Isn't it good that Tighty's doing the updates again. Should come back for the Deep Stack. Although his mind is probably wandering to the King Power at the moment. In other news Greek Jack actually folded a Jack to a 4 bet. Not a pair of Jacks. A Jack.

     Looks like Bingo's next adventure will be Newbury on 5th March. Wow a proper big racecourse on a Saturday meeting. What could possibly go wrong?

      Hope you have popped out to get some decent Irish/Dublin T Shirts for the final table ! Good luck today Alex. All fans of this blog,and there are many,are rooting for you.

   Good luck and let me know when you are in the money .

   Well done.

    Just a final comment. Whilst Ryan Air get a bad press for their approach to selling add ons etc. If you follow the process with you eyes open they really are quite efficient. Two flights,both on time,seat selected in advance,boarding card printed in advance.Walk on walk off. Not exactly a ton of leg room but for 50 minutes does it matter?

      Well it's 7am and as I wait for the flight to East Midlands it's time to put the lid on the little 48 hour trip to Dublin. Actually spent very little time in Dublin. Most of the time in an anonymous conference center surrounded by dour nitty European poker players chasing dreams. Highlights were a decent friendly cash session populated by a couple of Irish guys who were enjoying the 'craic' but mostly the field was over serious dour Europeans chasing dreams and tanking forever every decision. Which brings me on to one issue that I think tournament organizers are going to have to address. Every hand seemed to take forever as every decision took an age. With a thirty minute clock it's pretty sick to sit and watch every hand take about 6 minutes to play out. Obviously this is appropriate on the €25,000 High Roller but really guys, not in the €1,000 one day comp. The slow play was torture and a little ridiculous. There was very little conversation between players who were all tuned into their phones and as a recreational player the experience was a little underwhelming. It was good to go for a curry with Alex and some of the Brits and a beer after Keith's unfortunate bust in the High Roller but as for the actual poker it was disappointing. That being said I guess that really it's about winning money and the experience is secondary. To win you need to be focused and you are not at the table to build relationships and learn about the world. However I did learn a few things. I watched a few orbits of the High Roller when there was about 30 players left and it was very interesting watching the way the streets played out,the body language of the players concerned and the undoubted power of position. Patience,analytical skills and forever putting your opponent to the test seemed the order of the day but without risking all your chips on a flush draw.........
        Right, got to go to my gate now. Have fun. Work hard and be nice to people. It's later than you think.

      So trip update. Enjoyable cash session last night involved moving up to a 2/5 table and although very tired managed to find KK v AJ on a Jack high board and get what I think is called '3 Streets of value'. That hand will pay for today's tournament and hopefully will also be railing Keith in the really big high roller. Managed a decent nights sleep and apart from a mild headache feeling pretty good about today. A decent one day tournament,some cracking football matches, someone I know in a massive final table and a day off tomorrow. What could possibly go wrong apart from an early flight with Ryan Air.

  Update. Stato and Alex are successfully grinding in the comp and Keith 'Silver Fox' is going really well in the €25,000 High Roller having satellited in last night. I have found a lively fun €1/2/5 cash game and have managed so far to do quite well.
 Especially helpful to the mood has been a very nice pint of Guinesss, a young German and a guy from Limerick. Poker can be fun with the right sociable attitude.

     As the French National Anthem blasts out my predictive powers know no bounds. I will not bore you with the details except it involved backdooring a brilliant disguised flush which the villain would not see coming because of the disguised nature of the line I took. Unfortunately the runner runner clubs miraculously gave him a higher flush which I didn't see coming because of the disguised nature of the line he took. Suffice it to say it crippled me and when I shoved my last 5k with A2DD the very same villain called my reraise with a meagre 10,10. No aces to be seen or diamonds leaves me sat reflecting on the brief appearance in this tournament. I was dealt about 7 small pairs and the first few levels to no avail. Not a set in sight. I missed straight draws and double belly busters and 9,9 was my biggest hand of the session. Well it's hard to call urban session really.
      Good to see a lot of familiar faces who obviously have more skill and patience than me. Stato is pretty short and we may go to watch the rugby in a local pub but he also knows how to grind and hopefully he'll get stacked up shortly.
       There isn't a lot of other tournament opportunities today which makes the whole thing worse.
       Best strategy maybe to watch the rugby this afternoon with a few beers,have a nap and return when the cash games have warmed up. Mind you I did witness in the first level the AA v KK road crash all in pre flop. The King on the river was pretty brutal for the young guy concerned.
       So desperately sorry there is no long deep run in the comp but there's another one tomorrow or I could even go into the Seniors Event where you have to be over 50. Fortunately I have brought my passport or they wouldn't believe I am eligible to enter. Poker eh,what a stupid game. The funny thing is I actually played quite tight for a few orbits

 So last night I played the 'normal' Friday night VIP game at DTD and found myself to the left of a certain Sam who has the room named after him. He was certainly on his A game and had what could be described as a good evening. I left early at 12.30 allowing a good 4 hours sleep before catching the 06.30am to Dublin. Obviously my room wasn't ready so a quick 30 minute power nap in the hotel reception was followed by breakfast,a few work related calls and a short walk to the venue. I have registered for the €2000 UKIPT Event which for some people will let two days.
    The venue is close to some interesting looking sports bars and with Ireland playing France in the 6 Nations in Paris there should be some good opportunities to watch the game with the local faithful. That would mean I had busted out within three hours which obviously is not going to happen. To have flown here to bust within the first few levels would be ridiculous wouldn't it.
     Ed is not here. We both cashed in this a couple of years ago as readers of this diary will know. I have just looked up and seen 'Albert' who is either very deep in a previous comp ( ?) or who has also just bought in. I wonder which one it is. Back to Edward. He is currently with his lovely wife in the Devon flat which he seems to have successfully commandeered from the family. It's basically now his second residence. Alice is off to Chamonix with her mum and I face a few days of poker in the magical city of Dublin. As this is a poker site I will try to provide updates as to my progress. Any mention of watching rugby is obviously bad news on the poker front but might be positive on the Guinness count.
      So Blue,Table 18 seat 8.

       I hate seat 8. Who ever won anything sat in seat 8. Today seat 8 is the one.

  Well is being in Dublin for the UKIPT an adventure? I will let you know.

       Right all you Bingo fans. I now have some observations from another member of the syndicate who attends the race as well as some feedback from the trainer. So let's start with my fellow leg owner.
       ' It was a very cold windy day with very deep ground. The small field saw a 'lunatic' early pace. However the following was learned;
        a) He is still learning and his jumping got progressively more fluent during the race.
        b) He does stay on well.
        c) He doesn't appear to have any gears :-(            And although being a fine looking horse it feels like he may struggle to be better than low class standard ( Noooooooo).
        All this means he can still be competitive in the right field mid week rather than Saturday racing. However we must remember he has had a long lay off and two crashes and this may have shaped the most recent run. '

       Whilst that all sounds a little depressing Noel the trainer is a little more positive. He is more upbeat about his long term prospects. He says the point about gears is correct but is much more relevant to 2 mile hurdling than staying hurdles or chases. Noel also feels he's got greater ability and that given time this will come out. He specifically said that he didn't think we would only be winning low class affairs. He also said that the early lunatic pace makes a real assessment more difficult.

        So there you have it. The view from a syndicate member and the trainer. I am certainly enjoying all of this. I didn't realize there was so much involved. Just seeing a jockey wearing silks that you yourself have chosen is a blast.

        In other news Sheffield Wednesday's Gary Cooper wins the Championship  PFA  player of the month for January. So that's Ross Wallace in September,Fernando Foristerieri in October, Lucas Joao in November and now Gary. Like I said......Wednesday are on their way back. Depending on work commitments I may even be popping over to Dublin at the weekend to play the UKIPT €2000 2 day tournament. If I do I will let you know. Love and Rockets.
         

       

        He finished 3rd. He didn't fall. Bingo!

   Right then.Bingo runs tomorrow and it's not the race we were hoping for. All the poorer horses haven't declared so we the outsider out of five.  The favorite is Hollies Pearl and the highest rated horse in the field is Dexcite.
   We have a change of jockey.......chap called Leighton Aspell. The plan is another settled run and 'keep him handy' as we believe he has good stamina.
   So there you are.You have as much information as me. It's the 2.20 at Fakenham. I will not be going but hope to watch it on the iPad during a convenient break in the meetings of the day.
   In other news,Sheffield Wednesday are on their way back.