Interviews
In this section we feature in-depth interviews with professionals from within the casino and hospitality industry.
Interview With Ken Lambert Jr.
Cardroom Manager at Jack Binions's HorseshoeBy Jan Fisher
Source: Poker Pages
I have known Ken Lambert Jr. for many years and I have watched him grow from a virtual unknown in the industry into a major force with whom to be reckoned. Lambert was a security guard when I had my first encounter with him. Linda Johnson and I were waiting in the invited guest line at the Horseshoe in Las Vegas during the WSOP (World Series of Poker) back in about 1984 and a security guard stopped us to tell us that this line was for poker players only. We still get a chuckle out of reminding him of that story.
Needless to say, not only have women in poker come a long way since that time, but so has Ken. He now is the Cardroom Manager at Jack Binions's Horseshoe in Tunica, Mississippi. Directing poker operations ran in his family so it doesn't seem odd that he would wind up doing the same. Catching up to Ken the week before his second annual WPO (World Poker Open) proved no easy task, but I did manage to get a few words out of him before he was off and away again.
Jan Fisher: Please tell us a little bit about your background and your personal life.
Ken Lambert Jr.: I graduated from Las Vegas High School in 1981 and have been married to Carole for 13 years now. We have three children, Jennifer, 14, Christopher, 11, and Brandon, 9. In my free time I like to go hunting and fishing, although it is seldom that I have that time. My father, Ken Lambert Sr. was active in all areas of poker, from player to cardroom manager and everything in between. He was and is my idol and I always wanted to follow in his footsteps. In 1984, I worked as a floorperson during the Frontier Casino Poker Tournament but I started my dealing experience at Vegas World. I was the assistant tournament coordinator at the America's Cup (also at Vegas World) for two years and one year as the coordinator. From there, I opened the Mirage as a brush person in 1989. Later, I was promoted to assistant shift manager. Then, in 1994, I became the poker room manager here in Tunica at Jack Binion's Horseshoe. I have arrived!
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