Poker Bloggers Galore – II

*post continued* Over a few days time, I threw up a few random posts and thoughts on Blogger Doings. It’s really difficult to put too much together out of it because everyone is so much fun and so receptive to being together that there is no major issue or noise going on. Everyone just sort of goes their own way and does what they want and then manages to come back together as if the string of blogging minds had never been broken by leaving. After the Wynn buffet, everyone sort of drifted off.

I had plans to go up in the NW part of town and visit my grandson, Riot, and my son, Darian, for a few hours and then head for the Mix Game that would be held at the MGM around 9 p.m. Unfortunately my son wasn’t at home. I called Marie and Gary to see what they were doing. “Come on over!” I did. Traffic was unbearable and what should have taken 15 minutes took 45. Marie has been wanting an autographed book from Michael Craig for somewhere around a year now, The Professor, the Banker, and the Suicide King. Michael was kind enough to oblige while we were chatting at the buffet.

She was thrilled to receive Michael’s work and I was happy to have a quiet, friendly place to kick back and relax in, with a few glasses of wine, before heading back out in the city and the Mixed Game. I headed for the MGM about 6:30ish, parked across the street at The Tropicana because I have a horrible time in parking garages with the Silver Steed, and walked to meet my Blogging Buddies and Buddettes.

CC and Chilly were in a NLH game when I hit the poker room. I said hello and went on by, in search of a $2-4 game that was said to have a seat open. When I got to the table, it definitely did. I got the 7s, change100 was in the 10s, and just like all $2-4 games, the chips were rocking and rolling. And I have a picture of one of our bloggers that was in the 1s in this game but for the life of me, I can’t remember her name. Kee-rist! Maybe she will send me an email and jog my memory (red hair). We played for an hour or so, Gracie got into our game, Maudie was on the list to come to our game and just as she moved in, there were two Mixed Games for our group starting. The race was on to grab seats and try to beat each other up. The limit was $2-4. The table I was in started first, with none other than my friend and dealer protégé Chad Patterson.

easycure_byron_chad_1.jpg

We drew for the button and the game choice line-up. We were playing H-O-R-S-E and the button winner wanted to start with Omaha 8 or better. My first hand was A-2-3-5. I raised pre-flop. There were several teasing groans and I said that that’s the way the game is played, raise it and throw your hand away on the flop. How true, how true, that’s exactly what I did when the flop came something like K-Q-9. Here are a few pictures of the two games and the first picture on the left, the dealer is a friend of mine that has been to a few of our Pan Game Plays Vegas events, Anna:

anna_cc_april.jpg byron_maudie.jpg heather_joaquin.jpg
kat_falstaff.jpg lou.gracie.jpg milwaukee_ec_.jpg

I looked at a lot of hands in the Omaha that I couldn’t play and ones that I did went nowhere. Fortunately the kids in the $2-4H game gave me money and when I decided to leave the Mixed Game, I was down $4 for the night. There was no list allowed on our two games. Management at MGM said it was a ‘private game’. I don’t know if each casino has its own laws set with gaming, but at Bellagio it is against gaming regulation to have a private game.* We had other bloggers waiting for seats, I tagged Gary and gave him mine.

I drifted through the Sport’s Book looking for the rest of the crew. My Blog Father buddy was in there with a crew of people, of course he was the center of attention – he always is. When you meet him it’s easy to understand why. Even though he’s a very private person, he’s very congenial and people friendly, and allowed me to have a picture taken with him. In a world with a return policy and discard files, he’s definitely a keeper. Love ya lots, Iggy!

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I’m out of time.

*post-poned*

*I question the gaming and casino laws because our rules at Bellagio are completely different on receiving fills and other rules, than at another casino – for example The Orleans. The dealer calls for quarters or chips by denomination and the floor walks over with it – anyway that’s the way it was the last time I played there. At Bellagio, we have to count out our bills in a certain way (some face up, some face down) on the table, the chip runner leaves said amount in lammers, we pick up the bills and hand them to the dealer, etc., etc., etc.

About Linda R. Geenen

The easiest way to begin is to start at the beginning. But where is that? At what point does one suddenly decide they are going to spend the rest of their life involved in the intricate art of the dance? What is the art of the dance? A game about people - played with a deck of cards. Poker! I stepped into the poker world in 1980 in Missoula, Montana. I didn’t know anything about poker, couldn’t tell you what the difference was between a bet and raise, or if a straight beat a flush. I had three boys to feed, needed a job and a dealing spot was open in one of the local bars. I played my first hand of poker in a 5 Card Stud game (with the help of one of my bosses) and that was it – I was hooked. I lived, breathed, slept, dreamed, ate, and talked poker. I eventually ran my own games (licensed by the County) in several different bars in Missoula, and at one point, managed the games in the bar where I started my first dealing job. In 1987 I traveled from Montana to Nevada to deal major poker tournaments, returning to Montana at the end of each one. In 1989, I opened The Mirage – along with 6,400 other people. In 1993, I moved to Gulfport, Mississippi, and opened Grand Casinos Poker Room, returning a year later to Las Vegas and The Mirage. In 1998 I opened Bellagio - along with over 9,000 other employees. In 2003, I dealt the final table of the Aruba Ultimate Bet Poker Classic event. Hey…I’m on TV! I had the privilege of being chosen as the dealer in the Howard Lederer videos that have been released on No Limit Holdem. I play poker on a regular basis and I deal to every name brand player that is still above ground and breathing air, the elite, the freaks, the ne’er do wells, the rich, the poor, the illiterate, the educated, the beautiful, the ugly, the superstitious, the rational, the sane, and the insane. Perhaps I am the one that is insane but if I am, I fit right into the game plan. Five nights a week I walk into the greatest, social melting pot known to mankind. I no longer dream about it but the art of the dance is prevalent in everything I do - see you there!
This entry was posted in WPBT | 2 Comments

2 Responses to Poker Bloggers Galore – II

  1. Hey Linda. I’m loving the trip reports. Just a quick note. The link you left for Gary is wrong. His blog is called Low Limit Grinder, but the link is GCox25.blogspot.com, and not LowLimitGrinder.blogspot.com. I’ve always maintained that the tricky thing about talking with and meeting poker bloggers is remembering their 4+ names: Real Names, Blog Names, Blogger Identity, and multiple Online Poker Room Account Names.

  2. Hi Jordan,

    (note name spelled correctly) – you are a godsend. I’ve asked Iggy for help about the issues that you just spelled out, it’s brutal. I’m still trying to associate and peg everyone to all of their AKA names – and give links – and Kee-rist! I AM SO CONFUSED!

    Help me any time. Tks.

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