Are you at the Next Door Poker Tour venue yet? What's your routine?

Not yet, I plan to arrive there at around 1 or 2pm, ready for the 4pm start.

I'm staying about 15 miles outside Brighton at a lovely little hotel near Hickstead. They have a fishing lake there, which is patrolled by a beautiful Grey Heron, so I'm hoping to spot him over the weekend.

Click to see full-size image.

SPT weekends are a mixture of excitement & dread for me. It's very hard in some ways, many poker players have rather unusual social skillsets, which have to be coped with for 3 x 14 hour days, & it can be quite wearing. Equally, I'm rather excited to be meeting so many friends & acquaintances again. My bosses will all be there, too, so I want them to see I'm doing a better job than anyone else possibly could.  And I do.

 
The room is all ready, & looking pretty good I think;

Click to see full-size image.

I shall be playing it on Day 1B (tomorrow, Saturday) & I'm looking forward to that. I played the last one (Manchester) & played rather well by my standards, but I ran Queens into Aces & could not find my fold button.

Look forward to seeing you tomorrow. We may even end up sharing tables. There's a bounty on me, too - a very nice prize indeed, if I may say so.   

Good to see you yesterday and to share a table for a short while. Unlucky bust out hand. The table were all impressed with the bounty prize.  I got a double up soon after you left and am back today with 54,000.

Ask him to do the new will free of charge.

Where there's a will, there's a way,

Is it true you have sold 240% of yourself at the SPT to get some of the money required to repay investors?

Correct.

Did you see the thread on 2+ 2 where a kid sold 200% of himself in the WSOP Main Event.......then cashed for $40,000?

How do you even begin to explain that? Is it that hard to dump off shy of the money?

How did he resolve it, give investors double their money back and a large apology?

Surely investors would want 4 times their money? He's in for $80k if he has to pay out 200%.

Good stuff!

Looking forward to railing you to the FT, this evening.

Well played Sir. Good to see you in good form yesterday. Good luck for this afternoon.

Hi tikay, any chance you could free up 2%? Glad to see you're feeling much better!

Of course Nick - you've been a season ticket holder every year, so I deliberately left a bit of slack for guys like you. There are 1 or 2 others, too, & if they want to come aboard, we'll find a way to sort it. 

I'll amend the Stakers list right away.

2% BOOKED

You gonna be in Vegas this year?

Could I take a late 1% please? I've staked before.

Hi Alan,

Yes, of course, always pleased to see season ticket holders renew. I'll add you to the list. PS - 1% = £114.15.

How are you keeping these days? Still play at Luton? If so, how's the scene down there these days?

Rather worryingly, when I typed "Alan McBride, Luton" into google images, this photo came up;

Many thanks.  Sent the £114.15 and I see you've received it too.

I'm very well thanks - have had high cholesterol and blood pressure, but both are at good levels now. An occasional flare up of gout is very painful when it arrives, so now trying to moderate diet and alcohol intake , both of which are helping. Have cut down in my "day job" to 2 days per week, which is lovely too, so all in all very well and very positive, as always.

Have been going to Luton quite regularly over the last year or so, averaging  1 to 2 times pw and I always enjoy it there. Numbers seem to be rising and there's a good mix of old players and a newer influx too. I've been playing there for about 9 years now, and was  called a "Luton Legend" in a recent blog update. I think that was a reference to age, rather than ability, although I more than hold my own in tourneys and cash games. 

Willie Tann is quite a regular player there now and is still held in high regard. 

Good luck in Vegas and for continuing good health.  I'll be there from 9th - 16th June and am really looking forward to it as always.

Hi tikay, any chance you could free up 2%? Glad to see you're feeling much better!

Of course Nick - you've been a season ticket holder every year, so I deliberately left a bit of slack for guys like you. There are 1 or 2 others, too, & if they want to come aboard, we'll find a way to sort it. 

I'll amend the Stakers list right away.

2% BOOKED

You gonna be in Vegas this year?

Could I take a late 1% please? I've staked before.

So sorry to hear this. Wishing you a speedy recovery and all the luck you need.

What a great job mate
What do you do now ?

Hi Tony.  In the second job I had after Playboy, I joined a recruitment company as Financial Controller. From there I progressed to Finance Director and eventually MD. Once that business was sold, I set up my own recruitment business, recruiting accountants and FD's. I sold that business a few years later and now, with 2 ex colleagues as partners, I have a specialist / niche recruitment business that ( in a coals to Newcastle fashion), recruits all back office and support staff for other recruitment businesses. I'm now slowly backing myself out of the business, with the intention that my partners can run it in my absence.

Years ago  (1977-81), I worked for Playboy when they owned casinos in London.

I remember them buying what was then called The Victoria Sporting Club for £6m. What a bargain that looks now. Although I don't recall if that was just for the trading business or whether it included any property assets. I assume it was just the business.

It was a big risk at the time as the Vic's licence was under threat and they did lose it ( for pre Playboy misdemeanours).

Playboy subsequently regained the licence after an appeal. I'll always remember the telex the UK CEO Victor Lownes sent to Hugh Hefner on winning the appeal. I may have the words in the wrong order, but it was something like;

"Victoria victorious. Vision vindicated. Value verified. Verily, Victor."

What a very interesting man. Must have been an experience to work for him & within that organisation.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Lownes

Yes, I look back on my time there with very fond memories.

To be honest, I was quite young (18-22 whilst there) and a bit away from the action as I was a trainee accountant in a back office accounts dept.

It was a fun environment though and very much a work hard, play hard culture. I learnt  a lot of good things there that have stood me in good stead ever since.  Victor was loved within the business and inspired tremendous loyalty.

There were some good staff parties, and I was lucky enough to attend one at Stocks House (Victors home). We also got a free copy of the magazine each month.
At one point, I used to do the accounts for the Clermont Club in Berkeley Square and visited once a month for the stocktake and a very good lunch in the restaurant!

When I was promoted to looking after the accounts for the flagship Playboy Club on Park Lane, I soon found that I had one of the plum jobs each month (the physical stocktake at the club). Somebody cleverer than me (a predecessor) had designed the timetable so that we started early morning in the stores, then moved to the kitchen before the days cooking got started, then to the bars before they opened,and finally to the bunny room (to count tails and costumes etc), just as the girls were arriving to get changed!

Happy days.

Years ago  (1977-81), I worked for Playboy when they owned casinos in London.

I remember them buying what was then called The Victoria Sporting Club for £6m. What a bargain that looks now. Although I don't recall if that was just for the trading business or whether it included any property assets. I assume it was just the business.

It was a big risk at the time as the Vic's licence was under threat and they did lose it ( for pre Playboy misdemeanours).

Playboy subsequently regained the licence after an appeal. I'll always remember the telex the UK CEO Victor Lownes sent to Hugh Hefner on winning the appeal. I may have the words in the wrong order, but it was something like;

"Victoria victorious. Vision vindicated. Value verified. Verily, Victor."

[Kodi box]

I have just started to use a Kodi box to access Exodus and Sportsmania but do not use a VPN.  I was wondering what the general view is on this, is it worth using a VPN?

Am I the only one who does not what any of those are, where I'd buy one, or what they do?

100% with you on this.

A wee bump as your 3 week reminder.

Tom has asked if he could get an idea of players intending to arrive on the Friday night to give the Grosvenor some forewarning. Michael and I will be arriving the Friday and will be playing the evening tourney.

What are everyones plans?

Also I have a single room at the San Diego hotel going free if anyone wants it.

Geo

What is the evening tourney please? I couldn't find it on their website.

Hi Alan,

Not sure what they usually have, however they have asked Tom for an estimate of Friday arrivals so hopefully they will lay on a decent comp.

Geo

Cheers Geo. Count me in then please.

A wee bump as your 3 week reminder.

Tom has asked if he could get an idea of players intending to arrive on the Friday night to give the Grosvenor some forewarning. Michael and I will be arriving the Friday and will be playing the evening tourney.

What are everyones plans?

Also I have a single room at the San Diego hotel going free if anyone wants it.

Geo

What is the evening tourney please? I couldn't find it on their website.

[I'm pretty firmly in the "never a borrower or lender be" category]

This exists and I think you'll appreciate  the mans commitment.  
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/wetherspoons-carpets-book-spoon-s-carpets-an-appreciation-kit-caless-a7367881.html

That's pretty good on the Geek Scale, Carl.

I'm awarding it a 7.


Moving on to less trivial matters, presumably you have met Neil Strike a few times? Ugh, what a sad, bad, do all that is. A whole bunch of friends & acquaintances have been taken for goodly sums, almost all of them between £2,500 & £5,000. A whole bunch of my friends Next Door got caught.

We can sit here & be all smug - "you have only yourselves to blame for lending him money" - but that misses the point completely. Most of us are decent human beings, & it's in our nature to want to help our friends who claim to have a few problems. It's not a weakness or something to be ashamed of, far from it.    

And I'm not being holier than thou, either, I've made the same mistake many a time & loaned money in good heart only to be shafted. And we can be wise after the event, & say "well he always looked a wrong 'un", but that kite don't fly, I've been done over by what appear to be the most liked & trusted folks you could imagine, including blondes with a great rep. If a friend needs a helping hand, we generally give it. And sometimes we pay in money, & lost friendships. That's just how it is.

This latest one is well bad though - genuinely criminal in the true sense of the word. I guess he'll end up doing time, but that won't help those who loaned him, that money has gone for ever.

I don't really think it's a question of being smug or otherwise. It's not even a question of helping hands and friends. It's more a question about how we identify what people we should call friends.

If we lend money to casual poker acquaintances who claim to be successful businessmen, poker players, punters on golf - then it says far more about our need to be liked and thought of us as being decent rather than actually being decent. If we want to be 'decent' - there are too many more deserving recipients of our decency to mention.

It's human nature to want to be liked - the shrewd thing is to know this and actually be shrewd rather than like being told we are shrewd

So no chance of a loan then Glenn?

It's quite interesting you posting Alan.

I know you through poker and we're friendly. I enjoy your company and I feel able to talk to you on a range of subjects. I know your line of business and I know you are successful at what you do and have accrued the monetary benefits that go with that. If you were mugged outside the G but still wanted to play poker - I'd gladly lend you £100 or so.

If you sent me an email telling me how well you'd run at poker and other forms of gambling over the last year or so but would like to borrow 5 or 10 large due to some short term business cash flow issue, there's an approximately zero percent chance of me thinking - aah poor Alan, let me see what I can do for him.

I'd wander out to the garden, crack open a bottle of Black Stump, light a fag and then muse on the first world problems some people have to deal with.

Nice reply, and don't worry, I wasn't asking, only joking. I'm pretty firmly in the "never a borrower or lender be" category.  I've only once lent a poker acquaintance £100 and I was only 50/50 expecting it back. When it came back in a few days, I was half expecting him to ask for another loan soon after,  but he never has.  

Me too, Alan, but the thing is, now & then we get caught short for cash - in Vegas, say, when we need dollars & can't easily access our bank account - so lending folks a few bob when necessary is often a way of making sure we have a credit line if needed in the future.

Fair point.  What goes around, comes around, and all that.  My wife and I lent our local greengrocer £3k last year, after he told us his mother was seriously ill overseas and needed an op. Apparently he'd already sent his last £9k and business was seasonally quiet.  He promised to repay in 3 months. It eventually took 6-7  months, a lot of chasing and stage payments for him to clear it.  A few months later his business closed and I now wonder whether the story about his mother had ever been true.

This exists and I think you'll appreciate  the mans commitment.  
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/wetherspoons-carpets-book-spoon-s-carpets-an-appreciation-kit-caless-a7367881.html

That's pretty good on the Geek Scale, Carl.

I'm awarding it a 7.


Moving on to less trivial matters, presumably you have met Neil Strike a few times? Ugh, what a sad, bad, do all that is. A whole bunch of friends & acquaintances have been taken for goodly sums, almost all of them between £2,500 & £5,000. A whole bunch of my friends Next Door got caught.

We can sit here & be all smug - "you have only yourselves to blame for lending him money" - but that misses the point completely. Most of us are decent human beings, & it's in our nature to want to help our friends who claim to have a few problems. It's not a weakness or something to be ashamed of, far from it.    

And I'm not being holier than thou, either, I've made the same mistake many a time & loaned money in good heart only to be shafted. And we can be wise after the event, & say "well he always looked a wrong 'un", but that kite don't fly, I've been done over by what appear to be the most liked & trusted folks you could imagine, including blondes with a great rep. If a friend needs a helping hand, we generally give it. And sometimes we pay in money, & lost friendships. That's just how it is.

This latest one is well bad though - genuinely criminal in the true sense of the word. I guess he'll end up doing time, but that won't help those who loaned him, that money has gone for ever.

I don't really think it's a question of being smug or otherwise. It's not even a question of helping hands and friends. It's more a question about how we identify what people we should call friends.

If we lend money to casual poker acquaintances who claim to be successful businessmen, poker players, punters on golf - then it says far more about our need to be liked and thought of us as being decent rather than actually being decent. If we want to be 'decent' - there are too many more deserving recipients of our decency to mention.

It's human nature to want to be liked - the shrewd thing is to know this and actually be shrewd rather than like being told we are shrewd

So no chance of a loan then Glenn?

It's quite interesting you posting Alan.

I know you through poker and we're friendly. I enjoy your company and I feel able to talk to you on a range of subjects. I know your line of business and I know you are successful at what you do and have accrued the monetary benefits that go with that. If you were mugged outside the G but still wanted to play poker - I'd gladly lend you £100 or so.

If you sent me an email telling me how well you'd run at poker and other forms of gambling over the last year or so but would like to borrow 5 or 10 large due to some short term business cash flow issue, there's an approximately zero percent chance of me thinking - aah poor Alan, let me see what I can do for him.

I'd wander out to the garden, crack open a bottle of Black Stump, light a fag and then muse on the first world problems some people have to deal with.

Nice reply, and don't worry, I wasn't asking, only joking. I'm pretty firmly in the "never a borrower or lender be" category.  I've only once lent a poker acquaintance £100 and I was only 50/50 expecting it back. When it came back in a few days, I was half expecting him to ask for another loan soon after,  but he never has.