Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[JaffaCake]

You put on a master class on how experienced players should look after new players at the tables over the weekend - Momma Shoelace wont shut up about the fun she had.

You should talk 'how to welcome new players in live games' on your telly show.

Having played with u in a plo cash game I'd have to agree you're most welcoming

[tikay]

good to see you last night Tony and you looked fit as a fiddle. How did that exit hand go again?

Don't go there Phil, don't go there......

And yes, was right grand to see you again. Everyone who saw the photo remarked how young you look. We must use the same moisturiser.

Camel noted in his splendidly honest Vegas Diary yesterday that it's tough to write about bad beats or bad runs without it sounding like a whiney whinge, so I've barely written a post about my poker in 6 months, as I am running a little cold right now, & Saturday's exit was typical.

Managed to get the lot in pre with my  & it was back to the opener - cf - who HAD to call because of stack size etc. He dwelled, & looked a tad sheepish. "Come on Big Man, we know you have a bag of spanners, but you have to call" I say. He ruefully smiles, says "yup, you got me". He turns over  & you know the rest.

I then sat in the £2 £2 DC for a little light entertainment. With Vegas looming, I did not want to go silly, so just pulled up £500, & decided to play ultra nitty for an hour or two. Very first hand, Mr Berridge called 5 Card Irish, I flopped the nuts on a  flop, but failed to hold. To be fair, I played it pretty bad, we were 5 way with mixed stack sizes, & I was hoping to get pot leverage if the right player (bigger stack) raised, but it never happened. We got to the river with £1,300 in the middle, & the club rivered, it was £110 all-in for me to call to win £1,440, I knew where I was but can't really fold. Bye bye £500.

I can honestly say the beats don't bother me, not for a moment. I play so little Live poker these days that extremes of variance are to be expected. Every time it happens, I just think "save the rungood for Vegas......"

[tikay]

The Hearns are great to work alongside, very down to earth family like Tikay says.

Also loving what Eddie is doing with boxing atm, for a long time it seemed like nobody gave a toss about it, but its nice to have someone cheering so loud for British boxers.

Yup, though he was a bit too quick into the Ring after/during the Frock fight!

Just over-enthusiasm I guess, but he may have been a tad fortunate that evening.

I was going to mention that but think it showed just how much it meant to him and from tgat perspective it was great to see....he did look pretty funny when he looked over at the ref and saw he was giving him a count though!!!!!

Can't blame him too much for that, everyone watching thought the Ref had already called it.  Indeed anyone watching would have called it a tad sooner, no way could he defend himself anymore.

Personally I admire what the Hearn's have done.  I spend a lot of time in the Leyton Orient press room and of course Barry gets more than his fair share of stick from certain people who wouldn't have the guts to say boo to him in the flesh.  However on the whole he gets a fair amount of respect for what he has done for that club over the years.  IMO he's a very good chairman to have.

It's par for the course these days Tommy, but it'll be water off a ducks back to the Hearns. They are VERY successful, make pots of money, & I doubt they give a flying toss what people say. You will be in Vegas with us (next door) this year, so we'll bump into the Hearns for sure, we always spend a little time together, & Katherine always plays the Main Event. Quite a story behind Kath playing a $10,000 Event annually, but I'll save that for another day. Eddie does not play it - he feels he can get a better return on $10,000 if he invests it in business. Not wrong. He would positively recoil in horror at the thought of losing that sort of cash playing poker.

Barry has shaken the snooker tree, & it's not to my personal taste (or Ronnie's), but he'll bring a lot of money back into the game, & he'll keep a goodly share of it, too.

He's absolutely crushed the money side of Darts, too, his Premier League thing is a stunning success. The business logic is beautiful. He is contracted to Sky Sports to supply - at no cost - x hours of darts per annum. He sells out every venue, keeping the lions share of box office receipts, & gets a pretty penny from sponsors who ache for the Sky Sports exposure. He even gets someone to stump up the Prize Money. Repeat that formula over various sports, job done.

Repeat that over several sports - snooker, boxing, darts, tenpin bowling, a de da.

Matchroom "represent" (for a fee, we have to assume) the likes of Steve Davis, Phi Taylor, Carl Froch, Jesse May, etc.

"Produced with passion" see?

http://www.matchroomsport.com/

[tikay]

Some seriously good going there old boy! vwp.

"old boy"? WTF?

Thanks Milli, was good to see you on Saturday, @ blonde Bash.

Dieting is all in the mind, I can't do it until my head is in the right place, once it is, it's a given, just a question of common-sense, discipline & patience. Can't fail.

Did you watch any of that £5,000 a side Heads Up Omaha game between Rob Yong & Pete Linton? Yikes.

Hope you enjoyed the Bash.

[tikay]

You put on a master class on how experienced players should look after new players at the tables over the weekend - Momma Shoelace wont shut up about the fun she had.

You should talk 'how to welcome new players in live games' on your telly show.

Thanks Dave. Momma was lovely, really lovely.

The sad thing was that I bust her. "Don't call" I implored her, but she was being "advised", & she made the call.

She smiled sweetly, thanked everyone at the table, then came across to give me a hug & a parting kiss. "You ******* bastard" she whispered in my ear.....

As to making new players feel welcome in poker, don't even go there, it makes me so cross how newbies are treated in poker, on the whole.

[tikay]

You put on a master class on how experienced players should look after new players at the tables over the weekend - Momma Shoelace wont shut up about the fun she had.

You should talk 'how to welcome new players in live games' on your telly show.

agree with this

having recently played live in a casino first time recently the "welcome" was not quite so kind

It rarely is, horsey. All very odd.

I well recall being made to feel like a piece of shite in my first ever poker tourney. Ugh @ the memory. I could not begin to count how many people I have introduced to Live Poker, & I like to think they all had a nice start to the game.

[tikay]

5% please tikay, and I can't promise a rusty tin when I settle up 6 months later!

Sorrry for the delayed reply Aaron, you know how it is next door, been rather busy.

I'll tell the story of that "tin" you gave me soon, what a lovely & thoughtful gift, thank you very much. You cannot begin to imagine what childhood memories it evoked, a truly amazing thing.  I could post a photo of it now, but it needs proper context, & that needs time. That was my most prized possession from the age of 5, until I was 10 or 11. It would be quite hard to explain to someone in these days of multiple material possessions, X-Boxes, tv's in kids bedrooms etc, how something so insignificant  - a little red tin - became so important in my life. When I opened your pressie, I very near burst into tears, I swear to God.

5% of my Vegas action. AGAIN? Honestly you are nuts, but yes, of course, let's have a little joint sweat. Please don't expect a return though. I think everyone got most of their money back when I went to Vegas last June, but I returned in November & drew a complete blank, 0 from 12 or something, & I can't recall a single Live Tourney cash since, though I have not played much. Not sure if I'm running bad, playing bad, or just plain crap @ pokerz.

I had a request from someone else next door for a bit of my Vegas action too, so I'd best start a little list, so we know where we are.

Thank you.

[tikay]

Vegas, then.

For the sake of record, I have been asked to sell a bit of action, so I need to record it.

Irene Nutcase Trip5 1%

Aaron/Machka, 5%

A Gent next door wrote & asked for a little piece on Friday or Saturday, I replied to him last night. Don't know how much, or whether he will want his name on the thread, but Irene & Aaron both know him well. I await his reply.

I believe Phil Q & Vince G both asked for a little piece, too. Dylan rung me up & said "just to be clear, if you are selling, I ain't buying". Tosser.

I will sort an approx playing schedule in the next day or so, & will Post it up on this thread, but I need flexibility as to what I play. The likely total MAX spend is $10,000, the likely minimum spend won't be much less than $5,000. Price is par, obv.

[Jon MW]

You put on a master class on how experienced players should look after new players at the tables over the weekend - Momma Shoelace wont shut up about the fun she had.

You should talk 'how to welcome new players in live games' on your telly show.

agree with this

having recently played live in a casino first time recently the "welcome" was not quite so kind

It rarely is, horsey. All very odd.

I well recall being made to feel like a piece of shite in my first ever poker tourney. Ugh @ the memory. I could not begin to count how many people I have introduced to Live Poker, & I like to think they all had a nice start to the game.

My first few live MTTs were all at the Vic and they made me feel tremendously welcome.

Those were poker players who really knew what they were doing and how it helps the game to keep new people coming back. Not making new players welcome seems to be closely linked to players who seem to hate every second they're playing - it always confuses me how so many people seem to spend so much time doing something they don't seem to even like.

[tikay]

You put on a master class on how experienced players should look after new players at the tables over the weekend - Momma Shoelace wont shut up about the fun she had.

You should talk 'how to welcome new players in live games' on your telly show.

agree with this

having recently played live in a casino first time recently the "welcome" was not quite so kind

It rarely is, horsey. All very odd.

I well recall being made to feel like a piece of shite in my first ever poker tourney. Ugh @ the memory. I could not begin to count how many people I have introduced to Live Poker, & I like to think they all had a nice start to the game.

My first few live MTTs were all at the Vic and they made me feel tremendously welcome.

Those were poker players who really knew what they were doing and how it helps the game to keep new people coming back. Not making new players welcome seems to be closely linked to players who seem to hate every second they're playing - it always confuses me how so many people seem to spend so much time doing something they don't seem to even like.

Good grief, don't I know about that! I belong to various Sky Poker-facing Facebook Groups, & you've never seen such venom & apparent hatred for the game, for me, & the site generally, non-stop, day after day. And yet they play more & more on the site. I wish I understood the logic, then I could help them. I do try, but it's an immense fail.

Almost the nut bad thing is the verbal aggro towards good, winning players.  Anyone who is a regular winner gets it.

Poor Scotty77 - Ryan - who now posts here a lot has been well & truly set upon, simply because he has done well, applied himself, wins plenty, has a job as an Analyst on the Show, & had to really work hard to achieve what he has. So they abuse him every single day.

Still, at least I rarely get abused for being a good player.... but for the sake of balance, I must say, lots pf people are very kind, & say & do quite lovely things.

 

[tikay]

I try, & must, keep a sort of Chinese wall between blonde & next door as much as I'm able, so this is a first & last, but after my previous Post, I thought I just had to relate this, for balance.

They did, last Summer, a sort of "life story" thing. Whatever way I wrap the words up, I was very proud of it, though it was a bit of a mystery to me what relevance it had to an Online poker site.

The odd thing is that wherever I go, people comment favourably upon it (I guess those who did not like it don't comment, which is fair enough), but the thing which seems to have hit home is the overcoming adversity thing, & handling the beats that life deal us. And there is the relevance to poker, I suppose. A whole bunch of people mentioned it to me on Saturday @ blonde bash.

So, yesterday, someone posted next door to say "thank you" for the documentary, which was nice to see, of course it was.

But here's the thing......

The chap explained that he used to get really mad at bad beats, da de da, so much so that he once "threw a mate out of the window of a poker club & got banned", but now he can handle the beats.

There must be a punchline somewhere.

[horseplayer]

i am very much a irregular player online tikay and have played in home games a few times before so knew how the game works e.t.c

however one "player" appeared to not like me trying to have a little fun at the table (nothing extreme by any means) thats fair enough so i didnt talk to him and had a nice conversation with the guy to my left after about fifteen minutes he snapped and called the cardroom manager who basically told him to grow up.

all very strange and slightly uncomfortable.

[tikay]

i am very much a irregular player online tikay and have played in home games a few times before so knew how the game works e.t.c

however one "player" appeared to not like me trying to have a little fun at the table (nothing extreme by any means) thats fair enough so i didnt talk to him and had a nice conversation with the guy to my left after about fifteen minutes he snapped and called the cardroom manager who basically told him to grow up.

all very strange and slightly uncomfortable.

Now't as strange as folk, all of us in one way or another, I guess.

[Marky147]

I've been insufferable for months my dad has told me, Vegas is my one big trip away each year now and I tend not to do a lot other than that. I always plan to play a bunch, but never get around to doing it and I think over 5 weeks in 2 years I've played 2 tournaments  

I've got a tidy little schedule mapped out for this year, I'm staying off the strip too and should be able to get a good number of tournaments and some cash played before I leave to move up to the Palazzo. After watching Hellmuth battle his way to the bracelet Sunday night I've garnered an interest in Razz, I found it quite interesting and have now added HORSE to my list so I can have a go.

Not long now, only another week and





On the subject of Eddie H, he did get quite into poker a little while ago, I played in one of their tournaments in 2007 at 3 Mills and he played in the afternoon heat the same day. I've always gotten on well with him too and found him a really nice guy. Although I think he was shocked to see me come bowling out of the Tower Suites at the Wynn a few years ago given it's not normally for the riff raff

[tikay]

I've been insufferable for months my dad has told me, Vegas is my one big trip away each year now and I tend not to do a lot other than that. I always plan to play a bunch, but never get around to doing it and I think over 5 weeks in 2 years I've played 2 tournaments 

I've got a tidy little schedule mapped out for this year, I'm staying off the strip too and should be able to get a good number of tournaments and some cash played before I leave to move up to the Palazzo. After watching Hellmuth battle his way to the bracelet Sunday night I've garnered an interest in Razz, I found it quite interesting and have now added HORSE to my list so I can have a go.

Not long now, only another week and





On the subject of Eddie H, he did get quite into poker a little while ago, I played in one of their tournaments in 2007 at 3 Mills and he played in the afternoon heat the same day. I've always gotten on well with him too and found him a really nice guy. Although I think he was shocked to see me come bowling out of the Tower Suites at the Wynn a few years ago given it's not normally for the riff raff

Yup, Vegas is SO close now. 5 sleeps, or 5 days, 1 hour, & 10 minutes before that Virgin 747 rolls down the runway @ Gatwick......

It is going to be just terrific, & I'm sure we'll cross paths somewhere. I quite fancy the Mixed Games, too, & I've got your Tourney Schedule thing printed off, & am planning what to play, where & when, right now.  The buy-in size is not relevant, it does not have to be big bucks, I will enjoy it even if it is small.

See you in Vegas!

Those Matchroom Tourneys in new Mills were fun, yes, but somehow I don't think Eddie paid in with his own money.

Barry enjoys playing poker, too, he holds a tourney every year on his yacht in Monte Carlo. He does not much enjoy losing, either, but he has had to endure defeat in it the last three years, when it has been won by the same person - a young lady of my acquaintance- on each occasion. And thereby hangs another intruiguing & fascinating story for another day.