NOW IS THE TIME WHEN ALL POKER EYES SET THEIR GAZE ON LAS VEGAS FOR THE WORLD SERIES OF POKER. THE WORLD SERIES RUNS FROM MAY 31 THROUGH JULY 18TH AND FEATURES 102 BRACELET EVENTS. THE BRACELET, FULL OF DIAMONDS, RUBIES, AND OTHER PRECIOUS STONES ARE ESTIMATED TO BE WORTH $500,000. AND ARE THE MOST COVETED TROPHY IN THE POKER WORLD. AS HOPEFUL PLAYERS PUT THEIR MONEY DOWN TO PLAY IN ONE OF THE EVENTS, INCLUDED WITH THE DISCOUNT BUFFET OFFERS AND FREE SLOT PLAY AT MANY CASINOS, THE APPLICANT GETS A UNOFFICIAL "ONE TIME" CARD. THIS IS USUALLY SAVED FOR TIMES OF FACING ENNIMENT ELIMINATION, WITH ONLY A TINY CHANCE OF HOPE. THE POKER GODS MOST OF THE TIME TURN A BLIND EYE TO THE REQUEST, BUT EVERY NOW AND THEN SAY YES.

THIS IS THE STORY OF ONE PERSON'S USE OF THEIR "ONE TIME" REQUEST. 

THAT PERSON IS DAN CATES. BUT HE DID NOT USE IT TO WIN A POKER HAND, BUT A REPUTATION AND CAREER. DAN ENJOYED PLAYING AT THE HIGHEST STAKES AND LARGEST LEVELS IN POKER. DAN HOWEVER WAS CAUGHT CHEATING ON AN ONLINE HOME GAME BY USING MORE THAN ONE PLAYER SWINDLING UNSUSPECTING PLAYERS OUT OF THEIR MONEY. TO BE A POKER PLAYER AND CHEAT IS A DEATH SENTENCE TO A PLAYERS ABILITY TO RECRUIT PEOPLE TO PLAY AGAINST. DAN AT FIRST SAID IT WASN'T FAIR AS OTHERS WERE DOING IT ALSO, BUT USED HIS "ONE TIME" ADMITTING WHAT HE DID WAS WRONG, AND HE WOULD TRY TO MAKE IT RIGHT. VOWING THAT IT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN, AND PROMISED TO BE A BETTER PERSON. WITH HIS REPENTANT HEART HIS "ONE TIME" WAS GRANTED AND HE LIVED UP TO HIS WORD TO BE A ROLE MODEL FOR GAME. HE HAS ALSO SET UP A FOUNDATION, WORKING WITH THE MANY ORGANIZATIONS HELPING ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT, WHICH HAS BEEN HIT HARD BY THE PANDEMIC.

BUT THIS IS NOT THE END OF OUR STORY. IN 2020 DAN PLAYED IN THE WSOP POKER PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP AND MADE THE FINAL TABLE. MAKING THE FINAL TABLE IN ANY WSOP EVENT IS A COVETED LINE IN ANY PLAYERS RESUME. BUT WAIT, IN 2021 HE DID IT AGAIN. MAKING BACK TO BACK FINAL TABLES IS A RARITY DUE TO THE ENORMOUS QUALITY OF PLAYERS IN EACH EVENT. THE POKER PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP IS ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT, BECAUSE IT CONSISTS OF 7 DIFFERENT GAMES.  TO BE ADEPT AT 7 DIFFERNT GAMES IS RARE, AS MOST PEOPLE ARE PRFICIENT IN ONE OR TWO. SO WHEN DAN NOT ONLY MADE BACK TO BACK FINAL TABLES BUT WON THE EVENT IN 2021, HE BECAME ELEVATED TO ELITE STATUS IN THE POKER COMMUNITY. STILL WE ARE NOT FINISHED. IN 2022 DAN FOR THE THIRD STRAIGHT YEAR MADE THE FINAL TABLE IN THIS EVENT. THIS IS UNHEARD OF IN THE POKER WORLD. WOULD YOU BELIEVE ME IF I TOLD YOU HE WENT ON TO WIN THE EVENT? HE DID. FINAL TABLE IN 3 STRAIGHT YEARS AND BACK TO BACK VICTORIES PUTS HIM IN THE LEGENDARY STATUS. BUT THIS YEAR HE PLAYED THE ENTIRE 5 DAY TOURNAMENT DRESSED AS RANDY "MACHO MAN" SAVAGE. YES THE PRO WRESTLER. WEARING RED LEATHER PANTS, VEST AND WIG AND HEADBAND, HE TOOK ON THE PERSONA OF THE MACHO MAN. DURING THE ENTIRE EVENT, HE CHIDED HIS TABLE MATES AND ENTERTAINING THEM IN MACHO MANISMS. TRY STAYING IN SOMEONE ELSE'S PERSONA FOR 5 STRAIGHT DAYS AND WIN A POKER TOURNAMENT AT THE SAME TIME. UNBELIEVEABLE.

I HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT A CROSS OVER BETWEEN PRO WRESTLING AND POKER WAS DOABLE.

SO REMEMBER YOU LITTLE HULKSTERS OUT THERE TO DRINK YOUR MILK AND EAT YOUR VEGTABLES, AND MAYBE YOU WILL GROW BIG AND STRONG AND MEET ME AT THE FINAL TABLE. ALSO REMEMBER NOT TO OVERPLAY A-K SUITED.

  

UNTIL NEXT TIME

THE BEGGAR'S APPRENTICE