Why I Am No Longer in New Orleans....

Breaking News: I was walking into the elevator of my hotel (sweat box) today...after posting my blog this morning, and my phone rang. It was Steve Frezer. I was informed that I had to come in and speak with Harrah's New Orleans' Table Games Manager (name undisclosed) before I could play today. Upon arriving, that person was waiting for me, along with their poker room manager. We went to an office. We spent 30-45 minutes talking. I was fortunate enough to pretty much air my whole personal history. I received a lot of good feedback. I am not sure I want to get into too much detail, yet.

The bottom line...is that once again, the Poker Mafia...a.k.a. the 'Three J's' have struck again. There is now a little power struggle going on...between the Harrah's legal department, the WSOP itself, and these few people who are determined to see my poker career affected or even derailed. The immediate focus is legal's uncertainty at how to handle my status as it relates to my possible qualification in the $1m Freeroll, which...I think there is still some who think I might not actually qualify; despite the efforts to see me fall out of the Top 36 and save themselves the sticky situation of turning me away. Only one little problem. I am in 17th place right now...and if they think 18 people are going to pass me at the FINAL EVENT of the season, well...they aren't very good at doing math. CLICK HERE for the WSOP CURRENT LEADERBOARD STANDINGS.

So...and the only reason that I am telling you all this, is because I think, I sincerely think, that a LOT OF YOU understand that I have changed my image a LOT in the past year...maybe two years. I feel confident that a lot of you out there who might not have liked me in the past have changed your tune, at least a little. I see all the comments, I hear all your calls, your text messages, and your Facebook posts...I see how many readers visit my site every day...and to some extent I feel responsible to let you all know as much as I can about what is currently going on. I want you to know that I do really appreciate all of your support. I find myself feeling hopeless sometimes, exasperated by the whole painstaking process that I have been subjected to by this small group of people with an agenda that I can't begin to know where there motivation originates.

I was told today that I was not going to be allowed, currently...to play any WSOP events...until the legal department figures out what they are going to do about my overall status. It was prompted by an '86' that was 'back-entered' into the Horseshoe Tunica system, after my friend and I received a 24-hr ban for our little night of fun at the Blackjack table back in November. It was a one day ban. I returned the next day and played a poker tourney, then gambled that same day. Upon hearing that I had experienced that night at the blackjack table (I suspect by simply reading about it in my blog!) ...this 'official' for the WSOP manipulated the system by going in and re-entering the '86'...or having someone do it for him...and classified it as a trespass with no time limit on it. He performed this in January. Two months AFTER it happened, and had already been removed from the system.

He has since used that '86' as his 'alibi' to use to keep me out of Tunica in January, tried to have me banned from the Chicago Poker Classic at the Horseshoe up there...but they refused to ban me (thank you guys up there with common sense!) had me banned from West Palm Dog Track event, St. Louis event (not that I was going there anyway...hate that place!) San Diego event (which ended up sucking...and I'm glad I didn't get to play there)...and Chester, Pa which I had no plans of playing either.

Why did he pull this? What is his motivation? It all goes back to his accusing me of making a post on 2+2/Pocket Fives back in January. The post was not about him. It was about someone else. But his reaction to it...was that of someone who had everything to lose by that person being damaged. Why? I have no clue. And I didn't make the post. I have since discovered who the author of that post was...but I won't reveal that...to anyone, out of respect for that person's privacy.

First let me say, I am happy that I live in the United States of America. I appreciate the Constitution that our forefathers laid out for us to adhere to 200+ years ago. I think we try, as a society to follow those as much as possible. But I think we can all agree that they have slowly been getting eroded away, as the information age seems to have transformed us into a world that is growing more and more powerful as computers and all devices of communication have become tools of power. And change. Some people fear change. They fear the masses unearthing their wrongdoings...and spreading the news. It has spawned mass revolutions in the Middle East this year. That is beyond powerful. That is historic. So when a couple of poker supervisors, who to the masses....masses being players, dealers, other floor people...have all spotted the same issues, and all talk about it at length...and beg for something to be done about it, to end the abuse they are placing upon the entire poker community, that eventually they have to be unveiled, and unseated from their role in OUR poker community.

Some people (my wife included) think I should just keep my mouth shut. To 'let it just go away.' She isn't big on controversy. She also knows I have 'cooled my act' to the desire of all these people who seemed to be infatuated with kicking me out of their events. But once I have done 'my part' to appease them...and the BS persists, then I'm sorry...but it is time to take a stand.

It is true, I am opinionated. I also am one to stick up for people who are being victimized. Whether it directly affects me or not. The bottom line is that in every thing we participate in in life, there is a certain ripple effect to every thing we do. It might not affect you directly if someone is screwing someone over...but if they are screwing over that person...and that other person in turn is affected, eventually it IS going to reach you, and affect you. If you are too slow to figure out what I am talking about...I will feed you an example:

Tourney supervisor needs 40 dealers for an event. Currently there is another event going on...where most of them want to work. He uses two 'methods' to attract them. Method #1 is the "if you go work for that event...you can expect to never work one of my events again" method...which is surprisingly effective, and which borders on criminal. Method #2 is to entice them with cheap lodging...maybe even free! But then wait until that draws them in...and once they arrive, tell them "well, I wasn't able to get them for free (even though he's lying to them...because he DID get them for free) but I did get them to get you a pretty good deal, of $25 a night." I invite you to do the math. 40 rooms, times $25 a night, times 16 days. Illegal? Nope. Immoral? Duh. Unethical? 100% And this is where the trickling effect occurs:

Some of you, and I know you exist...don't give a shit about dealers, and think they all make 'plenty of money.' I can confidently tell you that 'no they don't.' Well I do care about them. Why? Not just because I happen to like and care about a handful of them as humans. But because I can't stand having shitty dealers in the box. And most of you who do this for a living feel the same way. Well, guess what? When they get screwed over....and over...and over...eventually they can't take it anymore, and they move on to a different line of work. And are usually replaced by some spastic that couldn't deal a poker game any better than my dog. And that...THAT pisses me off. And its happening a little too often in poker...and its perpetuated by the greed of some of our poker tourney supervisors, who we pay all this ridiculous juice to, but do so in hopes that they will provide us with a 'good poker tourney' and if that happens then no one cares how much is being plundered from the players AND the dealers. Just put out a good event...and everything will be fine.

This type of activity...is slowly killing the game of tournament poker from the inside and working its way out. If you are not immersed deep enough in the world of poker, than this will all sound just confusing to you. Maybe even insane..or conspiratorial. But I assure you...it's not. I have dealers whispering in my ear every day...and several floor people. Change has to happen. Sooner would be much preferred over later. Poker will not die. I am confident that smarter people, with insight, and common sense, will finally wake up and see what is going on in their operation, and FIX THE PROBLEM.

So...getting back to my case...the Table Games Manager of New Orleans was very kind to me today. I have zero hostility toward ANYONE from the casino in New Orleans. In fact, I was even invited to stay and play their cash games...so I don't want you thinking I was banned from their casino...because I wasn't. It was just an awkward spot for them, because they are being told two or three different things by the folks in Las Vegas. And to my benefit, it has at least been kicked all the way upstairs to their legal department, who are intuitive enough to realize that I was allowed (despite this Supervisor trying to insinuate that I am banned from ALL Harrah's properties) to play 3 circuit events in the fall...under the agreement that I was competing for a spot in the Freeroll, and earned 120 points...which will 99.5% guarantee me a spot in the 100 player Freeroll in a few weeks.

I've been told that they are reviewing my case...have been all week, and that I could get a call as early as TOMORROW, telling me I am cleared, and can return to play the rest of the event. If that happens, then sure...I will come back over to New Orleans, and play out the string. I was appreciative of the offer to stay and play cash game...but lets be serious, you all know I am not a big cash game player...and having to sit and repeat this story to 300 or so people was not my idea of a good way to spend the rest of the week. So I packed up my car and drove home. My dogs were very happy to see me! And pretty sure my wife was too! So there was some positive that came of it.

But again...to reiterate, this should be NO reflection on the staff and management at Harrah's New Orleans whatsoever. They were very professional in the way they handled my situation. And regretted having to hand me this news today. I encourage all of you to continue playing there...and for those of you thinking about going...please, GO! The fields are great...the structures are awesome...just awesome...and the dealers are solid. Simply put...its a super event, not to be missed.

I was sent a very 'interesting' piece of information...from a gal I have gotten to know really well, who is in my corner on most issues, and who has some issues with some of the same people I do in the poker world. Now, this has nothing to do with either one of us...as it was sent TO HER...by someone else. But check it out....and if you scroll down the list of comments...you will notice the one that was posted by The Dark Avenger several months ago.

CLICK HERE to see the thread that was forwarded to me....

Pretty eye-opening stuff. I had only seen the Dark Avenger post one time. It was forwarded to me one night on Facebook. Then when I logged on the next day to see the follow up remarks...it had been completely omitted. When someone told me it was also on Pocket Fives...I went there to read it, and it too had been removed, by someone who obviously has some pretty strong pull with the people who run those sites. Its been explained to me by some forum-savvy people that getting a thread completely yanked from those forums is very difficult to accomplish. I will let you make your own conclusion.

Okay I'm tired. Its been a long, irritating day. At least I didn't play 11.5 hours just to bubble though. That kind of feels good!!!  Good luck to all of you grinding away over there in New Orleans!!!

 Monkey

(the thoughts and opinions stated in The Monkey Blog are his and his alone. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions and/or positions of the owners/operators of Gulf Coast Poker.net.  Monkey is not an agent or employee of Gulf Coast Poker, but merely a freelance contributor)