Vegas part 4

Phew. Ok so here is part 4.

I get inside the Bellagio around 8:30 and since I'm a little early I decide I'll grab a beer and throw a few bucks in a nickel slot to kill the time. They arrive around 9:10 and I meet Green Plastic (Taylor Caby), Muddy (Andrew Wiggins), Stinger (Brian Hastings), Ezra and they say we need to go get Rugby (Brian Townsend). Not only did I meet some great players but now I'm gonna meet rugby (for those who don't know he is one of the top, if not THE top online poker player in the world). Im PUMPED. Hes playing 500-1k PLO/NLH in bobbys room at the Bellagio. We get to the entrance and they wave him over and he comes out. We tell him were goin to eat a FIX and he says hell stop over in a little while.

So we go back to FIX and start boozin it up and talkin a little poker. A guy from bluff magazine comes over and hangs with us for a while, and Townsend follows suit.

When he gets there he tells us hes stuck about 100k. I shit my pants.

So we eat an amazing meal and booze it up while we are there. I opt out on appetizers but have one of the slider burgers they order and a few chili fries. For dinner I had an amazing NY Strip steak and it was cooked to perfection. We drank a bunch of beer and a tequilla shot during dinner. Total bill 450$, pre tip. Nonetheless the meal was absolutely amazing. Afterwards we head out of the restaurant and hang out at the bar right by the poker room. The guys buy me a bunch of drinks and I'm gettin pretty sloppy now. I leave to take a piss and this is where things get good.

As I'm walking back from the bathroom a few of the guys are yelling "machine machine come here come here" They seem all frantic so I roll over with a whats up.

"Dude we are so fucking jealous right now. Townsend wants you to go into Bobby's Room and sweat him in the game for about 15 mins!!!!!!!" They tell me how they've known him for over a year and have never been invited in the room, or even stepped in it.

HOLY SHIT is all I can think. Again if you are not familiar with this it is a private room in the middle of the poker room at the Bellagio. There is glass in the front of the room so you can see in, but not just anyone can walk in. You have to basically either be invited, or be playing in the nosebleed stake games they offer. Bobby Baldwin has part ownership of the Bellagio and this room is named after him. I get the biggest cheese on my face and I'm also kinda nervous. As I walk to the room I try to keep my composure and not look like a complete loser walking in.

So I go in and get to sit behind Townsend and watch him play for a while. I estimate he had about 700,000 dollars in front of him. When I first got there they were playing PLO. Every hand he played while I was there he won. I must be his good luck charm obviously.

So not to mention am I sitting behind and sweating rugby, but also across from me at the table is Phil Ivey, Minh Ly is on my right, Bobby Baldwin is in the 10 seat, Gus Hansen and David Oppenhiem are hangin out in the lounge area, and Chaiu Giang shows up later as well.

Anyways being able to sweat rugby was one of the most insane things I've ever had happen to me. I'll probably never step foot in that room again for the rest of my life. Before I left the table I asked one thing from Brian. I really wanted to check out one of his many 25k chips, and he gladly abliged. (never held 25k before).

After this we head out and go to a piano bar in New york new york. I briefly meet a few other top online pros and proceed to get wrecked with these guys. But given that im on EST or 3 hours ahead of where they are, I'm absolutely smashed by 115am (415am EST), so I head out of the bar and stumble back to my room. That was a fun walk.

Since I started playing poker this is probably the most inspiring and influential experience I have had to date