It seems a lifetime ago that I started the 2004 Aruba report. And it was a hell-uv-a long time ago. Time to finish before I begin dealing the 2005 event…and yes, I am.

The final event was filmed at the Azzuro Restaurant on October 1st.

On October 2nd, the Gold Bracelet Final Table Tournaments were on. Suzie rented a catamaran for the day of the Gold Bracelet Events and planned to take all available dealers our for a day of fun and surf. Since this kid has a motion sickness thing going on and too much sun makes me feel like I died and literally went to hell, I opted to pass and deal the events.

There were six events in all and out of all of the players in the Bracelet Events, I particularly remember Rick Sherrill. He was grumping a tad about some of the dealers and seemed genuinely happy to see me plant my butt in the box. He won the PLO 8 Tournament and wanted me to find the Gold Bracelet he would receive at the Awards Banquet and take his picture with the bracelet and chips at the table. I did…not with my camera but with his. I teased him when I handed him the bracelet and told him not to try to sneak it into his pocket because I had to turn it back into security within a few minutes. At first I didn’t think he was going to ‘get it’. He did though and shared the laugh.

Once the Gold Bracelet events were over with, dealing was a thing of the past…vacation time! We attended the Awards Banquet at the Radisson Pool Area that night. It was quite festive, native feathered costumes adorned the area and a group of dancers that performed for us, moving through the crowds. Food was everywhere, ice sculptures adorned some of the tables, music, people filtering around the pool area, music, and announcements and awards by Ultimate Bet filled quite a few hours of the night.

The one and only HUGE downside to the whole trip and all of the events and time spent outdoors, MOSQUITOES! Everywhere, swimming, eating, walking, they were out for the flesh buffet. The hurricane that had passed by the island just before we arrived had something to do with their overpopulation of the island…lots of water everywhere.

Each of us dealers had our own room, I believe it was because rooms were overbooked in anticipation of more online qualifiers, but whatever the reason…SWEET! Grace and me had elected to stay a few extra days after the tournament and we knew we would be paying for our own rooms so we opted to share. Paula, another tournament dealer, was staying longer but had no one to share a room with so we sent for a rollaway bed and the three of us split the cost.

The tokes were being distributed at Suzie and Howard’s room… at the Radisson. Party time. All kinds of alcohol, noise, festive mood, and money being handed out. I asked Suzie if I could have mine next because I had the least amount of downs of any dealer. *laughs* I think I might have tied with one other dealer or had one more than them. Suzie obliged.

The following day I rented a 4x jeep. Grace and me set off to tour the island on our own for a day. Some of the roads were closed due to excessive flooding and water during the hurricane. Even though we had an island map, it was still hard to figure what went where. We drove around the island as much as we could and still remember where we were and how to get back to our hotel…lots of roads were closed and detours were ever present due to the excessive rains washing out areas and roads. We did hit the State Park and found all kinds of cactus, and Divi-divi trees across the terrain and zillion roaming goats that apparently belonged to someone but it was like free range. This is one of my all-out-alltime favorite pictures taken in Aruba in the State Park:

While on this trip through the Park, we found the ‘other side of the island’, surf exploding onto rock cliffs, and one of the Aruba caves that is protected by the Parks Department. Amazingly, the Parks Department has two guides, waiting to give you a brief tour of the cave and explain the history of the cave and the writing on the ceiling…rusted gates are pulled together and locked at night when the guides go home. Intermingled with present day mankind attempting to deface the writing on the ceiling, I found this…dated 1849:

And older than old, I don’t even/can’t even remember how many thousands of years ago the guide said this one was:

We ended the Jeep Day by cruising around by Baby Beach, through the downtown traffic and back to The Wyndham.

The next day we went to town. Big argument over taking a taxi or a bus. Jesus! Too many things on this trip felt like rough burlap on my skin. Give me the taxi, give me peace, and let’s just cruise. We did the taxi thang. Downtown Aruba is a kick. A big European looking building on the left (the mall), brightly colored and filled with shops, and on the right, the flea market with the ocean behind it. We shopped. And shopped. And shopped. I spent more than I wanted to but less than I would have if I’d found more stuff to bring home to my family and a few friends. That shopping stuff is exhausting. One of my favorite shops in the mall is Vibes. They get quite a few of my $$$$ when I’m there. And the best part of it is that they always deliver the goods to my hotel and I don’t have to drag it around with me while I do more shopping.

We dined on a wharf out over the water that night. Paula and I wanted lobster. We got it. Grace did a hamburger thing. The menu didn’t include a hamburger at night but since Paula and me were doing lobster, they gave in to the hamburger. The lobster and the cook and our waitress were all up in the top of the list category for a good time. When questioned about the bill…not by me…our waitress explained that the amount automatically added on the bill for ‘gratuity’ automatically goes to the establishment to be split between all of the employees. I may have over tipped her for that reason. Or maybe it was because she was damn cheerful and cute. Or maybe it was because I was in Aruba feeding on fresh lobster. Or maybe it was because I was drinking. The only downside? Those damn MOSQUITOES!

We booked a bus tour of the island and did the ‘tourist thang’. the following day It was fun, except for a few spots that were conflicting and irritating but I don’t want to go into those…negative doesn’t make for good feelings so I try to let it disappear like smoke in the wind. The main part of the bus tour I didn’t like was the final stop at Baby Beach. The stop was for almost two hours and it was hot…hot…hot…no shade, nowhere to go, and I ain’t into the heat, sand, water, and sun blasting through your skull to burn your brain out. Paula and I opted to stay on the bus during this time period. The bus driver wasn’t happy with us because he had to leave the bus running and he originally wanted to lock the doors of the bus during that two hour time period. Oh well….even bus drivers get bad beats. Paula and me had the Driver drop us downtown so we could hit the Flea Market one more time before the up and coming departure the following day. We tipped him…he must’ve smiled then, even though he wasn’t happy with us a few hours before.

One of the myths I’ve heard for years, about Aruba, was dispelled on this trip by the bus driver and a guide in the caves. Years before, they did shoot diseased cats and dogs and throw the garbage – and the dead animals – off the ‘other’ side of the island to supposedly keep the sharks feeding there but it has not happened in years. There is no ‘chumming’ area for sharks. The water is so warm that most sharks don’t even swim into the island area to see if there’s a tasty human flailing about in the water…they stay out in the channel as they swim by. Good!

The flight home was misery…they usually are for me. I hate being confined to a seat on an airplane for hours…and don’t think the plane change was easy, it wasn’t. We made the gate for the transfer and it had been changed to another gate. Did I ever tell myself or anyone else how much I HATE airports. It’s always so nice to be home. But before I know it…time to hop another flight and head for Aruba for the Ultimate Bet 2005 event.

Day 1 of the Championship Event was broken into three flights, played on three consecutive days of play. Each flight ended at 10:00 p.m. or whenever the flight dropped to X amount of players…someone said 70 but I’m not sure of the amount…remember I’m the kid that took every E/O possible.

Championship Event, Day 2, took place on the 29th. I heard it started with approximately 200 players and when I came in to deal at 7 p.m.ish, it was already down to two/three tables, and broke down fairly fast to nine players. Jim, David’s friend, from the post on the 29th was one of the last nine. I went in for a moment and visited with him, wishing him luck. He ended up in that spot…but hey, what a payday and what fun! I honestly don’t think anyone that came to play could be too unhappy with that finish…unless of course they are a ‘top pro’. Yes, first place is always what we strive for but it never hurts to be happy with where you are and what you’ve accomplished.

That room was filled with spectators, cameras, noise, and lots of confusion. I started in the Buy-in Tournament room. Begin stress and frustration overload. This is the night that I had a super problem with FCF.

About half way through one of my downs, the 7S raised to $400. The 8 folded. The 9s made it $700 all-in. It was clearly announced by the 9s and by me, “All-in for $700!”

As everyone was folding around to the 7s, he threw out $100 more. The chip clearly left his hand and landed with his previous raise…but then just before the last player folded to him, he grabbed it back. I told him that I was sure the $100 had to stay but as he whenged and cringed, stating that he thought it was only $100 more, I told him I would call for a decision. I did. I got FCF.

The play and action was explained like this, “The 7s raised it to $400. The 9s raised to $700 all-in. The 7s threw in $100 more and then took it back just before the action got to him.”

FCF looked slightly confused and said, “It’s not more than half the bet…”

I truly thought FCF misunderstood the situation and I said, “This isn’t about a half a bet rule. The 9s is all-in and it’s heads-up.”

The 4, 5, and 6s were starting to twitch a little bit because they knew the rule and they weren’t going to let the 7s get away with retrieving his $100 chip.

FCF again stated, “Well, it’s less than half the bet.”

I couldn’t believe FCF really comprehended the situation when the ‘half a bet rule’ kept surfacing. I countered again, “This isn’t about a half a bet rule.”

FCF said, “Well maybe I should get another decision.”

I said, “Maybe you should.”

FCF left, Jon came to the table, I explained the same situation to him. The decision was the $100 had to stay. The 7s could call $100 and fold or call the additional $300 and play the hand. The7s elected to call the full raise and the hand played out.

I knew I was going to get heat. I did. It came at the wrong time and I wasn’t prepared for it. I was standing behind the next dealer, at the next table, signing the ‘down’ card, when FCF appeared at my left shoulder informing me that I shouldn’t say anything when a decision was made.

I said, “Ok.”

It didn’t stop there, increasing in volume, more blah, blah, blah.

My volume increased, “OK!”

More blah, blah, blah! Louder than before. This was so unnecessary…a control thing. The point had been made with the first statement.

I was irritated now and it seemed to be going on way too long so I exclaimed, “OK! FCF! OK!”

I jumped into the Box and dealt my next down. As I was getting pushed, Jon walked by and I told him I needed to talk to him. Just as I got started FCF jumped into the picture. Actually I wanted to talk to both of them at the same time so it worked out for me. My complaint was that I don’t mind the lecture but I don’t need it as I’m pushing into the box…make it away from the table.

I reiterated that the situation wasn’t about a ‘half a bet rule’ and that several players at the table were going to demand a second decision because they knew what the rule was. FCF’s complaint was that I was the only person FCF heard saying anything at the table and the decision…one really was never made due to my mouth…should have been final.

I followed with the fact that FCF clearly stated, “Maybe I should get another decision.”

The truth of the matter is that I should have just SHUT UP and let FCF make a decision. Even though we would have called for a second decision because the 4, 5, and 6s were never going to go with a ‘half the bet rule’, at least I would have done my job the correct way.

I believe the reason I didn’t let it ‘just happen’ was that I work with this person at Bellagio and I knew the rule and felt they should too. For some reason I felt obligated to point out that it wasn’t about a ‘half a bet rule’ and thought it would register with FCF that something else was happening here. Oh well! Slap my mouth.

The next game I dealt broke down due to tables being combined. Suzie asked me to go the Championship Event and deal it. I was on a break, talking to my friend Grace, when David appeared. He’s young, a tournament dealer, and plays poker at Bellagio from time to time. He jumped right into my conversation with Grace and wanted to know if I would trade him places. He was on 36B and was dealing the Buy-in Tournament room…where I had just left.

He said, “You’ll at least be dealing three tables and then take a break vs. dealing one table and taking a breaking in the main room.”

I think I laughed. I asked, “So what? Why would I want to trade?”

He went on to say that I would deal three games each session instead of one. Did this kid know that I took an E/O every chance I got and didn’t care if I got in more downs?

It registered with me that he really wanted to be in the action of the camera and the lights and I really didn’t care one way or the other. I told him to go check with Suzie and see if it was “OK” and if it was, I’d trade with him.

He came back a few minutes later, big smile…huge smile…and we traded. The Championship Event was playing down until there were six players left for the WPT filming the following day. He even told me a few hours later that he busted the seventh player. Cute! NOT!

I don’t believe the dealer ever busts anyone and I don’t go around telling people that I pumped someone up or broke them…honestly, I don’t have ‘jack’ to do with the game unless I make a mistake. But David’s young, highly energetic, and smart…maybe he’ll figure that part out as his career progresses.
*****
During one of the Ultimate Bet $500 Buy-in Tournaments, I had the misfortune to deal to John Bonetti. Over the years, I’d heard many dealers, players, and supervisors talk about his bad attitude towards dealers and how mean he could be. I figured it would go one way or another, he’d either be calm and collected because he was playing with a field of Brick and Mortar Green Horns, or he’d believe he was the only one entitled to win and show it. It was the latter…damn it! I hate it when it goes that way.

He was in the 2s and snipping cards at my fingers with the first hand dealt. He had a direct shot because the 1s was empty. I deftly dodged each ‘snip’ for the first five/six hands. He was in continual snarl and grumble mode, making statements like, “these dealers…” waving his hand in the air to show his disdain for us and the rest of the world. And then, even though I keep my hands clearly back of the box and the ‘war zone’, he hit me in the side of the hand with both cards…believe me, he was trying to hit me.

Calm as the eye of the hurricane, I said, “Just set your cards down.”

“W-H-A-T?” jerked out of his lips. He acted surprised that I would say anything.

I repeated, “Just set your cards down.”

“W-H-A-T?” Either there was no comprehension that I was serious or he’d gone into ‘broken record’ mode.

“You heard me. Just set your cards down.”

“What are you implying.”

“You hit me in the hand with your cards. Just set them down.”

By now his eyes were popping like Old Faithful and it looked like they were getting ready to blow. “I was just trying to get them in to you.”

I called for a decision. All of his statements were harsh and angry, he was definitely trying to get them into me…as in meld them into my body.

Jon came and I explained to him what had happened. Amazingly, the 5s, someone I’ve never seen before and hope I never see again, jumped into the conversation and told Jon that John was not out of line…he had seen John out of line and this time he definitely wasn’t. Thank you, Butthead! You’re not the one that was taking the cards in the hand.

Jon told John that he would have to set his cards down. As soon as Jon left, John did a, “I come all the way from Texas to put up with this?” still waving his hand and gesticulating at me like I was dried snail slime.

I called Jon back. “He’s still making comments to me.”

The 1s filled up with a little Asian cutie from a broken game and she said, “Oh my God! I knew I didn’t want to come to this table,” as she eyed John.

The 5s piped in again with, “You must not pay your dealers enough.”

Let’s clarify that one. There is no amount of money in the world that would make me be a willing backdrop for someone’s cards. I will take a card from someone when they’ve had an unexpected beat and it’s an explosion over the hand…never twice. I will not take a card from someone that’s malicious and aiming to get me because I’m a dealer. Don’t even bother dragging out your checkbooks, boys, cause you ain’t got enough money.

And on to the pay part. Ultimate Bet paid our plane fare and our hotel room (which I’m very grateful for and really think they did a helluva job for us) but as far as pay goes…we were paid from tournaments tips and a % withheld from the tournament buy-ins. It was enough to make me very happy…but we were not paid. It all depended on the total tournament take, not an hourly wage.

The 5s needs a clarification on what should happen at the poker table and player behavior…not on what HAS happened at the poker table.

Jon again told John that he would have to set his cards down and play poker. Don’t worry, as soon as Jon walked away, John started in again, “I’ve put up with dealers all my life…”

Oh my God! Poor man, forced to play poker and put up with us little dried slime trails. What a horrible life.

I called Jon again. I told Jon that John would not just leave it alone and that I wasn’t going to deal to him if he continued to behave in that manner.

Jon again went to John. John demanded to see Suzie. Jon told John that Suzie wasn’t running this tournament, that he, Jon, was the Director and John would have to speak to him. They stepped away from the table for a moment. I dealt John in while they spoke.

Jon came back to me and asked me if I wanted to be let out of the box and have another dealer come in. I told Jon that I was fine. I just wanted the 2s to stop it.

Stop it did! I ended up pushing the 2s several pots before I finished the down. I never slam chips at a player or act disgruntled towards them…so I gently slid the chips his way, in my normal ‘professional’ dealer mode…and John set his cards down like a good boy and stopped waving and foaming at the mouth.

As soon as I got to the next table, the one behind me was broken and the players moved to other games…yup…John moved right into the 5s in the my next game. Don’t you just know it! It’s Murphy’s Law of Poker Dealing. John behaved all during this down. No twitching, no waving, no stupid stares or idiotic statements. Just the way the game of poker was meant to be played.

The 26th was the first day of the Championship Event, Day 1, Flight 1. My first table found me dealing to Howard Lederer in the 2s and Prahlad Freidman in the 10s.

Yes, there were eight other players there too. As a matter of fact, the 6s asked me if I was ‘Linda from PokerWorks’ and I found out his name is Joe and he lives in Santa Cruz. Nice! He was very quiet but so would I be if I was in a tournament facing off with Howard.

Prahlad has placed in our Bellagio tournaments and is one of those people that has an incredibly infectious smile and is always happy…makes me smile just to see him. The players were on a break when I entered the dealer’s box, the tournament resumed, I shuffled and dealt the first hand, Prahlad was absent from his seat and the Button. Just before the action got to him, he raced in and jumped into his chair, looked at his hand, raised it, got one caller, won the pot on the Flop with a bet, and asked me if it was the second hand. I told him it was the first. He’d gone out and jumped in the ocean when the break started…yup…he was soaked. What a life, huh?

The last hand I dealt ended up heads-up with Howard and Prahlad. I believe Prahlad was the Button and Howard the Big Blind but I could be mistaken. Prahlad put in a sizeable raise and Howard went all-in. Prahlad thought about it briefly and called…he had more chips than Howard. Howard turned over A-J Off and Prahlad turned over 8-8. The Flop and Turn had Prahlad winning but a lonely little Ace slipped off on the River giving Howard a breath of fresh air.

One of the things I really enjoy about dealing this tournament is that fact that the players aren’t whining and having a fit when they take a beat or get knocked out of the tournament. I only ran into one of those and he’s an up and coming post. Most of them are internet players and they don’t know how to throw cards or hurl insults…not that online players don’t hurl plenty of chat insults and profanity, some of them are completely idiotic and shameless when they take a beat…but in this tournament, the general order of play is very civil and fun.

Another part of this tournament that’s great for me, Greg Pierson, the CEO of the software company that runs the Ultimate Bet poker game always comes around to check on the dealers and thank us all for being there and the good job we are doing. When he hit the tournament area last year and went from dealer to dealer, thanking them, got me to me, and thanked me for being there, I had no idea who he was…I knew I’d seen him before, possibly Bellagio or somewhere but didn’t know who/why he was there. Now I know – and it makes it even better that he plays at Bellagio off and on during the year and always stop to say ‘hello’ when he sees me.

My thought? Thank you for thanking me, Greg. The world should spend more time being happy and thankful…the hell with that grouchy stuff.

*****
I spotted Russ Hamilton when I came in to work one evening. He was visiting and moving around the main tournament event area. I raced over to tell him that I just finished a screenplay and Ben Affleck had a bit part in it as himself…I should die laughing here but it’s true.
Russ told me if I got the screenplay to him, he’d make sure Ben got it. Hell YES! When I got the E/O that night I took it directly to the Radisson and left it with the Bellman. Russ told me later that it might be two weeks but he would make sure Ben got it. Damn it, Ben! No phone call yet? *smile*

*****
The 27th – Championship Event 1, Flight 2, found me dealing to John Juanda. He was in the 9s and pretty frisky. For me to state how the action went in the game and the hands, I cannot, I only know that he put in raises and picked up several pots because that kid doesn’t sit around and wait for a hand…he picks his spots and jumps head first into the ‘chip wars’ leaving caution and sense of reason to those that can’t keep up with him. He ended up in one hand with J-J, raised it, and got one caller – the 2s – heads-up. The Flop contained one skinny, little Ace. John made a marginal bet, his opponent raised all-in and had John more than covered. John called. His opponent held A-Q. A Jack popped off on the Turn. John brought home the spoils from the Chip Wars. And had more ammo for the next battle.

I landed in a game with Layne Flack and Phil Laak AKA The Unibomber. Layne was in the 2s and landed in his seat just after the tournament break ended. We exchanged ‘hellos’ and I couldn’t help but almost chuckle every time I looked at him. He had a huge grin when he looked at me and I asked him who was bringing him the beer this year. Last year he had someone bringing it in by the dozen in a bucket of ice. And he was passing it out to anyone that wanted one…jumping up from his seat from time to time to hand them out. Not this year though…nothing alcoholic anywhere around him.

Finally I asked, “Where’ve you been?”

He replied that he’d been in ‘rehab’ for 30 days.

I exclaimed, “No Way!”

He reaffirmed it and I said, “Ok. No more questions.”

The 1s put in a few raises pre-flop and each time he did, he put on his sunglasses, AFTER he raised it. Phil was in the 5s and he pointed out the fact – the sunglasses go on after the raise. Phil stated that it was a nice move.

The 1s looked like a fairly new player…hell, maybe he didn’t know Phil is a ‘name brand’ player but it appeared to me that he beamed a little brighter after that.

Layne was pretty quiet during this down and didn’t do much, verbally or with chips. I heard at the Awards Banquet that he’d made some major changes in his life lately. Good for him! It’s so hard to overcome yourself and make the first move .

My next game had Annie Duke and Chris Ferguson in it. These tables were filled with pros. I wondered if most of the online players had any idea of what they were up against in these games…not only did they have to fade the transition of going to Brick and Mortar play where they faced down their opponents, had to fold in turn, and looked at a lot less hands an hour – they were playing against the top players in the world.

Some where in here, I dealt to David from Canada again. *David, I edited the other post*. He was funny and chipper as usual. He wanted to know if I was going leave him on his own against all these players or if I was going to help him out…maybe not in those words but the meaning was there. We both laughed on that one. I told him, “No! You’re on your own.”

I was still on the E/O (Early Out), every time I went in to work, and that’s exactly what happened here. I went…out into the luscious night air, drinking in the humidity and warmth, humble in the fact that I was there and life was good!

*****
Somewhere in here, Phil Helmuth waltzed through the room. Jack came over the mike and announced, “For any of you that want an autograph or want to discuss anything about poker, Phil has plenty of time now.”
Ouch! It meant he was busted out of the tournament. But Phil took it all with a smile as the whole room cracked up.

*****
The 29th, Championship Event Day 1, Flight 3. *Begin Edit* We had two rooms of tables and dealers/players. One room hosted all the satellites and buy-in tournaments and the other room hosted the main event. I started in the Championship Event, dealt to Marcel Luske and Mike Matusow in the same game. Marcel went ‘bust’ during my deal as he tried to run over A-A with the A-2 of Clubs. Debbie Burkhead held the Aces that sent Marcel out of the tournament.

David Oppenheimer was at my next table and as soon as he told the players I was the best dealer, I made an ante mistake. For the life of me, I don’t know how or where but we were short one ante and I had to call for a decision. Jack McClelland appeared and summed it up as ‘it’s too late now’. Shortly after that this game was broken and the players sent to fill other empty seats and I was on my way to the buy-in tournament room.*End Edit*

I know the majority of the dealers, including myself, never had a problem with any of the players and as far as I know, there were very few incidences where a Supervisor had to be called for dealer or player abuse (player to player abuse). I ran into all of it in the few short hours I dealt during this shift and the following night.

The first colossal incident came when I entered a $540 buy-in NLH tournament event and Melissa was playing in it. I’ve never seen Melissa out of line or irritated but she definitely appeared to be both…not with me. She’s always gracious and treats me with courtesy and respect. I would just have to surmise that she was having an unusually bad day…and I’ve been guilty of them too so this isn’t judgmental, just the way it came down.

The 3s was a well put together, healthy guy with an accent…maybe French but I really lose my ability to distinguish who’s from where/nationality, etc. Three females in the game, 5s, Melissa – 6s, and the 7s.

Towards the end of my down, the 3s put in a small raise pre-flop, the 4s folded, the 5s went all-in, Melissa folded, the 7s went all-in and had the 5s covered. Everyone folded to the 3s and he contemplated the bets and the raisers. He was taking a little extra time but nothing that would have been earth shattering according to NLH standards. Finally he exclaimed, “I have the opportunity to take two ladies out at once!” as he shuffled his cards back and forth and looked at the raisers.

Melissa stood up with, “You piece of shit! Make up your mind,” and walked to the table next to us to visit with a friend. She returned within a few seconds and stated that she wanted ‘the clock’ put on him.

He was flabbergasted. He asked the 5s and the 7s if he had offended them in anyway, they responded with a positive “NO!” He wanted me to call the Floor because he didn’t appreciate Melissa calling him a piece of shit and she wanted me to call the Floor to put ‘the clock’ on him. I called for a decision.

The person that answered my call is the subject of another post back about a year or so ago. At that time this person specifically requested that I NEVER use their name again on my website and had a heated discussion with me about infringing on everyone’s rights by writing about them here. Call me stupid, call me neanderthal, but…if you’re in the poker world today, you are either being photographed or written about so get used to it. And if you look bad, maybe you should change what you’re doing. But since I have to cross paths with this person at Bellagio…I’m giving an alias, hence known as FCF.

I explained the whole situation to FCF over my right shoulder and after I finished, the 10s stated to FCF, “She really was totally out of line with her statement,” referring to Melissa.

While I was explaining the situation, Melissa was still demanding the time clock be put on the 3s and stated that she didn’t like the way he treated women. The 3s was still verbally defiant that she had called him a piece of shit.

FCF handled it all like something like this, “Ok! Everyone has to behave now.”

Wow! That takes care of it.

I finished the hand with the 5s and the 7s heads-up as the 3s folded. If I remember correctly, the 5s had Q-Q and the 7s had 10-10. Take it 7s. The 5s left quietly.

I got pushed. I’ll admit I was shaking my head a little bit over that decision. If a man had called a woman a name, there would’ve been hell to pay…why is it not the same standard for women?

*****
In the meantime, I hit the beach every a.m. around 5:30-6:00. The sky started to split open with light and beauty around 6:20 so I had a head start on it as I cavorted down the beach, marveling at the moist air, the strength God had graced me with in this body that’s carried me a million miles and graciously helped me escape from a million cliff hangers in the poker world…as in being mechanically graced and mentally quick and cognizant of situations and how to handle them, and given me the strength to return each time I had been bitten by The Big Burn Out Bug. If I hadn’t overcome that Bug, I wouldn’t be here now.
After the dance with dawn, the surf, and sand, I raced upstairs for my suit so I could swim with some of the locals in the quiet, gentle surf. They warned me about walking by myself in the early a.m. Hell…do they know I live in Las Vegas? I just went with their tales and thanked them for thinking of me. Then the pool, dressed and the breakfast buffet by 8 a.m. and then off to sleep a few hours. Sweet!

*****
The Wyndham also provides a free internet hub. A few of us have not been able to log on with our wireless network cards and I finally gave up trying to figure out why. I went to the Concierge with the thought of finding a computer shop on the island where I could buy a new one. Yup! I’m a computer geekette, junkie, sicko, that has to have my internet access and I was going into total withdrawal. The lady I spoke with really didn’t understand me but fortunately Edgar was walking by and she called him over. He takes care of the computers for the hotel and he said he’d had a few other guests with the same problem. It was my network card…the same one the other guests had. He rented a card to me for the duration of my stay and set it up within five minutes. Yes, there’s a healthy fee if I leave the island with the card, but how can you beat a deal like this. Great service, I got what I wanted for very little cash, and I’m a very happy kid right this minute.

My flight left Vegas in the early a.m., 12:20 a.m., on the morning of the 23rd.

HELLO ARUBA! The flight was fine…as far as flights go…really bumpy and ugly at a few points. Too bad I stopped drinking a few months ago…just kidding, no really I did stop but it’s not too bad. It’s much better for me but I kind of miss those rosy evenings when I got lost in a bowl of wine.
Continue reading Aruba/Ultimate Bet – 2004 – Page 1 →

Cha-Ching! Yahoo! Win! Win! Win! September found me jumping and screaming with excitement; I was going to deal the Ultimate Poker Classic II, October 13-20, 2003, in Aruba.

As the next few weeks went by the stress involved over receiving the ‘trip packet’ and all of the arrangements that had to be made around work, tending to my home and general life; the excitement faded as work and the daily routine continued.
Continue reading Ultimate/WPT Trip Report – 2003 – Page 1 →