Blind card player has a casino hero

Hal Lubarsky, the first blind man to cash in the World Series of Poker's main event, was on the telephone, recalling darker times.

His vision loss, from a condition known as retinitis pigmentosa, started accelerating in 1998, at age 37.

"A lot of people treated me bad because I would slow down the game because I couldn't see well. I was like an outcast to a lot of people who didn't like losing to me."

Unable to see clubs and spades and needing assistance from the dealer in identifying the overturned cards, he quit playing live games about three years ago.

He kept his skills sharp through online play and when he returned to live play, he recruited friends to sit behind him and whisper his cards.

Lubarsky won more than $51,000 Friday by finishing around 150th, among 6,300 contestants.

"I can see probably 10 percent, but I can't see people at all if the lighting is low. In my own house I still walk into stuff. I can't see cards at all."

He can read his handwriting as long as he writes in large letters with a black felt-tipped marker.

One of Lubarsky's heroes is casino mogul Steve Wynn, and not just because they share the same rare condition.

About 2 1/2 years ago, Lubarsky wrote a letter to Wynn, asking for a favor.

"I asked him if he would hire my wife, who is a dealer," said Lubarsky.

A couple days of later, the phone rang at the Lubarsky home. The man on the phone identified himself as "Wynn Resorts" and asked Lubarsky's wife, Jan, if she could go to work immediately.

She said yes.

"She was the last dealer hired, and we're sure he helped," said Lubarsky.

In fact, a betting man would wager it was Wynn on the phone.

POKER REAGANOMICS

Reagan Silber's W Las Vegas Residences was among a number of recent failed high-rise projects.

But he's smiling again after his $10,000 investment in the World Series of Poker's main event worked out well. He finished 46th Sunday, winning $190,053.

Silber was chief executive officer and co-chairman of the project, which was canceled in May. The land was sold last month for $625 million.

He drew a pair of queens as his hole cards, to chip leader Phillip Hilm's ace and king. "He raised, I reraised and he moved all in," said Silber, who was named after President Ronald Reagan.

With the pot worth $5 million, Hilm caught a king on the flop.

The final table begins play at noon today at the Rio convention center, with Hilm in front with $22 million.

THE SCENE AND HEARD

The Killers frontman Brandon Flowers and his wife Tana had their first child, a baby boy, on Saturday...

Lindsay Lohan was looking extra radiant during a quick trip to Las Vegas over the weekend. A spray tan company was twice called to her suite at Caesars Palace, once before she went out in her new Dolce & Gabbana outfit on Saturday night before her appearance at Pure Nightclub (Caesars Palace). She was glowing again Sunday, after a second spray, during a tour of the construction area at Pure Management Group's LAX Nightclub and Noir Bar (Luxor) Sunday with Pure execs and Criss Angel on her way to the airport. Britney Spears is hosting the August 31 opening of LAX.

SIGHTINGS

Frenchie Davis of "American Idol" and "Rent" on Broadway, singing "Dreamgirls" hit "I Am Telling I'm Not Going," at Chippendales (Rio) on Saturday. She was in town for a club show at Piranha Nightclub. Also at "Chippendales:" Adrienne Frantz of "Young and the Restless," with "Bold and the Beautiful" star Shanelle Workman, who was in town for her bachelorette party ... Danny Gans and his son, Andrew, at "Spamalot" (Wynn) on Sunday ...

Steven Jenkins, lead singer of the group Third Eye Blind, and the band visiting The Platinum Hotel & Spa on Sunday ... Also at The Platinum: the Los Angeles Lakers team, with coaches Brian Shaw and Kurt Rambis ... Miami Heat player James Posey, lounging Sunday at Venus Pool Club (Caesars Palace) ... Oscar-winning group Three Six Mafia bowling a few frames Sunday at Lucky Strike Lanes (Rio) ... Guitarist Slash, dining Sunday at Social House restaurant (Treasure Island) with his family.

THE PUNCH LINE

"This week in Iran, Iranian designers held a fashion show using Iranian models. And guess what? For the 5,000th year in a row, burqas are in." -- Conan O'Brien.

Norm Clarke can be reached at 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com.