Happy Anniversary to Me

I'm almost positive that today was my third anniversary with the Palms. If it isn't today, it's close to it. Close enough to say close enough.

I wish that three years ago I had started a list of the famous/infamous that have sat at my table. Every once in awhile I mentally take an inventory and each time I am sure that I am forgetting as many as I remember. I can't say that I ever become star struck. It's just remarkable that I have gotten myself into a position where the world comes to me. Working at the Palms, you really never know who you may run into.

When you are hired it is stressed that privacy is paramount. We are not allowed to ask for autographs or photos of/with the glitterati that visit us.

I post this with some caution. However, given the fact that the star in question freely admitted that he was taking a celebratory vacation and then subsequently posted a picture of his Steel Wheel I don't think I am revealing any deep dark secrets. The table felts on the Palms poker tables are extremely distinctive and instantly recognizable to anyone who has ever played there.
Having said that, Mr. Navarro paid us a visit.
The hand in the picture is that of our celebrity dealer Bobby.

While on a break I took the opportunity to ask Dave if they planned to host another Rock Star Poker tournament at the Palms. He stated that he didn't know yet but that he hoped that they did it again because it was so much fun. I agree, it was a fun event to deal.

We then made some small talk and Dave stated some of the reasons why he stayed, amost exclusively, at the Palms.
(He mentions in his blog that he likes both the Hard Rock and the Palms)
He told me that the poker room is a draw and that he likes the fact that when he enters the room he sees and recognizes familiar faces and that we recognize him and treat him well.
Sometimes the little things mean a lot I guess.
In any case he is always a gentleman and we are glad that he stays with us.


****

I'm having a GREAT week. On Friday (my Monday) I dealt a Club Royal Flush that paid the lucky player a $1,263 high hand jackpot.
Today I dealt a Bad Beat Jackpot to the tune of nearly $6,000.
Today's hand ($2-5 blind NL)went like this:
6s raised to $30 pre-flop. 8s goes all in. 6 seat calls for a total of $163.
Although we don't require all-in hands to be exposed until the showdown, both players turned over their hands.
6s had pocket queens. 8s had pocket kings.
I flopped two aces. Immediately I (silently) along with half of the table very vocally started calling for an ace. The turn was a blank. I remember looking up at the ceiling and thinking ACE. I burned and turned the third ace.
That's all it takes to hit our Bad Beat.
The jackpot has been hit 4 times in a month.


S.P. over at Life as a Vegas Poker Dealer has posted some pictures of the new poker "table" at O'Shea's. Interesting to say the least. Go take a look.

The majority of poker players nearly have a stroke when a game starts to become short handed. Here they are starting games with a maximum of 7 players. I hope they plan to use 6 different colored decks of cards. I can see it now when the 7 seat of one table and the 1s of the "next" table have a few too many cocktails and start "sharing" their cards. S.P. mentions some of the other concerns that this configuration present, not the least of which is the limited reach of the dealer.
I think I will have to wander over there to see that configuration in action. It should be more than interesting.


On Halloween I only saw one poker player in costume. Kim got in the spirit and came dressed as the ace of spades. She had her face all painted up as well but security told her that she couldn't be in the casino like that. She took off some of the make up and they gave her their blessing.
I told her I would make her famous so here she is in all her glory.





















On Saturday night the old Pan Crew under the direction of the one and only Linda headed to the Excalibur to play some poker.
I don't know if I have ever seen worse poker playing.
In one instance, heads up, when I tried to get cute and check raise with two pair the guy just called me when he had the stone cold nuts. I asked him, nicely, why he didn't raise me back. He got a deer in the headlights look and stuttered something about not wanting to. Whatever dude.
The guy to my left had pocket queens two hands in a row and didn't raise either time.
Such is poker in the big city.
In spite of it all I lost $99.75 so who am I to question the play of anyone else?

The Excalibur has moved their poker room three times in the last three years. It is currently in the middle of the casino floor again. I don't care for the location, but no one consulted with me.
The photo of me in action at the Excal is courtesy of Linda/Pokerworks.