Ironically my retirement deal fell out of bed yesterday, it turns out the company I was selling to had kept things from me (essentially that they were also selling out and would no longer offer independent financial advice). To say I am angry would be a huge understatement, I have been jumping through hoops for the last 6 months and all the time they knew they were going to sell and simply wanted to include my client base in the deal. I will lose a lot of money but it's no longer in the best interests of my clients so it looks like I'm carrying on for the time being.

You are so right about the stages of life, at this rate it feels like I am going to go straight from working life to the final chapter.

The animals at Chez Enut are fine. We have rescued German Shepherd dogs for decades and sadly the best one we have ever had died a few months ago, she was an absolute character, highly intelligent and absolutely bullet proof, a complete softy. I miss her terribly. My other half has immediately replaced her with a young male GSD who is a real handful (OK with people but lead reactive with other dogs), so he is a work in progress. Still have one other GSD, a couple of horses, 4 cats, a few ducks and a visiting heron.

Give my regards to Paul Jackson next time you see him he beats you at golf.

Sad & bad news about the Business. Hope you get something sorted.

Love to hear about your animals, & it seems you understand & have an affinity with dogs. FWIW, Tom, aka Red-Dog is something of a "dog (& horse) whisperer" too.

PS - Herons are close to being my favourite bird, but a lot of folk dislike them as they steal their "pet" fish. I often spot a Heron when golfing, & it makes my day.
 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/articles/c62v5pym2emo

Hi Tikay

All good here, sadly not in contact with hardly anyone from Next Door, although I am FB friends with Tom (Tomgoodun) and Paul Jackson (Jac35? You know 'not the poker player', is he still beating you at golf?) I very occasionally pop into the Discord group (I think you're in there too) just to keep an eye on things although there's not a lot of chat about £3 - £5 PLO8 DYMs and MTTs. I really miss the table banter I have to say, it's not the same just being able to post a 'nice hand' or 'you're a pro'.

I played tennis yesterday evening, outdoors, minus 1 feeling like minus 5 apparently, I know I didn't get warm enough to move. They asked if I wanted to play again this evening, thankfully we are out to the theatre, it should be warmer there. I even played a 1st team match the other weekend, I am now 60 so it's a sad reflection of the youth of today that we couldn't get 4 younger, fitter, better players out. We lost obv.

It sounds like you have it all sorted at the moment, I enjoy reading about your ventures, please keep us updated.

I am very, very nearly retired. Contracts being drawn up and hope to be out in a few months after the hand over. I will certainly miss my clients but won't miss the BS and paperwork. I hope I enjoy retirement as much as you do.

Yes, I pop into the Sky Poker Discord from time to time, but it's all very quiet these days.

Paul Jackson aka Jac35? Yes, we keep in touch but have not golfed for a few months as he's had quite a big knee operation, knee-replacement or something similar I think. He's on the mend now, the rehab stage, & when he's able to play golf again, we've agreed to have a knock at my Club.

Great news on your impending retirement. I know how hard you've worked, & you deserve a long & happy retirement. If it's half as happy as mine, you'll have done well. (Hope that does not come across as a chirp). The only problem is that life is divided into chapters - childhood, working life, retirement, & then the final chapter. Gill does not like me reflecting on that, but it's pragmatic, we only live for so long. So make sure you enjoy every day of retirement, & keep me posted please.   

How are all the animals at Chez Enut? And the Downstairs staff?

It took you 6 hours to ban him Tikay. Please enlighten us as to what you were doing between 4.40 am and 10.40 am as you were obviously slacking.

p.s. Happy New Year.

Fair point Tuney.

Happy New Year to you too mate, hope all is well with you & yours, & that The Country Estate is in good nick, ditto the fleet of Supercars.

Still playing (veterans) tennis?

Are you still in touch with any/many of the crew Next Door? I got invited to a recent SPT & bumped into some of the lads, but that apart I've not had any contact. Too busy really, pokering, golfing, taking Gill here & there, it's been fabulous.

That's the OP, not Boo. Though it's tempting, obv.

Banned his spammy arse.

big ange please

 

[Will next door be doing anything this summer around the WSOP?]

Haven't been over for nearly 3 years, but need to make a trip out before 2028 to keep my 'comp' status alive with MLife.

Will next door be doing anything this summer around the WSOP?

Will likely only pop over for a week, but will probably plan it around something in the WSOP as I'm in Cardiff when the UFC card is on.

Hi Mark.

I retired last May so I've no idea what Sky Poker's Vegas plans are this year. They still invite me to SPT's which is very kind of them, so if I get another invite in the near future (if indeed SPT's continue) I'll ask.

I plan to go across though, hopefully the same sort of thing as last year, 3 or 4 weeks whilst the various Omaha stuff is on, mainly Big O & a bit of Mixed Game stuff, which I've become partial to, especially 2-7 Triple Draw & the like.

I'd book it now if I could, but it depends when my favoured stuff will be running. Last year they front-loaded the Series with all the Big O & Omaha Mix stuff & the other Rooms all followed suit, so it was perfect for me, & I'm hoping very much they do the same this year. I have no interest in playing any NLH over there (maybe a Seniors or two but that's it) as I'm completely shite at NLH & it does not give me the buzz & zing that the Big O & Mixed Game stuff does.

All health permitting, obv, but at the mo I seem to be in acceptable if not decent nick.

How are you coping these days?

[May 26 to July 15, 2026.]

The first teaser has been announced, just the bookend dates for now.


Following the European leg, the poker world will descend upon the Las Vegas Strip for the 57th annual World Series of Poker. The WSOP confirms the series will run from May 26 to July 15, 2026.

Players are encouraged to book early to secure the best rates at the two host venues, Horseshoe Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas; please visit www.caesars.com and use code WSOP26.



Going on past years, later this month they'll announce the Headline events, with the full schedule landing maybe next month.

Interesting that both Moresca & Amorim effectively engineered their departure. After what they said, they KNEW they'd be sacked, so I'm sure it was deliberate.

The Media are suggesting Moresca parachutes into Man U, but my conspiracy theory is that all along the plan has been Pep to retire end of the Season, & after a nice (paid for) rest, Moresca takes over at City.

We shall see, but meanwhile, comedy capers continue at Old Trafford.

BEST thing that could happen (as in worst....) would be to bring Waistcoat Man Sir Gareth in.

That would be epic.

Next.

Turned out nice again!

I doubt Nostradamus could have predicted the last couple of rounds.

Just about every result perfect.

Liverpool next, Thursday. Should be simple enough.

Oh, & Declan is amazeballs. He missed a game with a swollen knee & was said to be doubtful for yesterday, (maybe Mikel mind games) but it did not stop him doing knee-slides after scoring.

Oh dear, that's so sad.

Back in the day, Hazel & Tim were part of the scene, & it was always "Tim & Hazel" or so it seemed. Great bants too, that Hazel was the better player than Tim & she was wonderfully pleasant table company.

Her Hendon shows 10 cashes - 2 at the Paddy Power Irish Open, including £2,500 for 27th in the Main in 2007, a UKIPT Galway sidey, Walsall, Caribbean Poker Party in St Kitts, & 4 or 5 cashes at DTD.

Marky was very close with them iirc, so he'll be super sad.

God bless you Hazel.

xx

I think Marky is trolling us. Send for the Mods.

[fragrance channels]

Wait a minute.

You Tube fragrance channels are a thing?

And you WATCH them?

Say it ain't so.