jonathankaplan

I’m walking through the Bellagio this past Friday and I get to one of the main intersections. It’s like an old-time Hollywood and Vine for craps and BJ players, a bunch of bigger games are situated there, near the main cage and the safe boxes. It is a good place to be seen playing if that is what you are into.
Phil is playing craps at the table on the main corner. He is shooting by himself, but there is a crowd of a few dozen people standing around watching, most keeping some distance. Phil’s got a small handful of big chips, a few big quarters and lesser 1Ks, but I don’t see more than a few other chips, in his rows or on the layout. He is not giving off the feeling of flush. I stop to watch for a while. It interests me that a thoughtful top poker player is shooting dice, there are many leaks in pro poker and outside gambling can be a huge drain. I am surprised Phil is there (even though I have seen him playing big blackjack nearby...and it's only a few steps to the craps table.)

Ivey and I first met at the inaugural bellagio 10K event. We had a meal together that night, mainly cause of the timing of a hand together juxtaposed with the dinner break. We discussed quite a few things then, but almost no poker, and I got to see some of what he is like, I think. He struck me as quite intelligent and mild mannered, even shy. We talked a great deal about trading, he seemed very interested in it generally. We have met over the felt a few other times. I like the guy.
So I stop to watch Phil play some craps.

He is shooting, and also, chatting with a couple about his own age. I can’t tell if he is hanging out with them or not. I step a little closer to see better and Phil sees me. We make eye contact in a poker awareness way, (like how you check out players when sizing out a table from the rail, smile and nod to known opposition.).
He goes back to chatting at the couple.
Phil says to her, “Here, you roll for me for awhile.”.
She gets a frightened deer look in her face, recoils a bit, says “No way, I can’t do it!”.
Phil replies, “You can’t do any worse than I am.”.
Phil rolls.
The stickman says, “Seven Out.”.
Phil now looks at the layout, the stickman has already retrieved the dice and is moving them back to the (only) shooter.
Phil says, “Next time, could you pull the dice out of that shadow without changing them, I couldn’t see 'em? I’ve had people cheat me like that.” The table employees glance around at each other.
The stickman says, “That doesn’t happen here at the Bellagio.”

I choose that moment to comment to Phil.
“Phil, why don’t you let me show you some about trading, it’s a lot bigger and more fun than craps.”
Ivey looks at me again. His face has changed, now he is grimacing, with some amount of hostility.
He says, “What, you don’t think I should be doing this?”.
His face is evidencing more emotion than I have EVER seen him show. He’s taken numerous bad beats on TV, faced quite a few reversals of fortune, won and lost tons of money in public view, and he hardly even blinks. But now, his change in demeanor is quite dramatic.
I say, “No, Phil, what do I know? I know you are an action guy, this is an action game.”
He turns away, saying, “Okay, just checking”.
He rolls again, I walk away.
I don’t think we are as friendly any more.