i had too much fun at desert diamond so i had to go back one more time! here are some more observations about the room:
here, as at the biloxi grand, when the seating control person has 12 or 15 names on a list for a new game, they first call out an "interest list" to find out how many people are still in the room and how many people want to play in the new game. when there are enough players to spread the new game, and not disturb the existing games, and when they have enough new players to replace people at the old game, then - and only then - do they call down the new game.
they use the forward moving button rule here. and i saw something that i've never seen so far: "buying the button." a player who has missed both his blinds returns to the table. the button is to his immediate right. under most cardroom procedures, this player would not be permitted to re-enter the game: "you can't come back into the little blind." however, under the rule used at this casino, this player is permitted to post both his big blind (which is dead) and his little blind (which is live) and get a hand.
i guess that last night, i happened to catch all of the good dealers. it was, after all, saturday night. today, i had several dealers who were much slower than what i saw last night, and who made several mechanical mistakes in pitching cards, etc. still, dealers here were, overall, pretty good.
at about 1pm, they bring in a couple dozen pizzas! everybody has lunch!! :)
at 2pm, they held a random high hand giveaway. if you win a hand with eights full, or better, you fill out a ticket. all the tickets are placed in a big drum, and drawings are held regularly. this afternoon, my old friend dominick angulla (we met last night!) had his ticket drawn. he walked up to the lottery board, where the winner can select a number of lettered cards. the prizes include cash of $2000, $5000, $10,000, a golf cart, etc. so dominic picks a card! he won a brand new buick sentry!! wtg dominick!! :)
by 3 pm, the room had filled up again. i noted that dealers in this room carry their own racks, and they keep their own tips. two maniacs sit down at my 4/8 omaha/8 will full kill, and immediately the game turns into a shoot 'em up. i have a small loss, and i'm ready to book it, when....
"here's tiger! i found him!! presto!!!"
i'll be damned! david "adb-iceman" trinidad has driven all the way from phoenix to be the first one to identify me at desert diamond! and he wins a green satin tropicana jacket! and that's not all! david insists i cancel my motel reservation and stay with him and his wife, cathy! how nice! :)
so we high-tail it out of tucson, and head towards david's place!! moving westward from tucson to phoenix, i drive through picacho pass, with the stark promontory of mt. picacho on my left, and the massive bulk of black mountain on my right. i don't often use this word: it was *awesome*!
david and cathy live well north of phoenix, in a beautiful and spacious adobe house. there are the usual cacti surrounding the house, and a tiny patch of grass next to the outdoor pool! my entire studio apartment could fit into their living room! ;) david is a programmer for ascend, and does most of his work at home; cathy is a nurse at the national institute of health engaged in research about diabetes. she's also a full-blooded native american (a member of the lumbee tribe), who's got a genuine north carolina drawl! the lumbees are a branch of the cherokee tribe, but each year the cherokees veto the lumbees' attempt to be recognized as a separate tribe. the trinidads are wonderful and lovely people who gave me the run of their house (and pool!). sunday evening, we talk computers, law, medicine and, of course, poker! :)
stay tuned!
tiger