Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

Can you PM your bank details please Mr T, thanks.

Apologies for getting all behind, I've now sent you my Bank Details via PM.

Cash safely received, thank you.

[tikay]

Hi Pops

I have today sent £85 to your acc ending 3932 but couldnt change the reference which is the one always on there 

Got it, thank you Rich.

You up at DTD tomorrow?

I might just pop in, & play that Grand Prix thing, as I have some business to attend to at DTD so can try to kill two birds with one stone.

[RED-DOG]

Hi Pops

I have today sent £85 to your acc ending 3932 but couldnt change the reference which is the one always on there 

Got it, thank you Rich.

You up at DTD tomorrow?

I might just pop in, & play that Grand Prix thing, as I have some business to attend to at DTD so can try to kill two birds with one stone.

I wonder how many people on here have actually killed a bird with a stone?

[Eso Kral]

Hi Pops

I have today sent £85 to your acc ending 3932 but couldnt change the reference which is the one always on there 

Got it, thank you Rich.

You up at DTD tomorrow?

I might just pop in, & play that Grand Prix thing, as I have some business to attend to at DTD so can try to kill two birds with one stone.

Unfortunately not as its day 2 & 3 that are difficult for me with other priorities so am having to swerve this time.

I am there for the deepstack in a couple of weeks time though.

Good luck if you do venture onto the tables and obviously I hope you have a blast in LV this year .

[DaveShoelace]

Hi Pops

I have today sent £85 to your acc ending 3932 but couldnt change the reference which is the one always on there 

Got it, thank you Rich.

You up at DTD tomorrow?

I might just pop in, & play that Grand Prix thing, as I have some business to attend to at DTD so can try to kill two birds with one stone.

I wonder how many people on here have actually killed a bird with a stone?

[tikay]

I wasn't here for the start of this diary, but, every now and then, I read through the first few posts of a diary, if for no other reason than to see or remind myself how it started. Kind of a "what was the question again?" moment.


Fair to say a lot of poohsticks have passed under the VATA bridge since this post:

Day -1.

OK, I'm all set for Vegas.

The cat (Angell) is safely installed in the local Cattery (he not happy), the milk is cancelled, all the bills paid. To hell with the lawn, it only grows again.

So Sunday morning it is, to join no doubt a 3 hour check-in & security queue at Gatwick.

I stop off on the way to pick up Dave "Compo" Compton, who lives right by the Airport. Stansted Airport, sadly. So, 2 hours from Derby to his house, another 90 minutes to Gatters, 3 hours queue, and that's before the 10 hour flight. Am I not looking forward to that? Oh well, a good book will help, I'm reading the story of DNA right now, mind-boggling stuff. Also the "Google" story - wow, them boys turned advertising on it's head.

We are booked into the Hollywood Resort (formerly the Aladdin), along with the rest of the Poker Week crew - Rhowena, Steve Meehan (blondeite "wormster"), Billy (cameraman), & Tim (Sound, Editing & Camera). They travelled out a few days ago, to organise the bars, I imagine.

It's my second trip to Vegas, I went in '05, but I overdid it that year, too much work, too much play, & not enough sleep nearly killed me. I was Updating, doing 425 work, writing a Daily Diary, & playing. Too much.

I was Sponsored into a $1,500 WSOP Event, (my first & last) & managed to cash, a big thrill, but I don't plan to play any WSOP jobbies this year. Compo & me, when not working, will cruise the gaffs & find nice little comps around town, & I'm looking forward to that part immensely.

Work-wise, the idea is to record 3 editions of Poker Week out there, & do some "Postcard from the Strip" stuff for Sky Poker. We have interviews lined up with some tidy faces, too, including Stu Fox, & one P Hellmuth Jnr.

Vegas, as a City/Town, whatever, does nothing for me. Architecturally, Wynn's apart, the place is dull as dishwater. Any place that advertises a 1/20th scale-model of the Eiffel Tower - real plastic mind - is never gonna flick my switches. And the heat.....43c, way too much, so it's feast or famine, unbearably hot outside, &  over air-conditioned inside. The scale, & number, of Hotels is awesome, beyond belief, they are huge. But if you wanna play Tourneys, or Cash, 24/7, Vegas is the place.

A big "thank you" to Poker Week & Sky Poker, who are picking up the tab. I know, I'm a jammy git.

OK, that's it for today, I got a queue to join.

Name that tune.

It's wonderful to be here,

It's certainly a thrill.

How easy is that, for starters?

Mr Fox popped by the Broadway on Saturday night and was in fine spirits. He has always struck me as one of the good guys (this is where someone usually shatters my illusions, but I very much hope not).

I do that from time to time, too.

Take a look at the first Post on Red's Diary - it's a cracker.


http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=30601.0


Does not quite work in the same way for BITB though, as he edited his 3 years later, which is quite a shame I always think.

Stu Fox a good guy? Very much so, can't remember anyone ever having a bad word to say about him.

We used to spend a lot of time together, then life got tough for him, with family matters, & I think he took off for America, travelling, for a while. He then returned to poker, & still has plenty of game.

He almost won a WSOP Bracelet, too, was very unlucky. Think that would have been in around 2006 or 2007, but he got half a mill for 2nd, so not so bad really.

He was getting the lot at Luton & Walsall in 2004 & 2005.

His breakthrough was in the then very prestigious Midlands Medley @ Walsall - a few names here you'll recopgnize.....


 http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8707


I often wonder what happened to Laurence Robjent, "Paper Boy". He was just short of good enough, but a very interesting character. Think he got mugged in Barcelona one year, outside Grand Casino.

It was commonplace then, poker players being turned over in Barcelona.

Thewy was walking along the Barcelona front one night with a bunch of poker players after winning a few bob in Grand Casino. There were 4 of them, & three of them got robbed of every penny. Thewy had €3,000 in his pocket, & they never touched him...... that boy runs so good.

[tikay]

I wasn't here for the start of this diary, but, every now and then, I read through the first few posts of a diary, if for no other reason than to see or remind myself how it started. Kind of a "what was the question again?" moment.

Fair to say a lot of poohsticks have passed under the VATA bridge since this post:

Day -1.

OK, I'm all set for Vegas.

The cat (Angell) is safely installed in the local Cattery (he not happy), the milk is cancelled, all the bills paid. To hell with the lawn, it only grows again.

So Sunday morning it is, to join no doubt a 3 hour check-in & security queue at Gatwick.

I stop off on the way to pick up Dave "Compo" Compton, who lives right by the Airport. Stansted Airport, sadly. So, 2 hours from Derby to his house, another 90 minutes to Gatters, 3 hours queue, and that's before the 10 hour flight. Am I not looking forward to that? Oh well, a good book will help, I'm reading the story of DNA right now, mind-boggling stuff. Also the "Google" story - wow, them boys turned advertising on it's head.

We are booked into the Hollywood Resort (formerly the Aladdin), along with the rest of the Poker Week crew - Rhowena, Steve Meehan (blondeite "wormster"), Billy (cameraman), & Tim (Sound, Editing & Camera). They travelled out a few days ago, to organise the bars, I imagine.

It's my second trip to Vegas, I went in '05, but I overdid it that year, too much work, too much play, & not enough sleep nearly killed me. I was Updating, doing 425 work, writing a Daily Diary, & playing. Too much.

I was Sponsored into a $1,500 WSOP Event, (my first & last) & managed to cash, a big thrill, but I don't plan to play any WSOP jobbies this year. Compo & me, when not working, will cruise the gaffs & find nice little comps around town, & I'm looking forward to that part immensely.

Work-wise, the idea is to record 3 editions of Poker Week out there, & do some "Postcard from the Strip" stuff for Sky Poker. We have interviews lined up with some tidy faces, too, including Stu Fox, & one P Hellmuth Jnr.

Vegas, as a City/Town, whatever, does nothing for me. Architecturally, Wynn's apart, the place is dull as dishwater. Any place that advertises a 1/20th scale-model of the Eiffel Tower - real plastic mind - is never gonna flick my switches. And the heat.....43c, way too much, so it's feast or famine, unbearably hot outside, &  over air-conditioned inside. The scale, & number, of Hotels is awesome, beyond belief, they are huge. But if you wanna play Tourneys, or Cash, 24/7, Vegas is the place.

A big "thank you" to Poker Week & Sky Poker, who are picking up the tab. I know, I'm a jammy git.

OK, that's it for today, I got a queue to join.

Name that tune.

It's wonderful to be here,

It's certainly a thrill.

How easy is that, for starters?

Mr Fox popped by the Broadway on Saturday night and was in fine spirits. He has always struck me as one of the good guys (this is where someone usually shatters my illusions, but I very much hope not).

I remember that day as if it were yesterday.

Spent some time at Compo's house, which was right by Stansted Airport, in a very plush gated community sorta thing. He had a dog called Bonzo, complete nutjob, but lovely.

"Hollywood Resort, formerly Aladdin"?

Blimey, that place has had some names, that's Planet Hollywood, or PH, now.

I loathed the place, loud music everywhere, 24/7.

We had daily Production Meetings in a little disused area upstairs (now the Cardroom), there was no furniture, no slots, no nothing, just an empty area. Except music. We asked if thy could turn it down, or off, & they looked at us gone out.

Compo & me farmed the little $40 MTT they ran there, back to back, every few hours it ran. It was only about $600 up top, but we thought we were the bees knees. It was 500 starting chips & a 20 minute clock.

I've only set foot in that place once since. Once too often, it was a PLO thing, & you outlasted me. By 4 hours.   

We arrived mid-afternoon, & I played until midnight, then went to bed.  

Compo was late for the Meeting the next morning, then polled up, still in the clothes he travelled in, & carting his suitcase. He had not even booked in, been playing all night. This continued for 3 days before he eventually checked in to his room. He still got the pieces to camera done perfectly though, one take Compo, he was amazingly good.

We were working for Wm Hill, & Phil Quayle had sort of organised it.

Later, we both moved to Sky Poker with their new Channel & poker site.

Compo & I were frequenting the DC game at Luton at the time, & Compo was also doing the ATR gig, for whom he went to Dubai every year.

Things got a bit tough for Compo then, & he took off for Vegas to try & get out of it. Story & a half there. I believe he is back home now, hopefully with his family. Never spoken to him since, though we did chat on the 'phone while he was in Vegas.  I Tweeted a message to him recently, but never got a reply. Very sad, but as long as he is OK, that's all that matters, life goes on.

He did Big Race & Meeting Previews for Wm Hill, too, which they broadcast into all of their Betting Shops. It was around 20 minutes long, & he would come into the Sky Poker Office, find a quiet corner, & record it over the phone. No notes, just the card in front of him. Never once faltered, no umms or errs, just 20 minutes, non-stop, in one take.

Then he'd do the Sky Poker Show, from there straight to the DC game at Luton, play all night, then straight to his ATR gig.

What a character.

He came to Blackpool with Red Dog & me one year, & the three of us were stood outside the Big Blue Reception before breakfast having a smoke. Think Tom had a plastic pretend ciggie at the time - Tom ALWAYS had that thing in his mouth, swear he slept with it in his mouth.

Anyway - & I swear this is true, Tom will confirm - Tom & Compo got into a farting contest, it was incredible, they could fart to order, great big rasberries, one after the other.

Suddenly, we heard giggling from above. Three girls had been watching (listening?) to all this from a first floor bedroom. Tom & Compo, quick as a flash, both pointed at me - "sorry girls, it was him".

Think this photo was at MGM. Quite a story behind that, too.




Sorry, I'm rambling.  

[RED-DOG]

Does not quite work in the same way for BITB though, as he edited his 3 years later, which is quite a shame I always think.

Who Me? Did I really? If so I don't recall.

Deets please.

[tikay]

Does not quite work in the same way for BITB though, as he edited his 3 years later, which is quite a shame I always think.

Who Me? Did I really? If so I don't recall.

Deets please.

No, not you.

You remember the farting contest though, I know you do. Disgraceful.

That plastic ciggie thing - you lost it once, & it drove you nuts. We were staying in some gaff in Southend, (or near Gutshot?(& you turned the room upside down to find it. It was in one of your socks. 

[Karabiner]

Laurence Robjent is still alive and well in Southampton I believe.

Good mates with The Camel.

[tikay]

Laurence Robjent is still alive and well in Southampton I believe.

Good mates with The Camel.

That's good news.

Think Laurence liked a flutter on the horses now & then.

[tikay]

Vegas, as a City/Town, whatever, does nothing for me. Architecturally, Wynn's apart, the place is dull as dishwater. Any place that advertises a 1/20th scale-model of the Eiffel Tower - real plastic mind - is never gonna flick my switches. And the heat.....43c, way too much, so it's feast or famine, unbearably hot outside, &  over air-conditioned inside. The scale, & number, of Hotels is awesome, beyond belief, they are huge. But if you wanna play Tourneys, or Cash, 24/7, Vegas is the place.


I get the feeling that your switches get flicked by the place thes days. How much has it changed?

Was thinking the same. That post sounds like a typical 'grumpy old men' post and it's from 2007 when all of us had a much bigger buzz about poker.

Nowadays, Teeks loves the place!!!!!!!!!!

David, & Vegaslover.

Yes, I enjoy Vegas enormously. Live poker, for starters, I adore Live Poker. Nice & warm, lovely food, nice hotel rooms, & the WSOP, all great. Most of all, bumping into Brits out there. You see guys who you would barely exchange more than "hi mate" in DTD, but when you see trhrm in Vegas, we become much closer.

The architecture, & many other things though, still intrigue me. 

Do you remember Danny La Rue?

He was a female impersonator. Well a male female impersonator. Dressed up as a woman.

HUGE star back in the day, topped the bill everywhere.

His act was to dress up, speak, & act, like a woman. He was good at it, too. Very good.

The first time I saw him I was amazed. The 2nd time, not so much. And then just intrigued. What? Why?

Bear with me, there is a connection to all those bizarre hotel designs in Vegas. It's like a joke heard twice. The first time, yeah, fine. The next time it's not so funny.

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

[RED-DOG]

Does not quite work in the same way for BITB though, as he edited his 3 years later, which is quite a shame I always think.

Who Me? Did I really? If so I don't recall.

Deets please.

No, not you.

You remember the farting contest though, I know you do. Disgraceful.

That plastic ciggie thing - you lost it once, & it drove you nuts. We were staying in some gaff in Southend, (or near Gutshot?(& you turned the room upside down to find it. It was in one of your socks.  

I loved going to Blackpool for the fessies with all the old gang. Bling Bling Dez, Phil and Niamh Peters. Micky Wernik, Mark Goodwin, Ash Purvaise, Ali Mallu, Maureen (The Nun) Ariston, Pete Bandit, Sam Tricket, Paul Jackson, Roger Brush, Howard Plant, Craig Wildman, George Geary, Thewy, Snoopy, Foxy... I'd better stop that. I could go on for hours.

 They were my favorite times in poker. I used to stay in a little B&B directly across from the casino. all the guests were poker players, breakfast was served at 3pm.

I remember the farting contest fondly even though I was hopelessly outgunned.

It took me about 4 years to wean myself off that plastic cigarette. It was made by Niccorette and called the Inalator.

In the end I didn't bother with the false cigarette part, I just sucked directly on the little plastic cartridge that contained the nicotine. Once, I accidentally got some saliva into the cartridge and when I sucked on it I pulled a massive dose of nicotine directly in to my mouth. It exploded onto my brain giving me a rush that defies description. It was so intense I almost collapsed. I knew it was wrong, but I also knew I would do it again.

I did do it again, and again and again with increasing frequency, and that was when I came to the conclusion that I could no longer even pretend to use the inhalator in it's proper fashion and I had to force myself to give it up.

That was ~ 10 years ago. I don't miss smoking at all, but my God, I'd love another crack at that Inhalator.

[tikay]

So there was this chap in Vegas, who wanted to build a hotel.

He gets a call from an Architect. Not a real Architect, but one who has been thrown out of RIBA after he failed his exams, & now he has an axe to grind.

So he rings up the Hotelier & says "I've had this great idea. We could design one that pretended to be a pyramid".

A pyramid?"

"Yeah, a pyramid".

"Really?. Don't be daft, it's terribly space inefficient, for starters"

Click to see full-size image.

"OK, how about we build one with a pretend Eiffel Tower & Arc De Triomphe?"


"What did you say?"

Click to see full-size image.

"No? A pretend New York Skyline then, Statue of Liberty & everything?"





"What about if we built 7 x 40 storey monstrosities aping Caesars Palace? Completely out of scale, & thoroughly offensive on the eye?"

Click to see full-size image.

"No? Well what if we did one that pretended to be in Venice?"

"Impossible".

"No no, it would have that tower, canals & all sorts"

Click to see full-size image.

"How about we imitated that statue thing in Rio de Janiero?"

Click to see full-size image.

"Nah, nobody would make the connection".

Click to see full-size image.

"Fair enough, I give up, I'll just design something sensible".

Click to see full-size image.

BOOM, well done.


 

[tikay]

Am up at DTD to see Rob, and killing two things with one thing by playing the tourney, which is an £80 re-entry affair.

Been here an hour and seem to have re-discovered my NLH game, and have been table captain since the start.

Am going well with my 2nd bullet, too.