Even on Day 3, when the majority of the players in the $50K HORSE event have long been eliminated, the rail is two- and three-deep where the last few tables are being played. When fans see Brunson, Ivey, Negreanu, and the like, they want to see the TV personalities up close. In reality, the fans are being kept at a very safe distance from the tables, but that won\’t stop them from trying to get closer. And as the picture below shows, they were already packed along the rail before most players returned from tonight\’s dinner break.
At the very end of the rail, I ran into some interesting folks. First, Justin Bonomo\’s mom, step-dad, and uncle were behind the rope but as close as they could get to Justin\’s table. They knew that he was a short stack when he returned from dinner, but they were so hopeful and positive. \”He\’s going to get some good hands here,\” said his step-dad. But alas, only a few hands later, Justin was eliminated, and his family was there for support. A player couldn\’t ask for more…
I also ran into two gentlemen with European-ish accents. One of them asked me to identify a player in a hat and red shirt at the table furthest from them. He was getting a massage and had his head down, which made it difficult to see his face from our rail vantage point. \”Daniel Negreanu,\” I said. \”That cannot be! He look like black guy from here.\” I assured him, as did several others around us, that it was Daniel and he was, in fact, white. He finally accepted it, and his buddy told me why it was important. They had a $100 bet on it, and the racially-confused fan went ahead and paid up.
Just a little chunk of what goes on from the sidelines…