The Internet is currently awash with WSOP related nostalgia.
Nolan Dalla covered the landmark 2003 WSOP in a wonderful sequence of
blogs for it’s tenth anniversary. The ever-entertaining Jesse May is on
top form in his blog “Ya Luckbox” providing us with daily anecdotes and
video clips of WSOP gone by.
All this reminiscing had me remembering a funny little incident that occurred during my first visit to the WSOP in 2007.
I was playing my first ever bracelet event, a $1500 NLH and we had
reached the dinner break. Anyone who has played at the WSOP will be
familiar with the dinner break dilemma of where to eat.
Remember this
was 2007, a year where major bracelet events were decided in a freezing
giant tent in the area currently used as the outside smoking area. Lets
just say the ROI wasn’t as tuned into player need as today and the
“poker kitchen” close to the playing area ‘now’ wasn’t in play back
then.
Some sustenance meant a rushed two-mile trek to the main casino and
inevitably a long line at one of the dining options the Rio had on
offer. My companion on this endeavour was Gavin Kelly a young Internet
phenom whom I was sharing a house with for the series. We decided on
“Gaylord” the Rio’s Indian restaurant.
Upon entering the restaurant the Maitre’ D approached us and asked,
“Were we playing the poker tournament”. When we replied yes he ushered
us straight to a seat and immediately produced menus, we ordered
quickly.
At this stage I noticed Devilfish, Marcel Luske and Mel Judah sitting
at the table next to us. Back then TV name poker players were the stars
of the show and I felt like a right baller to be dining in so close
quarters to such esteemed ‘names’.
Our starters arrived and I noticed some rumblings from the stars
table that I thought were directed in our directions. Almost immediately
once the appetisers were finished the plates were cleared and our main
courses arrived. This caused rather more commotion on the opposite
table and now I was sure it was directed at us.
When the Maitre’ D arrived with our coffee and bill, he was accosted
by Mel Judah. Mel in rather colourful language pointed out that our
table, which had entered the restaurant fifteen minutes after his table,
had now finished their full meal, yet his table had yet to be served
starters. The Maitre’ D reply was priceless; ” but sir, they are poker
players”!
