Lee Davy writes about the unsung heroes of the World Series of Poker: the men and women of Professional Massage Inc., who this year celebrate their 10th anniversary working at the best poker series in the business.

It hurts.

But it’s worth it.

Tough hands, now tender to the touch, are plunged deep into a bowl of icy water. Your right thumb angles strangely, almost mutated into a different shape. An ant swims on the surface. There’s no energy left to save its life. You watch it fade away, as you begin to do at the end of your 10-hour shift.