Getting an eyeful in Vegas
By Bob Harkins, MSNBC.com
Posted July 5, 9 p.m. ET LAS VEGAS -- What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas ... until I write about it, that is. I landed in town seven hours ago, and two topics seem to dominate conversations. First and foremost is the heat. It's so hot here, even the locals are complaining, from my cab driver to the hotel clerk at the front desk. It was only 94 when my plane landed just before 11 a.m., but I got word it would rise to 115 before the day was through. On my ride to the hotel, I swear I saw a guy grilling a steak on the sidewalk. Luckily, poker is usually played indoors, although as you will find out from Andy Wang's post later tonight, sometimes that isn't even enough. The other big topic around here is, of course, the World Series of Poker. It's what the Rose Bowl is to college football, what The Masters is to golf. And even though the World Series — which consists of 55 tournaments this year — has been going on since early June, the action really heats up Friday when the main event begins. | |
I took some time to wander around the Rio and get my bearings. This place is enormous, and a decent portion of the grounds is devoted to the WSOP. I took a stroll through the poker room, where pros Antonio Esfandiari and Phil Laak were promoting some kind of heads-up video game and signing autographs.
Then I went to the pavilion, which is a large convention hall packed with vendors. Just about anything you can dream up related to poker — and some things unrelated — they are selling here. I saw people hawking energy drinks, health supplements, golf clubs and putting greens. There were exhibits for poker magazines, poker books, poker Web sites, poker tables and poker chips — some of which you can personalize with the photo of your choice. "Pic Chips" they call them.
There was a display for a special ergonomic chair for those addicted to oline poker. And for a mere $15 — $10 if you have the coupon — you can buy a dealer button with a digital timer embedded in the center. For when a kitchen timer just won't do, I suppose.
But for sheer guts and ingenuity, I have to give props to the gentleman's club that set up a mini-club right smack in the middle of the room, complete with DJ, stage, pole, and, yes, a real live dancer. Good, clean, family fun, right? Only in Vegas.
As I continued to explore the room, I came across my first poker pro — Phil Gordon. He was hard to miss, as he stands 6-foot-9.
"Amazing," he shook his head in wonder as he surveyed the scene. Gordon is on record as saying he thinks this year's main event will not equal last year's field of nearly 8,800, saying year-old Internet gambling regulations in the U.S. will reduce the field. He repeated that mantra to me today, but it was still clear he was impressed by the crowd at the pavilion.
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There were Jay and Dave, a couple of UPS drivers from San Diego who had tried, and failed, to win a seat in the main event via satellite tournaments. One couple, Ron and Leeann Marker, came all the way from Virginia just to take in the sights and collect autographs. They make a couple of trips a year, they said, and even come for Christmas.
One woman, Lisa from San Antonio, was in line waiting to register for a satellite. "I'd like to play in the main event but I'd have to sell my house for the $10,000 entry fee," she said. "This is a shortcut. Because there are thousands of players like me that would like to play in the main event without paying $10,000. So the cheapest way, unless you win online, is to play the $500 satellites."
Lisa didn't want me to print her last name. "In case I'm missing work or something," she explained with a grin.
OK, Lisa from San Antonio, I promise I won't print your last name. Who am I to get you in trouble when you're playing poker instead of going to work?
After all, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
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