Seat Open

Dear G-Vegas,

It's not you. It's me.

We've had a good time together. I like the way you know what I like to drink. I like the way you hit me in the head with the deck for two hours and then crack kings like a champ. I treat you right. I mean, how many guys will straddle nearly every time he has the opportunity and then never, ever raise? Oh, and remember the time I folded my fifteen outs twice and gave up the 1200x the big blind pot? Those were good times.

I've been trying to find a way to say this. I can't think of any other way.

There's somebody else. She's got a hold on me that I can't escape.

I'm leaving.

So, seat open. Please water the plants.

Love,
Otis

P.S. Lock up a seat for me sometime late Summer.

***

In all seriousness, this sort of sucks. Over the past year, I've really enjoyed the one or two times a week I've been able to get out to the underground games around town. I've met a lot of good people (and a few real pricks) and look forward to the time I get to hang out.

Alas, work calls. I'm getting ready to head out for my annual adventure and I'm not sure how soon I'll be back. While I still have a few days, the time in the interim is best spent nuturing my very understanding family.

So, find some other fish to pick on for the summer, and then I'll be back to blow off my roll to you later.

As for Up For Poker, one of two things will happen.

1) I'll roll up into Working Otis and completely ignore my space here
2) I'll go on an annual freak-out and kick out the jams here as often as possible.

Both of those possibilities are equally possible.

Here's a bit of my freak-outs from my first two years at the World Series.

2005

A Month In Las Vegas--An arrival
Limit Poker With the Russians
Nuts with Jennifer Tilly
Johnny Fuckin' Chan--Watching Chan win his tenth bracelet
Are you a card player?--My definitive statement from 2005
Leaving Las Vegas--My first escape

2006

Pai Gow with Wheaton--Monster Pai Gow for the strong-of-heart
Poker People--A look at the darker side of the WSOP
Escaping Las Vegas--My last night at the 2006 WSOP
Snickers for Wil Wheaton--Looking for ghosts at Binions
A bit on Jay Greenspan--Pimping a fellow writer
Mad No-Max--An incomplete tale of the biggest $2/$5 game I ever played in

***

See you all on the other side...or, I suppose, in Vegas.

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