About 10 years ago a fresh faced Mikey D has been crushing 10/20 and sits down in a really good 25/50 game with 10k. The session is going great and the main spot leaves, I have 25k and I’m about to leave. Sean McCormack is the graveyard shift floor at Bellagio. He tells everyone https://twitter.com/landontice/status/1286747498082533376

“We don’t normally do this but we’re going to make it 10 handed, the prince is in town.” I don’t remember what country the prince is from, I do remember that he allegedly had a guy in his crew who’s job was to be handcuffed to a briefcase full of money. He bought in for 250k,

And we made the game 25/50 with a 400bb ante. To this day this was the best game I’ve ever played in. I watched him get in 50k with KsQx on the J97ss in a single raised pot. The board ran out KK and I’ll never forget to look on the young regs face.

It folded to him in the CO, he raised to 400, I called the BU with 54dd. J44r, he checks. I’ve never seen him check all night, it was odd. I bet 1k, he raises to 2k. It’s a clear raise, but it’s a surreal feeling stacking off 25k into a range you know has every 4x offsuit combo.

I raise to 6k, I’m visably shaking, he notices and asks about it “I’m very nervous right now,” I’m an honest man. He calls, the weight of the word is lifted off my shoulders. He doesn’t have a 4, I’m still nervous but seeing dollar signs. Turn 2x, beautiful. He checks, I bet 9k.

He looks at me and says “you got a 4 buddy?” I’m still shaking and say something along the lines of idk, he calls. I remember in this moment just praying to whatever power that be that the river isn’t a J. It rolls off a 5 for good measure. This is it, 30k+ in the pot and 15k

Left to play for. He checks, I jam. I can hear my heartbeat at this point from the blood pounding in my ears. At this point he’s about 90% sure I have a 4. He would often take breaks to play 250k/hand baccarat. When you’re that rich 15k to be 100% sure seems like a bargain.

He grabs 3 flags, chucks them towards me and walks away. He gets two steps away from the table and turns around. It was almost like an action movie scene where the badass doesn’t look back at the explosion, but curiousity he gotten the best of him. He cranes his neck over, sees

My full house and says nice hand. Off to the baccarat table for some real action. I sit out for a bit to take a walk. It’s about 5-6am and I’ve drank 4-5 Red Bull’s. I can’t stop shaking. My family lives on the east coast where it’s 8-9am so I call my dad.

He answeres the phone “oh my god Michael, did you get arrested?” No Dad, I just won a 50k pot. “Oh, that’s much better.” Since that day I’ve played a few pots that might’ve been slightly bigger, but this will always be the most memorable pot of my life.