Planes, Trains and Automobiles (Part 1)

So this journey covers 22,000 miles by plane, 2,500 miles in cars and 500 by train. It took my from Plymouth to the USA and involved travelling to or through; New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Nevada, California, Kentucky, Indiana, Washington DC, Quebec (Canada), Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New York, Delaware and Florida. It also means I will be visiting Heartland Poker Tour Las Vegas, World Poker Tour Montreal, The Venetian Deepstacks Extravaganza, Deepstacks Tour Mohegan Sun and Sands Deepstack Extravaganza.

It was a crisp winter afternoon in Plymouth when the first stage of this 2 month marathon business trip began. With a wallet full of dollars and expenses at the ready, I made my first big nitty decision to walk to the train station. As I dragged my suitcases toward the station, thinking of all the stops and meetings I had planned, from Nevada to Pennsylvania and California to Canada, saving 10 quid in the big scheme of things was not my best idea.

Flying Virgin Atlantic is probably the best way to get to the US these days. The American airlines have given up with free alcohol and their in-flight entertainment systems leave a lot to be desired. Automated check in makes things easier as well, you click some buttons and hand in your bags then wander through security at your leisure. As I wandered upstairs in Terminal 3, ready to stroll onto VS001 which was departing in 45 minutes, I smirked at the thought of my mother still living in a world where, “You need to be at the airport 3 hours before an international flight”.

US immigration is always a bit of a ball ache, and the lines at Newark didn’t fail to disappoint. Throngs of international travellers that are tired and in need of nicotine, sleep and desperate to reach their final destination is never a good mix when having to deal with red rape at its most extreme form.

The Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem Pennsylvania was my final stop, at least for this initial part of the journey. They had kindly sent a Limo to pick me up, and as quickly as my bags dropped from the reclaim belt I was sitting in comfortable leather seats with a beer in my hand driving through New Jersey.

Perception is a huge part of poker, as it is in the real world. 12 hours after that long walk to the train station, I am being whisked towards a resort casino by a driver who thinks I am some High Roller that the casino is looking after. I know it would confuse the shit out of him if he only knew how this started today, so I play the jet lagged, “I am working there for a few days” line. Realising if he played poker, he could take that either way, but the answer seemed to pacify him.

If you have never been to the Sands in Pennsylvania (and I know most people haven’t), it really is a different world. Carved out of the old Bethlehem Steel plant, it cuts an imposing sight in the night sky. Casinos outside of Las Vegas and Atlantic City were never as impressive as their cousins in America’s two gambling meccas, but times have changed. The Sands has over 3,000 slots, 120 table games and a 30 poker room. While not posting the numbers of its sister properties, they still manage in excess of $400 million in revenue, with 92% of that coming from gaming. Mini Baccarat tournaments run on a daily basis with 36 tables’ crowded tables that can be 3 bodies deep craning to see the cards. Over 2,000 Asian gamers are bussed in every single day from New York and New Jersey to add to the eclectic mix of customers.

The Poker Room is always busy, with never less than 6 tables running and getting close to its full complement of 30 tables every night with plenty of $1/$2, $2/$5 NLH and $2/4, $4/$8 limit. There is normally a $10/$25 running most nights so plenty of options for all. The sands have only recently dipped its toe into the tournament arena, why would you when you have a full suite of table being used for cash? In recent months the room has expanded and they are keen to expand their offering to include tournaments, so they now host 3 a week and are about to launch the Sands Deepstacks Extravaganza, using their sister property in Las Vegas successful template.

I will be returning here for this series in December, but after a couple of days here, it is time to continue the journey and head for Sin City……..

One Month Down, One Month To Go

As long as you are not grinding one month in Las Vegas seems to fly past. I am looking after just over 1000 WSOP registrations, and we are already at event number 46, from a total of 61. The number of European players is now steadily increasing and we have seen seven bracelets that will be heading back over the pond. There have been a couple of near misses and deep runs, most notably from JP Kelly and Neil Channing who is one of 19 players left in event number 44.

The logistics behinds the scenes are something to behold. It takes an army of permanent staff, contractors and interns to make a series this size work. It does sometimes have a bump in the road, but the teamwork involved keeps it all rolling along seamlessly.

I have found some time to play poker, although its all been pretty much low end stuff due to bankroll and spare time issues. Obviously having pretty much zero on both of those items make it tough. It's all been pretty much bad beat stories, boat loses to bigger boat, kings can't beat ace queen. The high point was flopping a Royal (in spade) on level one of a Binions Classic event. The low point was only making 13bb from the hand, the high point was the round of applause when I showed.

So, one month to go and things are ramping up. Press conference to do, with some BIG news, loads of events for our partners to help with and the small matter of making sure 350 people make it into the correct day of the Main Event

Its WSOP time

So what happens when you are sent to Vegas to work behind the scenes?

It’s a great question, especially when you ask it of yourself! Alongside the day to day grind that players face during summer in the desert, life goes on for those who work in event a player support.

As well as my normal duties, this year I am making sure that playing in the WSOP is a straight forward experience for pro team players and qualifiers who can be playing anything from their first event ever to a full schedule of events. Simple it may seem, but don’t forget that some people don’t turn up on the right day, some don’t turn up at all, some people want to change events and some even don’t want to play and would like cold hard currency instead.

At Living it Loving it we are pretty much on for a record World Series. We have over 1000 entries over the 61 events and in excess of 3600 hotel room nights booked. On top of that we have various receptions, parties and activities for clients that means there is not much time to take a breath until the Main event starts un July.

What never ceases to amaze me about this time of year is the sheer volume of games that are available for all levels of players and levels of buy in. Obviously the WSOP is the daddy of them all, but if you did not fancy the $10k Heads Up or the $1.5k Limit Hold ‘Em yesterday, then a quick taxi to the Venetian/Palazzo gets you back to No Limit land with a $2.5k buy in at the Deepstacks Extravaganza. Want something smaller and more quirky then there was a $500 4-Max at the Binion's Poker Classic, across the street at the Golden Nugget, their Grand Series of Poker had NLH for $125 or PLO8 for $230. If downtown is not you thing and $2.5k for the Venetian Deepstacks makes you nervous then you could just settle for a $300 buy in at the Caesar’s Palace Megastacks (No, the real Caesar didn’t live there), or wait until the evening time and you can play the best value weekly H.O.R.S.E. tournament in town for $120 at the MGM Grand.

Daunting can be the buzzword for anyone coming here to play for the first time, even if you are a cash player, the Rio had over 70 tables running last night. If you are form the UK then think of that if you will as 50% bigger than Dusk to Dawn’s entire table capacity. Even someone like me who has been here over a dozen times still smiles when you here, “table opening 100/200 stud”, and yes that is dollars, not cents my friends.

As usual there has been a number of changes since my last visit, but more on that next time, and who knows I might even get time to play…………..