Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[boldie]

The 4 of us - Jen, Flops, Compo & me were chit-chatting in the Press Room, discussing Mark Telschers antics, unaware that in front of us, & listening to us, was Greg Raymer. "Hey, you guys are supposed to support the only Brit in the Final" says the great man. Err, after those antics, we say?......Anyway, Greg comes up & we have an amazing chat, he gave a sort of private Masterclass on the Betting patterns of Stud, Pot Limit v No Limit v Limit, & much else. He can't play the WSOP-E Horse, but he thought that was his best chance of a Bracelet out of the 3 WSOP-E Events, as so many play HORSE so badly, & very few understand the maths of some of the elements. (He'll play the Omaha & Hold'Em). He's a top, top, bloke, & I like him immensely. Had his open-toed sandals & white socks on again.....some dress-sense these Americans, eh? Compo was knocked out by Greg, too, Greg has a new fan I think.

He is the sort of person you could listen to for hours. He has a very rare knack of explaining exactly why he'll do something, which when you hear it, makes you think, "Oh, it's all very simple," even when it isn't. Pab has a bit of this too. The best thing in that conversation was listening to him talking about the less popular games, which seem to be his bread and butter. The Stud-8 and Triple draw games which he says are very easy, even at high limits. Was fun to see him and Jen discuss the finer points of 08 vs PLO8 as well.

Thats'w hat I noticed about the triple draw (2-7) people just don't get it. Now I'm nowhere near understanding it completely myself..(or even half of it to be honest) but people who play some of the 30-60 games don't even grasp the basics as explained by Negreanu in supersystem 2! I would have loved to have heard Raymers thoughts on this.

BTW TK..for 400-800 limit triple draw recommended minimum roll is 1000 big bets...800k should do it as a minimum...yikes

[tikay]

BBC News report that.....

An MEP for South East England has been jailed for nine months for falsely claiming benefits of more than £65,000.
Former UKIP MEP Ashley Mote, 71, was sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court after being found guilty of 21 offences following a four-week trial.

Mote will retain his seat in Europe because he would only have been disqualified if he had received a term of imprisonment of more than 12 months.

Now ferret around behind this disgraceful situation & it gets worse.

Within a week of being Elected in 2004 as a UKIP MEP, he was disowned & sacked by the UKIP, when the offences came to light.

He then managed to delay his Trial by 3 years on the grounds of European Diplomatic Immunity. Meanwhile, he continued to draw his MEP salary.

His sentence of 9 months means that while he is in Prison he'll continue to draw his full MEP Salary.

And when he's served his sentence, he'll be free to continue his role as MEP, still drawing his salary.

So, he gets sent to Prison for defrauding the electorate who voted him in, & continues to draw the Salary.

His Constituents now have an MEP who's powerless, as he's in prison. Drawing his full Salary.

Nice work if you can get it.

[kinboshi]

Don't vote for UKIP is the moral of that story.  Proberly.

[Robert HM]

Don't vote for any of them, it only encourages them.

[NoflopsHomer]

Don't vote for any of them, it only encourages them.

"The last person who should be President is the one who wants it the most. The one who should be picked is the one who should be dragged, kicking and screaming into the White House"

[Claw75]

Don't vote for any of them, it only encourages them.

"The last person who should be President is the one who wants it the most. The one who should be picked is the one who should be dragged, kicking and screaming into the White House"

so we have to vote for Robert HM in the next election

[kinboshi]

Don't vote for any of them, it only encourages them.

"The last person who should be President is the one who wants it the most. The one who should be picked is the one who should be dragged, kicking and screaming into the White House"

so we have to vote for Robert HM in the next election

I would.

[NoflopsHomer]

Don't vote for any of them, it only encourages them.

"The last person who should be President is the one who wants it the most. The one who should be picked is the one who should be dragged, kicking and screaming into the White House"

so we have to vote for Robert HM in the next election

I would.

I'm unsure on his Jumper policy...

[AndrewT]

Don't vote for any of them, it only encourages them.

"The last person who should be President is the one who wants it the most. The one who should be picked is the one who should be dragged, kicking and screaming into the White House"

so we have to vote for Robert HM in the next election

I would.

Another lawyer in charge, just what we need.

[NoflopsHomer]

Don't vote for any of them, it only encourages them.

"The last person who should be President is the one who wants it the most. The one who should be picked is the one who should be dragged, kicking and screaming into the White House"

so we have to vote for Robert HM in the next election

I would.

Another lawyer in charge, just what we need.

Mystery657312455 for PM!

[tikay]

This is gonna be pretty boring (yes, yes, more than usual, smart-ass), but it's a Diary, so too bad.

Life gets quite complicated the next few days, and as the World's worst self- organizer, I've had a nightmare sorting it out.

Anyway, I start at Luton today at 3pm until 4.30pm for a Meeting (at Days Inn), & then I have to be in Leicester Square by 7pm. Well I never take my car into Central London - EVER - so will leave my car at Days Inn & I'm gonna jump a train from Luton to St Pancras, then a tube to my Hotel in Marble Arch, then sh** shave & shower & back on the Tube to get to Leicester Square by 7pm. I tried to book a Hotel in or near Leicester Square - guess how much? Try north of £350!

Tonight, at The Casino on the Empire, there is a big WSOP-E party for the poker hoity poity, so I'm going along wiith a Sky Poker Camera Crew to see if we can get some decent stuff, interviews & such like. They are gonna wire me up with a Radio Microphone & I'll wander round sticking it in peeps faces I guess. I mused on doing a Denis Penis thing, until I found out who tonight's Compere is. One Lennox Lewis. Oops, maybe Denis Penis is not such a good idea after all. Tonight, he will be Lord Lewis.

I'm amazed & totally flattered that I keep being allowed to do these little jobs for Sky Poker & Poker Week. They could choose from any number of folks, proper Presenters too, yet my name comes out of the hat more than is really fair. Sky Poker have another "Sky Live Day" soon, & I'm totally thrilled to have been asked to do my thing there too, as I did at The Broadway for the first Sky Live Day. Anyway, I digress.

So, it'll be late-ish when we finish tonight, so stay over at the Thistle in Marble Arch, & I gotta be up bright & early on Thursday for the WSOP-E Press Conference in Leicester Square, I have to arrive there at 10am to get set up & everything for the 11am Start. Can't afford to be late, as one of those present is always punctual. Cue Mr Hellmuth.....

I'm hellish nervous but strangely confident I can handle being the Compere for the Press Conference, my "debut" at this lark. It's just introductions & that sort of stuff. I've been to a hundred Poker Press Conferences, & I can't recall a single thing from one of them, they are as boring as hell. Well, I may make a total fool of myself, (do I hear 6/4?) but tomorrow's Press Conference is gonna be a bit different, because I'm gonna liven it up a little. They can only sack me, & it's a one-off gig anyway! But we need to "engage" the Media troops, need to get them involved, make it fun for THEM too. So they write nice gooey things about WSOP-E. . As those who have been to blonde Bash's & APAT's know, I insist that everyone contributes, so hopefully it'll be a bit livelier than the normal Press Conference. The only worry really is that Jen, snoops & Dana will be there, on Official Piss-Taking Duties. Jen's so cutting, she takes the piss out of me so beautifully & skilfully. She has got my number if nobody else has.

Once Mr Devilfish & Mr Hellmuth have finished their blathering, and I presumably conclude my brief career working for WSOP-E, (the pay was good though!) I change hats & get to work for Poker Week, they are coming along, wormster as Producer, God bless him, he works tirelessly, & Billy the Cameraman. We have got interviews booked with Hellmuth & Mr Ulliott, so after Skalie yesterday, I'm mixing with the high & mighty of poker. I feel a fraud really, but I never refuse the wages......Anyway, are any of THEM top of the 13,672 strong Poker Pages Pro-Rank 2 World Rankings? I think not.

So that'll take us to early-mid-afternoon, then I catch a train across to Feltham to do the Sky Show that night. If I'm reading it right, that's 3 days fees in a single day. Hush now, before they cotton on....

So I'll stay over in Feltham Thursday night, as it's too late to jump a train, & get up early on Friday & get the train to Luton to pick up my car, & thence up the M1 to Derbyshire.

Friday night, well, I'm thinking of poodling up to Huddersfield, as there is a Grand Prix Qualifier there that night. There are dozens of Qualifiers all over the UK, but my diary is a bit squished up right now, so I need to try & qualify at any opportunity. I think the Grosvenor Grand Prix is, without a shadow of doubt, the best value Tourney in the UK, bar none. £300,000 Guaranteed, 10,000 chips, & Pot Limit. I've qualified for it first or second time of asking every year, so fingers crossed. In each Qualifier (£100 rebuys) 15% of the field go through. So, assume, say, 60 runners, & we are looking at 9 qualifiers - effectively, just make the Final. "Just"......! (I bubbled in a Qualifier for the Grand Prix one year after Red-Dog called my All-In with A-4. A bloody 4!)

Saturday I'm doing the Sky Show again, so I'll drive down about midday (I like to arrive nice & early), do the Show, & stay over in Feltham, as I'm on the Sky Show again on Sunday. Sunday will be a tester, as it's "Showdown", & all the Presenters & Analysts are appearing as Guests, playing against each other in a sort of TV Last Longer. A Last Longer on Live TV? Now that IS scary.

I shall stay over again on Sunday night, as I have a meeting on Monday in London to finalise details for the Virgin Fessie at The Broadway in November. That's gonna be a terrific thing - £5k added, note. The Added Money Bandwagon is rolling nicely now.......And a trip to Vegas for some lucky bugger, too.

So, a full & varied week again. Next week it gets busier.....

This roundabout's gonna stop pretty damn soon, I am sure of that, so I'm enjoying the ride whilst I can. Can you blame me?

[tikay]

A knock from the Postie this morning & there, bright & shiny & new, was a pre-publication copy of Des Wilson's new book, "Ghosts at the Table", a sort of history of Poker.

How come I've got a copy? (Albeit, the content is under embargo until publication date, October 4th). And blonde have 6 copies to give away as Prizes? And Sky Poker ditto. And Poker Week. Rinse repeat.....

Well, I guess you know this, but that's how these things work. I've never been involved before, so it was interesting to see it at first hand.

To go back a few years, I owe Des Wilson a huge debt. He chased me all over Europe, & Vegas, for 2 years. He wanted some "nice stories" about Devilfish. Which was kinda awkward for me. So I swerved Des for 2 years. And now I feel bad about that.

Anyways, we bump into each other a month or so back, & he tells me his new book is out very soon, & I agree to help him large it up.

So blonde will be getting 6 copies, which we will offer as Prizes, & blonde will write a Review of the book. Nice, one hopes.....(That's why you rarely see bad Book Reviews, see?). And Des gets his book promoted. Easy, eh?

And I spoke to Sky Poker, put him forward as a Guest, they accepted, so did he, 6 more Free Copies as Prizes, ditto ditto. Eveyone's a winner, & no money changes hands.

And Poker Week are hoping to go down to Des's beautiful cottage in Cornwall to interview him, I can't wait for that - I can take the GWR - & take a look at the Cornish Poker Scene. There's a new angle, Cornish Poker! 6 more free copies, six more Prizes.

The Parkinson Show worked on that basis for many a year, ditto all the Chat Shows really. Things are rarely what they seem. eh?

[tikay]

This one's for Flush, so bear with me. (And yes, he's reading this & going berserk with angst & jealousy).

You've seen mention of the Poker Pages Pro-Rank 2 Rankings. It''s for Tourneys over the last 2 years of $1,000 or less buy-in. The list is 13,968 strong, & worldwide.

Lawrence Gosney is 4th, Lalit Khujuria 8th, Greek Jack 10th, Ian Woodley 41st, Karl Mahrenholz 50th, Micky Wernick 69th, Paul King 74th, Paul Gourlay 77th, & good old Jim McShane 78th. And Thewy is 86th, I'm loving this. And I'm in 1st place. Yup, FIRST.

Now, there's two important things to consider here.

1) The Rankings must be wrong. I'm guessing that they have not taken into account all the Final Table Deals I do. I've never sent them a single result, or corrected one, as I really don't know how they work. But let's assume I'm down in xthousandth really.

2) In 7th place - that's SEVENTH PLACE - is one James Dempsey.

And he is going BALLISTIC. "If I'd not done a deal there, or you'd reported any one of your 759 deals, I'd be top, & you'be down with the numptys". I mean, he was on the phone howling......

And he's right, of course, I'm pretty sure of that.

But for the bragging rights over Choper Flush, I'll look the other way for a little longer. Hehe.....

Eat your heart out Sucker Flush.

[tikay]

OK, just one more, then I'm away.

I'd like to thank Mr & Mrs Skalie for their wonderful hospitality yesterday. Thery have a lovely home - a home, not a house, if you get my meaning - up in Chorley, near Preston.

They've used the WSOP money wisely, house for Mum, that sort of thing. And the biggest Beemer you ever saw. He's awiting a few sponsorship deals to be clarified, but he's in no rush, & he's no fool.

He's 50/50 to play the £10k Main Event at the WSOP-E, but unless a deal is confirmed, he won't play. Decision today.

Talking of late decisions, I spoke to Dave Colclough last night, & he's in all three WSOP Jobbies, lucky him! I could fancy his chances in all three, but I think he'll run particularly well in the Horse & Omaha. Let's hope so.

And lastly, what about a big up for Karabiner, who is on fire these days. 4th in the big Sunday Online Comp, & 4th last night in the Daddy. I watched the Daddy Final, & Ralph was using his guile to good effect, there were two biggies, including Ralph, & 2 shorties, & I felt sure he'd let the 2 shorties perish before getting busy. But he clashed with the marginal chip leader, an A high Flop, Raph had A-T (4 handed at this stage, 2 in the hand) & it looked like Chip Daddy was doing the bully thing, so all the chips went in rapido. Bully Boy had AK, & that was that.

It just shows, that even with advancing years, dotage even, Ralph can still cut the mustard. Have you noticed, by the way, that he's shrinking? All old people do, so nothing to worry about really.

[ripple11]

So, what to make of Mark Telscher's odd behaviour in the EPT Final?

One erudite & highly respected blonde Posted this on the Live Update......

How much of Mark's attention seeking twattery at the table is an act?



He went to the EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo in his red ferrari, & parked it on the pavement for all 4 days, right by the cardroom doors, almost blocking them, we all had to walk round it to get in. If I had a Ferrari, maybe I'd do the same. Lives in Park Lane I'm told, but I don't know how he earns his living. Some wag suggested we could find out by asking him to play a version of that old Radio programme, "Whats My Line?".

Ahhh...so that's whos car it was!!,.....as you say, virtually parked in the card room.

Say no more.