Another Day in the Office - Part 7

By Neil Channing - June 2005

Now I've moved from the perfectly adequate Gold Coast to the wonderful Bellagio I have been getting much more sleep. Several players from Europe have rented appartments for the duration but I'm a fan of hotel life room service and housekeeping. A players rate of $129 weekdays and $199 weekends is not too bad, and a skilfully directed gratuity can mean there's no need to put in the 6 hours a day playing to get the rate. Once you've stayed once as "a player" you're in the computer for life.

Today I got my laundry done. Laurence (the Paperboy) would be shocked to hear I'm spending $2.25 on getting a pair of socks done. I'm sure he'd be using the sink, and if I could be bothered I'd be going to the mall to buy new ones. If Paul Parker knew what they charged he'd have bought a washing machine and taken in laundry. It's important to watch the exes as a travelling player but sometimes I'm too lazy to be a nit.

With my clothes dispatched I was free to go to work. Today's task was to win enough in the one-table satellites to play Tuesday's $5000 nlh event. The PLO players could pump enough money into the $2000 with rebuys event without my help.

The first one I played I sat next to Melissa Haydn. Melissa is a photographer who used to come to the World Series for years to take pictures. Eventually she began to play a few events and made the final of the event that Hemish won as well as being runner-up in one.

Melissa is a rarity in that she talks more than I do at the table. A lot of people describe her as noisy, rude, whiney and arrogant. Today she was chatty, flirty and amusing and we had fun. The man next to us didn't and stormed off in fourth place. Melissa knocked herself out in third leaving me with the last-longer pool of $500. I declined to do a deal with the other guy(he's a good player but as he had me outchipped 4/1 and he wasn't offering favourable terms I decided to gamble). I finished second and so I had free fun.

Before I played another sat I checked out the PLO tournament which was down to 50 survivors. Almost all of the world's greatest players were left, and as someone who has been to a few WSOP events it was a pleasure to see such a quality field.

One table was Casey Castle, Chris Bjorin, John Juanda, Chris Ferguson, Erik Seidel and Phil Ivey. Another had a few Brits: Robin Keston, Devilfish, Dave Colclough and John Kabbaj - they also had former World Champ Russ Hamilton for added fun. I could also see Joe Beevers, Sunny Nijran, Marcel, Michael Mizrachi, Josh Arieh and Robert Williamson. If the 51st best PLO player in the world could hire a crazed gunman at this point, his life would be easier.

I went on to play four more satellites and the late night tournament and won nothing. At $525 a throw (plus last longer bets) this was an expensive night and if I'd have just stayed in the room I'd have been able to afford the tournament.

One of the satellites was quite funny as I saw a local "rounder" I've played with before pull off an audacious move. He was a bit drunk and had been quite abusive to the dealers while I was there. After I got knocked out he was the chip leader, but a commotion ensued and the floorman was called. A bit of swearing and shouting lead to security throwing him out. He went very quietly with no protest and was half way down the hallway when someone realised he'd picked up the $900 last longer pool. One of the other players eventually realised and after some negotiation the money was divided.

The only other interesting thing that night was that I got to sit next to a world famous actress. Unfortunately I had absolutely no idea until afterwards. Jennifer Tilley is Phil Laak's girlfriend and we had great fun in a satellite. I told her how my friend Steve from New York would get money to me in Vegas if ever I needed any via Phil. When I was a broke young visitor to Vegas Phil was like Santa Claus to me. She laughed when I told her I had to "meet up by the Deli with a guy in red trousers, he'll give you money". Apparently he still has the trousers.

Neil Channing is sponsored by Betusa.com

Click here for part 8