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…………..