Jennifer Newell

I've been working the World Series of Poker for about ten days now as a tournament reporter for PokerPages. The one word that comes to mind to describe the experience thus far is exhausting.

Beginning on June 1, I worked every day but one, which was my designated day off. And my days range anywhere from 14-17 hours, which doesn't include my drive time to/from the Rio or my time at home answering e-mails or working on other articles. Sleep has been all too sparse, and my feet can probably tell their own story of aches and pains.

The positives? Sure, there are some.

I'm seeing the WSOP inside and out. I see the tournaments from start to finish (well, as much as the powers-that-be allow due to heavy media restrictions), and I witness the range of emotions displayed by the various players. There are long lines to register at times, but it only goes to show the passion of those who show up here. There are floor disputes that illustrate the complexities of the games being played. I'm seeing the WSOP as it is.

There are also the friendships that are coming from this. I've met fellow writers with whom I hope to spend more time before the end of this series, and I've met people whose words I've read for quite some time. I have solidified friendships with some poker players and been introduced to others. My time is spent inside the media center and inside the ropes of the tournaments, and for the most part, the people I'm meeting are interesting and genuine.

The negatives? There are some of those, too.

I'm seeing the WSOP inside and out. There are snafus and missteps that I won't go into here. I've seen the frustration behind the scenes, especially from those of us in the media whose freedoms that are normally enjoyed as reporters are being restricted. And the creative voices in us are monitored through every word we write, and there is always a threat of revoked credentials hanging over our heads. It's a little unsettling, to say the least.

And there are the players, some of whom are not the nicest people in the world. Images of fun or funny people from television appearances are ruined by their true personalities. And thrown into the mix are drug and alcohol problems, money changing hands indiscriminately, and hookers galore. Granted, it's the gaming world, but it's tough to witness sometimes.

All in all, this is an experience that I wouldn't trade, but I also don't know if I would do it again as a tournament reporter. I'm viewing this time at the WSOP as a true learning experience, and I'm trying to match the positives up to the negatives at all times to stay balanced and grounded.

And right now, I have to get to work!