Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

Thanks for the comments on the Aces Pass. My comments were not so much about my poor play, as a) the so-called "Damage Limitation" I applied to get out of the predicament (to which Mantis alludes to) & b), M3Boys similarly correct analysis, which was what exercised my mind so, in that, sometimes we play very strong hands very strongly, to disguise them. A moot point. Fact is, he never outplayed me (though he played it very nicely), I outplayed & outmistaked myself. Not hard that......

But Mantis also talks about how good players don't let these things affect them. I can take Bad Beats all day & night, & still smile, and although I get cross with myself for unforced errors, I can usually control it, harness it even, to spur me on, like a slap in the face. But I failed miserably on this occasion, which led to my demise in that very odd call against Joe Grech. But I got my act together the next night, & so I'm comfy with my game & mindset again.

[b4matt]

Thanks for the comments on the Aces Pass. My comments were not so much about my poor play, as a) the so-called "Damage Limitation" I applied to get out of the predicament (to which Mantis alludes to) & b), M3Boys similarly correct analysis, which was what exercised my mind so, in that, sometimes we play very strong hands very strongly, to disguise them. A moot point. Fact is, he never outplayed me (though he played it very nicely), I outplayed & outmistaked myself. Not hard that......

But Mantis also talks about how good players don't let these things affect them. I can take Bad Beats all day & night, & still smile, and although I get cross with myself for unforced errors, I can usually control it, harness it even, to spur me on, like a slap in the face. But I failed miserably on this occasion, which led to my demise in that very odd call against Joe Grech. But I got my act together the next night, & so I'm comfy with my game & mindset again.

There's not many weak spots in that dc game you where in Tikay- if you can beat that game i'd say u gotta be some player. I think Paul Jackson's got one of the best all round games of anyone i've seen. His thinking is generally excellent.

Gl tonight, i may pay another trip down tomorrow!

[tikay]

I went to dtd last night for the comp but mainly the cash and i had the pleasure of siting with Greg Hill (AKA Junior on Blonde).

We where having a good old chin wag and Greg said-

"have you seen Tikay recently?" 

"no" i reply, "not for a couple of months"

Literally 10 seconds later the Old man walks in the front doors (followed of course by people with autograph books..)

As usuall the place is swarming with beautiful Valets and dealers and as one walks past our table someone gives a cheeky wolf whistle, just audible to a few people near buy, EVERYONE ignores this apart from Tikay who has a huge grin on his face as he turns to see which of his adoring fans fancies him..

 

Sigh. I wish I could deny a single word of this story......but I can't, damn you.

It was just great to see you there last night Matt, you belong there, & it's my sort of "home" now, (as well as Luton), & it's nice to see so many of the folks in poker for whom I have so much respect, all chilling in the same room. You are like an old warm overcoat, somehow very comforting to have around.

Oh, forgot to ask last night - have you put on a lot of weight? You looked plumper than Red-Dog.

[tikay]

Bobby Fischer, the Chess legend, dies, aged 64.

Most of you are too young to remember much about the, err, "eccentric" Bobby Fischer, but he was a giant in his day.

When he was duelling with the Russian, Boris Spassky, it was towards the end of the Cold War, & the battle for the World Chess Championship was, in effect, the Cold War being played out on a chess board. Front Page Headlines every day, TV News Headlines, da de da.

Fischer had a list of "riders" in his Contract as long as your arm, & it ran to 20 or 30 pages. Room size, table fabric, sort of chairs, what drinks, chess board, chess pieces, all had to be "just so". One match was delayed for 3 days, as Fischer refused to accept the "Knight" being offered, as "it's nose is too long". Another match was held up for days due to his bizarre demands, & was only saved by the intervention of the great American Statesman of the time, Henry Kissinger, & Jim Slater, then of Slater Walker, who pioneered "corporate financial engineering" (asset stripping) in British Industry, & made himself a tidy few bob.

Yet another game was held up because he suspected the Russians had bugged the light fittings, & there was something suspicious in them. There were, in fact, two dead flies in the light fitting.

He came out of retirement to set up a rematch with Spassky in Yugoslavia, of all places, at the time this was deemed "sanction breaking" by the similarly paranoid American Government, so they set out to arrest & try him, & so set off a chain reaction with their exiled ex-hero, by now living in Japan. He was arrested there, but sought, & was granted, political asylum in Iceland, where he lived, as a recluse, until he died, thoigh from time to time he visited the Phillipines to take Medias pot shots at America & Jewish people. "Stinking Jews" he described them as, & he claimed the holocaust was fiction, a "money-making exercise". Of America, after 9/11, he said, on Filipino Radio "wonderful news, God Bless Osama, it's time to finish off America".

After retirement, he became even more paranoid. He had his gold fillings removed, believing that the CIA were using them to send & receive radio signals, & to spy on him.

Note the irony, then, in what may be his best-remembered utterance, & which will serve as a wonderful ephitet to him.

"Chess does not drive you mad. It's what keeps you sane".

[kinboshi]

Many of the top chess Grand Masters were, how best to put it, slightly eccentric?  Paranoia seems to be a common theme and it makes you wonder if it always was paranoia.

In the late 70s, Karpov v Korchnoi had some classic matches, that were interspersed with 'incidents'.  Karpov asked for Korchnoi's chair to be scanned for 'devices'.  As a counter to that, Korchnoi claimed that Karpov had paid for a hypnotist to put Korchnoi off from his seat amongst the spectators, and of course there's the famous hidden messages in different yoghurts episode.

When Korchnoi played Petrosian, a steel board had to be placed under the table between the two players, to stop them kicking each other!!

It makes some of the antics of Mike Matusow and Tony G seem tame!

[tikay]

Many of the top chess Grand Masters were, how best to put it, slightly eccentric?  Paranoia seems to be a common theme and it makes you wonder if it always was paranoia.

In the late 70s, Karpov v Korchnoi had some classic matches, that were interspersed with 'incidents'.  Karpov asked for Korchnoi's chair to be scanned for 'devices'.  As a counter to that, Korchnoi claimed that Karpov had paid for a hypnotist to put Korchnoi off from his seat amongst the spectators, and of course there's the famous hidden messages in different yoghurts episode.

When Korchnoi played Petrosian, a steel board had to be placed under the table between the two players, to stop them kicking each other!!

It makes some of the antics of Mike Matusow and Tony G seem tame!

Do (did?) the Chess playing experts consider that Fischer was a cut above the rest, or was he just "time & place"?

He certainly seemed to be the nuts. Or just nuts.

We should explore further this "flawed genius" syndrome, too. Best (G), Unger, Gazza, Piggott, White, all immediately come to mind, the list must be huge.

[kinboshi]

Fischer was one of the best.  Kasparov is widely considered as the best, just ahead of Capablanca and Fischer.

Best of his time, undoubtedly. 

[RioRodent]

Many of the top chess Grand Masters were, how best to put it, slightly eccentric?  Paranoia seems to be a common theme and it makes you wonder if it always was paranoia.

Just because you're paranoid, it doesn't mean they're not after you! 

[tikay]

Brighton, Sunday, & there is THE most extraordinary sight on the beach here.

Timber has been washed up - new, prime, hardwood, long lengths, maybe 6" x 2" girth, & the air is filled with the smell of this timber, which must have been washed off a boat's deck, or perhaps a ship has sunk.

And this wood, which is all higgly-piggly at the high-tide mark, stretches as far as the eye can see, miles in each direction. I told Flushy about it - he's a local, see? - & he told me the wood streches at least as far as Worthing, which is approximately a very long way away!

Has there been a report of a boat sinking in the Channel? It really is a very strange sight, I wonder if there are Press pics anywhere about it.

Meanwhile, in the Casino, Jim Reid is on fire, busting folks left right & centre with 3 outers, & now Thewy has woken up. Fireworks are imminent.

[Karabiner]

Brighton, Sunday, & there is THE most extraordinary sight on the beach here.

Timber has been washed up - new, prime, hardwood, long lengths, maybe 6" x 2" girth, & the air is filled with the smell of this timber, which must have been washed off a boat's deck, or perhaps a ship has sunk.

And this wood, which is all higgly-piggly at the high-tide mark, stretches as far as the eye can see, miles in each direction. I told Flushy about it - he's a local, see? - & he told me the wood streches at least as far as Worthing, which is approximately a very long way away!

Has there been a report of a boat sinking in the Channel? It really is a very strange sight, I wonder if there are Press pics anywhere about it.

Meanwhile, in the Casino, Jim Reid is on fire, busting folks left right & centre with 3 outers, & now Thewy has woken up. Fireworks are imminent.

There was a report on the news a few days ago about a cargo ship carrying timber that was listing at 45 degrees.

They last I heard was that they had rescued the crew by helicopter and it was being assessed for salvage..

[vegaslover]

Brighton, Sunday, & there is THE most extraordinary sight on the beach here.

Timber has been washed up - new, prime, hardwood, long lengths, maybe 6" x 2" girth, & the air is filled with the smell of this timber, which must have been washed off a boat's deck, or perhaps a ship has sunk.

And this wood, which is all higgly-piggly at the high-tide mark, stretches as far as the eye can see, miles in each direction. I told Flushy about it - he's a local, see? - & he told me the wood streches at least as far as Worthing, which is approximately a very long way away!

Has there been a report of a boat sinking in the Channel? It really is a very strange sight, I wonder if there are Press pics anywhere about it.

Meanwhile, in the Casino, Jim Reid is on fire, busting folks left right & centre with 3 outers, & now Thewy has woken up. Fireworks are imminent.

There was a report on the news a few days ago about a cargo ship carrying timber that was listing at 45 degrees.

They last I heard was that they had rescued the crew by helicopter and it was being assessed for salvage..

Owners have hired contractors to reclaim the timber, so collecting it will be theft, and will be charged as such. Not that that will stop the local buildings grabbing some

[AndrewT]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7198735.stm

"The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has warned that anyone who keeps the washed-up timber from the Ice Prince could be arrested and fined up to £2,500."

Now, I'm no expert, but what exactly would be the resale value of timber which had been floating about in salt water for a week? My guess would be 'not much'.

[kinboshi]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7198735.stm

"The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has warned that anyone who keeps the washed-up timber from the Ice Prince could be arrested and fined up to £2,500."

Now, I'm no expert, but what exactly would be the resale value of timber which had been floating about in salt water for a week? My guess would be 'not much'.

Are you saying that someone would have to be as thick as two short planks to buy it really?  Or maybe just a little bored?

[RED-DOG]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7198735.stm

"The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has warned that anyone who keeps the washed-up timber from the Ice Prince could be arrested and fined up to £2,500."

Now, I'm no expert, but what exactly would be the resale value of timber which had been floating about in salt water for a week? My guess would be 'not much'.

A lot of boats are made of wood, they seem to do ok.

[tikay]

Vans are now queueing up to load this timber up. I saw an Escort Van which was only half the length of the timber, (it extended way beyond his bonnet & equally far off the back) which was strapped to the roof-rack. He has no chance of getting far with that, the first time he stops, it'll be all over the road. Good timber, mind, proper hardwood.

OK, can't stop, I'm busy busy.