The world series of poker main event was on its third starting day when I got to the Rio around noon.  I was specifically looking for Lubo “crazydonkinc” to visit for a few minutes about his first day of playing the main event and to take a few pictures of him at the table.  Seriously, if you meet him across the table, he doesn’t play like a crazy donk – beware!

I went on a picture taking run and managed a few of some of the pros – Dwan on his final attempt for a gold bracelet this year, Mike Sexton, John Esposito, Daniel Negreanu (with the ESPN cameras stuck in his face as he tried to play a hand), and others.  I tried to get a picture of all of the ladies in the event that day but I missed Annie Duke.  She was at a table behind me and I meant to go back but I kept moving forward – looking for Lubo until he sent me a text telling me where he was – and by the time I remembered I missed her, I was late for a lunch date with one of my boys out and away from the Rio.  I didn’t go in on day 1A or day 1B so I’m sure I missed quite a few ladies.  I will be going back tomorrow because Lubo plays day 2; I’ll be looking for more happy faces then.

When I crossed the expanse of molten blacktop to get into the Rio, Don Zewin was also heading in and not too far from me.  I’ve dealt to him off and on over the years and always found him to be cold and never dealer friendly, really not anyone friendly that I can tell.  I saw him at the table about an hour later and had my camera out for pictures, he put his hands up on each side of his head…I moved on.  Naw…I don’t think it’s just me he didn’t want to shoot him.

I managed another 200-300 pictures in the hour and 20 or so I was there, visited with Jennifer Newell for a few, and finally got a good picture of Pat Pezzin.  Believe me, I’ve tried before.  He’s cute.

I headed out into the heat and saw the massive crowd filling the walk from the drive-through/taxi area up to the convention center entrance, and heard the music pounding.  It was around 105 plus and hotter than hell in Vegas.  Before trying to make my way through the crowd, I veered to the right for this picture.

I walked down the right side of the crowd and saw the stage set up in the taxi drop off lane and two guys on stage doing somersaults and dancing.  Fun.  I ran a small .mpg clip of it and then moved through the crowd to head for my truck.  Now on the left hand side of the stage set up, it dawned on me it was Phil Hellmuth’s entrance for his WSOP Main Event day.  Yah…I’m a sheltered child that doesn’t pay attention to shit, I had no idea this was his BIG DAY until that moment. A little YouTube:

Note that I stopped filming just as he was coming on stage…sorry!  Bruce Buffer was the announcer and right at the end of the video you see Hellmuth getting ready for his big stage entrance.  I switched to digital stills.

I was heading out across the cruel black burner for the truck as Hellmuth and the crowd were heading into the Rio.  For a half a second I wished I was still inside so I could get a picture of him coming in…only for half a second.  I’m sure there are great photos and videos of the whole event out in cyber that are much better than mine, but the fun part is I took these.  Apparently Phil didn’t make it through day 1.  Umnhhhh.

Laters.