If It's Not Broken, Don't Fix It

Read more about Padraig’s WSOP adventure on Twitter.

I went straight to Dublin airport from an all night cash game in the Voodoo Club to catch my flight to Vegas. This is indeed an excellent way of going about things if the plan is to be jetlagged for a week when you get there. It worked a treat. I was travelling with Scott Gray. Everyone should take at least one transatlantic flight with Scott. You never know when a loved one might die overseas and you are nominated to bring the body home so it’s good to have a practice run under your belt. Though if the worst comes to the worst don’t be alarmed if the corpse doesn’t snore.

We were met in Vegas by legendary WSOP floorman Schof. Schof arrived in Vegas in 1966 with 400 bucks in his pocket and swears he’ll leave if he ever gets even. That’s looking increasingly unlikely at this stage. On the way to our hotel Schof and Scott played a game of “What used that be called?” and “What used to be there?” Personally I don’t really care about this **** but that’s just me. We drove past a bunch of rubble which Schof said used to be the site of the Klondike Hotel Casino. Back in the day when Schof used to hire the dealers to work the WSOP he did a deal with the Klondike whereby they could stay there for 125 bucks a week. After a few days one of the young guys told Schof the place was full of hookers and drug dealers. Schof told him he could get him fixed up somewhere else if he liked. “Oh no”, said the dealer. “I’m fine where I am.”

I was a bit wrecked the next morning but wandered over to the Rio anyway just in time to hear the tournament director talk the biggest load of bollocks I’ve ever heard at the WSOP as he explained the rule changes for this year. Apparently, if a guy is all in the other lad in the pot can start talking about his hand until everyone dies of boredom. Apparently this will be great fun. Yeh, right… He went on to say that, as we’d be playing for life changing sums of money, a guy who wins a big pot will be encouraged to celebrate. OMG. Surely the poor lad who loses the pot is also playing for life changing money. They didn’t mention what his options were when some assxxxx is dancing in his face but I guess we will find out sooner rather than later.