Indeed. Team Bromley strikes again. Heat.

To be fair, as well as the Boy did (and he did do well, taking down the MPNPT Side Event at Manchester), I had an 8.5 hour rail to contend with. I finished an entire novel. And was on hand for critical tactical advice. As always!

Well done that man.

I am saving myself for an SPT trophy...

[Last year, the eventual winner, Qui Nguyen, put $200,000 into the pot on the very first hand in the very first round of betting]

Flexing their muscles to psych each other out, these players bet big – and early. Last year, the eventual winner, Qui Nguyen, put $200,000 into the pot on the very first hand in the very first round of betting

This was my personal favourite 

... is to find a worse poker article than this nugget created by the folks at BT Sport.

You won't find one.

http://sport.bt.com/sports/why-you-cant-afford-to-miss-the-world-series-of-poker-on-bt-sport-S11364193640374

Some thoughts on the Tag Team:

Been chatting to a few friends about strategy. Being complete Tag Team virgins, we didn't really have a pre-tourney strategy in place and kind of winged it at first.

We decided that we'd spend most of the day 1 playing an hour each, straddling the blind levels (i.e. tagging on the 30 min mark of each level). This only changed when we got close to the bubble, with 7 off the cash. At this stage we only have 8 bb. We each have a very different bubble game; I can grind a short stack into the money quite well (albeit usually resulting in just a min cash) whereas the Boy is much smarter at picking really good spots to try and get them in and get a bigger stack.

So we settled on Boy playing the blinds and the button, whilst I took over and played the rest of the orbit. Something worked as we turned the 8bb into 22bb pretty quickly and comfortably sailed through the bubble.

Anyway, I have no idea whether this was right or wrong or just luck, but that's what we did.

B

Morning morning.

Yes we bust - last hand of the day - in 101st. We had a relatively short 11bb stack that was going to shrink even more overnight. So we put Adam in for the last level of the day with the instruction to spin it up at least double so we could try and do something on Day 2.

He found a beautiful spot last hand but the cards just fell short.

What a fantastic tournament.
B

Boom.

Team Bromley in the money in the $1k Tag Team. My first WSOP bracelet event cash (only ever cashed in daily deep stacks before).

🇺🇸

Tony - we're at the Rio playing the Tag Team event if you're around at any point.

Greetings, greetings.

Yes we are in Vegas. And yes I've been a terrible terrible writer for not updating this thread in forever.

Thanks for the get well soon message. I can confirm a pretty nasty head injury on Friday night. Cracked the back of my skull on a metal shelf and nearly knocked myself out. Saw stars and a fair bit of sick for good measure! Swelling gone down but I've a hell of a bruise on the back of my head.

Genuinely, 100% not alcohol related!

I love the Boy's absolute lack of shame. He OWNED that Flamingo and the guys in the pool were congratulating him on his "pretty floaty".

Must admit, didn't spot the unfortunate shadow when I posted that pic!! Oops.

Thank you very much. It's actually the big day on Thursday but you know me, I like to spin these things out!

Adam and I are off to Rome for the weekend to celebrate (as only Bromleys can). Some of you will recall from an earlier post that I lost my Grandma a while back. I have not yet had the courage to spend the money she left me, partly out of fear that I would spend it on the "wrong" thing. She was Italian in heritage and although I spent summers in Italy when I was little (we are from the East coast; Pesaro and Pescara) I have ever been to Rome. Ten year olds and July in the Vatican do not mix well. I am so very excited.

Turning to book news, I think I found a really perfect novel to keep our Tikay occupied during his recuperation. "Tales from the Fast Trains" Tom Chesshyre.

"Tired of airport security queues, delays and all those extra taxes and charges, Tom Chesshyre embarks on a series of high-speed adventures across the Continent on its fast trains instead. From shiny London St Pancras, Tom travels to places that wouldn’t feature on a standard holiday wish-list, and discovers the hidden delights of mysterious Luxembourg, super-trendy Rotterdam, much-maligned Frankfurt and lovely lakeside Lausanne, via a pop concert in Lille. It’s 186 mph all the way – well, apart from a power cut in the Channel Tunnel on the way to Antwerp. Is our idea of ‘Europe’ changing as its destinations become easier to reach? And what fun can you have at the ends of the lines? Jump on board and find out!"

I hope you enjoy it Tikay.

[Tikay]

I start this post by extending my very warmest of wishes for a happy, healthy and peaceful new year. It has always been my customary greeting to wish people a prosperous new year but, whilst ending poverty and creating a comfortable life for everyone is important, it really dawned on me in 2016 that money is not the greatest gift one could wish for.

Anyway, in terms of catching up with your comments:

Tikay

I think that "TV Star" is perhaps a little too enthusiastic! I literally just send in [sometimes] coherent ramblings that are either ecstatic and full of survival optimism (if we have played at home) or woefully fearful of relegation back to the Championship (if we have played away).

I am genuinely excited about Joey's return and hope that this FA charge doesn't scupper that. He was such an important player for us last year and honestly had an impeccable season with us. I am not naive enough to suggest that he will have the same impact on the pitch, but his leadership skills will be vital to our chances of survival (I hope!). If we are only talking about a 3ish game ban then I suspect we will still sign him. Any more than that and there is no chance.

We did manage to turn our house into something festive in the end. I tend to keep to the same decorations each year, as I still need to be efficient with my time! This is my favourite decoration ....

Click to see full-size image.

I had a few other pics to post, but for some reason I seem to have lost the knowhow to post pics on this thread. They seem to keep disappearing and I fear I have had a technological breakdown!

Archer

It always surprises me how many people have a connection to Burnley. For such a little town! Thank you for your kind comments. I really hope we stay up too and a little part of me is starting to believe. We had a great festive period - it was so important for us to win both of those games - and are sitting 9 points clear of relegation. It looks to me like it will be Hull, Sunderland and Swansea but you just can't tell in this league! We could still go down yet.

Tighty

Happy new year indeed!!!!! Maybe, just maybe, this is our year? Do you think we can still stay up with our woeful away form?? Surely Swansea are down, so that leaves two from Sunderland, Hull, Boro, Palance and Burnley?

B

Well well. Hello there!

Your investigations have proved successful and I can confirm that it is indeed me!

So, myself and 4 male friends run a Burnley fan site called "NoNayNever". We used to have a blog as well but we have recently been concentrating on producing a one hour Podcast that gets published on iTunes every Tuesday. It's the only Burnley Podcast and has been listened to over 100k times!

We are always being asked to contribute to media stuff; be that from professional journalists or other fan sites/blogs. At the start of this season we were approached by the producers of the BT Sport "Premier League Tonight" show and asked if we would be on their panel and submit vlogs each week. The boys thought this was one for me and I jumped at the chance. Little secret for you - I studied at drama school when I was 16 so I'm not shy in front of a camera!!!

I've really enjoyed it so far and will be gutted if Burnley get relegated and I'm not part of the show next year! I'm the only girl they have!!!

Clearly SD is a fan. Given that Joey is on his way home...

Haha brilliant.

It really did look like a thin swan from where I was stood. Some great memories from that trip Tony. Wish we were out there again with you!

B

[Bromleys on Tour | Killarney 2016]

Bromleys on Tour | Killarney 2016

4am is a pretty horrible time to get out of bed. Especially when you only got in it a couple of hours earlier. But there we were, awake and driving to Manchester Airport for the early morning flight to Dublin. Dense fog and fours at the airport later, we finally arrived in the Emerald Isle (quite a bit later than scheduled ... .sigh).

After picking up the car and picnic supplies, we set off on Day One of the Road Trip; Dublin to Killarney (M50 / N7 / M20 for those who care).

The first pit stop took us to Tipporary, but only really by accident. You see, signs for "Services" in Ireland are a little misleading. Rather than pull off a slip road and into a conveniently built complex of food, comfort and petrol facilities, you are in fact directed off the motorway and to the next available town (where you hope to find a pub or a shop or a cafe!). Nonetheless, it was a happy accident as my beloved Gran used to sing "Its a long way, to Tipperary..." to me as a little girl and so the Boy and I did a little rendition in a car park in her honour.

Click to see full-size image.

The other funny thing about Irish motorways is their habit of placing random sculptures in the grass verges. No warning. No signs. And no explanation. Still, helps pass the time on a long stretch.



Another surprising stumble along the way was the town of Moneygall which proudly declares is the ancestral home of Barack Obama. I think the town is still not over the elation of the presidential visit back in 2011!

Anyway, getting back to the trip. We finally pulled into the stunning Killarney early evening and checked into the Brehon; a hotel set against the stunning backdrop of Torc Mountain and a car park away from the GPPT festival hall. Handy that.

Click to see full-size image.

Poker starts properly tomorrow. Would be nice if the team could lock up day tomorrow so we get a day off on Saturday and a chance to explore some sights!

[“You’re off to great places, today is your day, your mountain is waiting, so get on your way!”]

“You’re off to great places, today is your day, your mountain is waiting, so get on your way!” Dr Seuss

For as long as I could remember, the ‘new year” began in September. A new school year. The smell of new uniforms. The blisters from new shoes. The grit of shiny new pencils etching ideas onto the blank canvass of a new notebook. At some point in our adult years, emphases move and the timeline of a new year shifts to January with its relentless drive of the New Year’s Resolution.

I never lost the love of September. I am at my most inspired with the promise of autumn leaves, new coats, Halloween, Bonfire Night and all the delicious food and drink that comes with that. Think Harry Potter movies. A colleague today told me about a Podcast she had listened to. The host revealed that she never made New Year’s Resolutions in January, she did them in September. My colleague said this made her think of me and I can see why.

This year has been no different and I have been spending some of my rare-but-precious free time thinking about where I am in my life and what I want to achieve. I feel awake and oozing inspiration.

It therefore comes as a surprise that we are choosing this time of the year to indulge in a late holiday. The World Series was too early a holiday for us and we simply cannot go any longer without a break. The lure of the GPPT proved too much (I am a real fan of this tour) and so tomorrow morning we are off to Killarney to play the Ireland leg. We get to play most of the festival, returning late Monday night.

Rather than drive down to Luton or London for the short flight to Kerry (perils of being Northern), we have instead chosen to fly into Dublin, pick up a car and embark on a road trip along the remarkable coastline of the Emerald Isle. This is going to be a great trip and I am very excited.

I hope to be able to update you on our travels, unless we are crushing the tables, in which case I will post the winner’s photo with the trophy when I get back!

Belle

[Postcard from Vegas | Play, play … then play some more]

Postcard from Vegas | Play, play … then play some more

This year was my 7th summer in Vegas. You’d think that, by now, I would have seen all that there is to see. The beauty about Vegas is that every visit unearths some gem that you had not seen before. Something that was always there, but you just didn’t see it (like the adorable row of quaint Parisian shops and patisseries right at the back of the Paris Hotel). Or something new that has been added to the chameleon city since your last visit (such as the Central Park replica tagged onto the end of New York, New York).

I saw so much this year and really enjoyed some downtime away from the grind of poker and the stresses of my day job.  Too much really to squeeze into one post. So here is my “Top Five” for WSOP 2016.

Lagasse Stadium:

When I first went to Vegas and saw the signs for this place all over the Palazzo, I thought this was an actual stadium. Where some form of American sport would be played. It was only last summer that I understood that this is, in fact, a sports bar.  Perhaps quite obvious given the rather barren quantum of professional sports teams in Vegas! Nonetheless, it’s a very good sports bar. Styled out very much in the genre of “bloke’s sofa on a Friday night" you hire a spot on massive white sofas and watch your chosen sport on cinema-esqe sized screens. As with anything in Vegas, there is a hefty minimum spend on food and drinks, but if you get enough of you there then it’s not expensive at all. We watched the pathetic England display v Iceland there with Messrs Tal, Rutter and Spittles, then returned again to watch Germany v Italy with some dear German friends - which is how I ended up supporting them!

Click to see full-size image.

I made sure I represented the Clarets though!

Click to see full-size image.

Avenger’s Station:

I am a huge marvel fan and this new attraction at Treasure Island was simply brilliant. Centred around the training of new Avengers recruits (you, obvs), your task is to venture through 5 rooms to learn all about the science behind the super heroes, then complete assessments to move you up the levels. Very very cool. They even had full-sized replicas of each of the Iron Man suits.

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

Pinball Museum:

How do you waste an entire afternoon? Pay a visit to the pinball museum with very deep pockets full of quarters. This funhouse contains rows and rows of pinball machines, dating from the 1950s up to the 1990s. And it is just pure fun (even if your hands do stink of metal at the end of it). Slight warning though; this is not the place for you if you are in any way competitive! I particularly enjoyed rekindling my affair with PacMan and fans of Wreck-it-Ralph will recognise some familiar faces in the crowds.

Click to see full-size image.

Kiss Crazy Golf:

Recently relocated to the Rio, this is easily missed due to its quite poor advertising. We took our German friends there for some England v Germany action (which they won on penalties, obvs). It perhaps wasn’t the most technically difficult of crazy golf courses I have been to, but the lighting, effects, music and memorabilia adorning the walls do make this a fun experience. In the arcade at the end, you win old-school fairground tickets that you then trade for “tat”. We won 275 tickets that we transferred for a rubber duck, a plastic dinosaur and two ninja finger fighters. Ace.

I particularly enjoyed the Batman arcade racer, which was one of my favourite games growing up. Even If I am still annoyed at Batman v Superman, it’s still cool as hell to get into the Batmobile.

Click to see full-size image.

The Mob Museum:

We took the newly adopted member of Team Bromley (Tal) to this on a very early morning trip downtown to learn all about the history of the mafia and it’s influence on early Las Vegas. Well, I say that we took him, but in all honesty it was Tal who was brave enough to deal with (and subsequently supervise) two very grumpy members of TB (we are not famous for being sprightly and alert first thing in the morning). It was so so so worth it. Rammed with more information that you can take in during a few hours, it features the first Vegas casino, the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre wall, an original “Tommy Gun” and some of the first casino chips used. I won’t offer any spoilers, but if you do find yourself over there, do not miss this.

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

I appreciate that not all of our leisure time is spent doing mature, grown up activities, but I am a firm believer that whilst growing old is inevitable, growing up is entirely optional!