Online Poker > Online Poker News
Poker News
August 10th 2006
WSOP Championship: Gold is Dealers Choice
Whilst watching the 2006 WSOP Championship yesterday I felt a tapping at my shoulder. Well, perhaps it would be more accurate to say my elbow, as the tapping emanated from someone standing not more than 5ft2”.
The lady, a 50’ish year-old oriental WSOP dealer, wanted to know if Jamie Gold was playing on the table I was watching. She seemed quite anxious as I explained that he was seated at the ESPN feature table with Allen Cunningham. “That one,” I said, as I pointed to the other table not ten feet away.
A few minutes later after I had moved to watch the feature table I felt the same tapping at my elbow. “Which one Jamie Gold,” she asked again and I told her he was the one wearing the black cap with the yellow strip. Due to her broken English it took several minutes and a number of fellow spectators before she identified the man she was looking for.
Now, however, it was I who was curious. Why exactly was she so keen to know who Jamie Gold was? She was only to happy to tell me: apparently Jamie Gold, the chip leader in the main event of the WSOP, had promised yesterday, in front of ESPN cameras, to give $1 million to the tournament’s dealers if he won. In an instant he had become the dealer’s choice.
Suddenly I became aware of an unusual number of dealers watching the tables. Now let’s be clear about this: watching televised poker is fun, watching live poker is not. Dealers don’t usually watch live poker because, well, because they don’t have to! But here we had ten or twenty dealers eagerly following the action. And when Jamie Gold won his first hand – the reason became obvious. The cheers were deafening.
Jamie’s announced intention to reward the dealers with a substantial contribution for the efforts is the latest in a line of good will statements that have emanated from the players of this year’s World Series. Yesterday David Einhorn gave his entire $659,730 winnings for his 18th placed finish to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and before the WSOP officially began Mike Sexton, winner of the Tournament of Champions promised half of his winnings to charity.
Such behaviour is sure to give poker a public boost as sceptical outsiders see that poker players are the same hard working generous folks that they are. Poker players are investment bankers, film producers, dealers, bank clerks. They are normal people from all walks of life. Well, most of them are.
The dealer who was so keen to find Jamie Gold was also keen to tell us about certain ex-champs failing to tip, and certain ex back-to-back champs being universally disliked by all those who had to deal to him. They shall remain anonymous, and hopefully they’re number will dwindle.
Poker needs more Gold.
Submitted: 10/08/2006 14:56:28
Page 1 of 1
Monthly Archive
Please wait...
(UTC/GMT)
04 December 2008 18:09:37
Quick Links
Poker Room Reviews
Headlines
20/06/2007 10:56:26
2007 WSOP: Events 27 – 29
We have now passed the half way line in the 2007 World Series, and some of the more exciting events are fast approaching, such as the $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship and the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E Championship, which last year produced one of the highest quality final tables of all time. In the meantime however, there is still plenty of money and jewellery to be won.
18/06/2007 11:38:58
2007 WSOP: Events 21 to 26
With 26 events now played the 2007 WSOP is almost at the half way stage. Although numbers have been slightly down on last year the Rio is still buzzing with thousands of poker players, and the overall feeling is definitely positive, especially for these lot:
14/06/2007 17:16:34
2007 WSOP: Events #17 - #21
The WSOP continues to roll on, and as we get further into proceedings it seems the pro players are beginning to get their teeth stuck into the final tables.
News Archive