WPT in Hollywood

Hollywood, Florida

The FBI doesn't need to look in my iPhone to see where I've been, just follow my blog!

The Seminole Indians have built a truly spectacular resort down here in south Florida.  Not only is it a hotel and casino with a huge theatre, it also has a shopping mall with a bevy of restaurants, bars and night clubs.  This is thee place to be on Saturday nights.

This is the first WPT (World Poker Tour) event to be held here since they changed the laws to allow a more "Las Vegas" like casino experience here in Florida. 

The WPT is similar to the WSOP Circuit in that they will have events during the year at different venues with a series of poker tournaments featuring a "Main Event" with a $10,000 buy-in and a multi-million dollar prize pool. 

I suppose it is testament to the popularity of No Limit Hold'em that of the 34 tournaments in the "Seminole Hard Rock Showdown" all but 4 are No Limit Hold'em.  There are two Omaha 8 or Better High-Low tournaments, one Pot Limit Omaha tournament and one mixed game tournament, H.O.R.S.E. (Hold'em (limit), Omaha 8, Razz, 7 Card Stud, Stud 8.  The H.O.R.S.E. tournament is the only event that plays any 7 Card Stud. 

I was rather disappointed when I looked at the schedule and realized that after today (day four since I started) I would have no opportunity to deal anything but No Limit Hold'em for the rest of the job.  It is just more interesting and challenging to deal the other games.  Deal Pot Limit and you, the dealer, needs to keep track of the pot on every betting round and also do the calculations for how much the raises will be limited to.  For Omaha 8 you need to stack the pot during the course of the hand, read the four-card hands and then split the pot for the high and the low hand winners.  And because 7 Stud players each get dealt their own down cards and up cards, it is a very different dealing experience from Hold'em or Omaha.  Variety is the spice of life.  Oh well.  When in Vegas for the WSOP,  I will ask for the afternoon shift that deals all the different tournaments.

The plan is for the WPT to run another tournament here in Hollywood in August and if they are successful, they may also add a tournament or two at the Seminole Hard Rock in Tampa.  Yipee!  I might get to deal a professional Poker tournament without having to travel or rent a hotel room! Cool.

So far, lots of locals, lots of WSOP grinders but not too many celebrities for the preliminary events.  I think John Racener (last year's WSOP Main Event runner-up from Tampa) is here and I saw "Miami John" Cernuto and Allen Kessler playing the Omaha event.  All those guys have multi-millions in tournament winnings.  I wonder if they were able to hang onto them?