Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[mondatoo]

Rule change cliffs please.

This is from the updates

Andy Bradshaw may want to look away now.

Yesterday Karl Mchappymeal was playing 3 handed for ages due to the alternate stacks being in play, sans players. Andy Brads tilted from the moment he sat down when he bought in as alternate to find he'd lost a chunk instead of the customary small & big blind.

Today, less alternate stacks in play, and when the alternates buy in they now post a small & big blind only, regardless of what time they come in.

Obviously it's good for today's players, but is it fair on yesterday's runners?

[RED-DOG]

Rule change cliffs please.

This is from the updates

Andy Bradshaw may want to look away now.

Yesterday Karl Mchappymeal was playing 3 handed for ages due to the alternate stacks being in play, sans players. Andy Brads tilted from the moment he sat down when he bought in as alternate to find he'd lost a chunk instead of the customary small & big blind.

Today, less alternate stacks in play, and when the alternates buy in they now post a small & big blind only, regardless of what time they come in.

Obviously it's good for today's players, but is it fair on yesterday's runners?

Thanks mond.

[Dingdell]

Have you noticed that young Vinny acts more like you each and everyday

(apart from diet)

Don't let Greekstein read this - he will think there is a conspiracy if 2 people think or act in a similar fashion.

[tikay]

I thought it was a pretty terrible decision and it was really unfair on those who played Day 1a. I think I would've thought it was a big deal if I'd late regged on Day 1a then seen they totally changed it for the next day of the same tournament. It just showed a total lack of understanding imo and is a bit much for a 1k comp, £1000 is a lot of money for them to be changing rules half way through.

I don't know why but the GUKPT has never really had an appeal to me and I wonder how many others feel the same way. I can't pinpoint an actual reason though, I guess the numbers year by year reducing hasn't been too attracting as that suggests something is wrong. Part of the reason for me is my whole lack of enjoyment from playing live poker. I get my fix every few months with a trip to DTD and that's enough for me.

Off to watch the Mark Knopfler documentary now, sounds like it's worth a watch.

Well, as I said, yes, it was wrong, but hardly a big deal, when you think about it, a few hundred chips difference maybe, at worst, in a 15k chip 1 hour jobbie.

Deffo wrong, yes, but I'm not sure I'd be bothered enough to start an argument at the Table about it, or get uppity with the whole GUKPT because of a simple error. There were people going red in the face about it, it was comical to watch! I'm sure there are more pressing matters to argue about. You seen the price of wet fish lately? Is Carroll, so promising, but so inexperienced at the top level, really worth £35mil?

They (GUKPT, the TD, whoever) realised they had made a mistake, & knee-jerked to rectify it, that's all. There but for the grace, & all that.

I have the ambivalence to the UKIPT that you have towards GUKPT, funnily enough. No reason, no logic, & I greatly admire 'Stars, just what floats your boat. I can't think of a single good reason why I prefer one to the other. But disliking one or the other makes neither good or bad.

I really don't think "anything is wrong" with the GUKPT as such, it's much the same product it always was, or almost so, & it's always been reasonably well supported. But the UKIPT has come along, & is the current "favourite". Horses for courses, really, I suppose. We all love DTD, of course, goes without saying, different gravy that.

Anyway, go watch Mr Knopfler, OBE, I'm pretty sure a Newcastle boy will love it, & there is some lovely b & w grainy footage of Newcastle (& Glasgow) back in the 60's & 70's in it, trolleybuses, trams, & all sorts. "Rescued from the scrapyard".

[George2Loose]

Tikay you say it's a small error- hardly a big deal but it all adds up. when you're playing a tournament and trying to concentrate the smallest things can bug you. Neil C did a big article on what's wrong with the gukpt. Not sure you've read it but would be happy to link it.

[mondatoo]

I've always been a fan of Dire Straits, love there music.May not see it tonight now but will definitely watch it at some point this week.

I'm really undecided on the Andy Carroll situation. Currently the price Liverpool have paid for Carroll looks ridiculous but I wouldn't be surprised if we are all saying what a great buy by Liverpool in 2/3 years time. The fact he's got 6 months Prem Lge experience and is the biggest transfer fee for a British player ever is absolutely mental and no matter how he does at Liverpool, that is ludicrous. As much as I despise Ashley I can't blame him for selling him. I also can't blame Carroll for leaving when he's being offered quadruple his current salary. However, whatever the circumstance I think he may live to regret putting in a transfer request.

One thing that always gets mentioned in cases like Carroll and also with Torres, is loyalty. However, one aspect of loyalty that is never discussed is fans loyalty to players and managers. It doesn't take long for fans to start calling for a manager being sacked, even if he's been a loyal servant to their club, Sir Bobby Robson being a prime example but there are many, many to choose from. Similarly it doesn't take a long stretch of bad form from a player for the fans to want them dropped or sold. Football is such a fickle business these days that anybody expecting or even asking for loyalty from a player is slightly naive imo.

[Bongo]

Your piece about Jen and the SEO benefits reminded me of something I heard about the Times and it's pay wall. Apparently now that they no longer have to worry about SEO the hacks are finding far more enjoyable and the readers are enjoying the articles more too (mind you that might just be because they are paying for them rather than them being better - isn't the mind odd?).

It brought up some interesting questions into my mind:
How big an influence does Google have on the current evolution of the English language?
How big an influence does Google have on how successful a journalist is?

[tikay]

Just to upset Tom even more. And Vinni.

Do actually enjoy your diary a bit Greekage, yours and Tikays are the only ones I proper read actually.

Posted by the erudite Dave Shoelace, iirc.

[mondatoo]

I got to see the Knopfler doc last night, enjoyed it. It was interesting to here him talking about Dire Straits and how he didn't seem to enjoy it when they got too big.

[kinboshi]

Your piece about Jen and the SEO benefits reminded me of something I heard about the Times and it's pay wall. Apparently now that they no longer have to worry about SEO the hacks are finding far more enjoyable and the readers are enjoying the articles more too (mind you that might just be because they are paying for them rather than them being better - isn't the mind odd?).

It brought up some interesting questions into my mind:
How big an influence does Google have on the current evolution of the English language?
How big an influence does Google have on how successful a journalist is?

Who said the readers are enjoying the articles more?  The journalists?  The ones who made the decision to go for the subscription basis?  I'm sure it wasn't someone impartial and based on empirical evidence (although if it was, then send me the link and I'll take that back).

[Bongo]

I read it a few months so don't have a link, I'm not sure there was too much supporting evidence... Bare in mind that people who buy the print edition of the paper may enjoy it more without being biased by choosing to subscribe as they haven't changed their behaviour.

It was more the thoughts I had when tikay's post triggered my memory that I thought were interesting anyway...

[kinboshi]

I read it a few months so don't have a link, I'm not sure there was too much supporting evidence... Bare in mind that people who buy the print edition of the paper may enjoy it more without being biased by choosing to subscribe as they haven't changed their behaviour.

It was more the thoughts I had when tikay's post triggered my memory that I thought were interesting anyway...

Interesting it is! 

Clicking on a timesonline link (on twitter or wherever) is now overtaking clicking on an unannounced pdf link as being the most frustrating.

[tikay]

Tikay you say it's a small error- hardly a big deal but it all adds up. when you're playing a tournament and trying to concentrate the smallest things can bug you. Neil C did a big article on what's wrong with the gukpt. Not sure you've read it but would be happy to link it.

Yes, an error, a mistake - who amongst us have not made a mistake?

It directly affected about 5% of the field, & to the extent of maybe 1xBB at Level 4 or 5. I don't think that's much of a big deal, to be honest.

But here's the thing. Anyone with half a mind would know that we all make mistakes, you & me included, the GUKPT included. It happens, it just does.

But the reason they got so much stick was.......

They, in their eageness to correct it, & yielding to all the hoohah & noise, corrected the mistake too quickly.

Once the error had been made it should have remained the default until the next GUKPT, but they acted too quickly. Again, hardly a hanging offence, imo.

Poker players on the whole - us - not you, not me, us - seem to view ourselves as a bit precious, & above mistakes, but quick to knock others. That just sits a bit uncomfortably with me.

Neil C knows what's wrong with the GUKPT? Good for him. He's not daft, so I'm sure he's made some valid points, & I'm not saying the product is perfect, far from it. But they stick a bunch of added value into it, & I don't think it behoves us to be quite so quick to condemn them for a simple mistake.

PS - I don't hold any brief for the GUKPT, just in case anyone thinks otherwise.

PPS - Where's Raaby when I need him to hold the line about his baby?! Or Mr Kimber? Helppppppppppp

[tikay]

I've always been a fan of Dire Straits, love there music.May not see it tonight now but will definitely watch it at some point this week.

I'm really undecided on the Andy Carroll situation. Currently the price Liverpool have paid for Carroll looks ridiculous but I wouldn't be surprised if we are all saying what a great buy by Liverpool in 2/3 years time. The fact he's got 6 months Prem Lge experience and is the biggest transfer fee for a British player ever is absolutely mental and no matter how he does at Liverpool, that is ludicrous. As much as I despise Ashley I can't blame him for selling him. I also can't blame Carroll for leaving when he's being offered quadruple his current salary. However, whatever the circumstance I think he may live to regret putting in a transfer request.

One thing that always gets mentioned in cases like Carroll and also with Torres, is loyalty. However, one aspect of loyalty that is never discussed is fans loyalty to players and managers. It doesn't take long for fans to start calling for a manager being sacked, even if he's been a loyal servant to their club, Sir Bobby Robson being a prime example but there are many, many to choose from. Similarly it doesn't take a long stretch of bad form from a player for the fans to want them dropped or sold. Football is such a fickle business these days that anybody expecting or even asking for loyalty from a player is slightly naive imo.

Great Post, Mr Mondy. "fickle" indeed.

The Spurs fans are on Harry Redknapp & Mr Levy's case now, after the amazing 18 months they have just had. You could not make it up!

[tikay]

I got to see the Knopfler doc last night, enjoyed it. It was interesting to here him talking about Dire Straits and how he didn't seem to enjoy it when they got too big.

Yup. Such a balanced individual, & much different to what I had expected. He's "aged well", if you get my drift.