It was the Best of Times, it was the Worst of Times

I think I'm going to have to split the WPPA posts up into many stories, in order to make it readable, and save my sanity. Please do not misunderstand that it means I'm going to hold back, or refuse to tell the whole story. That is the last thing on my mind.

In the past two weeks, I have met some of the most kind people that I've ever met in my life. I want to write about those people.

Max Pescatori was one of the nicest people I met through the WPPA event at the Orleans. He always had a quick, easy smile, yet was ruthless on the table.

Max was very good about giving me quotes and little interviews during the tournament. He didn't seem upset or hasty even after busting out. He was easygoing and pleasant.

Sometimes there are up-and-coming players who bug the pros. The pros can get exasperated by their persistence in questions, especially at the worst times, like in the middle of a hand or giving away their name to the other players at the table, when they might not want to be known. Max was never this way, treating everyone with common courtesy and kindness.

Other pros have problems with begging railbirds. You win a tourney, so suddenly everyone wants to be your "friend." Certain pros have stopped responding to new people, simply because they're afraid of being hit up. I have experienced this myself, being new in the tournament world. I have found that there are big names who keep their distance from me. Not because they are aloof or think they are superior to new players, but because every time they open up, someone hits them up for money. Again, Max couldn't have been any more kind or friendly to me and some other unknowns at the Orleans.

I noticed that Max could have stopped coming to the WPPA events at any time, given the way he was treated.

For example, on the first day, the WPPA had a NLHE event for $1000. Max showed up about eight minutes late. He figured that the WPPA would be upstairs, given that the other big Orleans events were upstairs, so he went there first. When nothing was going on upstairs, he tried to find out where the WPPA was being hosted, but was given the runaround, like so many other players. When he finally reached the buy-in desk, it was eight minutes past noon.

Bryan Durdan immediately began yelling at Max. He said, "You're going to have to get here earlier if you want to play!" Max was taken aback. What casino starts threatening their customers who are eight minutes late for an event? And Bryan was vehement, not saying this in a nice way whatsoever, but in a very confrontational, threatening manner.

Max tried to explain the situation, but Bryan kept cutting him off, yelling at him for being late. He told Max he wasn't going to accept his buy-in if he was late again. He told him to get to the Orleans on time, or just forget it, and some other very rude things. Max could tell this story better than me, as he was the recipient of such anger, but I was present, and I did try to report Bryan for such abominable behavior on the part of the Orleans. Naturally, I was met with apathy and hostility, as the Orleans didn't want us there in the first place.

On another occasion, a player was worried about his room. The Orleans did their very best to make sure the WPPA players were unable to book a room. At one point, a player was told to move out of his room, that they needed it for a real guest, a wanted guest, not a scummy poker player. Max was buying into an event and suggested that the player just leave his luggage in his room, they would find a place for other guests. I agreed that I had done this in the past, and never had a problem. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Bryan started yelling about Max giving this advice. He didn't address me, but seemed to single out Max for his anger and aggression. He refused to even treat Max like a human being, but decided to talk about him in the third person, like he was a dog not even worthy of Bryan's notice.

Even after this horrible abuse by the Orleans staff, Max kept coming back. He knew he was giving up bigger prize pools. He knew that he was being abused, but he wanted to help the WPPA get off the ground, and he came back, although it was a -EV situation for him.

I remember one night when Max made the money. Somehow he found out that I wasn't being paid for my writing. I have no idea how he found out. It could have been me. I always answered honestly when someone asked who I was working for, and if I was being paid.

Anyway, somehow Max found out I wasn't being paid. He came up to me after the tournament was over and tried to give me money. I was shocked. I didn't want to take it, at first, but I was so honored and overcome with emotion at the same time.

He must have also spread the word, because suddenly other players started approaching me, giving me money. I am not an emotional person, I do not cry except in physical pain, but this was the most heartfelt I have ever been in a poker situation. I cannot tell you the absolute joy and honor it brought to me to meet a class act like Max Pescatori.