My tenure on the business side of the poker industry started in August 2006, which meant when the LAPC rolled around in 2007, I had about seven months under my belt and was in the sweet spot of still being excited for not only every tournament stop, but also getting comfortable enough with the job to be able to start enjoying the trips a little as well. I’ve been traveling less over the last couple of years and with the tournaments going on out at the Commerce Casinoover the last few weeks, a friend of mine started me down memory lane by asking if I missed being there.

The Commerce is a place of its own and unlike anywhere I had ever been. My hotel was a half-mile or so down the road, the DoubleTree by the outlet malls, but most of my time was spent in the Commerce covering the tournament and playing cash games afterward until I had to head back for at least a few hours of sleep before repeating the process all over again.

Looking back, I remember a lot of things about the trip, but I had to do a quick Google search for a refresher on who won to make sure I wasn’t mixing up my years. My memory was pretty good, as I expected to see Eric Hershler as the champ, which he was in 2007, and I remembered Fernando Jacobo (3rd), Paul Wasicka (4th), Chau Giang (5th), Bill Edler (7th), Chris Bell (13th), and Kristy Gazes (16th) all going deep.

It’s hard to believe that was five years ago, but it’s also hard to believe I correctly remembered that many players who were deep in the tournament.

More than that, I remember the trip itself and new experiences like the melon bars I still don’t understand the fascination with and the boba tea that I wish I could find around here. The metal-centered yellow $5 chips that kind of magnetically stick together a little more than they should. The mass of people and the sea of tables. The ridiculously low caps on the buy-in amounts to No Limit cash games where the max at $2/$5 was $200 and the max at $5/$10 was $400.

As I was traveling to each individual tournament, the events themselves and the winners and losers were always the story, but all of the good memories are in the things that I experienced around them.

I can still get a good laugh telling my story about going for a run through the area around the Commerce. I had never been there before, liked to start my day with a run, and was happy to be in L.A. in February where the weather was great. I grabbed my phone and headphones, laced up my shoes, started a Kenny Chesney play list of island-type songs, and went out the door at a trot with no route planned, just hoping to get somewhere between three and five miles in.

I went past the Commerce and made random turns until I ended up in what was clearly not the best part of town even in the bright morning sunlight. I kept going though, hating to disrupt my run and having no choice but to go back the way I came. Later that day, my friends in the media let me know that I had taken about the worst route possible and went through some notoriously bad areas.

The tournament itself was great: big numbers, big names, and a feeling that tournament poker was strong and getting stronger. Things were still going well in 2007 and the Commerce had a vibe about it letting you know that when you were there, you were at the center of the poker world. The pure volume of players and the size and strength of the games seemed unmatched.

In the years following, I always looked forward to returning to the Commerce, but when I think back, I always remember my first trip there. I was there to cover a World Poker Tour $10,000 buy-in event, but the lasting memories are what happened along the way: the people and places, the dinner discussions and funny stories, and the friends made and bonds formed.

Any time I look back, I try to relate that to what I have going on in my life now to see if I can take anything away that will help me get more out of what I am doing. Thinking back about why I was at the Commerce and what I remember about it is another reminder to enjoy the moment and take care of business, but also make sure to pay attention to everything else that is going on while business is getting done.

Since I am not going out to the Commerce every year, I need to find another place to replenish my stock of Banana Republic boxer shorts that I used to pick up at the outlet mall each time I was there.

Court Harrington has worked on the business side of the poker industry in roles including tournament reporting for PocketFives, radio hosting for PokerRoad Radio, coaching for the WSOP Academy, and a variety of behind-the-scenes responsibilities. He also plays in cash games and tournaments. Harrington is currently doing consulting work and exploring business opportunities outside of the poker industry. You can contact him at PokerRoadCourt@gmail.com.