Colchester Kev is without doubt one of the most popular posters on blonde, doing much to foster our sense of community via both posts on the forum and as a respected moderator, not to mention the many hours of both online and live rail-birding of friends and blondeites alike.Perhaps the only semi professional railbird in the world, he has his own catchphrase, “AAAYYYYAAAAARRRRR”, which has become synonymous with blondeite success everywhere. Kev often goes to great lengths to support his friends. I remember one Saturday evening, seemingly at the drop of a hat, Kev jumped in his car in Essex and, a few hours later, was railbirding players in Walsall for the Grand Prix. He has been known to travel further too: Blackpool, Dublin, the North East - as both railbirder and as an unofficial poker ambassador as non-playing captain of the British ICHUC team. He comes cheap too, happy to wile away the hours supporting his mates for nothing more than a tumbler of Jack Daniels, a cigarette and the possibility of a couch in a hotel room to kip on.
On the blonde poker cardroom, Kev was one of those who originally established the '$5 extended' club of late night SNG's and I think it was here that many of us realised with a vengeance that Kev was actually a talented player too. Just don’t tell him I said that! Revelling in playfully teasing his mates “you mug!” and with a particular penchant for busting confused Canadians, just the mere mention that he was in attendance would see people flocking to join his game, but not for the reasons they might once have suspected! Of course Kev was soon an obvious choice to be asked to help promote the bPL cardroom, a job that he is pursuing with success and gusto.
Now the global poker circuit is about to receive its first exposure to Colchester Kev after his spectacular qualification for the Betfair Asian Tour Event in Singapore in November 2006 via his success in the Poker Player Magazine Betfair Satellite in London recently. Rumour has it that Phil Hellmuth has already cried off, complaining that he cannot hope to continue with his Poker Brat act lest he be drawn on Kev’s table. Win or lose, one thing is for sure, Kev will have a terrific time and the tournament will be livelier for his presence!The threads associated with this success display several things such as the genuine joy of many blondeites that their popular mate succeeded and the excellent play that enabled Kev to triumph. Most of all though, they help us all see the real man behind the railbird’s persona. A man who was overcome with emotion after the satellite win and on cloud nine for days afterwards. A man who was genuinely grateful for the support and encouragement he received from his railbird for the night, Royal Flush.
A man who is, after all, a big softy really!