You’re good enough…
July 24, 2007
Phew.
Las Vegas eh? 117 degrees of poker, blasted with enough air-conditioned fury to bring
a hotel to its knees (true story - the Rio went black for 30 minutes thanks to everyone
simultaneously pressing “high” on their A/C!)
I’m back, and I am knackered. Between the temperature, the hideous quality of air-conditioned
atmospheres, constantly bouncing from Treasure Island to the Rio in stinky cabs…
well, let’s just say it was no real surprise to end up in hospital with some nasty
virus that left me spluttering like a heavy smoker and blind in one eye.
The good news however, is that I bring back a startling (well, in retrospect, maybe
not so startling) piece of news. YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH. For the World Series that is.
Yes, having spent many happy hours flashing my media pass and sneaking a peek at Doyle’s
hole cards, I can confirm that 80% of the playing field are what we in the business
like to call ‘muppets’.
I watched the duece to seven tournament - wow! Each table was like a ‘whos
who’ of poker. Negreanu on the same table as Stupak, Gavin Smith, Juanda, Jesus…
the list went on. I tried to take a picture, but needed a mini-movie, sweeping across
the room, to take it all in.
And then there were the Texas Hold’em tournaments. My god…
I don’t know why I am still surprised. If anyone is going to play one big game a year,
it’s going to be at the WSOP isn’t it. But why can’t they play? I mean, I’m here,
notepad in hand rather than AK suited, watching these loons throw chips away left
right and centre.
If you’re ever sat there on your $10 MTTs and STTs wondering if you could ever rub
shoulders with the big boys… well, the good news is that ‘the big boys’ are mostly
unsure of what seat they are in, let alone what to do with JJ in late position with
a raise and re-raise (the answer is FOLD, by the way)
Anyway, suffice it to say, this entry is a wake-up call. If you can hold your own
day in day out online, you can sit at any game in the world and hold your own. If
you’re lucky, you might get to hold someone else’s too.
Just pray you don’t get drawn a seat in between Barry Greenstein and Phil Ivey. I’ve
seen it happen, and it isn’t pretty.
Happy hunting.
Comments
Got something to say?