A Hall of Famer’s Lifelong Path through Vegas Poker Rooms
Eric Drache had one thought when then-Golden Nugget executive Bobby Baldwin suggested he manage the Fremont Street casino’s poker room in the early 1980s.
How long could he last working for Steve Wynn?
Baldwin, the 1978 World Series of Poker champion, thought Drache, who was the annual tournament’s director, could give Wynn’s poker facility a much needed lift.
Drache was perplexed. He was an expert seven-card stud player and had managed the old Silver Bird Casino poker room. But this was big time.
“Are you kidding?” Drache recalled saying. “Steve will fire us within 10 minutes.”
Baldwin and Drache recalled that story last month during a ceremony at the Rio celebrating Drache’s induction into the Poker Hall of Fame.
Drache, 69, joined the late Brian “Sailor” Roberts as the 43rd and 44th members of the Hall of Fame, which is managed by the World Series of Poker.