LAS VEGAS–It\’s kinda funny sad seeing the people who are still at the Rio at this hour. Almost no pros I recognized … and no tourney action of course — just an odd assortment of really big stacks and really small stacks, all looking totally beat. Anyhow …
\”AMARILLO\” SHAWNEE BARTON (from Amarillo) had a commanding chip lead heads-up in the Ladies event. She\’s the teaching assistant for JIM MCMANUS\’ history-and-literature of poker class … but that didn\’t stop her from being overtaken by MARY JONES, who wins the bracelet, about a quarter-mil, and a special watch.
MIMI ROGERS made the money in the Ladies event. So did ANJELA BRUNSON — daughter-in-law of DOYLE.
The $1,000 NLHE event kicked off yesterday — 2,800 entries, 600 of whom were alternates. All players started with 1,500 chips … further breaking the WSOP tradition of $1=$1 in TC.
The hot sauce used on the WINGS in the Poker Kitchen is FRANK\’S RED HOT.
The cash games here allow the MISSISSIPPI STRADDLE, i.e. doubling the big blind on the button. And at least one dealer (followed by a floorman) says when that happens, the small blind — not UTG — is first to act pre-flop. Will have to ask LINDA JOHNSON if this is correct.
Between the satellite area and the Poker Kitchen is an enormous ICE MACHINE — three stacks (some 20 feet?) high. It has sprung some sort of leak … big huge puddle in a high-traffic area.
The two most recent bracelet winners from AUSTRALIA — JOE HACHEM and MARK VOS — apparently hate each other. And now they hate each other more. (Via Jen Leo.)
The pros have almost figured out how to play THE HAMMER. In a $50/$100 NL cash game, ANDY BLACK, seated between ANTONIO ESFANDIARI and a guy with huge bricks of Benjamins in his stacks, made a sizable raise into a pot with about $10-12k in it. Mr. BIG STACKS folds, and Black turns over the 2-7 … suited. He then jumps around and gloats … and two other players pay him $200 each because of some previous side action on the hand.
The pros are gettin\’ there. Next-time unsuited.
Meanwhile, CLONIE drew a tough table in the $10k Omaha event. TEX BARCH was possibly her weakest opponent.
And down the hallway from the WSOP are a bunch of little TEEN DANCERS competing in leotards. My distorted position: the WSOP is not for kids. Or at least not kids in leotards.
Who knew? Well probably lots of folks, but not Pokerati … DAVID WILLIAMS\’ MOTHER, SHIRLEY, competed in the WPBT Summer Classic at CAESAR\’S PALACE.
Also check out:
RICK FULLER
BILL RINI
HOYAZO, aka HAMMER PLAYER