Last weekend Greg and I experienced the WPT Boot Camp in Hollywood, Florida, at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino and Hotel. We'll share our boot camp adventure in a later article. For now, the WPT Boot Camp is a must for poker players who want to improve their tournament skills and have aspirations of reaching the final table.

Today, let's focus on our experience outside the boot camp, particularly in relation to our accommodations. After spending what seems like a third of my life in hotel rooms, I've become somewhat jaded . . . yes, bored with most rooms. Let's face it, what can you really do with a sleeping and bathing area that has more in common with a shoe box than a home environment.

Are you wondering why you're reading about hotel rooms rather than poker? Well, my poker playing friends, before we can play our best game, we must first satisfy our basic physical and psychological needs. Accommodation comfort translates into better rest and sleep . . . which translates into a sharper state of mind . . . which is directly responsible for how well we play. Voila! Does that mean that a terrific environment will guarantee a win? Of course not.

But it does guarantee that a crappy environment will definitely put up roadblocks to our success. Ever had a distasteful encounter with housekeeping staff just prior to starting a tournament? Or, rolled out of bed the day of the tournament and felt that jabbing, low back pain from trying to locate just one comfortable spot during the night? Or, taken your morning constitutional and found the toilet was fully equipped with sand paper? At the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel you can put all those concerns behind you . . . literally . . . there you'll find Charmin Ultra, pillow top beds with Egyptian cotton sheets topped with down comforters, and a staff that treats you like the master of the manor. In fact, because of the luxurious amenities and our top-drawer treatment, we felt as if we were in a mini-suite rather than a single room.

Who's responsible? Dale Hipsh, VP of Operations, was hired by Seminole's CEO, Jim Allen, to oversee the development of the rooms and the food and beverage products for both Tampa and Hollywood Hard Rock properties. During our interview with Dale, we found him charming and entertaining with a delightful sense of humor . . . brilliant, too! Dale Hipsh: "I'm the operator. The interior designer, Larry Lee, who I believe is one of the most gifted men in show business, in conjunction with Jim Allen were responsible for the physical plant . . . the shower, carpet type, room configuration etcetera.

"My area of responsibility was to take the shell that Larry and Jim designed, like you would a new home you're moving into . . . then select the beds, pick the towels, the sheets, bed pads, type of coat hangers, kind of toilet paper . . . all of the things you would put into a new home you just purchased. My role was to put the icing on the cake."

Dale Hipsh stressed it was a collective effort . . . "The only true path to genius is through collaboration." Paraphrasing Dale, "I'm a Florida boy gone Five Star snob," and he does it so well! Next time, part 2 . . . the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel properties from Dale Hipsh, VP of Operations. Remember, if you can't raise, don't call.