Like every other poker player in the world, I’ve always figured it would be pretty cool to play at the same table as Doyle Brunson. Obviously, he wouldn’t make it easy for me to win, but, just one time, as long as there wasn’t too much money at stake, it’d be a trip to mix it up with the man Gabe Kaplan likes to call ‘Big Papa’. That opportunity came a few weeks ago at the opening of the new ‘Poker Lounge’ at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

In honour of the opening, the casino put on a freeroll for journalists and invited guests, complete with cocktails, beautiful women and local celebrities.