Unless you have claustrophobia, elevators are very non-threatening until they get stuck, and then it's easy to panic or feel trapped.

I feel fortunate to have gotten to this age and not have been stuck more than 90 seconds in any elevator except that one in the late '90s, and I got myself out of it that time.

The time I got stuck in the Rio, it had the potential to be awful. It was hot, everyone was sweaty and crammed in (it was a WSOP break during a big field event), and nobody knew what to do.

Everyone just sat there for 30 seconds or so, looking around dumbfounded.

Fortunately I was the last one in, and was right by the center-front where the two doors meet. I said, "No, this isn't gonna happen", and I forced the doors open. Some people had a shocked look on their face watching me do it, because it required some effort, and I think they worried I was going to break it. The bottom line was that I got it open and we all exited. I then took a different elevator bank up. Before I left the area, I told a security guard what happened, and to shut it down. He just shrugged. Typical Rio.