Table 11 needs reminding that there is a poker game going on. Just before the break I saw Patrik Antonius, Phil Gordon, Howard Lederer, JJ Hazan and Jeff Lisandro having a very intense conversation about motorbikes. Now I have just witnessed Hazan and Lisandro explaining the rules of cricket to Lederer and Gordon (both of whom admitted to being closet cricket fans).
At this same table earlier the dealer made a boo-boo, when he mistook the Stud hand being played for Razz and awarding the chips to the wrong player. I hear it was resolved and taken in good jest (lets face it, we have all done the same - in fact I'm reporting this snippet to potentially save my blushes for when I inevitably do the same).
PokerNews grabbed Kirk Morrison on first break from the £2,500 HORSE tourney on day one of the WSOPE. We usually save Kirk for an interview later in the day since he is so accommodating, but he and Tiff were eager to be reunited having not seen each other since all the way back at the WSOP.
The cricket conversation is still going on and has now turned a little nasty. Lisandro (Australian) and Hazan (English) are arguing with Lederer and Gordon (States) about which is better, cricket or baseball (it was inevitable, really) -- when I left they were musing over which sport has better newspaper articles written about it?
Patrick Antonius is also trying to join in the discussion, despite admitting he knows nothing of either sport.
Elsewhere, my early pick to do well, Richard Ashby, is sitting on a whopping 22,000 chips. I'm feeling a little smug right now.
Being a limit event, the action is slow and methodical, so the players are relaxed and seem to be enjoying themselves. There is plenty of talk about sports and betting, and just a hint of politics....
Andy Black
Andy Black was among the short stacks for most of the day. He could not improve on his situation and headed to the rail after being eliminated. It was bad enough that Black's tournament life was over, but he was also busted in the middle of a massage. Massage over. Black out.
Table 11 has now turned their attention to which is the rougher sport out of soccer and NFL. Lederer is arguing that NFL is roughest because they do not have a 'Penalty Kick' system. Jeff Lisandro is making a case for women's field hockey to be rougher than the other two put together.
Its a shame nobody from an Olympic Committee is here to take down some of this valuable insight.
Elsewhere Dan Shak has hardly sat at his table, as he has been on his mobile phone on and off for some time now. A little eavesdropping revealed he is partaking in some sort of stock trading, advising his partner to buy low sell high, etc., etc.
Texas Dolly = The Tired Cowboy
Doyle Brunson has been spotted napping at random times during the first two levels. Several of the Las Vegas pros flew in at the last minute and are faced with jet lag and adjusting to the new time zone. Brunson is among those unfortunate souls. The £2,500 HORSE event is going to be a marathon spread out over three days. Brunson is taking advantage of the slow action during the early levels to catch up on sleep before he needs to expend his energy for an old-fashioned gun fight.
