The rest of the trip report will have to wait until the next 2+2 Magazine, but here’s a little write-up from the WSOPE party, which proved pretty amusing:
The night before the start of the main event, the WSOP hosted what they called a beach party that actually took place in a function space just off the beach. They had an open bar with top shelf liquor, but I seeing as how I was playing the next day I just had a glass of champagne. I didn’t spot any of the players I’m friendly with, so I just hung out with Nico for a bit until they announced that the speed boats had arrived.
That’s right, speed boats. The WSOP chartered them for the party. With nothing better to do, Nico and I got on the first trip, and it was a hell of a time. We were out for about twenty minutes, first pushing away from the dock for a panoramic view of the Cannes shoreline at night, the casinos and hotels looking far more glamorous at a distance than they do up close.
Then we went full throttle, supposedly up to 100 MPH, tearing out across the Mediterranean towards St. Marguerite, the island where the Man in the Iron Mask was held prisoner. It too looked majestic at night, the prison and surrounding island dramatically illuminated by floodlight.
We drifted around the island for a bit, then sped back to the shore. As we entered the harbor, we could see the hills of the Cote d’Azure rising up around us on three sides. Actually we couldn’t see the hills, which made it far more magical- we could see only the lights of the thousands of houses scattered throughout, as though they were hanging in mid-air in the shape of hills.
We thought nothing else at the party would top that, and I wanted to be sure to get a good night’s sleep, so we headed for the exit as soon as we got back. As we were walking up the stairs to leave, Phil Hellmuth was parading down into the building. No one was paying much attention to him, but he was walking with his fist outstretched for a bump, supremely confident that someone would want to give him one. Nico obliged and giggled like a little girl afterwards. I’m sure Phil was thinking that he just made some kid’s night, which in a certain sense was true- we thought it was hilarious, but I don’t think that’s what he had in mind.