Vegas!!! They say “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” and now I know why. While there were many things that will be fond memories of my first visit not all of it should be shared. In other words there was drinking and gambling and some things that I couldn’t explain why or how they happened. Like how we ended an evening with one of us riding a mechanical bull at some ungodly hour of the morning BUT, there is a ton of stuff that should not remain in Vegas. I started out my trip in Albany, NY at 7:30 AM which meant I had to get up at 4:00 AM. Yes, as in morning. I am normally up and about by 6 or so, but fit for people? Not on your life. My kids and husband don’t even talk to me when I get up with out at minimum a snarl. I haven’t bit anyone yet but I’m sure I have threatened to. Now I had to play nice nice with the baggage handlers who literally lifted my check in baggage five foot in the air and dropped it on the conveyor belt as well as the evil security people who invade my space. Not that I am opposed to security in airports, I think right now they serve an invaluable service to the safety to our country but standing in line and having to exploit all of my belongings at 6:00AM is NEVER on my list of things to do. My plane landed in Philadelphia where I had a three hour layover. Now I had a problem. I am a smoker and I wanted a cigarette. I wanted one NOW. I mean like right NOW. Lighters are no longer allowed in baggage. This presented a huge problem. Finally I managed to get myself out of the airport which was no easy task by itself, locate a lighter and regale in the smoke. In the mean time I call my friend Judy. We had by coincidence ended up on the same flight out of Philadelphia. She told me she was on her way. I don’t know about you but when someone says they are on their way I always think they are actually driving. Not Judy. Judy was sitting in her car in her DRIVEWAY. We finally meet in the airport and head off grab a bite to eat. After lunch we just strolled to the gate and stand behind three other people for a few seconds. At which point we hear them giving away two seats to stand by passengers. Those were OUR seats. In our lack of haste we neglected to realize that our flight was boarded and ready to leave the gate!!! Luckily we made it and off we went!!!
The flight itself held little action and little event. Which I guess is a good thing. I found my car right away and off we went to get the luggage or lack there of. Yup, you guessed it. No luggage. Now this presents a problem. You have to remember, we are on our way to an event that is sponsored by Woman Poker Player as well as our annual WPC Showdown. This means we are responsible to bring some of the stuff with us. So in my luggage were also poker pins for WPC members, plates cups etc… for our meet n greet as well as 300 chocolates (ok, so it was more like 290…I couldn’t help it) for the UPC event. The luggage people have no clue but said that IF they found it they would forward it to the hotel. We get to the hotel and now they cannot find my room. HUH?? I was tired, I was cranky and my ass was numb from sitting for so long, and now I had no room. I will say however Binions’ staff came to the rescue for the first time but certainly not the last time and fixed it fairly quickly. The meet and greet was kind of short but went well. It was nice to be able to put faces with the people that I have talked to for so long via forums and email. Off we go to try our luck at the tables in a satellite to the UPC. I had a great time BUT…….with all my distractions my appearance at the table was short and sweet to say the least. While disappointing it was not the end of the world at the time. I really wanted to talk to the members and catch up with everyone. More importantly I wanted to find my freaking underwear and my chocolate. Finally I gave up and went to the room. Though not before several drinks with the ladies and lots of laughs (these are many of the things that should stay in Vegas!) Day two brought more poker and more new friendships. I met so many women from all walks of life it was incredible. Satellites ran most of the day. I played in the super satellite with about the same results as the single table satellite. The good thing of day two in Vegas was that my luggage arrived. YESSSS!!! I had clean underwear and CHOCOLATE!!! The first thing I did after my caffeine fix was to check the desk for my bags. And sure enough it was there. A big thump on the head to Philadelphia Airport and a big thanks to the Binions’ staff AGAIN for helping me out and putting up with me!! The magazines arrived about a half hour before tournament time so it was a bit of a rush to get them out but out they went and seemed to be well received by the ladies. At 4:00 PM on Friday, February 8, 2007 Woman Poker Player Magazine sponsored its first televised women’s only tournament. I cannot explain the feeling when the tournament manager announced “Shuffle up and Deal!” The tournament itself yielded more than expected, by me anyway. We had 201 women and a 40000.00 prize pool.
I hear many men and even some women say that women’s only events are a social gathering and poor play. I beg to differ. The play was exceptional. There were the occasional bad beats and the occasional disagreements on how hands should be played. But that is what poker is about. If we all played the same top ten starting hands there would be very little to hold anyone’s’ attention for very long. Was it a social gathering? Well there was a lot of that too but not about what most men think it’s about. It was about poker and analyzing hands not what you find at your local tea party. Finally the end of the night came and the final 7 were left. Two friends of mine made the televised table. I cannot tell you how proud I am of both of them. Congratulations to them both!!!! On day three we held our WPC tournament early in the morning so it did not conflict with the UPC taping. We had about 50 women playing and it was a great event. WPC tournaments are always good. It doesn’t matter whether we have 9 women or 100. The attitude is always the same. We love to play and laugh and just have a good time. My play at that one reflected the same as all the other tournaments. Eh. The taping went very well. The diversity on the table was the first thing that caught my eye. The seven women all had different looks, different playing styles and very different backgrounds. It has always been the bond between women players that gets me. I am amazed at how very little we seem to have in common but come together to play and support each other. That might be the single biggest difference between the way men and women play. I don’t care if a woman gave me the worst beat ever. I will still support her efforts in poker and in the rest of her life. And most that I have met feel the same as I do. It was indicated by the tournament staff that they heard horror stories about women’s events. That woman bitch more and play less. The compliments that we got from that same staff really hit home. There are always going to be some who will grumble and criticize regardless. But I heard more complaining from the men at the cash tables and the surrounding tournaments than I ever heard at a women’s only event. Honestly, we just want to play. My last day in Vegas I played some poker in the morning but spent most of my day with a few meetings and relaxing with the friends I have made.
Most of this trip will remain in Vegas. I don’t think I could even start to explain the laughter and the excitement of my very first visit to Vegas. I realized how strong the friendships I have made through poker have become so these times will stay in my memory for a long time. And no matter how many times I go back in the future nothing can compare to this trip because “We go this way but once.” |
