Final Gary/World Series of Poker Update

Jill's Journal: Rob’s poker BFF Gary has seen his amazing whirlwind week in the World Series of Poker’s Main Event – the equivalent of poker’s Super Bowl – come to an end. He had a tremendous day, but got knocked out late this afternoon and officially finished 568th. He more than exceeded his goal of finishing in the top 10% of players (players that can only be qualified as the best in the world). He earned $21,707 for his effort, more than doubling his buy-in.

Gary is sitting at the far right (in the black cap, next to a guy in a light-colored cap) in this photo. Can you  imagine the pressure of playing under the spotlight with the cameras filming and spectators all around? 

Gary clearly made several people sit up and take notice. He spent most of his day today at the same table as Daniel Negreanu, one of the most famous and top poker players in the world. This table was one of the ones ESPN decided to feature and film. They captured Gary not only beating Negreanu at a hand, but bluffing him! Later, as players were lost at the table and people reshuffled, Gary was moved to a table with actor Kevin Pollak. After his finish, a magazine interviewed him regarding his experience as an amateur competing against the pros. It’s been one amazing moment after another. Rob said Gary was absolutely thrilled to have made it so far yet understandably also disappointed the thrill ride didn’t last longer.

Rob’s been with Gary this entire week and has been keeping me updated with texts and phone calls. What fun the girls and I have had rooting him on from a few miles away and visiting once or twice. I think Gary should be so proud of himself. He not only made his dream a reality, but he took charge of it and made it a huge success! How many people can say that? Congratulations to Gary. I can’t wait to ask him if he’ll be back next year. I suspect I already know the answer. :)

An ESPN cameraman catches Gary in action!

Three Opposites

Jill's Journal: Among the oddities I’ve learned since becoming a mama of three: such a thing as three opposites exists.

This picture is a case in point:

Child #1 was completely oblivious to the camera, as she was reading the dictionary. Yes, she does those sorts of things. For fun.

Child #2 saw the camera and immediately jumped into the picture, complete with a cooking pot on her head.

Child #3 saw the camera and dove away, giving me an evil look to ensure I knew she wouldn’t be joining in any photos this afternoon unless it was her idea.

Yep, three opposites. How is that even possible?

World Series of Poker update: Gary is not just hanging tough, but doing great! At this writing, there are 768 players left from the original 6,598. The top 650ish will get paid out of the $62 million+ prize pool. Play starts daily at noon and lasts until after midnight (with brief breaks), so that makes for long, intense days. To have gotten even this far is a huge accomplishment and he’s not done yet. Go Gary!

And can it just be noted that the last time I played in a serious game of poker, I went heads-up with Gary (meaning we were the last two players left in the game). It took an hour or so of heads-up, but I kicked his rear-end! Don’t worry, I have no illusions of being able to repeat that feat. It was pure luck. It’s been so long since I’ve played, I barely remember what a flush is. :)

And Today It’s “Rome”

Jill's Journal: Today’s public air-conditioning experience was brought to us courtesy of Caesars Palace, where the girls absolutely loved the Forum Shops. The indoor, high-end mall with the painted ceilings, Roman statues, elaborate fountains, and circular escalator (one of only a handful in the world and the only one in the U.S.) was a huge hit with them. I’m just wondering how we ended up in Las Vegas during what is being called record heat.

WSOP update: Gary is still in it and grinding away. Like in horse racing, poker requires a bit of luck which seems to have eluded Gary today. But he’s hanging tough. Go Gary!

Ah, Venice…well, not really

Jill's Journal: We hid out in the air conditioning at the Venetian this afternoon, where the girls enjoyed watching the gondolas cruise the canal in addition to studying the living statues at St. Mark’s Square. As badly as the girls wanted to actually ride a gondola, the price for a family of five was a little too rich for our blood. Someday hopefully we'll take them to Venice for the real thing.

Fun update on Gary and the WSOP: There were 6,598 entrants in the Main Event. Somewhere between 2,000 and 2,500 people have been knocked out so far. Gary’s chip count going into tomorrow is in the top 10% of players, which is a super position to be in. How exciting is that? Stay tuned!

The "living statues" do blink! This guy actually moved quite a bit more than we expected. 

Viva Las Vegas

Jill's Journal: We have been having such fun wandering the Strip and meandering through the themed mega-hotels/casinos. We even took an organized double-decker bus tour of both old and new Las Vegas, which the girls really enjoyed and so did Rob and I. It was great to be reminded of so many of the old casino hotels that no longer exist (Stardust, Dunes, Desert Inn, and so many more), while seeing some of the mob spots (seriously, how many bodies must be buried out there in the desert?) and reminisce about past visits (anyone remember the water park that used to be on the Strip?).

Supposedly, as per the tour guide, if you wait 10 years or so between trips to Vegas, you won’t recognize the place because it changes so often. How true that is. Rob and I used to come here a lot, way back when. While he’s been back multiple times for everything from bachelor parties to poker tournaments, I haven’t been here since a decade ago with my Dad and sister. How it has changed. Mega-hotels I remember have been imploded and replaced by luxurious properties like the Wynn. Properties that have remained, like Caesars Palace, have completely reinvented themselves with new towers and a new entrance and are almost unrecognizable from the original. Even little things struck me; for instance, there’s no longer a “Nile River” cruise at Luxor.

The fun thing is that it’s all new to the girls and we have gotten a kick out of them taking in all the supersized glitz and spectacle that is Vegas. And while, yes, Las Vegas is really an adult playground and not so much for kids, it’s a heck of a lot easier to be here with little ones than it is to be in Atlantic City, where you’re barely even allowed to check into your hotel if you have a child in tow (we learned the very hard way several years ago that AC has got to be the least-child-friendly place in the whole U.S.).

I don’t even know how to explain to the kids about this make-believe, over-the-top, surreal, glittery city with pretend pyramids and volcanoes and pirate ships…so I just tell them we can’t take anything seriously in Vegas. There really is no rational explanation for anything here, but it sure is fun to see. Viva Las Vegas!

There’s an Elvis (or two) on seemingly every corner.

The MGM Grand lion is the largest bronze statue in the U.S. at 45 feet tall and 50 tons.

The girls, in their love of Ancient Egypt, thought the faux sphinx and pyramid at Luxor were ah-ma-zing.

I get a kick out of all the wedding chapels. Vegas is the “Marriage Capital of the World” while Reno is the “Divorce Capital of the World.” Oh, Nevada.

Drive-thru weddings…only in Vegas (surely only in Vegas?). There was a couple tying the knot at the drive-up window at this place!

There’s something about this random building in the Arts District that is really cool.

The Stratosphere is the tallest freestanding observation tower in the U.S. at 1,149 feet.

There’s almost as many pawn shops in Vegas as there are Elvis impersonators. This is the one featured on the reality show “Pawn Stars.” Look at that line of people waiting to get inside (in 110 degree heat, no less!).

The canopy-covered four blocks of the Fremont Street Experience is classic old-school Las Vegas. Situated downtown, quite a ways from the Strip, this is what Vegas used to be. Once known as the Glitter Gulch because of all the neon signs, this was the site of first paved street in Vegas, the first hotel, the first gaming license, the first casino designed from the ground up, the first high-rise, the first telephone, etc. Now it’s part pedestrian mall and part old-style casino fun. And yes, those are zipliners! Up to four are whizzing by every couple of minutes.

The Golden Gate was the first hotel in Vegas. Built in 1906 as Hotel Nevada, this is sort of where it all began.

A million dollars on display at Binion’s, where the World Series of Poker began in 1970. Although no longer held at Binion’s, the WSOP’s Main Event has come to be the most coveted prize in poker. Rob and Gary, the guy from Lexington whom I jokingly call Rob’s poker BFF, have attended as spectators two of the last three years. This year, Gary is living his dream and coughed up the $10,000 entry fee to actually play in the Main Event. Rob is here as support and the two have been preparing since Gary arrived yesterday. Play starts tomorrow. Go Gary!