Crazy Vegas Poker Players

Last weekend, I journeyed to Poker Mecca with good buddy Santa Claus. Santa was knocking an item off his before-40 bucket list: Play in the World Series of Poker. I was using Santa's plans as a cover for a spouse-free Vegas poker trip (fair's fair, since the sig other didn't invite me to the Vegas bachelorette party he attended in early June).  As usual, we ran into a fun cast of characters.

Santa smuggled Templeton Rye for our brief

layover at the Denver airport. Classy!

Santa in action, at Aria (top) & Planet Hollywood (bottom).

Met two new friends, Jason (left) (a/k/a @jasonsimon) and

Matt (a/k/a @LOLfolding) at Aria. Matt's "buddy" @weizel 

put a bounty on Matt as he played in a cash game with us

at Aria, if we felted him with "the Crabbler" (King-Trey).

The infamous "Belgian Chef" from IMOP-VI

returned to Planet Hollywood to donk off

another couple thousand dollars in maniac style.

This young lady joined my NLHE table at Planet Hollywood,

and promptly had every other guy at the table distracted.

Being gay is an important poker strategy!

The nice lady later jumped into the PLG game,

confirming my read that she is a solid player.

Her boyfriend (right, also a nice fellow) had 

been playing NLHE, and after his game broke, 

had come over to suggest "going back to the room".

Like any good poker player on a solid run, 

she instead asked her boyfriend to join the game.

After he dropped three buy-ins, there was this fun exchange:

Dealer:  "Are you coming back in?"

Guy:  "No, I've dumped enough money into this game."

Me:  "I'd disagree."

These two guys were part of a crew of six Canadians

all wearing identical "Cat Got Your Tongue?" t-shirts.

The one at my table was a good guy, and it sounded

like they were on their own Canadian IMOP.

International hilarity ensues!

Managed to sneak in a session of PLG at Venetian

with buddy and poker industry insider Katkin.

I hit nut vs. second nut against him twice to send

him home early, but it was still good to see him.

(I'm keeping his cash, thanks!)

Look who pulled himself off his sick bed to

give us a ride to the airport. Poker Grump!

(I think we got long-hauled.)

The legendary Pediatric Unabomber, missing

in action since IMOP-I, was spotted at Aria.