Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[Marky147]

3rd
Ambjorn Haga     

I met this Norwegian guy at the battle of malta last year he claimed to be a big ladbrokes player in the day
Bizarrely works on a salmon farm now nice guy tho , first night there he won €5 k and packed up after losing a 3 k pot
Dunno if anybody knows him

'Ambi'

I remember him from Estonia, and the 2006 Laddies cruise. Stocky lad with a jet black ponytail.

Conor Tate always spoke very highly of him and his play.

[tonytats]

Sounds about right mark
He's a great guy not big headed very normal we had a good old chat every day at breakfast
He goes to festivals every now n again he said
Drank like the clappers still played well tho my mate was to his right and said he put you to the test
Great bunch the scandis never any malice in their game win or lose great company

[Rod Paradise]

From today's Racing Post Tony on an interesting problem at Kempton racecourse.

''' There are 24 swans residing in and around the lake at the course, all of which enjoy royal protection and Clifford liaises closely with the Queen's chief swan marker David Barber as part of his wider duties'''

Don't you think Chief Swan marker to the Queen sounds like a nice way to make a living?

On my bucket list is poaching, preparing, roasting & eating of a swan. Just think it's wrong that all of a species is 'owned' by one person for the whole country. And they're just big white geese, and geese taste good!!

Can't ever remember having 'goose', so will have to ensure that I do so when I next see it on the menu.

Lidls occiaissionally have frozen goose crowns - ie just the breasts, They are great roasted - use the grease that comes out of them to roast the spuds in. Like  alighter roast beef - and makes great sandwiches from the leftovers.

[tikay]

3rd
Ambjorn Haga     

I met this Norwegian guy at the battle of malta last year he claimed to be a big ladbrokes player in the day
Bizarrely works on a salmon farm now nice guy tho , first night there he won €5 k and packed up after losing a 3 k pot
Dunno if anybody knows him

'Ambi'

I remember him from Estonia, and the 2006 Laddies cruise. Stocky lad with a jet black ponytail.

Conor Tate always spoke very highly of him and his play.

What is Conor doing these days?

Most impressive guy, very bright indeed, had his finger in all sorts of poker & gaming pies as I recall.

Someone told me he had moved overseas - Canada? - but I've no idea if that was true.

[tikay]

I had the privilege and pleasure to meet Eric Dalby when working for Betfair and in attendance at the WSOPE 2008 (?) where he made a run at the PLO (?) event.

What can I say but what a phenomenal man. I got on with him really rather well, and it was fantastic to chat to him on breaks. On the FT he made one play where he simply had to have it. I asked him on break, and with a conspiratorial wink he said "you mustn't tell them Ed, but I had nothing at all. I just knew he didn't either".

What a nice man.

Oh, and I've just remembered. I think he cashed for about £40k - he couldn't get a cab when he bust, so he and his friend took the night bus home.

EDIT: £85k!! http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=32266

Ahh, God bless Eric, used to own the PLO8 games on Ladbrokes.

First met him on a Ladbrokes cruise, & we shared tables in one event, He was scrupulously "correct" in all things, & very censorious towards mistakes by others or the dealer, I said to him "you seem a bit like a school Headmaster", & it turned out that had been his actual vocation in life.

I sat with him in a Live PLO8 Event at The Vic two or three years back, & Albert Sapiano was on the same table.

Well you know Albert, he can't pass any two in NLH, so imagine what a station he was in PLO8, he turned up at showdown with all sorts.

Eric's face was a perfect picture, looking at Albert as if he had gone out.

I respected him very much, on & off the table, but for balance, Eric could be, at times, a bit of a moany-woany sort. We can forgive him that, though, as he must be in his eighties now, & as we know, all old people are miserable sods. 

I do hope he's OK, not seen him for a goodly while.

Here's a bit of old & new, Eric & some random kid.

[tikay]

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

[tikay]

[tikay]

Some of the scandis I remember

Erik and Bengt, obviously

Sargon Ruya
Fuat Can
Daniel Larsson
Bo Sehlstedt

Wow, some names there. Got me thinking of the very first 'name' I could remember on Ladbrokes - Dared - which led to this trip down memory lane: http://observer.theguardian.com/osm/story/0,,1448494,00.html

That's a lovely piece.

It was 9 years ago, but nothing has changed.

the Devilfish was such a mass of jerks and tics that I wondered whether he might suffer from Tourette's syndrome before I realised that he was merely winking at the women in the room

[tikay]

I didn't recognise him via photo but by his screen name I did.

I don't think anyone anywhere has a bad word to say about Jonny Lodden either!

I've only taken an overnight train once, and I imagine if I asked my facebook friends I'd be in a very small minority. The train was from Bangkok to Nong Khai (effectively the border crossing to get into Laos) Can't remember that much, and I certainly wouldn't describe it as magical. I can sleep anywhere though and certainly have done so a few times in my life.

Anyway I only popped in to say 1% of your Vegas action please. Plinop is trying to convince me, but I think he just needs a driver.

Thank you Adam, I shall Edit the list accordingly.

[bobby1]

Obviously far from the pinnacle of journalistic excellence Tony but The Sun appear to have managed to link two sheep puns in one headline (lamb chop) about Paul Lambert's sacking.

For non parents we get Shaun the sheep and Timmy the little lamb. Would love to take 2/1 that they just included Shaun Dyche in there so they could write the pun too.



http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/live-experience/cps/512/mcs/media/images/80954000/jpg/_80954230_e25a51c5-10a6-4505-89c0-ec6dad74053e.jpg

[bobby1]

From today's Racing Post Tony on an interesting problem at Kempton racecourse.

''' There are 24 swans residing in and around the lake at the course, all of which enjoy royal protection and Clifford liaises closely with the Queen's chief swan marker David Barber as part of his wider duties'''

Don't you think Chief Swan marker to the Queen sounds like a nice way to make a living?

Please. That's a very onerous responsibility, & is to be taken seriously.

Would you like to go to work every day wearing that hat?

 

Click to see full-size image.

He has to go to work by boat, too.

Click to see full-size image.

He has to deal with some very common sorts, too, from the lesser provinces, who seem to think they have a right to poach (or even roast) Her Majesty's Swans.

We need to remember one thing here Phil.

Her Majesty OWNS us. We must respect Her, & all that is Hers.

Can you BEGIN to imagine the outcome if "Marker of the Swans" David Barber (who, I hope, is a Sir or a Lord), had to deal with Rod Paradise, & David waved his feather at him, assaulted him with it, even? Rod would soon learn the error of his ways. Oh yes.

I'm with Rod here, deffo going to get some goose in just to see what it's like.

I do have some sympathy with the swan marker if he really does have to wear that feather to work every day. If not he looks like a fantasy scene from an OAP version of the Fifty shades of grey film.

[TightEnd]

888 Holdings confirms William Hill £744m acquisition bid

http://calvinayre.com/2015/02/10/business/888-holdings-confirms-william-hill-744m-acquisition-bid/

[tikay]

888 Holdings confirms William Hill £744m acquisition bid

http://calvinayre.com/2015/02/10/business/888-holdings-confirms-william-hill-744m-acquisition-bid/

I'm a bit busy this morning, but something to think about.

That story just continues the process - the very necessary process - of industry consolidation. And of course many Online Poker Sites are offering IDENTICAL Products, off the back of I-poker or whoever, which makes life tough for them I'd assume. (Very few standalones now). Very difficult to include points of differential when they are all offering the same product.

Which begs a really interesting question as to this proposed deal.

Who's software will they use - I-poker, or 888?

I know the intricate background to WH/Playtech/I-poker etc, but this could be a real game-changer for WH. 

To my mind, using the 888 platform & software would make much better sense. WH then become different - &, arguably better - than their bookmaking competitors, most of whom reside on I-poker.

The poker side of the deal is irrelevant in the whole scheme of things, it is a miniscule part of the operation, let's not kid ourselves, but it will be interesting to see which way they jump.   

Over to Mr Crater for his diplomatic, sat on the fence oh-so-awkwardly, response. Or the Welsh Gent, Mr B, who, I think, will be a tad less diplo.

[DaveShoelace]

888 Holdings confirms William Hill £744m acquisition bid

http://calvinayre.com/2015/02/10/business/888-holdings-confirms-william-hill-744m-acquisition-bid/

I'm a bit busy this morning, but something to think about.

That story just continues the process - the very necessary process - of industry consolidation. And of course many Online Poker Sites are offering IDENTICAL Products, off the back of I-poker or whoever, which makes life tough for them I'd assume. (Very few standalones now). Very difficult to include points of differential when they are all offering the same product.

Which begs a really interesting question as to this proposed deal.

Who's software will they use - I-poker, or 888?

I know the intricate background to WH/Playtech/I-poker etc, but this could be a real game-changer for WH.  

To my mind, using the 888 platform & software would make much better sense. WH then become different - &, arguably better - than their bookmaking competitors, most of whom reside on I-poker.

The poker side of the deal is irrelevant in the whole scheme of things, it is a miniscule paert of the operatuon, let's not kid ourselves, but it will be interesting to see which way they jump.  

Over to Mr Crater for his diplomatic, sat on the fence oh-so-awkwardly, response. Or the Welsh Gent, Mr B, who, I think, will be a tad less diplo.

 

That's more Alun's territory to troll discuss. I'm more of a 'puff piece' kinda guy.

That said, always amazes me how many people want to get into bed with 888, and how they never ever do. Seems a given to retain 888's software for casino and poker.

[AlunB]

888 Holdings confirms William Hill £744m acquisition bid

http://calvinayre.com/2015/02/10/business/888-holdings-confirms-william-hill-744m-acquisition-bid/

I'm a bit busy this morning, but something to think about.

That story just continues the process - the very necessary process - of industry consolidation. And of course many Online Poker Sites are offering IDENTICAL Products, off the back of I-poker or whoever, which makes life tough for them I'd assume. (Very few standalones now). Very difficult to include points of differential when they are all offering the same product.

Which begs a really interesting question as to this proposed deal.

Who's software will they use - I-poker, or 888?

I know the intricate background to WH/Playtech/I-poker etc, but this could be a real game-changer for WH.  

To my mind, using the 888 platform & software would make much better sense. WH then become different - &, arguably better - than their bookmaking competitors, most of whom reside on I-poker.

The poker side of the deal is irrelevant in the whole scheme of things, it is a miniscule paert of the operatuon, let's not kid ourselves, but it will be interesting to see which way they jump.  

Over to Mr Crater for his diplomatic, sat on the fence oh-so-awkwardly, response. Or the Welsh Gent, Mr B, who, I think, will be a tad less diplo.

 

That's more Alun's territory to troll discuss. I'm more of a 'puff piece' kinda guy.

That said, always amazes me how many people want to get into bed with 888, and how they never ever do. Seems a given to retain 888's software for casino and poker.

Haha! I don't troll tikay (much).

It's a really interesting one with Hills/888. Most people don't realise that Hills already have their own in-house casino platform that's bigger than their Playtech powered one. And their casino business is far bigger than 888 already.

I can't imagine Hills buying 888 and not using the platform as it's a clear differentiator and is an amazing retention machine. But what do they do with it? Try and integrate it into their own back end? Run it as a separate brand? Run it as a separate platform? Keep Playtech and run all three?

I'm sure they have thought about this, but I can't say I know which way they will jump.

Poker surely would move to 888 and probably bingo too. Casino? That's a tougher one to call.

Either way it's going to be a long messy process integrating all of this.