I first started playing poker at the Leelanau Sands Casino a little over a year ago, when they opened the poker room. At that time it was capable of having about sixty players but within a few months, because of its popularity, the room was expanded to accommodate 100 players.

The poker room operation has grown and now is a very popular place to be seen and of course to play. There are always great tournaments and cash games of every description, low limit, no limit, sit and goes, you name it the Sands will accommodate.

It was here, and because the Sands poker room is much like the TV shows "Cheers, where everybody knows your name", that the "Gator" legend was born.

I was playing in a 4-8-limit game one night, oh I guess about nine or ten months ago. My style of play is to use the check raise whenever possible. For those who don’t know what that is. Its simply checking to another player and if he bets to raise him. It makes for very good pots.

Well back to the story. In the game was a very lovely woman Julia who has since moved back to Florida. I had checked raised her and took a rather big pot for a 4-8 game. When the hand was over she looked at me and said" You know, your just like a Gator hiding in the swamp, just with your eyes above the water and then SNAP you come out and get me. From now on I am calling you the "Gator’

Well the name stuck and soon everyone was calling me the "Gator’ .I went in to play one evening soon after the Julia episode and what was at my place at the table? A cap, which bore the name "Gator"

Not to be outdone, I made up small business cards with a Gator insignia which said" The Gator Gotcha" which I handed out whenever I got a particularly good check raise. Everyone took it in the spirit of the game, since as I said the Leelanau Sands poker room is more that just a place to play poker, it’s a social event. Now most of the regular players have nicknames, There’s "Coach" "Fearless George" Elsie the River Queen, Jim the Silver Fox, Count Mikula, Ivan the Turk, Dave the Movin Man, Chatty Matty, The Professor, Bill The quiet Man, Big Jeff, DelRay Dan the Flusher Man, Leo of Leoland, Dog Dave , Sir Whinealot and the list goes on. Be a regular at the Sands and you will soon be given your own name.

Well the Legend has grown and now the "Gator writes two columns for the Sands "Table Talk with the Gator" and "Great Lakes Poker and Gaming magazine"

See you on the River
The Gator