The poker world is so surreal, you don't need to make up stories, because the true ones are weird and unbelievable enough on their own.

For example:

At last year's WSOP, Paul Phillips traded 3% with me. What the hell? Why would one of the best players in the world trade with me? Because we're friends, and it made it more interesting for him. Paul just entered the 50K HORSE event that plays on Tuesday.

In the Amazon Room at the Rio, shortly after I was eliminated, I stood near the middle of the room and talked with Chris Ferguson. He kept apologizing to me when people would push past me and ask for his autograph. I told him that we could go over to the Hilton if he wanted to trade places.

At BARGE last year, Greg Raymer sat next to me at the symposium. Sensing that I was terrified and didn't know anyone, Greg put me at ease by teaching me Chinese poker while we waited for the symposium to start.

Nolan Dalla once asked me for advice on publishing.

At the PCA this year, I played in the craziest SNG ever, with a very drunk BJ Nemeth who kept the table in stitches with comments like, "Hey! Three players to a hand!" BJ played a hand totally blind against Isabelle Mercier, who put him in for all his chips with a middle pair. BJ called -- blind -- and turned over pocket aces. It took a huge chunk out of her stack, but she still worked her way up to heads-up with me. I lasted all of two hands before she busted me.

Just now, I was on the phone with one of the marketing VPs at PokerStars. We were talking about some logo clothes I'd like to wear when I play in the WSOP this year.

"So I think I'd like to get a --" I said.

"Wait. Wil, I'm sorry, I have to interrupt you. Isabelle just got eliminated and is on the other line. I'll have to call you back."

So that's how I found out that Isabelle Mercier finished in fifth place in event number nine at the 2006 World Series of Poker. She takes home $136,000 -- not a bad return on $5,000, but not a bracelet, either. Hellmuth and Marcel Luske are still around, with two players I don't know. I'm cheering for Luske, and whoever is in a pot with Phil.

Man, this is a weird world.