Lynette Chan flagged me over to say hi. It was cool that she recognized me. I hadn’t seen her since the Intercontinental alaskaslot Tournament at the Palms a few months ago. Today she’s sporting her new Full Tilt logo on a crisp white blazer. Lynette had already been on the featured table not long before. “I told them that they needed a female presence at the table…and then somehow I lucked out,” she said.
Lynette also said that she enjoyed the non-poker items like the restaurant reviews I posted earlier. Her fave Vegas restaurant is Nobu, and she likes China Grill at Mandalay Bay for Chinese fusion. She recommends Gaylords if dining here at the Rio, but will be heading over to Chinatown on the hour and a half break. If Lynette looks a little skinny lately it’s not on purpose. She just hasn’t had much of an appetite lately.
My Day 1 report
The tension was thick as we waited to begin play on Day 1B of the WSOP’s main event. I surprised myself because I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I’d be as a first timer, perhaps because I knew I had more experience in big casino tournament play than the great majority of the Internet qualifying field present for the festivities.
The table was filled with fellow ‘net qualifiers as I had hoped, and one pro, Patrik Antonius, himself a cool customer. I rarely saw his expression change and he didn’t crack a smile until the board came 9-7-7-9-9 in a hand in which he held a seven and another player tried to bluff him on the turn with 4-4 and sucked out for a chop.
I was hopeful coming in that I could either steal a lot of blinds or limp pre-flop and steal a lot of small pots, but this proved not to be the case. The players were aggressive in defending blinds and stealing blinds, so it seems they shared some of the same strategy.
Losing my cool
I always thought I was too cool for celebrity slobbering. I don’t follow the stars or even read about them in magazines like People. Movie stars, poker pros, and musicians are everywhere at the WSOP. When it comes to work, I photograph them and move on to find the next image.
Today I was stumped.
jennifertilly.jpgRacing around, I was getting profile info from PartyPoker players before the break ended. With cards back in the air, I still needed a couple of shots. Seat three was empty at Table 95.
Convenient.
My Party players were across the table. I could sneak in a little closer to get some chip throwing, card folding shots of Stephen Benton and Aaron Robbins.
In rushes seat three…she’s a little late. I back up to give her more room and then finally realize it’s Jennifer Tilly. She is rustling through her purse mumbling something about long lines in the hallway. I look up at Benton and Robbins who are grinning from ear to ear.
I blushed.