. I didn’t even ask him to put the roll of quarters into play. He won the hand and after I pushed the pot, Joe – 6s, decided to bring up the fact that the roll of quarters played in the hand.

I said they didn’t. He said they did and did a little dissertation on how it didn’t matter to him one way or the other but…he didn’t drop it either.

I said, “Well let me get a decision on it.”

He told me to get the decision another time and finished with “…you are wrong, Linda.” He flipped that out at me like he’d really given me the grand touche.

I said, “Ok, I can handle being wrong, I’d just like to get a decision for my own edification.”

Nate, Swing Supervisor, came by the table and I asked him about the roll of quarters. Nate said, “No, they don’t play.”

Joe corrected Nate. “Yes they do play, Nate…” and started to go into a dialogue dance when Nate cut him off.

“No they do not. That’s final!” and Nate walked away.

Joe explained to the table that Nate didn’t like him, that’s why the decision went that way.

When I clocked out, Jimmy, Grave Supervisor, was on shift and I only had to bring up the subject of Joe and the stud game. Jimmy looked at me, ” I told him no. Did you tell him no?”

Nuff said there. But I did carry it one step further. Out of curiosity, when I came in to work the following night, I asked Kamell the same question and received the same answer I got from Nate and Jimmy. So I guess if Joe knows the house rules he must remember them from his own game and remember if you ever play there that all change plays if you go all-in.

*****
On the night of the 9th, I attended the Poker Fantasy Camp Banquet. I arrived early at the Palms, and never having been there before, decided to take a tour of the casino. I’ve been in Las Vegas too long. All the casinos look the same to me, flashing lights, noisy machines, and the hustle and bustle of mankind running in every direction. As I cruised the perimeter of the casino, I found a final Camp tournament being played down in one of the ballrooms.

One of the contestants at the table was our own Tony H., (a regular at Bellagio) the subject of other posts here. He took second place in this tournament and managed to handle himself extremely well, mainly his temper. His temper is the subject of the other posts. Yes, he knows about the posts, I told him.

First place in this tournament was a $10,000 seat into the World Series of poker. Second place was $5,000 in cash…not a bad showing for a kid that plays at Bellagio.

There were numerous tournaments that took place and some single table tournaments. I wish I had more information on the basic format but unfortunately, working at night while the rest of the world happens during daylight hours, I tend to miss a lot of things because I love my sleep.

The Camp Participants had a question-and-answer period with Howard Lederer, Chris Ferguson, and Phil Gordon. They also played poker with these poker greats.

The morning after the banquet, a Celebrity Poker Tournament was to take place, a guest appearance by…some said it would be Gus Hanson…would take place and before the tournament was played, all the pros would again visit with the Participants.

Well hell, there I was sleeping again so I missed that too. That damn time clock is always in the way.

*****<