Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

This is Neil, more of whom later.

Neil is Mother Hen & Manager of the "Champions Lounge", which sort of is, & is not, the PokerStars Lounge. (Again, I'll explain later). Neil has been terrific to my colleagues & myself, & has allowed us unfettered access to his Lounge, including drinks & buffet, Filming Facilities, sofas & armchairs for old peeps to fall asleep on, the lot.

I mistakenly said the other day that Annette spent most of her time in the Everest Lounge, as it had a Pool Table - in fact, I meant the Champions Lounge. But deffo not the Betfair Lounge.

Top guy Neil, (American), & rather fetchingly handsome, would you not  agree?

Sorry, forgot to say, Neil is the one in the middle.

[tikay]

Norman Pace, Liv Boeree, & Mike, the latter two about to play Day 2b, & Norman off to play The Venetian Midday-er - oh how I wish I could play those lovely midday Deep Stackers they have at Venetian & Caesars, but work has to come first.

Norm & Mike seem very happy with life in this pic.......

[tikay]

This guy, & his friend, are (is) playing Day 2b, today. Some Card-Marker. Fancy playing all day in a $10,000 jobbie sat next to them?

[Chompy]

Has anyone ever seen Rob Garfield and Paul Jackson in the same room together? Hmm, I wonder.
Keep an eye out for under-rated Lutonian Paul Ephremsen, who's currently sat with around 180,000 chips. He's quite capable of turning them into a monster stack in double-quick time, or doing in the lot.

[RichEO]

I could get some absolutely wonderful TableSide pics, as I have "All Areas Access", but "Flash" pics are not allowed, & I can't find how to turn the flash off on my camera. I've already fallen foul of the ESPN gestapo this morning, so I'm on a "one strike & you are out" Final Warning.

My camera is a "FujuFilm FinePix Z", can anyone assist, please?

On the right hand edge of the circular button there is a lightning bolt image. Press that until the lightning bolt icon with the line through it comes on the screen. I'm sure I showed you this in Blackpool  

[tikay]

I could get some absolutely wonderful TableSide pics, as I have "All Areas Access", but "Flash" pics are not allowed, & I can't find how to turn the flash off on my camera. I've already fallen foul of the ESPN gestapo this morning, so I'm on a "one strike & you are out" Final Warning.

My camera is a "FujuFilm FinePix Z", can anyone assist, please?

On the right hand edge of the circular button there is a lightning bolt image. Press that until the lightning bolt icon with the line through it comes on the screen. I'm sure I showed you this in Blackpool  

You did, I have forgotten now though, sorry. There are TWO circular buttons, Top or Bottom?

You off home tomorrow? - safe journey bud, catch up with you in DTD Mini-Fest probably.

[tikay]

I could get some absolutely wonderful TableSide pics, as I have "All Areas Access", but "Flash" pics are not allowed, & I can't find how to turn the flash off on my camera. I've already fallen foul of the ESPN gestapo this morning, so I'm on a "one strike & you are out" Final Warning.

My camera is a "FujuFilm FinePix Z", can anyone assist, please?

On the right hand edge of the circular button there is a lightning bolt image. Press that until the lightning bolt icon with the line through it comes on the screen. I'm sure I showed you this in Blackpool  

Ahh, found it. It's so small!

Thank you.

Expect to be bored to tears by scores of "at the Table" pics now. You have been warned.

[tikay]

This Gentleman introduced himself to me this morning, he's a regular blonde. I'm very sorry, my memory, but I've forgotten his real name. And his blonde name. I think it might have been "Marcol" or similar.

[tikay]

Apologies for the poor(er?) quality of the next two pics. And this will only make sense if you know The Rio.

I spotted these Tables this morning, with "overnight" bags of chips on, & enquired what Tourney they were for.

"The Main Event, Day Two" was the reply.

These are the little group of "regular" Rio Tables, at the very start of the Rio Corridor - at the Casino end! Opposite the Swimming Pool Entrance, right alongside the bar, & 10 zillion noisy slots, with Dancers & loud music yards away.

It seems that some of the "CardRooms" have been re-allocated to other purposes now, & are no longer WSOP Cardrooms, or any Cardrooms for that matter, just regular Convention Centre Rooms. I guess it happened because of the huge number of Runners on Day 1d, due to Harrahs trying, clearly, to get a bigger WSOP ME head-count.

I think it's been run much better this year - no tents, more toilets, more refreshments, etc, but I think this was a bit of a boo-boo. Playing a $10,000 Main Event in those circumstances is just wrong. Rather like playing a £10,000 WSOP-E on a balcony at the Empire Leicester Square, really.

[tikay]

.

[tikay]

Has anyone ever seen Rob Garfield and Paul Jackson in the same room together? Hmm, I wonder.
Keep an eye out for under-rated Lutonian Paul Ephremsen, who's currently sat with around 180,000 chips. He's quite capable of turning them into a monster stack in double-quick time, or doing in the lot.

Garfield = Jackson? Possibly. But one of them can play.

Paul Ephremesen? Any idea what Table? It's not "Red-Shirt", is it?

[tikay]

Has anyone ever seen Rob Garfield and Paul Jackson in the same room together? Hmm, I wonder.
Keep an eye out for under-rated Lutonian Paul Ephremsen, who's currently sat with around 180,000 chips. He's quite capable of turning them into a monster stack in double-quick time, or doing in the lot.

Just clicked his blondepedia pics - looks like Rookie to me. (Lower picture).

http://blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=1469&photo_id=5037

[tikay]

Scary, or what?

[tikay]

Total Brain-Fade occurred whilst I was stood chatting for 5 or 10 minutes with Padraig. I admire his relentless work for the Simon Foundation (Irish Homeless charity) a great deal, which I totally support.

Whilst chattng, a pretty young lady come up to me, totally ignoring PP, "hi tikay, how are you?", followed by a french-style kiss on both cheeks.

Now, I know I knew her, but was struggling to place her. I did know her, I did. But who?

So I used standard practice, & pontifricated, allowing me thought-room & time, by introducing her to PP. "Great man, huge fund-raiser, shocking poker player" etc. I then took  picture of them together, we chatted a little more, then off they toddled.

It was fully 10 minutes before the penny dropped.

Padraig & Veronique, his wonderfully charismatic & beautiful (& long-suffering) partner for as long as I've known them. Not sure what she thought when I introduced her to PP. I might have got it through, under "quirky sense of humour", you know.

[tikay]

This is Sky Poker Qualifier Mike, & Kelly, the've really done the whole Vegas experience 24/7, & had a cracking time together here.

He works in a "secure institution" up near his Liverpool home, & is Liverpol FC-daft.

He started the day at 17k, went up to 25k, & was struggling on 13k last time I looked.

"Hard work is it Mike?" I asked.

"Hard work? You jest. I grapple with murderers & rapists two or three times a week in my job, this is pure unadulterated fun, & I've had a ball".

Attaboy.

Gotta wonder about those strides though, his "lucky trousers".