The Home Stretch
Well, the big day has arrived for the lucky 9 who made it to the final table. Unfortunately Julian Gardner or Willie Tann were not among them….alas Team Paddy are notable by their absence at the business end of the WSOP!
Outside the Main Event, we’ve had 2 Irish bracelets - Alan Smurfit and Ciaran O’Leary. Both, I can report, are top fellas. Alan insisted on using his as a card protector for the rest of the events, and Ciaran was still partying 2 weeks after he’d won it when I ran into him watching the Main Event TV table.
Since I last typed, there have been parties, shows, magic, sunburn, all night poker sessions - a lot of fun!
I’m currently on the opposite side of Las Vegas from the Amazon Room (aka ‘The Zoo’) and I’m quite happy to keep it that way. Any longer than a weekend in Vegas is a long time and any longer at the Rio than 30 minutes can be torture. The bad beats, the bad beer, the frat boys roaring, the lines and lines of ridiculously good looking women…..it’s enough to depress an upstanding grinder like myself! In fact, you have so little idea about what time is in this town that it just adds to the daze….
Today, I’m kicking it old skool! I’m off to Binions to check out the hall of fame, maybe play a cash game…. Things picked up on that front too. I haven’t had a losing session since I last typed. If I’m honest I haven’t made a huge amount either, but enough to pay for shows and drinks and taxis and food, the odd game of Texas Holdem Bonus Poker - and from what I’ve heard that’s doing better than most.